Mosport press notes 43-65, Saturday

Press Notes 43-65: Saturday

30 August, 1997

42. GOOD MORNING. Welcome to Saturday morning at the Mosport Festival. The fog is expected to lift in time to keep today's very full schedule. Practice starts at 10 am for the Exxon World SportsCar Championship cars. It will be a 40-minute session; the Exxon Supreme GT Series Presented by Virgin Interactive race begins at 1 pm and will be 1:45. All three divisions (GTS-1, GTS-2 and GTS-3) will be on the track at the same time; the SPEEDVISION Cup for Stock SportsCars begins at 5 pm and will be 2:30 minutes.

43. 10 am: GREEN FLAG drops to start 40-minute practice session for Exxon World SportsCar championship cars; loses screw in throttle cable on #1 Oldsmobile R&S MK III with Eric Van de Poele driving , crew replaces it, car returns to track; most teams just working out bugs and checking to make sure setup is correct; CHECKERED FLAG ends session at 10:40 am; .#30 MOMO Ferrari 333SP with Andrea Montermini driving turns in fastest lap with time of 1:12.323-122.40 mph, followed by #20 Ford R&S MK III of Elliott Forebes-Robinson/Andy Wallace is second fastest with lap time of 1:12.929-121.38 mph; #16 Ford R&S MK III car of James Weaver and Butch Leitzinger, who was part of winning team in 1996, third fastest on circuit with a time of 1:13.006-121.279 mph, followed by #27 Ferrari 333SP of Didier Theys/Gianpiero Moretti with a time of 1:13.520-120.408 mph.

44. 1:10 pm: GREEN FLAG drops to start; at Turn #1 near bridge #56 Porsche 911 of Peter Kitchak is tapped from behind, slides sideways, makes heavy contact with #99 GT-2 Porsche of Larry Schumacher; #77 GT-3 BMW M3 of Matthew Cohen gets up on top of guardrail, veers across track, taking out a section of posts, out of race; Schumacher, out, OK; extensive damage to left front end. of #99; car brought back on flatbed, crew will try to fix it; #56 GT-2 Porsche 911 out of the race; oil spread from Turn # through Turn #5; .RED FLAG STOPS RACE; drivers who bring cars in have to take them back out before pitting for a driver change; #15 GT-2 Porsche 911 Turbo will pull into pits to replace tire when the field rolls out of pit; Martin Snow added to car #15.

45. GREEN FLAG restarts race at 30-minute mark; 1 yellow flag lap, then field goes green; #76 GT-3 Porsche 911 penalized for passing under yellow, put behind #41 on restart grid; #91 GT-2 Chevrolet Camaro has steering problem, goes behind wall; #39 GT-3 Porsche 911 and #76 pull into pits on restart lap; #41 goes through gravel pit into tire wall on Turn 3 on restart lap,; at 35-minute mark #39 GT-3 Porsche 911 driver change to Murry, #76 to Jeff Purner #97 to Matthew Cohen; #15 driver change to Martin Snow.

46. #66 GT-1 Ford Panoz GTR-1 of Doc Bundy off course in Turn 5B, no damage, back on course; #41 GT-3 of Chris Cervelli spins in Turn 8, into pits, driver change to Cort Wagner, changes all four tires; #27 GT-1 slows down as it approaches Turn 5, Jason Priestley at the wheel, mechanical problem, continues on track; pits closed, pace car out; #91 GT-1 With Hank Schramm driving back out on course at 43-minute mark; second in points; crew repaired rod and steering linkage behind the wall; #01 GT-1 Porsche 911 Turbo pits on yellow, driver change to Schroeder, fuel and tires.

48. #10 GT-3 BMW M3 pits, driver change to Auberlen, tires and fuel; #6 GT-3 BMW M3 pits, driver change to Hill, tires and fuel; #02 pits, driver change to Varde; #7 GT-3 BMW M3 pits, driver change to Said, tires and fuel ; #27 GT-1 Ford Mustang Cobra retires; at 50-minute mark. GT-1 LEADER: #66 Ford Panoz GTR-1 GT-2 LEADER: #61 Porsche 911 Turbo GT-3 LEADER: #7 BMW M3

47. #73 GT-3 Porsche 911 smoking in right rear; #01 GT-1 Porsche 911 Turbo with Schroeder driving, leader at one-hour mark; lead is 45 seconds; #66 GT-1 Ford Panoz GTR-1 pits, driver change to Wallace, fuel and tires; #10 BMW M3 pits with brake problems, goes behind the wall; crew reports there are no plans for #01 GT-1 Porsche 911 Turbo to stop again; #91 GT-1 Chevrolet Camaro pits, driver change to Hayner, fuel and tires; #73 GT-3 Porsche 911 pits, driver change to Burgess, fuel and tires; difference between first and second cut to 35 seconds;

48. #91 GT-1 Chevrolet Camaro pits with two rear flat tires after off-course excursion, changed, back on course..1:23 mark; crew reports that #66 GT-1 Ford Panoz GTR-1 doesn't plan to stop; #10 GT-3 BMW M3 back on track at 1:34 mark, Auberlen driving; #41 GT-3 Porsche 911 stops on track with blown engine with 10 minutes left.

49. WITH FIVE minutes left, #66 GT-1 Ford Panoz GTR-1 with Andy Wallace driving behind #01 GT-1 Porsche 911 Turbo (Schroeder driving); #15 pits, fuel only; #01 GT-1 Porsche 911 Turbo victory marks the 99th consecutive race Andy Pilgrim has finished; will go for his 100th consecutive finish later today in SPEEDVISION Cup race; #61 GT-2 Porsche 911 Turbo driver takes over unofficial series points lead; new leader unofficially in GT-3 points lead with David Murry/Jim Matthews in Porsch 911.

50. TOP THREE FINISHERS IN EACH DIVISION:

GT-1 #01 Porsche 911 Turbo (Andy Pilgrim/Dorsey Schroeder) first overall #66 Ford Panoz GTR-1 (Doc Bundy/Andy Wallace) second overall #02 Porsche 911 Turbo (Sifton, Varde) eighth overall

GT -2 #61 Porsche 911 Turbo (Franz Konrad/Nick Ham) third overall #97 Porsche 911 Turbo (Layer/Collins) ninth overall #15 Porsche 911 Turbo (W. Pace/J. Pace/Snow) 11th overall

GT-3 #10 BMW M3 (Auberlen/.Said) fourth overall #6 BMW M3 (Hill/Quiros) fifth overall #73 Porsche 911 (Lewis/Burgess) sixth overall

51. The victory for Andy Pilgrim was his 34th in six different series. 52. 5:28 pm: GREEN FLAG drops to start the 2 hour, 30-minute SPEEDVISION Cup race. There are four classes: Grand Sports, Sports, Touring and Compact...#3GS Pontiac Firebird goes off track, loses lead, drops to 13th on first lap; #51S Andy Linder off course at Turn 5 into tire wall hard, full-course yellow; safety vehicle on course; driver out, being attended to by medics, no serious injury; #49C Honda Civic Del Sol pits under caution with brakeline problems; back out; Mark Hein has been added to #82T Honda Accord EX; GREEN FLAG drops to restart racing at 5:42 pm; #70GS Mazda RX-7 Turbo of Nick Ham passes #3GS Pontiac Firebird of Bernie Cochran at Turn 9 to take over lead; Jason Priestley started in the #98GS Ford Mustang Cobra; #41T Mazda MX-6 pits, changes rear tires, back on course.

53. #68GS Ford Mustang Cobra pits, fuel, driver change to Downes; #68GS Ford Mustang pits for stop-and-go penalty for exceeding pit lane speed limit; #15C Mazda Miata pits to check on bodywork damage, no driver change; back out; #81S BMW 328is makes contact with #9S BMW 328is in Moss Corner, slightly off course driver's left, both cars continue, #9S BMW 328is takes lead in Sports class; #81S BMW 328is reports minor damage to right side; #06T Oldsmobile Achieva SC pits, fuel, broken c/v joint; fixed and continues; #03T Nissan 240SX SE pits, fuel, no tires, driver change to Stanton; #54GS BMW M3 pits, fuel, driver change to Borcheller, crew lifts hood, working on transmission; car moves behind garages; retires from race with gearbox problems; #87GS Mazda RX-7 Turbo in pits, crew checking under the hood.

54. #93S Honda Prelude VTEC in, change left side tires, fuel, driver change to Sherk; #59S BMW 3281s smoking under the hood, on-track incident pinched shock line.. left side fixed; driver change to Doolin; #69C Dodge Neon pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Cottrell; #33GS Pontiac Firebird off at the bottom of Turn 2, into tire wall after incident with Wilkins #27GS Mustang Cobra; #27 continues, pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Maxwell.

55. #08GS P:ontiac Firebird pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Chris Thompson; Devon Powell in #0GS Pontiac Firebird pits, tires and fuel, driver change to Trinkler; #73S Acura Integra R pits, fuel, driver change to Thornley; #39GS Pontiac Firebird pits, fuel only; Taz Harvey in #86S Honda Prelude VTEC off track, hits Styrofoam between Turns 8 and 9, limps back to pits, parks on grass near pit in; much of the field into the pits for fuel, tires and driver change.

56. #08GS Pontiac Firebird pits, fuel; #4GS Pontiac Firebird pits, fuel and tires; #49C Honda Civic Del Sol VTEC pits, fuel, driver change; #72GS BMW M3 pits, fuel, driver change to Pappadopolous; #88GS Toyota Supra Turbo pits, fuel, driver change to Van Cleef; #47GS Ford Mustang Cobra pits, fuel, driver change to Smith; #98GS Ford Mustang Cobra pits, tires and fuel, driver change to Pilgrim, checked electrical system...#3GS Pontiac Firebird pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Murry; #07T Nissan 240SX pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Jones; #94C Honda Accord EX pits fuel and tires, driver change to Earwood; #70GS Mazda RX-7 Turbo pits, fuel and tires; #37GS Pontiac Firebird pits, fuel, driver change to Heinricy; #16GS Mazda RX-7 Turbo pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Ham; #52GS Ford Mustang Cobra pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Hacker; #9S BMW 328is pits; fuel and tires driver change to Hill; #45GS BMW M3 pits, fuel, driver change to Elder; #82T Honda Accord EX pits, fuel, driver change to Potter; #13GS Pontiac Firebird pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Danaher.

57. #94C Honda Accord pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Lovette; #81S BMW 328is pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Purner; #4GS Pontiac Firebird pits, changing rear axle behind wall, returns to track; #68GS Ford Mustang Cobra pits, fuel only; #57T Mazda MX-6 pits, fuel, driver change to Bagler; #39GS Pontiac Firebird pits, fuel, driver change to Hayner; #41T Mazda MX-6 pits, fuel and tires, driver change to Will Nonnamaker

58. #23C Mazda Miata pits, fuel, driver change to Ken Payson ; #84S Toyota Supra pits, fuel, driver change to Wehe; Joe Nonnamaker #43T Mazda MX-6 pits, tires and fuel, driver change to Pate; #92GS Toyota Supra pits, tires and fuel, driver change to Collins; #4GS Pontiac Firebired pits for stop-and-go penalty for pit lane infraction.

59. #07T Nissan 240SX spins coming out of turn 10, up into grass, doesn't hit wall, waits for traffic to clear and resumes race, no damage; #36 first in class with about 15 minutes left in race; #03T Nissan 240SX leading Touring Class with 10 minutes left;

60. NEW RACE leader with 10 minutes left; #37GS John Heinricy in Pontiac Firebird passes #70GS Mazda RX-7 Turbo to take first place overall on lap 68.

61. #59S BMW 328is goes off course between Turns 8 and 9, hits tire wall hard, rolls on its side with driver's side down; Mike Doolin in the car; brings out full course caution; driver out of the car, doesn't appear to be injured...full course yellow. Driver reports possible suspension damage caused steering problem.

62. LIGHTS OUT on pace car as the field takes the white and green flags for the final lap of the race; #37GS Pontiac Firebird holds off all competition and wins race, followed by #70GS Mazda RX-7 Turbo, #3GS Pontiac Firebird and #13GS Pontiac Firebird.

63. GRAND SPORTS WINNER IS #37 Pontiac Firebird of John Heinricy and Stu Hayner SPORTS WINNER is #9 BMW 328si of derek Hill & Jeff McMillin TOURING WINNER is #43 Mazda MX-6 of Joe Nonnamaker & Bill Pate COMPACT WINNER is #78 Nissan 200SX of Ed Magner & David Daughtery

65. ANDY PILGRIM completed his 100th consecutive SportsCar race with his finish Saturday.