Monterey – The Infineon Team Joest Audi R8 of Frank Biela and
Marco Werner scored a dominating win in Sunday’s American Le Mans
Series Fry’s Electronics Sports Car Championships event at Mazda
Raceway Laguna Seca.
Biela scored an overall win for the third consecutive year at
the 2.238-mile circuit, while co-driver Werner won in his first
appearance at the track. It was the fourth overall win for the duo
in seven ALMS races this year and placed them in command of the
race for the LMP 900 class driver’s championship.
Monterey – The Infineon Team Joest Audi R8 of Frank Biela and Marco Werner scored a dominating win in Sunday’s American Le Mans Series Fry’s Electronics Sports Car Championships event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Biela scored an overall win for the third consecutive year at the 2.238-mile circuit, while co-driver Werner won in his first appearance at the track. It was the fourth overall win for the duo in seven ALMS races this year and placed them in command of the race for the LMP 900 class driver’s championship.
“One of our goals at the start of the season was to win the championship,” said Biela, who drove for the former works Audi team the past three seasons.
“The team won the championship the past three years, and this year maybe it’s my turn and Marco’s turn to win the driving championship.”
James Weaver and Butch Leitzinger finished second overall but won the LMP 675 class in the Dyson Racing Lola EX257-MG. Other than the winning Audi, the Dyson entry was the only car to lead the two-hour, 45-minute sports car race and finished on the lead lap, 1:22.283 behind the winner.
“We just got beaten today,” said Leitzinger, who managed to bring the Dyson entry home on the lead lap, just in front of the winning car.
“It was a constant battle out there with traffic, but we really didn‚t have anything for the Audi today. It”s nice to get the class win, but we’re after the overall win.”
Finishing third overall and second in P900 was the Panoz LMP01 of Olivier Beretta and David Saelens and JML team Panoz, while the ADT Champion Racing Audi R8 of JJ Lehto and Johnny Herbert finished third in P900.
and fourth overall.
The Essex Racing Lola B2K40-Nissan of Jason Workman and Scott Bradley finished second in the LMP 675 class, while third went to the Intersport Lola-MG of Jon Field and Duncan Dayton.
Tomas Enge and Peter Kox scored their first GTS class win of the season in the Prodrive Ferrari 550 Maranello, winning at Laguna Seca for the second consecutive year. Kox fought off the effects of flu during his stint in the car.
The second Prodrive Ferrari of David Brabham and Jan Magnussen finishedsecond in class after leading a team battle until Magnussen tangled with a lapped car and spun in the Corkscrew section of the track, losing the lead to Enge late in the race. The Chevrolet Corvette C5-R of Ron Fellows and Johnny O’Connell finished third.
“It is good to win here two years in a row and to maintain the Corvette losing streak here,” said Enge. “Our tires performed very well and this circuit really suits our car. We had a different strategy than the other car and it paid off for us.”
Sascha Maassen and Lucas Luhr won the GT class in the Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS, clinching their second consecutive GT class driving championship in the process. They finished a lap ahead of the Risi Competizione Ferrari 360 Modena of Anthony Lazzaro and Ralf Kelleners, while third in class went to the White Lightning/Petersen Motorsports Porsche of Craig Stanton and Johnny Mowlem.
A tangle involving several cars on the first turn of the first lap caused Maassen to lose five spots on the start of the race from his GT class pole, but he quickly regained the lead and the car was never seriously challenged.
The next race for the American Le Mans Series will be Grand Prix Americas on the Miami Downtown Street Circuit on Sept. 27.
The finish, with starting position in parentheses, drivers, hometown or country, type car (class), laps completed, reason out if any, winning time and margin of victory:
Race results:
1. (1) Frank Biela, Germany; Marco Werner, Germany; Audi R8 (P900), 120, 2:45:30.373, 1:22.283.
2. (2) James Weaver, England; Butch Leitzinger, State College, PA; Lola EX257/AER MG (P675), 120.
3. (6) Olivier Beretta, Monaco; David Saelens, Belgium; Panoz LMP01/EPP (P900), 118.
4. (3) Johnny Herbert, England; JJ Lehto, Finland; Audi R-8 (P900), 115.
5. (11) Tomas Enge, Czech Republic; Peter Kox, The Netherlands; Ferrari 550 Maranello (GTS), 113.
6. (9) Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, CA; Michael Lewis, San Diego, CA; R&S MKIIIC/Lincoln (P900), 113.
7. (10) Jan Magnussen, Denmark; David Brabham, Australia; Ferrari 550 Maranello (GTS), 113.
8. (8) Clint Field, Dublin, OH; Rick Sutherland, Los Gatos, CA; R&S MkIIIC-ELan (P900), 112.
9. (13) Ron Fellows, Canada; Johnny O’Connell, Flowery Branch, GA; Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (GTS), 111.
10. (12) Oliver Gavin, England; Kelly Collins, Corona Del Mar, CA; Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (GTS), 111.
11. (14) Emanuele Naspetti, Italy; Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, CA; Ferrari 550 Maranello (GTS), 110.
12. (16) Sascha Maassen, Germany; Lucas Luhr, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 108.
13. (15) Jean-Philippe Belloc, France; Tom Weickardt, Whitefish Bay, WI; Dodge Viper GTS-R (GTS), 108.
14. (20) Anthony Lazzaro, Acworth, GA; Ralf Kelleners, Germany; Ferrari 360 Modena (GT), 107.
15. (19) Craig Stanton, Long Beach, CA; Johnny Mowlem, England; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 107.
16. (23) Robin Liddell, Scotland; Alex Caffi, Italy; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 106.
17. (24) Kevin Buckler, Sonoma, CA; Cort Wagner, Pacific Palisades, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 106.
18. (17) Jason Workman, Gainesville, GA; Scott Bradley, San Jose, CA; Lola B2K/40/Nissan (P675), 106.
19. (29) Stephan Gregoire, France; Iradj Alexander, Switzerland; Eliseo Salazar, Chile; Ferrari 360 Modena (GT), 105.
20. (25) Terry Borcheller, Phoenix, AZ; Shane Lewis, Jupiter, FL; Ferrari 360 Modena (GT), 105.
21. (26) Marc Bunting, Monkton, MD; Chris Gleason, Johnstown, PA; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 104.
22. (18) Timo Bernhard, Germany; Jorg Bergmeister, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3RS (GT), 104.
23. (30) Michael Schrom, Ghent, NY; Pierre Ehret, Santa Rosa, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 104.
24. (32) Jay Policastro, Latrobe, PA; Joe Policastro, Latrobe, PA; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 103.
25. (31) Vic Rice, San Rafael, CA; David Warnock, England; Porsche 911 GT3RS (GT), 103.
26. (34) Stephen Earle, Garden Ridge, TX; Mark Neuhaus, Sun Valley, ID; Ferrari 360 Modena (GT), 101.
27. (5) Jon Field, Dublin, OH; Duncan Dayton, North Salem, NY; Lola
EX257/AER MG (P675), 101.
28. (22) Leo Hindery, New York, NY; Peter Baron, Deerfield Beach, FL;
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 98.
29. (33) Rick Skelton, Atlanta, GA; Joe Foster, Lawrenceville, GA; Brad
Nyberg, Houston, TX; Panoz Esperante GT-LM/Elan (GT), 95, Mechanical.
30. (21) Justin Jackson, Buford, GA; David Murry, Cumming, GA; Porsche 911
GT3 RS (GT), 84.
31. (4) Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Andy Wallace, England; Lola
EX257/AER MG (P675), 40, Engine.
32. (27) Oswaldo Negri, Miami, FL; Burt Frisselle, Kihei, HI; Porsche 911
GT3 RS (GT), 36, Gearbox.
33. (7) Jeff Bucknum, Lake Havasu City, AZ; Bryan Willman, Kirkland, WA;
Chris McMurry, Phoenix, AZ; Pilbeam MP91/Willman 6/1EX (P675), 26, Engine.
34. (28) Spencer Pumpelly, Washington, DC; Andy Lally, New York, NY; Porsche
911 GT3 RS (GT), 16, Transmission.
35. (35) Gunnar Jeannette, Palm Beach Gardens, FL; Benjamin Leuenberger,
Switzerland; Panoz LMP01/EPP (P900), 0, DNS.
