Formula One
Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix, October 2-4
Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel did everything he had to for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, including nabbing the pole and protecting the position from flag to flag, and by doing so extended both battles for Driver and Manufacturer season titles until at least the next round in Brazil. Vettel scored maximum points with a dominant drive to first, followed across the stripe by Jarno Trulli in his Toyota 4.8sec back and the McLaren of reigning champ Lewis Hamilton.
With Vettel's haul, and both Brawn GP drivers finishing with minimal points, Jenson Button - who finished eighth - still needs to earn at least five markers over the season's final two races to eliminate the Red Bull pilot outright (another seven to keep his teammate Ruben Barrichello at bay, who came home in seventh). The Brawn team, however, is just one point shy of locking up the 2009 crown.
The weekend was another wild one, starting off with heavy rains on Friday that forced organizers to cancel practice sessions.
Saturday qualifying was arguably the GP's most dramatic hot track session, though, as no fewer than six incidents occurred during the trials, resulting in two red flags as course workers cleaned up after the offs. The final red came out after Toyota's Timo Glock, who finished in second last weekend in Singapore, went way wide heading into the final corner and wound up in the tires. The crash sent Glock to the hospital with a nasty gash in his leg and kept him out of the race car on Sunday (he was not replaced).
After qualifying, Button and Barrichello, Force India's Adrian Sutil, and Renault's Fernando Alonso were all handed five-place grid penalties for failing to slow adequately under yellow flags during the session. Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi received an identical penalty for impeding other cars and causing a potential hazard to other drivers, while Force India's Vitantonio Liuzzi and McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen both had five-place penalties for gearbox changes.
On Sunday, Vettel went straight into the lead from Hamilton in P3 and Trulli in P2. BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld, from fourth, and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, gridding P5, soon settled into a fight which saw the Ferrari driver move ahead after the second stops, while P10-starting Button benefited from a clash between Sutil and Kovalainen at the chicane on the 13th lap to move to 10th after a slow start. That put him into contention for points.
Back up front, Trulli, on the hard compound Bridgestone Potenza tire, dropped from second to third out of the first corner behind Hamilton. From then on he pushed, always keeping second place in sight.
He fell short of taking the position at his first pit stop, when he changed to another set of hard tires. But more fast laps and exceptional work by the pit crew at his final stop, when he switched to the softs, allowed him to take the position. He was comfoF1bly pulling away when the Safety Car was brought out due to an accident on Lap 45.
In that wreck, Jaime Alguersuari spun his Toro Rosso exiting 130R. That slowed the field until Lap 49, bunching everyone and giving Trulli and Hamilton another shot at Vettel. However, Romain Grosjean's lapped Renault lay between the Red Bull and the Toyota, so that fight never materialized.
Raikkonen had a brief look at Hamilton but soon dropped back to keep just ahead of Nico Rosberg's Williams and Heidfeld. Further back, however, Button had a brief look at Barrichello at the chicane before having to defend his solitary point from hard-charging Robert Kubica in the second BMW Sauber.
The final order leaves the championship points table as Button 85, Barrichello 71, and Vettel 69 with two races remaining. Brawn have all but settled the constructors' with 156 points to Red Bull's 120.5, placing the latter within half a point of clinching that crown.
The World Championship moves another step closer to resolution at the penultimate round, the Brazilian Grand Prix, October 16-18 at Interlagos in Sao Paulo, Brazil (MFL photography provided by Red Bull Racing, Panasonic Toyota Racing, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, AT&T Williams F1, BMW Sauber F1 and Brawn GP).
Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix
Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan
 
www.formula1.com
World Rally Championship
Rally Catalunya, October 2-4
Salou, Catalonia, Spain
Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena succeeded in closing to within a single point of Mikko Hirvonen in the 2009 Drivers' standings by dominating this weekend's RallyRACC Catalunya, while second place for Dani Sordo and Marc Marti handed Citroën enough points to wrap up the team's fifth Manufacturers' world crown. Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen brought home their BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT Focus RS in third, desperate for every last point as the season winds down.
It was Loeb's sixth win and Citroën's third one-two finish of the year. The outcome of the Drivers' title chase will now be decided at the final round of the season, Rally GB.
Sordo held the lead after the first day of competition on the fast and flowing asphalt roads near Salou. But while Sordo brought his C4 back to the Service Park in first place, his rally lead, which had been up to 4.9sec earlier in the day, had been trimmed to just 1.6sec by the man in second place - his teammate Loeb.
Even though the anticipated duel between title hopefuls Loeb and Hirvonen dominated the pre-rally build up, it was Sordo who delivered on the opening day - the Spaniard going fastest on the first four stages. In the afternoon, however, Sordo faced stronger opposition from Loeb, after the Frenchman cured an understeering problem by making setup changes in the service before SS4.
Loeb was the stage winner on the final two stages of the day, and championship leader Hirvonen ended Friday's competition in third - only one place shy of his goal for the rally, but a distant 32.6 seconds adrift. Citroen privateer Petter Solberg ended the day fourth, 25.5 seconds behind Hirvonen, after a trouble-free and increasingly rapid day at the wheel of his new C4 World Rally Car.
After Day 2, Loeb led the rally and remained on course to rack up a fifth consecutive win on this event. He enjoyed a trouble-free day and was locked in a thrilling inter-team tussle with Sordo for almost all of the day's six stages.
The only exception was the final section of the day closing SS12, where Sordo slowed deliberately in order to give Citroen its pre-rally objective of a one-two placing - headed by team leader Loeb.
Sordo began the day with a lead of 1.6 seconds over Loeb, and was given the freedom by his team to drive at his own pace for most of the day. Loeb knocked him from the top spot on the second test, SS8, but he took the place back - to Loeb's surprise - on SS9 and held it almost to the end of SS12. At the 13.8km point in the 17km stage Sordo was 12.sec quicker than anybody else - but by the end he had dutifully dropped 3.8 seconds. Loeb secured an overnight lead of 1.5sec.
Hirvonen rounded off the day where he started it, in third place, and dropping - albeit more slowly than on Friday - behind the two drivers ahead. From the first stage Hirvonen knew he had little chance to get the second place he wanted here by driving alone, but pressure from the two Citroen drivers behind meant he had to keep on pushing - enough to beat both Loeb and Sordo on SS10.
Solberg ended the day fourth, 22.4 seconds adrift of Hirvonen after another day of serious progress in his new C4. The 2003 World Champion traded times all day with Sebastien Ogier and rounded off the day with a stage win on SS12.
Loeb cruised through the final stage of the rally on Day 3 to take victory and ensure his fight for a sixth World Rally Championship title will go to the final, decisive round in Great Britain. The result was Loeb's fifth consecutive win on the all-asphalt Spanish round of the series and the 53rd of his WRC career.
Sordo was second, 12.0sec adrift, to complete a one-two finish for the Citroen Total World Rally Team - enough to guarantee the French firm the 2009 FIA WRC title for Manufacturers with one round to go.
Loeb began the rally five points adrift of drivers' championship leader Hirvonen, and the Focus pilot still holds the lead of the series. But with only a one-point advantage, the scene is set for a thrilling winner-takes-all showdown on the final round, which gets underway on October 23.
Hirvonen ended the rally 54.1sec behind the Citroen pair, after a largely frustrating event where he remained stuck fast in third; unable to catch Loeb and Sordo ahead, but never seriously troubled by the Citroen C4 drivers Solberg and Ogier behind.
Fourth place went to Solberg, who sealed his best tarmac result since the 2005 Tour de Corse at the wheel of his new Citroen C4 WRC.
The 2009 WRC Driver's title gets decided in three weeks, when the teams convene in Cardiff, Wales, for the season closing Rally GB, October 23-25 (MFL photography provided by Ford Motor Company and Citroen).
Rally Catalunya
Salou, Catalonia, Spain
Stage Times
| Stage |
|
| Pos |
No |
Driver |
Time |
Diff Next |
Diff 1st |
| 1 |
4 |
J. LATVALA |
02:39.5 |
0 |
0 |
| 2 |
2 |
D. SORDO |
02:39.6 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
| 3 |
3 |
M. HIRVONEN |
02:39.6 |
0 |
0.1 |
| 4 |
12 |
S. OGIER |
02:40.1 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
| 5 |
11 |
P. SOLBERG |
02:40.2 |
0.1 |
0.7 |
| 6 |
1 |
S. LOEB |
02:40.2 |
0 |
0.7 |
| 7 |
6 |
H. SOLBERG |
02:42.1 |
1.9 |
2.6 |
| 8 |
8 |
C. RAUTENBACH |
02:45.4 |
3.3 |
5.9 |
| 9 |
66 |
D. SNOBECK |
02:45.7 |
0.3 |
6.2 |
| 10 |
5 |
M. WILSON |
02:45.9 |
0.2 |
6.4 |
| 11 |
14 |
K. AL QASSIMI |
02:46.9 |
1 |
7.4 |
| 12 |
9 |
F. VILLAGRA |
02:47.2 |
0.3 |
7.7 |
| 13 |
93 |
.. ASI |
02:47.8 |
0.6 |
8.3 |
| 14 |
74 |
E. BRYNILDSEN |
02:50.9 |
3.1 |
11.4 |
| 15 |
78 |
H. GASSNER JUN |
02:53.5 |
2.6 |
14 |
| 16 |
36 |
H. WEIJS |
02:54.7 |
1.2 |
15.2 |
| 17 |
67 |
G. COFFEY |
02:58.7 |
4 |
19.2 |
| 18 |
31 |
A. BURKART |
02:58.9 |
0.2 |
19.4 |
| 19 |
84 |
B. KOLLEVOLD |
02:59.3 |
0.4 |
19.8 |
| 20 |
91 |
L. OTTO |
02:59.6 |
0.3 |
20.1 |
| 21 |
69 |
F. PARLI |
03:00.1 |
0.5 |
20.6 |
| 22 |
63 |
J. NIKARA |
03:01.1 |
1 |
21.6 |
| 23 |
86 |
A. BERCIANOS |
03:01.1 |
0 |
21.6 |
| 24 |
99 |
E. YURDAKUL |
03:03.2 |
2.1 |
23.7 |
| 25 |
33 |
S. BERTOLOTTI |
03:03.3 |
0.1 |
23.8 |
| 26 |
71 |
E. KELETI |
03:03.9 |
0.6 |
24.4 |
| 27 |
92 |
E. BOLAND |
03:04.7 |
0.8 |
25.2 |
| 28 |
37 |
K. ABBRING |
03:05.0 |
0.3 |
25.5 |
| 29 |
97 |
A. MARTIN |
03:08.1 |
3.1 |
28.6 |
| 30 |
62 |
J. WILLIAMS |
03:08.8 |
0.7 |
29.3 |
| 31 |
116 |
L. VIALLE |
03:09.0 |
0.2 |
29.5 |
| 32 |
105 |
C. MARENCO |
03:11.1 |
2.1 |
31.6 |
| 33 |
80 |
B. GUERRA |
03:11.6 |
0.5 |
32.1 |
| 34 |
95 |
J. DIEGO |
03:12.3 |
0.7 |
32.8 |
| 35 |
103 |
F. BARCENA |
03:13.0 |
0.7 |
33.5 |
| 36 |
110 |
P. ANGLADE |
03:14.7 |
1.7 |
35.2 |
| 37 |
102 |
G. CASTAÑEDA |
03:17.1 |
2.4 |
37.6 |
| 38 |
98 |
C. BREEN |
03:18.4 |
1.3 |
38.9 |
| 39 |
109 |
G. GILARDONI |
03:19.7 |
1.3 |
40.2 |
| 40 |
81 |
V. SENRA |
03:21.5 |
1.8 |
42 |
| 41 |
113 |
A. AL MANSOORI |
03:21.9 |
0.4 |
42.4 |
| 42 |
114 |
T. KANKKUNEN |
03:23.8 |
1.9 |
44.3 |
| 43 |
112 |
M. AL SHAMSI |
03:26.5 |
2.7 |
47 |
| 44 |
72 |
J. BALCELLS |
03:26.8 |
0.3 |
47.3 |
| 45 |
87 |
J. PEREZ |
03:27.4 |
0.6 |
47.9 |
| 46 |
107 |
G. MOREELS |
03:27.8 |
0.4 |
48.3 |
| 47 |
106 |
T. GIBERT |
03:30.9 |
3.1 |
51.4 |
| 48 |
101 |
L. ATHANASSOULAS |
03:34.3 |
3.4 |
54.8 |
| 49 |
59 |
J. MARTí |
03:35.1 |
0.8 |
55.6 |
| 50 |
77 |
A. LLOVERA |
03:51.7 |
16.6 |
+1:12.2 |
| 51 |
117 |
P. SEMERARO |
03:59.5 |
7.8 |
+1:20.0 |
| 52 |
115 |
L. PAPA |
03:59.8 |
0.3 |
+1:20.3 |
| Overall |
|
|
| Pos |
No |
Driver |
|
Time |
Diff Next |
Diff 1st |
| 1 |
1 |
Sébastien LOEB |
M |
22:14.7 |
0 |
0 |
| 2 |
2 |
Daniel SORDO |
M |
22:26.7 |
12 |
12 |
| 3 |
3 |
Mikko HIRVONEN |
M |
23:08.8 |
42.1 |
54.1 |
| 4 |
11 |
Petter SOLBERG |
|
23:27.1 |
18.3 |
+1:12.4 |
| 5 |
12 |
Sebastien OGIER |
M |
23:56.3 |
29.2 |
+1:41.6 |
| 6 |
4 |
Jari-Matti LATVALA |
M |
25:04.5 |
+1:08.2 |
+2:49.8 |
| 7 |
5 |
Matthew WILSON |
M |
29:30.2 |
+4:25.7 |
+7:15.5 |
| 8 |
9 |
Federico VILLAGRA |
M |
30:42.8 |
+1:12.6 |
+8:28.1 |
| 9 |
6 |
Henning SOLBERG |
M |
31:22.3 |
39.5 |
+9:07.6 |
| 10 |
66 |
Dany SNOBECK |
|
33:10.7 |
+1:48.4 |
+10:56.0 |
| 11 |
8 |
Conrad RAUTENBACH |
M |
33:22.3 |
11.6 |
+11:07.6 |
| 12 |
36 |
Hans WEIJS |
J |
40:35.5 |
+7:13.2 |
+18:20.8 |
| 13 |
74 |
Eyvind BRYNILDSEN |
|
41:22.7 |
47.2 |
+19:08.0 |
| 14 |
14 |
Khalid AL QASSIMI |
|
41:26.0 |
3.3 |
+19:11.3 |
| 15 |
93 |
. ASI |
|
41:43.9 |
17.9 |
+19:29.2 |
| 16 |
78 |
Hermann GASSNER JUN |
|
44:18.2 |
+2:34.3 |
+22:03.5 |
| 17 |
63 |
Jarkko NIKARA |
|
45:20.5 |
+1:02.3 |
+23:05.8 |
| 18 |
33 |
Simone BERTOLOTTI |
J |
45:24.6 |
4.1 |
+23:09.9 |
| 19 |
59 |
Jordi MARTí |
J |
46:58.3 |
+1:33.7 |
+24:43.6 |
| 20 |
67 |
Graham COFFEY |
|
48:24.4 |
+1:26.1 |
+26:09.7 |
| 21 |
81 |
Víctor SENRA |
|
49:14.8 |
50.4 |
+27:00.1 |
| 22 |
69 |
Francesco PARLI |
|
51:30.9 |
+2:16.1 |
+29:16.2 |
| 23 |
84 |
Bernt KOLLEVOLD |
|
51:46.1 |
15.2 |
+29:31.4 |
| 24 |
92 |
Eamonn BOLAND |
|
52:10.0 |
23.9 |
+29:55.3 |
| 25 |
101 |
Lambros ATHANASSOULAS |
|
52:26.3 |
16.3 |
+30:11.6 |
| 26 |
91 |
Ludvik OTTO |
|
54:26.3 |
+2:00.0 |
+32:11.6 |
| 27 |
37 |
Kevin ABBRING |
J |
55:38.1 |
+1:11.8 |
+33:23.4 |
| 28 |
71 |
Edwin KELETI |
|
57:49.6 |
+2:11.5 |
+35:34.9 |
| 29 |
103 |
Fernando BARCENA |
|
58:49.2 |
59.6 |
+36:34.5 |
| 30 |
80 |
Benito GUERRA |
|
59:23.0 |
33.8 |
+37:08.3 |
| 31 |
97 |
Anthony MARTIN |
|
59:43.1 |
20.1 |
+37:28.4 |
| 32 |
86 |
Alex BERCIANOS |
|
59:46.2 |
3.1 |
+37:31.5 |
| 33 |
87 |
Jonathan PEREZ |
|
00:42.9 |
56.7 |
+38:28.2 |
| 34 |
110 |
Patrick ANGLADE |
|
01:07.7 |
24.8 |
+38:53.0 |
| 35 |
105 |
Claudio MARENCO |
|
03:39.7 |
+2:32.0 |
+41:25.0 |
| 36 |
98 |
Craig BREEN |
|
05:21.3 |
+1:41.6 |
+43:06.6 |
| 37 |
31 |
Aaron Nicolai BURKART |
J |
06:48.5 |
+1:27.2 |
+44:33.8 |
| 38 |
109 |
Gilles GILARDONI |
|
07:07.6 |
19.1 |
+44:52.9 |
| 39 |
113 |
Ahmed AL MANSOORI |
|
10:01.5 |
+2:53.9 |
+47:46.8 |
| 40 |
72 |
Joan BALCELLS |
|
10:22.9 |
21.4 |
+48:08.2 |
| 41 |
114 |
Timo KANKKUNEN |
|
11:49.8 |
+1:26.9 |
+49:35.1 |
| 42 |
77 |
Albert LLOVERA |
|
16:27.1 |
+4:37.3 |
+54:12.4 |
| 43 |
102 |
Guillem CASTANEDA |
|
16:48.6 |
21.5 |
+54:33.9 |
| 44 |
62 |
Jon WILLIAMS |
|
18:06.0 |
+1:17.4 |
+55:51.3 |
| 45 |
99 |
Emre YURDAKUL |
|
18:53.4 |
47.4 |
+56:38.7 |
| 46 |
116 |
Lilian VIALLE |
|
19:22.7 |
29.3 |
+57:08.0 |
| 47 |
106 |
Toni GIBERT |
|
21:38.3 |
+2:15.6 |
+59:23.6 |
| 48 |
112 |
Majed AL SHAMSI |
|
26:54.4 |
+5:16.1 |
+1:04:39.7 |
| 49 |
115 |
Loris Antonio PAPA |
|
27:06.6 |
12.2 |
+1:04:51.9 |
| 50 |
95 |
Josep Lluis DIEGO |
|
32:20.2 |
+5:13.6 |
+1:10:05.5 |
| 51 |
107 |
Gregory MOREELS |
|
36:13.2 |
+3:52.9 |
+1:13:58.4 |
| 52 |
117 |
Paolo SEMERARO |
|
48:05.5 |
+11:52.3 |
+1:25:50.8 |
www.wrc.com
Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge
Bosch Engineering Octoberfest, October 2-4
Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Virginia
Christian Miller's car retired just over an hour into the four-hour Bosch Engineering Octoberfest on Sunday at Virginia International Raceway, but by then he had enough points to hold on to win the 2009 Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner (ST) class title, in a race won by Tom Long and Derek Whitis in the No. 145 Mazda/Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5.
In Grand Sport (GS) class, James Gue and Bret Seafuse did what they set out to do - win the season-ender. However, Ken Wilden's sixth-place finish was enough to keep the points lead and take his first series title.
Needing only to finish 28th, Miller watched as several cars were withdrawn during the Octoberfest weekend after accidents or mechanical problems. When only 24 ST cars took the green flag for the start of the race, Miller was given the go-ahead to race for the victory.
Just over an hour into the race, Miller brought his No. 74 Skunk2/034 Motorsport Honda Civic Si to the garage area with a broken axle. He had apparently run over a curb hard enough to cause the damage. He would have liked to have finished the race - one in which he was classified in a season-worst 21st place after starting seventh - instead of sitting in the pits, but he was able to flash a smile after picking up his first series title.
Miller, who finished the season with two victories and nine top 10s, helped Compass360 Racing and Honda earn their first team and manufacturer titles respectively.
Andrew Aquilante finished fifth in the No. 111 Subaru of America Subaru Legacy with co-driver Kristian Skavnes, able to finish 15 points (296-281) behind Miller for the championship. Both Aquilante and Skavnes ran up front, with Skavnes leading after the first hour, and Aquilante and Skavnes second after the second and third hours. Yet, the final caution dropped them back to their final position, their sixth top five of 2009, after the No. 111 led 38 laps.
Long took the lead from Randy Pobst on Lap 87 for ST competitors; he had previously taken second from Freedom Autosport teammate Andrew Carbonell after Carbonell experienced a miss in the engine. He held off Will Turner - who climbed from fifth to second during the final two laps - by 0.342 seconds.
Long ran up front for much of his stint, recording a race-high 35 laps led. He qualified fifth, then led 18 laps before Whitis took over. Then, he passed teammate Carbonell and finally Pobst with 17 laps remaining for the final lead change in ST.
For Long and Whitis, it was their first KONI Challenge victory. Long watched as Carbonell, whom the team hired earlier this year, win at Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, and Long had several podiums both in ST and previously in GS before taking the checkered flag first.
For Turner's No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW 328i co-driver Paul Dalla Lana, it was his first podium. Finishing third were Carbonell and Mark Pombo - two second-generation drivers - in the No. 146 Mazda/Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5, followed by Pobst and Jamie Holtom in the No. 75 Skunk2/Speed Sport Life Honda Civic Si.
With his seventh-place finish, Bret Spaude earned the Rookie of the Year honors, four points (240-236) over Josh Hurley. Spaude drove the No. 29 Southern Auto Auction Honda Civic Si with Bob Beede and Matt Plumb.
Virginia-based RRT Racing, with its No. 21 RRT Racing BMW 330i, finished ninth with drivers Barry Battle and Michael Dayton. Battle led seven laps.
GS action saw Gue take the lead on Lap 83 of 108 and lead the final 26 laps after taking control from Seafuse - who had led from Laps 66-82 at that point - during the JBS Motorsports team's final pit stop. Gue and Seafuse celebrated their second victory of 2009 in the No. 37 Trumansburg ShurSave Ford Mustang GT, as they led twice for a race-high 66 laps.
Seafuse - who stated before the race the goal was simply "to win" - started ninth, but Gue moved the car into the lead during his stint, and the two were never shuffled out of the top five.
Meanwhile, polesitter Wilden led the opening two laps, and he and co-driver Dean Martin participated in a different pit stop sequence, opting to stay out during the first of three caution periods while many of the leaders pitted. Martin led two laps during his stint, and Wilden was able to move into the top five during the race's final hour.
However, Wilden fell outside the top five at the beginning of the final hour, and was eighth on the race's final restart. Running conservatively enough to stay out of trouble, but aggressively enough to keep the championship lead, Wilden dropped to ninth in the first turn. He eventually finished seventh and was promoted to sixth following a penalty on Billy Johnson.
The final advantage for Wilden was nine points (317-309) over Gue - who pulled away on the final restart - and Seafuse, who had to settle for second in the championship for the second straight season. Last year, they finished six points behind titlists Scott Maxwell and Joe Foster.
The championship was also the first for Wilden's team, Rehagen Racing, and the second consecutive for Ford, which defeated BMW by four points (348-344).
Disappointed with not winning the title, Gue was nonetheless content with winning the race. He held off Salt Lake City 200 race co-winner Johnson on the final restart and pulled away. Side-to-side contact between Johnson and Bill Auberlen in the No. 96 Motul BMW M3 allowed Terry Borcheller to jump ahead of both and into second, 1.305 seconds behind Gue. All 11 GS races this season finished with a margin of victory under five seconds.
Borcheller co-drove with No. 28 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 driver Andrew Hendricks, making only his second career KONI Challenge start. Borcheller led 20 laps during the race's first hour. It was the best-ever finish for Fall-Line Motorsports.
Johnson was issued a 45-second penalty for the contact as well as blocking, dropping him and co-driver Jack Roush Jr. to ninth, the final car on the lead lap, and giving Dan DiLeo and Eric Foss third in the No. 8 Maxwell Paper Products Co. Porsche 997. It marked Maxwell's first-ever KONI Challenge podium.
Auberlen and Matt Bell finished fourth, while Charles Espenlaub and Charlie Putman took fifth in the No. 91 Sparco/Imported Car Store BMW M3. Bell finished third in the points standings, one point ahead of Martin.
The race's three cautions - all for stalled cars - slowed the race's average to 88.093 mph (MFL photography provided by Grand-Am Media).
osch Engineering Octoberfest
Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA
| Pos |
No. |
Class |
Pic |
Drivers |
Team/Car |
Best Lap |
(#) |
Avg MPH |
Sponsors |
| 1 |
37 |
GS |
1 |
Gue / Seafuse |
JBS
Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT |
02:04.0 |
100 |
88.093 |
Trumansburg ShurSave |
| 2 |
28 |
GS |
2 |
Borcheller / Hendricks |
Fall-Line
Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:03.2 |
107 |
88.085 |
Fall-Line |
| 3 |
8 |
GS |
3 |
DiLeo / Sellers / Smith |
Maxwell
Paper Racing / Porsche 997 |
02:03.8 |
29 |
88.068 |
Maxwell Paper Racing |
| 4 |
96 |
GS |
4 |
Auberlen / Bell |
Turner
Motorsport / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:03.9 |
94 |
88.062 |
Turner Motorsport |
| 5 |
91 |
GS |
5 |
Espenlaub / Putman |
Automatic
Racing / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:04.1 |
5 |
88.052 |
Sparco, Imported Car Store, Rogue Engineering, Land
Air, Engine Studios |
| 6 |
59 |
GS |
6 |
Martin / Wilden |
Rehagen
Racing / Ford Mustang GT |
02:04.3 |
11 |
88.051 |
Rehagenracingproducts.com, Belesta |
| 7 |
83 |
GS |
7 |
Cosmo / Russell |
BGB
Motorsports / Porsche 997 |
02:04.5 |
37 |
88.05 |
|
| 8 |
41 |
GS |
8 |
Lally / Potter / Smith |
TRG /
Porsche 997 |
02:03.7 |
94 |
87.969 |
Magnus Racing |
| 9 |
61 |
GS |
9 |
Johnson / Roush |
Horsepower
Ranch / Ford Mustang GT |
02:03.8 |
107 |
87.807 |
Roush Valvoline |
| 10 |
79 |
GS |
10 |
Carroll / Eversley |
Kinetic
Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:02.9 |
107 |
88.029 |
|
| 11 |
58 |
GS |
11 |
George Jr / Grunewald / Martindale |
Rehagen
Racing / Ford Mustang GT |
02:04.1 |
85 |
87.243 |
Ruby Tuesday |
| 12 |
47 |
GS |
12 |
Igdalsky / Mattioli |
JBS
Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT |
02:05.4 |
106 |
87.216 |
Pocono Raceway |
| 13 |
99 |
GS |
13 |
Hillestad / Russell / Waddell |
Automatic
Racing / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:05.9 |
106 |
87.212 |
H&S Tool, Imported Car Store, Rogue Engineering,
Land Air, Engine Studios |
| 14 |
18 |
GS |
14 |
Dalziel / Wilson |
Motorsport
Technology Group / Porsche 997 |
02:05.9 |
96 |
87.197 |
Evolution Motorsports |
| 15 |
87 |
GS |
15 |
Jeannette / Montecalvo |
Kinetic
Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:05.3 |
67 |
87.17 |
Bayshore Recycling Corp. |
| 16 |
2 |
GS |
16 |
Ackley / Turner / Workman |
CMA
Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT |
02:06.5 |
9 |
87.157 |
US Army, ACKCO Inc. Consulting Group, Turner Law Firm |
| 17 |
88 |
GS |
17 |
Ellis / Rossi / Wellon |
Ranger
Sports Racing / Porsche 997 |
02:07.6 |
105 |
85.544 |
Hop-A-Jet Worldwide |
| 18 |
17 |
GS |
18 |
Panzer / Snyder |
CMA
Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT |
02:04.3 |
11 |
84.712 |
Strategic Occupancy Solutions, Skip Barber Racing |
| 19 |
145 |
ST |
1 |
Long / Whitis |
Freedom
Autosport / Mazda MX-5 |
02:10.2 |
95 |
84.667 |
Mazda, Freedom Autosport |
| 20 |
95 |
ST |
2 |
Dalla Lana / Turner |
Turner
Motorsport / BMW 328i |
02:10.7 |
104 |
84.665 |
Turner Motorsport |
| 21 |
146 |
ST |
3 |
Carbonell / Pombo |
Freedom
Autosport / Mazda MX-5 |
02:10.4 |
2 |
84.632 |
Mazda, Freedom Autosport |
| 22 |
75 |
ST |
4 |
Holtom / Pobst |
Compass360
Racing / Honda Civic SI |
02:11.0 |
20 |
84.615 |
Skunk2, C360R.com, Speed Sport Life |
| 23 |
111 |
ST |
5 |
Aquilante / Skavnes |
Subaru
Road Racing Team / Subaru Legacy |
02:09.9 |
19 |
84.608 |
Subaru of America |
| 24 |
22 |
ST |
6 |
Gilsinger / Johnson / Schmitt |
HART /
Honda Civic SI |
02:11.1 |
10 |
84.571 |
Red Line Oil, Honda of America |
| 25 |
29 |
ST |
7 |
Beede / Plumb / Spaude |
Bill
Fenton Motorsports / Honda Civic SI |
02:11.0 |
5 |
83.827 |
Southern Auto Auction |
| 26 |
198 |
ST |
8 |
Bentinck-Smith / Burrows / Hopwood |
RSR
Motorsports / Mini Cooper S |
02:11.6 |
5 |
83.814 |
Cruise America, Fischer Skis, Mini USA, Piloti |
| 27 |
21 |
ST |
9 |
Battle / Dayton |
RRT
Racing / BMW 328i |
02:10.3 |
3 |
83.789 |
RRT, getBMWparts.com Powered by Tischer BMW |
| 28 |
147 |
ST |
10 |
Cattaneo / White |
Freedom
Autosport / Mazda MX-5 |
02:12.2 |
87 |
83.728 |
Mazda, Freedom Autosport |
| 29 |
72 |
ST |
11 |
DeMan / Ferguson / Longhi |
DeMan
Motorsport / Boxster |
02:13.2 |
4 |
82.933 |
|
| 30 |
27 |
ST |
12 |
Beede / Spaude / Thilenius |
Bill
Fenton Motorsports / Honda Civic SI |
02:13.3 |
5 |
82.932 |
Honda of Keene NH, Sylvan Learning |
| 31 |
129 |
ST |
13 |
Mirzayan / Olson |
Next
Generation Motorsports / BMW 330 |
02:12.3 |
62 |
82.84 |
JE Racing, Hawk Brakes, Marren Fuel Injection, Force
for Earth, Weber BMW |
| 32 |
33 |
GS |
19 |
Davis / Jonsson / Smith |
Kinetic
Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:05.0 |
4 |
83.832 |
Luna-C Clothing |
| 33 |
51 |
ST |
14 |
Buras / Conway / Corthell |
Irish
Mike's Racing / Volkswagen Jetta |
02:12.1 |
101 |
82.162 |
Irish Mike's World Class Automotive |
| 34 |
197 |
ST |
15 |
Hopwood / Smalley / Trinkler |
RSR
Motorsports / Mini Cooper S |
02:10.7 |
2 |
81.303 |
Cruise America, 4 Winds RV, Mini USA |
| 35 |
52 |
GS |
20 |
Mason / Ortiz |
Rehagen
Racing / Ford Mustang GT |
02:03.7 |
4 |
87.601 |
Columbus Truck & Equipment |
| 36 |
66 |
ST |
16 |
Riley / Riley |
Riley
Racing / Mazda RX-8 |
02:11.7 |
17 |
73.888 |
Riley Mazda |
| 37 |
97 |
GS |
21 |
Gleason / Hand |
Turner
Motorsport / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:04.2 |
63 |
88.416 |
Turner Motorsport |
| 38 |
24 |
ST |
17 |
Cirone / Pootmans / Sobato |
V-Pack
Motorsport / BMW 330 |
02:14.6 |
28 |
81.703 |
|
| 39 |
32 |
GS |
22 |
Bocchino / Lamb |
Kinetic
Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe |
02:04.3 |
3 |
87.79 |
Cybernation/ Cobalt Friction/ Traq Mate |
| 40 |
76 |
ST |
18 |
Baruth / Holtom / Nicol |
Compass360
Racing / Honda Civic SI |
02:12.2 |
79 |
83.786 |
Skunk2, C360R.com, Hondata |
| 41 |
138 |
ST |
19 |
Danyliw / Schmidt |
GS
Motorsports / Chevrolet Cobalt SS |
02:12.9 |
4 |
84.445 |
C&P Cross Border Law, Sun Sport Signs |
| 42 |
196 |
ST |
20 |
Buford / Smalley / Trinkler |
RSR
Motorsports / Mini Cooper S |
02:12.6 |
43 |
84.578 |
Cruise America, 4 Winds RV, Mini USA |
| 43 |
6 |
GS |
23 |
Bucknum / Donohue |
Stevenson
Motorsports / Chevrolet Camaro |
02:04.2 |
31 |
88.814 |
Sunoco |
| 44 |
26 |
GS |
24 |
Riddle / Wilson |
BGB
Motorsports / Porsche 997 |
02:04.2 |
3 |
86.999 |
|
| 45 |
39 |
GS |
25 |
Ende / Pumpelly |
TRG /
Porsche 997 |
02:04.0 |
5 |
41.289 |
DigiTrust Group, Adams Polishes, Racer's Roast |
| 46 |
74 |
ST |
21 |
Miller / Pobst / Thomson |
Compass360
Racing / Honda Civic SI |
02:12.0 |
6 |
83.341 |
034 Motorsport, Skunk2, C360R.com |
| 47 |
171 |
ST |
22 |
Baas / Hurley |
APR
Motorsport / Volkswagen GTI |
02:10.2 |
2 |
81.35 |
APR Tuning, Gunther VW, BBS, Motul, Status, IAV |
| 48 |
50 |
ST |
23 |
Herr / Kennedy / Orr |
Irish
Mike's Racing / Volkswagen Jetta |
02:12.7 |
3 |
79.308 |
Irish Mike's World Class Automotive |
| 49 |
64 |
ST |
24 |
Giovanis / Halpin |
Next
Generation Motorsports/T Giovanis Motorsports / BMW 330 |
02:16.7 |
5 |
15.005 |
Tisher BMW, T. Giovanis & Company LLC, SRD Inc. |
| 50* |
128 |
ST |
0 |
TBA |
Next
Generation Motorsports / BMW 330 |
|
0 |
0 |
JE Racing, Hawk Brakes, Marren Fuel Injection |
| 51* |
181 |
ST |
0 |
Sweeney / von Moltke |
APR
Motorsport / Volkswagen GTI |
|
0 |
0 |
APR Tuning, Team VoMo USA, BBS, Motul, Status, IAV |
| 52* |
43 |
ST |
0 |
Nonnamaker / Sahlen |
Team
Sahlen / Mazda RX-8 |
|
0 |
0 |
Theracesite.com |
| 53* |
23 |
ST |
0 |
Friedman / Zacharias |
V-Pack
Motorsport / BMW Z4 |
|
0 |
0 |
|
| 54* |
4 |
ST |
0 |
Carey / Emanuelson / Prey |
Prey
Racing / Boxster |
|
0 |
0 |
Royal Purple |
| 55* |
78 |
GS |
0 |
Smith / Smith |
Maxwell
Paper Racing / Porsche 997 |
|
0 |
0 |
Maxwell Paper Products Co. |
| 56* |
89 |
GS |
0 |
Diaz / Rossi |
Ranger
Sports Racing / Porsche 997 |
|
0 |
0 |
|
| 57* |
5 |
GS |
0 |
Heuschele / James / Nastasi |
Blackforest
Motorsports / Dodge Challenger |
|
0 |
0 |
TPN Racing |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| * - Withdrew |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
www.grand-am.com
Coming up:
American Le Mans Series
Monterey Sports Car Championships, October 8-11
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA
www.americanlemans.com
Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
Grand Prix of Miami, October 8-10
Homestead Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL
www.grand-am.com
IndyCar Series
Firestone Indy 300, October 9-10
Homestead Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL
www.indycar.com
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
Virginia NHRA Nationals, October 9-11
Virginia Motorsports Park, Petersburg, VA
www.nhra.com
SCCA SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship
Monterey Sports Car Championships, October 9-11
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA
www.world-challenge.com
Formula DRIFT
Round 7: Judgment Day, October 16-17
Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Irwindale, CA
www.formulad.com
Formula One
Brazilian Grand Prix, October 16-18
Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Sao Paulo, Brazil
www.formula1.com
National Guard American Drag Racing League
LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V, October 23-24
Texas Motorplex, Ennis, TX
www.adrl.us
World Rally Championship
Wales Rally GB, October 23-25
Cardiff, Wales, UK
www.wrc.com
Super Lap Battle Time Attack
Finals, November 11
Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow, CA
superlapbattle.com
Redline: Time Attack! Series
Round 8, November 14-15
Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, CA
www.redlinetimeattack.com
Battle of the Imports
Round 6: BOTI Southern California, November 22
Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA
www.battleoftheimports.com
|
Printable
Email to a Friend
