ALMS Audi R8's set new lap record at Lime Rock Park

[dalyduo]

To anyone who has pushed the envelope around LRP, I offer this impressive ALMS update from the Lime Rock web site. It should be noted that the ALMS P1 & P2 track records were set with the chicane in use. ( In 1989 - The "John Morton" chicane was added to the circuit to force IMSA GTP cars to brake at the top of the uphill on the back side of the track. Morton got airborne and flipped in a fiery crash on the uphill during practice for the 1988 IMSA race. It should also be noted that on May 29, 1993 - P.J. Jones set the absolute track record with a 43.112-second lap (128.595 mph) in a Toyota Mk III GTP car.) The Speed Touring Car and GT Championships were run without the chicane.
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Werner Puts Champion Racing on the New England Grand Prix Pole

Marco Werner put Champion Racing on the pole and set a new American Le Mans Series LMP1 track record Saturday in qualifying for Monday's New England Grand Prix.
Champion Racing maintained its slight edge over Dyson Racing in qualifying Saturday for the New England Grand Prix and in the process shattered the American Le Mans Series track record.

Marco Werner led the way in a blistering session under sunny skies as all four class records fell at Lime Rock Park. Werner turned a lap of 46.753 seconds in his Audi R8, clipping more than a second off the previous record. His average speed of 118.581 mph was nearly three mph faster than the old mark of 115.592 mph set by James Weaver.

“It feels like a long time since we've been on the pole,” Werner said. “It feels good, especially this track being the home track for the Dyson team who has done a lot of testing here. I can’t believe my lap time. They said no one could beat the Dyson team because they were running low 47s, so to do a 46 is incredible.

"We'll have to see how it goes at the start. I have to stay ahead of the Dysons and be on the right side of the track going into Turn 1 because it will be very hard to pass them on the track during the race. To pass here you have to gamble and sometimes you have to wait. It’s about the situation. It’s what makes Lime Rock so great.”

The New England Grand Prix, Round 4 of the American Le Mans Series, is set for 3 p.m. Monday at Lime Rock. SPEED Channel will provide live coverage, along with American Le Mans Series Radio at www.americanlemans.com.

Weaver and Butch Leitzinger were again bridesmaids to the Audi R8's effort. Their best time was 46.967 seconds. The second Dyson entry for Chris Dyson and Andy Wallace was third in 47.064 seconds.


Bill Auberlen, in his BMW 325i, became the first World Challenge driver to win five races at one track in the SPEED Touring Car race.
Jeff Bucknum set a new LMP2 mark with a time of 49.503 seconds (111.993 mph). Bucknum's time, which put his Courage C-65/AER fifth on the grid overall, was more than two seconds faster than the record he set a year ago.

The record-setting trend continued in GT1 & GT2 qualifying. Olivier Beretta was sixth overall and first in GT1 at 50.170 seconds (110.504 mph) in a Corvette C6.R. And Patrick Long was the pace-setter in GT2, turning a fast lap of 53.748 seconds (103.148 mph) in his Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

“It’s a very narrow track and it’s a very tough track to find a line,” Beretta said of Lime Rock. “But Corvette Racing did a strong job. The C6 is very quick at tracks like Le Mans and at tracks like here. We have a good package with good tires and good crews, and we’re looking forward to Monday."

The GT2 pole for Long was the first of his ALMS career.


Max Angelelli led a 1-2 sweep for Cadillac Racing, beating teammate Max Papis in the SPEED GT race.
“Obviously, I’m elated to have my first pole,” Long said. “Lime Rock is such a neat facility. It’s tight and will be tough during the race. The team decided to wait until the end to let most of the GT2 cars be near their end. We liked the excitement factor, and we’re glad we get to sit an extra day on top of the GT2 pole.”

For the complete qualifying results for the New England Grand Prix vist http://www.americanlemans.com.

Max Angelelli beat pole sitter Lou Gigliotti into Big Bend at the start and led the rest of the way in the 45-lap SPEED GT race.

Angelelli, who started second, beat teammate Max Papis to the finish line by 1.549 seconds in his Cadillac CTS-V, averaging 81.817 mph. James Sofronas, driving a Porsche 911 Cup, was third.

“Well, actually, we were just out there playing,” said Angelelli, when he was asked about qualifying second for the race. “No, seriously, we try very hard and manufacturer points are what we want. So, it doesn’t make any sense for us to stop fighting. We were pushing this week.”

Bill Auberlen continued his mastery of Lime Rock in the SPEED Touring Car race, finishing 1.875 seconds in front of Randy Pobst in a Mazda 6.

Auberlen, driving a BMW 325i, became the first World Challenge driver to win five races at Lime Rock. He started from the pole and quickly established command of the race, maintaining a comfortable edge throughout.

Visit http://www.world-challenge.com/2005/events/lrp/ for complete results for the SPEED GT and SPEED Touring Car races at Lime Rock Park.

[dalyduo]

While walking the pits with Julia on Saturday I came upon a lone figure at the backside of the Audi compound reparing an inverted R8 nose piece. He was applying epoxy resin to a fiberglass patch on the nose. I asked if I might take a picture of him while working and he kindly said yes. With a french accent he told me his name was Laurence.

Laurence then explained that the nose piece we were looking at had started out as two. Both noses had been crashed at LeMans (One by McNish and one by Piro) but on opposite sides, so he cut them in half and reclaimed the good halves by bonding them into one. He then showed me that both drivers who had crashed them, inscribed and autographed pieces of tape that were imbedded in the underside of the appropriate fender. (See photo's)

Also included are a few photos at the podium of the Speed GT Championship that was won by Max Angelelli and Max Papis.