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Hour 15: Pescarolo Takes Second

Tom Kristensen was handed a huge boost for a record seventh Le Mans victory after the second placed car of Allan McNish ran off the circuit into the tyre barriers towards the end of the 15th hour

McNish damaged the front bodywork of the #2 Audi R8 after running off the circuit into the tyre barrier at Indianapolis corner, forcing his Champion Racing team to pull the car back to repair front wishbone and suspension damage.

Kristensen's #3 car now has virtually a three-lap advantage over the Pescarolo Sport of Jean-Christophe Boullion who inherited second place. The Frenchman had ran off the circuit at the second Mulsane chicane in pursuit of fast lap times to close the gap on the leaders.

Kristensen also produced blistering pace in response to the threat of Pescarolo as dawn broke.

Just minutes into Kristensen's stint, he recorded the car's fastest lap of the race on two successive laps. The Dane managed to get the car's best down to 3m 39.781s.

Kristensen also showed the kind of luck that could make him that record seven-time Le Mans winner. Jean-Marc Gounon's fourth placed Team Oreca Audi R8 missed his braking point and ran off the track at high speed at the final Ford Chicane. Gounon rejoined infront of Kristensen, narrowly missing the Dane.

Martin Short's Rollcentre Dallara was pushed back into the garage at the top of the hour from 13th place.

GT1 was again led by Pedro Lamy's #58 Aston Martin, still battling it out on the same lap with the #64 Corvette.

The number 36 Paul Belmondo Racing car of Claude Yves Gosselin led the LMP2 class, which was notable for the spin of the 24 car of Yojiro Terada at the Dunlop Curves. Terada blocked the circuit briefly, before finding neutral and the marshals being able to push him into a safe place to restart.

Marc Lieb's Alex Job Porsche continued to hold a one-lap advantage over Patrick Long's White Lightning Porsche in GT2.

Pos # Drivers Make Class On Hour 15
1 3 Lehto, Werner, Kristensen Audi R8 LM P1
2 16 Collard, Boullion, Comas Pescarolo Judd LM P1
3 2 Biela, Pirro, McNish Audi R8 LM P1
4 4 Montagny, Gounon, Ortelli Audi R8 LM P1
5 17 Loeb, Helary, Ayari Pescarolo Judd LM P1
6 9 Hignett, Stack, Kurosawa Zytek 04S LM P1
7 58 Enge, Kox, Lamy Aston Martin DBR9 LM GT1
8 64 Gavin, Beretta, Magnussen Corvette C6-R LM GT1
9 63 Fellows, O'Connell, Papis Corvette C6-R LM GT1
10 59 Brabham, Sarrazin, Turner Aston Martin DBR9 LM GT1
11 18 Short, Barbosa, Ickx Dallara Judd LM P1
12 7 Minassian, CampbellW., Wallace DBA Judd LM P1
13 10 Lammers, Julian, Bosch Dome Judd LM P1
14 12 Schwager, Frei, Vann Courage Judd LM P1
15 50 Goueslard, Dupard, Vosse Ferrari 550 Maranello LM GT1
16 71 Hindery, Rockenfell., Lieb Porsche 911 GT3 RSR LM GT2
17 90 Bergmeist., Long, Bernhard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR LM GT2
18 76 Dumas, Dumez, Narac Porsche 911 GT3 RSR LM GT2
19 80 Overbeek, Pechnick, Neiman Porsche 911 GT3 RSR LM GT2
20 61 Fomenko, Vasiliev, Bouchut Ferrari 550 Maranello LM GT1
21 36 Gosselin, Ojjeh, Sharpe Courage C65 Ford LM P2
22 72 Policand, Campbell, Alphand Porsche 911 GT3 RS LM GT2
23 89 Nielsen, Thyrring, Ehret Porsche 911 GT3 RSR LM GT2
24 25 Erdos, Newton, Hughes Lola MG LM P2
25 37 Belmondo, Andre, Sutherland Courage C65 Ford LM P2
26 30 Bennett, Mitchell, Mullen Courage Judd LM P2
27 91 Pompidou, Blanchema., Yamagishi Porsche 911 GT3 RS LM GT2
28 83 Collin, Felbermayr, Shep Porsche 911 GT3 RSR LM GT2
29 92 Macari, Eriksson, Wilson Ferrari 360 Mo. GTC LM GT2
30 35 Hillebrand, Hahn, Pickering Courage C65 Judd LM P2
31 24 Terada, Roussel, Binnie WR Peugeot LM P2
32 95 Hartshorne, Stanton, Johnson TVR Tuscan 400 R LM GT2
33 78 Sellers, Franchitti, Bourdais Panoz Elan LM GT2
34 8 Verdon Roe, Krumm, Primat Dallara Nissan LM P1

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