Frustration Continues for No. 2 Patron Ferrari at Mosport

Early Damage Puts Cosmo Out of Contention

When the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón dropped the green flag on Sunday's  Mobil 1 Presents Grand Prix of Mosport, it became painfully clear it was not going to be a podium finish for Guy Cosmo driving the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patron Ferrari 458GT.

Like Lime Rock, Mosport was yet another week of the No. 2 Patron Ferrari 458GT getting banged around. Cosmo's co-driver, Ed Brown was hit no less than twice in the early going of the 2 hour and 45 minute event. Damage put the car several laps down and the remainder of the day was spent driving around salvaging points.

"It's very discouraging," said Cosmo. "Everyone on the Extreme Speed Motorsports team works so hard getting the car right and ready for race day. We had good speed all week and had a great handling car. Unfortunately, by the time Ed handed over the car, he was beat up and so was the car."

"I just don't know what's going on out there," Guy continued. "These are supposed to be world class drivers yet we're seeing some incredibly amateur moves. I don't know if it's a lack of respect for their equipment or for other drivers, but something has to change. It's pretty disappointing and it's happening with guys that know better and guys you expect more from. I just don't get it."

Guy was left with a broken splitter and right front fender supported by duct tape which resulted in an ill-handling car. Certainly not the day he'd hoped or prepared for.

"On a good note, we had a lot of good folks from Patron cheering us on all week-end," added Guy. "I know they had a great time and it was fun for us as a team spending time and getting to know them."

As the ESM crew packed up to head back to Florida, they could only look forward to Mid-Ohio.

"I'm confident the crew will get things back in order," said Guy. "We'll be ready for Mid-Ohio."

The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge, the fifth round of the 2011 ALMS championship, is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 6 with ESPN2 airing the race starting at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 7. Live video coverage on race day will be available at 3:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com in the US, and americanlemans.com for international viewers. Canadian fans may also watch live coverage on Rogers Sportsnet. Worldwide radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com. For more information on the broadcasts, go to americanlemans.com/tv.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year competed last season in the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón 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.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

Guy Cosmo Heads North of the Border for Grand Prix of Mosport

Guy Cosmo will head north of the border this weekend (July 22-24) driving the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patron Ferrari 458GT when the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón makes its annual visit to Canada for the Mobil 1 Presents Grand Prix of Mosport.

The 2 hour 45 min Grand Prix of Mosport has been part of the American Le Mans Series every season since 1999. Designed and built in the late 1950s, Mosport International Raceway is a 2.459-mile (4.0 km), 10-turn road course. Unlike many historic motorsport venues, Mosport's track layout with it's sweeping turns and dramatic elevation changes has remained mostly unchanged from its original form.

"Mosport is an amazing race track," noted Guy Cosmo. "I've always said, Mosport was a track that was built back when men were men.  It can really separate the men from the boys with it's blind,  flat-out corners and intimidating elevation changes.  It really is the ultimate driver challenge. I've been salivating all year for this week to get here."

While last year's ultimate outcome wasn't what Guy or the team had hoped for, Cosmo is very optimistic of their chances in 2011.

"Last year our No. 02 Patrón F430 Ferrari was very fast," added Guy.  "That was thanks to the team's engineer Jim Malicki and the No. 02 ESM crew.  We're looking to repeat it with the 458GT and turn in a good result this trip. Ed (Brown) has really developed as a driver and has been significantly faster at this year's races compared to last.  With his improved performance and our continued development as a team, I know good results are on the way."

Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport, the fourth round of the 2011 ALMS championship, is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 24 with ESPN2 airing the race starting at 10 p.m. ET. Live video coverage will be available at 2:50 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com in the US, and americanlemans.com for international viewers. Canadian fans may also watch live coverage on Rogers Sportsnet. Worldwide radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year competed last season in the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón 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.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

Bittersweet Homecoming For Cosmo at Lime Rock

Guy Cosmo wasn't feeling a whole lot of love after Saturday's American Le Mans Series Northeast Grand Prix  at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut. With co-driver Ed Brown and the No. 02 Tequila Patrón Ferrari 458GT caught up in an early race melee, it was in the hands of the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports to make the necessary repairs.  Brown and Cosmo combined a brilliant effort with determination to finish 11th on the day.

"Today was just another one of those days where things don't go your way," sighed Cosmo.  "Ed [Brown] was doing a great job running consistent laps and keeping a good pace getting through traffic when he got clobbered by an LMPC car.  A number of other GT cars were collected in the incident, unfortunately leaving Ed an innocent victim."

The No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports / Tequila Patrón Ferrari 458GT suffered a broken rear suspension in the incident. Brown was able to get the car to pit lane where the Extreme Speed Motorsports crew got to work on repairs.  About 21 laps later the car was ready to roll and Ed went back out… if only to get some valuable seat time.

An hour later Cosmo climbed behind the wheel to complete the remaining hour and fifteen minutes.

"As always," noted Cosmo, "I really enjoyed pushing the Ferrari to it's limits and dicing it up with all my compatriots out there.  Unfortunately my efforts weren't really gaining us anything except for a handful of positions.  Still, a finish is important and certainly better than none. Of course that was thanks to the ESM guys that work on the No. 02 car."

All wasn't lost for the Extreme Speed team as whole though.  Team owner Scott Sharp and co-driver Johannes van Overbeek enjoyed a solid run in the No. 01 Tequila Patrón Ferrari 458GT grabbing a 4th place finish on the day.

"I'm really happy for the No. 01 crew along Scott and Johannes," added Guy. "We're a two car team and what's good for one is good for all… so we're extremely proud of our sister team's result."

"Lime Rock has not been very nice to me for several years now," Cosmo observed. "I'm not sure how I'll feel coming back next year. It's a shame. Technically it's my 'home' track, having grown up on Long Island, NY. This is where all my friends and family have a chance to come and cheer me on.  I can say when we do come back, I'll be on a mission!"

The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix will air on ESPN2 starting at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 10. The race will then be available for on-demand viewing at ESPN3.com for three weeks and at americanlemans.com indefinitely. The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón next heads north of the border for Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport on July 22-24.

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.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

Guy Cosmo Heading "Home" For The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix

The American Le Mans Series, after its traditional break for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, returns to racing with Round 3, the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, on July 9. When Guy Cosmo puts the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón Ferrari 458GT through its paces at Lime Rock, there'll be a certain sense of "home." Originally hailing from New York, Cosmo honed his racing skills in the Northeast and logged countless laps at the historic Lime Rock track.

"I'm not sure if it's because of the long break since Long Beach or the excitement of heading home," said Cosmo, "but I'm pumped. Obviously it's great to be heading home, but climbing back behind the wheel of this ESM Patrón Ferrari 458 continues to be a thrill. With all the driving I do throughout the year and the variety of cars I drive, knowing I'll be driving one of the baddest Ferrari's on the planet at a legendary sports car course like Lime Rock… it just doesn't get any better."

This will be the eighth year of the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patron at Lime Rock Park. The track is a fast lap of up the hill and down again - a track that looks deceivingly simple but is immensely challenging to drive quickly. Unique in that it is only 1.5 miles in length, Lime Rock offers up only eight corners and the lap times are typically under a minute. With the high-tech ALMS cars, negotiating your way through traffic can and will make all the difference in the outcome of  your day.

Looking back, the 2010 trip to Lime Rock was not a banner weekend for the No.02 Patrón Ferrari F430. Ever-changing conditions and limited track time had everyone chasing their set-up and suffering from the heat. Teams practiced and qualified in the rain while race day was dry, hot and humid. It was a tough weekend for everyone.

"We've put last year behind us," said Cosmo referring to the 2010 stop at Lime Rock. "I think we have a better handle on the 458 and results from recent testing have been very encouraging. We should roll off the trailer fairly close to race ready. Everyone at ESM is very optimistic. We'll be ready."

Guy will not be the only one enjoying the trip home. Teammate and ESM driver/owner Scott Sharp also has family history at Lime Rock. Scott went to his first race at Lime Rock Park when he was just 6 months old to watch his dad race in a variety of GT cars.

"We have lots of friends and family that come out to support us," noted Guy. "Just having everyone here along with all the guests from Patrón to experience the excitement of an American Le Mans Series race first hand, is great. I think it gives the whole team an emotional lift."

The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 9. Live video coverage is available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. Worldwide radio coverage is available on American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com. ESPN2 will air the race starting at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 10.

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.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

Guy Cosmo No. 02 Patrón Ferrari Can't Catch A Break At Long Beach

Not Exactly A Day At The Beach
Enjoying a great week and a well set-up car wasn't enough for Guy Cosmo and Ed Brown in the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón Ferrari 458GT to make a charge to the front for Saturday's Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach.

While Cosmo's teammate Ed Brown was turning in his fastest times of the week - nearly better than 3.5 seconds faster than his last visit to Long Beach - Cosmo could only watch as a slight error blossomed into a two lap deficit when the car wouldn't restart after minor contact with a tire barrier.

"I felt so bad for Ed," said Guy.  "He showed up so well prepared and excited for this race, and it showed as soon as he hit the track. He was immediately posting lap times over a second faster than his best laps from last year.  During the race he ran his fastest race-pace to-date with times 3.5 seconds faster than last year… until he made one little mistake lightly catching the tire barrier.  As luck would have it, the car wouldn't restart and he lost two laps trying to get the engine to fire." 

"It was really a shame," noted Guy, "because after I got in, the car was capable of running times equal to the pace of the leaders -  all the way to the checkered flag. We finished 9th, but I'm quite sure the No. 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón Ferrari 458GT was a top five car."

"Though it wasn't the result we were looking for," added Guy, "we still had a positive run at Long Beach.  We made great strides sorting the set up of the car throughout practice, in our qualifying session, and then again for the race. To me, this is extremely important given how little track time we get, and after losing the first hour of our only 2-hours of practice."

"Race results aside, I still loved every minute of it," laughed Cosmo. "It's still Long Beach and I'm telling you, there's nothing like pushing this 458 Ferrari around the streets of Long Beach and attacking it as hard as you can as you run between the walls. And even though we may have had challenges on-track, the event was an amazing success.  The energy and excitement was through the roof and there were tons of supporters cheering us on wearing the ESM / Patron Tequila colors. Next year will bring a better result - count on it!"

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will take its traditional break for those teams preparing to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and return for Round 3, the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, on July 9. The race will be shown live and in its entirety on ESPN3.com in the United States and internationally on americanlemans.com starting at 1:05 p.m. ET. ESPN2 will provide television coverage from 1 to 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 10.

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.

Guy Cosmo Ready For The Streets of Long Beach

Guy Cosmo couldn't be more ready for round two of the 2011 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrόn, the Tequila Patrόn American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, April 16.  Long Beach is the first of two street courses on the 2011 ALMS calendar and it is the shortest race of the season, just two hours in duration.

In 2010, driving the No. 02 Patron Extreme Speed Motorsports GT2 Ferrari F430, the 2005 ALMS Rookie of the Year Guy Cosmo and co-driver Ed Brown rounded out their weekend with a solid qualifying run and followed team owner Scott Sharp in the No. 01 Ferrari home for 7th and 8th position in the crowded and highly competitive GT2 division.

"I think the  No. 02 Patron Extreme Speed Motorsports GT2 Ferrari F458 will be very strong at Long Beach." said Cosmo. "The guys at the shop have been working hard on improvements to the 458's. I've been working hard on my preparation for the run up to the race, and so has my co-driver Ed Brown.  Last year I set the quickest race lap of all the Ferrari's entered.  This year Ed and I will be pushing hard gunning for a podium finish."

"Long Beach is one of my favorite stops on the calendar," Cosmo added. "Street circuit racing is a challenge like no other, given the changing track surface & the confines of the unforgiving walls that line the track. The challenge of pushing your car as hard as you can with no room for error - man it gets me 'all jacked up!"

And for Guy, it's not just the racing. The Long Beach event is a favorite of both fans and drivers alike.

"The Long Beach Grand Prix is amazing," noted Guy.  "There's so much energy and excitement, and so many things to see & do. It's a great part of the country and you can't beat the fans.  I'm excited to get out there."

The Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach race takes the green flag on Saturday at 4:30 pm PDT and will be telecast in its entirety on ESPN3.com starting at 7:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. local time. ESPN2 will provide television coverage from 5 to 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 17. International coverage: Fox Sports Middle East (Live on Saturday, April 16); Fox Latin American Networks (Live on Saturday, April 16); MotorsTV (Tape Delayed date/time TBD).

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.

Cosmo Pushes ESM Patrón Ferrari F458 GT Into The Top 10 At The 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

Making a monumental charge in the last moments of the American Le Mans Series 59th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh From Florida, Guy Cosmo picked up six positions to grab a top 10 finish for the No. 002 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón Ferrari.

Extreme Speed Motorsports debuted two new Ferrari F458 GT cars at Sebring for the start of the 2011 ALMS season. Challenging under the best conditions, Sebring's brutal surface and the demands of a 12-hour race are a true test of any team's mettle. The crew behind the No. 002 Patrón Ferrari was up to the task.

The No. 001 Patrón Ferrari was taken out of the race at the two-hour mark when it fell victim to an incident involving the No. 04 Corvette and the No. 45 Flying Lizard Porsche. With their day done, ESM's hopes were left to Cosmo and co-drivers Ed Brown and Rob Bell.

"As expected," laughed Cosmo, "Sebring was a 'tough and long week'. Learning a new car in these hot conditions had us struggling to find the balance and speed. Ultimately we did pretty well considering how little time we've had with the car. As usual, it all came down to the team putting in lots of hard work and many long hours. These guys have fantastic work ethic and are totally committed. They are extremely talented and driven. A driver can't ask for more than that."

With one of the largest starting grids in Sebring history, Cosmo gave the Extreme Speed Motorsports team a slight edge by qualifying the No. 002 car 7th. WIth a grid of 57 cars, the words endurance and survival take on new meaning.

"The car was slightly better for qualifying," noted Guy, "but still not quite where we'd like to be - however it was a really tight field. The 7th spot was good, but it does put you right in the middle of the battle. All you can do is be patient and stay clean."

"All-in-all, the race was great and it actually turned out to be a fun start," continued Cosmo.  "I was able to race hard and we made up a few positions. And I got to have a nice nose-to-tail battle with the boss, Scotty Sharp. Then when Ed took his first stint, he was laying down his quickest laps of the week. Unfortunately the team had two pit infractions costing us two laps."

With two and a half hours remaining, the No. 002 car's transmission started to go bad. The team lost nearly an hour in the pits performing repairs while dropping the car to 16th position. Turning frustration into determination, Cosmo got back in and spent the next hour and a half charging through the field bringing the No. 002 Patrón Ferrari up six places to finish 10th.

“It was a long long day and a long week,” Cosmo said after the race. “But this finish is a true testament to this extraordinary crew, working with a new car through the night and all day just to get here. I can’t say enough about our crew.”

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón heads west for its next round – the Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach on Saturday, April 16. The race will be shown live and in its entirety on ESPN3.com in the United States and internationally on americanlemans.com starting at 7:15 p.m. ET. ESPN2 will provide television coverage from 5 to 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 17. Visit the American Le Mans Series' schedule page for information on tickets and area accommodations.

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.

Guy Cosmo Set For Season Opener At Sebring

Rejoining Extreme Speed Motorsports for another season, Guy Cosmo couldn't be more enthusiastic as the team prepares for the 59th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida.

"I'm extremely optimistic about ESM's effort this season," said Cosmo. "As good as we ran in our debut season, I think with our experience, determination and the new Ferrari F458GT, we're going to be a force to be reckoned with. Of course, we've got a grid full of world class competition and we're running among what could be the most formidable grid the GT class has ever seen, but we're up to the challenge."

For Sebring, GT won't be the only challenge Cosmo and other drivers face. With 56 entries traffic is on every drivers mind. It's the largest field to take the start since 1999 and it’s the same size as the field for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. One big difference, the Le Mans circuit is 8.4 miles around while Sebring measures 3.7 miles – less than half of the length of the historic La Sarthe.

"The size of the field really changes the game," noted Cosmo. "You've got six classes running at once all at varying speeds. And with this being an International Le Mans Cup race, we're running with drivers and cars we've never seen before."

"Pit lane is another area of concern," Cosmo continued. "With 56 cars, the pits are going to be real tight. Pitting under yellow is going to be a real traffic jam. With all the things we normally concern ourselves with, the size of the field becomes a real wild card."

Official practice for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida gets under way Thursday, March 17. 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.

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.