ALMS Laguna Seca - final race of season this weekend!

Final race of the season and it's down to TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS - P1 and GT2. As I recall Jennifer telling me, they (Lizards) need to finish 10th or above to clinch the GT2 Championship. It will be a duel between Gil de Ferran and Highcroft for sure. This is also Gil's last race as a driver with some special things planned.

As usual the race can be followed on www.radiolemans.com and live timing on www.imsarcing.net.

Race is Saturday at 2:45 pm - 6:45 pm local time. Speed is covering the race but it's tape delayed - October 11th at 2:30 pm EDT.

Qualifying for GT2 is Friday from 3:10 pm - 3:30 pm and Qualifying is Friday from 3:35 pm - 3:55 pm for P1 and P2.

Here's the link for the complete sked: http://www.imsaracing.net/2009/events/laguna/2009%20Laguna%20Seca%20Supp%20Regs.pdf

Here's the link for the entry list:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2009/events/laguna/2009%20ALMS%20Laguna%20Seca%20Entries.pdf

 

I used to go every year when Acura had a factory tent and the drivers would all come over and talk prior to the race, good times, it will be interesting! The Ferrari tent was always blocked off for some reason....

 

I'm back to working weekends so I'll have to enjoy this by radiolemans on my phone again, then watch it later from the Speed recording. I can't believe they aren't doing this live! Is Nascar on this Saturday or something? Thanks for the links, as usual, Carol!

 

Very small vendor area this year compared to prior years, most especially the Patron tent with not many people inside. Of course it was Friday, we' ll see what today brings. Unfortunately our friend won't be here today with his Ferrari - assuming they do the corral. Last couple years you could not get onto the island unless you were officially in the corraL

GT2 is Corvette - Ferreri - Corvette with the 45 Lizard car sixth as I recall.

Small display with the yellow Penzoil car Gil drove along with a Chapparal Trans-Am car and another car. Gil's Acura in all white looks awesome!!!

 

I was at the race at Laguna where Gil won his first IndyCar race in the Pennzoil car...long time ago! 1995, I think. Congrats to him on a great career behind the wheel.

Scott Sharp starting a GT2 team- Patron & Corse Clienti sponsored 430. interesting.

 

Cosmo/Baker interview on radiolemans was cool, but just cut out on me. This will make my workday go by a lot easier. Stuck at the desk, ugh.

 

Pretty exciting with 1 hr to go, Fernandez takes lead over Deferran. I've been missing most of this race unfortunately, but enjoying the parts I get.

 

Melo and Kaffer out on lap 49, not good for the 62 Team

 

Missed that part, too bad.

 

Gil de Ferran (p1),Adrian Fernandez(p2), Joerg Bergmeister(GT2) also 100th Porsche win,
Monterey Winners............

 

One helluva end in gt2 and between Gil anD Adrian and congrats to Guy. We were at Audi hospitality at turn 5 clinging on the fence. I was really cheering for Adrian!! Btw it is cold here and just now dark.

Be sure to watch it tomorrow. Gil just said zero fuel in his car. Need to head back to San Jose now. Podium about to start.

Sebring in something like 160 days!

Carol

 

Gil won both of his last professional races! that's quite a feat

The Gentilozzi Jaguar completed 46 laps, not a bad effort given a lot of the pre-race doomsday scenarios.

Can't wait for Sebring!

 

unfortunately the Jag cut in front of Pierre causing the end of the race for the Ferrari....on Friday the Jag about got creamed at Turn 5 in front of us - it was going soooo slow and on the race line .....I'm not impressed by the Jag, perhaps next year they'll have more experience, Friday it was running 11 seconds behind the GT2 cars and at the bottom of the GT3 ones.......the Vette made it look like a nascar race at the end - perhaps a penalty was given for that move on the Lizards? I haven't checked to see...nevertheless a very exciting finish to the race. i talked with Adrian yesterday and he is hoping to keep racing. The car will be going to Europe and hopefully another P2 entry for LMS.

Carol

 

See you in 160

 

159 today!! Got to love gogo at 34k feet. Jon was telling me Friday they are getting a formula le mans car so they will be running the combined p1/p2 class, formula lemans which is the lmpc class and imsa lights. Scott Sharp with the 430 should be interesting. Too bad no gt1 in alms, new aco regs say gt1 world championiship can run at the lm24h but also have to run LMS or Asian series next year. Think about laguna for next year, Audi hospitality at turn 5 tent,several golf cart rides to paddock inc one to the corkscrew, dinner, munchies, sodas, etc .

 

Scott Sharp can tear up a GT car as easily as a P1 car! At least the Club Patron and the Patron girls will still be there.

 

Gil wins!

Wow what a battle between Bergmeister and Magnussen. Will the race officials penalize Bergmeister or was that all clean?

 

When you mess with fire chances are you will get burned. Bergmeister just returned the favour...
CH

 

That was a crazy end to the race! It was the first race I really watched in a while and it has really brought back some excitement for me.

 

Appears as though the results will stand. Don't care for it to end with a car being destroyed, but the final 5-10 laps of both De Ferran and Fernandez's battle and the GT2 battle were fantastic! It's a shame we have to wait until March to see racing like that again. -kevin

 

I just saw that next year Scott Sharp will be heading up a new Patron-sponsored GT2 team racing a Ferrari 430. There's strength in numbers......

 

I do miss the Acura hospitality tent though, used to be next to the Audi..... Great race as always the end of the year!
Results (Finishing Position, Starting Position, Drivers, Car, Class Finishing Position, Laps Completed):


1. (1) Simon Pagenaud, France; Gil de Ferran, Brazil; Acura ARX-02a (1, P1), 168.


2. (3) Luis Diaz, Mexico; Adrian Fernandez, Mexico; Acura ARX-01B (1, P2), 168.


3. (2) David Brabham, Australia; Scott Sharp, Jupiter, FL; Acura ARX-02a (2, P1), 164.


4. (9) Chris McMurry, Phoenix, AZ; Bryan Willman, Kirkland, WA; Tony Burgess, Canada; Lola B06/10 AER (3, P1), 159.


5. (6) Johnny Mowlem, England; Stefan Johansson, Sweden; Ginetta-Zytek 09HS (4, P1), 158.


6. (14) Jörg Bergmeister, Germany; Patrick Long, Oak Park, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (1, GT2), 155.


7. (10) Jan Magnussen, Denmark; Johnny O'Connell, Flowery Branch, GA; Corvette C6.R (2, GT2), 155.


8. (13) Wolf Henzler, Germany; Pierre Ehret, Santa Rosa, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (3, GT2), 154.


9. (16) Dominik Farnbacher, Germany; Ian James, England; Panoz Esperante GTLM Ford (4, GT2), 154.


10. (22) Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA; Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (5, GT2), 153.

 

I thought Bergmeister's move at the end was malicious and was very unsporting. I'm amazed that he didn't get DQed.

 

He should be fired. That was cowardly and shameful.

 

+1.

I'm not a fan of him or that team, so my opinion doesn't count. Let the Corvette boys cane him, then fire him