SteveFX
Mar 05, 2006, 3:55 PM
The Rolex Grand Am series raced Saturday at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico, D.F. The Gannassi Racing (the team's #02 car won the Daytona 24HR) #01 Lexus/Riley of Scott Pruett/Luiz Diaz won the DP class leading flag-to-flag. Pruett had a 17 sec lead before the 1st caution at lap 47/100. Diaz set fastest lap on lap 58 (only race lap under 1:23) to win before a raving hometown crowd. Except for the probable after-party; this was the most boring part of the race.
Defending series champions Wayne Taylor/Max(the Axe) Angelelli tried to force another car into the wall on the front straight; costing them a late race drive-through penalty which relegated them to 9th.
Official Grand Am release:
"A Lap 74 crash involving Chris Bingham in the No. 40 Preformed Line Products/Coyote Pontiac Riley and JC France in the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche Fabcar touched off a physical altercation between the two drivers. As a result, both drivers have been suspended from the upcoming Rolex Series event at Homestead-Miami Speedway and have been placed on open-ended probation. Additional sanctions against the drivers are likely..."
That makes it sound civilized. 2 drivers with multi-layered driving suits, HANS devices, and full helmets can't do much damage to each other in a roll-on-the-ground brawl; but it looked great on TV! (Shades of Daytona '79!) I guess the Mexican track workers didn't break it up sooner since nobody pulled a knife. If that sounds non-PC, sue me!
-----
As long as I'm talking about south of the border... CA resident and experienced road racer Boris Said (just what DID he say?) claimed the pole for Sunday's BGN race. 2M EST/Fox. Drivers are whining about "death trap" chicane curbs. Some drivers are whining about those curbs; but not the guys up front,
Defending series champions Wayne Taylor/Max(the Axe) Angelelli tried to force another car into the wall on the front straight; costing them a late race drive-through penalty which relegated them to 9th.
Official Grand Am release:
"A Lap 74 crash involving Chris Bingham in the No. 40 Preformed Line Products/Coyote Pontiac Riley and JC France in the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche Fabcar touched off a physical altercation between the two drivers. As a result, both drivers have been suspended from the upcoming Rolex Series event at Homestead-Miami Speedway and have been placed on open-ended probation. Additional sanctions against the drivers are likely..."
That makes it sound civilized. 2 drivers with multi-layered driving suits, HANS devices, and full helmets can't do much damage to each other in a roll-on-the-ground brawl; but it looked great on TV! (Shades of Daytona '79!) I guess the Mexican track workers didn't break it up sooner since nobody pulled a knife. If that sounds non-PC, sue me!
-----
As long as I'm talking about south of the border... CA resident and experienced road racer Boris Said (just what DID he say?) claimed the pole for Sunday's BGN race. 2M EST/Fox. Drivers are whining about "death trap" chicane curbs. Some drivers are whining about those curbs; but not the guys up front,