Leitzinger/Weaver Win WSC at Lime Rock
29 May 1998
Lakeville, CT (May 26, 1998) The Road Racing Capital of New England, Lime Rock Park, hosted it's annual Memorial Day Week-end of Racing. Six races in two days. WSC, GT1,2 and 3, Trans-Am, Barber Dodge, Dodge Neon Challenge and American Challenge make up the six categories. For the race fan, it is without a doubt one of the best tickets in motorsports. In WSC(World Sports Car) the nine car field put on a great show. The race boiled down to another Ford v. Ferrari shootout. Of the nine cars, six were Ford powered, two were powered by Ferrari and Jim Downing's Mazda Kudzu rounded out the field. What lacked in quantity of cars was made up in quality of cars as well as drivers. Among the regular WSC drivers were two names, Tommy Kendall and Dorsey Schroeder that are more commonly associated with Trans-Am. For Kendall, the 1997 Trans-Am Champion, the week-end of driving was rewarded with a fifth place finish. Schroeder, substituting for John Paul, Jr. a fourth place finish was in store. Starting from pole position, Leitzinger and Weaver scored their first ever WSC victory at Lime Rock. The one-hour and forty five minute race had six lead changes among four cars. For Leitzinger and Weaver the only time they lost the lead was during routine pit stops. None the less there were moments in the race when it appeared that one of the two Ferrari's were going to get the checkered flag first. The opening lap sequence gave a preview of what was in store when Tommy Kendall moved from fourth place to second on the opening lap. Kendall displayed that, while he has been out of action for the most part this year, he has not lost a step when it comes to fighting for position on the track. Hopefully, Kendall will get a richly deserved full-time ride from someone based on his performance. On the next lap, Wayne Taylor struck back grabbing second place from Kendall. While the fight for second, third and fourth was going on Leitzinger was methodically pulling out a half-second per lap lead. By lap #14, Leitzinger was ahead by 7.497 seconds. On lap #28 a full-course caution is brought out to retrieve the car of Jon Field. The gearbox on his American F&L Insurance Ford was finished. Taking advantage of the yellow, Taylor brought his Ferrari in the pits for fule and tires. One lap later, Kendall followed suit. On lap #25 the race went back to green. The running order was Leitzinger, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Lienhard and Taylor. The first through fourth places were covered by 5.13 seconds. The #7 Ferrari 333SP team of Taylor and van der Peole took over the lead from Leitzinger/Weaver when the #16 Ford Riley&Scott team pitted on lap 41. The sequence of pit stops changes the running order. At the one-hour mark (lap 71) the top-six running order was Taylor(#7 Ferrari), Weaver (#16 Ford), Schroeder(#20 Ford), Theys(#27 Ferrari), Schubot(#8 Ford) and Kendall(#39 Ford). On the ensuing lap Taylor brought the #7 Ferrari in for tires, fuel and driver change. Weaver in the #16 Ford took over the lead. During the next fifteen minutes a game of chicken was played out as each team tried to stretch their fuel and pray for a yellow flag. On lap #74 Weaver pitted giving the lead to Forbes Robinson in the #20 Ford. One lap later EFR pitted for fuel and tires. Unfortunately, EFR exceeded the pit-lane speed limit and was assessed a stop and go penalty. For the #20 Ford team their chance at victory was gone unless a last minute yellow came out. The #27 Ferrari driven by Theys takes over the lead from the #20 Ford and a battle between Theys and Weaver develops over the next nine laps. With 27 minutes left in the race Theys pits the Ferrari for fuel and tires and relinquished the lead. The running order with 20 minutes left was #16, #7, #20, #39, #27, #8, #63 and #36. Weaver in the #16 Ford had the race in hand with a 33.098 second lead. However, the battle for second through fourth place was just getting started. Van der Poele in the #7 Ferrari and Schroeder in the #20 Ford began a duel for second place. Directly behind this battle, Theys in the #27 Ferrari rips off the fastest race lap of the day (0:50.287 sec) for a lap average of 110.247 mph. Theys blistering pace is rewarded with a move from fifth to fourth. Just ahead, Schroeder in the #20 Ford slides off the circuit in the chicane as he attempted to overtake Van der Poole in the #7 Ferrari. This allows Theys to jump from fourth to third. Two laps later the fight for second becomes an all Ferrari duel as Theys and Van der Poele touch in Turn #1. Theys comes out of the skirmish in second place. The altercation left the #7 Ferrari without a rear-wing. None the less, Van der Peole was able to fend off a challenge from Schroeder and take a hard-earned third place. For Leitzinger and Weaver the victory was a first for the PSR season. The PSR schedule will pick up at Road Atlanta on June 21. Finishing Order 1)Leitzinger/Weaver #20 Ford R&S 117 Laps 2)Theys/Lienhard #27 Ferrari 333SP 117 Laps 3)Taylor/Van der Poele # 7 Ferrari 333SP 117 Laps 4)EFR/Schroeder #16 Ford R&S 117 Laps 5)Kendall/Murry #39 Ford R&S 116 Laps 6)Schubot/Camferdam # 8 Ford R&S 114 Laps 7)Katz/Downing #63 Mazda Kudzu DLM 111 Laps 8)Dollahite/Matthews #36 Ford R&S 110 Laps 9)Field #28 Ford R&S 17 Laps (not running) Time of Race: 1 Hour 45 minutes and 27.496 seconds Winning Speed: 102.51mph Margin of Victory:18.375 seconds David Treffer -- The Auto Channel
