American driver, American team
Patrick Long (with a little help from Cort Wagner) of The Racers Group
By Craig Elliot
Photos © Craig Elliot and Margot Orenchuk
BRASELTON, Georgia (September 24, 2004) --  Patrick Long joined the ALMS full-time in 2004, replacing Team Owner Kevin Buckler at The Racer’s Group as Cort Wagner’s teammate. He is a member of the factory Porsche system, and a brilliant talent. Porsche’s faith in him was rewarded earlier this year when he was chosen to drive with fellow Porsche drivers Maassen and Bergmeister, and he won his inaugural drive at the 24h du Le Mans in GT class. He is an American in a sea of German factory drivers, and he races in Europe as well along side of them all. He divides his time between there and California – and he told RFM’s Margot Orenchuk at Mosport he doesn’t call anywhere “home” this year – but he did once live at Le Sarthe. Patrick is going to be a driver that will be stepping on the podium – often. He took time to speak to us today at Petit, and thanks to Cort Wagner for speaking to us as well! It’s always a pleasure to talk to one of our favourite GT teams on the ALMS grid.

Craig Elliot: Congratulations Mr. Le Mans winner! How has winning that prestigious race changed you as a professional driver? Has it changed your outlook at all?

Patrick Long: Thanks! It hasn't really changed me at all; being able run in such a steep talent pool as that team (Petersen/White Lightning) with Jörg and Sascha, I was able to hold my own with them and that was a boost, and a landmark in my career.

CE: How has your first year in the ALMS been? Has driving with The Racer’s Group been everything you expected?

PL: It's been full of everything, and we've struggled at times, we've had some great finishes, and we've grown together as a team. We have had new members come on board that were not there at the beginning of the year – we have been changing.

CE: Patrick, do you know who might be qualifying the car tomorrow? (Editor’s Note: Patrick did qualify the car, coming in 3rd!)

PL: I don't know at the moment. We are just busy trying to establish a race setup at the moment for the track.

CE: How many times have you driven Atlanta? Is this a track that you enjoy coming to?

Cort Wagner: I’ve been here a number of times – and this year as many as 7-8 teams have shown up that could win. But I always feel like I'm learning something everything I come here, although I have been here a number of times.

Patrick Long: It’s my second time here; and it’s good to be back! I know the people now, and I know the track better, and I’m much more up to speed on endurance racing than last year.

CE: Speaking of that, do you enjoy endurance racing? Or, like some of the “older” Porsche Factory drivers, find it boring?

PL: I enjoy the hell out of it; it's all still new and exciting to me. The cars are so technically advanced now you can run hard paced now for the entire race, like a sprint race. It requires better physical fitness, it brings in more pit strategy.

CE: If someone were to offer you the chance to drive any of the cars on the grid, which would you choose?

PL: The Lola Dyson is an inviting car, can put up lap times as fierce as an R8. I hear the Audi is a more drivable machine, sort of dummy proof

CE: When working with an Endurance Team (that is, three drivers instead of two), is the amount of adjustment and compromise exponential -- that is, is a three-driver team nine times as hard to deal with as a two-driver team? What do you think the most important characteristics to look for when putting together a three-driver team?

Cort Wagner: With 3 good drivers, typically there is very little change between 2 and 3 driver teams. It can go up exponentially 9 times - but it doesn't have to. It's maybe a case where it goes up 10%.

CE: Patrick, the GT battles this year has been very intense. You have a great team and a great teammate in Cort. What do you think is eluding you to consistently make it to the podium?

PL: This sounds really. . cheesy, but the last couple breaks have been Luck. At Portland we had a really good trying setup, and at Road America got caught out under a yellow. With the competition, to finish in top 5 you must have a mistake-free race. Our deal has been growing together; and a lot of fluctuation in staff is the only thing that upset the program a little bit. We have a concrete program now, and everything has really come together in the past couple months.

RFM once again gives thanks to Shane Mahoney of The Racer’s Group for pulling this together for us, and our boys Patrick and Cort for always being so generous of their time. Wonderful job on qualifying today Patrick! All the best to the #66 car tomorrow – and stay tuned for the next interview with Mike Rockenfeller – the #3 driver this weekend with Cart and Patrick.

"It was great to be there (Le Mans)"
Mike Rockenfeller of The Racer’s Group
By Craig Elliot
Photos © Craig Elliot and Margot Orenchuk
BRASELTON, Georgia (September 24, 2004 —

What can we say about Mike Rockenfeller that we haven’t already said before? When RFM’s Kate Shaw first interviewed this young man last year at Petit she titled it “Simply The Best”. And ever since then, he’s done everything to prove he is, indeed.

From making observers gasp at Daytona in January when in the rain, on slicks, he was catching up to Johnny Mowlem; and had he had a lap or 2 more would have caught and passed him – to shattering the GT pole record in Sebring 2 months later (only to have it stripped away for a minor tech violation). And he’d never been to either of those tracks before! Mike is an amazing driver. Naturally talented and very down-to-earth, and fast. Scary fast. Immediately, no matter where he goes or what he is driving. So move over Ortelli, watch your back Sascha; here comes MIKE. He’s driving with The Racer’s Group this weekend at Petit, and don’t be surprised to see the #66 right up there tomorrow night.

Craig Elliot: You were rivals with Patrick in the Carerra Cup - now you are finally in the same car together as a team- do you think that old rivalry will help you get some extra speed out of the car?

Mike Rockenfeller: We worked really good together as teammates in different cars, and now we are in the same car. We have the same goal to be successful. We push each other, but that is normal. It is not like we are rivals. 

CE: When you came here last year, this was your "firsts" track - first pit stop, first night drive, and first endurance race. Do you feel any better prepared this year?

MR: Yes, since I have done Le Mans and 24 hours of Daytona (driving for the Flying Lizards in the Grand Am series) and I am more experienced. Unfortunately last year we did not drive in the night because of a broken gearbox. (Mike didn’t drive during the race, but he did have to drive during the night practice – and ended up stopping at the wrong pit! – Editor)

CE: Tell us about Le Mans. Although disappointing you didn't finish the race, was it overall a positive experience?

MR: It was great to be there, great to drive for Orbit/BAM! With Marc (Lieb), it was a good experience, and we were quite good, but with some bad luck. Marc crashed the car early, we were second. Had a broken gearbox at 17.5 hr and did not finish the race. Everyone saw that I was quite good in the car at night.  (Mike is being very diplomatic. He was having a battle royal during the night with Sascha Maassen where they were swapping lap times – and Sascha ended up breaking the GT lap record that night – Editor)

CE: Do you know if Porsche has any plans for you to move to a different series next year? Perhaps a full-time ride in the ALMS?

MR: No, I don't know. They didn't speak to me about it yet.

CE: Do you notice any significant differences among the Porsches you have driven in the ALMS?  Do you think this is due to the differences in setup, or if not, what do you think the reason is?

MR: The cars are all a little different. You can't really compare the BAM! and Racer's Group car, which is an 04 (to the RS that he drove last year).

CE: Is Atlanta a track you enjoy driving? What parts do you like best about it?

MR: I really enjoy it, it's a great track, we don't have many tracks like this in Europe.

CE: Do you like the RSR better than your Cup Car? Which one is more fun to drive, and why?

MR: Yes, the cup car is a road car changed for the racetrack, the RS is much more a racecar, I really prefer the RSR. Unfortunately I only am doing a few races this year in the RSR, and I did the full series in the Carrera cup car. I would like to do more in the RSR. 

CE: When it comes to racing, do you think 'Age is just a number' is a fair statement?  That is, do you think a driver in your age group can be just as capable as a driver who is 10 years older?  Do you think someone younger than you are could be a capable sports car driver?  What do you think the ideal age range for a sports car driver would be?

MR: It's hard to tell. When I was 18 my goal was F1; we had no money to do the next step in single seaters. I had the great opportunity to drive in the Trinity Porsche. Now I am an “old guy”, I see it more realistic. The chance of getting a good seat in a GT car is much higher than in a single seater.