Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) guided the #45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 RSR to a fourth-place position on the GT class grid for tomorrow’s Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge, round five of the 2011 American Le Mans Series.
Bergmeister, who has won the ALMS GT championship the last three years – two of those shared with co-driver Patrick Long (USA) for the Lizards – was pleased with the car set-up, and glad to be up with the fast guys.
“Anytime you are among the top four – especially when you are less than three-tenths of a second back – you have to like your chances in the race. We had 15 kilos (33 pounds) added to our car for this event by the sanctioning body, and our computer simulations showed that cost us about two-tenths of a second, so we should be in good shape to compete for the win,” said Bergmeister.
Qualifying Lineup
Two BMWs and a Ferrari are in front of the Bergmeister/Long Porsche, all within three-tenths of a second. Eighth place belongs to the #17 Team Falken Tire Porsche of Bryan Sellers/Wolf Henzler, which scored two top-five wins in its last two races. Sellers, who qualified the car, was disappointed in qualifying, especially after all the progress the team had made in the last two races.
“We didn’t have enough grip today, and a slight under-steer cost us time on the track. We will try to make some of those adjustments overnight, and hope the race comes our way. We know we can stay with the GT leaders if everything is right,” said Sellers.
The Sascha Maassen/Bryce Miller #48 Paul Miller Racing Porsche will sit 13th on the GT grid, while the #44 Flying Lizard Porsche of Seth Neiman/Darren Law is 15th .
In the GT challenge class for matched Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars, Spencer Pumpelly, who will share his TRG Porsche with Duncan Ende, is on the GTC pole. He edged the #23 Alex Job Racing Porsche qualified by Leh Keen, by only .012 of a second. Keen will share that car with GTC regular Bill Sweedler. Defending class champions Tim Pappas and Jeroen Bleekemolen earned third position in their #54 Black Swan Racing Porsche.
Full Qualifying result GT class
1. Joey Hand (USA), BMW M3 GT, 1:20.539 minutes
2. Dirk Werner (D), BMW M3 GT, + 0.116 seconds
3. Jaime Melo (BRA), Ferrari F458 Italia, + 0.206
4. Joerg Bergmeister (D), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 0.378
5. Oliver Gavin (GB), Chevrolet Corvette, + 0.405
6. Guy Cosmo (USA), Ferrari F458 Italia, + 0.529
9. Bryan Sellers (USA), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 1.382
13. Sascha Maassen (D), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 2.545
15. Seth Neiman (USA), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 4.173
Related Porsche Posts
Pictures and Results of Porsche’s Performance in the ALMS at Lime Rock
Interview with Wolf Henzler
[Source: Porsche Motorsport]