Team Polizei rides again just 7 days from now, redeploying our Mobile HQ 3000 miles east for the Rolex Grand-Am Series Race @ Watkins Glen International Raceway, where we will be demonstrating the power of our fully operational battle station…er…I meant…where we & partner TRG will be opening the arsenal to further expand our unique trackside operations, demonstrate some of the video technologies tested @ Laguna Seca, and unveil…well, here’s but a hint of what’s coming June 5-6:
1) MYSTERY RACING THEATER – Find shelter from the elements and come join our LIVE RACECAST – in person or online – as Roy, Villeneuve, Richard, Johnson and countless special (and infamous) guests – including members of the law enforcement, sanitation, professional motorsports and tuner communities – cover the race as no other panel can, would, or should.
2) POLIZEI vs. YOU FORZA MOTORSPORT CHALLENGE – Think you’re good at Forza? Face the anvil of Team Polizei’s skill. See your chances grow slim as Master Pilots Roy & Villeneuve prepare yet another round of annihilatory death blows to the confidence of those who think Traction Control and Stability Management should remain on.
3) NEW GEAR: THE POLIZEI 144 SKIRMISH 1 – Behold the unsheathing of our newest weapon, the SKIRMISH 1 Mid-Weight jacket, field-tested at Laguna Seca, totally customizable via our KONFIGURATOR, and available only through Polizei 144, unless you come to Watkins Glen next weekend…where Roy & Villeneuve will sign yours with a personalized message – highly useful should you be pulled over on the way home.
If one is to be hit by a rival Grand Am car, it sure is an honor to be hit by one of the best! Here Polizei 144P is struck by the Brumos Porsche @ Laguna Seca. See the amazing footage for yourself.
Speed TV devotes an incredible record-setting 1:33 to Polizei 144′s Grand-Am debut! Behold. Polizei Interceptor 144P in ALL its tentacled glory, as Villeneuve and Richard are tracked around Laguna Seca on Speed TV, and I get the best shout-out ever.
Our streak of glee continues unabated. Last night, I sat down with René Villeneuve, our jacket designer Kim Johnson and Rene’s daughters and discussed the experience of putting this team together and our hopes for today. I said to Rene, “I just want you guys to finish tomorrow. Anything else is gravy.” Pass the mashed potatoes, please, because Villeneuve and Richard delivered a 12th-place finish in the GT class (and 24th overall) under trying conditions in their first time out. We’re incredibly proud of their performance today — even TRG honcho Kevin Buckler was pleased with our showing. And for Team Polizei to accomplish this at Laguna Seca, which is one of my personal favorite places in the world and René’s home track? Absolute elation. In fact, in some ways, this whole thing is almost more unbelievable than when Alex and Maher pulled across the finish line in Santa Monica 2 1/2 years ago. The car is real. It exists. It has finished its first race. Over the next few days, we’ll have plenty more coverage to come from our massive archive of material, so keep checking back.
We’ve just swapped drivers. After a shunt from the Brumos Daytona Prototype put us in the pit — requiring a new right front wheel and resulting in some unwanted oversteer and a leftward pull — Team Kapitan and amateur alchemist Rene Villeneuve transmuted the goblet of misfortune into a cup of determined opportunity; clawing his way back to 9th position while coping with 120-degree in-car temperatures. Due to an early yellow — which fouled our initial pit strategy (we were hoping for a slightly later caution flag for the first driver swap) and the Brumos incident — Rene, Henri and the TRG crew decided the best course of action was to leave Villeneuve behind the wheel for two hours, leaving Richard to drive the final 45 minutes of the race. We’ll keep you informed. Meanwhile, our feed from the Nerve Center is still live — be sure to scope it.
We’ve got a crew together here at the Polizei Nerve Center at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Click below to watch the live coverage on Speed with added coverage from Team Polizei and our motley crew of race-fan miscreants. Think Mystery Racing Theater 3000.
We’ll be starting 14th on the GT grid today — 30th overall — when the Rolex Grand-Am race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca kicks off at 1pm PDT during the Verizon Festival of Speed. With the obligatory naming-rights mentions covered, let’s get down to business — Team Kaptian René Villeneuve will be taking the wheel of Polizei Interceptor 144P (known to Grand-Am authorities and TRG as “Car #63″) for the first stint. In the inland Monterey County heat and the dust of the track, this could come down to an El Alamein-style battle of speed, durability, logistics and ability to withstand temperature. Keep your browsers pointed here. The race is also, of course, being aired on Speed.
It’s a tad insane that we’re here at all. But we are, and the sun’s already beating down hot at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. We could sense the impending heat right on the coast in Monterey early this morning — if you’re familiar at all with Northern and Central California, you’re aware exactly what that means — scorching temperatures. The heat’s hard on cars and it’s certainly brutal on drivers. Still, it’s hard not to be envious of Richard and Villeneuve today. Flag-drop is just over four hours from now. And for all of the preparation, nobody knows what’s going to happen out there. Stay tuned — we’re just getting started. Meanwhile, check out this video of René lapping the track yesterday while we go kiss fate hard on the lips and demand mercy.
Rene just pulled in from his qualifying session after posting a 1:30.8 lap. That’s only three-tenths of a second behind his best time around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the 997 GT3 Cup car. We’re absolutely stoked on how things have gone so far.
