24h Le Mans
The second Endurance Racing Legends race at 10:15 this morning was eagerly awaited by the Le Mans crowds. Shaun Lynn (#7 Bentley Exp Speed 2003) won yesterday’s race, taking advantage of a mistake by James Cottingham. Three-time Le Mans class winner Darren Turner was absent from the grid due to a mechanical issue with the Aston Martin DBR9 2007.
Cottingham, in the #15 Dallara SP1 2002, took command right from the green flag. Despite a mistake at Tertre Rouge, Florent Moulin (#16 Dallara SP1 2001) kept Shaun Lynn in check. Not far behind, Martin Short in the #88 Dallara SP1 2002 rounded off the leading pack. The four had a comfortable margin over the Aston Martin DBR9 2008 in the hands of Dario Franchitti, three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. Shaun Lynn and Florent Moulin played a spectacular game of cat and mouse, with the Frenchman keeping the upper hand. With fifteen minutes still on the clock, Emmanuel Brigand (#1 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 2009) span off at the “raccordement” where the road section of the circuit links to the permanent Bugatti track.
Martin Short, still holding on to his fourth place after the mandatory pit stops, was hit with a penalty for speeding in the pit lane that put paid to hopes of a podium. In the closing stages, he regained his well-deserved fourth place.
The Top 5:
