Flying Lizard Motorsports - Porsche Endurance Racing

Laguna Seca - Raceday! Sat. Sept 17

Sept 17, 2011

7:29 - joerg takes the GT win - unbelievable last few laps. Incredible job by Joerg at making it cleanly by the No. 62 to take the win.

7:29- Joerg made it past to take the lead - I think he's got it.

7:27 - No. 62 made contact with the No. 45 on the front straight.. They were side by side - Joerg has now pulled back a bit and Risi holds the lead. Joerg radios in that he has damage to the front

7:26 - Excellent move by the No. 62 and Joerg right behind - both passed the No. 56 to take 1 and 2.

7:21 - Joerg has six minutes. He is right behind the No. 62 now. The No. 56 is just ahead of them.

7:19 -  Green flag.

7:16 - still yellow.

7:13 - The No. 99 off course drivers right exit of 4.

7:11 - double yellow. This could help us if it lets Joerg  in P3 close some of the gap to the No. 62 in p2 and No. 56 in P2.

7:09- Joerg now P3 after No. 55 pit stop.

7:07 - No. 55 BMW in the pits. This is not a scheduled stop -may be a problem he was P2. He's out again quickly. No. 16 Dyson had flat left rear - that' s a shame - they were P2 in LMP1.

6:57 - GT positions remain unchanged. Joerg is catching the No. 62 slowly but not fast enough. He's 8 seconds back, we have 30 minutes to go. Lap times are 1:24 to 1:25.  Positions: P1 No. 56; P2 No. 55; P3 No. 62; P4 No. 45; P 5 No. 01; P6 No. 4; P 7 No. 3. No. 44 P9.

6:50 - No. 62 has fallen to P3. No. 56 BMW P1, No. 55 P2. No. 45 P4.

6:48 - No. 62 is conserving fuel and is slowing. Joerg is 11 seconds back from him. 41 minutes left.

6:42  -  just over 45 minutes left. Joerg P4, Marco P9.

6:37 - Joerg stuck behind a  LMPC prototype which is way off the pace. he's losing 2 seconds a lap and this is putting us out of chasing distance of the No. 56, No. 62 and No. 55.

6:34 - Final scheduled stop for the No. 45 complete. Joerg  is now P5. No. 56 BMW P1, No. 62 Risi Ferrari P2, No. 55 BMW P3, No. 4 Corvette P4. No. 4 Corvette has 1 more stop for fuel, not sure about the 62. BMWs and No. 45 should be good to the end. Marco Holzer now in No. 44 for final stint. He is P9.

6:29 - No. 45i n the pits for driver change to Joerg Bergmeister, tires and fuel. Patrick was P1 at the time. No. 01 Ferrari, who was P2, also in. Another add of oil.

6:28 - No. 44 in the pits for tires, fuel and driver change to Marco Holzer - they are P9.

6:25 - No. 55 received a penalty for goggles up on a crew member during refueling on the last pit stop - I think it's just a $ penalty, not a stop and go.  Car stopped on course - Turn 6 I think.

6:22 - No. 56 and No. 55 are in the pits for what should be their final fuel. No. 45 will be in shortly  for driver change to Joerg but will be a few more laps. No. 44 will also pit for driver change to Marco Holzer. Patrick now back in the lead, since the BMWs pitted. Scott Sharp in the No. 01 is P2.

6:10- No. 62 in the pits for tires and fuel. They were in the lead. This puts No. 56 back in the lead, No. 55 P2, No. 45 P3. No. 01 P4. No. 62 now P5, No. 4 now P6.  Patrick is 11 seconds back from the No. 56.

6:04 - After making a run for it on the front straight, the No. 55 BMW also got past Patrick to take P3. Patrick now P4. No. 62 still holds the lead but they will have to stop soon for fuel.

5:56 - Patrick  is driving on the edge holding off the No.55 - they were side by side for several corners as the No. 55 tried to pass.

5:52 - The no. 55 BMW has caught Patrick and is pushing hard to pass. Very exciting racing in GT right now.

5:45 - Patrick did a great job at holding off the No. 56 BMW - the 56 was finally able to take advantage of traffic as Patrick negotiated passing the  Corvette and they made contact, the No. 56 was able to get by.  No. 56 takes P3, patrick P4.

5:37 - No. 45 and No. 56 nose to tail. The No. 56 is putting as much pressure as he can on patrick, hoping he'll make a mistake.

5:32 - Patrick passed the No. 56, which got held up by traffic, to move back to P3.

5:30 - Green flag.

5:27 - No. 56 BMW, which was P2, edged No. 45 out of the pits as the No. 45 crew took an additional second to add oil. No. 55 was a bit slower out  and will be P3.  Risi stayed out and takes the lead. Both Corvettes stayed out. No. 45 and the BMWs took avantage of the yellow for short fuel and tires. No. 4 Corvette had stopped about 4 laps ago so that make sense, not sure why Risi didn't pit.

5:26 - No. 45 in the pits for short fuel and tires. Patrick will stay in the car. He is P1 t the time of the pits.  No. 56 P2, No. 55 P3, o. 62 P4. Both BMWs pit simultaneously just after Patrick.

5:17 - Double yellow. No. 45 will most likely pit - but Patrick will stay in the car.

5:16 - Car 99 off - drivers right - not sure which turn. He is in the gravel. Will go double yellow.

5:12 - No. 56 BMW has caught Patrick and is sitting on his tail looking for a chance to pass. No. 44 P9.

5:07 - Patrick holding P1 - he is 2 seconds ahead of the No. 56 BMW, which is now P2. I missed the switch but the 55 and 56 must have swapped. No. 55 now P3. No. 62 P4. All four are on the same lap and just 8 seconds apart.

5:04 - No. 44 in the pits for driver change to Seth Neiman and fuel. He was P9 at time of pit stop. Patrick still in the lead

5:00  - Patrick P1 in N. 45. No. 55 P2; No. 56 P3, No. 4 Corvette P4; No. 62 Risi P5.

4:57 -  That's the No. 55 BMW behind Patrick right now, No. 56 P3.

4:51 - Patrick leads GT. No. 56 and No. 55 BMWs are P2 and P3 respectively and are close behind. Risi No. 62 would have been P2, but had problems restarting after their last pit stop and lost 2 positions.

4:47 - No. 62 in the pits - they are having problems restarting. Patrick will retain P1.

4:45 - Joerg in the pits after his double stint for driver change to Patrick, tires and fuel. He was P1.  No. 62 P2, No. 56 P3 No. 01 P4, No 4 P5, No. 55 P6. Patrick beat the No. 56 out of the pits (No. 56 also pitted at the same time).

4:35 - Joerg radioed in that he lost the paddleshift. *8 laps until he pits.

4:23  - Joerg now leads GT, No. 62 P2.

4:15 - GT positions - P1 No. 62; P2 No. 45; P3 No. 56; P4 No. 4; P 5 No. 01;  P6 No. 55; P 7 No. 3; P 8 No. 02; P 9 No. 44; P 10 No. 17.

4:10 - No. 17 Falken may be dropping fluid, is smoking, and has a problem. Black flag to bring them in. They are P8. If this is  alengthy stop, marco in the No. 44 will move to P9 from his current P10.

4:01 - Big tussle between the No. 45 and No. 62. Joerg overtook the No. 62, but the No. 62 made contact as they went through the corkscrew with the No. 62 cutting off course  - they made contact again, Joerg lifted to end the issue and is now P2. No. 4 Corvette P4.

 

4:00 - Green flag. Joerg is right behind the No. 62 on course (No. 62 is in the lead). The No. 56 BMW is behind Joerg but they are separated by a prototype.

3:59 - Still yellow. Positions: P1 No. 62; P2 No. 45; P3 No. 56; P 4 No. 55; P 5 No. 4; P 6 No. 01; P 7 No. 3; P 8 No. 17; P 9 No. 48; P 10 No. 92; P 11 No. 44.

3:56- No. 44 in the pits for fuel only. Marco Holzer will stay in the car. He is P11. Still yellow.

3:45 - Double yellow to remove the No. 11 from the gravel. No. 44 will pit at the end of this stop for fuel.

3:35 - Green flag. Joerg held P2. The No. 56 BMW is in the hunt for the No. 45 but still several seconds back in P3. Risi leads

3:31 - Joerg now P2 after the pit stops. Still yellow. Marco Holzer P11. Joerg is now just 2 seconds back from No. 62.

3:28 - No. 45 in the pits. Fuel, tires, Joerg will stay in the car. Still yellow.  No. 62 (the leader) also pitted, as did the BMWs, and at least 1 corvette. Joerg beat both BMWs out of the pits. No. 44 also in the pits - tires, fuel and driver change to Marco Holzer. 

3:22 - Pits are closed - double yellow. Joerg P4, Seth P11. Both Lizard Porsches will pit at the No. 44  end of this yellow for fuel, tires.

3:21 - No. 68 off in the gravel at Turn 11.May go double yellow.

3:19 - Car No. 52 is stopped on course. Looks like he has continued.

3:13 - The No. 44 spun but continued. He will pit for new tires. He is P11. No. 62 Risi Ferrari overtook the No. 56 for the lead. Positions: P1 No. 62; P2 No. 56; P3 No. 55; P4 No. 45; P 5 No. 4; P 6 No. 01; P 7 No. 17.

3:07 - GT Positions remain unchanged: P1 No. 56; P2 No. 62; P3 No. 55; P4 No. 45 ;P 5 No. 4; P 6 No. 01; P 7 No. 17; P 8 No. 3; P 9 No. 48; P 10 No. 02; P 11 No. 44. Joerg is in the No. 45 and he's about 4 seconds back fro mthe No. 55 BMW which is P3.

2:55 - Green flag. Positions: P1 No. 56; P2 No. 62; P 3 No. 55; P 4 No. 45; P 5 No. 01; P 6 No. 3; P 7 No. 4; P 8 No. 17; P 9 No. 44. Possible contact with the No. 44 but not sure what the incident was. No. 3 Corvette in the pits. No. 44 now P11.

2:39 - Double yellow to remove the No. 11 GTC Porsche which is deep in the gravel.

2:387 - Joerg Bergmeister now behind the wheel of the No. 45 - he is P5 after the first round of pit stops. Seth Neiman now in the No. 44 - he is P10. No 56 BMW still leads GT, No. 62 Risi Ferrari P2; No. 4 Corvette P3; No. 55 BMW P4.

2:34 - Marco Holzer in the pits for driver change to Seth Neiman, tires and fuel.  I will report positions once the field settles back in after the first round of pit changes

2:32 - Patrick in the pits. Driver change to Joerg Bergmeister, tires and fuel. Close call on exiting the pit box with the Falken Porsche but no contact. Falken, Risi both pitting. I didn't see the BMWs but they must have also pitted. Marco Holzer will be in next. Most of the GT field is  pitting or has already pitted.

2:30 - No. 3 Corvette is in the pits.

2:22 - Marco Holzer now P7 .

2:19 - Positions: P1 No. 56; P2 No. 55; P3 No. 62; P 4 No. 45; P 5 No. 02; P 6 No. 01; P 7 No. 03; P8 No. 44.

 2:17 - Musclemilk prototype is in the pits - he was the overall leader.

1:58 - Marco Holzer now P8 in the No. 44. Patrick still P3.

1:53  - Patrick radioed in for the engineers to watch the left rear tire pressure. Positions: P1 No. 56; P2 No. 55; P3 No. 45; P 4 No. 62; P 5 No. 01; P 6 No. 02. Marco now P9 and closing on P8, which is the No. 3 Corvette. No. 56 has built a large lead and is 10 seconds ahead of the No. 55 which is P2.

1:51- No. 55 BMW passed the No. 4 Covette to take P4. Looks like the Corvette may have a aproblem - Patrick went by him and both ESM Ferraris also passed him - he's now P6. Patrick P3.

1:38 - Marco Holzer moves to P10. He is reeling in the No. 17 Falken car now which is P9.

1:35 - No. 62 Risi Ferrari has moved to P5 - top 5 GT cars are all running nose to tail. No. 56 still in the lead. P1 No. 56; P2 No. 4; P3 No. 55; P4 No.45; P5 No. 62.

2:07 - Patrick now P4, No. 62 Risi Ferrari overtakes to take P3. Positions: P1 No. 56; P2 No. 55; P3 No. 62; P4 No. 4. Marco P9 in No. 44.

1:31 - Patrick moves to P4 . Positions: P1 No. 56; P2 No. 4; P3 No. 55; P4 No.45; P5 No. 02. Marco Holzer now p11 in the No. 44.

1:30 - Green flag. Clean start - Patrick held P5 at the start.

1:24 - The cars have completed one pace lap. Marco Holzer is in the No. 44 and Patrick Long in the No. 45.  Marco is starting 12th on the grid, Patrick 5th. No. 56 BMW is on the pole.

1:22 pm - We are just minutes away from racestart. Drivers are in their cars, engine start and they are rolling for pace laps.

*****

 

10:07 - The No. 98 Jaguar slow on courese - just  a few minutes left - red flag and checkered . We'll be back with you for this afternoon's 6 hour race which starts at 1:30 pm PT.

10:05 - No. 16 Dyson prototype stopped on course on the uphill drivers left - oil on the track.

10:00 am - Joerg back out after  a stop and setup change.

9:55 am - Good morning from Laguna Seca. The sun is out today - very pleasant and a beautiful day for racing. Joerg is in the No. 45 for short morning warmup and Marco Holzer in the No. 44. It is a six-hour race this year - starting at 1:30 and ending at 7:30 - which is just before night fall. Joerg and Patrick are in the No. 45, Seth Neiman and Marco Holzer in the No. 44 (Darren is racing Grand-Am this weekend)

Fri. Sept 16 - Laguna Seca Practice & Qual

3:53 - Oliver Gavin moves to P2 in the No. 4 Corvette with a 1:23.124. Patrick now P4. Joey Hand has the GT pole in the No. 56 BMW. Risi No. 62 stopped on course between 3 and 4 drivers right.

3:51 - Patrick will pit - he's nowP4 with a 1:23.368.  Joey Hand still P1 with a 1:22.256  in the No. 56 BMW. Bill Auberlen P2 in the No. 55 BMW, Guy Cosmo P3 in the No. 02 Extreme Ferrari.

3:49 -Patrick still P3 - now with a 1:23.368. Bill Auberlen now P2 with a 1:23.359.

3:47 - Joey Hand in the No. 56 jumps to P1 with a 1:22.836.

3:46 - Patrick P2 with a 1:23.679. Oliver Gavin is P1 with a 1:23.609.

3:44 - Patrick P6 after 3 laps, Seth P 12.

3:40 - Green flag on qualifying. It's a GT only session. Patrick Long is qualifying the No. 45, Seth Neiman the No.44.

****

3:12 - Red flag. Both cars back in the pits - that will be the end of the session. Qualifying is next at 3:40.

3:10  -The No. 12 prototype is off drivers right turn 4.  He has rejoined.

3:07 - Marco Holzer now P3 with a 1:23.932. Patrick Long now P8. They've been making progress i nthe No. 45 but main isuse is still oversteer exit of the third gear corners. They will make a bar change and send him back out for the last five minutes of the practice session.

2:53 - Patrick is in the pits for a setup change. He will stay in the car.  Marco Holzer is now in the No. 44.

2:52 - Patrick still P3 - 1:24.409.

2:35 - patrick is currently P3 in the session, Seth is P9. The times are starting to pick up -No. 55 currently fastest with a 1:23.876. the sun has finally come out and things are warming up a bit.

2:30 - Still red as they lay down kitty litter to coat the massive amount of oil dumped on line by the Jag on the second lap of the session. So it will be a slippery restart. Green flag.  Patrick is sitting for a bit to let the others clean out some of the mess before he heads out. Marco Holzer is sitting next to me and says that the sand is just as slippery as the oil, but it dissapates in a few laps.

2:19 - Red flag - spin drivers right turn 11 - probably due to the oil. 

2:15 pm - Afternoon practice under way. Patrick is in the No. 45 and Seth in the No. 44. There's already a problem with the Jaguar smoking on track and reports of oil down on the track Still green.

****

11:35 - Checkered flag on this morning's practice. The No. 45 was P7 in the session and the No. 44 P8. It was a cool and damp session - very low grip and was  difficult to make much setup progress. We'll be back with you at 2:15 PT for the second practice of the day.

11:32 - GTC car spun outside of turn 9 and in the gravel - he's off and not a factor. Nearly the checkered - I expect they'll leave him there.

11:26 - Green flag - just under 10 mins left in the session. The second practice session  is this afternoon at 2:15 PT, then GT qualifying at 3:40. Race starts tomorrow, Saturday at 1:30 pm PT. No. 16 is stopped on course on his outlap. He continued without incident.

11:20 Red flag - the No. 66 deep in the gravel - looks like he may have impacted the tire wall.  Laguna has very deep and wide gravel traps to nearly every trip into the trap requires a tow out.  Joerg is in the pits for feedback to Craig. he's having the same challenges as Patrick.  Right now, quite a bit of oversteer, all of the slower speed corners it's pretty nervous. And the car is too pitch sensitive right now. In the No. 44 engineer Steve Conover will make a rear ride height change.

11:10 - Green flag. 25 minute left in the session. Joerg is in the No. 45, Seth in the No. 44.

11:02-The No. 62 Risi is off deep off in the gravel - looks like he was able to avoid impacting the wall but he's stuck and will need a tow. Red flag.  Marco is currently P7, Patrick P5.  They will change to Joerg in the No. 45 during the red. Craig Watkins calls for a ride height change. Seth Neiman will take over in the No.44.

10:56 - Green flag.

10:51 - Red flag - the Jaguar is stopped on course.

10:45 - Patrick Long is P2, marco is P7.  50 minutes left in the morning practice. Johannes van Overbeek is P1 in the No. 01 Extreme Ferrari. Patrick is in the pits for first setup feedback to Craig Watkins, our chief engineer. marco is also coming into the pits. He reports that the car is really nervous in the rear. On this circuit, it takes a long time for tires to come in especially when it's cool like today - so it's a challenge - they don't have a lot of time in the session but have to make sure they allow for the way the car will change over the session. In the no. 44, they are making a damper change- Marco will go out again, then back in for Seth Neiman to take the wheel.

10:30 am PT - Good morning - it's another cool and foggy day here at Laguna Seca.  The three Porsches are lined up in the pit box - the No. 45 has temporarily moved to the No. 44 spot for the weekend, with the No. 44 in the middle and the No. 911 Hybrid on the end. WE are just a few minutes from the start of the first practice session of the day. Patrick Long is in the No. 45, Marco Holzer in the No. 44. A bit of a logjam getting the entire field out of pit lane but no contact

Thu Sept. 15 - Laguna Seca Practice

7:00 - Checkered flag on the session. No. 45 was P3 with a 1:23.926. No. 44 P7 with a 1:24.520. The hybrid, which is running unclassified (it is not homologated) was 1:24.132 as their best time.  We'll be back with you tomorrow for the first of two practices at 10:35 am PT.

6:52 - Patrick radios in that he needs more rear grip. They are pitting for a tire compound change.

6:43 - Green flag.

6:42 - Car off drivers right just before the corkscrew-  red flag - he's going again but still red.

6:40 - Patrick is in the pits for a damper change on both front and rear. He reports a lack of connection between front and rear - same issue Joerg was battling earlier in the session.  Seth Neiman will pit for driver change to Marco Holzer.

6:30 - back to Green - Patrick now in the No. 45. Seth still in the No. 44.  the No. 45 is currently P3 in the esession with a 1:23.926. No. 56 is P1.

6:15 - and another red - the No. 23 Alex Job Porsche now embedded in the gravel.  45 minutes left in the session.

6:10 - Green flag.

6:10 -Red flag. The No. 66 is in the gravel at Turn 6.  Two truck is en route. Seth Neiman is now in the No. 44. Temperature is dropping quickly - the track is very low grip right now.

5:45 pm PT - Good evening from Laguna Seca. It's cool and foggy here this week as the Porsches roll for their first run at the track this week. Joerg is in the No. 45 and Marco Holzer is in the No. 44. We are also hosting the Porsche Hybrid this weekend so it's a busy pit box here. This is our second to last race of what has been a very difficult ALMS season. Joerg and Patrick are currently sixth in the GT drivers' championship and the team is fifth in the team championship.