American Le Mans Series

Sebring: The final hours

The Audis continue to lead as we enter the final quarter of the race but the remarkable Wallace is back up to 4th position. Ortelli continues to lead GT1 by 4 laps from Kelleners who is now second in the Saleen and Mad Max Papis in the #3 Corvette. Max takes second when The Saleen stops and Mowlem takes over.

The Miracle Courage Is about to pass the stationary Kruse car and reclaim the lead it lost early when it had alternator Problems.

Bergmeister #31continues to lead Sugden #79 and Fogarty in the 45 Porsche. Babini in the Maserati and Weickardt in the viper are on the same lap in 11th and 12th, a finish would be a fine result for Weickardt.

Both Audis are in together, Werner stays in and McNish takes over the #2 car from Pirro. McNish has new tyres, Ortelli stops the 57 Aston and Turner takes over
Two hours to go and we have 22 cars running and 16 retirements, McNish is closing down Werner and at the next stop Werner will hand over to Kristensen who will get new tyres, we are in for a treat at the end Kristensen versus McNish.

Little change elsewhere as we wind down to the finish, but McNish is slowly closing down on Werner, its 13 seconds now they stop together and Kristensen gets out in front on new rubber but short fuelled. One more stop to go, on out laps McNish is 12 seconds faster than Kristensen, they are a second apart, can McNish get past Kristensen before his tyres come up to heat. There are no team orders.

Brabham takes over the lead Aston from Turner and Leitzinger takes over from Wallace but it’s the race at the front that holds our interest. The gap is growing 8 seconds advantage now for Kristensen, Miracle now lead P2 with Kumho Tyres. At Christmas when the deal was done There were no tyres or moulds, a great start For Kumho.

Leitzinger takes 3rd with an hour to go but no chance of catching the leaders unless they have a problem. No change in class positions. The leaders stop and McNish takes tyres and when they are back up to pace the gap is 22 seconds. Can McNish close the gap?
The Aston comes in for its last stop, it is in longer than expected, as they do not think the throttle is opening fully, they make adjustments and it’s on its way. It seems it was rubber build up under the pedal.

McNish is closing, its down to 17 seconds, The Saleen has just stopped and it seems that the engine is about to let go as it has left large quantities of oil on the pit apron. McNish takes another 2 seconds on the next lap. This time it’s Kristensen just and he seems to be holding the gap at 15 seconds with 30 minutes left. The Saleen is back in and it does not look as if it is going back out. The P2 leader stops and McMurry takes over for the final stint. The Saleen does go back out but we wonder if it should be its dropping oil everywhere and its being ordered to stay off line. It comes in and the tail comes off, it has 6 laps advantage over the #4 Corvette.

Into the last quarter of an hour and McNish takes off another two seconds and then another second. It is down to 12 seconds. The Saleen is retired, three more laps and it would have kept its podium place. Another second faster for McNish but time is running out, about 4 laps to go.

Kristensen holds the lead to the end; Did Pirro’s two penalty stops cost Biela his fourth win.
Aston wins first time out in GT1 and is 4th OA. Miracle wins P2 and Peterson White Lightning Win GT2

© 2005 Planetlemans.com.