Pirro breaks track record as Sebring testing continues

SEBRING, Fla. (March 13, 2001) -- After being upstaged on Monday by a privateer car, the factory Audi team regained its championship form on Tuesday as driver Emanuele Pirro set an unofficial track record in testing for Saturday's American Le Mans Series Superflo 12 Hours At Sebring, Presented by Dodge. The Audi R8 Prototype driven by Pirro turned the 3.7-mile Sebring International Raceway at 122.530 mph (1:48.708) in the last few minutes of Tuesday's practice session. The mark was faster than the existing track record of 122.390 mph (1:48.825) that was set last year by Frank Biela, who will co-drive with Pirro and Tom Kristensen in the race. The three drove to victory in the Sebring event last year. Official practice and qualifying begin on Wednesday, with a second round of qualifying set for Thursday. Forty cars are expected to start Saturday's 12-hour race, and 34 were on the track Tuesday. The privateer Audi R8 of Dorsey Schroeder, Andy Wallace and Ralf Kelleners was second-fastest Tuesday at 120.441 (1:50.594), while the second factory Audi driven by Rinaldo Capello, Laurent Aiello and Michele Alboreto was third at 120.296 (1:50.727). Monday's fastest car, an Audi driven by Stefan Johansson and Guy Smith, was fourth-fastest at 119.941 (1:51.055). A new Saleen S7R driven by Terry Borcheller, Franz Konrad and Oliver Gavin was the fastest car in the GTS class on Tuesday with a lap of 109.901 (2:01.200). The Chevrolet Corvette C5-R of Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins and Franck Freon was second at 109.004 (2:02.411), followed by another Corvette driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell and Chris Kneifel at 108.814 (2:02.411). Leading the GT class was the Porsche 911 GT3 RS driven by Sascha Maassen, Lucas Luhr and Emmanuel Collard at 104.935 (2:06.936), which was an unofficial class record speed. The Porsche 911 GT3 RS driven by Randy Pobst, Christian Menzel and Timo Bernhard was second at 104.080 (2:07.978), followed by the BMW M3 of Niclas Jonsson, Bill Auberlen and Brian Cunningham at 103.828 (2:08.289).

-ALMS