What is a stall test anyway?

Posted Mar 19, 2010 by Earl Fannin

Updated Mar 19, 2010 at 06:04 PM

Following qualifying Friday for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Dirk Mueller’s apparent GT2 class record-setting #90 BMW E92 M3 was “excluded” for failing what they call a “stall test” during technical inspection.

Huh?  What’s a “stall test”?

Mueller had broken the GT2 track record, but was excluded from the qualifying results and will show “No Time”.  He will start the race Saturday, but in the back of the 14-car GT2 field.

The exclusion gave the GT2 pole – and track record – to Joerg Bergmeister of Germany, who turned in a lap of 2:01.150 = 109.946 mph in the #45 Flying Lizards Porsche 911 RSR, breaking Jaime Melo’s 2007 record of 2:02.434 = 108.793 mph.

Six other cars were under Melo’s record – Wolf Henzler in the #17 Falken Tires Porsche 911 GT3 RSR at 2:01.201 = 109.990 mph, Melo in the #62 Risi Ferrari 430 GT at 2:01.236 =  109.868 mph, Jan Magnussen in the #4 Compuware Corvette C6.R at 2:01.358 = 109.758 mph, Olivier Gavin in the #4 Compuware Corvette C6.R at 2:01.628 = 109.514 mph, and Johannes van Overbeek in the #01 Patron Ferrari 430 GT at 2:01.914 = 109.257 mph.

Bill Auberlen inherited the top qualifying spot for BMW—seventh at 2:01.922 = 109.250 mph in #the 92 BMW E92 M3.  He is a three-time Sebring class winner, but has not won here since 1998. 

Also excluded from the qualifying results – for being underweight – was the #36 Oreca FLM09 of former Sebring winner Andy Wallace.

The #75 JaguarRSR XKRS and the #69 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entries were also moved to the back of the starting grid after failing to achieve minimum laps during Thursday night practice.  Each driver is required to complete three laps during night practice.