The addition of five Challenge class entries has boosted the American Le Mans Series grid for round 4 of the 2009 season.
The specially-invited Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, all of whom have previous experience racing in the Patron GT3 Challenge, will race in their own category and have boosted the total grid numbers for a third successive race. 23 cars will contest the race at Miller Motorsport Park.
Aside from the Challenge class entries, the P1 class welcomes Corsa Motorsport’s hybrid Ginetta-Zytek to the grid for the first time. Experienced duo Johnny Mowlem and Stefan Johansson share the driving duties and while they’re unlikely to challenge the two P1 Acuras, they will be hoping to prove their reliability and challenge the Intersport and Autocon Lolas for the final podium spots.
The P2 class remains a three-car category with Dyson Racing’s pair of Lola-Mazdas looking to end the dominance of the Lowe’s Fernandez Racing Acura.
The GT1 class has disappeared after the ‘retirement’ of the works Corvette C6.Rs, leaving GT2 as the strongest class with ten entries.
The Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 and LG Motorsport Corvette C6, both of which retired from the last round at Long Beach, are absent from the grid, while a couple of teams have made driver changes / additions ahead of the race.
After missing the last round, Andrea Robertson rejoins the Robertson Racing line-up alongside David Robertson and David Murry in the Doran Ford GT. Meanwhile Flying Lizards Motorsport’s #44 Porsche 911, currently sitting fourth in the standings, sees Johannes van Overbeek, who raced the car at the season-opener at Sebring, replacing Darren Law alongside Seth Neiman.
Salt Lake City – Provisional entry list
P1 9 Patron Highcroft Racing, David Brabham / Scott Sharp, Acura ARX-02a
P1 12 Autocon Motorsports, Michael Lewis / Bryan Willman, Lola B06/10 AER
P1 37 Intersport Racing, Jon Field / Clint Field / Chapman Ducote, Lola B06/10 AER
P1 48 Corsa Motorsport, Johnny Mowlem / Stefan Johansson, Ginetta-Zytek 09HS
P1 66 de Ferran Motorsports, Gil de Ferran / Simon Pagenaud, Acura ARX-02a
P2 15 Lowe’s Fernandez Racing, Adrian Fernandez / Luis Diaz, Acura ARX-01B
P2 16 Dyson Racing, Chris Dyson / Guy Smith, Lola B09/86 Mazda
P2 20 Dyson Racing, Butch Leitzinger / Marino Franchitti, Lola B09/86 Mazda
GT2 11 Primetime Race Group, Joel Feinberg / Chris Hall, Dodge Viper
GT2 18 VICI Racing, Nicki Pastorelli / Johannes Stuck, Porsche 911 RSR
GT2 21 Panoz Team PTG, Dominik Farnbacher / Ian James, Panoz Esperante GTLM
GT2 40 Robertson Racing, David Robertson / Andrea Robertson / David Murry, Doran Ford GT MK7
GT2 44 Flying Lizard Motorsports, Johannes van Overbeek / Seth Neiman, Porsche 911 RSR
GT2 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports, Joerg Bergmeister / Patrick Long, Porsche 911 RSR
GT2 62 Risi Competizione, Jaime Melo / Pierre Kaffer, Ferrari 430
GT2 87 Farnbacher Loles Racing, Wolf Henzler / Dirk Werner, Porsche 911 RSR
GT2 90 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, Joey Hand / Bill Auberlen, BMW E92 M3
GT2 92 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, Dirk Muller / Tommy Milner, BMW E92 M3
Challenge 36 Gruppe Orange, Wesley Hoaglund / Bob Faieta, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Challenge 47 ORBIT Racing, John Baker / Guy Cosmo, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Challenge 57 Snow Racing, Martin Snow / Melanie Snow, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Challenge 02 Gruppe Orange, Neil Parker / Carl Skerlong, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Challenge 08 ORBIT Racing, Ed Brown / Bill Sweedler, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Watch the ALMS race from Salt Lake City, delayed in full on Saturday 23 May at 5pm (BST) on Motors TV.
Andy Wilkinson
International
