2004 Grand Prix of Sonoma
# 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 (Chassis No. C5-009) 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 (NC).

| Pos | Class | No | Team | Drivers | Chassis | Tyre | Laps |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pos | Class | No | Team | Drivers | Engine | Tyre | Laps |
| 1 | LMP1 | 38 | ADT Champion Racing | Marco Werner JJ Lehto | Audi R8 | M | 107 |
| 1 | LMP1 | 38 | ADT Champion Racing | Marco Werner JJ Lehto | Audi 3.6L Turbo V8 | M | 107 |
| 2 | LMP1 | 20 | Dyson Racing | Chris Dyson Andy Wallace | MG-Lola EX257 | G | 107 |
| 2 | LMP1 | 20 | Dyson Racing | Chris Dyson Andy Wallace | MG (AER) XP20 2.0L Turbo I4 | G | 107 |
| 3 | LMP1 | 16 | Dyson Racing | Butch Leitzinger James Weaver | MG-Lola EX257 | G | 104 |
| 3 | LMP1 | 16 | Dyson Racing | Butch Leitzinger James Weaver | MG (AER) XP20 2.0L Turbo I4 | G | 104 |
| 4 | GTS | 3 | Corvette Racing | Ron Fellows Johnny O'Connell | Chevrolet Corvette C5-R | M | 102 |
| 4 | GTS | 3 | Corvette Racing | Ron Fellows Johnny O'Connell | Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V8 | M | 102 |
| 5 | LMP2 | 30 | Intersport Racing | Jon Field Clint Field Robin Liddell | Lola B2K/40 | P | 102 |
| 5 | LMP2 | 30 | Intersport Racing | Jon Field Clint Field Robin Liddell | Judd KV675 3.4L V8 | P | 102 |
| 6 | LMP2 | 10 | Miracle Motorsports | Ian James James Gue | Lola B2K/40 | Y | 100 |
| 6 | LMP2 | 10 | Miracle Motorsports | Ian James James Gue | Nissan (AER) VQL 3.0L V6 | Y | 100 |
| 7 | LMP2 | 56 | Team Bucknum Racing | Jeff Bucknum Bryan Willman Chris McMurry | Pilbeam MP91 | D | 98 |
| 7 | LMP2 | 56 | Team Bucknum Racing | Jeff Bucknum Bryan Willman Chris McMurry | Nissan (AER) VQL 3.0L V6 | D | 98 |
| 8 | GT | 23 | Alex Job Racing | Jörg Bergmeister Timo Bernhard | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 98 |
| 8 | GT | 23 | Alex Job Racing | Jörg Bergmeister Timo Bernhard | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 98 |
| 9 | GT | 45 | Flying Lizard Motorsports | Johannes van Overbeek Darren Law | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 98 |
| 9 | GT | 45 | Flying Lizard Motorsports | Johannes van Overbeek Darren Law | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 98 |
| 10 | GT | 24 | Alex Job Racing | Marc Lieb Romain Dumas | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 98 |
| 10 | GT | 24 | Alex Job Racing | Marc Lieb Romain Dumas | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 98 |
| 11 | GT | 35 | Risi Competizione | Anthony Lazzaro Ralf Kelleners | Ferrari 360 Modena GTC | P | 97 |
| 11 | GT | 35 | Risi Competizione | Anthony Lazzaro Ralf Kelleners | Ferrari 3.6L V8 | P | 97 |
| 12 | GT | 66 | New Century - The Racer's Group | Patrick Long Cort Wagner | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 96 |
| 12 | GT | 66 | New Century - The Racer's Group | Patrick Long Cort Wagner | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 96 |
| 13 | GT | 79 | J-3 Racing | Justin Jackson Tim Sugden | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 95 |
| 13 | GT | 79 | J-3 Racing | Justin Jackson Tim Sugden | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 95 |
| 14 | GT | 60 | P.K. Sport | Hugh Plumb Peter Boss | Porsche 911 GT3-RS | P | 92 |
| 14 | GT | 60 | P.K. Sport | Hugh Plumb Peter Boss | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | P | 92 |
| 15 | GT | 44 | Flying Lizard Motorsports | Seth Neiman Lonnie Pechnik | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 92 |
| 15 | GT | 44 | Flying Lizard Motorsports | Seth Neiman Lonnie Pechnik | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 92 |
| 16 | GTS | 6 | Krohn-Barbour Racing | Tracy Krohn David McEntee | Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT | P | 90 |
| 16 | GTS | 6 | Krohn-Barbour Racing | Tracy Krohn David McEntee | Lamborghini 6.0L V12 | P | 90 |
| 17 | GT | 50 | Panoz Motor Sports | Gunnar Jeannette David Saelens | Panoz Esperante GT-LM | P | 88 |
| 17 | GT | 50 | Panoz Motor Sports | Gunnar Jeannette David Saelens | Ford (Élan) 5.0L V8 | P | 88 |
| 18 | GTS | 4 | Corvette Racing | Oliver Gavin Olivier Beretta | Chevrolet Corvette C5-R | M | 86 |
| 18 | GTS | 4 | Corvette Racing | Oliver Gavin Olivier Beretta | Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V8 | M | 86 |
| 19 | GT | 31 | White Lightning Racing | Craig Stanton David Murry | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 85 |
| 19 | GT | 31 | White Lightning Racing | Craig Stanton David Murry | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 85 |
| 20 | GTS | 71 | Carsport America | Tom Weickardt Jean-Philippe Belloc | Dodge Viper GTS-R | P | 75 |
| 20 | GTS | 71 | Carsport America | Tom Weickardt Jean-Philippe Belloc | Dodge 8.0L V10 | P | 75 |
| 21 DNF | GT | 67 | New Century - The Racer's Group | Jim Matthews Pierre Ehret | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 52 |
| 21 DNF | GT | 67 | New Century - The Racer's Group | Jim Matthews Pierre Ehret | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 52 |
| 22 DNF | GTS | 5 | Krohn-Barbour Racing | Peter Kox David Brabham | Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT | P | 15 |
| 22 DNF | GTS | 5 | Krohn-Barbour Racing | Peter Kox David Brabham | Lamborghini 6.0L V12 | P | 15 |
| 23 DNF | GT | 43 | BAM! | Leo Hindery Lucas Luhr | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | M | 15 |
| 23 DNF | GT | 43 | BAM! | Leo Hindery Lucas Luhr | Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 | M | 15 |
| 24 DSQ | GTS | 63 | ACEMCO Motorsports | Terry Borcheller Johnny Mowlem | Saleen S7-R | P | 58 |
| 24 DSQ | GTS | 63 | ACEMCO Motorsports | Terry Borcheller Johnny Mowlem | Ford 7.0L V8 | P | 58 |
| DNS | GTS | 8 | Corvette Racing | Dale Earnhardt Jr. Boris Said | Chevrolet Corvette C5-R | M | - |
| DNS | GTS | 8 | Corvette Racing | Dale Earnhardt Jr. Boris Said | Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0L V8 | M | - |

## Statistics

* Pole Position - #38 ADT Champion Racing - 1:22.320
* Fastest Lap - #38 ADT Champion Racing - 1:23.656
* Distance - 270.71 miles (435.67 km)
* Average Speed - 98.082 mph (157.848 km/h)
