Lime Rock race notes 2.00 to 3.00 p.m

American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix 

At 2:02 pm, all cars have rolled off the line.

At 2:04 pm, the lights are out on the pace car.

At 2:05 pm, Race Start/Green Flag.

At 2:05 pm, Simon Pagenaud (#66-P2 Acura ARX-01B) off at turn 2, back on in front of the two Corvettes.

At 2:06 pm (0h 1m running), Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) leads at the end of the first lap.

At 2:08 pm (0h 3m running), Emanuele Pirro (#1-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) leads in class, up to second overall (by the end of the first lap).

At 2:08 pm (0h 3m running), Richard Westbrook (#87-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) leads after 3 laps in GT2 class, followed by Mika Salo (#62-GT2 Ferrari F430 GT) and Joerg Bergmeister (#45-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR).

At 2:10 pm (0h 5m running), Marco Andretti (#26-P2 Acura ARX-01B) has moved into eleventh overall, getting around both Corvettes on that lap (5 laps completed).

At 2:11 pm (0h 6m running), Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) continues to lead overall, with Emanuele Pirro (#1-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) first in class and second overall trailing by 0.149 seconds.

At 2:12 pm (0h 7m running), Emanuele Pirro (#1-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) takes the overall lead, passing Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) as the two prototypes catch slower traffic and begin to lap the GT2 class.

At 2:13 pm (0h 8m running), Emanuele Pirro (#1-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI), with 9 laps completed has lengthened his overall lead to 2.630 seconds over class leading Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder).

At 2:13 pm (0h 8m running), Lucas Luhr (#2-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI), second in class and third overall, is only 0.414 seconds behind Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) after 10 laps.

At 2:14 pm (0h 9m running), Jim Tafel (#73-GT2 Ferrari F430 GT) spun and continued at turn 2.

At 2:15 pm (0h 10m running), Lucas Luhr (#2-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) gets around Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) going down the front straight and takes second place overall (second in class).

At 2:16 pm (0h 11m running), Scott Sharp (#9-P2 Acura ARX-01B) is reporting making avoidable contact with an undisclosed car, the incident is under review. The car is currently in 9th place overall (6th in class).

At 2:17 pm (0h 12m running), Simon Pagenaud (#66-P2 Acura ARX-01B) will be black flagged for avoidable contact. The car is currently running 6th overall, and 4th in class. The contact apparently is with car #9, so #9 should not have to server a penalty.

At 2:17 pm (0h 12m running), Mika Salo (#62-GT2 Ferrari F430 GT) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, no driver change, contact with a prototype punctured a tire.

At 2:19 pm (0h 14m running), Simon Pagenaud (#66-P2 Acura ARX-01B) into the pits. No fuel, no driver change. serving penalty. Avoidable contact with number 9

At 2:19 pm (0h 14m running), Lucas Luhr (#2-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) spun and continued at turn 2, loses several positions (was running 2nd overall). The car simply ran too wide in the corner. Drops to 5th overall.

At 2:21 pm (0h 16m running), Joerg Bergmeister (#45-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) shortcut Option Uphill, but did not gain an advantage, continues in second place in class (16th overall).

At 2:23 pm (0h 18m running), Richard Westbrook (#87-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) is being shown the "unsportsmanlike flag" for blocking. This is not a penalty, but a warning. The car is running first in class, 15th overall.

At 2:24 pm (0h 19m running), Mika Salo (#62-GT2 Ferrari F430 GT) spun and continued at Optional West Bend. Did not lose a position (8th in class, 23rd overall).

At 2:25 pm (0h 20m running), Emanuele Pirro (#1-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) continues to lead overall with a 9.616 second lead after 24 laps over Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder). Lucas Luhr (#2-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) has not been able to improve from his 5th place overall standing, 2nd in class.

At 2:27 pm (0h 22m running), Marco Andretti (#26-P2 Acura ARX-01B) has found a home in 10th place overall, 8th in class, trailing Chris Dyson (#16-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) by 4.231 seconds, the difference apparently being Dyson's experience with Prototype racecars in heavy bull ring traffic.

At 2:31 pm (0h 26m running), Paul Drayson (#007-GT2 Aston Martin Vantage) reports a possible tire deflating (last in class, second to last overall).

At 2:32 pm (0h 27m running), Lucas Luhr (#2-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) has moved to fourth overall, still second in class after passing Marino Franchitti (#20-P2 Porsche RS Spyder).

At 2:32 pm (0h 27m running), Paul Drayson (#007-GT2 Aston Martin Vantage) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, driver change: Jonny Cocker. Clearing out grass, gravel, and dirt.

At 2:35 pm (0h 30m running), Marco Andretti (#26-P2 Acura ARX-01B) records his fastest race lap with a 48.455, second only to Emanuele Pirro (#1-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) with a 48.266.

At 2:36 pm (0h 31m running), Joerg Bergmeister (#45-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR/lap 33) takes the lead in class, passing Richard Westbrook (#87-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR).

At 2:36 pm (0h 31m running), Jonny Cocker (#007-GT2 Aston Martin Vantage) into the pits. No fuel, no driver change. engine covers off, downloading data. Still in pits. Diagnosing sticking throttle issue.

At 2:37 pm (0h 32m running), Patrick Pilet (#46-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) off and on in a cloud of red dust at Big Bend. He was 17th overall and 3rd in class, drops one position in each.

At 2:41 pm (0h 36m running), Joel Feinberg (#11-GT2 Dodge Viper Comp Coupe) backed into the tires at turn 10, but continues with right side and roof damage (running 25th overall, 10th in class).

At 2:42 pm (0h 37m running), Joel Feinberg (#11-GT2 Dodge Viper Comp Coupe) into the pits. No fuel, no driver change. going behind the wall.

At 2:43 pm (0h 38m running), Lucas Luhr (#2-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) has climbed to 3rd overall (still second in class), getting around Romain Dumas (#7-P2 Porsche RS Spyder). There are only 9 cars on the lead lap.

At 2:40 pm (0h 35m running), Tim Pappas (#54-GT2 Doran Ford GT-R) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, driver change: Anthony Lazzaro. Rejoins the race 10th in class, 25th overall.

At 2:44 pm (0h 39m running), Patrick Friesacher (#61-GT2 Ferrari F430 GT) off at turn 3, stops in the mud momentarily but gets the car going, rejoining the race in 19th place overall, 5th in class.

At 2:47 pm (0h 42m running), Joerg Bergmeister (#45-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) , 15th overall, leads a tight group of cars in class: Patrick Pilet (#46-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) 4.041 seconds behind; Richard Westbrook (#87-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) 6.752 seconds back.

Scheduled First pit stops should begin shortly for the Prototype class cars.

At 2:49 pm (0h 44m running), the air temperature is 88 degrees, with a track temperature of 127 degrees, from the Farnbacher/Loles pits. Under mostly sunny skies, and enough humidity to make it slightly miserable.

At 2:51 pm (0h 46m running), Emanuele Pirro (#1-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI) enjoys his largest lead of the race with 18.316 seconds over first in class Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder). Only 5 cars are on the same lap as the leader.

At 2:51 pm (0h 46m running), Simon Pagenaud (#66-P2 Acura ARX-01B) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, no driver change. rear body work off. Checing shifter cable. Chris Dyson (#16-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) and Marco Andretti (#26-P2 Acura ARX-01B) take advantage of the stop, both moving up a position to 8th and 9th overall, 6th and 7th in class.

At 2:51 pm (0h 46m running), Patrick Friesacher (#61-GT2 Ferrari F430 GT) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, driver change: Harrison Brix. Long inspection of the radiator.

At 2:51 pm (0h 46m running), Jon Field (#37-P1 Lola B06/10 AER) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, driver change: Clint Field.

At 2:52 pm (0h 47m running), Richard Westbrook (#87-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, driver change: Dirk Werner.

At 2:54 pm (0h 49m running), Seth Neiman (#44-GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, driver change: Darren Law.

At 2:55 pm (0h 50m running), Jim Tafel (#73-GT2 Ferrari F430 GT) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, driver change: Alex Figge. Fixing the left side mirror.

At 2:57 pm (0h 52m running), Jonny Cocker (#007-GT2 Aston Martin Vantage) into the pits. No fuel, no driver change. Retired: throttle linkage

At 2:57 pm (0h 52m running), Harrison Brix (#61-GT2 Ferrari F430 GT) into the pits. Fuel only, no driver change. checked damage. RF repaired bodywork damage

At 2:57 pm (0h 52m running), Gerardo Bonilla (#8-P2 Lola B07 46 Mazda) into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, no driver change.

At 2:59 pm (0h 54m running), Emanuele Pirro (#1-P1 Audi AG R10/TDI), overall leader, into the pits. 4 tires, fuel, driver change: Rinaldo Capello. Patrick Long (#6-P2 Porsche RS Spyder) takes the overall lead. 

- ALMS -