09-04-05
-- For Immediate Release
Alex Job Racing Finishes
Second and Sixth in GT2 at Mosport
Bowmanville,
Canada - Alex Job Racing drivers Ian Baas
and Darren Law persevered today to finish second in their number
24/Bell Microproducts/ProVest/Alex Job Racing/Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
in round eight of the American Le Mans Series race run at Mosport.
Teammates Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard led most of the race to
be thwarted by a broken alternator wire to finish in sixth.
The duo of Dumas and Bernhard started from the GT2 pole position
to lead the first 93 minutes of the shortened two-hour-and-thirty
minute race. The race was reduced in an effort to conserve fuel;
this became a factor in the race for the number 24 car.
Darren Law started the 24 AJR Porsche and moved up from his seventh
place qualifying effort to turn the car over to co-driver Baas
in third place. The team then received a 20-second pit penalty
and Baas returned to the fight in fourth. On the last lap the winning
Petersen car lost its wheel going into turn one and was parked
in the sand. As a result of the early pit mistake, the number 24
went a lap down and did not have time to come around again to put
the Petersen car to second. The shortened race interrupted what
would have been certain victory for Law and Baas.
Bernhard and Dumas have taken a big hit in the overall drivers
points chase with their sixth place finish. The broken alternator
wire was affecting the major electrical functions; this was compounded
by failing power steering. This forced him to pit from second place
on lap 97 just eight seconds behind the eventual winner.
Darren Law, #24 Alex Job Racing/Bell Microproducts/ProVest/Porsche
911 GT3 RSR: "I had a good opening stint. I was able
to get by the 45 car before the pit stops and turned it over
to Ian in third place. Ian did a great job running consistent
lap times. We needed about one minute more and we could have
recorded our first win. It is a big boost for the team after
our tough pit stop and the best finish for the car this year."
Ian Baas, #24 Alex Job Racing/Bell Microproducts/ProVest/Porsche
911 GT3 RSR: "We wanted to run a good consistent race.
Usually there are a few yellows here at Mosport, but we went
the distance without a caution period. The race was a real two-hour-and-thirty-minute
sprint. Darren did a good job to steadily move us up. My stint
was nice and consistent, no real drama. We had a tough break
in the pits. It would have been nice to get the win, but we were
just short. This is a nice way to go into Petit Le Mans at the
end of the month."
Timo Bernhard, #23 Alex Job Racing/Hyatt/Bell Microproducts/Porsche
911 GT3 RSR, "We were the quickest car all weekend.
I was able to get back to within tenths of the Petersen car.
When the alternator wire broke, the power steering also went.
The water temperature began to rise. Even the strongest man in
the world cannot be consistent without the power steering as
that affects the feel and your rhythm. We had bad luck, Petersen
had bad luck, but it was a little better than ours."
Romain Dumas, #23 Alex Job Racing/Hyatt/Bell Microproducts/Porsche
911 GT3 RSR: "Petersen won the race parked in turn one.
Timo came back right behind the leader and was closing every
lap. The wire is something that never happens. We are in a hole
with the points chase going into Petit. We need Petersen to keep
running into trouble to keep our hopes alive."
Alex Job, team owner: "The
23 car with the alternator wire is a new one on me. Romain and Timo
were the fastest in class all weekend - but that's racing. We will
keep the focus and go into Petit looking to win. Ian and Darren did
a good job to keep their composure after the pit penalty. We were
just 60-seconds shy of getting them a win. The 24 car finally had
a good run. We are going into one of the series marquee events and
the championship is still within our grasp."
The next race for the American Le Mans Series will be the 10-hour Petit Le
Mans at Road Atlanta on October 1. Mosport GT2 Finishing Order:
1. Long/Bergmeister
Porsche
2.
Baas/Law AJR Porsche
3.
Henzler/Rockenfeller Porsche
4.
Pechnik/Neiman Porsche
5.
Jackson/Sugden Porsche
6. Bernhard/Dumas
AJR Porsche
7.
Franchitti/Sellers Panoz
8.
Auberlen/Liddell Panoz
9.
van Overbeek/Fogarty Porsche AJR 2005 Results
Track |
Drivers |
Qualify |
Finish |
Sebring |
Bernhard,
Dumas, Maassen
Pobst,
Baas, Cunningham |
3
6 |
13
14 |
Road Atlanta |
Bernhard,
Dumas
Pobst,
Baas |
6
9 |
2
5 |
Mid-Ohio |
Bernhard,
Dumas
Pobst,
Baas |
1
5 |
1
9 |
Le Mans 24 |
Rockenfeller, Lieb, Hindery |
1 |
1 |
Lime Rock |
Bernhard,
Dumas
Pobst,
Baas |
2
6 |
1
4 |
Infineon |
Bernhard,
Dumas
Pobst,
Baas |
1
6 |
1
6 |
Portland |
Bernhard,
Dumas
Baas,
Law |
1
6 |
1
9 |
Road America |
Bernhard,
Dumas
Baas,
Law |
1
7 |
2
6 |
Mosport |
Bernhard,
Dumas
Baas,
Law |
1
7 |
6
2 |
AJR thanks team sponsors Hyatt, Bell Microproducts, ProVest and partners Mobil
1, Michelin, Puma and ZF Sachs.
To view the Alex Job Racing press kit or for additional information, please
refer to www.alexjobracing.com or contact Kyle Chura at chura@aol.com or
(248) 821-0468.
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