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As part of
the 200 Kms TC 2000 event in Buenos Aires, the Escudería
ACA Argentina put on a demonstration at the Buenos Aires
Race Track, with their Ferrari 550 Maranello, in front
of a crowd of over 50,000 spectators. The four drivers
who have competed this season in the FIA GT
Championship, Tuero, Mazzacane, Lopez and Basso, all
took part in this exhibition, which was shown live on
Argentine TV. Over 200 journalists were also present.
"I am proud to have this equipment here, and that our
audience have had a preview of the wonderful show that
will be the competition of San Luis," said Carlos García
Remohi. The Automóvil Club Argentino garage received the
visit of former Ferrari F1 driver Froilán Gonzalez, of
the Minister of Tourism, Lic. Enrique Meyer, of the
President of the Automóvil Club Argentino Jorge Rosales
and from other sports personalities.
Argentina's José
María López and Scotland's Anthony Reid won the 5th edition
of the Buenos Aires 200 Km, after a great initial stint by
the local driver and a similarly impressive second one by
the Scot. They used their huge talent, exploited other
drivers' errors and also the performance of the New Civic of
the Honda Petrobras team. The team's happiness was even
greater due to the fact that another of its cars placed
second, in the hands of Juan Manuel Silva/Leonel Ugalde.
Alain Menú/Christian Ledesma (Chevrolet Elaion) completed
the podium.
"This is a dream come true. It is the happiest day of my
life. Tears came to my eyes because of all the work we did
to achieve this result. It is Honda's victory. It is the
team's victory. I suffered very much when I was not at the
wheel of the car, it is very different. There were times in
which I wanted him to go faster, to take it easier, but I
did not want to influence what Anthony was doing at the
wheel of the car. We formed a great driver pairing,
sincerely", said López, full of emotion.
Pechito has
become a specialist in the so-called special events this
season, as he recently won on the Santa Fe street circuit
and now he has won the Buenos Aires 200 Km, the two most
outstanding events so far this year. Not forgetting to
mention the great performance of the Honda Petrobras team
during the entire weekend, having been ahead of its rivals
right from the onset.
This was also
Anthony Reid's first victory in the division, and he has
competed in all five editions which so far have taken place.
He was second in last year's event, co-driving with Brazil's
Carlos Bueno. "I've spent five years trying to win this
race. Last year we were second. We've raced with Víctor (Rosso)
in Japan, I know him very well and to be here is terrific. I
also want to thank López for the great job he did today ...
he should be in Formula 1," said the Scot.
López and Reid claimed victory thanks in part to the great
job of the driver from Córdoba in what refers to the initial
stint. After the driver change, when the Silva/Ugalde car
grabbed the lead ahead of López/Reid, the Briton cautiously
tried to find a way past Ugalde.
The latter found a good rhythm, but on lap 52 he overdid
things while descending the Tobogan esses and lost the lead
to Reid, who from then on controlled the race and headed
towards victory, followed by Ugalde who kept Felipe Maluhy's
Renault Mégane at bay. Maluhy was co-driving with standings
leader Guillermo Ortelli. It was Maluhy, who had finished
5th in the 2006 edition and 4th in 2007, who appeared to
heading for the final podium placing until being pushed off
by his countryman Cacá Bueno in the Ombú Curve and being
demoted to fifth, as he was overtaken by Bueno and also by
Alain Menú, who was co-driving a Chevrolet Astra with
Christian Ledesma.
Once the race had ended, the Stewards handed out a 30-second
penalty to Bueno and this relegated him to 10th, so the
third step of the podium finally corresponded to Ledesma/Menú,
while Ortelli/Maluhy ended up fourth, ahead of Matías Rossi/Thiago
Camilo. In this way, Switzerland's Alain Menú once again
claimed a podium placing in the event, as he had done in his
three previous outings in the Buenos Aires 200 Km. He and
Ledesma were the best-placed Chevrolet drivers. Team-mates
Bugliotti/Huff were sixth and Risatti/Orsi seventh.
It was not a good day for the wroks Ford YPF outfit, as
Martín Basso retired early on in the race while in fourth,
which meant that Omar Martinez did not get to race the
Focus, The Gabriel Ponce de León/Walter Hernández pairing
ended up 12th after engine trouble delayed them.
Guillermo Ortelli (113 points, Renault Lo Jack Team)
continues to lead the standings, and his nearest puruser now
is José María López (98, Honda Petrobras), while Matías
Rossi (75, Renault Lo Jack Team) is tied in third with
Christian Ledesma (Chevrolet Elaion), ahead of Juan Manuel
Silva (73, Honda Petrobras).
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