Porsche Driving LeMans Race Coverage Article 20

6/15

6:00 am PST

"Final Hour Thoughts"

FINAL HOUR THOUGHTS

Submitted by Pete Albrecht

Some thoughts on the Nissan effort:
According to team manager Tom Walkinshaw, the chronic problem with the works Nissan R390s is that they are melting the solder that holds the transmission oil coolers together. This is especially ironic and embarassing as the cars carry Calsonic sponsorship; Calsonic manufactures automotive radiators.

Herbert Ampferer of Porsche pointed out that Nissan may not be a threat this year. But racing efforts undergo a maturing process, and we can expect to see more of this effort in the future.

11 AM Sunday
Like so many Le Mans races, this has been a race of attrition. Only one-third of the starting field remains.

The #64 Viper is having trouble removing its left front lugnut. It looks like the nut may have been rounded off. So now the mechanics are drilling and chiseling the nut off, and losing lots of time in the process.

Well, it's all over for the factory. 13:43, the #26 car goes up in flames. Kelleners was driving. Flames seemed to be erupting from below the driver's door. What could be below there? Fuel lines from tank? Oil lines to cooler? Whatever. That's just racing luck.

Bad luck strikes twice. At 2:02 PM the third Gulf-McLaren, running in third, also erupts into flame. Flame appeared to start on left side behind rear tire, otherwise amazingly similar to what happened to Porsche #26, even to stopping a few yards short of where the Porsche met its end. Entire back end of car is engulfed in flame. Officials are waving the oil flags.

2:40
Mazda-Kudzu limps into pits with left rear wheel hanging at a strange angle. Bodywork damaged. Crew is pushing the car back into the garage, so it looks like it's all over for this effort.

3:00 PM Sunday
The weather is a bit sunnier than yesterday; cumulus clouds, altostratus, and hazy sunshine. Temperatures are comfortable but not hot. But as we've seen, the cars have been getting very hot indeed, almost as if to compensate.

In this last hour, the race seems to be devolving to merely holding station. Nobody has much left to give to make last-minute moves; all the teams can do is hope that they too don't fall victim to another freak fire or incident.

The #7 Joest-Porsche is about a lap ahead of the #41 Gulf Team Davidoff BMW-McLaren, which is itself two laps ahead of the #43 works BMW Motorsport McLaren. Then comes the #33 Porsche 911 GT1 of Schuebel Engineering, one of only two surviving Porsche GT1s of eight that started. The remaining GT1 Porsche is #27 of BMS Scuderia Italia, back in eigth place overall and 4th in class, 45 laps behind the leader.

In GT2, a pair of Vipers survive, Nos. 63 and 64 of Viper Team Oreca and Chamberlain engineering respectively, but after leading the race for a considerable period, they are no longer a threat to the Porsches. Ahead of them are four Porsche 911 GT2s; if one thing seems certain on this weekend of sudden reversals of fortune, it is that a Porsche will win GT2. The contenders are #78 of Elf Haberthur Racing in the lead, the # 74 and #73 of Roock Racing (last year's class winning team), and the #80 car of GT Racing. Speaking of reversal of fortune; it was #78 that limped in with its left rear suspension hanging, just a few hours before.

In prototypes, only five cars survive. Officially, the #15 Mazda-Kudzu is still listed in last place, although it has already been pushed into the garage and retirement seems certain. That leaves race leader #7, th #13 Courage C41 of Courage Competition, the #3 Ferrari of Moretti Racing, and the #8 Courage C36 of La Filiere.

Another noteworthy retirement: the #9 Courage-Porsche of Andretti, Andretti and Grouillard, with Andretti Sr. at the wheel, hit the wall after leaving the pits on cold tires. The resulting damage to the left front suspension pickups caused the team to withdraw the car.

And so the remaining 16 cars have settled into holding stations, just as the spectators are settling into their favorite viewing spots to see the winner take the checkered flag.

6/15	6:00 am PST	"Final Hour Thoughts"
FINAL HOUR THOUGHTS Submitted by Pete Albrecht Some thoughts on the Nissan effort: According to team manager Tom Walkinshaw, the chronic problem with the works Nissan R390s is that they are melting the solder that holds the transmission oil coolers together. This is especially ironic and embarassing as the cars carry Calsonic sponsorship; Calsonic manufactures automotive radiators. Herbert Ampferer of Porsche pointed out that Nissan may not be a threat this year. But racing efforts undergo a maturing process, and we can expect to see more of this effort in the future. 11 AM Sunday Like so many Le Mans races, this has been a race of attrition. Only one-third of the starting field remains. The #64 Viper is having trouble removing its left front lugnut. It looks like the nut may have been rounded off. So now the mechanics are drilling and chiseling the nut off, and losing lots of time in the process. Well, it's all over for the factory. 13:43, the #26 car goes up in flames. Kelleners was driving. Flames seemed to be erupting from below the driver's door. What could be below there? Fuel lines from tank? Oil lines to cooler? Whatever. That's just racing luck. Bad luck strikes twice. At 2:02 PM the third Gulf-McLaren, running in third, also erupts into flame. Flame appeared to start on left side behind rear tire, otherwise amazingly similar to what happened to Porsche #26, even to stopping a few yards short of where the Porsche met its end. Entire back end of car is engulfed in flame. Officials are waving the oil flags. 2:40 Mazda-Kudzu limps into pits with left rear wheel hanging at a strange angle. Bodywork damaged. Crew is pushing the car back into the garage, so it looks like it's all over for this effort. 3:00 PM Sunday The weather is a bit sunnier than yesterday; cumulus clouds, altostratus, and hazy sunshine. Temperatures are comfortable but not hot. But as we've seen, the cars have been getting very hot indeed, almost as if to compensate. In this last hour, the race seems to be devolving to merely holding station. Nobody has much left to give to make last-minute moves; all the teams can do is hope that they too don't fall victim to another freak fire or incident. The #7 Joest-Porsche is about a lap ahead of the #41 Gulf Team Davidoff BMW-McLaren, which is itself two laps ahead of the #43 works BMW Motorsport McLaren. Then comes the #33 Porsche 911 GT1 of Schuebel Engineering, one of only two surviving Porsche GT1s of eight that started. The remaining GT1 Porsche is #27 of BMS Scuderia Italia, back in eigth place overall and 4th in class, 45 laps behind the leader. In GT2, a pair of Vipers survive, Nos. 63 and 64 of Viper Team Oreca and Chamberlain engineering respectively, but after leading the race for a considerable period, they are no longer a threat to the Porsches. Ahead of them are four Porsche 911 GT2s; if one thing seems certain on this weekend of sudden reversals of fortune, it is that a Porsche will win GT2. The contenders are #78 of Elf Haberthur Racing in the lead, the # 74 and #73 of Roock Racing (last year's class winning team), and the #80 car of GT Racing. Speaking of reversal of fortune; it was #78 that limped in with its left rear suspension hanging, just a few hours before. In prototypes, only five cars survive. Officially, the #15 Mazda-Kudzu is still listed in last place, although it has already been pushed into the garage and retirement seems certain. That leaves race leader #7, th #13 Courage C41 of Courage Competition, the #3 Ferrari of Moretti Racing, and the #8 Courage C36 of La Filiere. Another noteworthy retirement: the #9 Courage-Porsche of Andretti, Andretti and Grouillard, with Andretti Sr. at the wheel, hit the wall after leaving the pits on cold tires. The resulting damage to the left front suspension pickups caused the team to withdraw the car. And so the remaining 16 cars have settled into holding stations, just as the spectators are settling into their favorite viewing spots to see the winner take the checkered flag.