"The first few laps after the safety cars, I pushed like crazy to build a gap. If you go through traffic and have a lead like we did, you are just a little bit more relaxed and that makes the traffic seem not so bad. Things worked out and, even on older tyres, I was able to pull away from the other cars. This was a perfect race and we are very happy."
Penske's Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard won for the fourth straight year at Mid-Ohio, but had to make do with a third consecutive success there in LMP2 after being beaten to the top step of the overall podium by Audi. Dumas held off a hard-charging David Brabham in the closing minutes - a flashback to last week's race at Lime Rock - and won the class by 0.609secs.
"It was a big battle and very exciting today," the Frenchman said, "It was not an overall victory, but it was a very nice victory. All of our wins here have been very close and very tight. The track has been good for us and this is good for the championship."
A week ago, Brabham got by Bernhard with 90 seconds left at Lime Rock, and the Australian's Patrón Highcroft Racing Acura got as close as 0.2secs in the waning moments at Mid-Ohio, but a minor off-course moment cost him his chance.
"Our crew worked so well and we overtook the #9 car in the pits," Bernhard said, "When you see a team work that professionally, that's how you win races. This track is very technical and it has been excellent for Porsche. We are trying to keep that reputation up."
Following Brabham and Scott Sharp, Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz placed third in LMP2 in their Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura, giving the 'home' marque two of the three class podium positions. Bernhard and Dumas now lead the class championship by 28 points over Brabham and Sharp.
