June 14, 2008
12 hours into the race 12 more to go

We are now half way through the race and it couldn't be more exciting. The Audis and the Peugeots are still battling for the lead (with only a lap between them), so is the Aston Martins and the Corvettes.

The #8 Peugeot is not having a good day. It had to make an unscheduled stop early in the race, and again about an hour ago. This means that it is now 9 laps behind the leader. The problem was an electrical glitch that prevented Pedro Lamy from starting the car.

Nicolas Minassian in the #7 Peugeot decided to do a little stunt driving. He spun the car 360 degrees, in front of the Peugeot pit, and continued on as nothing had happened. Cool stunt, although it was probably not on purpose.

10 cars are out of the race:

• 16:25 #83 Risi Competizione LMGT2, accident
• 17:32 #41 Trading Performance LMP2, collision.
• 17:53 #76 Imsa Performance Matmut LMGT2, collision
• 18:34 #85 Snoras Spyker Squadron LMGT2, engine failure
• 21:46 #94 Speedy Racing Team LMGT2, engine failure
• 22:15 #53 Vitaphone DBR9, engine failure
• 23:21 #78 AF Corse Ferrari LM GT2, driveshaft problem
• 23:53 #19 Chamberlain-Synergy Lola, engine failure
• 00:48 #12 harouz Lola, broken valve
• 01:40 #6 Oreca Matmut Courage, accident.
• 01:55 #25 Lola MG, multiple problems.

The oddest thing that happened this night was probably when the #55 IPB Lamborghini came into the pit. Nobody seems to care about it. No mechanics paid any attention to it. It just sat there. Eventually they decided to take it into the garage, where it was for more than half an hour. Maybe they wasn't really motivated... or simply sleeping on the job.

(Pictures via Lemans.org (Arnaud Cornilleau - ACO/Nikon), Audi Motorsport and caracingnews.com)

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