ACURA SPORTS CAR CHALLENGE OF ST. PETERSBURG PIT NOTES: Pre-Race Warm-up

American Le Mans Series Pit Notes
Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg
Pages 7-8

ALMS Combined Warm-up - (25-minute session):

* Teams will use this time to scuff some tires, practice at least one driver change and make sure the cars are running properly. Marco Werner (#2-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) says "At this track, its important to keep the car off the walls. It will be a very long race."

* While the prototype classes may be the fastest in the field during tonight's race, keep your eyes on the extremely competitive GT2 class where Jaime Melo in the No. 62 Ferrari of Risi Competizione edged defending GT2 champion Jorg Bergmeister in the No. 45 Porsche of Flying Lizard Motorsports by 0.202 seconds two weeks ago at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – the closest finish in the 55-year history of the race.

* The Lucien Picard Watch Group,  the American Le Mans Series' new Official Watch and Timekeeper, will present an LP special commemorative watch to winning drivers in each of the classes as part of tonight's podium ceremonies.

At 11:11 am, green flag.

At 11:13 am, Joey Hand (#21-GT2 Panoz Esperante GTLM) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:35.382

At 11:14 am, Romain Dumas (#7-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) sets the fastest lap overall with a 1:10.824
At 11:14 am, Marco Werner (#2-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:12.095
At 11:14 am, Johannes van Overbeek (#45-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:16.071

At 11:15 am, Johnny O`Connell (#3-GT1 Corvette C6.R) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:12.917

At 11:17 am, Romain Dumas (#7-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) sets the fastest lap overall with a 1:05.522
At 11:17 am, Marco Werner (#2-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:05.579
At 11:17 am, Oliver Gavin (#4-GT1 Corvette C6.R) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:11.751
At 11:17 am, Johannes van Overbeek (#45-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:13.709
At 11:17 am, all 24 cars have posted times.

At 11:18 am, Bryan Herta (#26-P2 Acura/ARX-01a) sets the fastest lap overall with a 1:04.985
At 11:18 am, Marco Werner (#2-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:05.210

At 11:19 am, Oliver Gavin (#4-GT1 Corvette C6.R) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:11.081

At 11:20 am, Oliver Gavin (#4-GT1 Corvette C6.R) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:10.729

At 11:21 am, Oliver Gavin (#4-GT1 Corvette C6.R) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:10.268

At 11:23 am, red flag all. Debris on the course at turn 11.

At 11:26 am, green flag.

At 11:31 am, Jan Magnussen (#3-GT1 Corvette C6.R) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:09.995

At 11:32 am, the air temperature is 78 degrees with a track temperature of 96 degrees, according to Michelin tire engineers located in the #31-GT2 Ferrari 430GT Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning pits.

At 11:35 am, Allan McNish (#1-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) sets the fastest lap overall with a 1:04.729, just as the session is coming to a close.
At 11:35 am, Mika Salo (#62-GT2 Ferrari 430GT Berlinetta) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:13.663

At 11:36 am, checkered flag.
At 11:36 am, Mika Salo (#62-GT2 Ferrari 430GT Berlinetta) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:13.594

At 11:37 am, Wolf Henzler (#71-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) sets the fastest lap in class with a 1:13.001

Top three in class (overall in parenthesis, the driver listed is the last one in the car):

1: (1) #1-P1 (Audi AG/R10/TDI) Allan McNish 1:04.729
2: (4) #2-P1 (Audi AG/R10/TDI) Emanuele Pirro 1:05.210
3: (13) #37-P1 (Creation/CA06H/Judd) Jon Field 1:10.753

1: (2) #26-P2 (Acura/ARX-01a) Marino Franchitti 1:04.985
2: (3) #7-P2 (Porsche RS Spyder) Timo Bernhard 1:05.209
3: (5) #9-P2 (Acura/ARX-01a) Stefan Johansson 1:05.643

1: (11) #3-GT1 (Corvette C6.R) Jan Magnussen 1:09.995
2: (12) #4-GT1 (Corvette C6.R) Olivier Beretta 1:10.268

1: (14) #71-GT2 (Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) Wolf Henzler 1:13.001
2: (15) #62-GT2 (Ferrari 430GT Berlinetta) Mika Salo 1:13.588
3: (16) #45-GT2 (Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) Joerg Bergmeister 1:13.709

Next session: Race start at 5:05 pm.