Monday 26th April 2004

Le Mans Qualifying

Latest news from Qualifying

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Last weekend Synergy Motorsport were at the famous Fench racetrack to test their two cars and to officially qualify.

Thanks to other teams dropping out prior to the weekend, both of Synergy's cars are now entered for the 24 hour race in June.

The plan to field a ladies team in car 96 has been postponed until 2005. Lead driver Amanda Stretton has announced that she's pregnant and other ladies in the frame have also had plans scuppered for various reasons.

In their place stepped Nigel Greensall, Lawrence Tomlinson and Jonathan Coleman. Greensall and Tomlinson have been racing the successful Team RSR Tuscan R in the British GT Championship as well as having a wealth of experience previously. Coleman is best known as a Radical Racer.

The other car, number was occupied by 89 was driven by Bob Berridge, Chris Stockton and team owner Gareth Evans. Michael Caine is also being held in reserve.

After the weekend's qualifying, car 89 finished 44th overall, 10th in class and car 96 was in 48th, 14th in class. There are sixteen cars in the GT class.

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The Morgan Aero 8 finished the weekend at the tail of the times, with Neil Cunningham, Adam Sharpe and Keith Ahlers bringing the car in 52nd overall (4:27.573 seconds)

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Fastest in the GT class was the White Lightning Racing 911 GT3-RSR with a time of 4:05.979.

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Martin Short's Rollcentre team brought their Dallara Judd home in 11th place in the LMP1 class (the fastest cars) ahead of 9 other LMP1's.

[murcielago]

So it's better than last year for the Tiv's?

>>> Edited by murcielago on Monday 26th April 21:22

[top fuel]

10th in class is a start!! Go TVR!


"Fastest in the GT class was the White Lightning Racing 911 GT3-RSR with a time of 4:05.979."

Driven by HoBos or Pikeys???

[The DJ 27]

It's a yank team so it'll be driven by rednecks

[the fury]

Sorry to be a sexist pig but I couldn't help but roll my eyes when I heard Amanda Stretton was up the duff and therefore couldn't race. Am I right in saying her manager is also her and the team's manager or something? If she was that keen to race at Le Mans (and god knows, I would be) couldn't they have been a bit more, er, careful in the months preceding the big race?

[Ahonen]

the fury said:

...Amanda Stretton was up the duff ...

Charming way of putting it. I didn't realise people actually said that in real life.

As to your thoughts on the subject of drivers etc., well who knows? It all has to come down to money in the end, of course - hence the RSR drivers in the second car and only a couple of the Sebring drivers in the Le Mans squad. Though that could all change, of course.

Watch out for Nigel in qualifying - he'll make that TVR travel rather faster that it's supposed to if he's let off the leash!

In a way it's a shame Porsche has no real opponents in the class at Le Mans. No other car has the pace, reliability or drivers to win. The Freisinger/BAM/Peterson/Racers Group cars will decide the outcome between them - though the battle between the factory hot-shoes in those cars is going to be great.

[HarryW]

Ahonen said:

the fury said: ...Amanda Stretton was up the duff ... Charming way of putting it. I didn't realise people actually said that in real life. ....

Do you mean there is another life, its far more common than you realise . I suppose she could always be 'preggers' or 'have a bun in the oven', does that sound more real life, thought not .

Harry

[Ahonen]

HarryW said:

Ahonen said: the fury said: ...Amanda Stretton was up the duff ... Charming way of putting it. I didn't realise people actually said that in real life. .... Do you mean there is another life, its far more common than you realise . I suppose she could always be 'preggers' or 'have a bun in the oven', does that sound more real life, thought not . Harry

Okay, okay. Point taken, you sarcastic b'stard! It just surprised me to see it written down like that, that's all - sounds like something from the Royle Family.

[vetteheadracer]

Corvettes finished 1st and 2nd in GTS class qualifying in 18th and 19th with a best time of 3:49:982. At that pace they should lap the TVR about every 45 minutes!

[nubbin]

Are the TVR's still having to run restrictors as "prototypes?"

That might explain their position....

[Ahonen]

nubbin said:

Are the TVR's still having to run restrictors as "prototypes?" That might explain their position....

Good point. I thought they'd convinced the ACO that they'd made enough, but they might not have yet. I'll do some digging.