2004 Grand Prix of Sonoma


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.
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 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.
PosClassNoTeamDriversChassisTyreLaps
PosClassNoTeamDriversEngineTyreLaps
1LMP138 ADT Champion Racing Marco Werner
JJ Lehto		Audi R8107
1LMP138 ADT Champion Racing Marco Werner
JJ Lehto		Audi 3.6L Turbo V8107
2LMP120 Dyson Racing Chris Dyson
Andy Wallace		MG-Lola EX257107
2LMP120 Dyson Racing Chris Dyson
Andy Wallace		MG XP20 2.0L Turbo I4107
3LMP116 Dyson Racing Butch Leitzinger
James Weaver		MG-Lola EX257104
3LMP116 Dyson Racing Butch Leitzinger
James Weaver		MG XP20 2.0L Turbo I4104
4GTS3 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows
Johnny O'Connell		Chevrolet Corvette C5-R102
4GTS3 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows
Johnny O'Connell		Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V8102
5LMP230 Intersport Racing Jon Field
Clint Field
Robin Liddell		Lola B2K/40102
5LMP230 Intersport Racing Jon Field
Clint Field
Robin Liddell		Judd KV675 3.4L V8102
6LMP210 Miracle Motorsports Ian James
James Gue		Lola B2K/40100
6LMP210 Miracle Motorsports Ian James
James Gue		Nissan VQL 3.0L V6100
7LMP256 Team Bucknum Racing Jeff Bucknum
Bryan Willman
Chris McMurry		Pilbeam MP9198
7LMP256 Team Bucknum Racing Jeff Bucknum
Bryan Willman
Chris McMurry		Nissan VQL 3.0L V698
8GT23 Alex Job Racing Jörg Bergmeister
Timo Bernhard		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR98
8GT23 Alex Job Racing Jörg Bergmeister
Timo Bernhard		Porsche 3.6L Flat-698
9GT45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Johannes van Overbeek
Darren Law		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR98
9GT45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Johannes van Overbeek
Darren Law		Porsche 3.6L Flat-698
10GT24 Alex Job Racing Marc Lieb
Romain Dumas		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR98
10GT24 Alex Job Racing Marc Lieb
Romain Dumas		Porsche 3.6L Flat-698
11GT35 Risi Competizione Anthony Lazzaro
Ralf Kelleners		Ferrari 360 Modena GTC97
11GT35 Risi Competizione Anthony Lazzaro
Ralf Kelleners		Ferrari 3.6L V897
12GT66 New Century - The Racer's Group Patrick Long
Cort Wagner		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR96
12GT66 New Century - The Racer's Group Patrick Long
Cort Wagner		Porsche 3.6L Flat-696
13GT79 J-3 Racing Justin Jackson
Tim Sugden		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR95
13GT79 J-3 Racing Justin Jackson
Tim Sugden		Porsche 3.6L Flat-695
14GT60 P.K. Sport Hugh Plumb
Peter Boss		Porsche 911 GT3-RS92
14GT60 P.K. Sport Hugh Plumb
Peter Boss		Porsche 3.6L Flat-692
15GT44 Flying Lizard Motorsports Seth Neiman
Lonnie Pechnik		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR92
15GT44 Flying Lizard Motorsports Seth Neiman
Lonnie Pechnik		Porsche 3.6L Flat-692
16GTS6 Krohn-Barbour Racing Tracy Krohn
David McEntee		Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT90
16GTS6 Krohn-Barbour Racing Tracy Krohn
David McEntee		Lamborghini 6.0L V1290
17GT50 Panoz Motor Sports Gunnar Jeannette
David Saelens		Panoz Esperante GT-LM88
17GT50 Panoz Motor Sports Gunnar Jeannette
David Saelens		Ford 5.0L V888
18GTS4 Corvette Racing Oliver Gavin
Olivier Beretta		Chevrolet Corvette C5-R86
18GTS4 Corvette Racing Oliver Gavin
Olivier Beretta		Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V886
19GT31 White Lightning Racing Craig Stanton
David Murry		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR85
19GT31 White Lightning Racing Craig Stanton
David Murry		Porsche 3.6L Flat-685
20GTS71 Carsport America Tom Weickardt
Jean-Philippe Belloc		Dodge Viper GTS-R75
20GTS71 Carsport America Tom Weickardt
Jean-Philippe Belloc		Dodge 8.0L V1075
21
DNF		GT67 New Century - The Racer's Group Jim Matthews
Pierre Ehret		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR52
21
DNF		GT67 New Century - The Racer's Group Jim Matthews
Pierre Ehret		Porsche 3.6L Flat-652
22
DNF		GTS5 Krohn-Barbour Racing Peter Kox
David Brabham		Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT15
22
DNF		GTS5 Krohn-Barbour Racing Peter Kox
David Brabham		Lamborghini 6.0L V1215
23
DNF		GT43 BAM! Leo Hindery
Lucas Luhr		Porsche 911 GT3-RSR15
23
DNF		GT43 BAM! Leo Hindery
Lucas Luhr		Porsche 3.6L Flat-615
24
DSQ		GTS63 ACEMCO Motorsports Terry Borcheller
Johnny Mowlem		Saleen S7-R58
24
DSQ		GTS63 ACEMCO Motorsports Terry Borcheller
Johnny Mowlem		Ford 7.0L V858
DNSGTS8 Corvette Racing Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Boris Said		Chevrolet Corvette C5-R-
DNSGTS8 Corvette Racing Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Boris Said		Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V8-

Statistics