Ken
Gone but not forgotten
From The Race Site:
GT1: Corvette Racing on Overall Podium at Lime Rock
7/4/2005 - by Beth Dolgner
Corvette Racing continued its dominance of the GT1 class during round four of the American Le Mans Series season, the New England Grand Prix at Lime Rock, but only half of the team made it to the podium. Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta drove the No. 4 Corvette C6-R to a finish of first in class and third overall in Monday's two-hour and 45-minute race.
Gavin and Beretta had been fast all weekend, posting better times than their teammates Johnny O'Connell and Ron Fellows in the No. 3 Corvette. Beretta earned the GT1 pole and led the field as the race began.
The No. 11 Carsport America Dodge Viper ran off in turn three, bringing out the first caution after only 11 minutes. Michele Rugolo was behind the wheel, and he had to be towed after getting mired in a large puddle. Rugolo finally got back to the pits, but retired before the half-hour mark.
Meanwhile, at the front of the class, Beretta led Fellows, and Andrea Bertolini was trailing in third in the No. 35 Maserati Corse Maserati MC12.
Beretta was a lap ahead of Fellows by the 45-minute mark, and two laps ahead of Bertolini.
Everything was going right for the No. 4 Corvette, but after one hour things went all wrong for the No. 3 of Fellows. As Fellows was nearing the last turn onto the front straight, he saw two P1 class cars in his mirrors. He went wide as they dove under him, but he got caught in the debris on the edge of the track and went sliding off. He impacted a tire wall hard, bringing out the second caution of the race.
Fellows made it back to the pits with damage to the front, rear and side of the car. The crew taped up the front and rear fenders, and Johnny O'Connell got behind the wheel to continue the race.
During the caution, Beretta brought the No. 4 Corvette in and Gavin got behind the wheel, maintaining the class lead. Bertolini also came in, handing the No. 35 Maserati to Fabio Babini.
Prospects were improving for the No. 63 ACEMCO Motorsports Saleen S7R, which had to start at the back of the field after having its qualifying time disallowed for a technical infraction. As the race approached one and a half hours, Terry Borcheller had worked his way up to second in the No. 63 Saleen. Babini was still holding down third in the No. 35 Maserati.
Borcheller pitted shortly after working his way into second, and Johnny Mowlem got into the Saleen. The stop let Babini take over second, and O'Connell moved up to third, coming back from the crash earlier in the race.
Gavin continued to lead as the race continued, though a four-car crash near the end of the second hour kept him from pulling away more from the field.
As the race drew to a close, the No. 3 Corvette had worked up to third overall. Gavin and Beretta were on the overall podium, and at the finish line they were two laps ahead of the No. 3 Corvette of O'Connell and Fellows.
The real race was another lap back, for third. Mowlem in the No. 63 Saleen and Babini in the No. 35 Maserati battled for the final spot on the podium. At the line, Mowlem was 1.6 seconds ahead, giving the ACEMCO Saleen he shared with Borcheller the third spot.
Complete Lime Rock Park Coverage
GT1: Corvette Racing on Overall Podium at Lime Rock
7/4/2005 - by Beth Dolgner
Corvette Racing continued its dominance of the GT1 class during round four of the American Le Mans Series season, the New England Grand Prix at Lime Rock, but only half of the team made it to the podium. Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta drove the No. 4 Corvette C6-R to a finish of first in class and third overall in Monday's two-hour and 45-minute race.
Gavin and Beretta had been fast all weekend, posting better times than their teammates Johnny O'Connell and Ron Fellows in the No. 3 Corvette. Beretta earned the GT1 pole and led the field as the race began.
The No. 11 Carsport America Dodge Viper ran off in turn three, bringing out the first caution after only 11 minutes. Michele Rugolo was behind the wheel, and he had to be towed after getting mired in a large puddle. Rugolo finally got back to the pits, but retired before the half-hour mark.
Meanwhile, at the front of the class, Beretta led Fellows, and Andrea Bertolini was trailing in third in the No. 35 Maserati Corse Maserati MC12.
Beretta was a lap ahead of Fellows by the 45-minute mark, and two laps ahead of Bertolini.
Everything was going right for the No. 4 Corvette, but after one hour things went all wrong for the No. 3 of Fellows. As Fellows was nearing the last turn onto the front straight, he saw two P1 class cars in his mirrors. He went wide as they dove under him, but he got caught in the debris on the edge of the track and went sliding off. He impacted a tire wall hard, bringing out the second caution of the race.
Fellows made it back to the pits with damage to the front, rear and side of the car. The crew taped up the front and rear fenders, and Johnny O'Connell got behind the wheel to continue the race.
During the caution, Beretta brought the No. 4 Corvette in and Gavin got behind the wheel, maintaining the class lead. Bertolini also came in, handing the No. 35 Maserati to Fabio Babini.
Prospects were improving for the No. 63 ACEMCO Motorsports Saleen S7R, which had to start at the back of the field after having its qualifying time disallowed for a technical infraction. As the race approached one and a half hours, Terry Borcheller had worked his way up to second in the No. 63 Saleen. Babini was still holding down third in the No. 35 Maserati.
Borcheller pitted shortly after working his way into second, and Johnny Mowlem got into the Saleen. The stop let Babini take over second, and O'Connell moved up to third, coming back from the crash earlier in the race.
Gavin continued to lead as the race continued, though a four-car crash near the end of the second hour kept him from pulling away more from the field.
As the race drew to a close, the No. 3 Corvette had worked up to third overall. Gavin and Beretta were on the overall podium, and at the finish line they were two laps ahead of the No. 3 Corvette of O'Connell and Fellows.
The real race was another lap back, for third. Mowlem in the No. 63 Saleen and Babini in the No. 35 Maserati battled for the final spot on the podium. At the line, Mowlem was 1.6 seconds ahead, giving the ACEMCO Saleen he shared with Borcheller the third spot.
Complete Lime Rock Park Coverage
