Lucas Luhr

Lucas Luhr
Nationality German
Born 22 July 1979 (1979-07-22) (age 36)
Mülheim-Kärlich, Germany
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Participating years 2000, 2002–2003, 2007–2009, 2011, 2013
Teams Dick Barbour Racing, The Racer's Group, Alex Job Racing, Audi Sport Team Joest, JR Motorsports, Flying Lizard Motorsports, Flying Lizard Motorsports, Muscle Milk Racing, Starworks Motorsport, BMW Motorsport
Best finish 1st in LMGT (2002, 2003)
Class wins 2 (2002, 2003)

Lucas Luhr (born 22 July 1979) is a German BMW factory racing driver, currently competing for BMW and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the GTLM category of the Tudor United SportsCar Championship.

Early career

Born in Mülheim-Kärlich, Luhr began his career in karts in 1989. Throughout the early 1990s, he won several local and national karting trophies. He became a factory driver for the CRG company in 1994, winning the European Karting Championship and placing 4th in the Karting World Championship. In 1995 he moved to the Jolly Kart factory team, competing in the European and World championships.

Luhr moved to cars in 1996, becoming vice-champion of the German Formula Ford championship. He raced in the German Formula Three Championship in 1997 and 1998, winning the 1998 season opening round at the Hockenheimring.

Porsche factory career

Luhr became a Porsche factory driver for the 1999 season. He won the 1999 Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland championship driving for the UPS Junior Team. In 2000, he moved to the American Le Mans Series, driving a Porsche 911 GT3-R for Dick Barbour Racing and partnering with Dirk Müller. He collected class wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1000 km Nürburgring, and Race of 1000 Years in Adelaide, as well as the ALMS GT class championship in his first season.

Luhr began the 2001 season with a class win in the 24 Hours of Daytona, driving for White Lightning Racing. In the ALMS, he partnered with Sascha Maassen at Alex Job Racing, again in a 911. The duo won the 12 Hours of Sebring, but had a disappointing season as the BMW M3 GTRs dominated the season. Luhr and Maassen finished 4th in the championship.

In 2002, Luhr and Maassen dominated the ALMS GT class, winning seven of ten races, including Sebring and Petit Le Mans. Luhr also won the GT class at Le Mans, driving with Kevin Buckler and Timo Bernhard for The Racer's Group.

For 2003, Luhr continued his winning ways with Maassen and AJR. The duo Sebring for the third straight year, giving Luhr his fourth straight class win, tying him with Bob Holbert for most consecutive class wins. In June, the pair, joined by Emmanuel Collard, captured the GT class at Le Mans. Luhr and Maassen would take 5 wins from 9 races and win the ALMS GT championship for the second straight year.

After a second place at Sebring, Luhr moved to the FIA GT Championship for the 2004 season. He and Maassen won 6 races driving for Friesinger Motorsport and won their third consecutive championship together.

In 2005, Luhr's primary job was the development of the new Porsche RS Spyder, which was to make its full-time debut in 2006. He also raced in the big events in 911s, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Spa 24 Hours. Luhr also won the Laguna Seca 4 Hours LMP2 class, in the debut race of the RS Spyder.

For 2006, Luhr rejoined Maassen, but moved to Penske Racing to drive the RS Spyder. The duo had a rough start to the season, netting only one class win. Luhr would finish the season driving with Romain Dumas and take two more victories to end as vice-champion with Maassen. Luhr also won the 24 Hours Nurburgring overall, driving with Timo Bernhard, Marcel Tiemann, and Mike Rockenfeller.

Audi career

For 2007, Luhr became a factory Audi driver. Luhr raced in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series, driving an Audi A4 DTM for Audi Sport Team Rosberg. He participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving the LMP1 class R10 TDI.

In 2008 he drove in the American Le Mans Series with Marco Werner in an Audi R10, the pair won the LMP1 class drivers title after six overall wins and eight class wins. He was also fourth overall at Le Mans.

In the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans race, Luhr crashed Audi's new R15 TDI into a tire wall during the 7th hour. Race officials declared the car unable to finish the race.

For 2010, Luhr has been driving is select events for Audi factory-supported teams in GT races. He competed in the VLN and at the Nürburgring 24 Hours for Team Abt Sportsline, and also for Phoenix Racing at the Spa 24 Hours. He also competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona finishing 3rd for Level 5 Motorsports.

Post-Audi career

In 2011, Luhr competed in the FIA GT1 World Championship for JR Motorsports, winning the drivers' championship with Michael Krumm in a Nissan GT-R.

For 2012, Luhr competed in the American Le Mans Series for Muscle Milk Motorsports, where he was the LMP1 champion and the Rolex Sports Car Series for Starworks Motorsport where he finished 12th in points with one race win. In 2013 he has returned to Muscle Milk in ALMS LMP1 and also won the 24 Hours Nürburgring SP7 class in a Manthey Racing Porsche.

On 26 July 2013 it was announced that Luhr would make his IndyCar Series debut with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing at Sonoma Raceway in conjunction with RW Motorsports.[1] It was his first open wheel race since he competed in German Formula Three in 1998.

Top Speed

Luhr was featured, along with Marion Jones and Marla Streb, in the large format film, Top Speed, hosted by Tim Allen. Luhr's appearance in the film focuses on his championships in the 24 Hours of Le Mans while he was driving for Porsche. The film was produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films.

Accolades

Racing record

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2000 United States Dick Barbour Racing Germany Dirk Müller
France Bob Wollek
Porsche 911 GT3-R GT 319 DSQ DSQ
2002 United States The Racer's Group United States Kevin Buckler
Germany Timo Bernhard
Porsche 911 GT3-RS GT 322 16th 1st
2003 United States Alex Job Racing
United States Petersen Motorsports
Germany Sascha Maassen
France Emmanuel Collard
Porsche 911 GT3-RS GT 320 14th 1st
2007 Germany Audi Sport Team Joest Germany Mike Rockenfeller
France Alexandre Prémat
Audi R10 TDI LMP1 23 DNF DNF
2008 Germany Audi Sport Team Joest Germany Mike Rockenfeller
France Alexandre Prémat
Audi R10 TDI LMP1 374 4th 4th
2009 Germany Audi Sport North America Germany Marco Werner
Germany Mike Rockenfeller
Audi R15 TDI LMP1 104 DNF DNF
2011 United States Flying Lizard Motorsports Germany Jörg Bergmeister
United States Patrick Long
Porsche 997 GT3-RSR GTE
Pro
310 18th 6th
2013 United Kingdom Jota Sport United Kingdom Simon Dolan
United Kingdom Oliver Turvey
Zytek Z11SN-Nissan LMP2 319 13th 7th

Complete DTM results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Points
2007 Team Rosberg Audi A4 DTM 2006 HOC
11
OSC
12
LAU
14
BRH
11
NOR
18†
MUG
Ret
ZAN
16
NÜR
16
CAT
8†
HOC
12
17th 1

Retired, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race winner's distance.

Complete GT1 World Championship results

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos Points
2011 JR Motorsports Nissan GT-R ABU
QR

3
ABU
CR

14
ZOL
QR

7
ZOL
CR

9
ALG
QR

2
ALG
CR

1
SAC
QR

11
SAC
CR

9
SIL
QR

2
SIL
CR

1
NAV
QR

9
NAV
CR

6
PRI
QR

1
PRI
CR

1
ORD
QR

11
ORD
CR

9
BEI
QR

4
BEI
CR

3
SAN
QR

2
SAN
CR

Ret
1st 137

IndyCar Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Rank Points
2013 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Dallara DW12 Honda STP ALA LBH SAO INDY DET1 DET2 TXS MIL IOW POC TOR1 TOR2 MDO SNM
22
BAL HOU1 HOU2 FON 36th 8

* Season still in progress.

References

  1. DiZinno, Tony. SFHR, RW combine to provide Lucas Luhr his IndyCar debut at Sonoma, NBC Sports, 26 July 2013, Retrieved 2013-07-26

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lucas Luhr.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Dirk Müller
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany champion
1999
Succeeded by
Jörg Bergmeister
Preceded by
Allan McNish
Rinaldo Capello
American Le Mans Series champion
2008
with Marco Werner
Succeeded by
David Brabham
Scott Sharp
Preceded by
Michael Bartels
Andrea Bertolini
FIA GT1 World Champion
2011 with:
Michael Krumm
Succeeded by
Marc Basseng
Markus Winkelhock
Preceded by
Chris Dyson
Guy Smith
American Le Mans Series champion
2012-2013
with Klaus Graf
Succeeded by
End Series
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