What’s New -- Team Olive Garden Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS V2003 

* New 6.0 Liter. V-12 by Élan Power Products with all-new torque enhancing
carbon-fiber intake design

* Pirelli P Zero racing tires

* Front/rear chassis rigidity improved

* Underbody airflow completely revised for lower drag / higher down force

* All-new suspension designs front and rear with greatly improved kinematics

* Improved damping options by Moton

* New Hewland six-speed sequential gearbox

* Improved cockpit environment

Kevin Doran, head of Doran-Lista Racing, announced today that his team has entered into a technical partnership with Michelin for the 2003 American Le Mans Series, which begins with the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla., on March 15.

Engineers from Michelin North America, which is based in Greenville, S.C., will provide expertise in tire compound selection to the team on-site at the different events, and will also provide data such as tire temperatures, etc. for comparison during practice sessions and before, during and after the races.

"We have known Kevin Doran for a number of years, dating back to the mid-eighties," said Herb Johnson Jr., Michelin's director of motorsports. "He has been one of the most successful team managers ever, and he has a trem endous reputation in sports car racing. We're pleased to be a part of the Doran-Lista program. We hope that through this partnership we all will have many trips to the winners' circle."

"Michelin's product and technical support are fantastic," said Doran, "and I'm looking forward to working with them this year."

"I'm very pleased to be driving on Michelins because I think they make one of the best tires in sports car racing," said Didier Theys, lead driver for the Lebanon, Ohio-based team.

"I was one of the official Michelin drivers back in 1983 in Formula 3, and at that time I worked with some people who are still with Michelin today," Theys noted. "It is a great company.

"I think almost all of our primary competition in ALMS this year will be on Michelins, so that should make the races even more competitive," Theys added.

Co-driver Fredy Lienhard Sr. concurred. "Michelin tires are great, and this is definitely a plus for our team," he said.


Febuary 25,2003 The Racer's Group Announces Sebring Lineup


Fresh off a historic overall win at the 2003 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, The Racer's Group today announced its driver lineup for a 3-car assault on the 12 Hours of Sebring. Team owner Kevin Buckler will lead a strong lineup of racers in an attempt to capture the team's first win at Sebring. Joining Buckler in car #66 are longtime Champ Car, F-1, IRL & and IMSA driver Eliseo Salazar, of Santiago, Chile and 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona overall winner Jim Pace, of Monticello, MS.

Buckler was excited about the driver's lineup. "I'm ecstatic to have Jim and Eliseo driving with me at Sebring. After what happened at Daytona, I know that with the right drivers, we're one of the best teams on the track. Both of these guys have been all over the world, have driven all sorts of cars, and they're going to do an awesome job in our cars. I couldn't be more excited about the mix."

The race at Sebring means something special to Eliseo Salazar. "I'm really excited to join a winning team at a place that means a lot of me. When I was in high school in Chile, I applied for a student exchange in California, and got accepted in some place I'd never heard of called Sebring, Florida. I watched the 12 Hour race that year, and I got the racing bug by being there. I've raced all over the world, but this is my first Sebring 12 Hour. I can't wait."

In car #67, the winning car from the 2002 24 Hours of Le Mans, are two familiar faces at The Racer's Group, and one new one. 2003 Overall Winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona and 2nd place finisher in the 2002 Porsche Cup Michael Schrom will lead the charge in #67, and will be joined by longtime Racer's Group friend Vic Rice, of Novato, CA. Rice has raced all over the world, including the 24 Hours of Spa, Le Mans and Nurburgring. Joining Michael and Vic is Pierre Ehret of Santa Rosa, CA.

Michael Schrom was confident about the opening round in ALMS. "You know, we had an amazing run last year, and for Kevin and me to finish 1-2 in the Porsche Cup was amazing. We didn't know how we'd ever improve on that. Then we won overall at Daytona, which is definitely one of the highlights of my racing career. Now, we're setting our sights on conquering Sebring, which is a whole other challenge, and I, for one, am thrilled about the opportunity. I've driven with Vic before, and I got to test with Pierre at the Sebring Porsche Club race a couple of weeks ago, and I've got to say that I like our chances."

Pierre Ehret, owner of the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa, CA, spoke about the reliability of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. "I'm never nervous before a race, and Sebring is no different. The combination of the Racer's Group team and the Porsches makes me very happy. I'm excited to drive well and compare myself on one hand with Kevin and Michael and on the other with the other guys in the GT class. The great thing about endurance races is that we stack up well against some of the quicker cars -- the qualifying times won 't say much about the outcome of the race because of the reliability of the GT3 RS. "

Vic Rice acknowledged the level of competition in this year's race. "If you look at the caliber of cars and drivers, I think you have to conclude that this is one of the best fields in the modern era. All of us want to be here to race against the best, to see how we stack up. This race is going to be a true test for our team."

Rounding out The Racer's Group's lineup for the 12 Hours of Sebring is car #68, driven by Chris Gleason, of Johnstown, PA, Marc Bunting, of Monkton, MD, and Allan Ziegelman, principal and owner of Black Forest Motorsports in DeLand, FL. Ziegelman drove a Porsche 911 GT3R in the 2001 12 Hours of Sebring, and was the driver last season for the #28 Riley & Scott WSC car.

Chris Gleason, President of the Gleason Agency and CEO of Gleason Financial, uses racing as a way to help disadvantaged and disabled people. "I've had good fortune in my life, and when I was young, I had an uncle who was an official with the Pennsylvania State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, and watching the work that those people did had an effect on me. These are people who have a lot of things to overcome in life, and when I bring them out to the track, they really appreciate it. I feel that the more successful you are, the more you should give back, and this is one of the ways I've chosen to focus some of my energy. When we bring folks down to Sebring, it's going to be memorable for them, and I'm looking forward to being with them."

Marc Bunting was "nervously optimistic" about his maiden pro drive at Sebring. "I'm looking forward to the race, and about the team I've joined. The Racer's Group is an established and successful team, and the equipment is excellent. The Porsche GT3 RS is a great car -- reliable -- and I'd say I' m nervously optimistic about my first pro race at Sebring. We were just down here a couple of weeks ago running in a Porsche Club race, and we won our enduro. That bodes well for us, and gives us a little bit of confidence going into the 12 Hour. Chris, Allan and I just need to capitalize on our experience and the reliability of the car, and hopefully, we'll be on the podium at the end."

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Febuary 24,2003 Taurus Sports Prepares For Sebring


Taurus Sports, the Norfolk-based sportscar racing team assembled by Ian Dawson, will run a Lola (B2K10 B) Judd LMP 900 at the classic Sebring 12 Hours which takes place from 13-15 March. The Judd-powered Lola will benefit from a factory supported tyre programme with Dunlop as the Team prepares for the event with a shakedown at Snetterton on Friday.

Following the Florida race Taurus Sports will then compete in all seven rounds of the 2003 FIA International Sportscar Championship. An entry has also been submitted to race at 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Taurus Sports, Team Proprietor and Race Director, Ian Dawson:
“We have worked hard to put together a competitive race programme for this year and I am delighted by the outcome. Our newly developed premises, including a fully equipped human performance centre, is now operational and Taurus Sports has assembled a first class team of professionals with the drive and engineering expertise to prepare cars to race at the highest level.”

“We are very excited about the future of Taurus Sports and the strength of our 2003 programme, which may also include us running a second car in the FIA Sportscar Championship.”

“Working with companies of the calibre of Lola, Judd and Dunlop is testimony to our credentials and they know that we will represent their interests with the utmost professionalism.”

The relationship between Ian Dawson and Lola spans more than two decades. In 1981 Ian ran the first Lola Group C sportscar programme, and as recently as 2000 he successfully competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Nissan-powered Lola, winning the LMP 675 category.

The driver line-up for Sebring will be announced within the next seven days.


Febuary 24,2003 Olive Garden Ferrari On Pirelli


Team Olive Garden Ferrari today announced it has selected Pirelli P Zero racing tires for its attack on the factory Corvette effort in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GTS championship this year.

Olive Garden President Drew Madsen lauded the selection. “So much of what we do is inspired by close ties to Italy -- that makes Pirelli a wonderful part of our team. Together with our co-sponsor Coca-Cola, we welcome Pirelli to Team Olive Garden Ferrari and we’re thrilled to work with them. Adding their technical support and expertise to the team’s resources makes us even more excited about the new compet- itiveness we expect to achieve in the ALMS GTS Championship this year.”

Team leader Gabriele Rafanelli’s comments on the announcement reflect increasing confidence on the part of “The Team from Tuscany”. “Our evolution model will debut at Sebring on Pirelli P Zeros. We’ve built great engineering advances into the Team Olive Garden Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS over the winter. Now with Pirelli’s expertise and com- mitment to development, I think the payoff will be not only in championship points, but in the cheers of the ‘Ferraristi’ when the checkered flag falls at North America’s ALMS races this season.”

”The Ferrari-Pirelli bond in sports car racing has been particularly strong as can be witnessed by the two winning World Sports Car championships in 1995 and 1998,” commented Guy Mannino, President of Pirelli Tire North America. “We also enjoyed our relationship with Olive Garden in the 1999 ALMS season running two Ferrari 333 SPs. Their “Drive Against Hunger” program is one of the great outreach programs associated with the ALMS.”

Pirelli also won the World Sports Car championship in 1996, as well as four GT Championships in the late 1990s.

Team Olive Garden has completely revised last year’s Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS and created a 2003 evolution model. The V2003 car is both stiffer and lighter and features new diffusers front and rear which substantially improve aerodynamic efficiency. Both front and rear suspensions have been replaced with improved designs with new mounting points, all-new components and sharply improved kinematics. Hewland has provided a lighter evolution gearbox, now with sequential shift.

Team Olive Garden drivers Emanuele Naspetti and Mimmo Schiattarella scored three podium finishes last year on the way to third place in the IMSA Cup and fourth in the 2002 ALMS GTS team championship. Naspetti was ranked 7th in GTS driver points while Schiattarella placed 9th. Naspetti and Schiattarella will be joined by Johnny Ceccotto at Sebring.


Febuary 24,2003 Burt Confident Of Victory In Ferrari


Kelvin Burt is confident he can win the GTS class at Sebring 12 Hours next month in his first event for the Veloqx Prodrive Racing team driving a Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS. Burt is also to drive one of the outfit's cars at the Le Mans 24 Hours event in May.

Burt had his first run in one of the Prodrive GTS class challengers at the final shakedown test at Snetterton, Norfolk, last week.

The test took place with five of the team's six drivers present, including B.A.R. test driver Anthony Davidson and McLaren F1 tester Darren Turner.

After a 20-lap stint in the afternoon, the Oxford-based driver was immediately impressed. “It's a class-winning car,” said Burt. “It was the quickest car around last year – I know we can get good results from it. I'm very excited about the prospect of racing at Sebring and Le Mans.”

“It's really well-sorted racing car,” Burt said. “It felt right straight away. It's very well designed and has loads of torque – the engine is very flexible. It feels like a big car. It's got big everything – big engine, big tyres – and it has plenty of downforce.

“The car suits my driving style. I prefer a car to be quite neutral. I tend to trial the throttle into the corners and turn in quite fast, which will promote oversteer.”

The cars will be flown out to Sebring on March 8 after which the Veloqx Prodrive Racing team will have an extensive test programme to prepare the five-litre V12 Ferraris for the 12-hour event. It will be Burt's first Sebring 12 Hour race.

Burt, a former British F3 and GTO champion, thinks that the combination of speed and experience he shares with his team-mates bodes well for the season ahead. The driver pairings will be announced shortly before the Sebring event. Of the drivers in the six car line-up Burt competed against Turner last year in the ASCAR series, in which Burt led until the final round of the championship, finishing as runner-up.

“Inevitably, you are competitive with your team-mates – you take that for granted – but in these long-distance events it's important to focus on the whole race. It's all about getting the car from the green lights at the start right the way through to the chequered flag hours later in front of all the others. That's the most important thing.”

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Febuary 19,2003 Gonzalez Signs With Carsport America


Carsport America is thrilled to announce the addition of Mexico's Ricardo Gonzalez to the team's new Pagani GTS effort. Gonzalez will be the lead driver in the team's new Pagani Zonda, starting with the season-opening Mobil1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, and continuing for the full 2003 American Le Mans schedule. Gonzalez will also get behind the wheel of the new stunner at Le Mans.

The 24 year-old Gonzalez, brother to CART's Roberto Gonzalez, brings his driving talents to Carsport America's new challenge to the ALMS GTS Championship. In 2001, Gonzalez finished 4th in the European FC Championship, with 2 podium finishes, a pole and a lap record. In 1998, 1999 and 2000 Gonzalez distinguished himself in the Mexican Indy Lights Panamerican series, with several podium finishes and many top 5 results. In 1994 and 1995 Gonzalez ran in Mexico's International FIA F3 series, where he was the youngest ever participant - winning a pole in his first event and accumulating several top 5 finishes.

"I'm really excited that Ricardo has joined us for the season," said team owner Tom Weickardt. "Ricardo brings a new energy with him that will be invaluable toward our assault on the GTS championship. This will be Ricardo's first visit to Sebring, and his first turn behind the wheel of the Pagani -- and the Pagani's first ever race as well. I know that we'll all definitely put our best foot forward with this first race. I'm also sure that as time goes by, and we continue to develop the car, and as Ricardo gets more and more time behind its wheel - you'll start seeing Ricardo on the podium."

Gonzalez will join Belgium's Anthony Kumpen and The Netherland's Mike Hezemans in the team's Pagani Zonda for the legendary North American endurance event. The Sebring classic will mark the new car's racing debut in the ultra-competitive GTS class.

The sleek, eye-catching sports car will be powered by a 6.0-litre V12 Mercedes engine and will hit the tarmac with Pirelli tires.

Carsport America is team owner Tom Weickardt's new evolution for the 2003 season -- and beyond. Carsport America, in addition to fielding the new Pagani Zonda, will also field a Dodge Viper GTSR. Weickardt himself will climb aboard the Viper at Sebring, together with France's Jean-Philippe Belloc -- the 2001 FIA GT Driver's Champion and former French Formula Three and French Formula Renault Champion. A third driver will be announced soon.

"I'm anxious to debut not only our new Pagani at Sebring, but Carsport America as well," said Weickardt. "We're bringing everything we've learned over the past few seasons into this year's effort. We've bolstered our squad with some additional very experienced personnel, and we're going to field the exciting new Pagani - in addition to one of our tried-and-true Vipers!"


Febuary 19,2003 Alex Job Racing Preview


After a victorious 2002 season, Alex Job Racing is back to defend its GT class title in the American Le Mans Series. The team will field two Porsche GT3 RS racing machines during the regular American Le Mans Series season. No. 23 will be driven by last year's GT co-champions, Lucas Luhr of Monaco and Sascha Maassen of Raeren, Belgium. No. 24 (formerly No. 22) will be piloted by Jorg Bergmeister of Langenfeld, Germany and Timo Bernhard of Miesau, Germany.

Alex Job Racing has enjoyed many highlights during its 15-year history. Most recently the team placed second in the 2000 and 2001 team championship and won the team championship in 2002. Additionally, last season Luhr and Maassen were the first co-drivers in American Le Mans Series history to share the GT driver championship title. Alex Job Racing is one of only two teams to run the entire American Le Mans Series schedule since the series' inception in 1999. The team is proud to welcome back McKenna Porsche as its primary sponsor for the 2003 season. The family-run business, headquartered in Norwalk, Calif., owns five dealerships in Southern California and an additional three in Hawaii. McKenna is one of the top 10 Porsche dealers in the United States and is ranked first in Volkswagen sales, fifth in BMW sales and 11th in Porsche sales in the western states. The McKenna family has a long history of involvement in motorsport, sponsoring winning teams in Formula V and IMSA before partnering with Alex Job Racing.

"The McKenna Automotive Group is very proud to be fortunate enough to join forces once again with the Alex Job Racing team. The continued support as a sponsor has been something better than we might have expected from a relationship of this type. Not to mention the fact of how professional the team is and how precise they are as the Porsche product that they represent is. We look forward to the season starting in Sebring and know that Alex Job Racing will perform like no other team. We are especially excited to have the same crew of exceptional drivers from last year," Neil Okun of McKenna Automotive Group said.

Based in Tavares, Fla., Alex Job Racing serves as a race prep, chassis-building and tuning facility. On a day-to-day basis, team owners Alex and Holly Job are involved in the growth and administrative functions of the team and business.


Febuary 19,2003 Veloqx Prodrive Sebring Shakedown


The final shakedown test took place today for the Veloqx Prodrive Racing team before the two scarlet Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS cars are shipped off to the United States for the 12 Hours of Sebring event.

A sub-zero, but dry and sunny, Snetterton circuit in Norfolk, England played host to the team who had five of its six drivers present for the test. Only Dutchman Peter Kox was unable to attend.

Both cars ran without problem for the entire day and tribute was paid by team bosses to the technical personnel who had prepared the cars to such a high standard.

For Kelvin Burt, Anthony Davidson, Jamie Davies and Darren Turner, it was their first experience behind the wheel of the GTS class challenger and all were very happy with the outcome of the day.

After Czech Tomas Enge had carried out installation laps on both cars, the four newcomers were able to complete both short and longer distance runs during which time they were able to familiarise themselves with the technical aspects of the car, fine-tune their comfort behind the wheel, and get to know the team and each other better. All expressed pleasure in the car's handling, speed and drivability.

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Febuary 17,2003 Champion Audi Preperations


New signings J J Lehto and Emanuele Pirro join Team ADT Champion Racing regular Stefan Johansson in shakedown runs at the Moroso venue in Florida this week.

Lehto, delayed seven hours due to snow in New York, and Pirro, who arrived direct from the World Skiing Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland, spent today (MON) taking their first look around the Champion Racing facility at Pompano Beach.

Lehto and Pirro both had a seat fitting for the now updated 2002-spec Audi R8 while Johansson, who partners the Finn and Italian in the opening round of the American Le Mans Series at Sebring on 15 March, arrives tonight (MON).

"I'm very impressed with Dave Maraj's facility," confirmed Lehto who will be driving an all-conquering Audi R8 for the first time in Wednesday's single-day test. "He's got together a good team of guys and I'm delighted to be apart of it."

2001 ALMS champion and three-time Le Mans 24 Hour winner Pirro added: "I've been surprised by Champion Racing's set-up. I knew that it was good from racing against them over the past two seasons but having looked around its raceshop today, I can now see why they've been so competitive. I have a very good feeling about Sebring."


Febuary 17,2003 Petersen Motorsports 2003 Plans


Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning announced the team's 2003 racing plans from their Las Vegas shop today. Building on a strong second-place finish at the 2002 Petit Le Mans, the operation of Michael Petersen and Dale White will race for the fourth consecutive season in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

Opening with the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 15, the #31 MMPIE/PAWS/Westward Ho Casino/Justice Brothers Porsche 911 GT3 RS will compete with a top, professional driver lineup. ALMS winner Johnny Mowlem, of Warfield, England, will return to head the driver's list for the year. The remaining team drivers for Sebring will be named soon.

"We have signed Johnny with the team and we are very happy to have him back with us," offered Michael Petersen at the announcement. "2003 looks very exciting with all of the new teams in GT. The competition should be very tough! We are looking forward to our continued relationship with Porsche and have some very interesting news soon to follow! We can hardly wait for the season to start!"

Mowlem, fresh from a second-place finish at the 24 Hours of Daytona offered; "I'm delighted to be back with the same team for 2003. Firstly, they are an incredibly professional team and the car is always top-notch. Secondly, they always keep a close working relationship with the Porsche factory. Finally, and maybe most importantly, over the last two seasons I have grown to be close friends with the whole team from Dale and Mike down. I have so much fun driving for them, both in and out of the car!"

Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing began operation in the late 1980s competing in off-road endurance events. The duo of White and Petersen joined to win over 50 off-road truck victories including three-consecutive overall wins at the Baja 1000 and Baja 500. Before bringing the team to the pavement fulltime in 2000, the team had racked-up four SCORE, SNORE and SODA championships. Since introducing the team to sports car racing, the success has been no less impressive scoring a Trans-Am Series victory and three Speed Challenge wins. The team has endurance sports car wins at Watkins Glen in 1998 and the 2001 GT-class win, second overall, at the Rolex 24 of Daytona. In the ALMS, Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing has consistently been one of the highest-ranking, non-factory efforts in the GT-class.

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Febuary 13,2003 Phillip Peter For Joest At Sebring



Phillip Peter was announced today as the third driver in the Infineon Joest Audi R8 at Sebring. Peter joins Frank Biela and Marco Werner.

Peter and Werner teamed together last year at Le Mans where they finished third with Michael Krumm in a third factory Audi R8.


Febuary 13,2003 Macaluso & Intersport Ready For Sebring



Miracle Motorsports and Team Owner/Driver, John Macaluso (Winter Haven, FL) is gearing up to run the esteemed road racing event, the 51st running of the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Macaluso will be teaming up with the #30 Banana Joe’s/Intersport Racing Lola for this well-regarded road racing event, commencing March 12-15, 2003, from Sebring, Florida. Joining Macaluso in the fight to the finish, will be Rick Sutherland as well as Clint Field. The trio will pilot the Lola B2K10 around this 3.7 mile, 17-turn circuit, in the LMP900 class, the strongest of the entire 64-car field.

Macaluso, back for the 2003 Season, will be running select races with the Banana Joe’s/Goodyear/Intersport Racing team. As of the current date, John will compete not only in the 12 Hours of Sebring in March, but additionally will be seen in the garage area during the American LeMans Series Mexico event, from Mexico City during the April 3-5 weekend. Primary sponsor for John Macaluso is Miracle Motorsports and Miracle Toyota of Winter Haven, FL. John is the President and CEO of both entities.

Rick Sutherland has competed in numerous events with the Banana Joe’s/Intersport Racing team throughout the 2000-2002 seasons. Rick is a resident of Los Gatos, CA and CEO of ClickAway, as well as President of Sutherland Racing.

Clint Field, a very skilled, and probably the youngest driver in the race, is the son of Banana Joe’s/Intersport’s racing team owner, Jon Field. Clint resides in Dublin, OH, and works with Jon at FDG Inc. and the Banana Joe's Sports Bar and Grille, Inc, based in the same town. Clint has extensive experience racing this Lola B2K10 over the past 3 seasons.


Febuary 13,2003 Doran-Lista Prepares



After a three-year absence, the Doran-Lista Racing Team is returning to competition on the American Le Mans Series in 2003, and team owner Kevin Doran has spent a great part of the winter preparing for what he hopes will be a full-season run in the series.

With the season-opening Mobil1 Twelve Hours of Sebring just over a month away, the team spent Tuesday and Wednesday at Road Atlanta testing its Dallara-MG Prototype that will compete in the LMP 900 class of the ALMS. Drivers Didier Theys and Fredy Lienhard, Jr., were taking turns as they made laps of the high-speed Road Atlanta circuit under sunny skies with temperatures in the mid-50s.

The drivers and team were working with the car in its ALMS rules configuration and getting used to Michelin tires, which the team has not used previously.

"We don’t know what to expect with this car because we don’t know everything about this (rules) package," said Theys, a Belgian who has lived in Scottsdale, Az., for many years. "We will find out how we are against the competition later, but we think the car will be decent everywhere."

The team acquired the Dallara chassis late in 2001 from Team ORECA, which had worked with the chassis manufacturer to develop an LMP 900 car for Chrysler. Doran-Lista had previously worked with Dallara on the Ferrari 333SP chassis that it campaigned for many years, including the inaugural season of the ALMS in 1999.

"This car was designed for Le Mans, so it’s a more natural fit for the (ALMS) rules package," said Doran. "With a four-valve, normally-aspirated engine and the aero package it has, generally it should do well at high-speed tracks like Road Atlanta and some others."

"The car is exactly like it was when we got it in 2001," said Theys. "We wish we could develop the car more, but we don’t have the budget of some of the top teams to do that."

Doran said that the team is currently budgeted for six or seven of the 10 rounds of the American Le Mans Series in 2003, but hopes to put together some associate sponsorship deals to go along with major sponsor Lista to enable the team to run all of the races and compete for the championship.

Theys, 46, a veteran of European formula racing, CART competition and sports cars, spent much of last year mentoring Lienhard, 23, who was in his first season of sports car racing after two years in single-seaters. The two will co-drive in all of the ALMS races that the team enters, joined by Fredy Lienhard, Sr., at Sebring and in other long-distance events.

"Kevin and I have learned that Fredy has the gift of speed, but he needs experience," said Theys. "It was a big step from Formula Fords to this. It’s my duty and Kevin’s to get him up to speed as safely and quickly as possible."

"I’m learning every day," said Lienhard, a native of Switzerland who now lives in Santa Barbara, Calif. "Didier is a great teacher, and I learned everything from him last year. I took a big step. I know I have a lot to learn, but I’m looking forward to this season with confidence, and I really look forward to racing on the great American circuits that I have heard about.”

Theys is starting his ninth season with the Doran team, which competed in IMSA-sanctioned events for many years before the formation of the ALMS. "The good teams like Champion, Joest and others will be difficult to beat," he said.

"The strength of this team has always been in good preparation," he said. "Many of the good results are made back at the shop, and the team has also always been very good in the pits."

"A lot can happen in a long race such as Sebring," he said. "During the rest of the season, if we can do some good, safe, clean races, and the drivers drive well, we could squeeze some podiums."

"We feel that our car is good, and the test here at Road Atlanta has gone very well," said Doran. "We know the competition is hard to beat, but you never know what can happen."

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Febuary 12,2003 Dyson Signs de Radigues


Dyson Racing team has signed Belgian ace Didier de Radigues for the first two races of the 2003 American Le Mans Series.

De Radigues, whose accomplished resume includes World Championship motorcycle victories and the 2001 ALMS LMP675 Championship, will co-drive with Chris Dyson and Chad Block in Dyson's #20 MG-Lola at Sebring. He will be replacing team boss Rob Dyson, who will be unable to race at Sebring due to business commitments. De Radigues will also be joining the Dyson team for the Mexico Six Hours event on April 6.

"It's hard not being able to do the race," Rob Dyson said. "I really love the Sebring event and I think we have an excellent chance to do well this year. But my schedule unfortunately is very busy in March and I want to do what's best for the team. Didier will do a fine job for us and he's going to love the MG. It's such an exciting car. I still hope to do some more driving later this year."

Dyson cited de Radigues's broad experience in varied types of prototype machinery, along with the Belgian's smooth driving style, as reasons for the signing. "We've raced against Didier the past few years and he's been really impressive in prototypes," Dyson said. "Having come from motorcycles originally, he brings to our team an entirely different perspective. We're happy to have him on board."

De Radigues was delighted with the opportunity. "I'm really looking forward to driving with the Dyson team at Sebring and Mexico," he said. "I think we can have some great results. I would like to thank Mr. Dyson for the opportunity to be back with a potential overall race-wining car in the ALMS. I've had a high opinion of Dyson Racing since 1998, when I won my first US race fighting against them at Laguna Seca. They are strongest private team I have seen in this championship."

The Dyson team is currently busy preparing their two prototype contenders at their Poughkeepsie headquarters. Practice for the March 15 Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring commences on March 10.


Febuary 12,2003 Salo Happy After First Test



Photo Courtesy:Audi UK
Finnish grand prix refugee Mika Salo completed his first test with the Audi R8 at Snetterton this week and, despite damp conditions at Snetterton, admitted that he was impressed with the German car.

The former Toyota Formula One driver will compete at both Sebring and Le Mans with the Audi Sport UK team, and was receiving his first taste of the all-conquering German sportscar. As well as the weather turning out to be typically British - although maybe suitable preparation for Le Mans - Salo also had to re-learn a circuit he last visited during his Formula Three days.

"I hadn´t been to Snetterton for 13 years, it was cold and damp, and I was driving a sports racing car for the first time," he revealed, "All in all, difficult conditions.

"However, my first impressions of the Audi R8 are very favourable. The car seems easy to drive."

Salo will share the car with British team-mates Jonny Kane and Perry McCarthy at Sebring next month, before being paired with McCarthy and R8 veteran Frank Biela at Le Mans.

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Febuary 11,2003 Magnussen In JMR R&S


Riley & Scott Racing LLC and Jim Matthews Racing announced today an agreement with Jan Magnussen to team the Danish veteran with Marc Goossens and Jim Matthews as drivers of the Riley & Scott MK III C for the 51st Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 15. His appointment completes a near total makeover of what was already a solid team in 2002.

Team Technical Director Bill Riley is looking forward to the addition of Magnussen. “Last year, we finished third at Sebring. Since then, we’ve added Michelin tires, Yates Racing Engines, and now Jan Magnussen to the team, along with a solid year of development of the car. I think we have a chance for a strong showing.”

The team’s best finish in 2002 was a third at Sebring. At Le Mans, the team was running sixth overall when engine failure cut short the effort in the 14th hour of competition.

Team Owner Jim Matthews was happy to complete the driver lineup for Sebring with one of the best drivers in the world. “Jan’s record speaks for itself, and makes a strong case that he was the best choice for our team for this race”, Jim said. “I’m looking forward to working with him. We’ve had a number of great drivers in the car, and each one adds something to the program.”

Jan Magnussen burst onto the world scene by winning the World Karting Championship in 1989 at age 15. He was British F3 Champion in 1994 (Paul Stewart Racing, besting teammate Dario Franchitti). Jan went on to F1 with McLaren and later Stewart Racing. He made a total of 25 Grand Prix starts between 1995 and 1998. From 1999 to 2002, Jan was a factory driver for Panoz Motorsports in ALMS and LeMans competition. He also made 11 starts in CART, in 1996 and 1999.

Riley & Scott Racing and its products have been endurance racing mainstays since 1995. The company’s cars have overall or class wins at Daytona in four of those six years. In 1996, a factory MK III won the 12 hours of Sebring. R&S currently manufactures chassis for LMP 900, Trans-Am and TRAC competition.

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Febuary 10,2003 Beretta & Jeannette Confirmed For JML


As announced here on January 29th and now confirmed is that Olivier Beretta will be at the wheel of a Panoz for the 2003 ALMS season.

JML Team Panoz has signed its first drivers for the 2003 attack on the American Le Mans Series - two-time ALMS GTS champion Olivier Beretta and young star Gunnar Jeannette.

An ex-Formula One driver, Beretta took the American Le Mans Series GTS championship for Viper Team Oreca in 1999 and 2000 and drove the Dallara prototype for the Oreca squad at Le Mans for the past two years.

Jeannette has graduated to a full-time role aboard the Panoz LMP-01 after having served as the factory test driver for Panoz Motor Sports in 2002.

Beretta recently tested the Panoz at Road Atlanta, quickly adapting to the front-engined LMP-900 prototype.

"I was very impressed with the Panoz when I drove it at Road Atlanta and I am really looking forward to getting back into the American Le Mans Series on a full-time basis," Beretta said.

"The car is certainly very different to drive from the Dallara, but it didn't take me long to get used to it. The seating position in the Viper is actually pretty similar.

"The other great aspect about joining JML Team Panoz is the chance to continue working with Michelin."

Beretta has not been sitting idle over the winter break. He has recorded more than 2500km in tire testing for Michelin aboard the Williams Formula One car this year.

Jeannette's performances aboard the Panoz at Le Mans and Road Atlanta last year as a third driver has earned him a seat with the new Panoz privateer team in 2003.

"I am really looking forward to doing a full year in the Panoz," Jeannette said.

"I learned a great deal last year being part of the Panoz Motor Sports team, but it was frustrating at times to be sitting on the sidelines.

"I am really grateful to John McLoughlin for the chance to race full time - I can't wait to get started at Sebring."

The complete driver line-up and driver pairings for JML Team Panoz is expected to be announced in the near future.

The team will kick off its 2003 assault on the American Le Mans Series at the 51st Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring from March 12-15.

"I am really pleased to begin building our driver line-up with a great combination of youth and experience," Team owner, John McLoughlin said.

"We are talking to several drivers at the moment and we hope to be able to announce Olivier and Gunnar's team-mates very soon. We will be testing a couple of drivers this week.

"Our program is coming together really quickly and everybody is really looking forward to getting started at Sebring.

"The opposition will be very tough, but we expect to field an extremely strong driver line-up."


Febuary 10,2003 Audi UK Preparing



Photo Courtesy:Audi UK
Former Grand Prix driver Mika Salo, of Finland, and Germany's three-times Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Frank Biela spearhead Audi Sport UK's assault for honours in this year's round-the-clock endurance sportscar race along with Briton Perry McCarthy on 14-15 June.

While Helsinki-born Salo (36) will be making his Le Mans début in the all-conquering Audi R8, Monaco-based ex-British Touring Car Champion Biela (38) will be bidding to become the first ever driver to win the French "classic" four years in a row. McCarthy (41), from Brentwood in Essex, like Biela, has raced at Le Mans on four previous occasions.

The ultra-experienced trio will drive a 2002-specification Audi R8 that will be prepared and run by Littlehampton-based Arena Motorsport. Meanwhile Salo and McCarthy are joined by London-based Jonny Kane in the Sebring 12 Hours next month, the up-and-coming Ulsterman deputising for Biela in the Audi Sport UK R8. Salo, Kane and McCarthy had their first taste of driving the Audi R8 at Snetterton today (10 Feb)

Switzerland-based Salo, who has driven over 100 Grands Prix in the Formula One World Championship for Lotus, Tyrrell, Ferrari, Sauber and most recently Toyota, commented: "The opportunity of making my Le Mans début in a car that has won the race for the past three years, with one of the drivers that has been victorious in each of those years, was simply too good to turn down. The Audi is an awesome machine in this category and we will start both the Sebring and Le Mans races with a very realistic chance of podium finishes."

Biela, driving for the "factory" Audi team, has won the 2000, '01 and '02 Le Mans races, and is optimistic of scoring a fourth victory in a 2002-specification Audi R8 owned by Audi UK, the German prestige car manufacturer's Milton Keynes-based British importer.

"To be racing at Le Mans again in an Audi makes me very happy and I truly believe we have a great chance to win," confirmed Biela who won the 1996 British Touring Car Championship in an Audi A4 quattro and finished runner-up the following year. "Amazing reliability and performance, in terms of both speed and fuel economy, have allowed me to score three consecutive Le Mans wins. This year's race will be hard, the opposition will be tough but I'm certain the R8 will be competitive."

The Audi R8 sportscar, powered by a 3.6-litre twin-turbo V8 engine featuring petrol direct injection (FSI) and limited to 610bhp, made its race début in March 2000 and has gone on to dominate endurance sportscar racing. In addition to scoring a first, second and third result (2000), first and second (2001) and first, second and third (2002) at Le Mans, an R8 has chalked up 26 wins in 33 races of the American and European Le Mans Series.

McCarthy finished fifth with Biela driving a "factory" Audi R8R in the 1999 Sebring 12 Hours - Audi's maiden sportscar race - and piloted an Audi Sport UK entered Audi R8C at Le Mans that year. Perry raced in British Formula Three and FIA International Formula 3000 before graduating to Formula One in 1992.

"I couldn't be happier," exclaimed McCarthy. "To be in a position of winning Sebring and Le Mans, of re-paying the people who have shown faith in me, and to be working with Frank Biela and Mika Salo - two drivers who I don't just admire but respect as professionals and also like as mates - is a fantastic feeling. I'm certain that Audi Sport UK's attack on two of the world's biggest sportscar races will ultimately prove highly-effective."

The Sebring race in Florida on 15 March will act as a perfect "warm-up" for the Le Mans race itself and although Kane (29), who was born in Comber, Northern Ireland, is a "reserve" driver for Audi Sport UK at Le Mans, Jonny is eagerly looking forward to his US Audi opportunity.

"The Audi has been the car to beat for the past three seasons and I'm relishing the chance of getting behind the wheel," said Kane. "Nothing is ever guaranteed but with Audi's famed reliability, the R8's fuel economy and of course its pace, I believe we'll be fighting for a place on the rostrum in Florida."


Febuary 10,2003 McKellar Jr For Lister



British GT and Sportscar star, Ian McKellar Jr will be driving with Jamie in the Lister Storm LMP900 at Sebring and Le Mans 2003. The testing starts this weekend , with three days at Jerez in southern Spain , the car then leaves for Sebring on 5th March to arrive in Florida in time for the first test on Monday 10th March and the 12 Hour race on Saturday 15th.

McKellar was the last ELMS Champion and is the 2002 British GT Champion , both driving a Saleen; this will be his third trip to Le Sarthe having raced in the GTS class in a Saleen in 2001 and a Dome Judd in last years’ LMP class.

Ian said he is delighted at last to be driving alongside his longtime friend, Jamie , "we used to bang wheels with each other in TVR Tuscans a few years ago, but this’ll be the first time we’ve raced together, we understand each other well and I’m really looking forward to it."

Laurence has made no secret of the fact that he wanted Ian to join Jamie in the Lister Storm LMP , "Junior has raced for us a few times and I have followed his career very closely. We’ve tried to tie something up before - at last, we have succeeded. Ian and Jamie together will be an excellent combination."

As for the third driver at Le Mans this will be revealed nearer the time.


Febuary 10,2003 Carsport Pagani


The Pagani Zonda C12 S plays the leading role in a new an ambitious project by Toine Hezemans. Under the banner of a newly created company, Carsport Modena, Hezemans is developing a race version of the Pagani Zonda C12 S. Massimo Del Prete (former Audi engineer) and the creator of the Zonda, Horacio Pagani, are key figures in the developing proces. Financial partners in Carsport Modena are, Paul Kumpen (BEL) and Tom Weickardt (USA). The goal of this project, Le Mans.

Carsport Modena has acquired the worldwide rights to develop, build and sell the GTS racer. This season the main objective will be the development of the car so a customer version will be available in 2004.

Toine Hezemans: "In the end we hope we can play a role just like ORECA did with the Viper. The car has been built from scratch in just 3.5 months, which is a major achievement that would not have been possible without the dedication of our employees".

The project is on a tight time schedule, not only the car but also the engine is an in-house project. The 6 liter V12 Mercedes engine will be developed and tuned in coorporation with BTD in Belgium. The rear bodywork of the car has been narrowed by 4 cm to meet the regulations. The front section has been widened. The gearbox is a Hollinger 6-speed sequential. The weight of the car will be 1100 kg.

To meet the regulations the Pagani will have to do one race prior to Le Mans, this will be the 12 hours of Sebring. Sebring is known as one of the thoughest races around. Under the banner of Carsport America (newly founded team by the three partners) one Pagani has been entered in the GTS class. Confirmed drivers are Mike Hezemans (NED) and Anthony Kumpen (BEL).

The Pagani will for sure attract a lot of attention at Sebring but the expectations must be realistic. The opposition in the GTS class is fears with cars like the Corvette and the Ferrari 550. "The car has some interesting qualities that we have to explore, but the potential will come out in the end. Sebring will be one big test for us", explains Toine Hezemans.

Time schedule:
21-02-2003: Homologation inspection by ACO
27-02-2003: Roll out and shake down at Adria International Raceway, Italy
01-03-2003: Presentation to the worldwide press in Hasselt, Belgium
03-02-2003: Car will be shipped to the USA
07 & 08-03-2003: Testing at Sebring, Florida, USA
15-02-2003: Start of the 12 hours of Sebring

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Febuary 7,2003 Veloqx Prodrive Testing



Photo Courtesy:Prodrive
The Prodrive Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS challenger this week took to the tracks for the first time in 2003 with Czech driver Tomas Enge at the wheel.

An intensive testing programme has been organised prior to the first race of the season, the 12 Hours of Sebring, Florida, and it began on Monday, 3rd February with two days at the Lurcy Levis track in France and then two days at Misano in Italy.

Team Principal George Howard-Chappell summed up what turned out to be a somewhat frustrating and character-building week: "We had a fairly heavy list of things to try including aerodynamic work at Lurcy and tyre testing and driver familiarisation laps at Misano.

"The weather was against us from the start, being very windy, cold and wet in France. Sometimes you make big gains with aero work and sometimes you don't and this week leaned towards the latter. Having said that, we found a few things which actually made the car worse but that's a positive as it has taught us what to do next time.

"We moved on to Misano and planned to do Michelin tyre testing yesterday and driver familiarisation today. An electronic gremlin delayed us for a couple of hours in the morning but we resolved that and were full steam into the tyre runs.

"Unfortunately Tomas had a racing accident during the afternoon which damaged the chassis reasonably severely. With limited resources available to us at the track, we decided it was prudent to cut short the test and return to the factory for repairs. It wouldn't have been fair or sensible to give a driver his first laps without us being 100% sure of the set up of the car. We are going to reschedule the test as soon as possible and continue with our preparations for Sebring."

Tomas Enge was disappointed and perplexed about the accident which took place on the exit of a slow, 2nd gear corner. "I don't really know how it happened. When we looked at the data afterwards, it showed that I wasn't pushing any harder than I had on any other run, and this was the sixth set of tyres we'd tested. They were brand new and unscrubbed but I don't want to put any blame on the tyres. It was just one of those things which happen sometimes - very disappointing, but part of racing."


Febuary 7,2003 Veloqx Prodrive Racing


A new name will soon be seen on the entry lists of international sportscar events in both the US and Europe, as two leading teams join together in an attempt to sweep all before them at Sebring and Le Mans.

Veloqx Prodrive Racing is the result of a collaboration between two highly successful names in GT racing, and will use the best car, driven by the strongest driver line-up, and an overriding will to win in search of success.

Two Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS cars, owned by Care Racing Development - the sportscar racing division of Frédéric Dor's Care Group - will be campaigned by the team, run by Veloqx and fettled by Prodrive.

In addition to the design, development and preparation of the cars, Prodrive will manage the operation of the project on behalf of Care Racing Development. Overall technical and strategic control will be the responsibility of George Howard-Chappell, who will assume the role of team principal of Veloqx Prodrive Racing. Prodrive's other racing programmes, including the possibility of entry in the remainder of the American Le Mans Series, will continue alongside the new programme.

The operational contribution of Veloqx Motorsport, headed by lifelong racecar engineering enthusiast and property magnate Sam Li, will be significant. The company has procured the services of three leading British drivers for the programme, and will also be providing a number of highly experienced personnel to the team, including veteran endurance racing engineer Eddie Hinckley. Veloqx Motorsport recently announced its part in the relaunch of Team Maranello Concessionaires, which will be entering in this year's FIA GT Championship.

"This project partnership with Prodrive best signifies Veloqx's first participation and attempt at the two most prestigious sportscar endurance races," Li said, "As we are a relatively young company in endurance racing, we knew that we shouldn't do this on our own. Among all the Sebring and Le Mans entries, we found that the Prodrive Ferrari 550 GTS project is the ideal platform for our first-time involvement. The car was very competitive at Sebring and Le Mans in 2002, Prodrive has a well-devised, ongoing development plan and a good team of people, which gives me great confidence for the programme.

"Winning is everything. It is not easy to mount a meaningful and successful campaign to take GTS class wins at Sebring and Le Mans, competing against a strong field of teams to the likes of General Motors, but I think we have the perfect partnership to take on that challenge with the launch of Veloqx Prodrive Racing."

The driver line-up will surely be one of the strongest in the field, with sportscar veteran Peter Kox and fellow 2002 Prodrive racer Tomas Enge being joined by BAR Formula One test driver Anthony Davidson. Former British GTO champions Jamie Davies and Kelvin Burt, and former DTM driver Darren Turner are also involved with the project in addition to their Maranello Concessionaires role.

"I'm obviously very pleased with the driver line-up we've got - a great mix of youth and experience, and all of them hungry for further success, especially in a Ferrari," commented George Howard Chappell, "The new boys will all have had an opportunity to test the car before Sebring and, once that has taken place, we will decide on who teams up with whom.

"The link up with Veloqx, as well as the continued support of Frédéric and Care Racing, has given us the ideal opportunity to expand from the one car we had last season to being a two-car team this season. Prodrive has been working hard over the winter months to develop the car further, concentrating particularly on durability and reliability, and it's been going really well. Now we can't wait to get to Sebring and demonstrate the fruits of our labours."

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Febuary 6,2003 Panoz Program = John McLoughlin


The Panoz marque will again be represented in the LMP 900 class of this year's American Le Mans Series, but the high performance manufacturer will have a fresh face for the 2003 season.

Two Panoz LMP-01 cars will be fielded by JML Team Panoz, a privateer team working in conjunction with Elan Motor Sport Technologies - the racing division of the Panoz companies in 2003.

The new program reflects this year's efforts of leading manufacturers Audi and Porsche - supporting a privateer team rather than assembling an entire factory effort.

"I believed it would be unfair and inappropriate for the owner of the series and the sanctioning body to be the only factory effort when virtually all other LMP 900 entries were competing as privateers," Team and ALMS Founder, Don Panoz said.

"We have completed final negotiations with JML Team Panoz."

The team will be managed and owned by experienced technical director and racing engineer John McLoughlin - himself a team owner and former Technical Director of the Professional Sportscar Series.

JML Team Panoz is planning to contest the American Le Mans Series championship as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The cars will again be powered by Elan Power Products engines, developed on-site at EMT's Braselton headquarters. Elan Power Products will continue to provide on-track support at all events.

"We are confident that the Panoz marque will be extremely well represented by John and his team in the year ahead," Panoz said.

"We have closely analysed the way other manufacturers have structured their motorsport programs and believe this will prove to be extremely beneficial in the long run - both for the Panoz brand and the American Le Mans Series championship itself."

Drivers for the season are expected to be announced in the near future.

As reported here on January 29th, we have been told by an inside source that Olivier Beretta will be member of this lineup!!!

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Febuary 4,2003 Bentley Names Second Driving Lineup



An all-star lineup consisting of three former Formula One drivers has been announced by British manufacturer Bentley for the second of two Prototype race cars it will field in its North American racing debut in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Johnny Herbert and Mark Blundell, both of England, and Australian David Brabham will team up in an effort to win America’s oldest sports car race, which will be run Mar. 12-15 at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway and will kick off the 2003 season for the American Le Mans Series.

Herbert was part of the winning factory Audi team in last year’s Sebring event and is a three-time winner in Formula One competition. Brabham, who drove for the factory Panoz team the past four years, has seven career American Le Mans Series wins and is a former class winner at Sebring. Both Herbert and Blundell are former winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The driver lineup for the other Bentley entry was announced in early January. Defending American Le Mans Series champion Tom Kristensen of Denmark will be joined by his Audi co-driver from the past two years, Rinaldo “Dindo” Capello of Italy, as well as veteran driver Guy Smith of England. Kristensen and Capello are two-time Sebring winners, with Capello part of the winning team the past two years.

After an absence from racing of 71 years, Bentley returned with an entry at Le Mans in 2001 and finished third. The beautiful closed-roof racer also competed in the French endurance racing classic in 2002 and finished fourth. The participation in Sebring will mark the first time that a factory Bentley has raced in the United States since an entry in the Indianapolis 500 in 1922. The Bentley entries, which will be sponsored by Breitling, will run on Michelin tires at Sebring and Le Mans for the first time.

The six "Bentley Boys" will also race together in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.


Febuary 4,2003 Audi Driving Lineups Announced



During the forthcoming 2003 motorsport season, strong teams and drivers will represent Audi at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring (USA) and in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). After AUDI AG restructured their motorsport involvement, racing of the successful Audi R8 lies in the hands of four customer teams who are supported by the Audi importers of North America, Great Britain and Japan.

Infineon Team Joest and US-based Team ADT Champion Racing will contest the 2003 American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Frank Biela (Germany), three time Le Mans winner, and fellow countryman Marco Werner will drive for Reinhold Joest's three time ALMS champion team (2000, 2001 and 2002). JJ Lehto, former Finnish Formula 1 driver, is the new team colleague of Englishman Johnny Herbert.

As Herbert will start for Bentley at Sebring, the opening race of the American Le Mans Series on March 15, and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Emanuele Pirro (Italy), the three time Le Mans winner and 2001 ALMS champion, will strengthen the Champion team at both of the long distance classics. Stefan Johansson from Sweden will complete the Team ADT Champion Racing driver trio in Sebring and Le Mans.

At the season's highlight in Le Mans, two further R8 sports cars from Audi Sport Japan Team Goh and Audi Sport UK will compete in addition to the Champion Racing R8. Jan Magnussen (Denmark), Seiji Ara (Japan) and Marco Werner will drive the "Japanese" R8.

Frank Biela, Briton Perry McCarthy and former Formula 1 driver Mika Salo (Finland) have been confirmed as drivers for the Audi Sport UK team at Le Mans. The British team will also compete in the 12 Hours of Sebring in preparation for Le Mans.

Audi teams competing in the 2003 American Le Mans Series (ALMS):
Infineon Team Joest: Frank Biela (D) / Marco Werner (D)
Team ADT Champion Racing: Johnny Herbert (GB) / JJ Lehto (FIN)

Audi teams at the 12 Hours of Sebring:
Audi Sport UK: Jonny Kane (GB) / Perry McCarthy (GB) / Mika Salo (FIN)
Infineon Team Joest: Frank Biela (D) / Marco Werner (D) / NN
Team ADT Champion Racing: Stefan Johansson (S) / JJ Lehto (FIN) / Emanuele Pirro (I)

Audi teams at the 24 Hours of Le Mans:
Audi Sport Japan Team Goh: Seiji Ara (J) / Jan Magnussen (DK) / Marco Werner (D)
Audi Sport UK: Frank Biela (D) / Perry McCarthy (GB) / Mika Salo (FIN)
Team ADT Champion Racing: Stefan Johansson (S) / JJ Lehto (FIN) / Emanuele Pirro (I)


Febuary 3,2003 Dark Dog Sponsors Bucknum Pilbeam


It was announced today that Dark Dog America (Dark Dog) will be the primary sponsor of Team Bucknum Racing (TBR) and its Pilbeam MP91 entry in the LMP 675 class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) throughout 2003.

The announcement was made by Gregory C. Martin, and Jeffry O. Dana, company principals of Syndicate Sports & Entertainment (SS&E), a full-service sports and events marketing and property rights representation firm in the sports and entertainment sectors who brokered the deal between Dark Dog and TBR.

"We could not be happier to have such a strong international brand name represented on our car this season," stated team owner, Jeff Bucknum. "We have worked hard this off-season to improve our car's performance package, and we are elated to share this coming season's successes with Dark Dog."

Dark Dog intends to leverage through this partnership the marketing elements included in the TBR sponsorship to further build their brand in the minds of motorsports fans in North America.

Dark Dog's CEO, Randy Ridenour, reciprocated Bucknum's statement. "As we continually strive to increase our points of distribution in America and build our brand, the elements of the TBR package and the activation services that SS&E provides made this an opportunity we just could not pass up."

Elements of the sponsorship include: a complete redesign of the paint scheme on the team's lead race car (#56), logo identification on the driver suits, team transporter, paddock area, as well as numerous logo usage, likeness, and retail promotional rights with select retailers who will be announced in the near future. Dark Dog will enjoy primary sponsorship positioning with TBR throughout the 10-race ALMS season, as well as in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans this June in France.

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January 30,2003 ALMS Excepts 65 Entries


One of the most diverse and competitive fields of sports cars to be assembled in modern times will race in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the opening event of the 2003 season for the American Le Mans Series that will be run Mar. 12-15 at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway.

The event will be the 51st running of America’s oldest sports car race and will open the fifth season for the American Le Mans Series, which started in 1999.

The popularity of the event has led IMSA, the sanctioning body for the American Le Mans Series, to make the unprecedented move of accepting all 65 entries for the race that were submitted before the deadline of January 29. Although pit road at Sebring typically accommodates 60 cars, IMSA officials have agreed to take whatever action necessary to be able to start up to five additional cars in the race.

The 65 entrants will be sent event invitations and will have until 5 p.m. (U.S. Eastern) on Monday, February 3, to accept the invitations and confirm their participation in the race.

Four classes of American Le Mans Series race cars will compete in the event, which begins at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, and continues until 10:30 p.m. Two classes of Prototype cars (LMP 900, the fastest ALMS class, and LMP 675) will race along with two classes of production-based cars (GTS and GT). At stake will be class wins, the overall win and season points toward the ALMS championship.

The stellar field will include many cars that will be making their first racing appearance in the United States, led by the two-car Team Bentley. The Bentley Speed 8 Prototype debuted in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2001 and the green, closed-roof machines proved to be some of the most popular cars in the race. Bentley has assembled a all-star team of drivers that includes defending American Le Mans Series champion Tom Kristensen.

Also racing for the first time in the ALMS will be a British Lister Storm in the LMP 900 class, an American Panoz Esperante, a British TVR, a British Morgan and an Italian Lamborghini GT-R in the GT class and an Italian Pagani Zonda in the GTS class. The LMP 900 class includes nine marques among 15 cars, with the LMP 675 and GTS classes consisting of 10 cars and five marques each. The GT class, which includes 30 cars, has nine marques represented.

The field also includes Audis, Corvettes, Ferraris, Porsches, Saleens, Vipers and other car makes that American Le Mans Series fans are used to seeing in every series event.

"Fans of professional sports car racing enjoy a wide variety of cars, and this field will include something of interest for just about anyone," said H. Doug Robinson. "All of the classes are filled with the world’s best sports car racing teams with the best racing equipment available."


January 30,2003 JMR Announces Yates Engine Deal


Riley & Scott Racing LLC and Jim Matthews Racing announced today an agreement to power the team’s Riley & Scott Mk III C with a Ford V-8 supplied by Yates Racing Engines in their 2003 endurance campaign. The team’s first race with the new motor will be the 51st Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 15.

Car Owner/Driver Jim Matthews was pleased to announce the new agreement. “Robert Yates’ history of providing the best Ford V-8 motors available is beyond reproach. Their facility, knowledge and dedication to what they do are second to none in the industry. Together with our new Michelin tires, the continuing development of the chassis, and Marc Goossens as our lead driver, I think we have a good chance to be competitive at Sebring”.

In addition to operating the #38 and #88 teams in the Winston Cup Series, Robert Yates Racing and its subsidiaries are important vendors of racing engines and components in various series around the world. For his part, Robert Yates looks forward to the project: “I’ve known and worked with Bob and Bill Riley for many years and am a great admirer of their work. Jim Matthews deserves a lot of credit for building a solid program with the Rileys and we are very pleased to be a part of it”.

2003 will the team’s second year in LMP 900 competition in the ALMS. The team’s best finish in 2002 was a third at Sebring. At Le Mans, the team ran as high as sixth overall before engine failure cut short the effort in the 14th hour of competition.

A third driver for Sebring has not yet been finalized. In addition to extensive track testing to prepare for the 2003 season, the team is continuing development of the car in the wind tunnel, the drawing office, and throughout Riley & Scott’s 44,000 sq ft facility in Indianapolis.

Riley & Scott Racing and its products have been endurance racing mainstays since 1995. The company’s cars have overall or class wins at Daytona in four of those six years. R&S currently manufactures chassis for LMP 900, Trans-Am and TRAC competition.

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January 29,2003 Beretta For Panoz In 2003?


An inside source has passed on some interesting news. Former Team Oreca Driver Olivier Beretta has been testing for Panoz the past couple days and looks to be in line for a drive in 2003. More to come shortly!!!


January 29,2003 Chad Block In Second Dyson Entry


Thetford / Norcold Dyson Racing is pleased to announce that Chad Block will be joining the team for its assault on the 2003 12 Hours of Sebring. The 24 year-old from York, Pennsylvania will be sharing driving duties in the #20 MG-Lola EX257 with Chris and Rob Dyson. After nearly winning the 2001 Formula Mazda Championship, Block moved up into the ALMS Le Mans prototype division last year, making his debut with Gunnar Racing at Sebring. Block went on to drive Knighhawk Racing's MG-Lola in seven ALMS events, scoring class victories at Laguna Seca and Miami en route to the team's LMP675 Championship.

Chad Block states "This is quite a big event for me," Block said. "I have known Chris and Rob for some time since we are from the northeast. They were always my favorite team when I started watching sports car racing as a kid. I can't wait. They have made such dramatic leaps with the MG Lola. I'm sure it will be a pleasure to drive, and teammates like James Weaver are going to be a thrill to work with." Rob Dyson was positive about his new signing. "Chad was impressive last year and he's easy on the equipment, which is vital for a long race like Sebring. We're happy to have him aboard."

Block will join the team for this weekend's two-day test at Sebring.

"Of course I feel a little bit of pressure because Dyson is such a formidable team," Block said. "But with the support of the other drivers and all of the guys on the team I'm sure it will be an awesome experience. They have already shown they can give the LMP900 cars something to worry about, I can't wait to partake in that." January 29,2003 Vici Racing Lamborghini


Vici Racing announced today that they have entered a Lamborghini GTR in the 12 hours at Sebring. The car will be piloted by Ron Meixner, Cristiano Piquet and Joseph Safina.

Ron Meixner, team owner said: "We are very excited to be the first to bring Lamborghini to racing in US. I have been developing and testing this car for over six months and we are ready to come to Sebring and win. Lamborghini finished first and second at the 24 hours of Spa, Belgium. I think that is a great indicator of things to come. I am very excited about the drivers and crew as well. I have been keeping an eye on Cristiano for some time and I am looking forward to bringing a new talent to the sports car scene, Joe is very talented and experienced in many different types of cars, together we compliment each other."

Ron Meixner has competed in the Formula Renault and Porsche cup series. He won the GT class at the 24 hours at Daytona in 1993 and drove with Bob Wollek to finish 3rd at Atlanta. Ron also finished 9th at Le mans with Bob Wollek and Henri Pescarolo in 1993.

Cristiano Piquet, cousin of Formula 1 Champion, Nelson Piquet was a rising Go Karts talent in Brazil and moved to the Skip Barber series where he finished in the top three out of 129 drivers in the 2002 series championship. "I am excited about the challenge to run the 12 hour and am looking forward to learning more about the GT class."

Joseph Safina has several podium finishes over the years and competed at the 12 hour in 1997, he finished 3rd at Homestead in the GT class and ran the 24 hours at Daytona four times without a DNF, finishing in the top ten, three times. "We are making history with this team and car, this year there are more manufactures competing then ever. I think we will be the car to beat in Sebring. I look forward to the opportunity and challenge to win this race."



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Last updated March 10,2003