MG Lola
Gaining Popularity In Racing
A collection from our friendly internet
by Barney Gaylord

The MG Lola EX257 is quickly becoming the car of choice in LMP 675 Racing class. After doing well at LeMans in June of 2001, the MG factory is returning to LeMans again this year with two more cars, this time with most of the reliability bugs worked out. More LeMans information at www.lemans.org

The two MG Lola cars from last year’s LeMans race have been sold to two American racing teams to be used primarily for competition in the American LeMans (ALM) racing series and in Sport Racing Prototype II class (SRP-II). Both of these cars were entered in the 12 Hours of Sebring race on March 16th. One car now owned by the Intersport Lola team had a misfire problem early on and dropped to 45th position overall, but then produced an amazing recovery to finish 1st in class and 7th overall. The other MG Lola now owned by KnigntHawk Racing gave a spectacular showing with a factory driver Jonny Kane qualifying the car 3rd overall. In the race the car had mechanical probelms but still managed to finish second in class.

Less than a week after the Sebring race KnightHawk racing was extended an invitation to enter this year’s 24 hours of LeMans. With the two new factory cars this will make three MG Lola cars runing in the LMP 675 class along with four other entries (to date). So far in practice the factory cars are running 1st and 2nd in class with the KnightHawk car running comfortably in 3rd. Other cars runing in the same class are a Mazda owned by Autoexe Motorsports, a Peugeot owned by Welter Gerard, a Reynard owned by ROC Organizarion Course, and a Reynard owned by Noel Del Bello Racing. A total of 85 cars are registered for this event. The KnightHawk car has already been to LeMans for prequalifying in early May, then was back in the USA racing at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California on May 19. The 24 Hours of LeMans race will be held on June 15-16. More about KnightHawk Racing at www.knighthawkracing.com

Meanwhile a third American team in the ALM series has opted for the MG Lola car for racing in the LMP 675 class. Rand Racing will take delivery of the MG Lola EX257 chassis No. 5 in July and a second car prior to the 2003 racing season. These new cars will undergo extensive endurance testing and be prepared to win before officially entering racing. They think they can not only win the class, but can win races overall, even beating the prototpes.

KnightHawk Racing MG Lola in its first American race at Sebring

MG Lola EX257 - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION:

MG Sport & Racing team car at LeMans preliminary testing