|
The X-Factor Grand
Prix of Sonoma Presented by AC Delco and Foster's Lager |
|
PRESENTED BY AC DELCO & FOSTER'S LAGER
PIT NOTES: Page 2
SATURDAY JULY 21, 2001
At 1:45, combined ALMS Prototype, GTS and GT practice session.
At 1:52, black flag all caused by car #51-P Panoz LMP1 Roadster S (Klaus Graf) making contact with the #30-GT Porsche 911 GT3-RS (Timo Bernhard). The team reports the right front wheel of the Porsche was damaged in the collision. The wheel caved in but the car was able to make its way back to the pits, then continued on to the paddock. The Panoz will require a flat tow. The cars came together going into the esses with the #51-P coming up quickly on the slower Porsche GT.
At 2:07, green flag.
At 2:20, with 30 minutes remaining, top three in class: #50-P Panoz LMP1 Roadster S, #1-P Audi R8, #2-P Audi R8; #26-GTS Saleen S7R, #3-GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, #4-GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R; #43-GT BMW M3 GTR, #42-GT BMW M3 GTR, #6-GT BMW M3 GTR.
At 2:22, car #38-P Audi R8 (Andy Wallace) sets the fastest lap of the session with a 1:23.883.
At 2:28, car #2-P Audi R8 (Frank Biela) sets the fastest lap of the session at 1:23.466.
At 2:36, black flag all for car #23-GT Porsche 911 GT3-RS (Lucas Luhr), transmission expired right before the start finish line, dropping debris on the track. The clean-up could take too long for the practice session to resume, due to the amount of fluids that were dropped right where the track transitions from the normal racing surface to the drag strip surface.
At 2:49, checkered flag.
The entire field practiced with the exception of the #44-GTS Dodge Viper GTS-R which was undergoing repairs in the paddock. The team says they may not make it out for qualifying, but are hoping to start from the rear of the field tomorrow.
Timing and scoring did not print out a sheet with times for this session only. Instead, the top three in class for the combined sessions are: #2-P Audi R8 - 1:23.466, #1-P Audi R8 - 1:23.712, #38-P Audi R8 - 1:23.883; #26-GTS Saleen S7R - 1:32.437, #3-GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R - 1:33.356, #4-GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R - 1:34.001; #10-GT BMW M3 GTR - 1:34.573, #43-GT BMW M3 GTR - 1:35.009, #6-GT BMW M3 GTR - 1:35.239.
Timo Bernhard (#30-GT Porsche 911 GT3-RS) (20-year old first-timer in the ALMS, spent the last two seasons running in the Porsche Carrera Cup - about racing at Sears Point) "I like the course because of the elevation changes. It makes it more of a challenge than a flat track like Sebring." (about racing in the ALMS) "The atmosphere is 'less business' when you're not in the car. I like the friendly atmosphere in the garage area." (about the incident with the Panoz car) "I felt bad about what happened even though it wasn't my fault. But we'll be back out to qualify. I do feel good about the times I've run so far."
At a press conference held today at Sears Point, ALMS officials announced the format of the final race of the season at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The six-hour event will host the Le Mans Series Race of Champions, with top teams from both the American and European Le Mans series. Details of the event can be found on the website or in the complete press release handed out at the track.