American Le Mans Series

Petit Le Mans LIVE- Chapter 5

© American Le Mans Series

As we get close to dusk, racing is still pretty close at Road Atlanta. 8 hours gone, 2 to go and as usual in Endurance anything can happen. Stay with us as we keep updating minute by minute every alternative of the 2008 Petit Le Mans.

19:15- Peugeot continues to lead Petit Le Mans with Audi seemingly not able to attack, LMP2 dominated by Penske’s Porsches while GT2 still has the 62 Risi Ferrari on top.

19:17-Bergmeister and Dumas almost collided at the esses! Luckily nothing happened

19:19-It’s getting darker now as the sun hast gone down

19:20- Darren Turner very slowly now on the 007 Drayson-Barwell Aston… and now it stopped

19:21- Turner is trying to work in the car, they were 7th in GT2, when the VICI Porsche goes off and another Full Course yellow is called!!!

19:22-(FCY) Marc Basseng trying to restart the VICI Porsche, now he is out of the car and the tyre wall will need repairing

19:24-(FCY) Both Peugeot and the #2Audi are into the pits but #1 stays out to unlap itself

19:25-(FCY) The flatbed truck is ready to take the VICI car

19:27-(FCY) Klien on the Peugeot seems to have been overtaken by the #2 Audi at the pits. The #7 Penske car was on the pits as well.

19:30-(FCY) one more stop for the #7, the Andretti Green Acura leads LMP2 followed by the #5 Penske Porsche now

19:32-(FCY) As we mentioned, Marco Werner is on the lead now. Klien right behind him, it will be a pretty interesting restart….

19:35-(FCY) Wave-by started… and Audi #1 into the pits

19:36-(FCY) McNish will indeed be back on the leader’s lap at the end of the pack

19:37-(FCY) Montagny in for full service as well, will this be their last stop?

19:38-(FCY) Mc Nish in again to change tyres, a pit stop in 2 acts…

19:40-(FCY) Top 10 overall: 2 Audi, 07 Peugeot, 26 AGR, 5 Penske, 1 Audi, 7 Penske, 6 Penske, 20 Dyson, 66 de Ferran, 16 Dyson

19:41- GREEN FLAG!! And Montagny is in the gravel trap!!!!!

19:42- Also one of the Lizards is out, seems to be the 46. Montagny is out of the car and it’s a black day for Acura

19:43-(FCY) 10th full course yellow, the Intersport 30 spun and was collected by the 46 Lizard porsche, Montagny could not help crashing into the debris…. this will be a long caution

19:46-(FCY) The Intersport car is destroyed, the ex-Charouz tub will need significant repairs if it wants to appear at Laguna Seca. Luckily all drivers are fine

19:48-(FCY) The Intersport Lola is on the flatbed already

19:50-(FCY) The debris on the track will take long to collect, the crash was massive and Georges Forgeois was literally a sitting duck looking at Pilet’s Porsche impacting on his car at a very high speed and in the dark. It must have been a very scary moment

19:53-(FCY) Well, the LMP2 championships will almost surely go to Penske now with a terrible day for Acura, 3 crashes (Sharp, Díaz, Montagny) taking out the main contenders from the Japanese constructor.

19:56-(FCY) Helio Castroneves is now on the LMP2 lead , it’s 5-7-6 Penskes, 20 Dyson and the 66 de Ferran Acura

19:59-(FCY) It will be interesting to see how this long caution plays on that Audi-Peugeot battle bearing in mind Audi took the lead again on the pitlane

20:01-(FCY)In GT2 Risi 62 still leads from 45 Lizard, 71 Tafel, 61 Risi-Krohn, 99 JMB, 44 Lizard, 73 Tafel

20:04-(FCY) Audi and Peugeot together into the pits!!!

20:05-(FCY) Werner rejoins AHEAD of Klien, Audi still leads as mcNish also gets what should be their last stop

20:07-(FCY) going green very soon…

20:09-(FCY) Porsche #7 into the pits only for tyres

20:11-(FCY) The restart will be really impressive with Klien right behind Werner, the race can be decided right on turn 1

20:12-(FCY) The 45 Lizard also came into the pits for fuel and new tyres

20:13-GREEN FLAG! back to racing after the 10th caution of the race

20:14- Great restart by Werner, no chance for Klien to challenge him yet but McNish is already 3rd and also going for it

20:15- Klien getting closer to Werner now… what a race with just 33 laps to go!

20:16- Mc Nish flying literally and catching up the top 2!!

20:17- And Klien takes the lead! Peugeot on top of Petit Le Mans while McNish desperately tries to overtake Werner

20:18- And McNish overtakes Werner and is unchained chasing Klien!!

20:19- MCNISH INTO THE LEAD!!!! An amazing move in the middle of traffic and the little Scotsman does it again, Werner almost passed Klien as he is not dropping back and stays in contention

20:20- Unbelieveble what Audi is able to pull again on Peugeot…the race is not sone but it is amazing how the German team is able to challenge Peugeot when it really counts…

20:21- Klien giving it all now, attacking McNish all over the track, it is not done by any means!!!!

20:22- Werner on third right behind Klien as well, LMP2 is a Penske 1-2-3 still (5-7-6) while GT2 is still going to Risi 62 with Lizard 45 and Tafel 71 completing the top 3

20:25- Werner going for 2nd now attacking Klien, McNish slightly ahead of these two

20:28- 22 laps to go and McNish slightly pulls away, Klien defends well against Werner but is not able to bring the fight to th leader. The other classes seem pretty stable but traffic is still heavy

20:30- The Primetime Viper has stopped and there’s a full course caution!!!!

20:31-(FCY) McNish’s advantage will be gone….one more nailbiting restart….

20:33-(FCY)The safety car has picked up the leader right away, no wave-by will be necessary

20:35-(FCY) Penske #7 in for a final driver change, Bernhard takes over from Dumas

20:37- GREEN FLAG with 18 laps to go!!!

20:38- Amazing restart by McNish and he pulls away from Klien, this could be the final definition moment

20:40-Klien does not seem able to get closer, Werner challenges him but is not as quick

20:42- 14 laps to go…

20:43- Seems that the Peugeot is picking up some speed now, still a bit behind to challenge Audi#2. In GT2 Salo leads Bergmeister just by 6 seconds

20:45- LMP2 will be a Penske 1-2-3 if nothing strange happens.

20:46- 10 laps to go for the leaders

20:48- Klien makes his last effort, flying down the track trying to get closer to the leader or force McNish into a mistake

20:50- Traffic ahead of the leaders

20:51- 6 laps to go….

20:54- 3 laps to go now, 4 seconds between the top 2

20:55- No changes now…Klien pushing really hard

20:56- Only 4 seconds now between Salo and Bergmeister, GT2 is also going down to the wire

20:57- LAST LAP!!!

20:58- AND AUDI WINS PETIT LE MANS AND REMAINS UNBEATEN IN THIS EVENT!!!!! McNish-Pirro-Capello do it for Aui and Peugeot only manages second…again. A very big disappointment for the French team and another hard earned victory for Audi when it counted.

LMP2 is a Penske 1-2-3 with Helio Castroneves-Ryan Briscoe taking a great victory and getting the drivers championship for Dumas-Bernhard. Disappointment for Acura that was so close before this race…

In GT1 Corvette finishes another “lonely” season and Magnussen-OÇonnell get the drivers title

IN GT2 a brilliant victory for Risi and Melo-Salo, however the Flying Lizard team of Henzler-Bergmeister gets the driver championship crowning a very regular performance at the top during the entire season.