David Brabham and Scott Sharp have closed in on the LMP2 points lead in the American Le Mans Series with second overall and in class at Belle Isle.
The latest impressive performance from the Patrón Highcroft Racing duo means they are now just four points behind leaders Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas in the championship battle.
Brabham took the team's second outright pole position of the season and followed that with another high points-scoring finish, ensuring that the ALMS heads for the final two rounds of the season set for a title fight that will go down to the wire. The team's continued success comes on the weekend that Acura announced it will move to LMP1 with Patrón Highcroft Racing for 2009, with Brabham and Sharp confirmed as the driver line-up.
A blistering start from Sharp saw the Patrón Highcroft Racing Acura take the lead from turn one and remain unchallenged throughout two safety car periods within the first hour. Heading the field for 49 laps of the twisty 2.07-mile street circuit, Sharp only relinquished the lead when he was blocked in heavy traffic, allowing Simon Pagenaud past. After an impressive stint, Sharp pitted under the third full course caution on lap 56.
Brabham joined the fray for round nine fifth overall and fourth in class still under caution. He nailed the restart when the field returned to green flag racing on lap 63 and took Gil de Ferran the following lap. With the LMP1 Audi of Marcel Fässler the next target, Brabham proceeded to post flying laps to close the 2.5 second gap to less than half a second in five laps. Just two laps later Brabham took the Audi for third overall and in class, and made off for the leading pair of Franck Montagny and Timo Bernhard.
Brabham's progress was hampered by traffic, which was always going to play a major part in the Detroit round's outcome. When championship rival and second-placed Bernhard was handed a stop and go penalty in the pits for avoidable contact with a GT car, Brabham claimed second overall and in LMP2 on lap 80.
