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(March 6, 2010) -- Miller Barrett Racing didn't get to see the checkered flag at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday night. The team was running 10th in the GT class when a gearbox failure zapped its No. 48 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup out of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. Luke Hines of Essex, England, drove the first 42 minutes of the two-hour 45-minute race on the 2.3-mile infield road course in Homestead, Fla. He started eighth in class, but lost two positions to the more powerful Mazda cars. Bryce Miller of Summit, N.J., took the wheel for the second stint, holding 10th in class until he stopped for tires and fuel at 1h24. He reported problems with the gearbox and differential 11 minutes later, then lost all but sixth gear. The car was retired from the race. Miller Barrett Racing was the lead Porsche team for most of the first hour of the race, but struggled to hold a top-10 position behind the Mazdas. Team owner Paul Miller was disappointed the top Porsche finished only eighth in GT, three laps behind the class leader. "We are obviously very disappointed at the pace of the Porsches. For the fastest Porsche to finish three laps down from the front is slightly absurd," he said. "However, we feel confident that GRAND-AM will make the necessary adjustments to equalize the field." "At least we didn't get DP'd this time!" Bryce Miller said, referring to the team's bad luck in being knocked out of three races by cars in the Daytona Prototype class, including last year's Rolex Series race in Homestead. |
