Belgian driver David Saelens completed a sweep with his second win from the pole in Porsche Michelin Supercup action June 19 at the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Saelens, 29, from Belgium but now residing in Monaco, won the sprint into Turn 1 on the opening lap of the 16-lap race from a determined Alessandro Zampedri, who also started from the front row, and held the lead to the end to win by one second at an average speed of 96.394 mph.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Zampedri had to resist fierce pressure from Dutch driver Jeroen Bleekemolen on laps 9 and 10 before pulling clear again to secure second place by half a second. Zampedri, 35, now moves into the series lead with 101 points after two second-place finishes this weekend at Indianapolis.
Saelens also led Saturday’s entire 16-lap race from the pole and has now scored two race victories in the 2005 Porsche Michelin Supercup series to move into second overall at 91 points.
Patrick Huisman, series leader entering the United States Grand Prix weekend, made an early exit from Sunday’s action after contact with British driver Richard Westbrook at Turn 1 on the opening lap and dropped to third overall after his lone podium finish Saturday.
American guest driver Travis Pastrana, who also competed in the Porsche Michelin Supercup races at the 2003 United States Grand Prix, was nudged off track on Lap 14 in contact with German racer Thomas Messer but rejoined to finish 14th. The second guest driver, Automobile magazine executive editor Mark Gillies, finished 11th.
In Sunday’s second 13-lap Formula BMW USA race, French-born Florida resident Richard Philippe took his third victory of the 2005 series by 4.204 seconds over Tobias Hegewald at an average speed of 95.261 mph.
Third was Canadian Kevin Lacroix, recovering strongly from a no-score Saturday. Philippe and Lacroix are tied in the points standings with 84, but Lacroix retains the series lead by virtue of his five podiums to Philippe’s four this year.
Canadian Robert Wickens, who races for Team Apex Racing USA out of Terre Haute, Ind., is third with 80 points after adding fifth place today to his third place Saturday.
Jonathan Summerton, winner of the first Formula BMW USA race at Indianapolis last year, started from the pole but lost the lead on the way down to Turn 1 on the opening lap. He went off track on Lap 3 and finished 12th.
