CHEVROLET CORVETTES SCORE SECOND CONSECUTIVE 1-2-VICTORY AT LE MANS;
CADILLAC NORTHSTAR FINISHES IN TOP TEN
LE MANS, June 16, 2002 – The Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, America's legendary sportscar, scored a second consecutive double GTS-victory in this weekend's running of the 70th Le Mans 24 Hours. The win also marks the third victory in three races so far this year, after earlier wins in the Sebring 12 Hours and the Sears Point ALMS race. In the LMP900 class the Cadillac Northstar LMP 02s both finished the race for the first time since the beginning of the program in 2000; Wayne Taylor, Max Angelelli and Christophe Tinseau finishing ninth overall, the first top 10 finish at Le Mans for the Cadillac Northstar LMP.
The early hours of Sunday morning saw more drama unfold at Team Cadillac as gremlins meant the cars had to make longer than normal pitstops. But each time the crew dealt with the gremlins and got the cars back on the track with a minimum of time lost. The Emmanuel Collard/ Eric Bernard/JJ Lehto Northstar LMP finished 12th overall, just behind the GTS-winners.
"This is the most grueling race in the world, I think everybody would admit that," Executive Director GM Racing Marketing Services, Steve Shannon, said. "We're very proud of Corvette Racing's win for the second year in a row. But I think we've also seen, and we've been heartened by, the Cadillac group that worked hard over the last 24 hours and I think ultimately demonstrated their potential. Now we have to realize that potential. It's been a tough 24 hours and great GM team effort by everybody both on and off the track, and we look forward to being back next year."
Next up Team Cadillac will spent three weeks testing in Europe before entering both cars in the Cadillac Grand Prix of Washington D.C. on July 21. Reigning ALMS Champions Corvette Racing have their next round of the American Le Mans Series in Mid-Ohio in two weeks time, followed the following weekend with the Road America 500.
70th Le Mans 24 Hours – Positions after 24 hours
| 1. |
Biela/Pirro/Kristensen |
Audi R8 |
375 laps |
| 2. |
Capello/Herbert/Pescatori |
Audi R8 |
374 laps |
| 3. |
Krumm/Peter/Werner |
Audi R8 |
372 laps |
| 4. |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van de Poele |
Bentley EXP Speed 8 |
362 laps |
| 5. |
Lamy/Beretta/Comas |
Dallara-Judd |
359 laps |
| 6. |
Sarrazin/Montagny/Minassian |
Dallara-Judd |
359 laps |
| 7. |
Ara/Dalmas/Katoh |
Audi R8 |
358 laps |
| 8. |
Lammers/Hillebrand/Coronel |
Dome-Judd S101 |
351 laps |
| 9. |
Angelelli/Taylor/Tinseau |
Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 |
345 laps |
| 10. |
Bouillon/Lagorce/Bourdais |
Courage-Peugeot C60 |
343 laps |
| 11. |
Fellows/O'Connell/Gavin |
Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (1st GTS) |
335 laps |
| 12. |
Bernard/Collard/Lehto |
Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 |
334 laps |
| 13. |
Pilgrim/Collins/Fréon |
Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (2nd GTS) |
331 laps |
| 14. |
Belloc/Cochet/Treluyer |
Chrysler Viper GTS-R (3rd GTS) |
326 laps |
| 16. |
Buckler/Luhr/Bernhard |
Porsche 911 GT3-RS (1st GT) |
322 laps |
| 17. |
Dumas/Maassen/Bergmeister |
Porsche 911 GT3-RS (2nd GT) |
321 laps |
| 19. |
Deletraz/Lechner/Pillon |
Reynard-VW 2KQ (1st LMP675) |
317 laps |
| 20. |
Daoudi/De Fournoux/Bouvet |
WR-Peugeot (2nd LMP675) |
317 laps |
| 21. |
Iida/Yogo/Nishizawa |
Porsche 911 GT3-RS (3rd GT) |
316 laps |
|
