Thursday June 15th 2000.
19:00 hrs- 21:00 hrs.
By: Jock Simpson

It is still mighty hot here ... at the start of the session the outside temperature is 27C .. At 21:30 hrs the track is 95F !! Sorry about the C/F problems but we don't have a calculator to work it out!

People around here don't recall it being quite this hot at this stage in previous years.

As we have come to expect the session started bang on the dot of 21:00hrs but it is unlikely that any heroic times will be set for the moment since it is so hot out there. Yesterday it was during the second evening session that the times began to drop. This opening bit is more about settling down the cars and drivers after any work that has been going on since yesterday. Most of the cars went out and came straight back in to the pits.

The few times that we do have at this point are all slower than yesterday with the notable exception of the two Cadillacs #2 & #3..

Christian Abt was still cagey when talking to commentator David Addison regarding that engine problem yesterday with Audi #7 'You had better talk to the team ...'

21:20 hrs the TV pictures show that somebody is off on the Mulsanne.. waving yellow flags but no pictures of the car as yet.

21:25 hrs it looked as if a car went straight on at the Mulsanne chicane and rejoined. Frustratingly we don't have numbers for either car since nobody else seems unduly concerned. So no more on these two unless we hear something.

In LMGT a few times are dropping but the Barbour Porsche #83 still remains some six seconds ahead of the #77 Labre Porsche.

Panoz #11 made a few changes today and it now has a bit of an under-steer problem. It seems that the Panoz lads are not planning on going for quick times at the moment, simply sorting out a race set up and so on.

Reynard -Judd #24 up one place and it now splits the two Lolas. Guy Smith was at the wheel, not bad when you recall that this is his first visit to Le Mans.

21:40hrs The Belmondo Viper #54 went straight on at Arnage and after a 'brief encounter of the gravel type' escaped and rejoined.

Audi #8 back out after spending time hidden away in the pit garage. Thoughtfully the Audis are still running #7,#8, #9, which is nice and tidy! They do still seem to be trying because despite the times being slower today they are still the fastest cars out there, albeit some two seconds slower than yesterday. Currently it is the #8 car with Pirro at the wheel that is the quickest of the trio just three tenths off their yesterday times.

21:45 hrs approx... The WR-Peugeot #35 into the gravel trap, lots of gravel everywhere and they are digging it out.

Positions at 20:00hrs
7.8.9.11.12.21.24.20.17.23.22.1.5.16.3.2.4.33.
10.15.34.6.35.51.63.52.64.53.56.54.36.32.57.
59.83.30.60.77.81.76.71.73.79.82.80.72.78.75.

Bit surprised that The Panoz #23 and #22 have not gone out at all during this session, they are working on a race set up we are told. An interesting point ... is it that vital in a 24hour race to be a couple of rows further up on the grid?

#10 Panoz with John Neilsen driving is pressing on and sampling the grass verges! It has paid off because it has gained him a couple of places.

The Cadillacs #2 and #3 are still improving their times .

'Rookie' Johnny Mowlem is in the Porsche GT3R #82 with a new rear wing, new engine, new gearbox and it is going quicker than it was yesterday. He agreed with David Addison that bearing in mind that he only got one lap in before the drive shaft broke, he was on a steep learning curve!

The #30 Debora has lopped a healthy five seconds off its time and but only moved up to 36th overall from 38th..

20:08 hrs Audi #9 is now on pole, a cracking lap from Alan McNish, 1.2 secs quicker than yesterday. It could be that things are cooling off a bit as the sun sets. Or he may well have put on a set of softer compound 'qualifying' tyres since he backed off almost immediately, came in, they changed tyres and he went out again.

Suddenly times are perking up all over the place far too many to mention! Quite why remains unclear, maybe track temperatures are finally coming down.

20:15 hrs .. Tom Kristensen puts the #8 Audi on pole. On the computer screens #8 & #9 now share the same time, (3:36.650 secs) but #8 is on pole because he did it first.

Stephane Ortelli tells us they are on race tyres, NOT qualifiers, interesting. Why did they change them so quickly on the #9 car?

Justin Bell #63 tells us the 'in car' temperatures in the Corvette are amazingly high,. They are now looking for the best way to keep the drivers cool, in the race this could be critical, at the moment they can't get the fresh air hose pointing in the right direction. (Seems a bit basic !) No doubt air-con would be a nice factory option!

Canadian newcomer Ron Fellows is in car #63 this is his first time at Le Mans and it was Ron who posted the quick time, theoretically Justin Bell will be/should quicker.

Panoz #23 has finally ventured out onto the track and posted a very modest 3:58.518 secs as opposed to 3:44.599secs yesterday.

Courage Judd #17 went from 14th to 5th in one fell swoop! Some jump in times!

There maybe a Problem with Team Rafanelli #21 Lola -Judd, the car may have an engine, or possibly a transmission or clutch problem. Naspetti is driving. However we have heard no more so maybe all is well after all.

Panoz #22 has finally gone out with 15 mins left in this session; it is way off the pace so they are probably just checking things out.

Reynard - Judd 2KQ #24 driven by Guy Matthews has put in a quick time, they are currently 8th.

20:50 hrs.. Those Audis are still at it! Alan McNish #9 has now taken pole back with a 3:36.124 secs.We are not sure this pole battle is over yet!

Brabham is out there right at the end of the session hoping to split those Audis but failed in this session.

Cadillac #3 suddenly put in a quick lap and they are now in the top ten, which will please them enormously!

While all this going on up front there were major changes in LMGT .. you may recall that the #83 Dick Barbour car was having everything its own way, not anymore it ain't ! Labre got their heads down and they not only closed that huge gap but put the #77 car ahead of the Barbour car.

Equally impressive was the surge put in by the Corvettes #63 & #64. They have both now got ahead of the #52 Viper and are creeping up on the leading #51 Viper. Very interesting, maybe it won't be a walk over for the Vipers after all; the Corvettes certainly seem to have the pace at the moment.

Positions at 21:00hrs
9.8.7.11.17.12.21.24.20.3.23.22.5.1.16.10.
34.2.4.33.15.6.35.51.64.63.52.53.32.56.54.
36.57.59.77.83.30.60.71.76.81.82.72.73.79.80.78.75