LeMans Crash, Pocono to Gordon, Canadian GP, Indy

This really was a great weekend of racing ... almost as epic and event filled as the INDY 500 weekend (that also had the NASCAR Coca Cola 200 and F1's Monaco).

Four points to make - Even though Audi lost two of its three competing entries in the 79th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Benoit Treluyer, Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler broke through for a history-making victory at Circuit de la Sarthe in the fourth-closest finish in the endurance racing classic’s 79-year history. Battling intermittent rain and pressure from the Simon Pagenaud-driven No. 9 Peugeot, Lotterer drove the No. 2 Audi to a narrow 13.420-second victory over the Frenchman in a battle that literally went down to the wire. Fresh tires on the Audi taken on during the last 13 to 15 second fueling pitstop (when the Peugeot did not) about 30 minutes from the end of the 24 hours helped to maintain the difference.

The GT Pro Class saw Corvette win but not battling with the factory Porsche team as in years past. This is not another year in a string of stellar performances by Porsche and there is scuttlebutt that the rear engine advantage that had been a hallmark may have been played out as the Flying Lizard team has had trouble being competitive at this famed street racing venue at Le Mans.

IndyCar saw the break through emergence of 2010 season runner-up Will Power in winning his first oval race since the merge of ChampCar and the IRL. This former ChampCar standout lost the championship last year because he could not maintain a winning form and consistency when racing on oval tracks. Power was able to pull 5 more points ahead of last year's ICS Champion, Dario Franchitti in this season's points race. If Power is able to continue the performance standards he is setting this year ... we're looking at the 2011 IndyCar Series Champion in the making.

Lastly, Jensen Button won while driving from every position on the track and 6 pitstops aided with a special rear-wing gap control and good tire strategy timing throughout the rain delayed event. The rear-wing gap control is called the DRS or Drag Reduction System. 

The DRS system opens up a letterbox-shaped gap in the rear wing of the car reducing drag and allowing the car to slide through the air quicker. The DRS works by sensing the proximity to the car in front before the straight on which the wing may be activated. If the car behind is less than one second behind (this is judged by the installed timing loops in the track) the driver is told that his system is “armed”, however, he can only use it when he reaches a particular point on the following straight line. This point is likely 600-800 meters before the breaking point for the following corner. There are marks on the track to show the area where proximity is being detected and a line across the track at the point where the drivers whose system is armed may be deployed. The car in front sits like a duck because the DRS will not be activated on his car ... no one-second car in front!!

It was this DRS pressure that caused Vittlel to miss-step going into the turn setting up the straight away going into the last lap. Button wins!