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Grand Am
GRAND-AM: Wilkins’ Last-Lap Pass Wins Montreal
Mark Wilkins, a native of Toronto, passed another Toronto-born driver Darren Law when Law ran out of fuel to win by closest Rolex Series margin ever at Circuit Gilles Villeneueve.
J.J. O'Malley  | http://www.grand-am.com  |  Posted August 02, 2008   Montreal, Quebec
Canada's own Brian Frisselle, left, and Mark Wilkins celebrate their win. (LAT photo)

Close finishes continue to be a common occurrence in the 2008 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 season, and Friday's Montreal 200 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve became the closest in series history.

Canadian Mark Wilkins, a native of Toronto, passed another Toronto-born driver Darren Law and Spanish driver Antonio Garcia on the final of 69 laps when Law ran out of fuel on the main straightaway. It was the first career victory for Wilkins and co-driver Brian Frisselle, whose margin of victory - 0.064 seconds - was the closest in series history. It also marked the third straight race where the top two drivers were separated by less than a second at the checkered flag.

Frisselle jumped from third to first on the opening lap but contact between him and point leader Scott Pruett sent the No. 61 AIM Autosport Ford Riley spinning and to the rear of the field. However, he marched the car quickly into the top 10, and Wilkins took over on Lap 23.

Law took the lead from Pruett's co-driver and fellow point co-leader Memo Rojas on Lap 57 and held off first Joey Hand - who led a strong charge before retiring after running out of fuel on the final lap - then Garcia and Wilkins. Later in that lap, Law's No. 58 Brumos Racing Porsche Riley slowed as it approached the checkered flag.

Garcia, co-driving for the first time this season with Christian Fittipaldi, tried to go left and then right when he saw Law slow, but Wilkins was already making the pass. Wilkins shot past both drivers, taking the checkered flag first, the only lap the AIM Autosport team led all race. Garcia, in turn, kept second over Law, who co-drove with David Donohue. Donohue also led four laps.

It marked the third straight race the margin of victory was less than a second. Only 0.654 seconds separated the top three drivers.

Joao Barbosa and JC France earned fourth in the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche Riley, while Pruett and Rojas took fifth in the No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Lexus Riley. Pruett led the first 17 laps after earning the pole earlier in the afternoon with a time of 1:33.199 (104.641 mph), and Rojas led 10 laps before surrendering the point to Law.

Liddell, Davis earn last-lap victory in GT class

Robin Liddell and Andrew Davis won the GT portion of the race, their third of the season in the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Pontiac GXP.R, after leader Dirk Werner ran out of fuel on the final lap. It marked the only lap either Liddell or Davis led all race.

Werner led a race-high 42 laps and was attempting to give himself and Bryce Miller their first victory of the season when the No. 87 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3 slowed on the main straightaway. They went on to finish fourth.

Montreal-born Sylvain Tremblay and co-driver Nick Ham finished second in the No. 70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8, while Diego Alessi and Matt Connolly took third in the No. 21 Matt Connolly Motorsports Pontiac GTO.R.

Polesitter Eric Lux and co-driver Leh Keen finished fifth in the No. 86 Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3. Lux posted a qualifying time of 1:42.362 as he and Miller broke the track record.

Two cautions for debris, lasting a total of six laps, slowed the race's average to 92.368 mph.

Daytona Prototype competitors return to action in the Crown Royal 200 at The Glen on Aug. 8 at Watkins Glen International.

MONTREAL 200 RESULTS

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