Game On As Guy Cosmo Turns Up The Heat On Spring Training

As one of the busiest driving coaches in professional sports car driving, there is never really much of an off-season for 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year, Guy Cosmo. In addition to his role as driver of the highly regarded Extreme Speed Motorsports ALMS GT team, Guy keeps a full schedule providing coaching services to drivers in several racing series including Grand Am and the IMSA GT3 Challenge.

At the most recent American Le Mans Winter Test Guy had a full week working with John Baker and the Alex Job Racing Team and then shifting gears (literally) jumping over to the Patron sponsored Ferrari with team mates, Scott Sharp, Johannes van Overbeek and Ed Brown.

"Spirits are really high over at ESM," noted Guy. "Though we've only had limited time with the new Ferrari 458, things look really promising for the 2011 season."

"At the time of the ALMS Winter Test we had only received one 458," added Guy. "Given we still had one of last year's 430s available to us, we made good use of our time getting Ed (Brown) and myself seat time. You can never have too much seat time at Sebring. So, while Scott and Johannes and the #01 crew shook down the new 458, we were hard at it working on the driver side and putting the crew through their paces. It was a good opportunity for us."

Guy and Ed did get a session each in the new 458.

"In a word, wow," said Cosmo. "The 458 is a very exciting car. While we have a tremendous amount of work to do leading up to the 12 Hours of Sebring, I don't recall ever driving a car that felt so race-ready right from the factory. We'll get the second car and get some testing in later in the month. It's really hard to curb your enthusiasm with such an exciting car."

Not only is the car exciting, the 2011 GT class will be a Championship for the ages. With marques like BMW, Corvette, Ford GT, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Porsche and Ferrari all lining up hungry for the gold, it's a given that GT will be where the action is.  Look for Cosmo and crew to be right in the thick of it.

American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will open 2011 at the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida. The race is set for 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 19 and will be shown live and in its entirety on ESPN3.com and americanlemans.com starting at 10 a.m. ET. ABC will provide coverage from 12:30 to 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 20.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year competed last season in the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patron Ferrari. Cosmo is a race record-holder at Mid-Ohio (for fastest lap in the GTC series, which he set in 2009 in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup). Cosmo has 28 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 18 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Straight Talk With Guy Cosmo

Q: Guy, the second half of the season got pretty compressed with the tight schedule. You guys had some serious challenges thrown at you in the past three or four races. How are you dealing with that, as a driver?

The 2nd half of the season was definitely action-packed for Ed Brown and me.  There were lots of new challenges for Ed, since he had to learn a few tracks he's never been to before. But for me it's been great just to get some momentum going at these races and flex a little muscle in the situation I've been put in.  The past few races have shown Ed and I in the 02 car are strong. We're always one of the quickest cars out there come race day.  Sure, we've had some lack-luster results here and there, but we're focused on the positives.  We've been very fast and our driver changes and pit stops are getting very good. We've really been nailing our pit strategy the past few races. I think things will start coming together for us soon and the results will follow.

Q: Certainly you guys didn't pick an easy class when you decided to take on the GT group. A lot of the teams have quite a bit of development under their belts. How do you mentally ignore that disadvantage and focus on your own contribution as a driver on a new team? Are you able to help cut that deficit?

The key is to focus on my individual contribution as a driver. That's the best thing I can do working with a new team.  We have an extremely talented and experienced group of people in thie program. Everyone is committed to doing their part - not everyone else's part.  Of course we evaluate and discuss things as a group and speak openly about how to improve as a team. My past experiences come in to play from time to time and I'll have suggestions. But mostly Ed and I work together toward becoming faster and getting our car set up so come race day I can drive my brains out once behind the wheel.  As long as I do those things the way I should, then as a team, we've got it under control.

Q: With Petit ahead of us, what was the toughest race this season?

I'd have to say Lime Rock.  With it raining on the only day of practice we had no opportunity to develop our race setup. Of course we had no data or setup history from previous years to work from.  In addition, I had a shunt in qualifying and that set us back a bit. Ultimately, it was a dry race, and to make matters worse our car wasn't handling very well.  Toss in the extreme heat and the trouble that both Ed and I had in surviving inside the cockpit, it's safe to say it was a pretty miserable experience!  None-the-less we learned from those events and have come back strong in a number of areas since.  You can't always have a great race weekend...!

Q: Did you feel at any time this season your Ferrari was an advantage at one track or another? Did the car favor any particular track?

I can't really say the Ferrari was an 'advantage' at any track in particular, but I can definitely say it's never been a disadvantage.  The Ferrari F430 GTC is just an amazing car and really well suited for the ALMS GT class.  The reality is IMSA does such a great job of regulating and balancing the performance of the cars, we're all fairly equal.  When the top 10-cars in qualifying are all within one second, no one has an advantage.

Q: Keeping 2010 in mind, do you look forward to getting back to any one track in particular for 2011?

Honestly? I can't wait to get back to all of them in 2011. I just love the tracks we go to.  Sebring, Laguna, Long Beach, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Mosport, Road Atlanta…  I mean, come on... these are some of the greatest race tracks on the planet.  How could you love one more than another?

Q: Petit is a 10 hour onslaught… are you bringing anything special for the season close?

Just my "A" game and maybe a new good luck charm... ;)

Next stop for Guy is Petit Le Mans powered by MAZDA 2 set for 11:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, October 2. SPEED will air the race starting at 11 a.m., with live radio coverage available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Americanlemans.com will stream qualifying live starting at 3:15 p.m. ET on Friday, October 1. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

Cosmo / Brown Deliver Extreme Speed Motorsports A Top-5 Finish

Delivering on a promise, Guy Cosmo and Ed Brown drove the Extreme Speed Motorsports No. 02 Patrón Ferrari F430 GT to a top-5 finish in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón Time Warner Cable Showcase at Road America.

After an abbreviated qualifying session, the No. 02 Ferrari was delegated to 12th place starting position for Sunday's race on Road America's legendary 4.048- mile, 14-turn road course. Given its long straights, high speeds and elevation changes, it's no wonder the track is a favorite among series' drivers.

"We predicted this would be a good track for Ed and I," said Guy Cosmo after the race. "To finish 5th, ahead of both Risi Ferraris is an incredible result for Ed and me.  The entire Extreme Speed Motorsports crew did a flawless job for us in every way.  Today we did what our team leader Scott Sharp always says - execute!"

Ed Brown took the start and delivered on his end of the bargain in spades.

"Ed did an outstanding job," added Cosmo. "He drove his best laps of the weekend after battling a car that wasn't the most confidence inspiring.  He kept pace, did well in traffic and kept us on the lead lap for well over an hour at the wheel.  Today Ed did everything he needed to do to put us in a position to bring the car home in the top-5."

Nowhere does pit strategy play out like at Road America. The long trip around leaves no room for error on fuel strategy. Falling behind is simply not an option.

"We gained a lot of positions with our pit strategy," noted Cosmo. "Our guys James Malicki and Bobby Khavidi deserve a lot of the credit. Their pit strategy was amazing. When I got in the car I left pit lane in 6th place. Then with a short fill soon after I was right on sequence with the group in front of me. I was able to run them down at full-bore and race for position to the end."

And race to the end they did. Cosmo kept the No. 02 car right in the thick of it. The ESM No. 01 Ferrari team of Johannes van Overbeek and team owner Scott Sharp had dropped back to 8th after leading the fiercely competitive GT class halfway through the race. It was up to Cosmo and Brown to carry the ESM Patrón flag.

"Bruni (Risi Ferrari) and I had an incredible battle during the closing laps," said Cosmo,  "I ran down a 10 second deficit on him and one of the Corvettes. I then spent the next three laps glued to his bumper trying to work my way around him." 

"He ran quite defensively," added Cosmo, "but he raced me clean and hard. I got a run on him heading down into turn 5 and made the pass. Then just before turn-in he managed to roll down inside of me to retake the position at the apex. Through the next few corners he blocked pretty aggressively. Ultimately, it required a few courtesy-taps to let him know I needed to get by. Heading into Canada Corner he blocked again, this time on the inside of the braking zone. I set him up and managed to squeeze under him at the exit. We drag raced up the hill to turn 13. We rubbed again as I drove around the outside of him and I had a huge wiggle nearly losing control from the contact. I suppose he could have turned me around had he wanted to, but he didn't.  It was a pretty intense battle and maybe  one of the best passes I've ever made. I'll go wheel-to-wheel with Bruni any day - he drove like you'd expect a true professional to drive."

"At the end-of-the day, this is all about Patrón and Extreme Speed Motorsports," acknowledged Guy. "I just can't say enough about the team and Patrón's support. We're finding success among the best in the business and it was a great day for all of us."

The ESM team heads straight to Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. The venue is Mosport International Raceway and round eight of The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, the Grand Prix of Mosport on Sunday, August 29.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. Cosmo is a race record-holder at Mid-Ohio (for fastest lap in the GTC series, which he set in 2009 in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup). He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

The ESM Ferraris are running on cellulosic E85R biofuel. The switch to alternative fuels not only helps the performance of the cars, its also in line with the American Le Mans Series global leadership of Green Racing.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

Guy Cosmo's Endless Summer Heads to Road America

It's been a long hot summer for Guy Cosmo turning in his poolside chaise for the confines of the drivers seat. This week the tour will hit the 4.048-mile, 14-turn Road America, North America's longest sports car course.

Cosmo and the Extreme Speed Motorsports crew are anxious to put the Patrón F430 Ferrari GTs through their paces. Road America is a track well suited to the speed and handling characteristics of the Ferrari… and that's just the way Cosmo and his co-driver, Ed Brown, like it.

This will be the seventh stop on the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron championship season. It is a highly anticipated event due to the fact it backs right up to next weeks eighth round at Mosport International in Ontario, Canada. This means teams must have a no-mistake weekend. It's a back-to-back turn around for the crew as the caravan of teams and transporters will leave directly from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin and head straight to Mosport International in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.

"We're definitely into the summer stretch," said Guy Cosmo. "But it's good. There's nothing better than being busy… especially when I'm in a race car. It's our guys on the crew that really take the hit. They're non-stop for the next 12 days."

"But then again," laughed Cosmo, "there is no rest for the wicked. The ESM guys are totally wicked."

"I'm really hoping we can catch our rhythm and use the packed schedule to our advantage," Cosmo continued. "We've had our fair share of knocks through the mid-season and I'm hoping we can put it behind us and show what we've got in these last three races. We're taking it one race at a time, but it's hard to ignore that the season finale (Petit Le Mans) is a 10 hour endurance race and one that can give the team a high note to carry into the off-season. That's the kind of momentum that can jump-start the team in 2011. Either way everyone at ESM is focused on the same goal, we're all in it to win it."

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. Cosmo is a race record-holder at Mid-Ohio (for fastest lap in the GTC series, which he set in 2009 in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup). He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

The ESM Ferraris are running on cellulosic E85R biofuel. The switch to alternative fuels not only helps the performance of the cars, its also in line with the American Le Mans Series global leadership of Green Racing.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the American Le Mans Series powered by eStar. The seventh round of the 2010 championship is set for 2:05 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 22. SPEED will air the race live at 3 p.m. ET with live radio coverage available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Americanlemans.com will stream Friday’s qualifying session starting at 3:10 p.m. CT. Visit the Series’ schedule page  for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

A Solid Run At Mid-Ohio Interrupted

Just as things were going their way, the Extreme Speed Motorsports No. 02 Patrón Ferrari of Guy Cosmo and Ed Brown was hit from behind putting an end to their day at the American Le Mans Series present by Tequila Patrón Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge.

An abbreviated docu-drama of the Mid-Ohio race will air at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 15 on CBS Sports.

After chasing the set-up earlier in the week, Cosmo turned in a solid qualifying lap to put the car 6th on the GT starting grid. On race day, Guy took the wheel for the opening stint. Changing things up a bit, the team decided to have Ed Brown finish up the race. Ed did a great job getting up to speed while dealing with cold tires and late-race traffic. Then with just a half hour remaining in the race, Brown suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a punt from No.61 Risi Competizione Ferrari. The avoidable, if not blatant contact, put the No. 02 car in the outside wall at turn 9 and ultimately out of the race.

"Well, another interesting weekend for Ed and I in the No. 02 car," laughed a frustrated Cosmo. "We struggled a bit with our setup early in the weekend, but got things sorted pretty well by qualifying. I got a good lap in late in the session and was able to qualify 6th on the grid. We were pleased with that." 

"We made a decision to change things up a bit this weekend," added Cosmo. "We decided let Ed finish the race in order for him to gain more experience. So I climbed in for the opening stint."

"It was a blast running nose to tail with everyone at the start," said the ALMS 2005 Rookie of the Year.  "We were fairly deep into the race before the first full-course caution, so my time in the car was full of intense battles and flat-out lapping. It was great. Driving the ESM Patrón Ferrari around Mid-Ohio under those conditions, in this series, with this team and sponsor - it was perfect."

"Ed hopped in and did a great job," said Cosmo. "He consistently turned his quickest laps of the weekend. He was very impressive. Unfortunately with about 30 minutes to go, former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella shoved him off track and into a wall. It was extremely disappointing to see a driver of Fisichella's caliber make such a bullish maneuver on the track while passing a lapped car. And even more so considering he's a fellow Ferrari driver."

"Despite all of our troubles," noted Cosmo, "before I got out of the car, I had a great battle with 'the boss', Scott Sharp. That was fun. Scott & Johannes went on to take a 5th place finish in the No. 01 car so it was a great weekend for the team as a whole. We'll be in top-form at the next race at Road America. I can't wait!"

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. Cosmo is a race record-holder at Mid-Ohio (for fastest lap in the GTC series, which he set in 2009 in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup). He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

The ESM Ferraris are running on cellulosic E85R biofuel. The switch to alternative fuels not only helps the performance of the cars, its also in line with the American Le Mans Series global leadership of Green Racing.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

The next round of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the American Le Mans Series powered by eStar. The seventh round of the 2010 championship is set for 2:05 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 22. SPEED will air the race live at 3 p.m. ET with live radio coverage available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Americanlemans.com will stream Friday’s qualifying session starting at 3:10 p.m. CT. Visit the Series’ schedule page  for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

Cosmo Sees An Advantage Coming Into Mid-Ohio

Mid-Ohio has always been friendly territory for Guy Cosmo. He sees that as a good thing for the #02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón Ferrari GT as the team prepares for this weekend's American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge. This will be the second event of 2010 where the Series has shared top billing with the Indycar Series.

The team is hopeful Mid-Ohio will provide them with their first podium finish. Though Cosmo and Ed Brown (co-driver) have enjoyed solid performances in their first six races together, they've faced their fair share of challenges more recently at Utah and Lime Rock. Maintaining their streak of taking every checkered flag under their own power, the team is very confident they'll take a spot on the podium in 2010.

No stranger to the fan-friendly historic 2.26 mile sports car course, Cosmo enjoyed his first American Le Mans Series win here in 2005 driving a Mazda powered LMP2 Courage. Cosmo also went on that year to take the American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year Award.

"Mid-Ohio is a driver's track," said Guy. "You have to drive Mid-Ohio with controlled aggression. It's like playing a game of chess. You need a strategy all the way around the course. I absolutely love this place"

"Best of all," continued Cosmo, "it suits the Ferrari to a 'T.' The car definitely feels at home here. It's just such a great handling car… it just flows nicely with the course… it's totally in sync. I'm confident we're going to do very well here."

The Extreme Speed Motorsports Team had a chance to test at Mid Ohio back in June. While early summer conditions were considerably different than what can be expected in early August, Guy feels the test will give them a head start to the weekend.

"Obviously, when we tested here two months ago, the conditions were a lot different," Guy noted. "Regardless, the test proved to us that our Ferraris are a dream to drive around this place. We will be strong for the weekend."

"Mid-Ohio will be good for Ed as well," said Guy of his co-driver. "He drove very well at the test and he likes the track a lot. We're all very optimistic about seeing him step up and take his performance to the next level this weekend."

On-track action for the for ESM teams and round six of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón Patrón will kick off on Thursday, August 5 at 4:30pm with a 90-minute test session.
 
The teams will see two additional one-hour practice sessions on Friday with qualifying taking place at 2:25pm.
 
The two-hour, 45-minute race from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is set for 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 7. It is round six of the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. Live race and qualifying video will be streamed online at americanlemans.com. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. The race will be broadcast at 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

Cosmo and Brown Struggle At Northeast Grand Prix

It was not a banner weekend for the #02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón Ferrari F430 GT's performance at the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park. Mincing no words, Guy Cosmo simply stated; "we did not produce the results we were hoping for."

"We just need to get this one behind us and gear up for Mid-Ohio," added Cosmo.  "With the ever-changing conditions and limited track time it was a tough weekend for everyone. And that was really what this race was all about. We practiced and qualified in the rain and then race day was dry, hot and humid. Everyone was chasing their set-up and we all suffered with the heat."

"I think the most frustrating part of all is we really had a fantastic time at Lime Rock," said Guy. "We were fortunate enough to have lots of friends and family come out to support us. Having everyone there along with all the guests from Patron experiencing the excitement of American Le Mans Series racing first hand, from the chic surroundings of the Patrón VIP Club was just great."

Extreme Speed Motorsports made their inaugural appearance at the 2010 12 Hours of Sebring and has enjoyed solid results given they're a new team and competing in what is arguably the most completive sports car racing series and division in the world. And even though the last two events did not produce the results they had hoped for, the team takes pride in the fact they are taking the checkered flag and completing the races.

The team tested earlier this summer at Mid-Ohio and Cosmo is confident what they were able to learn will work to their advantage. The transporters and crews move in to Lexington on Wednesday, August 4 in preparation for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge.

"We should roll off the trailer fairly close to race ready," noted Cosmo. "Our summer test there went well, so everyone is very optimistic. We'll be ready."

In 2005 Cosmo drove to victory in the American Le Mans race at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in a Mazda-powered Courage, scoring Mazda's first P2 win in their second race in the category. Cosmo took the helm during the second half of the race and coping with variable weather conditions to out-distance the field and take the team's and his first American Le Mans Series win. He went on to win Rookie of the Year.

The American Le Mans Series returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge. The two-hour, 45-minute race – Round 6 of the 2010 championship – is set for 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 7. Live race and qualifying video will be streamed online at americanlemans.com. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. The race will be broadcast at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 15 on CBS Sports. Visit the Series’ schedule page  for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

Cosmo And Company Head North On A Mission

Nothing would make Guy Cosmo happier than seeing the Extreme Speed Motorsports #02 Patrón Ferrari celebrate on the podium at the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park July 23-24.

After enjoying solid results in the first three races of ESM's inaugural season, the team experienced their fair share of challenges at the Utah Grand Prix earlier this month. While it's not unusual for new teams to experience growing pains, it was uncharted territory for Extreme Speed's topflight crew.

"Utah is behind us," exclaimed a determined Guy Cosmo. "It's been reviewed and put to bed. We go forward from here and I'm confident our guys will make the necessary adjustments both on and off the track. We're all pros… and while we might be a new team, this is not our first rodeo. We're not going to allow being a new team to be a viable excuse. Excuses don't win races. So our focus is directed toward Lime Rock and getting these Ferraris to the front."

While the ALMS has been enjoying large entries and full grids in 2010, the term 'full grid' becomes very significant when the Series gets to Lime Rock Park. Lime Rock is the shortest track on the calendar at just under 1.6 miles long. Last year's overall pole time was 46.97 seconds and the average speed was 122 mph. And with only one left turn on the entire track, teams find themselves thinking in terms of an oval-like setup.

Think high-speed traffic jam. Drivers at Lime Rock will make the least amount of gear changes (16) per lap and run at full throttle 61% of the time. There are seven turns in all. That said, it's a spectacular battle ground for the scrappy GT2 cars.

"I'm really looking forward to climbing in the Ferrari at Lime Rock," said Cosmo, ALMS 2005 Rookie of the Year. "Traffic is going to be an issue, for sure… but if you can break into the clear, it's going to be the ride of a lifetime. You just know when a car is going to suit a track. I think the ESM Patrón Ferrari will be well suited."

Originally hailing from the New York area, Cosmo sees Lime Rock as a homecoming of sorts. Much of Guy's early racing took place in the Northeast and Lime Rock was very much like home.

"It's great being back at Lime Rock," added Guy. "It's just like being home. I spent a lot of time here and have lots of friends and family in the area. The best part will be having my dad hanging out with us. He and I had some of the best times of our lives racing and hanging around at Lime Rock. It's pretty special."

And, if you are within striking distance of Boston, come join Guy, Lime Rock Park and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón to celebrate the Northeast Grand Prix in style at Alibi Bar and Lounge in Boston on Wednesday, July 21st! The Patrón Spirits Company and Harpoon Brewery are presenting the Grand Prix Boston Party, complete with everything a race or car enthusiast wants! And we mean EVERYTHING.

Along with Guy, the event will feature ALMS drivers Simon Pagenaud and Marino Franchitti! Also present for your viewing pleasure- up close and personal- will be the championship-winning Patrón Highcroft Racing LMP racecar! If you are 21 + and RSVP, complimentary drinks will be provided by the event sponsors. There will be events, games, and charity fundraisers at the party... And on top of all that, Lime Rock Park will be throwing down the gauntlet with discounted Saturday tickets for the ALMS race day on July 24th.

The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix is the fifth round of the 2010 season. The two-hour, 45-minute race is set for 2:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 24 from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. SPEED will air the race live at 2 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub  at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

Cosmo / Brown Win MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge

Scoring their first MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge GT category victory and the first for Ferrari came as a hard earned victory for the number 02 Extreme Speed Ferrari driven by Guy Cosmo and Ed Brown. The Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix was the first race that the team ran ran on Cellulosic E85.

“Winning the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge in just the fourth race for our team was a pleasant surprise,” said co-driver Guy Cosmo. “The MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge is a great program, and it is a tremendous honor for Ed Brown, me and for the entire Extreme Speed Motorsports team to receive it for this race.”

Designed to accelerate the development path to market for innovative technologies, fuels, and energy sources through motorsports competition, the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge has become the premier environmental award in motorsports competition worldwide by recognizing cars that go farthest, fastest, with the smallest environmental impact. Two awards, one for Prototypes and one for GT are presented at each American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón event.

While winning the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge for the GT category is an honor, Cosmo and Brown really had their hearts set on making it to the podium steps of victory circle. The track and challenging conditions at Miller Motorsports Park had other ideas.

"This was a character building week," laughed Cosmo. "I think every member of the team got a real taste of what this series is all about. Not that we ever thought it would be easy, but we've really been enjoying small successes making progress each and every time we take to the track. We've been fast. We've improved. We've continuously been able to make the march forward. This week, it felt like everything we did was wrong. It was brutal."

Qualifying was the first blow to the #02 teams efforts as they came up six spots back from their Extreme Speed teammates in the #01 Ferrari who had taken the outside pole.

"We were really happy for Johannes (van Overbeek) and the #01 team," said Cosmo. "They did a great job. But by the same token, we were really disappointed in our own efforts. We simply missed getting the right setup."

The team's luck didn't get much better, although the #02 crew was able to improve the cars handling considerably by race time. Given the rough week they had, the solid 8th place finish in class is an indication of the team's fortitude and willingness to fight back.

"The positive part of the week is how we handled adversity," noted Cosmo. "We stuck with it. Everyone stayed focused, didn't get down and we came away from the week with our heads held high. We raced hard and we never quit."

"The reality," continued Guy, "is this is the American Le Mans Series. This is World Class sports car racing and we're up against the best. We're a new team with four races under our belt. We didn't sign on for an easy challenge. We signed on to race against the top GT teams in the World. Our week in Utah served as a reminder of the job at hand and just how tough a job it is. I have a lot of faith in our guys and the entire Extreme Speed team. We'll get there."

Next up is The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2010 season. The two-hour, 45-minute race is set for 2:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 24 from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. SPEED will air the race live at 2 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub  at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

Guy Cosmo Ready To Turn Up The Heat In Utah

After a six week hiatus, Guy Cosmo is geared up and ready for the fourth stop of the 2010 American Le Mans Series season, the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix, July 11, at Miller Motorsports Park.

While Guy and his Extreme Speed Motorsports teammates may have had six weeks off, no one has been sitting around. ESM has used the opportunity to get a couple of test sessions with the F430 Patrón sponsored Ferraris, the most recent taking place in the desert and Miller Motorsports Park.

"The break as been a great opportunity for us to spend time reviewing where we've been and where we're headed," noted Guy. "The team has done a great job thus far. We rolled out of the box being very competitive, speed-wise.  As with any new team it takes time to gel and to nail down all the little details, such as race strategy, pit stops, driver changes, etc., and we haven't had any true 'failures' there at all. But when you're competing against the best in the business, it requires every aspect of the team and performance to be at 100% - and we're almost there."

"The first three events of the season put us in a variety of situations," added Cosmo. "We had the rough and rowdy 12 Hours of Sebring, a quick sprint on the tight streets of Long Beach and the long winding natural terrain of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. That's a fantastic amount and variety of data for us to review. It's a lot of experience and I think it will serve us well as we jump into the thick of the schedule."

With the Series heading into five races over the next eight weeks and on some of the toughest tracks in North America, Cosmo is confident in the team's ability. "I think the team is unanimous in our level of confidence," said Guy. "We're running consistent and we're making our way to the front. I'm looking forward to getting back out there and mixing it up. Utah will be a great place to kick off the summer stretch. "

A physically demanding track, Miller is no walk in the park. The high altitude of the 3.048 mile track coupled with the desert heat can be punishing on both driver and car. Getting the right set-up is critical. The race is run counterclockwise and combines a lot of high g-force corners combined with slower high-grip turns putting a lot of load on the car and on the driver's neck.

Cosmo and co-driver, Ed Brown will be on-track at Salt Lake for testing on Friday, July 9. Official practice takes place on Saturday followed by qualifying at 3.25pm (local time). The round four GT battle will commence at 2.35pm on Sunday, July 11.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón kicks off the summer stint with the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park. The two-hour, 45-minute race will begin at 2:35 p.m. MT on Sunday, July 11, with coverage beginning on SPEED at 4:30 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.