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Race of a Thousand Years

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

File:Adelaide (long route).svg]]

The 2000 Race of a Thousand Years was an endurance race and the final round of the 2000 American Le Mans Series. It was run on the Adelaide Street Circuit in Australia on New Year's Eve, 31 December 2000. The race was run on the full 3.780 km (2.349 mi) Grand Prix circuit used by Formula One for the Australian Grand Prix between 1985–1995, rather than the shorter 3.219 km (2.001 mi) Supercars version of the circuit used since 1999. The Race of a Thousand Years was intended to be run for 1000 kilometres but was stopped short due to time constraints, two hours before midnight, after completing 850 kilometres.

Background

Like the 1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000 km, the Race of a Thousand Years was intended as a precursor to a planned Asia-Pacific Le Mans Series (APLMS) run by Don Panoz and the Professional Sports Car Racing body, just as the Silverstone and Nürburgring events earlier in the season were for the European Le Mans Series (ELMS). After a small number of entrants for the European series in 2001, as well as a lack of entrants for a third Asian-Pacific exhibition event at the Sepang Circuit, the APLMS plans were cancelled.

The race was the final of twelve endurance sports car racing rounds of the 2000 American Le Mans Series and took place at the Adelaide Street Circuit on 31 December 2000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/2000/12/12/1211rrr.html#42aa3dc34b23|title=Adelaide: Race of a Thousand Years|last=Frank|first=Michael|date=14 December 2000|website=Forbes|access-date=6 April 2018}} The event was the first in a nine-year contract, but was abandoned after only one. Over 135,000 fans attended the race meeting, with almost 70,000 of them in attendance on race day. Organisers expected around 200,000 people in attendance during the race weekend.

Race Summary

By completing the first 25 laps (and in the lead after having passed teammate Frank Biela on lap 17), Allan McNish became the 2000 American Le Mans Series LMP Drivers' Champion. McNish and teammate Rinaldo Capello completed 225 laps in their Audi Sport North America R8. Australian driver Brad Jones had also qualified the R8 but did not drive in the race. Jones, the team owner and lead driver of Audi's factory backed Super Touring team in Australia, was on stand-by for Scotsman McNish who had injured his back a few days before the race while stepping out of his kilt after a photo shoot and had spent the day before the race flat on his back in bed in a successful effort to be fit to race. Only being a guest driver who'd never even driven the car until practice (nor had he driven a race car as expensive), Jones admitted that despite knowing the circuit well, he was some 4 seconds slower than both McNish and Capello so it was probably a good thing he didn't get to drive. The Audi team suffered a setback on the morning of the race when Capello crashed the R8 (painted in crocodile livery in honour of the host country Australia) into the tyre barriers on the outside of turn six. However the team were able to repair the car to allow McNish to start.

The GTS class was won by Olivier Beretta, Karl Wendlinger and Dominique Dupuy who piloted their Team Oreca Dodge Viper GTS-R (known as a Chrysler Viper in Australia) to 3rd outright, while finishing 5th outright were the GT class winners Dirk Müller and Lucas Luhr in their Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3-R.

McNish (Audi), Portuguese driver Ni Amorim (Viper) and German Luhr (Porsche) set the fastest laps in their respective classes, with McNish's time of 1:25.2189 being the fastest ever non-Formula One race lap of the Adelaide circuit (compared to the outright lap record of 1:15.381 set by Damon Hill in a Williams FW15C powered by a Renault V10 engine during the 1993 Australian Grand Prix).

File:2000 Thousand Years winning Audi R8.jpg / Allan McNish crocodile liveried Audi R8 driven early in the race by McNish.]]

Top 10 Qualifiers

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"

! Pos

! No

! Team

! Driver

! Car

! Time

! Gap

style="font-weight:bold"

! Pole

| 77

| {{flagicon|GER}} Audi Sport North America

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Rinaldo Capello

| Audi R8

| 1:23.8038

|align="center"| —

2

| 78

| {{flagicon|GER}} Audi Sport North America

| {{flagicon|GER}} Frank Biela

| Audi R8

| 1:23.9783

| 0.1745

3

| 12

| {{flagicon|USA}} Panoz Motor Sports

| {{flagicon|AUS}} David Brabham

| Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S

| 1:24.9890

| 1.1852

4

| 2

| {{flagicon|USA}} Panoz Motor Sports

| {{flagicon|USA}} Johnny O'Connell

| Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S

| 1:25.1683

| 1.3645

5

| 1

| {{flagicon|USA}} Panoz Motor Sports

| {{flagicon|DEN}} Jan Magnussen

| Panoz LMP07

| 1:26.8596

| 3.0558

6

| 31

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Motorola DAMS

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Éric Bernard

| Cadillac Northstar LMP

| 1:27.5513

| 3.7475

7

| 32

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Motorola DAMS

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Christophe Tinseau

| Cadillac Northstar LMP

| 1:27.7513

| 3.9475

8

| 0

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Team Rafanelli SRL

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Domenico Schiattarella

| Lola B2K/10

| 1:28.8167

| 5.0129

9

| 28

| {{flagicon|GER}} Konrad Motorsport

| {{flagicon|AUT}} Franz Konrad

| Lola B2K/10

| 1:32.9607

| 9.1569

10

| 91

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Viper Team Oreca

| {{flagicon|MON}} Olivier Beretta

| Dodge Viper GTS-R

| 1:34.6027

| 10.7989

Official results

Class winners in bold.

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"

! rowspan=2 | Pos

! rowspan=2 | Class

! rowspan=2 | No

! rowspan=2 | Team

! rowspan=2 | Drivers

! Chassis

! rowspan=2 | Tyre

! rowspan=2 | Laps

Engine
style="font-weight:bold"

! rowspan=2 | 1

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 77

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GER}} Audi Sport North America

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|ITA}} Rinaldo Capello
{{flagicon|GBR}} Allan McNish
{{flagicon|AUS}} Brad Jones

| Audi R8

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 225

style="font-weight:bold"

| Audi 3.6L Turbo V8

rowspan=2 | 2

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 28

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GER}} Konrad Motorsport

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|AUT}} Franz Konrad
{{flagicon|USA}} Charles Slater
{{flagicon|AUS}} Alan Heath

| Lola B2K/10

| rowspan=2 | {{Goodyear}}

| rowspan=2 | 204

Ford (Roush) 6.0L V8
style="font-weight:bold"

! rowspan=2 | 3

| rowspan=2 | GTS

| rowspan=2 | 91

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Viper Team Oreca

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|MON}} Olivier Beretta
{{flagicon|AUT}} Karl Wendlinger
{{flagicon|FRA}} Dominique Dupuy

| Dodge Viper GTS-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 202

style="font-weight:bold"

| Chrysler 8.0L V10

rowspan=2 | 4

| rowspan=2 | GTS

| rowspan=2 | 92

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Viper Team Oreca

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Philippe Belloc
{{flagicon|POR}} Ni Amorim

| Dodge Viper GTS-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 202

Dodge Chrysler 8.0L V10
style="font-weight:bold"

! rowspan=2 | 5

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 5

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Dick Barbour Racing

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GER}} Dirk Müller
{{flagicon|GER}} Lucas Luhr

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 199

style="font-weight:bold"

| Porsche 3.6L Flat-6

rowspan=2 | 6

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 15

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Dick Barbour Racing

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|MEX}} Randy Wars
{{flagicon|CAN}} John Graham
{{flagicon|GER}} Christian Menzel

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 191

Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 7

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 6

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Prototype Technology Group (PTG)

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Terry Borcheller
{{flagicon|USA}} Anthony Lazzaro

| BMW M3

| rowspan=2 | {{Yokohama}}

| rowspan=2 | 190

BMW 3.2L I6
rowspan=2 | 8

| rowspan=2 | GTS

| rowspan=2 | 61

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GBR}} Chamberlain Motorsport

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|Venezuela|1930}} Milka Duno
{{flagicon|RSA}} Stephen Watson
{{flagicon|AUS}} Ray Lintott

| Chrysler Viper GTS-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 190

Chrysler 8.0L V10
rowspan=2 | 9

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 12

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Panoz Motor Sports

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|AUS}} David Brabham
{{flagicon|NZL}} Greg Murphy
{{flagicon|AUS}} Jason Bright

| Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 190

Élan 6L8 6.0L V8
rowspan=2 | 10

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 10

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Prototype Technology Group (PTG)

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Cunningham
{{flagicon|USA}} Bill Auberlen
{{flagicon|SWE}} Niclas Jönsson

| BMW M3

| rowspan=2 | {{Yokohama}}

| rowspan=2 | 190

BMW 3.2L I6
rowspan=2 | 11

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 66

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} The Racer's Group

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Robert Orcutt
{{flagicon|AUS}} Darren Palmer
{{flagicon|AUS}} Christian D'Agostin

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Pirelli}}

| rowspan=2 | 188

Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 12

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 8

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|SWI}} Haberthur Racing

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Patrick Vuillaume
{{flagicon|AUT}} Manfred Jurasz
{{flagicon|ESP}} Francesc Gutiérrez

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Dunlop}}

| rowspan=2 | 187

Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 13
DNF

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 0

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|ITA}} Team Rafanelli SRL

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|ITA}} Domenico Schiattarella
{{flagicon|BEL}} Didier de Radigues
{{flagicon|GER}} Norman Simon

| Lola B2K/10

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 183

Judd GV4 (Rafanelli) 4.0L V10
rowspan=2 | 14

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 30

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} White Lightning Racing

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Mike Fitzgerald
{{flagicon|USA}} Randy Pobst

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 178

Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 15

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 78

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GER}} Audi Sport North America

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GER}} Frank Biela
{{flagicon|ITA}} Emanuele Pirro

| Audi R8

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 170

Audi 3.6L Turbo V8
rowspan=2 | 16

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 70

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|AUS}} Skea Racing International

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GBR}} Johnny Mowlem
{{flagicon|GBR}} Richard Dean

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Pirelli}}

| rowspan=2 | 164

Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 17

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 51

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Dick Barbour Racing

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GER}} Sascha Maassen
{{flagicon|FRA}} Bob Wollek

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 162

Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 18
DNF

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 69

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|CAN}} Kyser Racing

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|CAN}} Kye Wankum
{{flagicon|USA}} Joe Foster
{{flagicon|CAN}} Jeff Pabst

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Pirelli}}

| rowspan=2 | 159

Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 19
DNF

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 31

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Motorola DAMS

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Éric Bernard
{{flagicon|FRA}} Emmanuel Collard

| Cadillac Northstar LMP

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 72

Cadillac Northstar 4.0L Turbo V8
rowspan=2 | 20
DNF

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 32

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Motorola DAMS

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Christophe Tinseau
{{flagicon|BEL}} Marc Goossens

| Cadillac Northstar LMP

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 54

Cadillac Northstar 4.0L Turbo V8
rowspan=2 | 21
DNF

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 71

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|AUS}} Skea Racing International

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Doc Bundy
{{flagicon|AUS}} Rohan Skea
{{flagicon|AUS}} Des Wall

| Porsche 911 GT3-R

| rowspan=2 | {{Pirelli}}

| rowspan=2 | 53

Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 22
DNF

| rowspan=2 | GT

| rowspan=2 | 7

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Prototype Technology Group (PTG)

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|GER}} Hans-Joachim Stuck
{{flagicon|USA}} Boris Said
{{flagicon|USA}} Johannes van Overbeek

| BMW M3

| rowspan=2 | {{Yokohama}}

| rowspan=2 | 30

BMW 3.2L I6
rowspan=2 | 23
DNF

| rowspan=2 | GTS

| rowspan=2 | 37

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Intersport Racing

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Vic Rice
{{flagicon|USA}} Kevin Buckler

| Porsche 911 GT2

| rowspan=2 | {{Dunlop}}

| rowspan=2 | 19

Porsche 3.8L Turbo Flat-6
rowspan=2 | 24
DNF

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 1

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Panoz Motor Sports

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|DEN}} Jan Magnussen
{{flagicon|GER}} Klaus Graf

| Panoz LMP07

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 2

Élan (Zytek) 4.0L V8
rowspan=2 | DSQ†

| rowspan=2 | LMP

| rowspan=2 | 2

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|USA}} Panoz Motor Sports

| rowspan=2 | {{flagicon|JPN}} Hiroki Katoh
{{flagicon|USA}} Johnny O'Connell
{{flagicon|GER}} Klaus Graf

| Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S

| rowspan=2 | {{Michelin}}

| rowspan=2 | 187

Élan 6L8 6.0L V8

† – No. 2 Panoz was disqualified for allowing an unassigned driver, Klaus Graf, to drive the car during the race.

Statistics

  • Pole Position – Rinaldo Capello – No. 77 Audi Sport North America – 1:23.804
  • Fastest Lap – Allan McNish – No. 77 Audi Sport North America – 1:25.219
  • Average Speed – 148.048 km/h

References

{{Reflist}}

  • Auto Action, 12–18 January 2001
  • Official Program, Adelaide Race of a Thousand Years, 29–31 December 2000

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20030403075301/http://www.imsaracing.net/archives/2000adelaide.pdf Official results, www.imsaracing.net, as archived at web.archive.org]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20010202175900/http://www.lemansadelaide.com.au/ www.lemansadelaide.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org]

{{Sportscar Race Report

| Year_of_race = 2000

| Sportscar_Series = American Le Mans Series

| Previous_race_in_season = 2000 Grand Prix of Las Vegas

| Next_race_in_season = 2001 Grand Prix of Texas
2001 season

}}

{{Asian Le Mans Series}}

{{Automobile endurance races}}

{{ALMS races}}

Category:2000 in Australian motorsport

Category:2000 American Le Mans Series

Category:Auto races in Australia

Category:New Year celebrations

Category:Motorsport in Adelaide