"Then when we came into the pit box, all of a sudden there was an official on the hood of my car! I had to stop short, but fortunately the guys were ready with the fuel hoses and tyres."
Jan Magnussen, who triumphed in the season-opening Sebring 12-hour race was delighted with the result, the Dane's 16th career ALMS win.
"It was a good fight at the end, and Johnny did a hell of a job," said the 34-year-old.
"I think the weather cooled down a little too much for our race setup, so we had some small handling issues, but nothing that we couldn't overcome. In the beginning I got through the traffic really well, but at the end of my stint it became harder and harder.
"At the same time that I was catching the front-running GT2s, the prototype leaders were coming by. That didn't leave a lot of room."
Corvette Racing extended its reign as the most successful team in ALMS history with its 60th win in the series. Magnussen and O'Connell, who arrived at Long Beach tied with Beretta and Gavin in the GT1 championship, have extended their advantage by four points.
"Long Beach always proves to be a great event," commented Corvette Racing programme manager Doug Fehan.
"The two Corvettes battled all day long, both crews executed flawless pit stops, and the engineering team developed great strategies. We had another perfect run with cellulosic E85 ethanol, so it was just a great day for Corvette Racing and for the environment."
