Gearbox failure puts BAM/Orbit Porsche out at dawn

Orbit Racing's 2004 Le Mans 24 Hour partnership with British American Motorsport (BAM) didn't come to the conclusion that either of the parties had hoped for when a gearbox failure put the #87 Porsche 911 GT3-RSR out of the race as dawn broke at La Sarthe.

During the third quarter of the race, BAM/Orbit driver Mike Rockenfeller moved up to second in the GT class and lapped the 13.65-km circuit faster than the class race record on a relatively warm, balmy French night.

Rockenfeller completed his triple stint shortly before 6am at the French circuit and handed the #87 YES Network Porsche 911 GT3 RSR to Marc Lieb, who regained a lost lap and took aim at the class victory.

However, at half past eight in the morning, French time, Lieb's efforts were stopped by a transmission failure, which put the pin-striped car out of the race.

"If it was a 12-hour race, we just finished second, but it's a 24-hour race and we didn't," said Leo Hindrey. "But you can't ever feel bad about a second-place run; it's a compliment to the team. People today saw some of the finest driving they'll ever see in Mike and Marc, they saw one of the best-prepared cars they'll ever see and they saw a team that respects the sport and loves Le Mans and this race. BAM! will be back and you'll see Mike and Marc on the podium, I promise."

"I'm sad for the whole team and everybody associated with us," stated BAM co-owner and business director Peter Baron. "Everybody did their personal best and should be proud of their effort. As the sun comes up, you think most of that stuff is over and if it lasted 18 hours, it's good to go the distance. Unfortunately, we were caught out by gearbox problems. I just feel bad about all the hard work everybody put in from the crew and drivers, to have it end like this ..."

"We came, we saw, we didn't conquer," summed up Baron's fellow team co-owner Tim Munday. "It's one of those mechanical failures, you can't help it. All brand-new parts, best preparation in the world, things break. That's the way the sport goes. If we had changed the gearbox, it would have taken us an hour-plus and we wouldn't have been in the race. We only come here to win the race; to make up places or just finish doesn't appeal."