RACING

Reversal of Fortune ’s F430 GT has toppled Porsche’s mighty 911 GT3 RSR from the top of the ALMS heap. STORY BY PETER BROCK PHOTOS BY GAYLE BROCK

Risi Competizione ’s #62 F430 leads the GT2 field at Long Beach—business as usual in ’07.

FORZA AUGUST 2007 47 our races into the 2007 Giuseppe Risi and his well- jump ship and sign with the , polished Risi Competizione Prancing Horse for 2007. Fit’s hard to believe that, crew have been racing In addition to its normal just two years ago, Porsche was for years, and in 2006, for pre-season development pro - the unquestioned king of GT2- the first time since the days gram this year, Risi prepared class racing. Today, Ferrari’s of the 333 SP prototypes, the a not-so-secret weapon: the F430 GT has taken over that Houston-based team really driver pairing of Brazilian title with the kind of dominant had a chance to take the fight and Finn Mika performances we used to attrib - to the enemy. Risi’s perform - Salo. These hot shoes raced ute to Porsche’s unbeatable 911 ance was so impressive that part-time with Risi in 2006, GT3 RSR. it caused one major Porsche and having them signed up for As good as the new Ferrari player, Dale White and the full ’07 season has paid is, it needs a talented, experi - Michael Petersen’s White off: The talented pair has won enced team to produce results. Lightning racing team, to every race this year!

Opposite top: Risi pilots Mika ST. PETERSBURG but, amazingly, were on the on point about a half-hour later LONG BEACH Salo (left) and Jaime Melo No room for error grid at St. Petersburg. when he put a wheel wrong and Stormin’ Salo (right) have scored four wins Coming off its highly con - The weekend started badly crashed hard into the concrete At Long Beach, California in four races this season. Left: troversial (and still much dis - for Risi. Its #61 car, now wear - barrier, wiping out most of the just two weeks later, the race White Lightning has suffered a cussed) Sebring win, the Risi ing Ferrari of Silicon Valley liv - Ferrari’s left side and putting took place on Saturday and was run of bad luck in its first year crew headed to the first of three ery, crashed heavily in practice, himself into the hospital with reduced to just an hour and with Ferrari, writing off two very challenging street races, ending its weekend. Then its several broken bones. Enge is forty minutes in length to make F430s in as many races and at St. Petersburg, Florida. #62 car was pipped for pole by already on the road to recovery, it fit with Champ Car’s mar - losing the services of injured With just two weeks separating White Lightning’s #31 Ferrari. but White Lightning was forced quee Sunday event. The shorter driver Tomas Enge for several Sebring and St. Pete, several Then, in the opening laps of to order its second F430 chassis duration played havoc with race weeks. Above: Risi’s #61 teams had to scramble to get the race, Tafel Racing’s #71 in as many weeks. strategies, as the required driver Ferrari alternates between their damaged machinery back Porsche took the lead. Salo and Melo drove a changes and normal fueling and Ferrari of into working order. Tafel’s lead only lasted until calm, mistake-free race, and windows now didn’t match the Silicon Valley liveries. While Risi’s Sebring-win - the first pit stop, however, were rewarded with victory. “It time allotted. In addition, the ning #62 F430 was unharmed, when the crew encountered was a very good win on a very tight, 11-turn circuit looked the team’s second Ferrari, difficulties during refueling. tough course,” commented like it offered serious potential which had run under the The Porsche lost three minutes Giuseppe Risi. “Mika and for a crash-fest. Krohn Racing banner, had in the pits, which dropped it Jaime did a great job staying Melo and Salo again started suffered significant damage. from contention. out of trouble and moving from pole, with Melo taking White Lightning’s #32 Ferrari By the hour mark, Melo to the front.” Flying Lizard’s the first, shorter stint because of had caught fire at Sebring and in the Risi Ferrari and Czech Porsches finished second a painful shoulder injury (the been sent back to the factory ace Tomas Enge in White and fourth, split by a result of a motorbike crash ear - for repairs. The Porsche teams Lightning’s F430 were dicing Esperante. Tafel’s #71 Porsche lier in the week). The Brazilian also had their own tales of woe, for the lead. Enge was running finished fifth. driver was holding the lead when

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