The Highcroft Racing HPD registered a third straight American Le Mans Series victory on Sunday at Miller Motorsports Park.
Championship leaders David Brabham and Simon Pagenaud had to fight for the victory, but smart strategy and good pit work by the team saw them head home the Drayson Racing Lola-Judd of Emmanuele Pirro and Jonny Cocker by 19 seconds at the chequered flag.
Pagenaud fell back to sixth from pole position in the early stages as the Intersport Racing Lola of Jon and Clint Field charged to the head of the race ahead of Cocker. The two Lolas fought a close battle for the lead throughout the first stint as Pagenaud picked his way back through the field, but a Safety Car period on the hour mark changed the race.
The leaders all pitted together under yellows and Pagenaud rejoined in the lead. He lost his advantage again to the more powerful Lolas during his next stint, but by running him eight laps longer before his next stop, the Highcroft team were able to move Brabham into a lead he would never lose as he took over the car.
Pirro and Cocker held on for second place, but the Fields lost a podium finish after contact with the LMPC class Green Earth Team Gunnar car near the end dropped them to fourth behind the Muscle Milk Team Cytosport Porsche RS Spyder of Greg Pickett and Klaus Graf.
The Risi Competizione Ferrari of Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni dominated the GT category, leading almost every lap as they clinched the win and took the category’s points lead.
Bill Auberlen and Tommy Milner ran longer than anyone else in each stint in their BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team E92 M3 to clinch second place with Jan Magnussen and Johnny O’Connell netting third for Corvette Racing.
Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut claimed the LMPC category for Level 5 Motorsports, while Jeroen Bleekemolen and Tim Pappas scored success in the GTC class for Black Swan Racing.
American Le Mans Series results – Round 4, Utah Grand Prix
1 David Brabham / Simon Pagenaud, Patron Highcroft Racing, HPD ARC-01c, 91 laps 2:45.43.162 (LMP)
2 Drayson Racing, Emmanuele Pirro / Jonny Cocker, Lola B09/60-Judd, +19.116 (LMP)
3 Muscle Milk Team Cytosport, Greg Pickett / Klaus Graf, Porsche RS Spyder, +1:30.374 (LMP)
4 Intersport Racing, Jon Field / Clint Field, Lola B06/10-AER, +3 laps (LMP)
5 Level 5 Motorsports, Scott Tucker / Christophe Bouchut, Oreca FLM09, +5 laps (LMPC)
6 Green Earth Team Gunnar, Gunnar Jeannette / Elton Julian, Oreca FLM09, +6 laps (LMPC)
7 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports, Alex Figge / Max Hyatt, Oreca FLM09, +6 laps (LMPC)
8 Level 5 Motorsports, Scott Tucker / Andy Wallace, Oreca FLM09, +6 laps (LMPC)
9 Risi Competizione, Jaime Melo / Gianmaria Bruni, Ferrari 430 GT, +6 laps (GT)
10 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, Bill Auberlen / Tommy Milner, BMW E92 M3, +6 laps (GT)
11 Corvette Racing, Jan Magnussen / Johnny O’Connell, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, +7 laps (GT)
12 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, Dirk Muller / Joey Hand, BMW E92 M3, +7 laps (GT)
13 Flying Lizard Motorsports, Joerg Bergmeister / Patrick Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, +7 laps (GT)
14 Risi Competizione, Giancarlo Fisichella / Toni Vilander, Ferrari 430 GT, +7 laps (GT)
15 Extreme Speed Motorsports, Scott Sharp / Johannes van Overbeek, Ferrari 430 GT, +8 laps (GT)
16 Extreme Speed Motorsports, Ed Brown / Guy Cosmo, Ferrari 430 GT, +8 laps (GT)
17 Team Falken Tire, Bryan Sellers / Wolf Henzler, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, +9 laps (GT)
18 Autocon Motorsports, Bryan Willman / Tony Burgess, Lola B06/10 AER, +9 laps (LMP)
19 Corvette Racing, Olivier Beretta / Oliver Gavin, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, +9 laps (GT)
20 Flying Lizard Motorsports, Darren Law / Seth Neiman, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, +10 laps (GT)
21 Black Swan Racing, Tim Pappas / Jeroen Bleekemolen, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, +11 laps (GTC)
22 The Racers Group, Henri Richard / Andy Lally, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, +11 laps (GTC)
23 WERKS II / P7 Racing, Robert Rodriguez / Galen Bieker, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, +12 laps (GTC)
24 Velox Motorsports, Shane Lewis / Jerry Vento, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, +12 laps (GTC)
25 Orbit Racing, Bryce Miller / Luke Hines Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, +13 laps (GTC)
26 911 Design, Loren Beggs / Doug Baron, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, +13 laps (GTC)
27 Robertson Racing, David Robertson / Andrea Robertson / David Murry, Doran Ford, +13 laps (GT)
28 GMG Racing, Bret Curtis / James Sofronas, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, +13 laps (GTC)
29 Alex Job Racing, Bill Sweedler / Romeo Kapudija, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, +14 laps (GTC)
Not classified
Dyson Racing Team, Chris Dyson / Guy Smith, Lola B09/86-Mazda, 73 laps (LMP)
Jaguar RSR, Marc Goossens / Ryan Dalziel, Jaguar XKRS, 57 laps (GT)
Intersport Racing, Kyle Marcelli / Brian Wong, Oreca FLM09, 21 laps (LMPC)
Alex Job Racing, Ricardo Gonzalez / Luis Diaz, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 5 laps (GTC)
Alex Job Racing, Juan Gonzalez / Butch Leitzinger, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, DSQ
Championship Standings (after 4 rounds)
LMP
1 David Brabham, 91pts
= Simon Pagenaud, 91
2 Klaus Graf, 80
3 Chris Dyson, 60
4 Greg Pickett, 59
5 Guy Smith, 54
= Jonny Cocker, 54
LMPC
1 Scott Tucker, 91
= Christophe Bouchut, 91
2 Gunnar Jeannette, 80
3 Elton Julian, 64
4 Christian Zugel, 60
5 Tom Sutherland, 57
GT
1 Jaime Melo, 75
= Gianmaria Bruni, 75
2 Jorg Bergmeister, 73
= Patrick Long, 73
3 Bill Auberlen, 63
= Tommy Milner, 63
4 Dirk Muller, 62
= Joey Hand, 62
5 Jan Magnussen, 53
= Johnny O’Connell, 53
GTC
1 Juan Gonzalez, 68
= Butch Leitzinger, 68
2 Henri Richard, 55
= Andy Lally, 55
3 Bill Sweedler, 51
= Romeo Kapudija, 51
4 Shane Lewis, 49
5 Tim Pappas, 48
= Jeroen Bleekemolen, 48
Next round: 23/24 July, American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix, Lime Rock Park
Watch highlights from the Utah Grand Prix on Sunday 18 July at 5pm (BST) on Motors TV.
Andy Wilkinson
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