Last year, Maassen teamed with Ryan Briscoe - who has moved to the IndyCar Series this year - and drove his Penske Racing Porsche RS Spyder to the overall win in the ALMS' Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park. Driving out of the LMP2 class, they beat the bigger, more powerful LMP1 Audis, something that isn't supposed to happen often.
In the event's inaugural 2006 race, Maassen's team won the LMP2 class and was second overall, a split-second behind a P1 car, the Audi R10 TDI of Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro.
"I do like the track. I do like the area," Maassen acknowledged Wednesday. "When you come down the front straight, you can look over into the mountains and see the snow-covered peaks. It is something unique. You never have that anywhere else on a race track."
Maassen will team with fellow Porsche factory driver Patrick Long, a Californian who now lives in Florida, in Sunday's 1 p.m. race, the fourth stop on this year's 11-race American Le Mans Series circuit. He said a stop at MMP is just what the team needs right now.
The No. 6 Porsche is in an unfamiliar spot, way down the LMP2 points list, after a streak of bad luck in the first three ALMS races. The race at Sebring, Fla., ended for them after just 29 laps because of overheating issues. Then they were third in class at St. Petersburg, Fla., but received a three-point deduction for Long's late-race contact with another driver. At Long Beach, Calif., they led the race early on, but finished third.
"We have had some bad luck, but we are on the way up," Maassen said. "I really do expect [his previous success] to continue here. I have very good memories here. When you come here and they have all this [scenery], I have these good memories about the race track and the area. Of course I like to come back."
While his former teammate used a strong run in the ALMS to jump to the IndyCar Series, Maassen said he loves this series and plans to stay in it as long as he can. He and his wife, Verena, welcomed their first child, Montego Elias, last November.
"Indy cars, for me it is too dangerous," he said. "I want to enjoy life. No thank you. This kind of racing I have done for quite a while, and I know what I am doing, which is always good. It's a big challenge every year because competing is always a challenge. It is not getting boring, at any point."
Asked whether the No. 6 Porsche can repeat on Sunday, Maassen got diplomatic. At Long Beach, the No. 9 Acura ARX-01b piloted by David Brabham and Scott Sharp won the overall race and the LMP2 class.
"We have four Porsches and four Acuras [with the addition of Gil de Ferran's Acura team] in the P2 class," Maassen said. "All four Porsches are quick, and I unfortunately know that all four Acuras are quick. Because this track is so different than the other [three] we have raced on, the performances might change. So don't ask me. I am not sure."
All he knows is there's not another place he would rather be this weekend.
drew@sltrib.com
Maassen file
* Born in Germany, but has raced primarily in the U.S. since 1999.
* One of two drivers who has won at least one race in each of the American Le Mans Series' first nine seasons.
* Has started 74 races and has 69 top-10 finishes and 29 wins.
Schedule of events at MMP
American Le Mans Series
Utah Grand Prix
Event schedule
Today
8 a.m. - IMSA Lites practice
8:40 a.m. - Star Mazda Championship practice
9:35 a.m. - IMSA Challenge practice
10:20 a.m. - SPEED World Challenge Touring practice
10:45 a.m. - SPEED World Challenge GT practice
11:20 a.m. - IMSA Lites practice
12:20 p.m. - Lunch
1:10 p.m. - Star Mazda Championship practice
2:05 p.m. - Promoter Test Session, ALMS GT1 and GT2
2:35 p.m. - Promoter Test Session, ALMS all classes
3:35 p.m. - Promoter Test Session, ALMS LMP1/LMP2
4:20 p.m. - IMSA GT3 Cup practice
5:05 p.m. - SPEED World Challenge Touring practice
5:30 p.m. - SPEED World Challenge GT practice
Saturday
8 a.m. - IMSA Lites qualifying
8:40 a.m. - IMSA GT3 Cup qualifying
9:25 a.m. - Star Mazda Championship qualifying
10:20 a.m. - American Le Mans Series practice, all classes
11:40 a.m. - IMSA Lites Race No. 1, 30 minutes
12:10 p.m. - Lunch
12:55 p.m. - SPEED World Challenge Touring qualifying
1:20 p.m. - SPEED World Challenge GT qualifying
1:55 p.m. - American Le Mans Series practice, all classes
3:05 p.m. - American Le Mans Series qualifying, GT1 and GT2
3:35 p.m. - American Le Mans Series qualifying, LMP1 and LMP2
4:15 p.m. - IMSA GT3 Cup Race No. 1, 30 minutes
5:05 p.m. - Star Mazda Championship Race, 45 minutes
Sunday
8 a.m. - American Le Mans Series warmup, all classes
8:45 a.m. - IMSA Lites Race No. 2, 30 minutes
9:30 a.m. - SPEED World Challenge Touring Race, 50 minutes
10:50 a.m. - IMSA GT3 Cup Race No. 2, 30 minutes
12:15 p.m. - American Le Mans Series Recon/Pre-Race Activities
1 p.m. - American Le Mans Series Utah Grand Prix, Round 4 (2 hours, 45 minutes)
4 p.m. - ALMS post-race activities
4:30 p.m. - SPEED World Challenge GT Race, 50 minutes
