Race!!! Laguna Seca Season Finale

6:45 pm - Checkered flag! The No. 45 finished fourth and the No. 44 seventh. Both cars were fast and tough but the conditions just weren't in our favor for this race. The No. 62 Risi Ferrari won in GT2, the No. 71 Porsche was second, and the No. 18 Rahal Porsche third.

Congratulations to the entire Lizard team for their fourth ALMS season. We'll be back with you in 2008!!! We'll publish final team and championship results in a bit.

6:42 - The No. 18 had to pit for fuel but it looks like they are still out ahead of Johannes. losing just one position to the No. 71 Porsche. Positions are: P1 No. 62; P 2 No. 71; P3 No. 18; P4 No. 45; P 6 No. 54, P 7 No. 44.

6:37 pm - The No. 21 contacted the No. 18 and spun into the gravel, where it is now stuck. It appears that they will not go yellow, but will leave the car there for the remainder of the race. This puts the No. 45 in P4. Positions: P1 No. 62; P 2 No. 18; P 3 No. 71; P 4 N. 45; P 5. No. 21.

6:31 - The No. 18 in P 2 is slowing considerably, and they may be conserving fuel.
10 laps left in the race. No. 45 in P 5; No. 44 in P 7 (In the race overall, an incredible battle going on with the No. 1 Audi and the No. 7 Penske Porsche.)

6:24 - The No. 62 overtook the No. 45 and is now one lap ahead of Johannes. No. 45 in P5. No. 44 in P 7.

6:20 pm - The No. 62 overtook the No. 18 for the lead. Positions: P1 No. 2; P 2 No. 18; P 3 No. 21; P 4 No. 71; P 5. No 45; P 6 No. 54; P 7 No. 44

6:16 pm - the no. 45 just passed the No. 18 (which is leading in GT2) which put him back on the same lap as the GT2 leaders. P1. No. 18; P2 No. 62; P 3 No. 21; P 4. No 71; P 5 No. 45, No. 44 is P 7.

6:13 pm - Green flag.

6:10 pm - The No. 21, in P4, pitted at the end of the yellow. No. 62 and NO. 71, No. 54 and No. 53 and No. 61. also pitted. The No. 45 did not pit - they are going to try and make it to the end of the race. Positions are: P1 No. 18; P 2 No. 21; P 3 No. 62; P 4 No. 71; P 5 No. 45; P 6 No. 54; P 7 No. 44.


*** 40 minutes left in the race ***

5:55 - The No. 5 apppears to have impacted the tire wall and is the gravel. The track is full course yellow. Driver is out of the car and appears OK. The No. 45 crew needs to make the call if the car needs to pit again or if they can make it to the end of the race. Because of the length of the caution, they are able to conserve fuel and may make it.

5:54 - The No. 62 was able to pass the No. 18 and takes the lead in GT2.

5:53 pm - The crew calls the NO. 44 in for a driver change to Seth Neiman.

5:47 pm - Johannes still P 5; Darren P 7. Leader No. 18. No. 62 P2. Just under one hour left.

5:39 pm - Darren is the fastest car in GT2 right now, but is four laps down on the GT2 leader.

** 1 hour, seven minutes left in the race.***

5:34 - Unfortunately, Johannes was assessed a stop and go penalty for contact with the No. 71. He's in the pits and served the penalty. Positions: P1 No. 21; P 2 No. 18; P 3 No. 62; P 4 No. 71; P 5. No. 45; P 6. No 54; P 7. No 44.

5:28 - Darren reports that he saw the No. 45 and the No. 71 impact and the No. 45 went off course. Johannes has a flat right front and is coming into the pits. He was able to come in quickly and out but it will cost him several positions.

5:25 pm - Green flag.

5:22 pm - The No. 62 also pits for fuel, which puts Johannes into P 3. Positions: P1 No. 21; P 2 NO. 18; P 3. No 45; P 4 No. 71; P 5 No. 62. The No. 21 Panoz will need to pit soon for fuel.

5:21 pm - The No. 45 pits for fuel only. At the time of pit, Johannes was P 2, behind the No. 21 Panoz in P1, and the No. 62 Ferrari in P3. After the pit stop, Johannes is now P 4. Positions: P 1 No. 21; P 2 No. 62; P 3 No. 18; P 4 No. 45; P 4 No. 71; P 6 No. 54; P 7 No. 44.

5:06 pm - the overall leaders pitted and Darren gets the waveby - good news because he gains back one of the four laps lost during the radiator change. The No. 73 Tafel Porsche is still in the pits for a lengthy pit stop, so obviously something wrong. This moves Darren into P 7.

5:03 pm - No. 9 Acura is in the gravel after a tussel on track with another prototype. Double Yellow. Darren, in eighth, is now 4 laps down from the leaders. Johannes is on the lead lap, behind the No. 18 Porsche (in the lead) and the No. 21 Panoz in second.

4:55 pm - Positions: P 1 No. 18; P 2 No. 21; P 3 No. 45; P 4 No 62; P 5 No. 71; P 6 No. 54; P 7 No. 73; P 8 No. 44; P 9 No. 53; P 10 No. 11; P 11 No. 61. No 31 Ferrari was retired earlier in the race. All GT2 cars that pitted under the last yellow are on fresh tires, except No. 18 and No. 21. 1 hour and 45 minutes left in the four-hour race.

4:54 pm - The crew has completed the No. 44 radiator change and sends Darren Law back out for his second stint.

4:53 - Johannes reports that he just got touched by one of the Acuras - he said it knocked him loose a bit but he thinks all is ok.

4:48 pm - Both Lizard cars pit simultaneously. The No. 44 crew makes the call that the center radiator is damaged, from the earlier collision with the Audi. No. 45 is out quickly, but the No. 44 crew will do a radiator change. The No. 61 Ferrari pitted earlier in the yellow. Most of the rest of the GT2 field pitted under the yellow, however the No. 18 and No. 21 did not change tires, and therefore got out ahead of the pack. No. 18 is P1; NO. 21 is P2; No. 45 P 3; No. 62 P 4; P 5 No. 71; P 6 No. 54; P 7 No. 44.

4:35 pm - the No. 5 Zytek Prototype is off in the gravel - after colliding with the No. 26 on course. The course is now double yellow and both Lizard cars prepare to pit. No. 44 will do a driver change back to Darren Law, tires, and fuel. The crew will also inspect the car for damage from the earlier incident. No. 45 will do their first driver change to Johannes van Overbeek, tires and fuel. The No. 06 prototype is also now in the gravel, apparently in a separate incident.

4:30 Lonnie reports that he got hit by the Audi in the left front going into Turn 11. He is continuing. The No. 21 was able to get by him which moved Lonnie back to P 6. Joerg still in P 2.

4:15 pm - The No. 62 Ferrari, the No. 45 Porsche, and the No. 71 Porsche are all running nose to tail.

4:05 pm - Finally green flag after the lengthy yellow to remove the No. 37. Joerg is still P 2 and is less than 1 minute behind Melo. Lonnie Pechnik now in the No. 44 is p 5. Positions: P1 No. 62; P 2 No. 45; P 3 No. 71; P4. No 18; P 5 No. 44; P 6 No. 21; P 7 No. 54.

3:47 pm - The course will stay double yellow as another car - the No. 37 in the tires in Turn 6. The drier is out of the car and appears OK. Positions on the restart will be: P 1 No. 62; P 2 No. 45; P 3 No. 72; P 4 No. 18; P 5 No. 54; P 6 No. 44; P 7 No. 21; P 8 No. 73; P 9 No. 53; P 10 No. 11; P 11 No. 61. No. 31 is in the garage for repairs but has not yet been retired.

3:45 pm - No. 45 pits, fuel, tires and one additional drink bottle for Joerg. The No. 44 pits for fule, tires, and driver change to Lonnie Pechnik. It will be green on the outlap. No. 18, No. 62, and No. 71, No. 21, No, 54 and No. 43 all pit - the entire field. The ferrari was out ahead of the No. 45 although they did not change tires. I'll report positions in a minute.

3:42 pm - The wave by has started - nearly one hour into the four hour race. One time by and both cars will pit - probably nearly simultaneously.

3:37 pm - Course still double yellow. Looks like the No. 62 (in the lead) and the No. 18 (in third) will also pit. We will try and beat the No. 62 out of the pits to retake the lead. The No. 61 Ferrari is out of the gravel and continuing.

3:32 pm - Joerg radios in that he thinks he can match the pace of the No. 62. No. 45 engineer Stefan Pfeiffer asks Joerg if he wants to continue or change drivers. He elects to stay in. The No. 31 Ferrari is stopped on the front straight, apparently with a broken drive shaft. Will update you when I know more. With the No. 31 out, the No. 44 moves into P 4. Team manager and No. 44 strategist Eric Ingraham radios Darren that he will call him in to the pits for a splash of fuel, tires, and driver change to Lonnie. No. 45 will also pit for fuel and tires but Joerg will stay in the car.

3:31 pm - The No. 61 Ferrari with Traci Krohn is int he gravel - the course is double yellow and it looks like they'll need to tow him out.

3:27 - Melo was able to get around Joerg on the inside (after making contact) and moved into P 1. Joerg now P2. Darren still P 5. We haven't been able to communicate with Joerg for most of his stint which make it diffficult. We think we are back in contact with him. Joerg radioed in that he is trying to push and asked that we keep the radio quite.


3:23 - Joerg is still holding off the No. 62 Ferrari and is in P1. Chief Strategist notifies him that he has 20 laps to go in his stint before they'll call him in to pit and for a driver change to Johannes van Overbeek.

3:17 pm - the No. 45 and the No. 62 continue to battle it out as they weave through traffic together. The No. 62 has not been able to pass.

3:13 pm - Joerg and Melo in the No. 62 are nose to tail. Darren hsa moved down to P5 - not sure what happened but the No 31 and No. 18 both passed him.

3:11 pm - We've lost communication with Joerg in the No. 45. We'll get out the pit board - the manual sign that we use when we lose radio communications - so that we can talk to him if needed.

3:08 - Darren reports he is losing grip. The crew notifies him that he will need to manage the tires for the next 45 minutes until the end of his stint.

3:05 pm - Darren has moved into P 3 after passing the No. 31 Ferrari when it went into the dirt. Joerg still P1 although Melo in the No. 62 has closed the gap and is just 2 tenths of a seconds behind. Caught again in traffic, Joerg once again opened the gap to more than 1 second.

2:54 pm - The No. 62 is close behind Joerg, although traffic has given Joerg a little breathing room. Joerg is currently the fastest car in GT2 on the track. The No. 31 Ferrari is in P 3, traffic has also separated him slightly from the No. 62. Darren has moved past the No. 18 Porsche to move him into P 4. He is just 1 second behind the No. 31.

2:51 - Retart after the first yellow. Joerg in P 1; Darren in P 5.

2:45 - Green flag. On the first lap the course is double yellow after two of the Acuras spun on course. Luckily all of the cars were able to avoid them but the course went yellow. In the move to avoid the cars, Joerg was able to move ahead of the No. 62 and the No. 31, moving into P1. Darren is still in P 5. Positions: P 1 No. 45; P 2 No. 62; P 3 No 31; P 4 No. 18; P 5 No. 44.

2:39 pm PT - The cars are ready to head off the grid for the 2 pace laps before the green flag falls. Joerg Bergmeister is in the No. 45 and is third in GT2 on the grid. Darren Law is in the No. 44 and is third on the grid.

The race is being broadcast live on Speed. We are broadcasting our team radio live - listen in at www.lizardms.com