Crawford Survives Battery Scare . . .

The Crawford SSC2K survived a battery drama when Johnny Mowlem brought the car into the pits at the end of his first stint. Mowlem had worked the car up into a firm third place.

Tony Stewart climbed aboard and had some problems getting his belts fastened and then stalled the car as he left the pits. The Judd V10 engine then refused to start and the team had to change the battery.

This took 14 minutes and lost 5 laps on the leaders. When Tony re-joined the race the WorldCom backed car was down in 25^th place. But Stewart in his first sportscar drive showed all the skill that has made him a huge name here in the USA.

At the two hour mark the car was edging back into then top 20 and 15 mins later was back in the top 15.

Just after the two hour mark the race was featuring a huge scrap for the lead between  the Jim Matthews Racing R &S Mk3C and the Risi Ferrari which had David Brabham at the wheel.

The Doran team Dallara which led early on lost time with power steering problems.. In third place was the Dyson R&S Mk3A with Elliott Forbes-Robison at the wheel. The Dallara had dropped to fourth and then in fifth place was the Lola Judd of Jon Field /Duncan Dayton/Rick Sutherland was fifth.

But spirits still high in the Crawford pits with hopes that the next hour will see then car back in the top ten.