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| Mosport Race Notes:RS SPYDERS |
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The Porsche RS Spyders of Lucas
Luhr/Romain Dumas, and Saascha Maassen/Timo Bernhard, finished 1-2 in their class at the
Labour Day Weekend Grand Prix of Mosport. It marked the fifth LMP2 class victory and the fourth
1-2 LMP2 class finish of the season for the Penske Motorsports-entered Porsche prototypes.
After a weekend drenched in rain, it was cool and dry at the start of the 2 hour and 45 minute
contest. The #7 Porsche RS Spyder, driven by Lucas Luhr, started from third its position
determined by practice session times as Saturday qualifying had been cancelled due to standing
water on the track. Initially, the Porsche RS Spyder held station for the early laps, but the field
quickly segmented into LMP1s, running 1st thru 4th and the LMP2s 5th through 7th.
The front runners ran together for most of the first 10 laps, when a full course yellow presented
the Penske Team with an opportunity to pit the #6 Porsche RS Spyder of Sascha Maassen,
putting it on a staggered pit stop schedule.
At the 50-lap point, the first of the regularly scheduled pit stops began and the # 7 pitted for a
driver change, tires and fuel, Dumas taking over for Luhr. During the flurry of stops, Sascha
Maassen, benefiting from Penske's early pit stop strategy, took over the lead in LMP2.
At the 54 lap mark, the primary challenger to the RS Spyders, the Liz Halliday/Clint Field Lola,
pitted with its front Brakes on fire. The team pushed the car behind the wall and it would not return
until almost 30 laps later.
On lap 63, Maassen finally pitted from the LMP2 lead, handing the #6 Porsche RS Spyder over to
Timo Bernhard and returning in 2nd place. The #7 and #6 remained 1st and 2nd for the remainder
of the race.
"Before the race, we decided to focus onour performance within the LMP2 class, to be safe and
try to bring home another 1-2 finish," said Luhr. "It was the best of results for Porsche and Penske
Motorsports.
"I'm also delighted to be tied with Sascha in the Drivers Championship," Luhr added. "His and my
goal is to win the title together."
It was Luhr's 22nd career win in the ALMS putting him 6th on the all-time list. All of his wins have
been behind the wheel of Porsches.
The two Porsche RS Spyder prototype teams, prepared by Penske Motorsports, scored
maximum points and lengthened their chassis and engine manufacturer championship points
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