Backstretch Motorsports

All the hard luck and heartache in the first half of 2008 has been washed away. No matter what happens the rest of the season, Risi Competizione can claim the GT2 championship at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Drivers Mika Salo, Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni scored an eight-lap victory for Risi’s first win since closing 2007 with a triumph at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to clinch the American Le Mans Series GT2 title.

[read more...]

LM P1
Audi achieves second Le Mans hat-trick

Capello/Kristensen/McNish win thriller
Audi R10 TDI remains unbeaten at 24 Hour classic
Eighth Audi victory out of ten starts at the Sarthe

[read more...]

Rear wheel drama costs Larbre an hour

The Larbre Competition Saleen S7R (photo left) suffered a difficult start to the Le Mans 24 Hours after losing a wheel three hours into the race.

The left rear wheel detached as Christophe Bouchut braked for Tertre Rouge and pitched him off the track and deep into a gravel trap. After being hauled out by a service vehicle, Bouchut limped back to the pits for repairs.

[read more...]

Le Mans, France - The Peugeot No. 7 is completely in control of the race at the 8 Hour mark. Audi Sport North America team No. 2 is second in LM P1 but is one lap down.

Approximately 2 hours into the 24 Heures du Mans, the No. 76 IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche (driven by Patrick Long) made contact with the No. 80 Flying Lizard Porsche on course and both cars flew off the course deep into the gravel. The collision drove the No. 80 Porsche into the guardrail. There was significant damage to the car including severe bodywork damage on all sides, a broken rear wheel, two broken radiators, and right rear suspension damage. Driver Seth Neiman was able to drive the car back to the pits, where the crew is currently working on repairs. The No. 80 had been in the lead in GT2 for most of the race, with Joerg Bergmeister driving the first stint, and Johannes van Overbeek the second. We do not have an estimated time yet for return to the track; the car has been off track for 50 minutes so far.

[read more...]