was a nerve-racking one: Torrential rain, spins, accidents, caution periods
and a dramatic photo finish provided plenty to talk about even hours after the
race in which Audi scored precious championship points. Johnny Herbert and Tom
Kristensen finished second to the winning Panoz by just 0.482 seconds with their
ADT Champion Audi R8. Frank Biela, Rinaldo Capello and Emanuele Pirro took twelve
points for Audi Sport North America despite a spectacular incident.
Following torrential rain, the second ALMS race of the season started behind
the safety car. While Team Audi Sport North America´s Audi R8 dropped
to the back of the field in the opening stages of the race following an early
spin for Rinaldo Capello, Tom Kristensen fought an exciting duel for the lead
with David Brabham´s Panoz. On the drying track, Kristensen took the lead
shortly before half distance handing over the R8 in first position to Johnny
Herbert.
In the meantime, Frank Biela had climbed back from the end of the field to third
spot in Audi Sport North America´s Audi R8, before things got very eventful:
A lapped back-marker failed to see Johnny Herbert causing a tyre change and
a loss of one lap. Almost at the sime time, Emanuele Pirro was touched by the
Panoz of Jan Magnussen. Running over debris cut the right rear tyre of the Audi
R8 making Pirro spin rearwards into a tyre wall. The reigning ALMS champion
was able to bring the heavily damaged R8 back to the pits on three wheels. Audi
Sport North America changed the complete rear end of the car within less than
six minutes, earning the squad standing ovations by the specators and eventually
twelve championship points for 8th place in the prototype class.
Absolutely sensational was Johnny Herbert´s drive back to the front of
the field in the ADT Champion Audi R8: In the final hour of the race, the former
Formula One driver was able to reduce a one-lap-gap to Jan Magnussen´s
Panoz getting within reach of the Dane on the final lap. When he tried to catch
Magnussen on the finish straight, Herbert touched a lapped Panoz, ripping the
rear wing from his car and crossed the finish line sideways in second position.
Herbert´s effort was rewarded with the lead in the American Le Mans Series.
Johnny Herbert:
"Some people really don´t
look into their mirrors and should be punished for that because it can
be dangerous.
After all that happened I am happy with second place. But I could have
lapped
everybody today."
Tom Kristensen:
"I enjoyed very much my stint. I had
a great fight with David Brabham in difficult conditions. Unfortunately
I had
no radio contact with the pits, so I stayed out a little bit longer than
I should
before changing tyres. Without Johnny´s bad luck it would have been an
easy
win for us. But I am happy that I scored good points."
Race results:
1. Magnussen/Brabham (Panoz)
83 laps
2. Herbert/Kristensen (Audi R8) + 0.482s
3. Herta/Auberlen (Panoz) - 1 lap
4. Weaver/Dyson (R&S-Lincoln) - 2 laps
5. Fellows/O´Connell (Chevrolet) - 2 laps...
15. Biela/Capello/Pirro (Audi R8) - 6 laps
LMP900 Drivers Points after Sears Point:
1 - Johnny Herbert - 51
2 - Tom Kristensen - 44
3 - Rinaldo Capello - 43
4 - James Weaver - 40
5 - Bryan Herta & Bill Auberlen - 38
7 - David Brabham - 36
8 - Chris Dyson -35
9 - Frank Biela & Emanuele Pirro - 33
LMP900 Teams Championship Points after Sears Pt:
1 - Champion Racing - 47
2 - Panoz Motor Sports - 43
3 - Audi Sport North America - 42
4 - Dyson Racing Team - 39
5 - MBD Sportscar - 26
LMP900 IMSA Cup for Privateers Points after Sears Pt:
1 - Champion Racing (38) - 55
2 - Dyson Racing Team (16) - 45
3 - MBD Sportscar (18) & Intersport (30) - 36
5 - MBD Sportscar (17) - 33
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Pole-sitter Kristensen leads the field away from the starting grid...