American Le Mans Series

Sebring after 9 hours

The #41 TVR comes in slowly, a problem but they are ding a pad change that is due on the next stop Its lost power and smoke in the car according to Pearce They are investigating. It is taken behind the wall it seems like the next retirement.

Kristensen pits on lap188 and he resumes behind McNish, Smith is back up to 9th. McNish stops on lap 192 and Weaver is back on the same lap. Weaver is on a low fuel charge in the 1min 49s. He finally stops on lap 198 and the engine cover is off it goes behind the wall for a radiator change. The 20 car also stops it looks the rear cover is coming off a turbo charger problem. Kristensen stops early and Lehto gets in Kristensen felt cramp coming on.

The GT1 leaders are now making their stops, #4 Corvette with Gavin back at the wheel leads #3 of Fellows and The #57 Aston of Turner, The Labre Ferrari is out with a broken gearbox. Kox has briefly got past Borcheller during pit stops.

Long in the #31 Porsche has a lap lead on the #45 van Overbeek, Jonsson in the #79 car is third

McNish now leads Lehto and Gavin will soon be 3rd, at the seven-hour mark the Corvettes are 3rd and 4th and The Aston is about to pass the stationary Dyson Lola.

The PCM Corvette is running slowly, it looks like a front left suspension breakage after a good fast run. They are replacing a suspension arm and they hope to be back on the track soon. The Viper after it huge practice accident is still running in 15th. The #16 Lola is back out now 18 laps down and in 8th, he needs to make up 7 laps to get back ahead of the third place Corvette.

The GT2 leading Porsche is still bouncing and they think they have a damper problem but they are still by two laps now. The second TVR has now retired. The In2 racing Porsche is up to 5th Thompson at the wheel loosely followed by the #66 TRG Porsche.

McNish pits on lap 222 after a triple stint and Pirro is back in, Lehto leads but is due his stop, which may be later than expected as they refuelled when he took over. He stops on Lap 228 and just takes fuel
Miracle do a routine stop well behind the Other Courage after an Alternator problem, they are second but 9 laps behind the Kruse car.

Weaver is back up to 7th as he passes the Kox Aston, The PCM Corvette is back on track but they have to come straight back in for a one minute penalty for too many over the wall. They are 15th 2 laps behind the Viper and two laps ahead of the Maserati.

We now have 13 retirements so the rough Sebring circuit is proving yet again to be a car breaker and we still have over 4 hours to go, somewhat further than they will parade in Malaysia tomorrow!

Duncan Dayton pulls the #7 Intersport Lola off the track, Its been quick when running but too many problems, not too surprising for a new car but the potential is shown by its 1:52.611 fastest lap. The Miracle Courage has lapped in 1:54.502 and the class-leading car has done 1:56.032 but it has on the whole run with out problems.

O`Connell has a spin at speed into the tyres in the #3 Corvette and comes slowly into the pits, a brake rotor exploded. The #83 Saleen has hit the wall and is coming in slowly with rear end damage and no wing, Smith was at the wheel. Darkness is just falling and it is that difficult half light period. The #3 Corvette looks pretty second hand down the right side, plenty of tape going on. It returns having lost 4 laps. The 57 Aston is now 4th OA and second in class. Kelleners is now 3rd in class on the same lap as the #3 Corvette.

Wallace is a lap behind The Saleen and Corvette and now 5th place looks not too far away and after 8 hours 15 minutes it is dark. Beretta comes in with damage to the right side of the Corvette, plenty of screwdrivers etc to lever off the rear window and the class leading P2 Courage has a spin, he is having difficulty starting and we have a full course yellow The Yellow will help the Corvette. Brabham in the 57 Aston goes a lap ahead undoubtedly cursing the yellow. Reason for yellow is debris on the circuit. The Aston pits under the yellow and gets away again just before the pace car comes round again, Ortelli now at the wheel, could it win its class first time out.

At 8 hours 39 minutes into the race we go green again, the #4 Corvette is still in the pits and Wallace is now 6th. The other Aston has been in the pits for a long time. James in the Miracle Courage is stopped at the side of the track, having difficulty restarting; he makes it back to the pits.

At the front Werner leads Pirro and with the excitement of GT1 their progress goes almost un-noticed. Werner is due a stop and could Biela win again for the 4th time. The lead P2 car has stopped by the side of the road; it’s listed as retired. It seems it is a problem in the left bank of the Judd V8.

The second Aston is back out following repairs to the rear suspension following accident damage. The GT Class leader continues to bounce its way around Sebring, To repair the broken shocker would lose the lead which is 5 laps over the now second place #79 Sugden Porsche Andy Wallace is now 5th and Guy Smith is back out in the second Dyson Lola but way back in 20th but 4th in class which might be valuable points at the end of the season.

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