ALMS 2000
Allan McNish in the Audi R8 #77

After first qualifying on Friday afternoon Audi achieves first and third position on the grid at Sears Point. Allan McNish was fastest followed by Panoz and his teammate Emanuele Pirro in the second Audi R8.

Second qualifying for the fifth round of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) starts on Saturday at 14.20 hrs.

Quotes after first qualifying

Allan McNish (#77):
„The car was very well balanced. Only the track was much more slippery than this morning which is just related to the higher temperature. Now we have to defend the pole position during second qualifying on Saturday.”

Emanuele Pirro (#78): „I´m quite happy with my time and the improvements we have done since yesterday when our car didn´t have a very good setup. So we are one day behind but have more room to improve than the others. I´m sure we can go even faster tomorrow.”

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Sport: „Of course it´s a pity that the Panoz split our team at the very end of the session. But nevertheless we are very satisfied with the results because we doubted our car will fit this circuit at all. Now we try to make the car more comfortable for the race.”

Reinhold Joest, Team Director Audi Sport North America: „I watched qualifying out at the track and found our cars fitting the circuit very well without any bouncing. Tomorrow there will be another chance to conquer the complete first row.”

Results

1. Capello/McNish (Audi R8) 1m22.006s
2. Brabham/Magnussen (Panoz) 1m22.371s
3. Biela/Pirro (Audi R8) 1m22.374s
4. O´Connell/Katoh (Panoz) 1m22.924s
5. Lehto/Müller (BMW) 1m23.690s
6. Schiattarella/de Radigues (Lola) 1m23.812s
7. Auberlen/Gounon (BMW) 1m24.156s
8. Johansson/Smith (Reynard) 1m24.159s
9. Field/Sutherland (Lola) 1m27.182s
10. Schroeder/Weaver (Lola) 1m27.657s