Despite dramas Brabs still on track for ALMS crown

It is crunch time. David Brabham, who is attempting to win the 2009 American Le Mans Series, experienced the full roller-coaster of emotions at Atlanta raceway.

His championship prospects looked to be shattered among hundreds of pieces of broken carbon fibre after co driver Scott Sharp's frightening practice crash which all but destroyed their Patrón Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-02a.

But the team's massive rebuild efforts using a new chassis paid off when Brabham/Sharp/Dario Franchitti started from the back of the grid and then posted a sixth-place finish in the rain-shortened Petit Le Mans to extend its lead by four points in the LMP1 championship.

To clinch the championship, Brabham/Sharp now only has to complete 70 per cent of the race distance at the final round of the year - the four-hour Laguna Seca event - next weekend.