Brabham and Sharp regain control

simon pagenaud, en partant de la pole, avait les atouts en main pour offrir au de Ferran Motorsport une cinquième victoire consécutive. Mais contrairement à la course de Mid-Ohio la semaine dernière, le Poitevin n?a pas pu prendre le large dans la première moitié de course, en raison des diverses neutralisations. Après huit tours de piste, la Porsche GT3 Cup (Challenge GT) part à la faute et entraine la sortie du drapeau jaune. Simon Pagenaud rentre alors au stand, Gil de Ferran optant pour une stratégie décalée. C?est ainsi qu?au restart, Scott Sharp tient les commandes de la course.

Stuck in traffic, Simon Pagenaud continued to overtake to get back to the front of the race. For his part, Scott Sharp, in the second Acura ARX-02a, tries to break away lap after lap in order to pass the baton to David Brabham in the best conditions. But a new neutralization, shortly before halfway, upset his plans. Thus, at the restart, while the drivers of the two Acuras had passed the baton, David Brabham only led Gil de Ferran with a few seconds in advance.

In GT2, the debates clearly turned to the advantage of the two BMW E92 M3s, which quickly took the lead. The two neutralizations were favorable to them and the pace displayed by the Germans allows them to think of victory. Behind, the fight begins for the conquest of places of honor between the Corvette C6.Rs and the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Bermeister/Long.

A new neutralization then occurs, following the collision between the Lola-Mazda n°16 (LMP2) of Dyson/Smith and the Panoz Esperante of Farnbacher/James. Both cars will retire, while those remaining on the track adapt their strategy. The two leading Acuras returned to the pits and Brabham emerged in front of Ferran. Victory seems promised to the number 9 car, unless the Brazilian catches up with the Australian on a regular basis.

Despite a few attempts by Gil de Ferran and a minimal gap until the end, David Brabham crossed the finish line as the winner. It gave the No. 9 Acura of Boss Highcroft Raing its second success of the season and stopped the series of victories of Gil de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud. This result also allows the Australian-American duo to take the lead in the championship.

Third in the overall standings, the Acura ARX-01b of Fernandez and Diaz allowed Acura to achieve the hat-trick, and the crew to win the race in the LMP2 standings, ahead of the Lola-Mazda of Leitzinger and Franchitti.

Ninth overall, the BMW E92 M3 won in GT2, leaving the other BMW by one lap. The two Germans are ahead of the Corvette C6.R n°3 of Magnussen/O?Connell and the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Bergmeister/Long.