Club Arnage - 2001 Le Mans 24 hours

2nd Practice Session [Daylight]

Thursday June 14 19:00-21:00hrs.
By Jock Simpson

Surprise, surprise, guess what? Audi 1st, Audi 2nd, Audi 3rd after yesterday's
qualifying. Bentley start the session 7th & 8th. The MG #34 leads its class and is 14th
overall, the other MG# is lying 17th. The #60 Saleen heads the #63 Corvette and the
#58 Chrysler Viper. In the LM GT #70 the lone Callaway Corvette about 0.8 secs
ahead of the first of the Porsches #80.

19:00 hrs Conditions overcast and there may be rain later. The quick times will
probably be set in the second session this evening. This session will allow one or two
drivers to get their approved number of laps in to qualify

19:11 hrs. Neither of the MG's have gone out yet. Both are in currently component
form! Hugh Chamberlain no doubt has a cunning plan… "The guys are bored" says
Hugh …" #34 won't go out until later and it is race ready so we will only do a few
shake down laps .. #33 has a new race engine being fitted and it proving a bit of a
problem, it is very complex operation and they are behind in the #33 car" . They also
have a problem with fuel filling which will effect race tactics perhaps. They have not
qualified Bailey yet; he is short of night laps. #34 is currently on pole for Class Three

19:12 hrs. PK Sport now have a new race engine and gearbox etc in the car, all their
drivers have qualified so they will be shaking down the car.
A few spots of rain. Yesterday the cars were going out on wets to clear the track of
dust and rubbish. Today the track is much cleaner after the Legends went out.

19:15 hrs Both Bentley's are out on the track.
Times are slower this evening.. Maybe the cars are running at 'Race Pace' to sort out
fuel consumption. Rumour has it that the works Audis will be quicker and less thirsty
than last year.
Weather reports say it will be cloudy, 68F degrees for sat and Sunday.
Panoz are noticeably quieter this year .. The earth moves less often!
Nice to see 'Gulf' colours are back at Le Mans on Audi R8… remember the Ford
GT40 & Porsche 917?

19:21 hrs Maybe the historics have put down a bit of oil, another reason for the slower
times?

19:23hrs #14 Chrysler not been out yet, they are changing engines and set up. Taking
longer than expected.

19:24hrs Claudia Hurtgen has been off and brought gravel back all over the circuit
and the flags are out.
Eric van de Poele happy with testing time in the car.

19:28 hrs Bad news for Rowan racing. The #35 car it is 'lifting' on the quick bits,
scary or what! So they are sorting out aerodynamics. Not yet fully qualified all their
drivers.
#34 MG car is out (despite what Chamberlain said!).

19:31 RML Saleen is still in, it took a hit from a Chrysler and went off .. so they are
redoing the set up. Konrad cars still hopping in

19:31 hrs #75 Neugarten Porsche stuffed back end and is out of it at the moment.
#35 improved on last night by a blinding 14 seconds! Martin O'Connell at the helm.
Seems aerodynamics seem a bit safer now.
#35 O'Connell still flying despite the traffic in the Pilbeam powered by V6 Nissan.
Pretty reliable lump over the last couple of years.
#62 Saleen just gone

19:39 #60 Saleen not going anywhere much currently on pole so no need to waste
petrol..
The Callaway is still quick in GT and showing the Porsches the way home.
#62 Saleen now out on track.
#2 fastest time this evening
# 60 Saleen has no problem, simply an engine change and set up, will go out later and
will treat this and maybe the next session as a test.
#75 Porsche the damaged car is out of bounds for moment and quite heavily damaged.
Neugarten unhappy that marshals didn't warn about debris on track.

19:43: #20 Ascari in pits not gone anywhere yet .. team say a bit of the engine 'went'
a new engine has gone in.

19:49 hrs: No sign of rain now, it was only ever a few spots.

19:51 hrs: Martin O' Connell tells us that the new splitter they fitted didn't help and
they had lift off .. they have changed back and they can go faster. The car is in the
race and they are happy.
#2 tried for a flyer and had a huge moment that messed up a quick lap.
#61 Saleen is improving. Konrad is a Le Mans regular.
#20 in bits, still! Last night went out for a few laps, car getting better, he was getting
better so came and then went out again and suddenly at the Esses the engine blew up!
Whoops. They are running short of engines.

19:56 #75 Porsche .. The story goes on .. Neugarten Pit crew went out to the incident;
heated exchange of views regarding flags etc, marshals said they showed flag for two
laps as required. I wonder if Neugarten saw it!
Audi had a power steering failure yesterday, an Achilles Heel?
Bentley cruising around in a relaxed sort of fashion getting drivers used to circuit and
pit crews race ready.
#1 Audi just had new brake discs fitted.

20:00 hrs #70Callaway Corvette still 0.8 secs ahead of #72 Porsche.

Positions at 20:00 hrs.
1,2,3,9,16,7,8,4,19,15,6,5,17,34,10,14,33,20,18,36,21,38,12,30,11,60,63,32,64,37,58,
35,57.61.62.56.55.70.72.83.80.79.76.77.74.75.82.71.

#76 Stephen Day out in PK Porsche for shake down after new engine.

Not seen so far #19 Judd Courage #14 LM P Chrysler, #33 MG, #20 Ascari,

#34 is now a complete car and will go out after the break in the dark.
Audis have been putting in a few flying laps, no quicker than yesterday, maybe they
are blitzing a few laps and checking fuel etc.

#1 Audi also changed brake discs.. Wonder why?

#2 Audi in for practice pit stop and driver change. Aiello removed all his visor rip offs
by mistake!
Callaway Corvette
20:26 hrs: #37 Dick Barbour Reynard engine problems, crawling home.

#4 Audi steering rack problem persists, they had a vibration.

#14 Chrysler will be fuelled up and going out soon.

#60 Saleen is limping home, why we don't know at the moment. But suddenly it is
has now healed up!

#9 Jan Lammers has improved by 1.2 secs, an improvement in time but not place. One
of few improvements to date over yesterday's times.
20:19 hrs: #35 Pilbeam at walking pace on Mulsanne … not totally competitive we
think! Problem currently unknown.
Pace is generally speeding up a bit all round.
20:21 hrs Dome #9 back in the pits, curious tactic to risk the race engine and not gain
much?

#37 Dick Barbour Reynard problem. Dick says what problem? Simply the front
bodywork came adrift and popped up and he didn't want to lose the bit or the driver's
head! Generous to a tee.

#33 MG is now out on the track.

#35 Pilbeam, good news.. The throttle cable snapped! All very high-tech, but nothing
serious.

#9 Dome fuelled up and Lammers stuck in pits, fuel filler wouldn't come out, engine
reluctant to restart. Rejoins.

#10 Dome John Nielsen now in the car.
20:32 hrs #5 Cadillac into the top ten.
Frank Beila (on pole) says car in garage for normal routine maintenance, car feels
good, no problems. Tonight is all about set about for Audi.

#3 Audi engine cover off maybe a problem?
20:35hrs #70 Callaway lost LM GT pole to #80 Porsche has bumped them off.

#7 Bentley now Brundle at the wheel looking for a quick one … he is three seconds
off the Chrysler ahead of him.
20:38 hrs: This last half hour could after all see some really quick times, 'In' boards
and new tyres are a common sight in the pit lane.

#4 Audi had a steering rack and brake balance problems, not very happy but now
solved hopefully but still in pits.

#9 Dome on a flyer with Lammers at the wheel, but decided against taking any risks
and gave up.

#7 Bentley with Brundle trying for a quick one got baulked by one of the MG's!
Panoz team now a lot happier and back on course for better times.

#10 Dome Nielsen has gone quicker.
20:45hrs #7 Bentley, Martin Brundle back in pits, fed up with the baulking MG?
GT Class lead back with the Corvette. Speeds picking up everywhere now most cars
are now going quicker than yesterday. Except the front three Audi and Bentley.
20:49hrs: Spots of rain in pit lane and light rain falling in the country.

#34 MG up on jacks, don't want to wreck engines, all fairly relaxed.

#4 Audi (Gulf Colours) fifth fastest time.

#7 Bentley out for another go, Brundle at the wheel. Last chance in this session.
GT Category all very close, all the Porsches very tight.
Panoz #12 Magnusson on new tyres and maybe trying for a quick one.
Cadillac #5 now squeezed in between the Bentleys.
20:57 hrs. Stopped raining
Brundle having a go at a quick one last chance in this session, but baulked again.
20:59hrs #4 practice stop and damper adjustments.
21:00 Chequered Flag.

#12 Panoz had an off and explored tyre barrier.

#8 Bentley Wallace pits.

Positions at 21:00 hrs.

1.2.3.9.4.16.7.5.8.19.15.6.17.10.34.14.33.20.12.18.11.38.36.21.30.60.63.58.64.32.37.
62.61.35.57.56.55.70.80.83.72.77.79.76.74.82.75.71.