Drayson Racing shook down its brand-new Lola B09/60-Judd prototype at Silverstone last week. The car will make its debut at Road Atlanta's Petit Le Mans on Sept. 25. Team owner Paul Drayson, the UK's Minister of Science and Innovation, will drive in the 1,000-mile/10-hour endurance classic with Jonny Cocker and Rob Bell.

The rollout of the prototype came barely a month after the go-ahead for the project received the OK. Jamie Campbell-Walter, a familiar face to American Le Mans Series fans from his stint with Creation Autosportif, turned the initial laps during a systems check that went flawlessly.

β€œI can't exaggerate the challenge that Drayson Racing has overcome in the last two months,” said team manager Dale White. β€œTo bring it all together by building a complete, running car from bare tub to finished car in just 12 days is really remarkable. I am convinced there is no other combination that would have allowed us to do this other than the Lola coupe and Judd V10.



"When we rolled it out of the trailer at Silverstone to do the shakedown, the car looked as if we could roll it right onto the grid at Petit Le Mans. I don't think anyone outside our group would have thought he could have done it. My hat is off to everyone at Drayson and to everyone at Lola and Judd, as well as all of the ancillary part suppliers who made this happen. What an achievement; what a team effort!”