Works Lola-Aston Martin wins at Laguna Seca but Muscle Milk misses ALMS title

21 Sep 2011

Following its somewhat disappointing ninth place in Silverstone’s Autosport 6 Hours in early September Aston Martin Racing returned to winning ways in America with victory in the penultimate round of the American Le Mans Series at Laguna Seca. It provided a much needed fillip for the team after its disastrous season with its new but currently moth-balled AMR-One.

Having qualified third on the grid for the six hour race at the California circuit, which was also the third last round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, behind the Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda B09/86s of pole-sitters Chris Dyson/Guy Smith/Jay Cochran and Humaid Al Masaood/Steven Kane/Butch Leitzinger, the Lola-Aston Martin DBR1-2 – the re-named B09/60 that had just weeks before been in a museum – of Adrian Fernandez/Stefan Mucke/Harold Primat moved rapidly up the field to take the lead on only the seventh lap, with just 0.2 seconds covering the first three cars. Thereafter the DBR1-2 ran faultlessly, bar two collisions with the Lucas Luhr/Klaus Graf Lola-Aston Martin B08/62, which had qualified fourth, of official partner Muscle Milk, one of which caused a brief spin as it took over the AMR car’s then second place; as a result Muscle Milk, the only team, at 21 points behind, with a chance of taking the title lead from Dyson Racing, was given a one minute penalty.

Further woe followed for the American Lola-Aston Martin at around three-quarter distance when, having climbed its way to first place, a fuel pump failed, leading to an hour's delay in the pits and the loss of any title hopes; the car rejoined to finish in a lowly 32nd place, while second position for the Lola-Mazda of Chris Dyson/Guy Smith gave the duo an unassailable lead and the American Le Mans Series title. The AMR Lola-Aston Martin, which had regained the lead from the Lola-Mazda while driven by third driver Cochran in the race’s final stint, will make its next appearance, alongside Muscle Milk’s similar car, in this year's last race of the ALMS and the penultimate round of the ILMC, the 10 hour Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on October the 1st.