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Liddell and Henzler Score Convincing GT Class Victory at Watkins Glen

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 3, 2006) -- No. 72 NEC Porsche GT3 co-drivers Robin Liddell and Wolf Henzler scored their second GT class victories of the season--and perhaps more importantly closed the gap in the championship chase--with a convincing victory in Saturday's Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen for Tafel Racing.

Liddell started the No. 72 car from the outside of the class front row, but quickly took the lead, passing polesitter--and points co-leader--Marc Bunting in the No. 65 TRG/F1 Air Pontiac GTO.R in the first turn on the first lap. The Scot built a healthy lead throughout his opening stint, handing off to Henzler during a green flag run on Lap 61.

"I must say the slick tires performed very well," said Liddell. "In the end, in the damp, you could stay on slicks. We drove the whole race on slicks. We did consider going to wets a couple of times, but the way the weather was moving in, it was clear that it was raining here but it was dry on the back. Then when it was raining on the back, it was clear on the pit straight and the esses. We came into this race and we made a deliberate effort to set the car up in such a way that it would handle a better situation for the wet conditions. In the end, this played very well. It was a good strategy all around."

During the change, the No. 36 Ajilon Consulting Porsche GT3 of Randy Pobst inherited the lead. Just three laps later the full-course caution came out, forcing the class field a lap down to Pobst. However, a later caution period brought the GT field back within striking distance of the No. 36 Porsche, and Henzler passed the machine shortly after the restart. Neither he nor Liddell would relinquish the lead, and the duo eventually won by a one lap margin on the rest of the field. The win brings the duo within 10 points, 342-332, of co-leaders Bunting and Andy Lally, who finished fourth in the six-hour event.

"For sure it was a very hard race, especially under these conditions," said Henzler. "It's very hard to drive. The team did a very good job. We had a pretty good set up. Our pit stops were very good on time and she was perfect today. This was the key to win the race. We were ahead of the other guys and I think it was because of the strategy."

Pobst and co-driver Ian Baas wound up second in the No. 36 machine for the duo's best finish since their GT class victory in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. It was the tandem's third podium finish of the season in only four races, having also finished third in class in Round 4 at Virginia International Raceway.

"I'm just thrilled with the job TPC racing does with this car," said Pobst. "The inclement weather was good for us. We had a great car in the wet conditions, and strategy was an important part. The race was entertaining; it was fascinating, it was right up my alley. Strategy is so important in Rolex GT, because we're not the overall class. That makes it really satisfying. It feels like a win."

"I'm really happy to bring the TPC Porsche in second place," said Baas. "It was a difficult race, and the team hit all the marks. Second place really feels like a win for this car, because it's got a lot of time on it and it's still running strong. The conditions were changing constantly and you really had to get a good read on the track."

Paul Edwards and Kelly Collins finished third in the No. 64 TRG/iRise Pontiac GTO.R, their seventh-straight top-four class finishes, and extends TRG's streak of GT podium finishes to 14 races, dating back to the CompUSA 200 at The Glen last August. Edwards and teammate Lally were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the running order on the final lap when third-place-running David Murry hit a puddle that allowed both Edwards and Lally to pass. Murry and his No. 80 Shoes for Crews/Synergy Racing Porsche GT3 co-driver Leh Keen wound up fifth.