Six Hour Notes
Subj: PR--Aurora/LeMans 6 hrs. Section: F-1/Internat'l News
To: All Saturday, June 15, 1996 1:37:22 PM
From: Rick Voegelin, 72467,3005 #819576
Saturday, June 15, 1996; 9:00 p.m.
SIX HOUR NOTES
ON THE ROCKS. Jim Pace had a big "moment" in the Riley & Scott Mk-III at 7:30 p.m. at the
high-speed Indianapolis Curve. The car sustained minor damage as it went off course into a gravel
trap. Pace was able to extricate the car from the gravel and drive back to the pits, where the Riley
& Scott crew removed a large pile of rocks from the radiator inlet, brake ducts, and cockpit. The
crew installed four new tires, and the car returned to competition at 7:36, having lost two more
laps to the leader.
8:00 (five hours): Pace is 17th, 70 laps completed, four laps behind the leading TWR Porsche of
Reuter/Jones/Wurz.
8:14: Pace makes routine stop for fuel. Crew checks brake rotors.
8:50: Pace brings car in for scheduled major service. After refueling in pit lane, the car is pushed
back into the garage for new brake pads and rotors. Once inside the garage, 12 crew members
swarm over the car. Several more buckets of rocks are removed from the cockpit. Wayne Taylor
replaces Pace. The car is serviced and back on the track in 13 minutes and 56 seconds.
"I came through the fast sweeping turn before the Indianapolis Curve and didn't get the car
slowed down enough," Pace reported. "If you go perfectly straight, there's an access road, and I
thought I could buy myself some time if I went for it. The brakes were locked, and I tried to ease
off on the brake to get the car turned -- but as I came over the rise, the car went straight into the
gravel pit.
"The nose dug in, took a big scoop of gravel, and dumped it in the car. There was about a
cubic yard of rocks in the driver's compartment. The car still felt great in the corners, but the
brake pads were getting thin and the pedal was going soft, so I had to move up my brake points.
It was time for a change."
9:00 (six hours): The Riley & Scott Oldsmobile is 17th, 95 laps completed, 8 laps behind the
leader.
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