Nothing new after first practice sessions....

[KC]

The Audi's definitely have the package for the sreets of Adelaide after the first practice session finishing 1 and 2 ahead of both Panoz roadsters and then the DAMS Cadillacs. The Panoz team needs to find some more speed as they are nearly three seconds in arears of the dominant Audis. The surprise effort comes from DAMS and their Cadillac LMPs in 5th and 6th. This team may have gotten the chassis finally settled and if they can remain reliable they might make a podium finish this weekend.

Further down the order the Team ORECA Vipers are having their way with it without any major competition. The Porsches are hamstrung by the current turbo rules and the Corvettes (not present) by poor management from the factory.

Dick Barbour's excellent Porsche team is also leading GT class ahead of Tom Milner's Prototype Technology Group BMW M3s. This championship is still in question with Barbour needing an outright win to claim the title.

Practice Times, Friday Session 3:

1) Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro/Tom Kristensen, No. 78 Audi Sport North America Audi R8, 1:25.550/98.890mph
2) Rinaldo Capello/Allan McNish/Michele Alboreto, No. 77 Audi Sport North America Audi R8, 1:25.645
3) David Brabham/Jason Bright/Greg Murphy, No. 12 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP1/Elan, 1:26.405
4) Johnny O’Connell/Hiroki Katoh, No. 2 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP1/Elan, 1:28.389
5) Eric Bernard/Emmanuel Collard, No. 31 DAMS Cadillac Northstar LMP, 1:29.521
6) Christophe Tinseau/Marc Goossens, No. 32 DAMS Cadillac Northstar LMP, 1:30.006
7) Jan Magnussen/Klaus Graf, No. 1 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP07, 1:32.226
8) Olivier Beretta/Karl Wendlinger/Dominique Dupuy, No. 91 GTS Viper Team Oreca Dodge Viper GTS-R, 1:35.323/88.751mph
9) Sascha Maassen/Bob Wollek, No. 51 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:36.977.87.237mph
10) Dirk Muller/Lucas Luhr, No. 5 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:37.314
11) Jean-Philippe Belloc/Ni Amorin, No. 92 GTS Viper Team Oreca Dodge Viper GTS-R, 1:38.006
12) Bill Auberlen/Brian Cunningham/Niclas Jonsson, No. 10 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:38.129
13) Milka Duno/Stephen Watson/Ray Lintott, No. 61 GTS Chamberlain Motorsport Dodge Viper GTS-R, 1:38.429
14) Boris Said/Hans Stuck/Johannes van Overbeek, No. 7 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:38.442
15) Terry Borcheller/Anthony Lazzaro, No. 6 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:39.519
16) Michael Petersen/Mike Fitzgerald/Randy Pobst, No. 30 GT White Lightning Racing/Petersen Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:39.571
17) Randy Wars/John Graham/Christian Menzel, No. 15 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:40.219
18) Robert Orcutt/Darren Palmer/Christian D'Agostin, No. 66 GT The Racer’s Group Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:41.377
19) Patrick Vuillaume/Manfred Jurasz/Francesc Gutierrez, No. 8 GT Haberthur Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:41.677
20) Johnny Mowlem/Richard Dean, No. 70 GT Skea Racing International Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:41.791
21) Kye ****um/Joe Foster/Jeff Pabst, No. 69 GT Kyser Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:42.441
22) Vic Rice/Kevin Buckler/Claudia Hurtgen, No. 37 GTS Intersport Racing Porsche 911 Turbo, 1:43.525
23) Rohan Skea/Doc Bundy/Des Wall, No. 71 GT Skea Racing International Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:44.363
24) Mimmo Schiattarella/Didier de Radigues/Norman Simon, No. 0 Team Rafanelli Lola B2K-10/Judd, No Time
25) Franz Konrad/Charlie Slater/Alan Heath, No. 28 Konrad Motorsport Lola B2K-10/Ford, No Time


Practice Times, Friday Session 2:

1) Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro/Tom Kristensen, No. 78 Audi Sport North America Audi R8, 1:24.839/100.143mph
2) Rinaldo Capello/Allan McNish/Michele Alboreto, No. 77 Audi Sport North America Audi R8, 1:25.501
3) Johnny O’Connell/Hiroki Katoh, No. 2 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP1/Elan, 1:27.290
4) David Brabham/Jason Bright/Greg Murphy, No. 12 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP1/Elan, 1:28.878
5) Christophe Tinseau/Marc Goossens, No. 32 DAMS Cadillac Northstar LMP, 1:29.580
6) Eric Bernard/Emmanuel Collard, No. 31 DAMS Cadillac Northstar LMP, 1:31.079
7) Mimmo Schiattarella/Didier de Radigues/Norman Simon, No. 0 Team Rafanelli Lola B2K-10/Judd, 1:35.286
8) Jean-Philippe Belloc/Ni Amorin, No. 92 GTS Viper Team Oreca Dodge Viper GTS-R, 1:36.421/88.114mph
9) Franz Konrad/Charlie Slater/Alan Heath, No. 28 Konrad Motorsport Lola B2K-10/Ford, 1:37.543
10) Sascha Maassen/Bob Wollek, No. 51 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:37.740/86.924mph
11) Bill Auberlen/Brian Cunningham/Niclas Jonsson, No. 10 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:37.795
12) Dirk Muller/Lucas Luhr, No. 5 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:37.884
13) Michael Petersen/Mike Fitzgerald/Randy Pobst, No. 30 GT White Lightning Racing/Petersen Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:39.951
14) Randy Wars/John Graham/Christian Menzel, No. 15 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:40.066
15) Terry Borcheller/Anthony Lazzaro, No. 6 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:40.139
16) Johnny Mowlem/Richard Dean, No. 70 GT Skea Racing International Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:41.017
17) Vic Rice/Kevin Buckler/Claudia Hurtgen, No. 37 GTS Intersport Racing Porsche 911 Turbo, 1:41.520
18) Boris Said/Hans Stuck/Johannes van Overbeek, No. 7 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:41.629
19) Rohan Skea/Doc Bundy/Des Wall, No. 71 GT Skea Racing International Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:41.713
20) Patrick Vuillaume/Manfred Jurasz/Francesc Gutierrez, No. 8 GT Haberthur Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:42.068
21) Kye ****um/Joe Foster/Jeff Pabst, No. 69 GT Kyser Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:42.935
22) Robert Orcutt/Darren Palmer/Christian D'Agostin, No. 66 GT The Racer’s Group Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:46.650
23) Milka Duno/Stephen Watson/Ray Lintott, No. 61 GTS Chamberlain Motorsport Dodge Viper GTS-R, 1:58.555
24) Jan Magnussen/Klaus Graf, No. 1 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP07, No Time
25) Olivier Beretta/Karl Wendlinger/Dominique Dupuy, No. 91 GTS Viper Team Oreca Dodge Viper GTS-R, No Time


Practice Times, Friday Session 1:

1) Rinaldo Capello/Allan McNish/Michele Alboreto, No. 77 Audi Sport North America Audi R8, 1:26.552/98.161mph
2) Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro/Tom Kristensen, No. 78 Audi Sport North America Audi R8, 1:26.889
3) David Brabham/Jason Bright/Greg Murphy, No. 12 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP1/Elan, 1:27.267
4) Johnny O’Connell/Hiroki Katoh, No. 2 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP1/Elan, 1:28.273
5) Christophe Tinseau/Marc Goossens, No. 32 DAMS Cadillac Northstar LMP, 1:30.242
6) Mimmo Schiattarella/Didier de Radigues/Norman Simon, No. 0 Team Rafanelli Lola B2K-10/Judd, 1:30.525
7) Eric Bernard/Emmanuel Collard, No. 31 DAMS Cadillac Northstar LMP, 1:31.217
8) Franz Konrad/Charlie Slater/Alan Heath, No. 28 Konrad Motorsport Lola B2K-10/Ford, 1:33.616
9) Jan Magnussen/Klaus Graf, No. 1 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP07, 1:34.573
10) Olivier Beretta/Karl Wendlinger/Dominique Dupuy, No. 91 GTS Viper Team Oreca Dodge Viper GTS-R, 1:38.597/86.169mph
11) Sascha Maassen/Bob Wollek, No. 51 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:38.786/86.004mph
12) Jean-Philippe Belloc/Ni Amorin, No. 92 GTS Viper Team Oreca Dodge Viper GTS-R, 1:38.854
13) Bill Auberlen/Brian Cunningham/Niclas Jonsson, No. 10 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:39.653
14) Boris Said/Hans Stuck/Johannes van Overbeek, No. 7 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:39.926
15) Dirk Muller/Lucas Luhr, No. 5 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:40.047
16) Michael Petersen/Mike Fitzgerald/Randy Pobst, No. 30 GT White Lightning Racing/Petersen Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:41.003
17) Terry Borcheller/Anthony Lazzaro, No. 6 GT Prototype Technology Group BMW M3, 1:42.355
18) Johnny Mowlem/Richard Dean, No. 70 GT Skea Racing International Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:42.432
19) Patrick Vuillaume/Manfred Jurasz/Francesc Gutierrez, No. 8 GT Haberthur Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:43.322
20) Rohan Skea/Doc Bundy/Des Wall, No. 71 GT Skea Racing International Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:43.872
21) Milka Duno/Stephen Watson/Ray Lintott, No. 61 GTS Chamberlain Motorsport Dodge Viper GTS-R, 1:45.036
22) Robert Orcutt/Darren Palmer/Christian D'Agostin, No. 66 GT The Racer’s Group Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:45.088
23) Randy Wars/John Graham/Christian Menzel, No. 15 GT Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:47.143
24) Kye ****um/Joe Foster/Jeff Pabst, No. 69 GT Kyser Racing Porsche 911 GT3R, 1:47.526
25) Vic Rice/Kevin Buckler/Claudia Hurtgen, No. 37 GTS Intersport Racing Porsche 911 Turbo, 2:19.804
26) Jim Cornish/Jamie Wall/Michael Mallock, No. 67 Project 2000 Raceworks Pilbeam/Nissan, Withdrawn —

Too bad the Pilbeam-Nissan was crashed and cannot make the start.

[meatballeyes]

Originally posted by KC
The Porsches are hamstrung by the current turbo rules...

are you sure about that? i read something to this effect a few years ago, so i cant remember it all: a team that campaigned a 993 turbo wanted the fia to fit smaller restrictors on the vipers, because they said the 993 engine couldnt make much more power - even with less restriction. unless im mistaken, i distinctly remember reading that the main issue with the 993 turbo motor was the heads. because the engine is air cooled, only a two valve head can be used (more restrictive?). as a result, only so much volume can be pumped through the engine - and only so much power can be made. perhaps the air cooled motor is to "blame", not the restrictors?

it was a while ago when i read this, so i could be way off base. please correct me if i am wrong.

by the way, the roock racing 993 turbo is a gorgeous car:
http://www.sportscarmedia.com/almspo...09_bc_0104.jpg

but, the 993 has seen its day. i know porsche can build a match for the vipers, vettes and saleens. its too bad we will have to wait a few more years for one...

and: as much as i like panoz, its no surprize to see the audis on top of the practice times. lets hope that next year will be more competitive.

take care!

Kipling Hugh Taylor

[SL]

On BBC they have announced that McNish has hurt his back ? is this true ?

Apparently after 1st practice Allan was doing a press conferance in a Scottish Kilt, later when removing said item he twisted his back, aggravating an earlier racing injury.

Many thanks for the detailed practice times, saves searching the web for info.

Splatz / K C / Meatballeyes Any chance you could let us know the approx times (local or GMT) of your next updates ?? We would then know what time to tune into "Aussie radio 10/X's"

Simon

[Crash Test]

Im not sure what the ALMS site has to offer, but i have been looking up all of the results from all of the classes racing this weekend at http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/re...1/12/2000.ADEL