Laguna Seca race: Audi lock out
Audi reasserted its authority on the American Le Mans Series at Laguna Seca by completing a one-two-three at the Californian track to bring the Panoz team's short winning streak to an end
The Joest-run works number two Audi of Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro took a convincing win ahead of the privateer Champion Racing R8 of Brit Johnny Herbert and Andy Wallace in second place, to give Pirro the lead of the championship with only one round to run.
The Gulf-backed car of Stefan Johansson and Patrick Lemarie rounded out the triumvirate of R8s at the top by taking the final place on the podium.
The lead Panoz of Jan Magnussen and David Brabham won last time out at Mid-Ohio and the pair looked like their LMP-1 Roadster S was capable of doing it again.
Magnussen fought for the lead during the first half of the 120-lap race and the Dane had managed to fight his way to the front from fourth on the grid by the first round of pitstops. However, his run at the front was short-lived and after a tangle with Herbert on lap 58, Magnussen went off into the tyre barrier and was forced to retire before Brabham had had a chance to get behind the wheel.
Cadillac rounded off a successful weekend by taking fourth and fifth places with Wayne Taylor and Max Angelelli just pipping French team mates Emanuel Collard and Christophe Tinseau in their sister machine.
The highest placed GTS car was the Saleen of Franz Konrad and Terry Borcheller, which finished an impressive sixth to win the class just ahead of Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell's Corvette in seventh.
Biela/Pirro Audi Sport North America 120 laps
Herbert/Wallace Champion Racing 120 laps
Johansson/LeMarie Johansson Racing 119 laps
Taylor/Angelelli Team Cadillac 117 laps
Collard/Tinseau Team Cadillac 116 laps
Konrad/borcheller Konrad Team Saleen (GTS) 112 laps
Fellows/O'Connell Corvette Racing (GTS) 111 laps
Pilgrim/Collins Corvette Racing (GTS) 111 laps
Lehto/Müller BMW Motorsport (GT) 110 laps
Ekblom/Müller BMW Motorsport (GT) 110 laps
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