Peugeot Wreck Draws Red Flag

SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY - Just as the LMP1 cars took their first turns on Promoter Test Day Tuesday, the red flag made an unwelcome appearance.

The Peugeot No. 08 lost control and found the wall between Turns 5 and 6, just moments into its first lap of the day.

Sebastien Bourdais was behind the wheel when the Peugeot 908 HDI FAP brought out the red flag, and, not surprisingly, the 20-year old was disgusted as he briskly walked out of the Peugeot tent and made his way down the paddock.

"I lost it on cold tires," Bourdais said. "I was only three-quarters of a lap in on Turn 6 under the bridge."

The good news for Peugeot: As frustrating as the wreck was, it caused only body damage, and Bourdais insisted the car would be ready for Saturday.

"It will be fixed by tonight, probably by the end of the session," Bourdais said, noting the back end of the car made contact first. "The damage was all on the right side."

Minassian Turns Fastest Lap

A wreck to the No. 08 didn't slow Team Peugeot, which turned the fastest lap of the afternoon when Nic Minassian piloted the No. 07 908 HDI FAP to a lap in 1:44.555, with a top speed of 127.397 miles per hour. He was followed by Audi's Rinaldo Capello, who drove the No. 2 R15 TDI to a 1:44.814 lap, with a top speed of 127.082 mph.

In third was the Audi No. 1, which Lucas Luhr drove to a 1:45.63 lap, with a top speed of 126.101 mph.

Acura's fastest lap was turned by Gil de Ferran, whose 1:45.714 lap had a top speed of 126 mph.

Of course, the unofficial times are just that - unofficial. Teams are still going through set-ups and cars may not be yet tuned to legal specifications. In other words, don't put too much stock into these numbers just yet.

Sebring Names Fan Of The Year

Tony Richter is an eighth-grade science fair away from having a perfect Sebring career.

Richter, who grew up in Sebring and spent 34 years as a fireman for the city of Miami, has been elected Sebring's 2009 Fan of Year, and will be honored Saturday.

Richter has attended 56 out of 57 Sebring endurance classics, only missing one year because of an eighth-grade science fair. And his connection to America's greatest sports car race goes back even further: His father was stationed at Hendricks Field, the World War II Army Air Force base that evolved into Sebring International Raceway.

Now retired in Crescent City, he spends most of the race camped at Turn 10.

"I've been there long before there was a Turn 10," Richter joked. "I've got some many great memories from Sebring. One of my favorites was watching the Rodriguez brothers, Ricardo and Pedro, driving a Ferrari in the early 60's.

"The track has really improved over the years and the viewing for spectators is much better than it was in the earlier days."

ALMS All Over TV This Week

The American Le Mans Series will get some exposure in the form of three TV specials, including the premiere of an ESPN documentary, this week.

SPEED starts off with "American Le Mans Series: A Look at 2009," an hour-long live special from Sebring International Raceway at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 with hosts Leigh Diffey, Brian Till, Calvin Fish and Dorsey Schroeder, and pit reporters Jamie Howe and first-year correspondent Justin Bell.

SPEED will then follow the one-hour live presentation with a special from 8-9 p.m. Thursday called "Project LMP1: Acura's Next Challenge," which features Acura's descent to LMP1 where it will take on traditional behemoths Audi and Peugeot. In addition to on-track test footage, the feature goes behind the scenes with de Ferran Motorsports and Patrón Highcroft Racing to unveil the complexities of creating and managing a program at the highest level of sports car racing.

ESPN debuts its "Truth in 24" documentary at 8 p.m. ET Friday, March 20. Produced by Emmy-winning NFL Films, the film is a look at the evolution of Audi Sport and its now legendary R10 TDI race car as it prepares for and competes in the world's most famous auto race - the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The chronicling of the 2008 Le Mans classic showcases the critical strategy that resulted in one of the most dramatic calls in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Of course, SPEED's live telecast of the 12 Hours begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21 and concludes at 11 p.m. with a two-hour absence for other programming from noon to 2 p.m.