Alex Job Racing - Laguna Seca race win

Laguna Seca Raceway
race, Sept. 22, 2002

California win 

Lucas Luhr and Sascha Maassen teamed up for their fifth American Le Mans 
Series GT win of the season, capping a tight race on the 2.238-mile Laguna 
Seca Raceway road course.  Their teammates Jörg Bergmeister and Timo Bernhard 
were headed for victory when a mechanical failure dropped them off the podium.

Luhr started the No. 23 McKenna Xybernaut Porsche from the class pole 
position, just ahead of Bergmeister in the No. 22 Porsche.  Luhr led the 
first hour of the two-hour 45-minute race, then pitted during the first 
caution period to hand over to Maassen.  Bergmeister pitted at the same time, 
with Bernhard taking the wheel.  The No. 23 pitstop was a tick slower than 
that of the No. 22 car, so Bernhard grabbed the lead, only to be overtaken by 
Maassen on the restart.  Another caution followed, and another pass, giving 
Bernhard the lead for the next hour.  With 20 minutes to go, the shifter 
broke on the No. 22 car.  Bernhard was able to repair it enough to get back 
to the pits, but a lengthy pitstop followed.  Luhr and Maassen took the class 
win; Bergmeister and Bernhard finished sixth.

Lucas Luhr  "I was a little bit careful with the tires, but everything was 
perfect on the car.  We lost a position in the pits because our pitstop was 
slow and the 22 car got past, but I knew Sascha would get Timo back.  It was 
really close, for sure, but I think we would have caught them at the end.  It 
was a really good race."

Sascha Maassen  "Timo and I were racing each other and then he broke a 
shifter.  I feel really sorry for him because it happened to me twice here.  
You hace to be careful with the shifter here.   We addressed that and our 
team did a good job, but I was shifting very carefully!"

Jörg Bergmeister  "The start was okay; I was right behind Lucas.  Then I had 
some problems with traffic and there were about five seconds to Lucas, but 
the safety car made up a little bit and I was able to come into the pits 
directly behind him.  The guys did a really good job so Timo went out first.  
The car was very good."

Timo Bernhard  "It's very disappointing, we were so close to winning in a few 
races.  We only won once and we could have won three times.  It was fun to 
race with Sascha.  I was leading, but we had a very good, close race until 
the gearshift broke.  It was not driving anymore, so I played with the cables 
and put it into second.  It took me two laps to do it because I'm not a 
mechanic!  But I'm lucky I got it in gear and could get back to the pits."