LMP2 POINTS LEADER DUMAS WINS CLASS POLE FOR PENSKE
10/08/07 21:17 Filed in:Racing
LMP2 POINTS LEADER DUMAS WINS CLASS POLE FOR PENSKE PORSCHE RS SPYDER WITH
TEAMMATE BRISCOE SECOND; BERGMEISTER AND LIZARDS FOURTH IN GT2 BEHIND FERRARIS
ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. – August 10 – Romain Dumas (France) set an LMP2 class
record – faster than last year’s LMP1 qualifying – while putting his points-
leading #7 Penske Porsche RS Spyder on class pole for tomorrow’s American Le
Mans Series race – the Generac 500 – at Road America.
Dumas, who leads the LMP2 class driver points along
with co-driver Timo Bernhard
(Germany), pointed out that his success during qualifying highlights the concept
of teamwork on a racing team.
“During the last practice session, we noticed the car was not quite in balance,
so we worked with our Michelin engineer to get the right set-up. It caused us
to go out a little late for qualifying, and then we hit traffic right away, so I
was not sure I would get a fast lap done. All of a sudden, I was not in
traffic, and turned my fast lap,” said Dumas, who shaved three seconds off the
class record held by Lucas Luhr in last year’s RS Spyder.
“The three seconds is a result of the aerodynamic development of the RS Spyder
over the winter. We had to go faster this year to stay ahead of the Acuras,”
said Dumas, whose car will start third overall behind the two LMP1 Audis.
The American Le Mans Series race will begin on Saturday, August 11, at 5:00 PM
EDT, and last four hours into dusk. That race will be telecast on a tape-
delayed basis on Sunday, August 12, at 2:30 EDT on CBS-TV.
The #6 Penske Porsche RS Spyder team car qualified second in the LMP2 class,
with Ryan Briscoe (Australia) also breaking last year’s record. Briscoe and
defending class champion Sascha Maassen will start on the outside of the second
row overall. The two other Porsche RS Spyders, the #20 Dyson Racing Porsche RS
Spyder of Chris Dyson (USA) and Guy Smith (UK), and the #16 Dyson Porsche of
Andy Wallace (UK) and Butch Leitzinger (USA) qualified fifth and seventh in
class respectively.
In the GT2 class, points leaders Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Johannes van
Overbeek (USA) qualified fourth in their Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911
GT3 RSR behind the three Ferrari 430s, while the Rahal Letterman Racing Porsche
of Tom Milner and Ralf Kelleners was fifth.
(Germany), pointed out that his success during qualifying highlights the concept
of teamwork on a racing team.
“During the last practice session, we noticed the car was not quite in balance,
so we worked with our Michelin engineer to get the right set-up. It caused us
to go out a little late for qualifying, and then we hit traffic right away, so I
was not sure I would get a fast lap done. All of a sudden, I was not in
traffic, and turned my fast lap,” said Dumas, who shaved three seconds off the
class record held by Lucas Luhr in last year’s RS Spyder.
“The three seconds is a result of the aerodynamic development of the RS Spyder
over the winter. We had to go faster this year to stay ahead of the Acuras,”
said Dumas, whose car will start third overall behind the two LMP1 Audis.
The American Le Mans Series race will begin on Saturday, August 11, at 5:00 PM
EDT, and last four hours into dusk. That race will be telecast on a tape-
delayed basis on Sunday, August 12, at 2:30 EDT on CBS-TV.
The #6 Penske Porsche RS Spyder team car qualified second in the LMP2 class,
with Ryan Briscoe (Australia) also breaking last year’s record. Briscoe and
defending class champion Sascha Maassen will start on the outside of the second
row overall. The two other Porsche RS Spyders, the #20 Dyson Racing Porsche RS
Spyder of Chris Dyson (USA) and Guy Smith (UK), and the #16 Dyson Porsche of
Andy Wallace (UK) and Butch Leitzinger (USA) qualified fifth and seventh in
class respectively.
In the GT2 class, points leaders Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Johannes van
Overbeek (USA) qualified fourth in their Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911
GT3 RSR behind the three Ferrari 430s, while the Rahal Letterman Racing Porsche
of Tom Milner and Ralf Kelleners was fifth.
