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Emanuele Pirro turned a 3rd position into a healthy lead and finished 1st with his relaible Audi R8
In the lead
Full course yellow
It was cold in the dessert - Frank Biela's tires did not produce good grip during the start

Las Vegas October 30, 2000

Audi clinched the driver’s title of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with a 1-2
at Las Vegas. Only his team mate Rinaldo Capello can catch championship
leading Audi driver Allan McNish in the final round at Adelaide on December 31.
The Audi Sport North America team had already won the manufacturer’s and

team’s titles two weeks ago at Laguna Seca.

After 129 thrilling laps Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro crossed the line first at
Las Vegas. Starting from pole position, Rinaldo Capello and Allan McNish
finished second with their companion Audi R8 giving Audi the sixth 1-2 of the

ALMS season.

The Audi drivers, however, needed some lady luck to take home another victory.
Frank Biela dropped to seventh place at the start and had to make up place by
place. Allan McNish was touched by Jan Magnussen’s Panoz in the early stages
of the race while fighting for the lead. The Scotsman spun, and the rear diffusor

of his Audi R8 was damaged causing a strong oversteer.

McNish/Capello were still able to retake the lead, before five of the six leading
prototype cars were involved in a spectacular collision with less than one hour to
go. While Rinaldo Capello was pushed off into the grass by another car,
Emanuele Pirro quickly chose the right line in the chaos and took the lead which

he kept until the finish.

Rinaldo Capello brought his damaged car home in second position proving
once more the robustness and reliability of the Audi R8. In none of the eleven
ALMS races held so far the Audi Sport North America team had to register a

technical failure.

Winning the driver’s title of the American Le Mans Series crowns an outstanding
season: Audi celebrated a 1-2-3 victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, won the two
endurance highlights at Sebring and Road Atlanta and eight races in the ALMS

so far, the last seven of them in a row.

Grand Prix of Las Vegas
Is Rinaldo Capello explaining the points difference to Allan McNish
Reinhold Joest
Emanuele Pirro cleaning his "Friend" Emanuele Pirro cleaning his "Friend"
Emanuele Pirro cleaning his "Friend"

Drivers Championship
1. McNish 260
2. Capello 249
3. Pirro 240
4. Biela 239
5. Mueller 233
6. Letho 231

Manufacturers (Prototypes)
1. Audi 253
2. BMW 217
3. Panoz 198
4. Reynard 136
5. Lola 132
6. Cadillac 97
Teams (Prototypes)
1. Audi Sport North America 253
2. BMW Motorsport 217
3. Panoz Motorsports 194

Frank Biela (#78)

“Allan did not have a good start and mine was even worse, because I started on
the outside. The others immediately passed me on the inside and I lost several
places. After that the track was quite slippery. The balance of the car was not as

good as we expected. But in the end we were still able to win. It is a great result.”

Emanuele Pirro (#78)

“Obviously I am in seventh heaven. A win is very welcome even at this late stage
of the season. We have been very good through the whole weekend. I felt very
confident from the first moment. In the beginning the race looked very difficult,
but in these kind of races the conditions change very quickly. When I got the car
with the fresh tyres, I felt very confident that I could make it. Obviously the

accident helped me a lot, but even without that I was very hopeful.”

Rinaldo Capello (#77)

“It was a very tough race for me. I was in the middle of the collisions. I had more
luck than most of the others, but the rear diffusor, which was already damaged,
broke. I could not even go flat on the straights. But in the end I am happy with the

result, because we clinched the driver’s title.”

Allan McNish (#77)

“After the collision with Magnussen the car was not so good anymore. But this
was a racing incident. Overall I am very happy that Audi has wrapped up the
driver’s and manufacturer’s title. I am very pleased with the overall

performance.”

Reinhold Joest, Team Director Audi Sport North America

“To sum up: It was a very turbulent and exciting race and we also had a slice of
luck on our side. To win the manufacturers and the drivers championship was
definitely not easy but all season long we showed a constant performance and
that in my opinion was the key to the success. Before the season started we
knew that we would have a chance of winning but that you only put into reality
with hard work, attention and reliability. My compliment to the whole team. I also
would like to thank Audi Sport and Audi Sport North America for the confidence
they showed towards us. In all of my many motorsport years I definitely had a lot
of success but I cannot remember achieving such a successful season: The 1-
2-3 at Le Mans and now the titles of the American Le Mans Series, a wonderful

year.“

1. Biela/Pirro Audi R8 129 laps
2. Capello/McNish Audi R8 + 44.947s
3. Gounon/Auberlen BMW - 1 lap
4. Schiattarella/de Radigues Lola - 4 laps
5. Smith/Johansson Reynard - 4 laps
6. Magnussen/Brabham Panoz - 6 laps
7. Beretta/Wendlinger Chrysler - 9 laps
8. Archer/Donohue Chrysler - 9 laps
9. Bell/Kneifel Chevrolet - 10 laps
10. Rice/Brown Porsche - 10 laps