Houston: Warm up report

AUDIS SHOW THE WAY IN HOUSTON WARMUP

Audi returned to the top of the timing sheet Saturday morning in a 30- minute warmup for the American Le Mans Series' Lone Star Grand Prix with Rinaldo Capello showing the way in the No. 1 Audi R10 TDI he will share with Allan McNish. Capello's time of 1:03.075 was 0.377 seconds ahead of teammate Emanuele Pirro in the other diesel-powered prototype.

The lead Audi will start from the outside front row in this afternoon's race as McNish was beaten out by Highcroft Racing's David Brabham in an LMP2 Acura ARX. Andretti Green Racing also is fielding an Acura ARX, which Marino Franchitti put on the point in P2 with a lap of 1:03.585 that put him third overall.

Franchitti was 0.209 seconds better than Timo Bernhard in the first of Penske Motorsports' Porsche RS Spyders. The pole-sitting Highcroft Acura was next at 1:03.971 at the hands of Stefan Johansson.

Johnny O'Connell put the No. 3 Corvette C6.R on top of GT1 for the first time this weekend with a lap of 1:06.901. He was 0.179 seconds ahead of Oliver Gavin in the sister Corvette Racing entry.

For the third straight session, the Ferrari F430 GT of Houston-based Risi Competizione led the way in GT2. Mika Salo's time of 1:10.135 put him 0.045 seconds ahead of Wolf Henzler in Tafel Racing's Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Flying Lizard Motorsports' lead Porsche of Jörg Bergmeister and Johannes van Overbeek was third at 1:10.554.

-credit: alms