The SVC Vitver Racing ABT-Audi TT-R returns to the hills of Europe

By Johan Laubscher

During 2012 photos emerged of a modified ex-DTM ABT-Audi TT-R. The car was driven by Vláďa Vitver in the FIA Hillclimb Championship and performed very well. The modifications made to the car were the first of its kind on one of these older Audi DTM cars, and it was certainly very interesting.

The changes made to the car included new front and rear bodywork, giving the car the appearance of a Mk II Audi TT, and the addition of a new rear wing, other aerodynamic updates and improved performance. More can be read HERE.

Towards the end of 2012 the car was involved in a crash during testing. The car suffered a lot of damage, however the team have worked hard and continued to improve the car. The crash can be seen HERE.

The SVC Vitver Racing team have announced their 2013 plans which includes continuing in the FIA Hillclimb Championship and the ambitions to compete at Pikes Peak in 2014. Along with the team’s own 2013 plans they are also now represented in Jamaica, where the ATL Automotive ABT-Audi TT-R is competing with the SVC front bodywork and rear wing, more can here seen HERE.

The car was revealed at the 2013 Motorsport Expo in Brno. The Audi has undergone a lot of work, now boasting an improved power output and a very aggressive aerodynamic package. The front of the car is very similar to the 2012 specification with increased intakes, however the rear has been modified extensively and represents a similar appearance to that of the Audi A4 DTM cars in terms of aerodynamic wings. On top of all the modifications the car has also received a beautiful new livery.

Following the 2012 crash it was great news to hear that the driver was unharmed and that the car would be repairable. And now it is even better news as the first pictures of the rebuilt car have emerged, it is great to see these older cars still competing.

More information: 

SVC Vitver RACING website

SVC Vitver RACING on Facebook

SVC 2013 announcement on their website

Photo credit: SVC Vitver RACING

Doug Gore and ATL Audi dominate at Dover

By Johan Laubscher

The annual Carnival of Speed took place at Dover in Jamaica this weekend. The event marks the first big circuit racing event in Jamaica each year. It was also the long anticipated return of Doug Gore and the ATL Automotive ABT-Audi TT-R at the Dover circuit. 

Gore suffered a hefty crash at Dover last May, which required an intensive rebuild of the car in Germany, subsequently costing Gore and the team their entire remaining 2012 season. The team and the car are back and they were victorious at Jamwest Raceway a few weeks ago. Thus they were in high spirits as they arrived at Dover.

Some of the teams competed at Jamwest Raceway a few weeks ago, where Doug Gore dominated the proceedings, more can be read about that event HERE. However the only big guns at Jamwest were Gore and Peter Rae (Mazda). The big talking point remained this meeting at Dover when the “King”, David Summerbell, would also be in attendance. Summerbell competes with a Time-Attack based Mitsubishi Evo which has proven to be the car to beat for many seasons, a very potent machine.  

Gore and ATL arrived at Dover determined to repeat the success of Jamwest. The Audi had been entered in two sets of races: Modified Production Class 4 (two races - five and seven laps) and Thundersport 2 (one twelve lap race). He was immediately fast during practice and set pole position ahead of Summerbell.

Race day dawned on Easter Monday and the scene was set for another clash of Gore versus Summerbell. The first MP4 race got underway with Summberbell getting the jump off the rolling start and taking the outside line into turn one. Gore was able to use the inside line to maintain the lead and a battle ensued between the two. Summerbell kept Gore in sight but the Audi maintained a constant pace and crossed the line to take victory.

The second MP4 race was a copybook start of the first race. Summerbell again had the jump off the flag but Gore defended the inside line. Gore once again lead Summerbell around the Dover track until Summerbell dropped back with a loss in performance and a trail of ominous smoke. This left Doug Gore out in front for what turned into an easy victory.

Following the two MP4 races the final race of the day was the twelve lap Thundersport race. David Summerbell did not make it out on track for the day's final race which left Doug Gore alone out in front as he claimed another victory on the day. 

However, as the day came to a close in Jamaica the news emerged that Doug Gore was disqualified from the second MP4 race of the day. The disqualification was due to a technicality surrounding his use of tires.

More information:
Jamaican Tuner on Facebook

D_MONTii Motography on Facebook

ATL Automotive on Facebook

Doug Gore on Facebook

Photo credit: D_MONTii Motography N More / Jamaican Tuner

Victorious return for the Doug Gore ABT-Audi TT-R in Jamaica

By Johan Laubscher

This weekend marked the return of Doug “Hollywood” Gore in and the ATL Automotive ABT-Audi TT-R in Jamaica. The ex-ABT Sportsline DTM race car arrived in Jamaica during 2011 and competed successfully until an accident at Dover last May. The accident caused a lot of damage to the car’s chassis. The damage put the car out for the rest of the 2012 season as it went back to Germany for repairs. It was uncertain if the car would return to Jamaica, but luckily at the beginning of 2013 it was confirmed that the car would return. It had undergone a thorough ABT rebuild and received new bodywork from the SVC team in the Czech Republic, more can be read HERE and HERE. 

The car was re-launched at an ATL press conference last week, shortly after clearing customs upon its arrival back in Jamaica. The new look and livery were revealed at the press conference, more can be read HERE. Following the launch, the ATL Racing team was hard at work as the first race meeting was only a few days away. Jamwest, a new racing facility in Jamaica, played host to the first motorsport event of the year. Jamaica now has two race tracks, Dover and Jamwest. Shortly after the launch Doug Gore made it clear that the ATL team aims to rule both circuits by reclaiming the lap record at Dover and beating the existing record when they debut at Jamwest. 

The team was out testing at Jamwest before the race weekend, the day after the launch. No official times were shared, but the Audi was reported as being very fast on the new track. The existing lap record was held by Mr Zoom Zoom, Peter Rae, in his Mazda at 1 minute and 10 seconds.

Admittedly, there was a small entry list at Jamwest, but the headliner was that Doug Gore would face off against Peter Rae in his Mazda, one of the top competitors in Jamaica. David Summerbell and his Mitsubishi Evo, the current Dover lap record holder, did not attend this event.

The big news began in qualifying when Doug Gore took pole position by setting a new lap record at 1:08.396. Peter Rae had been experiencing problems during the morning and would start from the back of the grid. The first race began with Gore leading the field off the line, but Rae was the big mover by moving from seventh to second on the first lap. Rae then continued to set a tremendous pace and began reeling in Gore, setting a fastest lap of 1:08.450. This lap time stunned everyone at the track. Gore may still have held the overall record, which he set in qualifying, but Rae had put in a stormer during the race and was knocking on the door of reclaiming it. Doug Gore maintained the lead, despite Rae’s pace, and won the first MP class race of the day. Gore did win the race, but in contrast his fastest lap was 1:09.256, nearly a second slower than Rae, which became the talking point at the circuit.

For race two Gore and Rae were both on the front row, and the scene was set for the race of the day. The two drivers ran in close proximity during the opening laps with Doug maintaining the lead. Both drivers improved their best laptimes during the second race. Rae dropped to a 1:07.723 whereas Gore pulled out a flyer by setting the new lap record at 1:06.946. The pace was clearly very fast at the front but Gore maintained the lead and took his second race win on the day. It was later reported that Rae had developed a puncture during the closing stages of the race.

The day’s proceedings came to a close with a staggered race, where the fastest cars started at the back with time delays based on pace. Only four cars competed the race with Rae suffering a retirement and Doug ultimately finishing third, but he was lapping almost ten seconds a lap faster than the cars in front of him.

It was a successful return for Doug Gore and the ATL Automotive ABT-Audi TT-R. Two race wins and the new lap record meant it was a case of mission accomplished, but the real test will come at the next event. The Jamaican motorsport brigade will next compete at Dover, the annual Carnival of Speed. All the top contenders, including Gore, Summerbell and Rae, will be there, all aiming for the top spot and the lap record. 

More information:
Jamaican Tuner on Facebook

D_MONTii Motography on Facebook

ATL Automotive on Facebook

Doug Gore on Facebook

Photo credit: D_MONTii Motography N More / Jamaican Tuner

ABT-Audi TT-R has a new face in Jamaica

By Johan Laubscher

The ATL Automotive TT-R was re-launched in Jamaica yesterday. The team held a press conference at ATL where they revealed the car’s new look and the new livery. During the early 2000s the ABT-Audi TT-R race cars were a formidable force in the German DTM championship. The cars were finally replaced at the end of 2003 when the Audi A4 DTM R11 was introduced, however one TT-R made one final DTM start at the 2004 Shanghai DTM event. Along with the TT-R’s DTM career the cars also competed at the 2003 and 2004 Nürburgring 24 Hours, these cars being built to a more robust endurance specification. 

ATL team launch 2011

After the cars were officially retired a number of the TT-Rs were sold to private teams, all in the endurance specification. They have been seen racing all over the world from Brazil to Europe and even Hillclimb racing. During 2011 one of these ABT-Audi TT-R cars was sold to the ATL Automotive group in Jamaica. They acquired the car to compete in both Jamaica and the Caribbean. Doug Gore was, and still is the driver for the ATL TT-R. The team achieved much success during 2011 and were allowed special dispensation to run in the 2012 Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC). The car was not allowed to compete in the CMRC during 2011 due to being lighter than the minimum weight of the championship. 

The scene was set for a tremendous 2012 season with Doug Gore and the Audi competing in the CMRC. However tragedy struck at the first corner of the very first race. Doug was involved in an accident which sent the car hurtling off the track, causing damage to the chassis. The damage resulted in the car being out for the season as it headed back to Germany to be repaired at the ABT Sportsline workshops.

2012 SVC ABT-Audi TT-R 

At the beginning of 2013 it was confirmed that the car would be back and that the repairs had been finished. Read more about that HERE. Many photos of the repair appeared online which revealed new bodywork for the TT-R. The new bodywork resembles the appearance of a Mk2 Audi TT. The new design was developed by the SVC Vitver Racing team from the Czech republic. During 2012 the Czech team developed the new bodywork and competed in the FIA Hillclimb Cup with their TT-R driven by Vitver Vláďa, more can be read HERE. The ATL team purchased the new front end and rear wing from SVC and had them fitted by ABT in Germany.

As was the case with ATL the SVC also experience a large crash during 2012. The crash occurred whilst the team was testing for the final 2012 Hillclimb event, and also caused a lot of damage to their car, more can be read HERE. However the SVC team have worked very hard and the car will be ready for the 2013 Hillclimb season.

The ATL Automotive car was revealed yesterday ahead of its first 2013 race meeting this weekend. The team will be competing at the Jamwest Speedway Circuit Attack. We have included more photos from the launch below, showing the new car’s new look. It is great news to hear that both the ATL and SVC TT-Rs will be back in 2013 following their accidents in 2012.

More information:
ATL Automotive on Facebook

SVC Vitver Racing on Facebook

Photo credit: ATL Automotive and race-action.com

Doug Gore Audi TT-R back in Jamaica and ready for Jamwest

By Johan Laubscher 

 

The ABT-Audi TT-R of Doug Gore is back in Jamaica. The ATL Automotive sponsored machine has undergone a thorough rebuild at the ABT Sportsline workshops in Germany. The rebuild was necessitated after a crash at the Dover Circuit in Jamaica last year. The crash occurred during the first Carribean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) round of 2012. The car suffered a lot of damage, especially to the chassis. The damage meant that the car was out for the rest of the 2012 season as it needed to go home to Germany for repairs. More can be read about the repair HERE.

The absence of Doug Gore and the Audi was a disappointment for the 2012 season, as the ever present clash of the titans between Doug Gore and David Summerbell could not take place. The Carribean fans are delighted to know that Doug and the Audi are back in 2013. The car arrived in Jamaica this week and will soon be on display. The car will be on show on Thursday 28 February ahead of its first 2013 race meeting. The 2013 Circuit Attack at Jamwest Speedway is taking place this weekend, and the ATL Automotive TT-R will be there.

The car will be featuring new bodywork, similar to that used by SVC Vitver Racing from the Czech Republic, which resembles the appearance of a Mk2 Audi TT. More can be read about the SVC TT-R HERE:

 

The scene is set for the highly anticipated return of Doug Gore and the Audi. We wish the best of luck to Doug Gore and the ATL Automotive team for the Jamwest race meeting.

 

More information: 
Rory Daley TT-R 2011 arrival article

Doug Gore on Facebook

ATL Automotive on Facebook

Jamwest Speedway on Facebook

 

   

Thanks to Mr Rory Daley for the photos from Jamaica.

The Jamaican Audi is alive again

By Johan Laubscher

Doug Gore and his ATL Audi before the crash

The Caribbean has a healthy motorsport scene with many high powered race cars. During 2011 Jamaican race driver Doug Gore was signed by ATL Automotive to drive their newly acquired Audi race car. The car itself was an ex-ABT Sportsline DTM Audi TT, formally known as an ABT-Audi TT-R. Different versions of these race cars competed in the German DTM series from 2000-2004 and since in many other national GT championships around the world.

The car was a technological leap for the cars racing in the Caribbean and the showdown between Gore's Audi and David Summerbell in his Lancer was a spectator draw card of note. The car debuted in 2011 and proved its pace, but only competed in Jamaica. For 2012 the car had been cleared to compete in the Caribbean series and the scene was set for a spectacular year. However tragedy struck at the very first round. Doug was involved in an incident during the very first race on the approach to the first corner, we included the video below. The resulting accident saw Doug crashing into the barriers. Along with the crash the chassis of the TT also suffered severe damage.

The incident resulted in the car missing the rest of the 2012 season and heading back to Germany for repairs. As 2013 got underway Doug Gore announced that he was heading to Germany to test his car at Hockenheim. He has arrived in Germany with accompanying photos which have been published by Jamwest Speedway. The photos show Doug and his team at the ABT Sportsline headquarters as they look at the older ABT race cars on display and then finally a look at Doug’s repaired car, now wearing a silver and red livery.

It is brilliant to see that Doug and his Audi racing career appear to be on track. We hope that they will also be publishing photos of the Hockenheim test session later in the week.

New Bodywork

Update: Further photos have been published now revealing the new look for the Doug Gore ABT-Audi TT-R. The car is receiving new bodywork similar to that used by Vláďa Vitver on his TT-R in the Czech Republic, more can be read about that car HERE. The new bodywork resembles the appearance of a second generation Audi TT. Below we have included the photos of the new bodywork being fitted in Germany, the last four photos listed. 

More information:
Jamwest Speedway FB page
ATL Automotive FB page
Doug Gore FB page

Crash Video

Photos from Germany 

Photos by Jamwest Speedway and ATL Automotive

Artwork: ABT Audi TT-R Team Need for Speed

By Tarek Ramchani

The ABT Audi TT-R has been a great and winning racer in the German DTM touring series. Abt Sportsline won the 2002 championship title with Laurent Aiello, not bad for a fully privateer effort against works teams from Mercedes-Benz AMG and Opel OPC.

Here is a nice render featuring the TT-R in a special Need for Speed livery. The livery is a real one which has been seen on other cars in the past, and here it matches perfectly with the awesome Abt built machine.

Render by Impact Designs

Editors note: All photos are hosted at www.nogripracing.com and belong to their owners