MOSPORT - ALMS

The Number 78 Audi driven by Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro grabbed the pole at Mosport. Problems during the race caused the duo to fall back but some good tire choices put them in contention until the closing stages when Pirro collided with Philip Collin in a Porsche. Teammates McNish and Capello faired much better.

J.J. Lehto and Jorg Muller drove this BMW V12 LMR at Mosport. The car was off the pace in qualifying – the best Lehto could do was a fifth place. The car was not particularly good in the wet but the team had an excellent tire strategy, which allowed them to take advantage of the changing conditions and finish second.

Tom Milner’s Prototype Technology Group entered three BMW E46 M3s at Mosport. Number 6 was driven by Brian Simo and Johannes van Overbeek. They qualified twentieth overall and seventh in GT but finished last as the result of an accident on lap 12.

The new wider and better balanced Corvette C5-R was driven by Ron Fellows and Andy Pilgrim. Fellows put the car on the GTS pole and led the class until a pit stop problem. Pilgrim regained the lead despite the changing track conditions but lost out to Karl Wendlinger at the finish.

Unfortunately, the Rafanelli entered Lola-Judd B2K/10 had to be withdrawn from the event. Mimmo Schiattarella and Didier de Radigues were scheduled to start sixth but a crash by de Radigues in the morning warm-up left the car badly damaged and the driver injured.

Randy Pobst and Bruno Lambert drove this Alex Job entered Porsche GT3R. Pobst put the car on the pole and set the fastest race lap. Some good fortune and driving allowed the duo to take the GT win and finish a lap clear of Boris Said and Hans Stuck in a BMW M3.

The ORECA Vipers had dominated GTS qualifying during the 2000 season but that changed at Mosport. Number 91 driven by Olivier Beretta and Karl Wendlinger would have better luck during the race. Wendlinger was able to grab the lead in GTS with six minutes left in the race and hold on for the win.

Rinaldo “Dino” Capello captured one of the closest victories in American Le Mans history. Capello co-drove this Audi R8 with Allan McNish and finished just .148 seconds in front of the BMW V12 LMR driven by J.J. Lehto and Jorg Muller.

Cort Wagner and Shane Lewis shared this Porsche GT3R. In a field of twenty-nine cars they qualified fifth in GT and seventeenth overall . The duo was able to finish twelfth overall and fourth in GT.

The Kyser Motorsport Porsche GT3R suffered some damage during the race but was able to finish twenty-first overall and eleventh in GT. The car was driven by locals – Rudy Bartling, Greg Doff and Kye Wankum.

Despite qualifying second, Mosport was not a particularly good weekend for the Panoz team. Magnussen ran at the front until a crash led to his retirement and the No. 2 car driven by Johnny O’Connell and Hiroki Katoh only managed a fifth place finish in the Prototype class.

This BMW M3 was driven by Boris Said and Hans Stuck. The team looked to be a threat for the GT win in a season dominated by the Porsche GT3Rs but they would come up short. The duo finished second in GT after qualifying fourth in class.