Greg A

Did anyone here see the Friday afternoon qualifying session?

I have never watched so many cars miss the turn/spin/drive through the grass at one before yesterday.

Greg A

dug911

This year, there are 7 entries from American based teams. Here are the results for the first qualifying session for Race 1. There will be another qualifying session for Race 2 on Saturday AM.

http://www.usgpindy.com/news/story.php?story_id=6989

Race 1 will take place for Supercup cars on Saturday, Race 2 on Sunday.

It's too bad the qualifying shows speed only. It would be nice to see how close the American teams are to the European teams on timed laps.

Nordschleife

Here you are

Qualifikationstraining für das Rennen am Samstag:

1. Richard Westbrook (GB), Racing Team Morellato PZ Essen, 1:34.958 Minuten (= 158.924 km/h)
2. David Saelens (B), Kadach Racing Team, 0.147 Sekunden zurück
3. Uwe Alzen (D), PZ Koblenz – Team SPS, 0.687
4. Richard Lietz (A), tolimit Motorsport, 0.791
5. Patrick Huisman (NL), Lechner Racing School Team, 0.820
6. Marc Benz (CH), PZ Koblenz – Team SPS, 0.908
7. Alessandro Zampedri (I), Lechner Racing School Team, 1.186
8. Christian Menzel (D), tolimit motorsport, 1.486
9. Philip Beyrer (CH), Jetstream Motorsport PZ Essen, 1.486
10. Ian Baas (USA), Farnbacher Loles Motorsports, 1.509
11. Robert van den Berg (NL), Harders Plaza Racing, 1.592
12. Hannes Neuhauser (A), Konrad Motorsport, 1.753
13. Michael Bleekemolen (NL), Team Bleekemolen, 1.982
14. Ardi van der Hoek (NL), Harders Plaza Racing, 2.290
15. Michael Schrey (D), Konrad Motorsport, 2.411
16. Kelvin Burt (GB), MRS-PC Service Team PZM, 2.489
17. Jay Policastro (USA), Orbit Racing, 2.762
18. Richard Williams (GB), Racing Team Morellato PZ Essen, 2.790
19. Ricardo Imery (VEN), Farnbacher Loles Motorsports, 2.833
20. William Scarsbrooke Langhorne (USA), MRS-PC Service Team PZM, 2.984
21. Oliver Freymuth (D), Jetstream Motorsport PZ Essen, 3.488
22. Joe Kunz (USA), Aasco Motorsports, 3.521
23. Patrick Flanagan (USA), Aasco Motorsports, 4.135
24. Terry L. Heath (USA), Morellato Stars Team, 4.743
25. Jaber Al Khalifa (BAH), Morellato Stars Team, 5.597
26. Simon Sobrero (USA), Kadach Racing Team, 5.618
27. Warren Chang (USA), Aasco Motorsports, 5.817
28. Thomas E. Pank (NL), Team Bleekemolen, 5.956
29. Gary David Becker, Aasco Motorsports, 6.599

Rick

Guys,

FWIW...Terry Heath (qualified 24th) is a fellow PCA Club racer who runs a local european car service shop. He's worked on my cars & is a good guy.

Let's cheer him on!!!

Rick

Dbltime

Is that our very own Thomas E Pank? Can there be two?

38D

Yes. He ran a D class 930 for a couple of races then moved up to the GT3 cup. I was hoping he'd stay in the class a bit longer so we could race some more.

Manny Alban

That's our boy, Tom Pank. Let's wish him the best. PCA member and avid PCA Club Racer too.

Dbltime

Wow. Good for Tom. Did he move to the Neatherlands to race with that team?

Billy Wyatt

Simon Sobrero qualified 26th is my neighbor and friend here in Scottsdale,AZ

analogmike

Tom Panks found a team with an extra car so he rented the ride. I hear he crashed in qualifying?

Where did you see the qualifying session?

Watch for Imery moving up in the race, and Tom too if his car is fixed.

Greg A

analogmike,

The reason I created this thread was to find out if anyone else was here in INDY watching that qualifying session and saw the massive offs that we saw at turn one and might have an explanation for it.

It had rained a bit earlier in the afternoon but it was dry and sunny when the Supercup cars hit the track for qualifying. People were driving off the track, spinning and some using the access road after turn one during the ENTIRE qualifying session.

I have low quality pics of the car which I'll upload shortly but, if it's the car I'm thinking of, he lost his left front wheel and watched it race him up the straight after contact with the wall coming out of turn 13. Some of the remaining suspension parts were removed with one hand after the car was parked at the inside of turn one.

Greg A

jrgordonsenior

PORSCHE MICHELIN SUPERCUP SECOND QUALIFYING SESSION:

Weather at 10 a.m.: Air temperature is 81 degrees F (22 degrees C), track temperature is 93 degrees (44 degrees C), wind speed is 9 mph (11 km/h), wind direction is from the southwest, relative humidity is 58 percent. Skies are sunny.

•Pole lap for first race qualifying, Friday: 1:34.958, #17 Richard Westbrook

11:25 a.m. – GREEN. #17 Westbrook is first on track, followed by #3 Saelens, #5 Alzen.

11:28 a.m. – LOCAL YELLOW. #39 Menzel off track in gravel trap in Turn 4.

11:29 a.m. -- #25 Bleekemolen spun in Turn 9, continued.

11:30 a.m. – Lap of 1:35.093 by #3 Saelens disallowed for ignoring yellow flags.

11:32 a.m. -- #3 Saelens quickest at 1:35.208. #17 Westbrook second at 1:35.212.

11:33 a.m. – GREEN.

11:41 a.m. -- #12 Freymuth locks brakes entering Turn 1, continues.

11:45 a.m. -- #14 Langhorne overshoots Turn 1, continues.

11:49 a.m. -- #78 Kunz does half-spin in Turn 7, continues.

11:58 a.m. -- #78 Kunz does half-spin in Turn 9, continues.

12:06 p.m. -- #5 Alzen overshoots Turn 1, continues.

12:10 p.m. – CHECKERED. End of session. #3 David Saelens quickest at 1:35.208. #17 Westbrook second at 1:35.212.

***

Top Five Times of Porsche Michelin Supercup Second Qualifying Session:

1. #3 David Saelens 1:35.208
2. #17 Richard Westbrook 1:35.212
3. #46 Richard Lietz 1:35.250
4. #5 Uwe Alzen 1:35.588
5. #1 Alessandro Zampedri 1:35.609

Dbltime

Lap 1: #24 Pank starts race from pit lane. #17 Westbrook leads in Turn 1, leads #3 Saelens by .6 of a sec

jrgordonsenior

Read the driver's comments below. The last one is classic....
***

PORSCHE MICHELIN SUPERCUP RACE #1 RUNNING:

Weather at 3:40 p.m.: Air temperature is 88 degrees F (31 degrees C), wind speed is 18 mph (29 km/h), wind direction is from the southwest, relative humidity is 45 percent. Skies are sunny.

Lap 1: #24 Pank starts race from pit lane. #17 Westbrook leads in Turn 1, leads #3 Saelens by .6 of a second.

Lap 2: FULL-COURSE YELLOW. #1 Zampedri, #7 Neuhauser collide, off track in Turn 2. Safety Car deployed.

Lap 4: GREEN.

Lap 5: #17 Westbrook leads #3 Saelens by 1.0 seconds.

Lap 6: #17 Westbrook leads #3 Saelens by 1.6 seconds.

Lap 7: #17 Westbrook leads #3 Saelens by 2.1 seconds.

Lap 8: #17 Westbrook leads #5 Alzen by 5.1 seconds.

Lap 9: #17 Westbrook leads #5 Alzen by 5.3 seconds.

Lap 10: #17 Westbrook leads #5 Alzen by 5.2 seconds.

Lap 11: #17 Westbrook leads #5 Alzen by 5.2 seconds.

Lap 12: #17 Westbrook leads #5 Alzen by 5.7 seconds. #6 Benz slows and pulls off track in Turn 5.

Lap 13: #17 Westbrook leads #5 Alzen by 5.8 seconds.

Lap 14: #17 Westbrook leads #5 Alzen by 6.8 seconds.

Lap 15: #17 Westbrook leads #5 Alzen by 7.6 seconds. #15 Burt passes #79 Baas for third with inside pass in Turn 1.

Lap 16: CHECKERED. #17 Richard Westbrook wins Porsche Michelin Supercup race #1 by 7.4 seconds over #5 Uwe Alzen. #15 Kelvin Burt third.

***

PORSCHE MICHELIN SUPERCUP RACE #1 POST-RACE QUOTES:

RICHARD WESTBROOK: “I don't know what it was like on the tele(vision), but it was pretty boring from my perspective. I guess not boring, because I wish they were all that easy. I mean, I was pulling away anyway. I was in control of the race, but then everyone started knocking each other off, and I couldn't believe my luck. I wish they were all that easy. The win gives me some confidence going into tomorrow. I mean, the mechanics certainly haven't got anything to do on the car, so yeah, we're feeling confident. We're leading the championship. We've got a big points advantage now, so confidence is flying high, but I'm sure it won't be that easy. It's a dream coming out here. It's so different than what we're used to in Europe, and it's just such a lovely atmosphere here. It's all the more special to win it.”

UWE ALZEN: “That was a hard race. I had so many problems with the brake balance. The car was undriveable. I'm sorry for the hit on Patrick Huisman. That was my mistake. Now I can't do anything, but I can say sorry for what was my mistake. I had so many problems with the car but am now happy that I finished the race and got second place. Not bad, and maximum points for me at the moment. We will see what the next races will bring. I push very hard to the end, for sure." (About why the car's handling was so bad): "I had so many problems in the braking area. The front tires locked immediately and the rear tires (did) nothing. I must brake so early. It was a big disaster."

ALESSANDRO ZAMPEDRI: “First lap the car was great. I was really going fast. I got a good slipstream from my teammate (Patrick Huisman). I braked on the inside, but I went way too deep. I made a big mistake. I tried to make the corner but completely lost the rear of the car and spun into the grass. But unfortunately a lot of cars avoided me, but one guy hit me very hard in the back. I could not continue. I’m not sure if I can even race tomorrow because the car looks in bad shape. It is the body, the engine, but it is hard to say. All I know it was a heavy one.”

KELVIN BURT: “I got quite a good start. Made up two or three places on the start and made a few more opportunist moves to the front, but there were just so many shunts. I just always picked the right direction to go, and people were just falling all over each other all the time, so one by one I could just pick them off. Somebody passed me and then passed the Safety Car and he was going to be out, but he retired anyway, so I ended up third. I started 15th, so I'm very happy with that. Tomorrow, I'm 12th, and I'll be lucky to get a top-three from there, but we'll wait for the result. I'm still quite new to the series this year. I've got a lot of experience, but I'm new to this team. This is only my second race and I've never driven here before yesterday, so I'm very satisfied. It's good to get up with the proper guys, at the front. I wasn't happy where I qualified, so I'm happy to be up at the front.”

DAVID SAELENS: (What caused the accident?): “If (Uwe) Alzen is behind you, he knocks everyone out. So I think this guy thinks he can do much more than everybody else. I have nothing more to say. Should ask (Uwe) Alzen what he is taking before the race. But he’s just a fool. He’s not worth driving in this series. That’s all I can say.” (How were you running before the accident happened?): “I was saving my tires for the end. I was not pushing, taking any curves. I saw him (Alzen) behind me over braking at every corner, smoke was coming out of his tires everywhere. He didn’t stop hitting me. You know pushing me, bomb, bomb, bang. But then I knew two laps after, I knew my tires were good again and I could push again. So, then I had 10 meters on Patrick (Huisman) and this fool came again.” (Where did the accident happen?): “It happened going into the straight-line braking at Turn 1.”

***

Toby Pennycuff

Race One was pretty wild indeed. From our seats in Stand H, Section 19, I saw five cars that were in pretty bad shape and waiting for the wreckers to take them back to the garages. Things seemed to settle down after the safety car went in, but the first few laps were just like last year's races - bump, bump, punt. The shunt on the main straight that ultimately took out Huismann, almost sent one car up the barrier wall.

It's easy to question these guys some times, but I give them all a ton of credit. It certainly does look like brakes are the big unknown for these drivers this year. Lots of lock-ups coming into Turn 1. Tomorrow morning should be more fun!

Toby