in Historic Belle Isle Run LEADS EVERY LAP OVERALL IN HISTORIC PERFORMANCE ON BELLE ISLE STREETS
Montagny, Rossiter Take AGR XM Acura To Manufacturer’s Second Overall ALMS Win
The Acura American Le Mans Series sports car program recorded many firsts Saturday in theDetroit Sports Car Challenge, the ninth round of the 11-race ALMS series, on the streets of Belle Isle.In its 21st race in the highly-competitive, technically-advanced prototype division, Acura collected its first 1- 2-3 overall finish, with the No. 26 XM Satellite Radio Andretti Green Acura ARX-01b car of Frenchman Franck Mon-tagny and Englishman James Rossiter leading the way. The tandem of David Brabham and Scott Sharp drove the No. 9 Patrón Highcroft Acura ARX-01b machine to second when Montagny bettered Brabham by 3.98 seconds at the checkered flag in the two-hour, 45-minute endurance contest.
In addition, the top-three finish was another first for Acura when the team of Simon Pagenaud and former Indy 500 champion Gil de Ferran took their No. 66 Panasonic ELS Surround Acura ARX-01b to the third position.
The final chip in the Acura jackpot was that the entire 104-lap race was led by an Acura sports car. Sharp led 49 laps, Pagenaud eight circuits and Montagny paced the final 47 laps.
The 1-2-3 finish moved Acura to a four-point lead in the LMP2 Manufacturers’ Championship, and the second place for Brabham and Sharp closed the Patrón pair to within four points in the drivers’ title chase.
Brabham and Pagenaud had posted front-row clockings in Friday’s qualifying and Sharp started the race in the Patrón Acura from the pole. The Florida veteran never looked back at the drop of the green flag by bolting to a five-second lead on Lap 22. Pagenaud saved his mount and took the point on Lap 50 before pitting seven laps later. During a caution period, the strategy of the XM Acura team proved to be the key to the race. Montagny made his final stop for fuel onlyand was ahead of the field when the green flag flew on the 62nd lap. The Le Mans veteran held off the challenges of Timo Bernhard in the No. 7 Penske Porsche and Brabham to secure the second victory for Andretti Green in ALMS com-petition.
The XM team captured the 2007 12 Hours of Se- bring, the first-ever race for Acura in the ALMS.An earlier incident involving Luis Diaz in the No. 15 Lowe’s Fernandez Acura ARX-01b damaged his and Adrian Fernandez’ chances for a top finish Saturday.
The next ALMS race will be the famed Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on Saturday, Oct. 4.
Detroit Sports Car Challenge (LMP2 Class)1. ANDRETTI GREEN XM ACURA ARX-01b No. 262. PATRÓN HIGHCROFT ACURA ARX-01b No. 93. DE FERRAN PANASONIC ACURA ARX-01b No. 664. Penske Porsche No. 79. LOWE’S FERNANDEZ ACURA ARX-01B No. 15
