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Road America: Porsche Motorsports race summary

Alex Job Racing Porsches rebound at ALMS Road America 500; Bernhard/Bergmeister win first-ever ALMS event. ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. - July 7 - The Alex Job Racing McKenna Xybernaut Porsches had a disappointing weekend last week in Ohio with ...

Alex Job Racing Porsches rebound at ALMS Road America 500; Bernhard/Bergmeister win first-ever ALMS event.

ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. - July 7 - The Alex Job Racing McKenna Xybernaut Porsches had a disappointing weekend last week in Ohio with a second-place finish and a DNF, but the Tavares, Fla.-based team came roaring back Sunday at Road America to finish one-two in the GT class to win the America Le Mans Series 500-mile race here.

Jorg Bergmeister and Timo Bernhard, who took the lead with just one lap to go in their #22 AJR Porsche 911 GT3 RS, won their first-ever American Le Mans Series race and continued their successful season in their first full year of America racing.Bernhard, who has been in the winning GT Porsche twice at the 24 Hours of Daytona (2001 and 2002) and most recently a winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is a 21 year-old German GT driver who won last year's Porsche Carrera Cup in Germany. Bergmesiter, who also won at Daytona and Le Mans this year, won last year's Porsche Supercup in Europe.

Second was the identical #23 team Porsche of Sascha Maassen and Lucas Luhr, who were leading for the last two hours of the race until decreasing tire traction while Maassen was driving gave Bergmeister a chance to slip into the lead.

"I was right behind the team car with one lap to go, and I saw Sascha's car was losing grip," said Bergmeister. "We had put soft tires on during our last pit stop, so I was able to overtake him and hold the lead to the end."

This was Porsche's 24th class win in the American Le Mans Series since the series inception in 1999 - more wins than any other make. For Alex Job Racing, it was the first one-two finish since the 2001 Sebring event.

Third was the #66 Racer's Group Porsche 911 GT3 RS of Kevin Buckler, Michael Schrom and new team driver Brian Cunningham. Buckler fell behind early when he had to pit only 45 minutes into the event because his cool shirt system failed, and then co-driver Michael Schrom came out of the car only 20 minutes later.

The #31 Petersen Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 RS led the first 30 minutes of the event with Randy Pobst at the helm, but a flat tire put the car into the gravel trap, losing a lap to the leaders. Then, after making the lap back following a yellow flag, co-driver Johnny Mowlem took over the driving chores and spun on some oil while trying to hold off the Alex Job cars which were trying to take back their lap. Finally, two more flat tires put the #31 Porsche out of contention, with the final flat causing the car to spin, resulting in suspension damage.

Fourth in the GT class was the #52 Seikel Motorsports Porsche of Tony Burgess/Phillip Collin, while the #42 Orbit Racing Porsche of Tony Kester/Gary Schultheis/John Lloyd, Jr. finished fifth. Running in the top three for much of the day was the #43 Orbit Racing Porsche of Peter Baron/Leo Hindery, but some power loss problems near the end of the event dropped the car down to a sixth-place finish. Another car which ran in the top five for much of the day the #79 J3 Racing Porsche of Justin Jackson/David Murry/Mike Fitzgerald, which dropped out late in the race with a burnt clutch.

The official Porsche web site - www.porsche.com - has information from Road America event for all the Porsches entered, and stories and photos from the race.

ALMS Road America 500 GT Results

22, Timo Bernhard, Germany; Jorg Bergmeister, Germany; Alex Job Racing;Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 104 laps

23, Sascha Maassen, Germany; Lucas Luhr, Germany; Alex Job Racing, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 104 laps

66, Kevin Buckler, Novato, CA; Brian Cunningham, Ashland, KY; Michael Schrom, Goshen, NY, The Racers Group, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 103 laps

52, Tony Burgess, Canada; Phillip Collin, Lincolnshire, IL; Seikel Motorsport; Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 102 laps

42, Gary Schultheis, Boca Raton, FL; John Lloyd, Jr., Boston, MA; Tony Kester, Michigan City, IN; Orbit, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 101 laps

43, Leo Hindery, Hillsborough, CA; Peter Baron, San Mateo, CA; Orbit, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 100 laps

34, Stefano Buttiero, Italy; Craig Stanton, Seal Beach, CA; XL Racing;Ferrari 550 Maranello, 100 laps

89, Adam Merzon, Greenwich, CT; Robert Julien, Canada; Porschehaus Racing, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 98 laps

31, Michael Petersen, Las Vegas, NV; Randy Pobst, Melbourne, FL; Johnny Mowlem, England; Petersen Motorsports, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 90 laps (DNF - flat/suspension)

79, Justin Jackson, Buford, GA; Mike Fitzgerald, Phoenix; David Murry, Atlanta; J3 Racing, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 88 laps (DNF - clutch)

-porsche-

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