{"id":6970,"date":"2010-07-12T07:25:41","date_gmt":"2010-07-12T11:25:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/?p=6970"},"modified":"2010-07-12T07:25:41","modified_gmt":"2010-07-12T11:25:41","slug":"three-straight-phr-wins-utah-shootout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/alms\/three-straight-phr-wins-utah-shootout\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Straight-PHR Wins Utah Shootout"},"content":{"rendered":"

Patr\u00f3n Highcroft Racing scored its third consecutive victory in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr\u00f3n on Sunday with a hard-fought victory in the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix. Simon Pagenaud drove the final 1:45 in the team\u2019s HPD ARX-01c, and the Patr\u00f3n Highcroft crew took advantage of a quick final pit stop to beat Drayson Racing\u2019s Emanuele Pirro to the line by 19.116 seconds at Miller Motorsports Park.<\/p>\n

\"PHR-2-Utah-GP\"<\/p>\n

\u201cComing in to this weekend we knew it would be the toughest race, so that\u2019s what makes it so satisfying – having a package that is not as appealing as others on paper,\u201d said David Brabham, Pagenaud\u2019s teammate who drove the opening stint. \u201cSo to come here a bit against the odds shows what\u2019s so special with this great team.\u00a0 We were trying to decide what to do (for the last stop). We could watch what the others were going to do. We asked Simon if they (the Michelin tires) could go another 20 minutes and he said they`d do just fine and they did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pagenaud, who qualified on pole position, and Brabham haven\u2019t lost since the Long Beach round in April. Sunday\u2019s victory was a hard-fought one considering a couple of disadvantages for the Patr\u00f3n Highcroft car. The high altitude and long front-straight favored the bigger cars like the Drayson Lola-Judd and the turbocharged prototypes in the field.<\/p>\n

No problem for PHR\u2019s dynamic duo, especially with quick pit work. The team\u2019s final stop was 18 seconds quicker than the final stop for Drayson. Pagenaud pitted 19 minutes later, and the Patr\u00f3n Highcroft crew short-filled the fuel tank. As a result, the team gained 18 seconds worth of advantage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to the PHR team for what they did in the pits,\u201d Pagenaud said. \u201cWe were a bit loose from the lack of rear wing but we got it back toward the end. I kept pushing and kept pushing to make good lap times and I could then take the lead again during pit stops. Being able to take the win is just amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brabham started in the car from the point but got shuffled back to fifth place by the first turn due to the massive frontstretch that allowed the bigger engines to outpace the ARX-01c. But the pit work and the HPD\u2019s advantage in the corners helped erase what had been a nearly 15-second lead for Pirro in the closed-top coupe.<\/p>\n

He and Jonny Cocker led twice for 32 laps. Brabham and Pagenaud combined to lead three times for 36 laps.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pit stop again was amazing, it rocketed us into the lead,\u201d Brabham said. \u201cIf we were a bit more back it would have made it extra difficult for Simon. Hats of to the Patr\u00f3n Highcroft team for coming back after the start and winning this race.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pairing also increased their championship lead in LMP to 11 points over Muscle Milk Team CytoSport\u2019s Klaus Graf. He and Greg Pickett placed third, 90 seconds behind the winning car.<\/p>\n

Although it just missed out on its first Series victory, Drayson Racing was the prototype winner in the MICHELIN\u00ae GREEN X\u00ae Challenge, a competition within the race that rewards overall performance and environmental efficiency.<\/p>\n

The Level 5 Motorsports duo of Christophe Bouchut and Scott Tucker won for the third time in LMP Challenge. Bouchut crossed the finish line in the first of Level 5\u2019s two ORECA FLM09s a lap ahead of Gunnar Jeannette in Green Earth Team Gunnar\u2019s entry. Bouchut and Tucker lead Jeannette, who drove with Christian Zugel, by 11 points in the class championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a really good race. Scott did a good job to open and it was important to watch the tires,\u201d said Bouchut, who led for the majority of his stint. \u201cThe car was really good all weekend and very easy to drive. Sometimes you make mistakes because you are not focused on what you are doing. I decided to drive easy sometimes and made some mistakes and then regained my focus. It\u2019s easy to get in to the trap of then pushing too hard and making risky moves.\u201d<\/p>\n

As has been the case at each event this season, LMPC teams had to adjust to a track on which many had not raced and that the ORECA FLM09 had never turned a lap. With four races in the course of six weeks, the team that can adapt the quickest will have the biggest advantage. So far, that has been Level 5.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis really goes back to our team,\u201d said team owner Tucker. \u201cThey take a lot of time preparing our cars. We\u2019ve had to make a few modifications to handle endurance racing. Overall we\u2019ve been very fortunate to be where we are. My hat\u2019s off to them. Our team is going to be back at home base for two days over the next 45 days. We have to keep those guys focused and happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Max Hyatt and Alex Figge placed third in class for PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports. The duo, racing together for the first time, led in LMPC early and finished on the same lap as the GETG entry.<\/p>\n

Risi Competizione won its second race of the season in GT with a victory for Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni. The first of Risi\u2019s red Ferrari F430 GT was 21 seconds clear of BMW Rahal Letterman Racing\u2019s second-place BMW M3 GTR of Bill Auberlen and Tommy Milner.<\/p>\n

It was the first victory for Bruni and Melo since a season-opening victory at Sebring in March when they teamed with Pierre Kaffer. Bruni qualified on the class pole position and swapped the lead in the early goings with the BMW before he and Melo settled into a steady and consistent rhythm. It was something that had been missing at Long Beach and Mazda Raceway earlier this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe needed this victory,\u201d said Bruni, who won in his first race at Miller Motorsports Park. \u201cJaime and I have had such bad luck the last two or three months, wherever we\u2019ve been.\u00a0 We\u2019ve had three consecutive pole positions in the ALMS and more in Europe but we had to win – we couldn\u2019t finish second.\u00a0 We dominated every practice, qualifying and the race, leading unless because of a pit stop.\u00a0 We had to win, there\u2019s no question about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The victory moved Melo and Bruni into the class championship lead by two points over Flying Lizard Motorsports\u2019 J\u00f6rg Bergmeister and Patrick Long. They were fifth in their Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.<\/p>\n

\u201cI drove the last hour and a half so it was quiet warm, but the tires were so good and very impressive,\u201d said Melo, who won for Risi at the circuit in 2006. \u201cIt was important for us, especially after the bad result in Le Mans. It\u2019s really important (to have a second Risi car in the race)\u2026 It would be beneficial for the rest of the year. I think there were the four Ferraris in the top 10. So that is great for Ferrari and great for Michelin, a good showing for both brands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corvette Racing\u2019s Jan Magnussen and Johnny O\u2019Connell placed third in class. Four manufacturers \u2013 Ferrari, BMW, Chevrolet and Porsche \u2013 made up the GT top-five.<\/p>\n

Extreme Speed Motorsports\u2019 Ferrari of Ed Brown and Guy Cosmo won the GT portion of the MICHELIN\u00ae GREEN X\u00ae Challenge.<\/p>\n

Jeroen Bleekemolen and Tim Pappas won their second straight GT Challenge race for Black Swan Racing. Bleekemolen finished nearly a full minute ahead of TRG\u2019s Andy Lally and Henri Richard, who were hampered late by a penalty for a pitlane infraction. The Black Swan car took advantage of a separate pit strategy that resulted in the Porsche stopping one less time than the TRG entry, which made the difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe guys at Black Swan have been spending a lot of time working hard with a lot of preparation,\u201d said team owner Pappas. \u201cWe chased our tails a little bit on the test day but things really came together on the test day and Jeroen put in a great lap for qualifying. For me, there was pressure starting out front. Some teams stopped early and I was able to stay out for awhile. The team consistently did the fastest pit stops of our class. When you\u2019re beating everyone in the pits by 20-30 seconds, that makes a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Black Swan led the entire six-hour race at Mazda Raceway to earn its initial win. A repeat performance would have been unrealistic, Bleekemolen said but the biggest goal ended up being the end result.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a great stint. I had the car in the lead and was able to keep it there for a long time,\u201d the Dutch driver said. \u201cWe were on a little different strategy than the others so we weren\u2019t going to lead the whole way. I was pretty disappointed when (the World Cup final) was tied after 90 minutes and I had to get in the car. There are probably a lot of people back home who are crushed. But I\u2019m very happy with our win. It\u2019s much more important to me to win this race!\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex Job Racing\u2019s Butch Leitzinger and Juan Gonzalez had finished second but were excluded in post-race inspections following a ride-height violation. TRG moved to second, and the WERKS II entry of Robert Rodriguez and Galen Bieker placed third.<\/p>\n

Leitzinger and Gonzalez still retained their championship lead in the class.<\/p>\n

Larry<\/em> H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah<\/em><\/p>\n

Sunday`s results<\/em><\/p>\n

1. (1) David Brabham, Maidenhead, UK; Simon Pagenaud, Montmorrillon, FR; HPD ARX-01c (1, LMP), 91.<\/p>\n

2. (2) Jonny Cocker, Guisborough, GB; Emanuele Pirro, Monte Carlo, MC; Lola B09 60\/Judd (2, LMP), 91.<\/p>\n

3. (4) Greg Pickett, Crystal Bay, NV; Klaus Graf, Dornham; Porsche RS Spyder (3, LMP), 91.<\/p>\n

4. (5) Jon Field, Dublin, OH; Clint Field, Dublin, OH; Lola B06\/10 AER (4, LMP), 88.<\/p>\n

5. (8) Scott Tucker, Leawood, KS; Christophe Bouchut, France; Oreca FLM09 (1, LMPC), 86.<\/p>\n

6. (7) Christian Zugel, Holmdel, NJ; Gunnar Jeannette, Salt Lake City, UT; Oreca FLM09 (2, LMPC), 85.<\/p>\n

7. (9) Max Hyatt, San Jose, CA; Alex Figge, Denver, CO; Oreca FLM09 (3, LMPC), 85.<\/p>\n

8. (11) Andy Wallace, England; Scott Tucker, Leawood, KS; Oreca FLM09 (4, LMPC), 85.<\/p>\n

9. (12) Gianmaria Bruni, Rome; Jaime Melo, Milan; Ferrari 430 GT (5, GT), 85.<\/p>\n

10. (15) Tommy Milner, Leesburg, VA; Bill Auberlen, Redondo Beach, CA; BMW E92 M3 (6, GT), 85.<\/p>\n

11. (18) Johnny O`Connell, Flowery Branch, GA; Jan Magnussen, Roskilde, CK; Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (7, GT), 84.<\/p>\n

12. (16) Joey Hand, Sacramento, CA; Dirk Mueller, Monte Carlo; BMW E92 M3 (8, GT), 84.<\/p>\n

13. (14) Joerg Bergmeister, Langenfield; Patrick Long, Bellaire, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (9, GT), 84.<\/p>\n

14. (34) Toni Vilander, FInland; Giancarlo Fisichella, Rome; Ferrari 430 GT (10, GT), 84.<\/p>\n

15. (13) Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA; Scott Sharp, Jupiter, FL; Ferrari 430 GT (11, GT), 83.<\/p>\n

16. (19) Ed Brown, Las Vegas, NV; Guy Cosmo, West Palm Beach, FL; Ferrari 430 GT (12, GT), 83.<\/p>\n

17. (33) Bryan Sellers, Braselton, GA; Wolf Henzler, Nuertingen; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (13, GT), 83.<\/p>\n

18. (6) Tony Burgess, Toronto; Bryan Willman, Kirkland, WA; Lola B06 10\/AER (14, LMP), 82.<\/p>\n

19. (17) Olivier Beretta, Monte Carlo, MC; Oliver Gavin, Yardley Hastings, GB; Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (15, GT), 82.<\/p>\n

20. (22) Darren Law, Phoenix, AZ; Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (16, GT), 81.<\/p>\n

21. (23) Tim Pappas, Boston, MA; Jeroen Bleekemolen, Monte Carlo; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (1, GTC), 80.<\/p>\n

22. (27) Henri Richard, Los Altos Hills, CA; Andy Lally, New York, NY; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (2, GTC), 80.<\/p>\n

23. (29) Galen Bieker, Burbank, CA; Robert Rodriguez, Zephyr Cove, NY; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (3, GTC), 79.<\/p>\n

24. (26) Jerry Vento, West Palm Beach, FL; Shane Lewis, Jupiter, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (4, GTC), 79.<\/p>\n

25. (24) Luke Hines, Essex; Bryce Miller, Summit, NJ; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (5, GTC), 78.<\/p>\n

26. (32) Doug Baron, Pacific Palisades, CA; Loren Beggs, Montclair, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (6, GTC), 78.<\/p>\n

27. (20) David Murry, Atlanta, GA; Andrea Robertson, Ray, MI; David Robertson, Ray, MI; Doran Design Ford GT (8, GT), 78.<\/p>\n

28. (28) Bret Curtis, Valencia, CA; James Sofronas, Newport Beach, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (7, GTC), 78.<\/p>\n

29. (30) Bill Sweedler, Westport, CT; Romeo Kapudija, Lincolnwood, IL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (8, GTC), 77.<\/p>\n

30. (3) Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Guy Smith, Bracken, Yorkshire; Lola B09 86\/Mazda (11, LMP), 73.<\/p>\n

31. (21) Ryan Dalziel, Orlando, FL; Marc Goossens, Huntersville, NC; Jaguar XKRS (12, GT), 57.<\/p>\n

32. (10) Brian Wong, Newport Beach, CA; Kyle Marcelli, Barrie, Ontario CA; Oreca FLM09 (17, LMPC), 21.<\/p>\n

33. (25) Ricardo Gonzalez, Mexico; Luis Diaz, Mexico City; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (9, GTC), 5.<\/p>\n

34. (31) Juan Gonzalez; Butch Leitzinger, Rebersburg, PA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (10, GTC), Excluded<\/p>\n

The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix is the fifth round of the 2010 season. The two-hour, 45-minute race is set for 2:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 24 from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. SPEED will air the race live at 2 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche \u2013 a production of Radio Show Limited \u2013 as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Visit the Series\u2019 schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 RIF | ALMS<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Patr\u00f3n Highcroft Racing scored its third consecutive victory in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr\u00f3n on Sunday with a hard-fought victory in the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix. Simon Pagenaud drove the final 1:45 in the team\u2019s HPD ARX-01c, and the Patr\u00f3n Highcroft crew took advantage of a quick final …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[9],"tags":[5264,5334,40,5279,191],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6970"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6970"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6972,"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6970\/revisions\/6972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}