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Sears Point Raceway 2002

19/05/2002

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Orbit Racing Takes 5th and 6th in Class at Rainy Sears Point

In their first race at Sears Point, Orbit Racing took 5th and 6th in the GT class at the American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Both of the Orbit Racing Porsche 911 GT3RS cars completed 76 laps during the 2-hour and 45-minute race, including a challenging first hour that was run in the rain.

The No 43 car of Leo Hindery and Peter Baron finished 5th in the GT class and 17th overall. Hindery, who started the race, had to deal with the rain. “The first hour was breathtaking because of the water,” explained Hindery. “I think when we all started, we’d have been thrilled just to literally get through it. It was that bad and it was that scary. And then it dried out and Peter ran a magnificent second half.”

Intersport Racing Overcomes Electrical Problem to Take Third in Class at Sears Point

Intersport Racing took third in the LMP675 class after they went from 4th on the grid to last by the end of the first lap of the American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sears Point.

Jon Field and Rick Sutherland handled the driving, with Sutherland taking the rain-soaked first stint. The pair finished third in the LMP675 class and 23rd overall, completing 72 laps.

At the start of the 2-hour, 45-minute race, the No 37 Banana Joe’s Lola EX257/AER MG had an electrical problem, but the team was able to make repairs and return to the track at about the fifth lap.

“We’ve just got some things to learn about the car,” said Field. “It’s pretty frustrating sitting in the pits, but when the car ran it was awesome. It was one of the fastest cars on the racetrack, which is something nice to take home with us.”

“As usual, Jon did a great job and it was a good race for him,” said Sutherland, who hails from nearby Los Gatos and calls Sears Point his home track. “For me, the car was just too stiff for the wet conditions I was running in, so I had a hard time out there. But all I wanted to do was run my stint and make sure I brought the car home in one piece.”