2004 Grand Prix of Sonoma

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Sonoma Raceway Infineon (Sears Point) with emphasis on Long track.png
Sonoma Raceway

The 2004 Grand Prix of Sonoma was the fourth race for the 2004 American Le Mans Series season held at Infineon Raceway. It took place on July 18, 2004.

Contents

This race saw Corvette Racing enter a third Corvette C5-R for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and co-driven by Boris Said. The car was successfully qualified but in warm-up the morning of the race, Earnhardt, Jr. went off course and collided with a barrier, causing a rupture of a fuel line. The broken fuel line was sparked when the car came to a stop and caused the car to be engulfed in flames, with Earnhardt, Jr. inside dazed by the accident and unable to get himself out immediately. Once Earnhardt, Jr. was able to become aware of his situation and rescue crews were able to arrive, Earnhardt, Jr. was successfully pulled from the burning vehicle. He received second and third degree burns to his neck, chest, and legs, partially due to not wearing a fire-retardant balaclava with his helmet.

The Corvette C5-R was burned beyond repair and did not race. The Corvette Racing team quickly examined the car and found that there was no design flaw in their fuel system. At the end of the 2004 ALMS season, Corvette Racing restored the car (Chassis No. C5-009) to its 2003 Le Mans specification and sold it to a collector.

Earnhardt, Jr. was forced to return to the Nextel Cup Series unable to complete full races as he underwent treatment, being relieved the next two races by Martin Truex, Jr. and John Andretti.


Official results

Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).

PosClassNoTeamDriversChassisTyreLaps
Engine
1LMP138 Flag of the United States.svg ADT Champion Racing Flag of Germany.svg Marco Werner
Flag of Finland.svg JJ Lehto
Audi R8 M 107
Audi 3.6L Turbo V8
2LMP120 Flag of the United States.svg Dyson Racing Flag of the United States.svg Chris Dyson
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Andy Wallace
MG-Lola EX257 G 107
MG (AER) XP20 2.0L Turbo I4
3LMP116 Flag of the United States.svg Dyson Racing Flag of the United States.svg Butch Leitzinger
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Weaver
MG-Lola EX257 G 104
MG (AER) XP20 2.0L Turbo I4
4GTS3 Flag of the United States.svg Corvette Racing Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ron Fellows
Flag of the United States.svg Johnny O'Connell
Chevrolet Corvette C5-R M 102
Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V8
5LMP230 Flag of the United States.svg Intersport Racing Flag of the United States.svg Jon Field
Flag of the United States.svg Clint Field
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Robin Liddell
Lola B2K/40 P 102
Judd KV675 3.4L V8
6LMP210 Flag of the United States.svg Miracle Motorsports Flag of the United States.svg Ian James
Flag of the United States.svg James Gue
Lola B2K/40 Y 100
Nissan (AER) VQL 3.0L V6
7LMP256 Flag of the United States.svg Team Bucknum Racing Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Bucknum
Flag of the United States.svg Bryan Willman
Flag of the United States.svg Chris McMurry
Pilbeam MP91 D 98
Nissan (AER) VQL 3.0L V6
8GT23 Flag of the United States.svg Alex Job Racing Flag of Germany.svg Jörg Bergmeister
Flag of Germany.svg Timo Bernhard
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 98
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
9GT45 Flag of the United States.svg Flying Lizard Motorsports Flag of the United States.svg Johannes van Overbeek
Flag of the United States.svg Darren Law
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 98
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
10GT24 Flag of the United States.svg Alex Job Racing Flag of Germany.svg Marc Lieb
Flag of France.svg Romain Dumas
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 98
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
11GT35 Flag of the United States.svg Risi Competizione Flag of the United States.svg Anthony Lazzaro
Flag of Germany.svg Ralf Kelleners
Ferrari 360 Modena GTC P 97
Ferrari 3.6L V8
12GT66 Flag of the United States.svg New Century - The Racer's Group Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Long
Flag of the United States.svg Cort Wagner
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 96
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
13GT79 Flag of the United States.svg J-3 Racing Flag of the United States.svg Justin Jackson
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Tim Sugden
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 95
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
14GT60 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg P.K. Sport Flag of the United States.svg Hugh Plumb
Flag of the United States.svg Peter Boss
Porsche 911 GT3-RS P 92
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
15GT44 Flag of the United States.svg Flying Lizard Motorsports Flag of the United States.svg Seth Neiman
Flag of the United States.svg Lonnie Pechnik
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 92
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
16GTS6 Flag of the United States.svg Krohn-Barbour Racing Flag of the United States.svg Tracy Krohn
Flag of the United States.svg David McEntee
Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT P 90
Lamborghini 6.0L V12
17GT50 Flag of the United States.svg Panoz Motor Sports Flag of the United States.svg Gunnar Jeannette
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg David Saelens
Panoz Esperante GT-LM P 88
Ford (Élan) 5.0L V8
18GTS4 Flag of the United States.svg Corvette Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oliver Gavin
Flag of Monaco.svg Olivier Beretta
Chevrolet Corvette C5-R M 86
Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V8
19GT31 Flag of the United States.svg White Lightning Racing Flag of the United States.svg Craig Stanton
Flag of the United States.svg David Murry
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 85
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
20GTS71 Flag of the United States.svg Carsport America Flag of the United States.svg Tom Weickardt
Flag of France.svg Jean-Philippe Belloc
Dodge Viper GTS-R P 75
Dodge 8.0L V10
21
DNF
GT67 Flag of the United States.svg New Century - The Racer's Group Flag of the United States.svg Jim Matthews
Flag of Germany.svg Pierre Ehret
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 52
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
22
DNF
GTS5 Flag of the United States.svg Krohn-Barbour Racing Flag of the Netherlands.svg Peter Kox
Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Brabham
Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT P 15
Lamborghini 6.0L V12
23
DNF
GT43 Flag of the United States.svg BAM! Flag of the United States.svg Leo Hindery
Flag of Germany.svg Lucas Luhr
Porsche 911 GT3-RSR M 15
Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
24
DSQ
GTS63 Flag of the United States.svg ACEMCO Motorsports Flag of the United States.svg Terry Borcheller
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Johnny Mowlem
Saleen S7-R P 58
Ford 7.0L V8
DNSGTS8 Flag of the United States.svg Corvette Racing Flag of the United States.svg Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Flag of the United States.svg Boris Said
Chevrolet Corvette C5-R M -
Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V8

Statistics

American Le Mans Series
Previous race:
2004 New England Grand Prix
2004 season Next race:
2004 Portland Grand Prix

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