Indianapolis: Race one report, Ortelli wins championship

Stéphane Ortelli clinches Season Championship.

First race win for Alex Davison of Australia.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - September 28 - Finally Stéphane Ortelli made it; finishing third driving his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racer in the penultimate round of the Porsche Michelin Supercup at Indianapolis, the Monegasque clinched the overall win in the world's fast est international one make Cup. Leading up to his title, Ortelli won the races in Barcelona, Hockenheim, and Spa this year.

The 32-year-old Monegasque, a driver in the 1998 Porsche overall winning car at Le Mans, has been a Supercup regular since 1998 and finished third overall the last three years.

"Certainly, winning at Le Mans was a career highlight, but beating this group of professionals to win the championship probably gives me more respect that anything I have done in racing," said Ortelli, who kissed the bricks at the start/finish line after h is victory lap.

"I don't really like coming to America because it is where my friend Bob Wollek was killed last year, but I dedicated this season to Bob, and I'm convinced he helped me win the title," said Ortelli.

While Ortelli celebrated his title, Australia's Alexander Davison was overjoyed with his first Supercup race win. The 22-year-old from Melbourne took up the race from pole, turned the fastest lap, and crossed the finish line 4.2 seconds ahead of Timo Bernh ard from Germany, who is also a regular with Alex Job Racingcing in the American Le Mans Series.

The American guest drivers, NBC's Bill Adam and actor Antonio Sabato, Jr., both drove clean and respectable races, with Adam securing an 11th place finish in his Porsche and Sabato finishing 16th.

"To finish anywhere but last among this group of drivers is an honor, and I had to driver very hard to hold my position. These guys are running for championship points and prize fund, and they are very difficult to pass," said Adam, a two-time Sebring win ner.

Sabato, who had some open wheel racing experience with the Barber Dodge series before, used the race as a learning lab, and expects to come back on Sunday with a little more confidence.

"I'm glad I stayed out of trouble - no accidents - in this first race; I really learned about the car's limits and my capabilities, and I'm ready to move up for Sunday," said Sabato, whose father was an actor/driver in the 1966 movie "Grand Prix" with Jame s Garner.

The final round of the 12-race series will run Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway just before the Formula One event.

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