Muscle Milk AMR returns to Lime Rock as defending champions with a new car. Photo credit: Rick Dole for Michelin North America

Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing comes to Lime Rock with a new caveat — this is the first race for the Benecia, Calif.-based team where they enter as defending race champions. The Greg Pickett-led squad scored its first overall victory in 2010 with Pickett and Klaus Graf behind the wheel, Graf engaging with David Brabham in an epic bout to the finish.

There are two differences for Muscle Milk AMR in their quest to repeat. The first, of course, is that the venerable Porsche RS Spyder has been retired from competition. The team’s newly acquired Lola B08/62 Aston Martin Coupe has never raced in North America outside of Sebring and Long Beach both in 2010 and 2011.

Maximizing the performance out of the car will be key to success where outright speed isn’t as important as patience and handling, and the ability to work through traffic.

The second change is Muscle Milk AMR once again entrusting the services of German ace Luhr to join his countryman Graf behind the wheel, as Pickett is concentrating on other responsibilities. That’s not to say the 64-year-old won’t be present at Lime Rock, rooting and cheering for the Muscle Milk car to muscle its way to another win.

“Having Lucas back in the car puts my mind at ease because we know that with him and Klaus we have an outstanding driver lineup. And they proved that in Long Beach the best way possible. I look forward to cheering them on again next week,” Pickett says.

The team trails Dyson Racing in the P1 class championship following a failure to finish at Sebring, and will have to overcome a 26-point deficit done with wins and perhaps some bad luck for the Poughkeepsie, N.Y.-based squad. Still, the team won on the tight confines of the streets of Long Beach, and looks to do likewise overall this weekend.