Final Race for the Audi R8 in the USA
Saturday, 1 July 2006, is an extremely special day for Audi Sport: The Audi R8 competes in its final race at Lime Rock Park near Lakeville (US state of Connecticut). With 62 wins from 79 races to date including five victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans the R8 is the most successful Le Mans Prototype of all time. At Lime Rock, Team Audi Sport North America starts a final time with the “good old R8, before the new Audi R10 TDI the first diesel powered sportscar to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans also breaks cover in the American Le Mans Series. Audi Sport has created a unique design for the R8 for its farewell race in the USA: The names of all 18 drivers who won a race with the R8 will be visible, and the names of the 23 race tracks worldwide on which a R8 won from the winning début at Sebring in March 2000 to the 62nd victory in Houston a few weeks ago. Dindo Capello (Italy) and Allan McNish (Scotland), the 2006 American Le Mans Series championship leaders in the LM P1 category, will be at the controls of the R8 during its final race. Capello has scored 18 wins to date with the R8. Only Frank Biela with 21 victories has been more successful. The circuit, located about 180 kilometres north of New York, is new for Capello and McNish but the Audi R8 is unbeaten at Lime Rock: Team ADT Champion Racing won in 2004 and 05 in Connecticut. Last year, Dave Marajs team took pole-position and celebrated a one-two in the race. The circuit close to Lakeville is only 2.478 kilometres long. Marco Werner, who claimed pole-position last year with a time of 46.753 seconds, holds the lap-record. The race starts on Saturday, 1 July at 3:00 p.m. local time (9:00 p.m. in Germany). Quotes before the race at Lime Rock Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): Dindo Capello (Audi R8 #2): Allan McNish (Audi R8 #2): Dave Maraj (Team Director, Team Audi Sport North America): Lime Rock schedule Friday, 30 June Saturday, 1 July Live Timing and Radio at www.americanlemans.com |