ACURA SPORTS CAR CHALLENGE OF ST. PETERSBURG PIT NOTES: Race Start

American Le Mans Series Pit Notes
Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg
Page 9

Note: For this race, the cars will grid in pit lane because of the stage that is located on the Start Finish line.

At 4:29 pm, all cars have reported to the grid in their proper positions, with proper tires.

At 5:00 pm, the air temperature in the Petersen/White Lightning pits is 88 degrees with a track temperature of 108 degrees, under breezy sunny Florida skies.

At 5:02 pm, the command to start engines.

At 5:04 pm, all 24 cars have rolled off, and left pit lane.

ALMS Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg Race Start:

At 5:09 pm (0h 1m running), Green Flag.

At 5:10 pm (0h 1m running), Allan McNish (#1-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) was squeezed almost into the wall at the start touching Romain Dumas (#7-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) with parts of the Porsche flying off the car. Behind cars went into the first corner three wide.

At 5:11 pm (0h 2m running), Romain Dumas (#7-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) off and continues at turn 4 with a flat right rear tire.

At 5:12 pm (0h 3m running), Ross Smith (#22-GT2 Panoz Esperante GTLM) stopped at turn 4.

At 5:13 pm (0h 4m running), Allan McNish (#1-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) has been issued a black flag for jumping the start.
At 5:13 pm (0h 5m running), Romain Dumas (#7-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, no driver change. flat right rear

At 5:14 pm (0h 5m running), Ross Smith (#22-GT2 Panoz Esperante GTLM) has restarted and headed off.

At 5:15 pm (0h 7m running), Allan McNish (#1-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI), overall leader, into the pits, served stop and go penalty for jumping the start.
At 5:15 pm (0h 6m running), Marino Franchitti (#26-P2 Acura/ARX-01a) jumps to the overall lead as the problems at the start between the #7 and #1 caused the two cars to slow with damage, and up coming penalty.

At 5:16 pm (0h 7m running), Marco Werner (#2-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) leads in class after 6 laps completed.
At 5:16 pm (0h 7m running), Olivier Beretta (#4-GT1 Corvette C6.R) leads in class after 6 laps completed.
At 5:16 pm (0h 7m running), Robin Liddell (#71-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) leads in class after 6 laps completed.
At 5:16 pm (0h 8m running), Ross Smith (#22-GT2 Panoz Esperante GTLM) into the pits. Fuel only, no driver change. Repaired left front damage. Served penalty for no fire bottle over the wall during stop.

At 5:20 pm (0h 11m running), Marino Franchitti (#26-P2 Acura/ARX-01a) has left rear wing damage, the wing is not totally stable, but continues in the overall lead. The car apparently hit the tires at turn 8 with the left side of the car.

At 5:22 pm (0h 14m running), Ryan Briscoe (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) into the pits. Fuel only, no driver change. car inspection. The report is the car might be overheating.

At 5:23 pm (0h 14m running), Marco Werner (#2-P1 Audi AG/R10/TDI) continues as the leader in class, but only 5.000 seconds behind the overall leader, in second place overall.