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Mid Ohio

25/08/2001

Mid Ohio

Preview

© Tom Kjos

Des Moines, Iowa, USA (sort of en route to Ohio)--As is everyone else in the American Le Mans Series circus. Some simply stayed near Mosport, then are leaving mid-week for The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The series is in the midst of a frenetic two races in a week schedule, with a Sunday race in Ontario, Canada followed by a Saturday race in Ohio, USA.

Mid-Ohio is a new venue for ALMS, a last minute substitute for the not ready Mont Tremblant. This is a mistake that ends up working to the advantage of the series, which has suffered from no presence in the Midwestern United States. ALMS has put some promotional effort into the late-scheduled event, including demonstration laps by Audi and BMW at the CART race at the track two weeks ago.

What do we expect this weekend? When the green flag flies for this one, Audi Sport North America will be the favorite, but with none of the sense of inevitability that existed before the Panoz win at Portland. And based on what we saw at Mosport, there are two players in addition to Panoz that are capable of challenging the Joest juggernaut.

Intersport Racing returns to ALMS after an earlier outing at Sears Point. Although the latter race was a bit of a disappointment, Jon Field and family (three of them on the driver strength) are on their home turf here, and come off a win in the June GARRA event. Plus, they have the new B model Lola, reportedly much stiffer and better handling, so they could surprise. They will have more speed, but are likely to suffer the kinds of problems Dyson Racing did at Mosport.

Dyson Racing comes off a promising first effort in an ALMS sprint race this season, and off only the second outing of its new R&S Mark III C chassis. Even a highly professional team like this one can struggle with problems inherent in a new car, and this one did. Yet they showed competitive speed, and dogged perseverance gave them a shot at a podium finish, helped by the early demise of one Audi and one Panoz. A late 'off' kept the small trophy out of their hands, but not for lack of trying...or talent. The team's and James Weaver's and Butch Leitzinger's experience at this track (a second place on June 10) will let then get the C up to speed quickly at Mid-Ohio, and we believe that they make that bottom step of the podium right here.

Champion Racing has now demonstrated that they can win. Johnny Herbert's charge to the 'finish' at Mosport sent a clear signal that the team will settle for that or nothing. Mid-Ohio is handling track (some describe it as a 'rhythm' track, meaning you have to get into a rhythm to drive it successfully). That should suit Andy Wallace and Herbert just fine.

That may seem like a leap of faith, given that it will take just the Panoz and Audi Sport lead cars, plus Champion Racing to close out the first three spots, but one of these will falter. To be honest, we think it will be the Audi Sport cars that do. When you are at the top of the heap you drive to finish, relying on the car's inherent superiority to deliver the win. Audi drivers admitted as much after Mosport in reference to their response to the fast closing Johnny Herbert's Champion Audi. But what happens if he did not have that incident, when four seconds becomes zero? Can the Joest driver's just 'dig down' in that instant? We think not. The margin of 'inherent superiority' has all but disappeared. Magnussen and Brabham, Wallace and Herbert, Weaver and Leitzinger, will all charge very hard, just like hungry drivers do. If they all keep it on the track, there is your podium. Since we are out on a limb, we'll crawl out a little further. Make it Champion, Panoz, Dyson. That will earn the author a description of genius...or stark, raving idiot.

LMP 675 grows to a field of four with the addition of the Southern Comfort Racing (we will be looking for free samples) Plbeam MP84 Nissan. Dick Barbour Racing will still win the class, and these cars will still not challenge the big brother LMP 900s. KnightHawk Racing will do better with Claudia Huertgen doing the peddling as long as they can get over their constant 'gremlins.'

Saleen beats Corvette every day except race day, since Sebring. The former were displeased with their Goodyear tires in the races since the Florida win. They believe they have been supplied with a tire whose construction and compound is optimized for the front-engined Corvette. When they get it all together, tires, oil leaks, race strategy, (they would say luck, too) they will beat the Corvettes again. It could be at Mid-Ohio, a handling track that should suit the mid-engined S7R.

In GT, BMW comes off a 1-2-3 sweep at Mosport, but one Porsche team, Alex Job Racing, gave the GTR fits. Well, most of them; one, the JJ Lehto / Jörg Müller BMW Motorsport M3, just ran away and hid.

BMW sources are pretty much in agreement that the Mid-Ohio layout suits the GTR. The last time that was the case was at Sears Point. Look for another, and easier, sweep. This time, however, PTG drivers Boris Said and Hans Stuck benefit from experience on this track, much like the two day tire test before Mosport benefited Lehto and Müller. Look for another PTG win.

If you can get to Mid-Ohio, do. Otherwise turn on NBC or set the VCR. This could be a memorable race.