Robertson Racing scored both a podium finish and the MICHELIN GREEN X Challenge win in GT at Lime Rock. Photo credit: Rick Dole for Michelin North America

Flying Lizard Porsche came up just short of its fifth consecutive win at Lime Rock, but did secure its first podium finish of the 2011 season. The second place for Jörg Bergmeister and Patrick Long was the best result of the season for either of the dark red and silver cars.

Robertson Racing followed its podium finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a similar result in the No. 04 car, the team’s all-pro lineup of David Murry and Anthony Lazzaro securing the team’s best result in ALMS competition in third place.

Not only that, but the same car also took home the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge victory – marking both the team’s and Ford’s first win in the environmental race-within-a-race for efficiency. The Doran Ford GT-R runs on cellulosic E85R ethanol.

A penalty promoted the Robertson Ford to third as the No. 17 Porsche received a 90-second penalty for contact on the last lap. It was running in third position prior to the penalty, and following the penalty slipped to fifth behind the top three and the No. 01 Extreme Speed Ferrari F458 Italia, which also secured its best result of the season for Scott Sharp’s team and drivers Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek.

Up front, Joey Hand and Dirk Mueller secured their third straight win in the No. 56 BMW M3 — a feat that has also included wins in a 12-hour endurance event in Sebring, Fla. and a two-hour sprint race on the streets of Long Beach. This win came in on the tightly-packed park road course of Lime Rock Park, after leading a majority of the race in class.