Photo by John ThawleyWhile 2007 has been a year of building for the new Mazda/BK Motorsports LMP 2 program and the all new Mazda MZR-R package, a non-stop effort has started to show results for the Wisconsin based team. Coming off the best finish of the season (a solid 4th place at Mosport) B-K headed to the Labor Day weekend Belle Isle Detroit Grand Prix with confidence.

With limited track time, getting the most out of every session was critical. Ben (Devlin) and Jamie (Bach) took turns at the wheel of the team golf kart learning the nuances of the renewed track surface.

"Jamie and I love street circuits," Devlin commented on Thursday, after seeing the track for the first time. "While they are tight and leave very little room for error, they certainly make you feel extra quick. The Mazda engine package this year has certainly been that."

Splitting the time between the two drivers, the early session Friday was all about learning the track. Hovering around the top ten overall, Jamie and Ben were confident the second practice and qualifying would put them in a solid place for the start of the 2 hour and 45 minute race.

Unfortunately, a shunt in the second practice put a crimp in their plans... and the nose of the Lola. On what was to be a strong lap in the latter part of the session, the turn 8 wall snagged the front of the car leaving heavy damage to the left front corner.

With just 45 minutes before LMP qualifying, amazingly quick work by the BK crew, rebuilding the front corner and eyeballing the alignment, Jamie Bach was on his way to the grid for the 20 minute qualifier.

"The goal heading out for qualifying after our practice incident was to simply put the car ahead of the GT field on the grid," noted Bach after qualifying the car 11th overall. "As tight as the circuit is, we wanted to make sure we did not get stuck behind traffic early on in the race. Fortunately, I was able to get some clear laps and we qualified ahead of the GT cars.

"The guys were amazing under the tent after the wreck," added Bach giving credit where credit was due. "Nobody panicked... everyone just started in on fixing the car. The next thing I knew they were telling me to get in. What a great job by the team!"

The race was truly a survival test. Devlin started with a strong drive amidst a number of on track incidents. During the first half of the race and pit stop sequences, the #8 Mazda got as high as third in the LMP 2 standings. Ben was running laps as fast as anyone on the circuit. A mid-race pit stop penalty landed the team a 1 minute stop-and-go, and Bach brought the car to the finish.

"We are pleased with another solid finish... 8th overall and 6th in LMP 2," said Devlin after the race. "The team could have easily given up right before qualifying, but everyone stayed with it and we got to where we needed to be. Now it is time to focus on Petit."

And focus on Petit they did. They immediately went from Detroit for test day at Road Atlanta to begin preparation for the grueling 10 Hour, 1000 mile Petit Le Mans.

"We felt it was important to have our own day here at Road Atlanta to dial the car in," commented Mazda's John Doonan. "We continue to work with KUMHO and our technical partners at AER to make the package better and better. It is no secret that 'testing makes perfect' and when we have had ample time this season to test, the results have shown. Everyone has given every ounce of effort and it shows. We cannot wait for some additional testing and the race week to see how it all stacks up."

The 10th running of Petit Le Mans, the annual 1,000-mile/10-hour endurance classic at Road Atlanta, is set for 11:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, October 6. SPEED will provide live coverage from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 6:30 to 10 p.m. American Le Mans Radio and IMSA's Live Timing and Scoring will be available at americanlemans.com.