SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) -- Defending American Le Mans Series champion Emanuele Pirro waited until the end of the session Friday to set the fastest time of the day as practice began for Sunday's Grand Prix of Sonoma, presented by Foster's Lager, at Sears Point Raceway.
Pirro turned a lap of 1:23.987 (108.445 mph) on the 2.53-mile road racing circuit in the final moments of a two-hour session. Pirro, driving the Audi Sport North America Audi R8, eclipsed a lap of 1:24.027 that had been set by the Panoz LMP-1 driven by David Brabham.
Pirro will co-drive with Rinaldo Capello and Frank Biela in the two-hour, 45-minute sports car race on Sunday, while Brabham will share the Panoz with Jan Magnussen.
Tom Kristensen, on loan to the Champion Audi team from the factory squad, turned the third-fastest lap of the day at 1:24.842 in a car he will share with Andy Wallace and Johnny Herbert.
Jon Field, driving a Lola EX257-AER MG, was the fastest driver in the LMP 675 class for smaller Prototypes with a lap of 1:29.247, fifth-fastest overall. Field will co-drive with Rick Sutherland in Sunday's race.
The Chevrolet Corvette C5-R driven by Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell led the GTS class with a fast time of 1:33.584, while the GT class was led by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS of Timo Bernhard and Jorge Bergmeister at 1:38.195.
Twenty-nine of the 33 cars on hand participated in the practice session on Friday. Qualifying will be held Saturday. The race will be televised live by the SPEED Channel beginning at 1 p.m. (PDT) Sunday. Live coverage by the American Le Mans Series Radio Web can be heard online at www.imsaracing.net.
Friday's practice speeds:
1. Biela/Pirro/Capello, Audi R8, 1:23.987.
2. Magnussen/Brabham, Panoz LMP-1, 1:24.027.
3. Herbert/Wallace/Kristensen, Audi R8, 1:24.842.
4. Herta/Auberlen, Panoz LMP-1, 1:26.609.
5. J. Field/Sutherland, Lola EX257-AER MG, 1:29.247.
6. Jeannette/Donohue, Panoz LMP-1, 1:30.440.
7. Weaver/Dyson, Riley & Scott MkIIIA-Lincoln, 1:32.157.
8. C. Field/Neuhaus, Lola B2K/10-Judd, 1:32.209.
9. Knight/Hawkins/Block, Lola EX257-AER MG, 1:33.023.
10. Duno/Maxwell, Panoz LMP07-Mugen, 1:33.250.
11. Fellows/OÆConnell, Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, 1:33.584.
12. Pilgrim/Collins, Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, 1:34.176.
13. Konrad/Borcheller, Saleen S7R, 1:36.447.
14. Naspetti/Schiattarella, Ferrari 550 Maranello, 1:37.755.
15. Bernhard/Bergmeister, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:38.195.
16. Maassen/Luhr, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:38.978.
17. Buckler/Franchitti, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:39.378.
18. Mowlem/Pobst, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:40.723.
19. De Radigues/Graham, Panoz LMP07-Mugen, 1:40.913.
20. Schumacher/Murry, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:41.484.
21. Hampton/Grupp, Lola B2K/42-Mazda, 1:41.533.
22. Bucknum/Lambert, Pilbeam MP84-Nissan, 1:42.065.
23. Hindery/Baron, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:42.520.
24. Jackson/Fitzgerald, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:42.841.
25. Collin/Burgess/Plumb, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 1:43.158.
26. Rice/Orcutt, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:43.244.
27. Schultheis/Kester, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:44.461.
28. Merzon/Julien, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:47.900.
29. McMurry/Willman, Pilbeam MP84-Nissan, 1:57.131.
