The weather was downright beautiful Friday morning at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the first official practice of the American Le Mans Series.
RINALDO CAPELLO's Audi was fastest overall and in the LMP1 class with a time of 1m 14.806s. 'Dindo', as Capello is known, has already clinched the ALMS LMP1 Championship. He and co-driver, ALLAN McNISH, won the championship two races ago, over Labor Day in Mosport.
Second overall and first in LMP2 was SASCHA MAASSEN's Porsche RS Spyder. Maassen is four points ahead of his Penske team-mate, LUCAS LUHR. Penske Motorsports and Porsche have already clinched the team and manufacturer's championship when they finished one-two at Petite Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
Maassen is one of four drivers who have raced in all seven of the Laguna Seca ALMS races. The others are Corvette Racing team-mates RON FELLOWS and JOHNNY O'CONNELL, and JON FIELD of Intersport Racing.
The GT1 class leader was PEDRO LAMY's Aston Martin DBR9, turning a 1m 21.745s effort. MIKE ROCKENFELLER's Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR topped the GT2 class at 1m 24.745s.
All 27 entries were on track. This weekend there are six cars in LMP1; seven cars in LMP2; four GT1 cars, and ten in GT2.
The Friday schedule calls for another practice session in the afternoon, followed by qualifying for Saturday afternoon's four-hour race on the 2.238 elevated road course, noted around the world. The track is celebrating fifty years of operation. It has hosted the ALMS fall race every year since it began eight years ago.
The largest paddock attraction Friday morning seemed to be WAYNE RAINEY and his Super Stars of Super Karts vehicle. The three-time motorcycle world champion was allowing children to sit in his kart while an approving crowd looked on.
