MARINO FRANCHITTI made it a family double this week by steering to a title glory of his own as the 2010 ALMS Champions, and also as winners of the LMP2 category.Personally for Marino it has also been a superb year on the track where he has been phenomenally consistent.The weekend’s win at ALMS Petit Le Mans was his second consecutive win at the event (Marino won the LMP2 class in 2009 in the Dyson Racing Mazda) and his third podium place finish from all three races this season.Marino took an overall race win in Laguna Seca and the LMP2 Class win at Le Mans plus a second placed podium in LMP2 (and pole position) at the 12 Hours of Sebring. But his record of getting onto the podium shouldn’t come as a surprise as the Bathgate born star has taken a race podium in every ALMS race in which he has competed since the end of the 2008 season — 13 podiums from 13 races.After the race a clearly thrilled Franchitti admitted it has been a season to remember but he is already looking forward to the next campaign behind the wheel.He said: “My thanks to Duncan (Dayton) for taking me into his team as their third driver this season and my congratulations to everyone at Patrón Highcroft Racing and HPD as well as my two team-mates, David and Simon, on winning this Championship.“It is so deserved for all the efforts everyone has put in this year and I am just very proud of being a part of it.“We had some great results and Patrón Highcroft Racing were outstanding throughout the entire season and again here today.“They made it look easy from the outset.“It was a brilliant race and the best result after all the trials and tribulations we’ve been through and it is the perfect end to a fantastic season.“Now I’m just looking forward to tying my plans down for next year so that we can pick up where we left off this year.”The Patrón Highcroft Racing team warmed up for the season finale with three days of practice sessions undertaken in both daylight and darkness ahead of the 1,000 mile race around the Road Atlanta 2.54 mile circuit.Brabham qualified the No 1 car eighth overall and third in LMP2 class but all three of the LMP2 cars were separated by just two-tenths of a second. In the race itself the three team mates put on an excellent performance, pit-stopping to perfection and making smooth driver changes. Each of the drivers rotated through their stints at the wheel and it was during lap 276, whilst under a full course caution, that the team completed the 70 per cent running they needed to secure the 2010 ALMS Championship. The remaining 30 per cent of the race continued in the same faultless fashion enabling the Patrón Highcroft Racing team to finish not only as the 2010 ALMS Champions, but also as winners of the LMP2 category (having lead from lap 18) and fourth overall at this the 13th running of Petit Le Mans.Read
