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The X-Factor Grand
Prix of Sonoma Presented by AC Delco and Foster's Lager |
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PRESENTED BY AC DELCO & FOSTER'S LAGER
SUNDAY JULY 22, 2001
PIT NOTES: Page 10
Post Race Quotes:
Rinaldo Capello (#1-P Audi R8) (about the team using two different pit strategy) "I wasn't worried. Look at the results. They made the wrong the strategy. I got (in the pits) in front of Biela and lost position, but we got the yellow flag and gained the gap we lost in the pit stop. Then I just stayed close to Pirro. The cars seemed to be very equal. The gap was only big in traffic. I had a good lead (during the pit stop) and a lap after he was close to me (#2). It was very difficult because I was behind a slow car, it's very easy to loose a lap."
Tom Kristensen (#1-P Audi R8) (about his first time at Sears Point) "It helps that Dindo (Capello) explained to me about the circuit. The car worked well from the beginning, we're very happy with it. Sears Point is very difficult and technical circuit." (about racing his teammates) "We both want to win so certainly we're racing each other. I planned to stay out as long as I could and stress Pirro until he made a mistake. When you're behind you can take more risks and it's stressful for him. I knew if I could stay out longer I could win. I made a mistake early on getting into the Cadillac, which is not what you want, and I take the blame for that." (was the car damaged) "I was worried because it was steering to the left. I radioed and they told me how the car looked from the outside. What I lost in the left hand turns I gained in the right hand turns. The longer the race went on the happier I was."
Johnny O'Connell (#3-GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R) (on his long sting) "The tires worked the best for us. We were running a harder compound. The Goodyear tires were a huge deal for us. That was a stint and a half that I ran (on the same set of tires)." (about the race in general) "It was a very challenging race. Ron started and ran Terry (Borcheller) down, then built up a small lead. Then I took over and built the lead up more. The 4 car came in during a full course caution and I built up a big enough lead then came in for a splash and go with a half hour to go. But the car would not restart immediately and I almost gave up the lead. It was a hard race but worth it." (about the Corvette effort) "More so than any team I've been on, these guys really understand 'team'. It's a joy to be a part of this GM effort."
Ron Fellows (#3-GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R) (about his busy racing schedule) "It has been busy for us, for Linda, my wife, and my family. We've been traveling a lot. But with opportunities like that, you don't pass them up." (about this track) "I've not had the best luck at Sears Point. In fact there's a mark on the wall in turn 11 that they've probably been painted over (from the last lap of the Winston Cup race a few weeks ago). So it's nice to get a win here for Corvette. These Goodyears were new tires and these were difficult conditions to debut them, but they worked perfectly as demonstrated by the extended stint by Johnny." (on racing with the Saleen) "Actually, this is the first time I've raced with Terry Borcheller, it was fun. They were on Goodyears also, but a softer compound. Our tire was not as fast (at first), but more durable. We could do fifty laps on a stint, the tire made the difference here." (about the Corvette's future ALMS plans) "I don't know the status, but ask me in a couple of hours."
JJ Lehto (#42-GT BMW M3 GTR) (about tire and pit strategy) "Of course it played some part. We had problems all week. During qualifying I was unhappy with the car, but we changed it and made it better. At first it seemed the Yokohama tires had the advantage. But as the race went along, the Michelins worked better. We flat-spotted one set, but we changed the tires and got by. Jorg was very fast." (did you have fun in the GT class) "Yes of course, but it was a shame Porsche was not a better competitor today. Hopefully they'll do better in the future."
Jörg Müller (#42-GT BMW M3 GTR) (did he have a good time) "I still miss the downforce and power of the prototype cars. This seems like two steps down from the prototypes, but I do want to win for BMW. In this calls I had fun, but its strange to watch my mirrors. One positive, one negative. It shows we not only win in prototypes, we also win in these."