American Le Mans Update
Road Atlanta: The Petit Le Mans 10th anniversary sports car classic at Road Atlanta ended up being a survival test. The rate of attrition was staggering on the 2.54-mile, 12-turn road circuit. The 1,000-mile endurance road contest saw rough-and-tumble action with some of the world's most expensive racing machines and, when the dust cleared, there was a large amount of carnage and worn-out parts. The No. 9 Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-01a dodged its share of spinning cars and flying pieces in one of the most grueling races in the series. By the event's end, drivers David Brabham, Stefan Johansson and Robbie Kerr brought the Highcroft Acura home to the sixth position in the LMP2 category, following a 23-minute pit stop to replace a faulty starter in the middle of the nine-hour, 22-minute race. At the finish, the Highcroft Acura completed 365 laps.
Misfortune struck the other two Acura-powered prototype organizations with Lowe's Fernandez Racing placing eighth in LMP2 and Andretti Green Racing in ninth.
The Lowe's Fernandez team of drivers, Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz, ran in the top five in the first three hours of competition before Diaz was caught up in a three-car crash. The Lowe's Acura squad changed the entire bodywork and right rear suspension in under an hour to return to action. However, another suspension part broke on lap 87 and the team was forced to retire from the event.
The Sebring-winning No. 26 XM Satellite Radio Acura ARX-01a from Andretti Green Racing, with drivers Bryan Herta, Tony Kanaan and Vitor Meira, also was a victim of crash damage when the No. 20 Dyson Porsche struck Herta's mount and punctured the Acura's side radiator.
Monterey: Veteran drivers Fernandez and Tony Kanaan made the last American Le Mans Series season finale at Laguna Seca Raceway a thrilling finish for the large crowd at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn legendary road circuit.
The two open-wheel stars came to the ALMS campaign in 2007 and left an indelible mark on the thousands of fans who cheered them through the four-hour sports car feature. At the end of the 157-lap contest, Fernandez had driven his No. 15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura Lola to third place in the LMP2 division, with Kanaan taking the No. 26 XM Satellite Radio Acura ARX-01a to fourth.
The Acura factory drivers returned to Laguna Seca to battle the vaunted Penske Porsches wheel-to-wheel and they didn't disappoint. Throw in a sterling drive by the Highcroft Racing Acura of Brabham and Johansson and the three Acura-backed prototype cars left a superb impression on fellow competitors and cheering fans.
The day didn't start well for the Acura teams as drivers Bryan Herta and Brabham spun on the opening lap of the event. But both drivers regrouped to bring their cars back into contention.