FFSA GT – Nogaro – Race 2 Report
Number Six For Ayari / Narac

Twelve races gone, two left (at Magny-Cours) and the Oreca Saleens have won ten of them. This was the second visit to Nogaro, and it’s the only circuit where the Oreca Saleens haven’t won both races. It was the Larbre Aston Martin that was victorious on Saturday, but Ayari and Narac grabbed their sixth win of the season on Sunday. Hernandez and Groppi have won four for Hugues de Chaunac’s team – leaving just the one win for anyone else (Police and Zangarelli, in the PSI Corvette, at Nogaro in April).

In qualifying, the Oreca Saleens were fastest at the start of the session – and fastest at the end. This was the session for the fast drivers, so Ayari in #9 and Groppi in #1 were the front row men. They both pitted for fresh tyres after their first runs, and resumed their dominance at the end.

Dayraut in the #17 PSI Corvette C6.R had headed the times in the middle of the session), from Thévenin (#4 Tarrès Saleen) and Lucas Lasserre (#10 Mirabeau MTO Chrysler Viper).

Saturday’s winner, the Larbre Aston Martin, didn’t make it out at all, so Makowiecki would have to start at the back.

In GT3, the championship leader, Christopher Campbell (#75 Sport Garage Ferrari) set the pole position, ahead of Scheier, Almeras, Leclerc, Ruffier, Amado, Derlt and Vannelet, all these drivers within the same second.

Richard Balandras (#36 IMSA Performance MATMUT Porsche) claimed the pole in GT2 – and he and Michel Lecourt made it twelve wins out of twelve this season….

Race 2
The start was eventful: Dayraut (#17 PSI C6.R) surprised the Oreca Saleen drivers and was first into turn 1, ahead of Groppi and Ayari - then it was Policand (#8 Luc Alphand C5-R), Cayrolle (#5 SRT C5-R), Thévenin (#4 Tarrès Saleen) and Lasserre (#10 Mirabeau MTO Viper).

Dayraut  in the blue Corvette had soon built up a strong lead, while Groppi and Ayari were neck and neck.

Lucas Lasserre had an off in the Roger Dubos curve, and crashed his Viper into the tyre wall. Makowiecki’s troubles continued with a puncture, while Cayrolle and Thévenin made contact: Thévenin could restart quickly, but Cayrolle lost much time.

Before the driver changes, Dayraut had a four second lead on Groppi and Ayari. Policand was in fourth place, ten seconds ahead Thévenin in fifth place.

Yvan Lebon took over from Dayraut and was the new leader, ahead of Hernandez (#1 Saleen) and Narac (#9 Saleen). Hernandez edged up to Lebon but couldn't pass him – allowing Narac in the other Oreca Saleen to catch them both.

In the traffic, the PSI driver made contact with a backmarker, and the Oreca Saleens overtook him. Within ten minutes of the finish, Narac then passed Hernandez and took his sixth win in the season. Hernandez came home second and Lebon third.

The first half of the GT3 race was between Jean-Boris Scheier (#90 Thierry Boutsen Racing Ferrari 430 GT3) and Christopher Campbell (#75 Sport Garage Ferrari 430 GT3) at the front, while Gilles Vannelet, whose #74 Sport Garage Ferrari had been damaged in race 1, was moving through the field, up to fifth place before the driver change.

Michael Petit took over from him and was flying, passing all his rivals, and going onto win. Campbell / Moreu were second, and Scheier / Ballay third. Another Ferrari was fourth.
Claude Foubert (with usual thanks to Fred Espinos)

Result
1 9 GT1 Ayari/Narac Oreca / Saleen S7-R 1:00:41.364 40 143.78 1:27.070
2 1 GT1 Groppi/Hernandez Oreca / Saleen S7-R 1:00:46.446 40 5.082 143.58 1:26.979
3 17 GT1 Dayraut/Lebon PSI Experience / Corvette C6-R 1:01:06.157 40 24.793 142.81 1:26.773
4 8 GT1 Policand/Balthazard Luc Alphand / Corvette C5-R 1:01:49.291 40 1:07.927 141.15 1:27.906
5 4 GT1 Thevenin/Debard Tarres Team / Saleen S7-R 1:02:06.423 40 1:25.059 140.50 1:28.395
6 5 GT1 Cayrolle/Cazenave SRT / Corvette C5-R 1:01:37.460 39 1 LAP 138.06 1:28.303
7 36 GT2 Balandras/Lecourt IMSA Perf'nce / Porsche 997 RS1R:02:15.895 39 1 LAP 136.64 1:32.302
8 74 GT3 Vannelet/Petit Sport Garage / Ferrari 430 GT3 1:00:45.002 38 2 LAPS 136.46 1:32.765
9 75 GT3 Campbell/Moureu Sport Garage / Ferrari 430 GT3 1:00:47.290 38 2 LAPS 136.37 1:32.555
10 3 GT1 Makowiecki/Bornhauser Larbre / Aston Martin DBR9 1:00:59.623 38 2 LAPS 135.91 1:28.436
11 90 GT3 Scheier/Ballay Boutsen R'ng / Ferrari 430 GT3 1:01:35.465 38 2 LAPS 134.59 1:32.516
12 78 GT3 Lesoudier/Peyroles Sport Garage / Ferrari 430 GT3 1:01:36.043 38 2 LAPS 134.57 1:33.974
13 76 GT3 Dellus/Brière Hexis R'ng / Aston Martin DBRS91:01:37.144 38 2 LAPS 134.53 1:33.844
14 38 GT2 Mouez/Loger Nourry Comp'n / Porsche 996 RS1R:01:45.635 38 2 LAPS 134.22 1:32.991
15 72 GT3 Leclerc/Tuchbant First Rng /Lamborghini Gallardo 1:01:47.208 38 2 LAPS 134.17 1:32.752
16 37 GT2 Monteiro/Monteiro Estoril R'ng / Porsche 996 RSR 1:01:47.594 38 2 LAPS 134.15 1:33.519
17 39 GT2 Bera/Lefranc Red Racing / Porsche 996 RSR 1 :02:03.476 38 2 LAPS 133.58 1:32.686
18 70 GT3 Amado/Dubreuil First Rng /Lamborghini Gallardo 1:02:05.421 38 2 LAPS 133.51 1:32.714
19 91 GT3 Almeras/Champeau Alpha Sport Com Porsche 997 C1u:p02:09.800 38 2 LAPS 133.36 1:32.893
20 67 GT3 Sourd/Cabannes Ruffier Racing / Dodge Viper 1:00:41.384 37 3 LAPS 133.00 1:33.766
21 77 GT3 Rodrigues/Rodrigues Hexis R'ng / Aston Martin DBRS91:01:08.843 37 3 LAPS 132.00 1:33.681
22 95 GT3 Rannuci/Sicart JMB Racing / Ferrari 430 GT3 1:01:29.858 37 3 LAPS 131.25 1:36.182
23 93 GT3 Bouche/Samon Nourry Comp'n / Porsche 997 Cu1p:00:59.009 36 4 LAPS 128.78 1:35.869
24 68 GT3 Morel/Lepreux Ruffier Racing / Dodge Viper 1:01:17.906 36 4 LAPS 128.12 1:35.285
25 63 GT3 Derlot/Polette IMSA Rouen / Porsche 996 Cup 45:33.311 28 12 LAPS 134.09 1:32.936
NOT CLASSIFIED
10 GT1 Lasserre/Brandela Mirebeau MTO / Viper GTS-R 6:01.486 4 D.N.F. 144.84 1:28.848
94 GT3 Ruffier/Ruffier Ruffier Racing / Dodge Viper 1:57.914 1 D.N.F. 111.01

GT1 Championship Standings
1 NARAC - AYARI GT1 277
2 HERNANDEZ - GROPPI GT1 253
3 LEBON GT1 146
LECOURT - BALANDRAS GT2 146
5 BALTHAZARD - POLICAND GT1 140
6 BORNHAUSER - MAKOWIECKI GT1 130
7 CAZENAVE - CAYROLLE GT1 121
8 DEBARD - THEVENIN GT1 107
9 POLICE - ZANGARELLI GT1 93
10 DAYRAUT GT1 83
11 MOUEZ - LOGER GT2 80
12 BOUCHUT GT1 63
13 MONTEIRO - MONTEIRO GT2