Alex Job Racing - Trois-Rivieres 1-2

Trois-Rivières
race, Aug. 3, 2002

team race

Alex Job Racing  finished first and second in the GT class in Saturday's 
American Le Mans Series race at Trois-Rivières, after a riveting duel between 
the two team cars.  Lucas Luhr started the No. 23 McKenna Xybernaut Porsche 
from the class pole position, followed by his teammate Jörg Bergmeister in 
the No. 22 Porsche.

Bergmeister pitted just before the midpoint of the three-hour race, after a 
grueling stint without a cooling system, and Timo Bernhard took the wheel.  
Luhr pitted 15 minutes later, handing off to Sascha Maassen, who struggled 
with a loose seatbelt.  Bernhard passed him at 2h30 and opened up a 
seven-second lead, but Maassen retook the lead on a daring pass with five 
minutes to go.  Luhr and Maassen finished first in class, with Bergmeister 
and Bernhard a close second.
 
Lucas Luhr  "That was a pretty exciting race.  The first half of the race I 
worked really hard, but I had a comfortable lead over our sister car.  When 
we came to the pitstops, Timo came closer and closer, pushing hard, so Sascha 
decided to push at the end, as well.  I'm really proud of Sascha - he was 
seven seconds behind because his seatbelts were loose, then he caught up and 
got by Timo.  I think that was the best move I've seen this year!"

Sascha Maassen  "The excitement started when my seat belt unbuckled.  It was 
just one, but it's enough to feel insecure.  Then the safety car came out and 
I put it back in and I felt safe again.  Then it happened a second time and I 
was in the middle of the race, so I slowed down and got it fixed.  Then I 
pushed.  I prepared the move on Timo three corners before and forced him onto 
the defensive line.  By the third corner, I had him."

Jörg Bergmeister  "It was maybe as hot as Washington.  Again the cooling 
system failed; after five minutes it didn't work anymore.  I tried to loosen 
the belts because I thought maybe a tube was pinched.  It didn't work, so I 
tried to drink water, but after one hour 15 , I was completely gone and had 
to come in."

Timo Bernhard  "After the pitstop, I did a few laps and I closed the gap to 
Sascha.  We were following each other lap by lap by lap, then I overtook him 
and took the lead by seven seconds.  I knew from Jörg that the cooling system 
failed so I didn't use it.  It was so hot I had big problems at the end, so I 
slowed down and took second place rather than crash."