Washington
DC ALMS, 21st July 2002
Race
Champion 5th after starting from the pitlane
Audi
Sport UK Press Release, 21st July: Johnny Herbert has slipped
to fifth place in the American Le Mans Series after his Audi
finished a disappointing fifth in the latest race in Washington
DC.
A
decision to switch tyres for the 165-minute race around the
1.66-mile circuit constructed in the car park of RFK sports
stadium forced Herbert’s co-driver Stefan Johansson to start
from the very back of the 35-car field. Johansson worked his
way up to sixth and Herbert, who drove for the final energy-sapping
113 minutes in temperatures of over 90F degrees, lay fourth
with just 30 minutes to run.
Herbert:
“I flat-spotted the tyres at the end of qualifying which meant
we needed to use a new set and start the race from the back
of the field. I was losing power due to a turbo problem in
the closing stages - it was a case of surviving to the flag.”
The
Panoz of David Brabham/Jan Magnussen first overcame a titanic
duel with the pole-starting “factory” Audi of Frank Biela/Emanuele
Pirro and then the second “works” Audi of Rinaldo Capello/Tom
Kristensen to win the inaugural Washington race watched by a
crowd of 70,000. Kristensen extends his championship lead to
three-points over Capello while Biela/Pirro are tied in third
place after finishing third.
Race
results:
1.
Magnussen/Brabham (Panoz) 140 laps
2. Capello/Kristensen (Infineon Audi R8) + 0.766s
3. Biela/Pirro (Infineon Audi R8) + 8.701s
4. Tinseau/Angelelli (Cadillac) - 1 lap
5. Herbert/Johansson (Audi R8) - 2 laps
6. Herta/Auberlen (Panoz) - 2 laps
7. Dyson/Weaver (Riley & Scott) - 7 laps
8. Fellows/O’Connell (Chevrolet) - 9 laps
9. Pilgrim/Collins (Chevrolet) - 10 laps
10. Naspetti/Schiattarella (Ferrari) - 11 laps J
Qualifying
Disaster - Johnny & Stefan start from the back
Audi
Sport UK Press Release, 20th July: Johnny Herbert claimed
fourth place on the 34-car grid for Sunday’s (SUN) American
Le Mans Series endurance sportscar race in Washington DC but
his Audi will start from the back of the grid. Britain’s ex-Formula
One Grand Prix winner stopped the clocks at 1min 4.858secs,
an average speed of over 90mph, in the ADT Champion Audi R8
sportscar he shares with Sweden’s Stefan Johansson.
“A
second row start would have been acceptable,” commented Herbert
who lies third in the championship standings after four races.
“Unfortunately I damaged the car in the closing minutes when
my foot also caught the accelerator when I was braking causing
me to crash off in to the tyre wall.
“The
car wasn’t badly damaged, mainly frontal damage, but the crash
wrecked the tyres. Regulations dictate that a car should start
on the tyres used in qualifying so by switching to a new set
will force us to start the from the back which will be interesting!”
Johansson
will take the wheel of the ADT Audi for the opening stint with
temperatures expected to remaining the in the 90s. The “factory”
Audi of Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro starts the inaugural 165-minute
Washington race from pole-position having set a fastest time
of 1min 3.287secs.
Practice
Johnny quickest in first practice
Audi
Sport UK Press Release, 19th July: Johnny Herbert turned
up the heat himself in intensely humid conditions to claim the
fastest time in tests for the inaugural American Le Mans Series
race in Washington today (FRI).
The
38-year-old Briton driving an ADT Champion Audi R8 set a time
of 1min 4.310secs, an average speed of almost 93mph, around
the 1.7-mile, 12-turn temporary track constructed in the car
park of the RFK Stadium. The latest specification "factory"
Audis of Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro plus Rinaldo Capello/Tom
Kristensen were second and third quickest respectively while
less than a second covered the fastest four cars.
"We've
worked alot on the car and it paid off," confirmed Johnny.
"I start the race third in the championship so a win would
be particularly pleasing. Hopefully we can claim a good grid
position and enjoy a trouble-free run in the race"
The
33-car field endured temperatures exceeding 90F degrees during
the tests. Qualifying for grid positions is staged on Saturday
with the 165-minute race on Sunday.
Preview
Johnny aims to reign supreme
Audi
Sport UK Press Release, 15th July: Johnny Herbert bids to
reign supreme in Washington D.C. when the American Le Mans Series
roars into town on Sunday (21 Jul).
The
38-year-old Briton lies third after four rounds of the 10-race
North American-based sportscar endurance championship behind
fellow Audi drivers Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello. Herbert
, who drives for the “customer” ADT Champion Audi squad, is
searching for his maiden ALMS victory having claimed two seconds
and two third placings so far this season and hopes the championship’s
first ever visit to the capital will prove fruitful.
"The
Washington track is a 1.75-mile street course and I have always
liked these in my career," confirmed the Brentwood-born
ace. "It will mean everyone will start equal in that
none of the drivers or indeed teams will have prior experience."
Johnny,
who will be co-driven once more by Stefan Johansson, added:
"I expect it to be a close race. The two 'works' Audis
will be strong and I also believe that the Panoz car will
be suited to the Washington track."
Practice
takes place on Friday with qualifying for grid positions on
Saturday (1735-1755, BST) and the 165-minute race due to begin
at 1700 (BST) the following day.
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effort is made to ensure factual accuracy but no
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This page last updated Monday, 20-May-2002 08:00:27 BST
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