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2004 LE MANS 24 HOUR 

• "As a young kid looking at what Jacky achieved it was something I could barely dream of ... But now having the same number of individual victories as him I am very, very proud ... Jacky Ickx wished me good luck at the Monaco Grand Prix and he said I will make it one day"

2004 LE MANS 24 HOUR RACE (24 Heures du Mans)

• June 12-13, 2004, LE MANS, FRANCE
• 72nd Le Mans Grand Prix d'Endurance
• 24 hour race ; first race 1923 ; since 1953 - part of the World Sports Car Championship
• circuit 8.6 miles
• 48 cars
• SCHEDULE:
• WED - first qualifying
• THU - final qualifying
• FRI - drivers parade
• SAT - WARM UP AT 9 am
• RACE - Saturday 4 pm till Sunday 4 pm

TOM KRISTENSEN'S RECORD WIN

• His 5th consecutive Le Mans win - first driver ever to achieve the feat

• His 6th Le Mans win - equalling the all time record set by Jacky Ickx

• Winners: Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello, Seiji Ara (AUDI JAPAN)
  
  KRISTENSEN (AUDI): "... I have just been a part of a fantastic team every year, fantastic drivers, engineers and mechanics ... There are many people I need to thank and I will make sure I do it personally ... I have not thought to look back at my other wins yet. It still hasn't sunk in ... As a young kid looking at what Jacky achieved it was something I could barely dream of ... But now having the same number of individual victories as him I am very, very proud ... Jacky Ickx wished me good luck at the Monaco Grand Prix and he said I will make it one day ... "

• 2ND: Johnny Herbert, Guy Smith, Jamie Davies (AUDI UK)
  Herbert, Smith and Davies led most of the race until a suspension problem on Sunday morning. They finished just 41 seconds behind the AUDI JAPAN.
  
  HERBERT (AUDI) finished runner-up 3 years in a row: "... Having finished second for the last two years I was determined to add to my 1991 win ...It was looking good and we had a one-lap lead but the handling deteriorated and we fell in to the clutches of the Japanese Audi ... That's motorsport - sometimes the luck doesn't go with with you."

FINAL STANDING AFTER 24 HOURS

• 1 AUDI, Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello, Seiji Ara - Audi Sport Japan Team Goh, 379 laps
• 2 AUDI, Johnny Herbert, Guy Smith, Jamie Davies. +41s
• 3 AUDI, Lehto, Pirro, Werner +11 laps
• 3 PESCAROLO, Ayari, Comas, Treluyer
• 4 DALLARA JUDD, Short, Barbosa, Barff
• 5 AUDI, Biela, Kaffer, McNish
• 6 (GTS WINNER) CORVETTE, Gavin, Beretta, Magnussen
• 7 DOME JUDD, Lammers, Dyson, Kaneishi
• 8 CORVETTE, Fellows, O'Connell, Papis (GTS)
• 9 FERRARI, McRae, Rydell, Turner (GTS)
• 10 (GT WINNER) PORSCHE, Maassen, Bergmeister, Long

QUALIFYING: AUDI/HERBERT ON POLE

HERBERT (AUDI) POLE: "... Very satisfying to be on the pole here at Le Mans. Glad I got it, the Audi ran great. So now we should see for the race; qualifying is for the boys and the race is for the men. The 24 hours will be tough and the competition is stiff, so we shall see."

McNISH (AUDI) 2ND: "... I felt a slight misfire and the team felt that it was best to take no chances whatsoever for the race so we immediately initiated an engine change during the interval. In some respects, it was a shame because I was looking forward to another crack at the pole but the priority is obviously the 24 hour race itself so you have to balance your focus"

GRID (48 cars)

• LMP 1 CLASS:
• 1 Johnny Herbert (Davies, G.Smith) , Audi R8, Audi Sport UK, 3m 33.024s
• 2 Alan McNish (Biela, Kaffer), Audi 3:33.233 +0.395s
• 3 David Brabham (Wallace, Shimoda), Zytek +0.69
• 4 Tom Kristensen, Audi 3:34.038
• 5 Sebastien Bourdais, Pescarolo, 3:34.252
• 6 Lehto, Pirro, Werner , Audi
• 7 Fukuda, Katoh, Michigami , Dome Mugen
• 8 Lammers, Dyson, Kaneishi , Dome Judd
• 9 Short, Barbosa, Barff , Dallara Judd
• 10 Coronel, Wilson, Firman , Dome Judd
• LMP 2 CLASS:
• 1 Jean Marc Gounon, Courage, 3:41.126 (13th overall)
• 2 Claude Yves Gosselin, Courage, 3:51.862
• 3 Gunnar Jeannette, Courage 3:57.850.
• LM GTS CLASS:
• 1 Tomas Enge, Prodrive Ferrari 3:49.438
• 2 Oliver Gavin, Corvette
• 3 Max Papis, Corvette
• LM GT CLASS:
• 1 Maassen, Bergmeister, Long , Porsche 911 GT3 4:07.394
• 2 Melo, de Fournoux, Daoud, Ferrari 360 Modena
• 3 Hindery, Lieb, Rockenfeller, Porsche 911 GT3

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