Sears Point preview: less is more?

Most notable by their absence are the Cadillac teams, the works GM outfit and its satellite DAMS squad. The Northstar prototypes have so far proved off the pace of the top prototypes of Audi and Panoz, but more embarrassing still, they have been humbled at times by privateer Lola and Courage cars. Time for a re-group.

The Rafanelli Lola makes a welcome return after sitting out the Nurburgring round, and will be ready to start snapping at the heels of the works teams once more. The lurid green and red machine, with its distinctive 'dreadnought' nose had a disappointing Le Mans, where Lola and the team failed to optimise car and engine properly. However, on more conventional courses, the B2K/10 in the hands of Mimmo Schiaterella and Didier de Radigues should be able to carry on where it left off at Silverstone.

Of the other prototype privateers not making the journey, the ROC Reynards and SMG Courage will be most missed. The Courage was the fastest privateer car at Le Mans, while the loss of the ROC cars means that there will be no LMP675 class this weekend.



The Sears Points raceway is the first circuit of its kind - a traditional American road course - to be encountered by the series this year.

The track is characterised by blind brows, gradient changes aplenty and distinctly limited run-off. This should make life tense for teams and drivers alike, particularly coming from the wide open spaces of the Nurburgring. There are also a multitude of bumps, particularly off-line, which contrive to make a lap of Sears Point an interesting and unpredictable experience.

"You need to get the right line or you'll be on the wrong set of bumps and you won't be able to turn in," says Porsche GT3 driver Johnny Mowlem, who has yet to race at the track. "It's real leave your stomach behind stuff."

The most dramatic example of this process is the climb up from the start line, where the cars sweep off the pit straight at turn one, then ascend the side of the mountain until a blind brow at the right hander at turn two sends them plunging over a crest and back downhill. This corner is unsighted, and off camber, and to get the best out of it requires bravery and precision.

Turns three and three-A are also uphill, while the tricky right-hander at four starts relatively open, then tightens on the apex without warning.

From turn seven, the cars sweep back downhill along a long, fast series of sweeping bends - alongside a prime spectator bank. A Riley & Scott suffered a blow-out at this part of the track last year, resulting in a massive shunt.


Both Audi and BMW were humbled by Panoz at the last ELMS round at the Nurburgring, and the German manufacturers will be desperate to re-assert their authority. Audi suffered particularly badly, with their previously all-conquering 2000-spec R8 losing out on home ground.

The torque of the Panoz Roadster's Ford-based V8 should help it around the twists and turns of Sears and to power up those steep slopes, but the sheer size of the car may count against it.

The more nimble mid-engined cars of BMW and Audi are likely to benefit in the handling stakes, and Audi has already won on a bumpy road circuit - Sebring - this year. However, the slippery nature of the track may count against the turbo V8 of the Audi, which suffered with 'lag' at the Nurburgring.

But the Panoz's superiority in slippery conditions is unlikely to benefit them much, as the likelihood of rain at Sears is minescule! However, drivers Jan Magnussen and David Brabham are at the absolute peak of their game and on the crest of a wave after their Nurburgring victory.

Audi's Allan McNish is familiar with the track after racing there last year in the Rohr team's Porsche 911-GT1, so the lead R8 shouldn't have a problem with lack of experience, though the team have not been to Sears Point before. The Scot and his co-driver 'Dindo' Capello have not won a race yet this year and no doubt will be itching to put that right.

BMW pair JJ Lehto and Jorg Muller still lead the championship, and made it onto the podium at the Nurburgring. The 1999 Le Mans-winning squad has taken advantage of Panoz and Audi contriving to waste their potential thus far in the ALMS - wins at Silverstone and Charlotte bear ample testament to.


The GTS class is once more missing the GM Corvettes, due to the team only committing to a part season. As a result, the ORECA Chryslers are likely to have things very much their own way, with only a solitary Roock Porsche 911 GT2 as competition to the cars of Donohue/Archer and Beretta/Wendlinger.

GT is a more open proposition, despite Dick Barbour Racing being back to defend their series lead. Three BMW M3s will add their weight to the legion Porsches, as the Prototype Technology Group continues to develop its 2000 spec M3.