The Salt Lake City circuit has a long straight this is why Highcroft Racing was not favorite although starting from pole. The LMP1 cars had a big power advantage, but thanks to a great strategy and two perfect pit-stops, Simon Pagenaud and David Brabham clinched a third consecutive victory. Despite a high class race, Emanuele Pirro and Jonny Cocker finished second with the Drayson Racing Lola-Judd. Cytosport is third thanks to Klaus Graf who did a great job again with the Porsche RS Spyder whereas the Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda retired once again. Level 5 won in LMPC thanks to Christophe Bouchut and Scott Tucker ahead of Team Gunnar and Mathiasen Motorsports.

In the GT2 class, Risi Competizione took an outright victory. Gimmi Bruni and Jaime Melo have been head and shoulders over their rivals for the whole race. They are ahead of Bill Auberlen and Tommy Milner with their BMW, who both had a smooth race. Third place was more contested as the Flying Lizard Porsche lost all chances because of a puncture and Magnussen/O’Connell’s Corvette got a penalty. However, Magnussen could catch up with Müller/Hand’s M3 and pass it at the very end to clinch third place. Then there was a great battle in the GTC class and the winner is Black Swan Racing. The pair Bleekemolen/Pappas wins ahead of Alex Job Racing (Leitzinger/Gonzales) and TRG (Lally/Richard).

Race notes

Starting from pole thanks to Simon Pagenaud, David Brabham loses the lead at the very beginning and falls down to fifth. Starting from fifth on the grid, Jon Field takes command before the first corner with the Intersport Lola. He is ahead of the Drayson Racing Lola driven by Jonny Cocker, the Autocon Lola driven by Tony Burgess and the Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda. In LMPC, Mathiasen Motorsports’ Max Hyatt leads ahead of both Level 5 Formula Le Mans cars. Polesitter Team Gunnar is down to fourth. In the GT2 class, the Risi Ferrari driven by Gimmi Bruni is ahead of the Extreme Speed Ferrari and both Rahal BMWs, which surrounds the Flying Lizard Porsche. The Jaguar loses its front hood whereas the Orbit Porsche takes the lead in GTC over the Back Swan GT3 Cup.

After only two laps, the safety-car is on the track as Olivier Beretta’s Corvette has stopped in turn 5 because of a gasoline pressure problem. Seven minutes later, the safety-car is in and Field and Intersport are still in lead and Wallace took the lead in LMPC. The safety-car is out again after three GT3s Cup collided – Alex Job Racing #23 and #80 and GMG Racing #32 while fighting for third place. Most GT2 cars take the opportunity to pit.

The restart occurs 23 minutes later, but the standings are about the same except in the GT2 class as Bruni and Bergmeister caught up and are back in the Top 3. Jonny Cocker takes the lead in lap 15 and is able to increase the gap with his rivals whereas Toni Vilander’s Ferrari hits David Murry’s car and receives a stop & go penalty.

Greg Pickett is sixth after he went off in the gravel bed and is first in the pits for refueling after 45 minutes in the race. Jörg Bergmeister had to pit because of a right rear puncture on the Flying Lizard Porsche while being third. Jonny Cocker is a strong 20-second leader when the third full course yellow period starts after 55 minutes in the race to tow in the Intersport FLM. All cars are pit and the Highcroft HPD, now driven by Simon Pagenaud, takes the lead ahead of the Intersport Lola, the Drayson Racing Lola and the Dyson Lola. In the GT2 class, the BMW #92 is first on the track, ahead of the Risi #62 and the Corvette #3.

One hour and a half left to go when the race is green-flagged. Simon Pagenaud does his best but there is nothing he can do to thwart the Intersport Lola’s power, driven by Clint Field. Christophe Bouchu now leads the LMPC class ahead of Alex Figge and Scott Tucker, who swapped from the FLM #55 to the #95 at the pit-stop. In the GT2 class, Jaime Melo passes Bill Auberlen to take the lead.

Simon Pagenaud is back to lead at mid-race as he can pass Clint Field in traffic. Emanuele Pirro does the same five minutes later and can catch up lap by lap with Pagenaud. The Italian driver can pass the French one at turn 6 exit. Pirro widens the gap and has a 10-second lead on Pagenaud. No major standings change in the GT2 class, but for Pat Long who pushes to catch up and now fourth.

At the two hour mark, final pit-stops for the field. Emanuele Pirro, Klaus Graf and Simon Pagenaud double stint the tires. Thanks to a good pit-stop, the French driver retakes the lead with a 10-second gap with Emanuele Pirro and even more with Graf. In the LMPC, Bouchut still leads, but Mathiasen Motorsports is now third because of a long pit-stop.

In the GT2 class, Jaime Melo retains the lead after his final pit-stop ahead of the Rahal BMW #92, which is no longer under the Corvette #3 pressure. The Corvette received a stop & go penalty because the team infringed the rules in the final pit-stop. The second BMW is so now third after a second puncture struck the Flying Lizard #45.

The result is still uncertain. The Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda, fourth, has to retire because of a mechanical problem. In GTC, Butch Leitzinger is now under Jeroen Bleekemolen pressure, and the Dutchman finally passes and takes the class lead, while Andy Lally and TRG receives a penalty. At the same time, the Intersport Lola, the Team Gunnar FLM and a GT3 Cup are involved in an incident.

Ten minutes before the checkered flag, the overall and LMPC result seems to take shape. Not in the GT2 class! Jan Magnussen retakes third place after a tough fight with Dirk Müller BMW. In the GTC class, Andy Lally does the same for TRG.

After 91 laps, Simon Pagenaud takes first the checkered flag. A third win in a row with David Brabham. Not an easy one though as the layout didn’t suit well the HPD and as the Drayson Racing finally had a great race.

Cécile Bonardel