American Le Mans Series, round 6 in Elkhart Lake, USA Joerg Bergmeister fastest Porsche pilo

American Le Mans Series, round 6 in Elkhart Lake, USA


Joerg Bergmeister fastest Porsche pilot

Stuttgart. On the legendary race track of Road America in Elkhart Lake, Porsche works driver Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) secured a good starting position for the sixth round of the America Le Mans Series. In the GT qualifying for the four hour race on Saturday, he posted the fifth quickest time with his Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports, which he shares with his factory pilot teammate Patrick Long (USA).

“My fastest lap was good, but not good enough to get a spot further up the grid,” said Joerg Bergmeister, who with five wins is the most successful GT pilot on the storied race track in the US state of Wisconsin. “We concentrated on finding a set-up for the four hour race and on planning our strategy. After all, the race will be decided both on the track and in the pits.”

With the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR run by the Falken Tire squad, Porsche works driver Wolf Henzler (Germany), the winner of the previous race in Mid-Ohio, clinched the tenth grid spot. A close one-tenth of a second faster was Porsche factory pilot Marco Holzer (Germany). The Road America rookie drove the ninth quickest time in the second Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

The race starts on Saturday at 15.00 hours local time (22.00 hrs CEST) and runs over four hours. It can be seen live on the internet under www.americanlemans.com.


Result Qualifying

GT class
1. Dirk Müller (D), BMW M3 GT, 2:05.447 minutes
2. Jan Magnussen (DK), Chevrolet Corvette, + 0.005 seconds
3. Toni Vilander (SF), Ferrari F458 Italia, + 0.240
4. Bill Auberlen (USA), BMW M3 GT, + 0.798
5. Joerg Bergmeister (D), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 0.932
6. Olivier Beretta (MC), Chevrolet Corvette, + 1.138
9. Marco Holzer (D), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 1.391
10. Wolf Henzler (D), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 1.474
13. Bryce Miller (USA), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 4.651

GTC class
1. Sean Edwards (GB), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2:44.627 minutes



Facts and figures

This is the American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was created in 1999 for sports prototypes and GT vehicles. The regulations correspond to those of the Le Mans 24 hour race.

GT class: This most popular class amongst car manufacturers is traditionally extremely well supported: Slightly modified standard sports cars with 440 to 500 hp and a minimum weight of 1,125 – 1,325 kilograms (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 RSR).
GTC class: This class is reserved for vehicles from one-make race series (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 Cup).
LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 550 hp and a minimum weight of 900 kilograms.
LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with ca. 440 hp and an 825 kg minimum weight.
LMPC class: Prototype brand trophy series for the ORECA FLM 09.

All race cars start together but are classified separately according to their respective classes. This ensures exciting and diverse racing with many overtaking manoeuvres. Points are only awarded for placings in each class.


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Oliver Hilger