PRACTICE SPOILER - Thought I would kick it off with a report from the 6 hour practice...

Audi are quickest,
Peugeot in long distance mode !
Tonight's practice session started off on a dry track. The six hours of free practice gave us a good idea of what tomorrow's qualifying sessions will look like, a fierce battle between Peugeot and Audi, with Pescarolo and Aston Martin taking their turn to go quickly. About 20.00 the rain set in and the session became quieter Peugeot and Audi swapped first position, with Pescarolo playing their part and even setting the pace in the Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP. Some teams decided to play it safe, and focused on qualifying all of their drivers. Peugeot, on the other hand, ran a real 6-hour race, with the three drivers of the #7 Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP putting in a amazing 79 laps, that's 1076km. Grip conditions were sometimes very difficult, but they had no major problems. Audi did however take over the top two positions, with Allan McNish lapping in 3:30.708 in the #1 R15, ahead of colleague Marco Werner in the #2 Audi. Weather permitting, this lap time will most probably be improved on tomorrow. The #31 Porsche RS Spyder dominates its category more than 10 seconds in front of the QSM Portuguese Ginetta Zytek. The official Corvettes will be affected by Antonio Garcia losing control but the job is done for the yellow and the black cars, they’re leading the LM GT1 category, dominating the #66 Jet Alliance DBR9. The first LM GT2 is the #77 Porsche Felbermayer-Proton, before the 2008 category winner #82 Risi Competizione Ferrari F430 and the astonishing Dutch #85 Snoras Spyker C8 Laviolette, this last car was surprisingly fast during the session. To resume, it was a rainy and wet testing session with some cars going off the track, such as the #39 KSM Lola Mazda Spyder which has been rebuilt and rejoined in the late evening.

 

Are you there? Man, am I jealous...I was there in '06 and '07 and had a blast. What a great time. Let's hope the Lizards pick it up tomorrow!

 

Wow nothing against Seth Neiman but Joerg Bergmeister jumps into the car and takes pole. I guess all of his experience is paying dividends for them, bring it home boys!!

 

Well, its official now. Porsche on pole in P2 and GT2. Anyone else shocked by the #17 Pescarolo? WOW. Peugot will take the P1 pole too. Should be a great race.

http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans...actice_1h4.pdf

 

Seth is definitely not the "Hot Shoe" but he does pay the bills so at least he's the "hot wallet." Love it that an American team has the Pole.

 

The number 17 Pescarolo is a Peugeot run by Pescarolo... hence the speed.

 

Yeah exactly, hot wallet, that's a good one.

But Seth is a great guy, be great if the team could pull off a win, they've had tough luck before.....

I've been driving my P-car all week in anticipation of the 24 hours, the coffee will be ready at 5am PT Saturday morning!

Nice the Spyder's are up there in P2..... gotta love it, and the Peugeots will poop out around the 4 hour mark.

 

Go Lizards.....

 

This is an interesting reading to have the real dimension of what involves this race.
http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Turn_...t_de_la_Sarthe

Sounds easy right? I think not...
Look forward to watch this fabulous race, I wish I could be there!

 

stream?

 

Yes, but I was impressed that it edged out one of the factory cars.

 

Go Lizards. Looks like McNish is flying as well.
Do we root for AUDI more now because they are owned by Porsche, I mean own Porsche, I mean owned by Porsche?

 

Well, I'm a huge Lizards fan. Though, I have to question having Seth as a third driver. I know he's the money man and he may be a nice guy and all that, but...

Does anyone know if Pat Long was already commited to the IMSA Matmut team? Or is this partly the result of Seth in the #80?

Fortunately, there are three 911's that have a shot this year (imho).

#76 IMSA Performance Matmut
#77 Team Felbermayr Proton
#80 Flying Lizard Motorsports

 

Patrick Long will be driving for the IMSA Performance-Matmut team again
this year. Hopefully he will not punt his new ALMS team into the gravel
trap like he did last year!

Go Lizards!

 

Combined qualifying times

http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...FS=ALMS-LEMANS

Pictures

http://www.motorsport.com/photos/sel...t&Y=2009&O=144

http://www.flickr.com/groups/lemans2009/

Carroll Shelby looks back at 1959 Le Mans win

http://www.astonmartinracing.com/eng...3-b9d33907d17c