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Texas Motor Speedway

Leather Center

04/03/2001

Race – First Half

Audi-Panoz Battle Head-to-Head

© Tom Kjos

Fort Worth, Texas—A quick look at the first half of the event.

Nearing half way of the ALMS opener, the prototypes are having a real battle. A surprisingly strong Panoz effort made up of two of last year's LMP-1 Roadster Ss and one new LMP 07 is giving fits to an Audi Sport NA team bolstered by the presence of Champion's first ever R8 private entry. The absence of any other prototypes beyond these six in no way has detracted from the racing at the front. If we are seeing an Audi that defines the top of the sport, then it 's hard believe that there is any prototype in existence beyond this race that would be running amongst these cars.

From the start the #50 LMP07 has been willing and able to take it to the Audis on the track, running in the lead, sometimes involved in side-by-side racing, but always in striking distance. At past half way and after only one yellow, the first five cars (three Audis, 2 Panoz) were separated by less then ten seconds.

In GTS the Corvettes will clearly have their way if they can drive trouble-free to the finish. Thus far the American Viperacing entries have not offered even token resistance.

The GT class continues where it left off last year, with Alex Job Racing playing the headliner role in place of last year's Barbour Racing. In fact the Job team reassumes the mantle it wore in 1999 when it captured the GT Championship. Kelly-Moss Racing is close to these leaders, however, and the two BMW teams stay close to the front with last year's M3s.

The KnightHawk Racing LMP 675, without opposition in class, planned to do only the minimum 20 laps in two stints to qualify for the win, it being otherwise unnecessary to risk the hardware. Unfortunately, they seem not to have stuck rigorously to this schedule, and cause the race's first full course caution.

This race is missing only three things: Competition of any kind in the LMP 675, any real challenge to the Corvettes in GTS, and field filler to add to the sound and fury.

We'll close this report with a mea culpa. Dirk Muller has not switched to BMW; JJ Lehto still shares the BMW Motorsports drive with now long standing partner Jorg Muller. My apologies.

(Tom’s error in his race morning piece was corrected. Ed.)