AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES NEWS

July 19,2002 Block Back With KnightHawk

KnightHawk pilots Steve Knight and Chad Block will hit the track as a pair again at this weekend's Cadillac Grand Prix of Washington, DC for the 5th round of the American Le Mans Series. The duo, along with fellow teammate and co-owner Mel Hawkins, delivered yet another podium finish in the 4th round of the international series two weekends ago.

The team's #11 Gestetner/DNTLWorks MG Lola 675 LMP will hit the track this morning for the first session of the week on the temporary 1.7 mile 10 turn course carved into the RFK Stadium grounds.

This race marks the third ALMS pairing of rising-star Block with the KnightHawk squad. In each of Block's previous two championship rounds he has helped deliver two podiums -- at both the Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sears Point and the Road America 500 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

"I think the race here in Washington will be incredible for sure," said the Gestetner-sponsored Block. "It'll be a short bullfight that will make it difficult to pass and it will force everyone to use their heads. I'm confident that the MG Lola 675 LMP will do well and I'm determined to do battle with the bigger 900's -- and not just follow them. One thing is for certain -- KnightHawk is ready for a win and so am I!"

Block's co-driver for Sunday's battle will be team co-owner Steve Knight. Knight helped the team score 2nd in the LMP 675 Team Championship in last year's ALMS season and together with partner and co-driver Mel Hawkins, and Block, the popular 675 team is currently tied for 1st place in this year's championship.

This race marks the first road race in Washington, DC in eighty years and is a welcome venue for the series and its competitors.

"We're excited to be in our nation's capitol -- where our MG Lola's exhaust will have a chance to put out more hot air than is swirling around the halls of Congress," said Knight. "We plan on running faster than your typical intern and we hope to be on top when the race is over. The excitement will be tremendous, the air charged with electricity and the enthusiasm hotter than Fourth of July fireworks."

The team is very happy and proud for the support of teammate Block by Gestetner. Gestetner offers leading-edge digital document management solutions, including digital duplicators, digital imaging systems, network laser printers and facsimile machines that deliver document output solutions for businesses of all sizes -- at speeds from 13-105ppm. For information on Gestetner systems, please visit www.GestetnerUSA.com.

July 12,2002 Lehto Cadillac Duties Expanded

Team Cadillac today announced its schedule to race in four of the six remaining 2002 American Le Mans Series races while also setting its driver lineup for each of those events. A decision to participate in a fifth race is pending.

"Our focus is to be on the podium in these remaining ALMS races," said Doug Duchardt, GM Racing group manager for Team Cadillac. "The Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 has performed well in our testing since Le Mans, and we believe that we have six quality drivers who can put Team Cadillac on the podium at any of the remaining races."

Duchardt said, Team Cadillac will race in Cadillac Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on July 21, 2002, the Grand Prix at Mosport in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 18, 2002, the Monterey Sports Car Championship in Monterey, California, on Sept. 22, 2002 and the Petit Le Mans in Atlanta, Georgia, on Oct. 12, 2002.

Cadillac is studying details of the Miami, Florida race (Grand Prix of the Americas) scheduled for Oct. 5, 2002, and will make a decision to participate at a later date, said Duchardt.

Wayne Taylor, part of Team Cadillac management, announced the driving duties for the upcoming races. For the Cadillac Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., he said that Max Angelelli and Christophe Tinseau will pilot one car, while Eric Bernard and Emmanuel Collard will pilot the second car.

When Team Cadillac races at the Grand Prix at Mosport and Monterey Sports Car Championships Angelelli, Bernard, Collard, and JJ Lehto will pilot the cars.

For the final race at Petit Le Mans, all six drivers will race and be teamed together as they were for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Angelelli, Taylor, and Tinseau in one car, and Bernard, Collard and Lehto in the second car.

"The team has embarked on a test program with many new components, specifically for the North American ALMS events," said Wayne Taylor.

Taylor said that he and Bernard had conducted the initial development testing, and that Taylor will continue the development driving duties in preparation for Petit Le Mans. He said that the development testing and sprint races - Washington, D.C., Mosport, and Monterey -- will give Team Cadillac a chance to keep the entire team prepared for the season finale at Petit Le Mans.

"We'll give each pilot a chance to drive the all-new Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 prior to Petit Le Mans," he said. "And, we'll get JJ Lehto more time in the car and the opportunity to work with the team. There is a lot to learn from a new car even as we progress through the season. We want to give Team Cadillac every opportunity to achieve success in the races remaining with a special eye on the Petit Le Mans race to close the year."

July 12,2002 Washington GP Construction Photos

July 9,2002 Melanie Paterson To Run LMP675 In Canadian Rounds

Melanie Paterson of Toronto, Canada, will make her American Le Mans Series sports car racing debut in the series’ two upcoming Canadian races. The former international alpine ski racer will drive a Prototype in the LMP 675 class.

Paterson’s first American Le Mans Series race will be Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, on August 3, and then she will compete in the Grand Prix at Mosport at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ont., on August 18.

With sponsorship from Schneider’s Hot Rod, one of Canada’s favorite snack food products, Paterson will co-drive with veteran racer Paul Fix of Buffalo, N.Y., in a Lola B2K-Nissan fielded by Essex Racing of Atlanta.

“I am extremely excited about our program for this year,” said Paterson, whose most recent racing experience has been in the Canadian Formula Ford Championship. “Michael Gue and Tony Dowe from Essex Racing have a great history and I will learn a lot from them. We have all been working very hard to put this program together and I am looking forward to successful events.”

In addition to Formula Fords, her racing background includes go karts and Legends cars, and she has tested in Indy Lights, Formula Atlantic and Formula Palmer Audi machines. She has tested in the Prototype but the Trois-Rivieres event will be her first racing experience in the 500-horsepower car.

“The biggest difference will be the pit stops and driver changes, something that we did not do in Formula Ford,” she said. “However, I have done quite a bit of endurance racing, so I am used to that. I’m also used to the high-horsepower cars through my testing experience. I’m prepared.”

July 5,2002 KnightHawk, Archangel Part Ways

KnightHawk Racing and Archangel Motorsport have decided to concentrate separately on their respective racing efforts and have moved past their combined working relationship.

Archangel team owner Mike Johnson and several of his crew were hired in February to round out the KnightHawk team already in place. At that time, Archangel was planning on continuing its success in the Rolex Sports Car Series, while KnightHawk was going to do the same in the American Le Mans Series.

Archangel's plans changed when they lost a driver and friend Jeff Clinton at this year's Rolex race in Miami -- which put and end to their Rolex plans. In order to stay in business they needed to build a new effort. Along came England's Marshall Cook Enterprises and driver Ben Devlin -- who hired Archangel to field their ALMS effort. At the Sears Point ALMS in May, both the Archangel and KnightHawk team entered the LMP 675 class.

Although the joint effort delivered a first, two seconds and a third place finish for both teams in two ALMS events, competing in the same class -- while economically attractive -- caused both teams to receive less than a 100% effort. The separating of the two organizations will allow each team to focus 100% on their own efforts -- as they now can, starting with this weekend's ALMS event at Road America.

"After the tragedy at Homestead-Miami, we needed to find new opportunities to stay viable," said Archangel's Mike Johnson. "Ben Devlin and Marshall Cook came along and we already had a great relationship with them. They wanted to run in the ALMS so we changed the Archangel effort to run there. Trying to run two different cars, in the same class -- and in the same series with one small core group of guys was a lot of work. We needed to change to give both teams equal effort."

"We knew when we first formed the relationship that it might prove challenging," said KnightHawk's Mel Hawkins. "When we began racing together in the same class, in the same series, it just became problematic. I'd like to thank Mike and the Archangel crew for giving it their best effort."

"We enjoyed our time working with Archangel's crew," said KnightHawk's Steve Knight. "They're a first class organization and we wish them the best for the rest of the season."

July 3,2002 Miami Passes Another Hurdle

Raceworks LLC, of Miami, organizers and promoters of The Grand Prix Americas, the mega-auto racing event scheduled to run on the streets of downtown Miami October 4-6, 2002, Monday received the strong support of the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority which voted unanimously to approve a $2 million loan in support of the street race.

“The Mayor and City Commission have supported the Grand Prix Americas all along, and it’s great to have our local community leaders at the MSEA Board stand behind the race so firmly and recognize it as a key sporting event. This event will be a great catalyst in promoting our city”, said Peter Yanowitch, President of Raceworks.

The Grand Prix Americas, co-promoted by Raceworks and CART, will feature:

* The Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Cup on Friday Oct. 4th
* The American Le Mans Series on Saturday Oct. 5th
* And on Sunday Oct 6th, the CART FedEx Championship Series

The Friday and Saturday races will be televised on Speed TV Network while the Sunday CART race will be televised on CBS.

The Grand Prix Americas will be a historic auto-racing weekend when, for the first time ever, CART and ALMS will participate in back-to-back racing events on the same event weekend.

As part of their presentation with the Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority, Raceworks officials pledged to donate 1,500 tickets to be distributed to Miami children who would otherwise be unable to experience the events.

July 3,2002 The Racer's Group Signs Brian Cunningham

The Racer's Group has signed on professional driver Brian Cunningham for the rest of the ALMS season. Team owner and driver Kevin Buckler and Cunningham will pilot The Racer's Group No. 66 Porsche 911 GT3 RS together for the first time at the Road America 500 on July 5-7.

Cunningham has a successful and diversified racing background. He has been a front runner in many series including the Skip Barber Formula Ford Championship, Formula Ford, Oldsmobile Pro Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck, British Formula Three and PPG Dayton Indy Lights. In 1999, Cunningham joined BMW Team PTG for the inaugural ALMS season. During the 1999 and 2000 seasons he was the lead point scorer with BMW Team PTG and completed his first ALMS season finishing second in the GT driver championship. In 2000, he was the highest points scoring BMW driver and finished fifth in the championship and secured BMW's only provisional pole of the year.

"This is great news. We are so excited to have Brian on board for the balance of the ALMS season. I raced against him for several years and he has always been a tough competitor. He is smart and fast and I anticipate that together we will be able to give the Alex Job squad a run for their money for the rest of the season. I really look forward to driving with Brian and learning from his knowledge of some of the tracks," Buckler said of his new co-driver.

"I am looking forward to my association with The Racer's Group, Porsche and Michelin. I have been talking with Porsche for two years after finishing runner up in 1999 and the right position just wasn't there. The Racers Group have put together a strong package and I am happy to be apart of it," Cunningham said.

June 29,2002 Panoz Mid Ohio Qualifying Report

Panoz Motor Sports stars David Brabham and Bryan Herta showed they are out to topple the Audi American Le Mans Series dominance after qualifying second and third in official qualifying at Mid Ohio today.

The Panoz pair toppled two of the three Audi machines in qualifying, proving their win at this track last year was no fluke.

Although the team suffered a tough time at the Le Mans 24 Hour, it also won the last round of the ALMS at Sears Point in May.

Brabham stopped the clocks at 1 minute, 14. 814 seconds in qualifying, just ahead of team-mate Bryan Herta who recorded a time of 1:15.084.

Jan Magnussen will share the driving duties tomorrow with Brabham while Bill Auberlen will drive with Herta.

"I am certainly happy with the way qualifying turned out," Brabham said.

"I probably could have gone a little bit quicker but I had a really hard time trying to get a clear lap in traffic.

"The one time I did get a clear lap I actually hit the outside kerb coming out of turn one and lost a little bit of time. I doubt I could have matched Beila's time, but we are certainly well placed to challenge strongly tomorrow.

"Bryan did a great job in the other car and it is a really good sign for the team to have two cars run so strongly in qualifying.

"The Michelin tires were really impressive because I was able to have quite a few attempts at a quick time without the tires starting to fade. That will be a good sign for tomorrow."

A former resident of nearby Columbus, Herta's 3rd spot on the grid is the best performance of his American Le Mans Series career to date.

"The team has worked really hard on improving the car and I think we have quite a good balance for the race tomorrow," Herta said.

"Audi are always hard to beat but we have to continue to put the pressure on them and see what happens.

"I have really enjoyed being back here at Mid Ohio after so many races and testing here in CART. It is actually quite different in a sportscar because your braking points are different in these cars and you actually use a few different lines around the course."

June 28,2002 Dyson Racing Purchases MG

The Dyson Racing team announced today that the team has agreed terms with Lola Cars International of Huntingdon, England, to purchase a customer version of the MG-Lola EX-257 Le Mans prototype, which were the only real opposition to the winning Audis at the recent Le Mans 24 Hour race.

Dyson Racing expects to take delivery of the car sometime in early August. The team plans to embark on a full testing program and is intending to participate in a selected few of the remaining rounds of this year's American Le Mans Series championship, with a view towards a full season in 2003.

The Dyson team is no stranger to the American Le Mans championship, having won the series' inaugural Drivers' Championship in 1999. In the last five years, Dyson Racing has won a total of seven drivers' championships. Since 1995, the team has amassed 35 overall prototype victories, including two triumphs at the grueling 24 Hours of Daytona.

"We're excited about the new car, and we think it gives us a great chance to run up front again in the American Le Mans Series," said team principal Rob Dyson. "We are happy to be working with Lola, MG and Advanced Engine Research. We look forward to running a competitive car and getting back to the sharp end of the field."

June 26,2002 Team Bucknum Readies For Upcoming Events

Remember the memorable Die-Hard television ads in the 1980s? In the ads, the battery was put through extreme heat and cold to prove it could handle the worst of conditions, and therefore, most certainly any normal conditions.

Team Bucknum took a page from that campaign last week as it prepared for the most intense part of the American Le Mans Series season, eight races in the next 18 weeks. The team ran a simulated race on Thursday in 106-degree heat at a secluded track an hour north of Las Vegas.

“We just wanted to make sure that the engine overheating problems that we thought we licked at Sears Point are indeed, no longer an issue,” said Team Bucknum owner/driver Jeff Bucknum. “We ran the car around at speed for a number of hours without problems.”

The arrival of the heart of this season’s schedule coincides, naturally, with the distribution of the majority of the available championship points, so the arrival of the positive testing news is very timely. Adds team owner/driver Bryan Willman, “Optimum performance is vital going into the next race, not only for points accumulation, but also because problems will be harder to address as teams will be constantly traveling from now thru October.”

Team Bucknum will bring two cars to both events, but run only one with drivers Bryan Willman and Chris McMurry. The number 56 car will carry a 3.0 liter engine at Mid-Ohio, and likely at Road America as well unless the team’s 3.4 liter developmental engine is race-ready.

June 26,2002 KnightHawk B2K/40 For Mid Ohio

KnightHawk Racing will enter this weekend's Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course in Lexington, Ohio - albeit with last season's used -- strike that -- "pre-owned" Lola B2K/40. Race activities begin this Friday, June 28 with the race on Sunday, June 30.

KnightHawk's fan-favorite new MG Lola 675 LMP got a bit too hot around midnight at the 24 Hours of Le Mans a week or so ago. Really hot - in fact, it was on fire. Team co-owner and driver Mel Hawkins was behind the wheel at the time and was fortunately unhurt, but it's doubtful that he'll be roasting marshmallows anytime soon. As a result, KnightHawk's "hot" new car is being repaired at both Lola and AER in the UK and will not be ready in time for the Ohio classic.

So as to not lose eligibility for this season's American Le Mans Series Privateer Points Fund, KnightHawk has elected to dust off last year's Lola B2K/40, throw on some new treads, top off the tank and run the 2.258-mile 13-turn road racing course. Fans of last year's action will recall that it was with this car that the KnightHawk team finished the season 2nd in points and delivered the Manufacturer's and Tire Championships to Lola and Avon.

"I'm really looking forward to the race at Mid-Ohio -- KnightHawk has done very well here in the past," says team co-owner and driver Steve Knight. "It's a great track and the fans are great too. The track is challenging but one that seems to suit my style of driving. I'm more than a little disappointed that we won't have our new MG Lola with us, but we're going to take our old Lola B2K/40, run it through the car wash, clean up the whitewalls and hang a new air freshener in the cockpit. We'll be more than ready to go out and have some fun with the other guys -- and gal -- this weekend."

June 24,2002 Champion Signs Johansson

Champion Racing owner Dave Maraj announced today that Stefan Johansson is set to return to the ADT/Champion Audi R8 team beginning with this weekend’s American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio.

Johansson, who will share Champion’s points-leading Audi prototype with current Drivers Championship points leader Johnny Herbert, is no stranger to the ADT/Champion Audi R8, having been part of the crew which finished a fine second at this year’s ALMS season opener at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

“I’m very pleased and excited to be back in the saddle of the ADT/Champion Audi, working with Dave Maraj and his excellent team,” said Johansson. “The Audi R8 is the best car out there, and I’m really looking forward to more good results with the Champion guys this season.”

“We are very fortunate to have Stefan Johansson back with us in the ADT/Champion Audi,” said Champion Vice President Don Skuta. “He did a great job for us at Sebring, and he has the motivation and the skill it will take to keep Champion in the American Le Mans Series title hunt.”

Although JJ Lehto had been previously nominated for the position left vacant by the recent departure of Andy Wallace, issues relating to Lehto’s current contractual obligations with another team could not be resolved.

June 24,2002 CBR Sport Ferrari 550 Maranello

CBR Sport, a European team, will run a Ferrari 550 Maranello at Road America and will possibly field two cars in some races later in the season. The appearance of CBR Sport will mark the first use of a 550 Maranello as a GT car in American Le Mans Seies competition. Other teams are using the model in the GTS ranks. The GT version is much closer to the road-going Maranello.

Veterans Stefano Buttiero of Italy and Craig Stanton of California will co-drive the Ferrari at Road America. The car will be run at Road America by Seikel Motorsport, a regular ALMS team that also fields a Porsche in the GT class.

June 24,2002 Clint Field To Partner Dad In MG At Mid Ohio

Jon Field has now tasted victory on the American Le Mans Series, and he wants more. He will have an outstanding chance when the series visits his home track, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, for American Le Mans at Mid-Ohio on Sunday, June 30. And if he does win, it will be with his son.

The Dublin, Ohio, resident will drive the Banana Joes’s/Intersport Racing MG-Lola in the two-hour, 45-minute sports car endurance race at Mid-Ohio. His co-driver will be his son, Clint. With the race team also based in Dublin, Field looks forward to the opportunity to race at home. “It was awesome last year,” said Field of the first ALMS race ever held at the historic circuit. “To drive in front of your fans and family at your home track is great. They respond to it and it’s a nice environment to be in for that weekend.”

Field scored the first win of his career on the American Le Mans Series when he co-drove to victory in March in the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida. The win came in the LMP 675 class for smaller Prototypes, a class that Field joined this year after Intersport purchased one of the new MG-Lola machines. Intersport had raced in the LMP 900 class for the past three years and still runs a car in that class as well.

“We think the new 675 car will run really good at Mid-Ohio,” said Field. “We’re excited about it.”

Many of the drivers on the American Le Mans Series had never raced at Mid-Ohio before last year’s inaugural event and were impressed by the large crowd, especially as it gathered on the hills overlooking the S-turns.

“You see the crowd on the pace laps or when there’s a caution, of course,” said Field. “You don’t focus on it in the race, but you always know they’re there. It’s kind of a neat feeling because you know they’re pulling for you and you’re out there digging hard.”

June 21,2002 Lehto Still Under Contract With Cadillac

Team Cadillac has confirmed that Finnish driver JJ Lehto continues to be part of its roster, having signed a contract back in January 2002. Lehto drives the #7 Northstar Cadillac LMP '02 along with Emmanuel Collard and Eric Bernard in two ALMS races (Sebring and Petite Le Mans) as well as in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which just completed last weekend.

"JJ is a terrific driver and we are delighted he is part of Team Cadillac," said Doug Duchardt, GM Racing group manager for Team Cadillac. "Contrary to earlier reports by another team, JJ has not left Team Cadillac. Team Cadillac retains Lehto's driving rights, although he can receive permission to run in other races/racing venues (be it endurance racing or any other type of racing) or with other teams/manufacturers if Team Cadillac provides permission. To date, this has not occurred. JJ is still scheduled to drive with Team Cadillac in the ALMS' Petite Le Mans race this October," said Duchardt.

Team Cadillac will race in four ALMS races between now and the end of the year, including the Cadillac Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., and the races at Mosport, Ont., Laguna Seca, Calif., and Petite Le Mans in Atlanta, Ga. Team Cadillac also raced in the first event of the season, the 12 Hours of Sebring.

June 20,2002 B.J. Zacharias Ready To Partner Le Mans Champs

For Cincinnati racing driver B.J. Zacharias, the road to the top of his profession has suddenly started looking a lot better. The 29-year-old Zacharias will have the chance to drive for the GT winning team in the recent 24 Hours of Le Mans when he competes at Mid-Ohio next weekend.

Zacharias, who has been trying to find a way to break into the top ranks of sports car racing, will team with owner/driver Kevin Buckler of Novato, Calif., in The Racers Group-fielded Porsche 911 GT3 RS at Mid-Ohio. Buckler shared the wheel with two other drivers last weekend in France when The Racers Group won GT class honors in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A two-time champion of the competitive SCCA Runoffs held each year at Mid-Ohio, Zacharias had struck a deal with Buckler earlier this year to drive with him in the second annual appearance of the American Le Mans Series at the track. When Buckler’s team won its class in the world’s most prestigious endurance race, the deal became even sweeter.

“It added a little pressure,” said Zacharias. “It was definitely an up for the team, and Kevin will have some momentum coming to Mid-Ohio. Kevin brings a lot of experience and he has a really good team behind him. He’s also no slouch behind the wheel. “Hopefully I can help the team,” he said. “If there’s a chance for me to shine, this is it because I’m with a good team and I’m at my home track.” “Kevin had two factory Porsche drivers with him at Le Mans, and now we will have to race against them,” said Zacharias. “It’s tough racing but I’m looking forward to it.”

Zacharias, who said he was a fan of the old IMSA GTP cars while growing up, originally aspired to race open-wheel cars. However, the lack of opportunity in that form of racing brought him instead to sports cars, and he has found a happy home. He hopes to eventually land a fulltime ride in the American Le Mans Series. “I really like sports cars and endurance racing,” he said. “It’s an enjoyable form of racing.”

June 19,2002 Lehto In Champion Audi

Champion Racing is pleased to announce that Finland's JJ Lehto has been signed to partner current ALMS Drivers Championship points leader Johnny Herbert in the ADT/Champion Audi R8 for the remaining rounds of the 2002 American Le Mans Series, commencing with the next round at Mid-Ohio.

Andy Wallace, who partnered with Herbert during Champion's debut ALMS season in 2001 and so far this year, leaves Champion to concentrate on the promising Bentley EXP Speed 8 LM-GTP program. Wallace finished a fine third at Le Mans in 2001 in the Bentley, and fourth at this year's French Classic. With Wallace's commitment to Team Bentley, Champion Racing owner Dave Maraj agreed to release Wallace so that he can give full attention to the British GTP program.

"Andy has been a vital part of getting Champion's Audi R8 effort on its feet and making it a success", said Maraj. "Andy's vast endurance racing experience, his sound judgment and his totally professional attitude benefited every member of the ADT/Champion team", Maraj continued, "we consider Andy a friend and wish him the best of luck with Team Bentley and for the future."

JJ Lehto has six overall wins to his credit in ALMS competition. He was a standout as part of the BMW LMP program in 1999/2000, and took four ALMS GT class wins with BMW during the 2001 season. Since the end of last season JJ has been part of the Cadillac LMP program, joining that team for the endurance races at Sebring and the just-completed Le Mans 24 Hours. Lehto drove in 62 Formula One races during 1991-1994 with various teams, his best finish a third at Imola coming in 1991. Except for the 1998 season, in which he drove for Hogan Racing in CART, the remainder of his career has been in sports cars. He won Le Mans in 1995 in a BMW-powered McLaren, and contested races in touring cars and in the FIA GT Series from 1995-97.

Champion Racing's Audi R8 Le Mans Prototype, sponsored by ADT Security Services, currently leads the Championship Points races in both the LMP-900 Teams (overall) and IMSA Cup for Privateers categories, and Johnny Herbert holds the lead in ALMS LMP-900 Drivers Championship points going into next week's third ALMS race of the season at Mid-Ohio.

For more on the ADT/Champion Audi R8 program, visit the Champion website at www.champion-motors.com

June 13,2002 ALMS & ACO Extend Relationship

In a move that will fuel the growth of the American Le Mans Series for years to come, the series has renewed and extended its relationship with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), organizer of the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In addition, the series announced that it will work in conjunction with the ACO to stage a single American Le Mans Series event at a premier racing venue in Europe in 2003 and two events in 2004 and beyond.

The series decided upon an early renewal of its original five-year contract with the ACO, which was good through 2003, by exercising its option to extend through 2008. The licensing agreement allows the American Le Mans Series the use of the trademarks and rules of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the operation of its North American sports car racing series.

“We could not be more pleased to make this announcement,” said Don Panoz, founder of the series. “Our relationship with the ACO has been instrumental in the growth this series has experienced since it began in 1999. Use of the ACO’s rules gives us the stability in technical regulations that has made our series attractive to race teams and manufacturers.

“This announcement will confirm the level of stability and consistency for professional sports car racing. It will provide manufacturers, promoters, teams and fans with a great platform for future growth of the American Le Mans Series.

“It is also very important to us to be able to continue to use the Le Mans name in all aspects of our series operation,” he said. “We have built equity in the American Le Mans Series name and it is what we are.”

The relationship with the American Le Mans Series represents the first and only granting by the ACO to another party the use of its trademarks and rules. In an effort to expand upon the rich history and tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ACO completed an agreement with Panoz in 1998. The inaugural Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in 1998 was Panoz’ first use of the Le Mans name, and the American Le Mans Series was born in 1999.

“We are very happy to make this announcement, and with this renewal, the ACO makes the commitment to make the American Le Mans Series the best professional road racing series in North America,” said Michel Cosson, ACO President.

The single European date for the ALMS in 2003 and two races in 2004 will mark the first time that the series and the ACO have worked together to stage races. The ALMS held two races in Europe in the 2000 season. American Le Mans Series races feature four classes of race cars competing for class wins and the overall win, with the fields including many of the same drivers and cars that compete at Le Mans. The series holds events at any of North America’s premier permanent road racing facilities as well as at temporary circuits in key major markets. The series motto is “For the Fans” and all events feature driver autograph sessions and open paddocks.

All events are on live television in the United States. Well-known automotive brand names such as Audi, Cadillac, Corvette, Dodge, Ferrari, MG, Nissan, Panoz, Porsche and Saleen are represented on the series. ALMS events are sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).

June 12,2002 Chicago Street Race Looking Up

This was in the Chicago Sun Times this morning:

A decision could come as early as this week on a proposal to stage an American Le Mans Series race on a temporary road course at Meigs Field next year. City officials are considering a plan to run the race in late summer or early fall. The airport would be closed to air traffic, but lakefront streets would remain open.

This is another sign of growing interest in the American Le Mans Series, which is positioned to fill any void that could be created by the struggles of the open-wheel CART series. CART recently had its bid to run a lakefront street race in Chicago turned down by city officials, and rumors are growing that many of its top teams will join the rival IRL next season.

Some insiders see the Le Mans series as a natural to create the kind of street-race/festival atmosphere that CART does so well in the event that CART continues to falter.

The American Le Mans Series has tended to concentrate on permanent road courses--it will run at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on July 7--but is venturing into more temporary street courses this year.

It will race July 21 in Washington in the parking lot of RFK Stadium and will race on a Miami street course on Oct. 5 in conjunction with the Oct. 6 CART race there.

June 6,2002 DPR Preparing GT MG

David Price Racing is evaluating last year's X80 supercar concept for an attack on the GT class at Le Mans and the N-GT division in the FIA GT Championship.

Price's operation is already building the first prototypes of the road-going X80, and could have a race car up and running as early as November.

"The idea is to give a club racer the chance to move up to the international level arena with a car that is cheap to buy and run," said Peter Stevens, MG-Rover director of product and design. "From the initial evaluation, the car appears to have a promising future."

May 17,2002 Pirro Leads Friday Practice

Emanuele Pirro waited until the end of the session Friday to set the fastest time of the day as practice began for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Sonoma presented by Fosters at Sears Point Raceway.

Pirro turned a lap of 1:23.987 (108.445 mph) on the 2.53-mile road racing circuit in the final moments of a two-hour session. Pirro, driving the Audi Sport North America Audi R8, eclipsed a lap of 1:24.027 that had been set by the Panoz LMP-1 driven by David Brabham.

Pirro will co-drive with Rinaldo Capello and Frank Biela in the two-hour, 45-minute sports car race on Sunday, while Brabham will share the Panoz with Jan Magnussen.

Tom Kristensen, on loan to the Champion Audi team from the factory squad, turned the third-fastest lap of the day at 1:24.842 in a car he will share with Andy Wallace and Johnny Herbert.

Jon Field, driving a Lola EX257-AER MG, was the fastest driver in the LMP 675 class for smaller Prototypes with a lap of 1:29.247, fifth-fastest overall. Field will co-drive with Rick Sutherland in Sunday’s race.

The Chevrolet Corvette C5-R driven by Ron Fellows and Johnny O’Connell led the GTS class with a fast time of 1:33.584, while the GT class was led by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS of Timo Bernhard and Jorge Bergmeister at 1:38.195. Twenty-nine of the 33 cars on hand participated in the practice session on Friday.

1. Biela/Pirro/Capello, Audi R8, 1:23.987.
2. Magnussen/Brabham, Panoz LMP-1, 1:24.027.
3. Herbert/Wallace/Kristensen, Audi R8, 1:24.842.
4. Herta/Auberlen, Panoz LMP-1, 1:26.609.
5. J. Field/Sutherland, Lola EX257-AER MG, 1:29.247.
6. Jeannette/Donohue, Panoz LMP-1, 1:30.440.
7. Weaver/Dyson, Riley & Scott MkIIIA-Lincoln, 1:32.157.
8. C. Field/Neuhaus, Lola B2K/10-Judd, 1:32.209.
9. Knight/Hawkins/Block, Lola EX257-AER MG, 1:33.023.
10. Duno/Maxwell, Panoz LMP07-Mugen, 1:33.250.
11. Fellows/O’Connell, Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, 1:33.584.
12. Pilgrim/Collins, Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, 1:34.176.
13. Konrad/Borcheller, Saleen S7R, 1:36.447.
14. Naspetti/Schiattarella, Ferrari 550 Maranello, 1:37.755.
15. Bernhard/Bergmeister, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:38.195.
16. Maassen/Luhr, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:38.978.
17. Buckler/Franchitti, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:39.378.
18. Mowlem/Pobst, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:40.723.
19. De Radigues/Graham, Panoz LMP07-Mugen, 1:40.913.
20. Schumacher/Murry, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:41.484.
21. Hampton/Grupp, Lola B2K/42-Mazda, 1:41.533.
22. Bucknum/Lambert, Pilbeam MP84-Nissan, 1:42.065.
23. Hindery/Baron, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:42.520.
24. Jackson/Fitzgerald, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:42.841.
25. Collin/Burgess/Plumb, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 1:43.158.
26. Rice/Orcutt, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:43.244.
27. Schultheis/Kester, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:44.461.
28. Merzon/Julien, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 1:47.900.
29. McMurry/Willman, Pilbeam MP84-Nissan, 1:57.131.

May 17,2002 Herbert To Attempt Double On Sunday

Two different forms of racing. Two very different race cars. Two race tracks located nearly 3,000 miles apart. One driver who needs to be in both places on the same day.

Johnny Herbert has been forced to try and do the impossible this Sunday. The English racing star will attempt to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday morning and then dash to California to drive in the American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Sonoma presented by Fosters that same afternoon. His plan involves a private jet and two helicopters.

Herbert’s situation was brought about by rain which canceled one full day of qualifying in Indianapolis last weekend. Herbert, a former Formula One winner who is trying to qualify for his first Indianapolis 500, was unable to post a qualifying speed.

He had hoped to be solidly in the field at the conclusion of the first weekend of qualifying, therefore avoiding the drama of having to be involved in Bump Day, the notorious final day of Indy qualifying that has broken the hearts of many race drivers.

Had he qualified, Herbert could have spent this entire weekend at Sears Point, where he will co-drive the Champion Racing Audi R8 Prototype in the ALMS event. Instead, he practiced the Audi on Friday and then caught a redeye flight back to Indianapolis to practice the Indy car on Saturday. Herbert started the ALMS season with a victory in the Sebring 12-hour race and needs to race to protect his points position. He is also under contract to Champion Racing for the ALMS season.

After practicing this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and wrestling with what to do, Herbert decided to try to do both. Qualifying at Indy begins at noon Sunday (Central time), and he is slated to be third in line. After making his run, he will be helicoptered from the track to a waiting jet for the trip to California. The jet will land at Novato, Calif., where another chopper will bring Herbert to Sears Point.

The American Le Mans Series race starts at 1 p.m. (Pacific) and is a two-hour, 45-minute timed event. As is the norm for sports car racing, Herbert will share the car with other drivers in the event. The plan is for teammates Andy Wallace and Tom Kristensen to drive the first two stints and then Herbert will drive the final leg after arriving at Sears Point.

“Everything will have to work perfectly,” he said. “But it can be done.” By not staying at Indy, Herbert will not have the opportunity to requalify if his car is bumped from the field in the remaining qualifying time. In theory, he could be bumped from the field while he is on the track at Sears Point. In an ironic twist, Indy qualifying will end 15 minutes after the conclusion of the Sears Point race.

“We had the option of having another driver qualify the car (at Indy), but I didn’t want to do that,” said Herbert. “Driving in the Indy 500 has been a goal of mine for many years and I wanted to do it the right way. Hopefully this will all work out.”

May 8,2002 Rand Racing Purchases Two MG/Lolas For 2003 Campaign

Rand Racing has purchased two MG Lola EX257 sports cars in preparation for competition in the 2003 American Le Mans Series. Although the cars are built for the LMP675 class, team owner Bill Rand has set a higher goal.

"I think the MG Lola can beat the prototypes," he said, referring to the more powerful LMP900 cars. "I think it can be done with the proper team, and I think we have the proper team. I don't just think we can win the 675 class, I think we can go out there and win races overall."

Rand Racing will take delivery of the Lola EX257 chassis No. 5 in July and will receive a second chassis prior to the 2003 season. Rand says he won't enter a race with the new cars until the team has completed extensive endurance testing and is ready to win.

Meantime, he says the team's target for 2002 hasn't changed - to win the SRPII driver and team championships in the Rolex Sports Car Series, sanctioned by the Grand American Road Racing Association. The team has won every race it has entered, with two Nissan Lolas prepared by the veteran Risi Competizione crew.

SRPII points leader Terry Borcheller of Phoenix drives the No. 8 Lola with Anthony Lazzaro of Acworth, Ga. Rand, of Plano, Tex., and Niclas Jönsson of Aliso Viejo, Calif., drive the No. 7 car. German Ralf Kelleners and Scot Marino Franchitti join the team for selected races.

"Rand is clear on his team's objectives for the 2002 and 2003 seasons, but he has one more goal to add to the list - an overall win in the 24 Hours of Daytona. The team won the SRPII class this year and finished third overall, after leading every class lap for 24 hours.

"The focus this year is Grand-Am and it will be Grand-Am throughout the season," Rand explained. "Once we get the MG and get tested, we will run a full American Le Mans season next year. But we'll also run the 24 Hours of Daytona. We've got unfinished business there; we're going after an overall win."

May 8,2002 Third Panoz For Sears

Panoz Motor Sports has entered a third "Spirit of America" prototype machine in the forthcoming round of the American Le Mans Sears at Sears Point in California.

All six members of the Panoz line-up for the Le Mans 24 Hour will get the chance to get additional track time prior to the classic French event.

The decision to place the additional entry came after the team's second Le Mans entry struck trouble in last week's Le Mans preliminary practice session in France.

Bill Auberlen, David Donohue and Gunnar Jeannette had their track time restricted by a prop-shaft failure which stranded the car out on the circuit in the early part of the opening four-hour practice session.

"The three guys in the #11 car at Le Mans really didn't get the chance to get as many miles as we would have liked, so we thought it was important for every member of the team to get as many laps as possible," Team Manager, Andy Waldrep said.

For Sears Point, Panoz will field David Brabham and Jan Magnussen in their regular #50 machine, Bryan Herta and Bill Auberlen in the #51 car, and David Donohue and Gunnar Jeannette in the third #49 car.

The additional entry is the same car which Jeannette contested the Sebring 12-Hour at the start of the year.

"David Donohue has a lot of experience and we thought we would use that to team him up with Gunnar for this weekend," Waldrep said.

"The Sears Point weekend will be another important step for Gunnar in his development as a young driver with this team."

Donohue is eagerly awaiting the chance to compete at Sears Point, a track at which he has previously tasted success in GTS aboard a Dodge Viper.

The Sears Point circuit has undergone dramatic changes in recent months with more than $50 million spend on improvements.

"Sears Point is a great challenge and probably one of the most difficult and demanding tracks in the country," Donohue said.

"I am really thrilled to hear of the fantastic improvements they are making to the track and can't wait to see them next week."

April 30,2002 KnightHawk Signs Chad Block For Sears

KnightHawk Racing has signed Chad Block as the third seat for the team's entry in the Grand Prix of Sonoma presented by Fosters on May 19.

Block will share driving duties with Steve Knight and Mel Hawkins in the team's #11 MG Lola 675 LMP for the second round of the American Le Mans Series' 2002 Championship season.

The trio's previous pairing occurred at this year's Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, where they produced a 2nd in class and 6th overall in a Nissan Lola B2K/40 -- quite an accomplishment considering this was Block's very first sportscar race.

The 23 year-old racer from Pennsylvania is making a lot of headway in the Prototype class after Daytona with KnightHawk, Block found himself behind the wheel of the #00 Panoz LMP 900 with Panoz Factory Driver Gunnar Jeanette at the 12 Hours of Sebring last month.

At KnightHawk's test session with their new MG Lola in February, Block had an opportunity to get behind the wheel of the purpose-built LMP 675 at Road Atlanta.

"The car is very fast -- and very capable. I had the chance to lap the circuit more than a few times and I felt fairly comfortable," says Block. "The KnightHawk team is where I'd like to be, and where I hope to stay for the season. Steve and Mel have shown me tremendous support and I would love to bring them some LMP 675 Championship points. Having a team that has confidence in you, and you having confidence in them -- as I do with KnightHawk -- is a great recipe for success. I hope Steve and Mel are as happy to have me as I am to represent them."

The KnightHawk MG Lola will be transported by air to Sears Point directly from the team's Le Mans Preliminary Practice Session on May 5. The team's is looking forward to the Sonoma classic circuit and hope that the twisty uphill and downhill circuit will suit the handling of their smaller and lighter car perfectly. Immediately following the race, they car will be sent back to France for the 70th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"Chad has really shown well so far, especially considering his short time in sportscars," says his Sears Point teammate Steve Knight. "I was impressed with his talent at Daytona and Sebring and look forward to having him on-board for Sonoma."

"I saw first-hand what Chad could do, both at Daytona and in our test at Road Atlanta, " remarked co-driver Mel Hawkins. "Based on what I've seen so far, it was time to team up with him and Sears Point presented itself as the perfect opportunity."

April 29,2002 Archangel Sears Entry

Photo Coutersy:Grand-Am
Archangel Motorsports has joined the field for Round Two of the 2002 American Le Mans Series championship, the May 19 Grand Prix of Sonoma presented by Fosters at California’s Sears Point Raceway.

The team will run a Lola B2K40-Ford Prototype in the LMP 675 class at Sears Point as it makes its first American Le Mans Series appearance of the season.

Drivers for the team will be Ben Devlin of England and Dave McEntee of Novato, Calif. Devlin, a racing sensation in England as a teenager, drove for Archangel in part of the 2001 season, scoring two class wins in another form of racing and finishing second in the LMP 675 class in his American Le Mans Series debut in October in Audi presents Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. McEntee is an instructor at the Jim Russell Racing School at Sears Point Raceway and knows the 2.52-mile racing circuit as well as anyone. He made his ALMS debut in last year’s event at Sears Point, driving a GT Porsche for Dick Barbour Racing.

April 26,2002 Malaysia Race Canceled

The American Le Mans Series has canceled the event it had planned to run on Nov. 3 at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The event will not be rescheduled.

“After numerous inquiries concerning the promotion and staging of the race went substantially unanswered, the difficult decision was made to cancel the event,” said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group.

“While we regret having to make this decision, we felt it prudent not to commit the resources of our commercial partners and teams without receiving reasonable confirmation from our promoter of its ability to successfully stage the event,” he said.

April 25,2002 Intersport Two Car Sears Entry

Intersport, which gained its first-ever American Le Mans Series win last month at Sebring, has entered two Prototypes in Round Two of the 2002 ALMS season, the May 19 Grand Prix of Sonoma presented by Fosters at California’s Sears Point Raceway.

Intersport will run its victorious Lola EX257-MG in the LMP 675 class, hoping to make it two wins in two starts on the ALMS this season. In addition, the team will run a Lola B2K10-Judd in the LMP 900 class. Sponsored by Banana Joe’s, the Intersport cars are among the top privateer teams in sports car racing. Based in Dublin, Ohio, Intersport joined the Competition Incentive Plan (CIP) in the American Le Mans Series for the 2002 season and will run a car in every race.

With its win at Sebring, Intersport is leading the IMSA Cup standings for privateer teams in the LMP 675 class. Jon Field of Dublin, Ohio, and Rick Sutherland of Los Gatos, Calif., will co-drive the MG Lola in the Sears Point event. Clint Field, the son of Jon Field, will co-drive with Mark Neuhaus of Sun Valley, Id., in the LMP 900 car.

April 18,2002 Mowlem Lands Peterson Porsche Driver

Autosport Report that Johnny Mowlem has secured drive for this year's ALMS.

He will return to the Petersen Motorsports team he raced for last year, joining Randy Pobst behind the wheel of a factory-backed Porsche 911 GT3-RS.

The team had planned to sit out the series, but has now decided to compete in the six remaining US rounds, running on Pirelli tyres. Mowlem will drive in all the races, including the blue-riband Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

"There are two reasons I'm pleased with this deal," Mowlem told Autosport.com. "Firstly, I'm going back with a team I've been with before. We are in a good position against the Alex Job-run cars. Whether we can beat them remains to be seen, but we will certainly rattle their chain.

Secondly, we are on Pirelli tyres and they have really stepped up in performance. Pirelli will be desperate to beat Michelin, which Job runs on."

The deal completes a strong season programme for Mowlem. He also has a factory drive at the Le Mans 24 Hours secured, and is expected to race the Crawford prototype with NASCAR star Tony Stewart in the Watkins Glen 6 Hours.

"It is very nice to have the prototype chance, a Le Mans drive and manage to keep the links with Porsche as well," said Mowlem. "It's the best of three worlds!"

April 13,2002 Dyson Enters Two Cars For Sears

Dyson Racing will run a pair of Riley & Scott MkIIIA-Lincoln machines in the event. Elliott Forbes-Robinson, the inaugural American Le Mans Series champion in 1999, will co-drive with rising star Chris Dyson in one car, while James Weaver and a driver to-be-named will steer the other.

The team, owned by New York businessman Rob Dyson, has not raced at Sears Point since the 1999 season. Forbes-Robinson co-drove to a fourth-place finish in that event on his way to the driver's championship. Dyson Racing did not run any ALMS races in 2000, but returned to compete in four races in 2001 with a best finish of third at Mid-Ohio. Though an exact schedule has not been announced, the team has indicated that it will contest many of the 10 ALMS events scheduled for 2002.

"We welcome Dyson Racing in the American Le Mans Series," said Dennis Huth, President of IMSA, the sanctioning body for the ALMS. "Rob Dyson runs a professional and competitive team that adds a great deal to an event." After finishing fourth in the season-opening event at Sebring last month, the Dyson team is third in the IMSA Cup standings with one car and fourth with the other. The IMSA Cup is a new competition this season among privateer (non-factory) teams on the American Le Mans Series.

Weaver's normal co-driver, Butch Leitzinger, will not be available for the Sears Point race due to a conflict with a race for the Trans-Am Series at Canada's Mosport International Raceway. Leitzinger is running the full Trans-Am Series this season. An announcement from Dyson Racing as to who will partner with Weaver at Sears Point is expected soon

April 11,2002 Cadillac Announced as Washington GP Title Sponsor

Cadillac announced today that it has agreed to sign on as the title sponsor of the July 2002 American Le Mans Series auto-racing event. As part of the sponsorship agreement, the race will be known as “The Cadillac Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.,” and Cadillac's name will be represented in a new logo for the event.

“We are especially pleased to be a part of bringing the most competitive in international endurance racing to the nation’s capital,” said Mark R. LaNeve, Cadillac general manager. “Exciting things are happening at Cadillac these days and our participation in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with our two Cadillac Northstar LMP cars is a means to connect with a new generation of luxury customers.”

“Cadillac is one of the most powerful automotive brands in the world,” said Chris Lencheski, co-founder and chairman of the board, National Grand Prix Holdings. “We are pleased to have such a prestigious name in front of our race. This is the first time Cadillac has been a title sponsor for a race. I think Cadillac’s involvement in the Washington Grand Prix speaks volumes for what people in the industry think we are trying to do for auto racing in Washington, D.C.”

Cadillac plans to bring an exciting exhibit to the paddock area titled, “The Cadillac Experience,” where those attending the race will have a chance to view Cadillacs of the past, present and future. As part of the partnership with the race, Cadillac will have its name prominently displayed throughout the grounds of RFK Stadium during the three-day event.

“The local Cadillac dealers are very enthusiastic about this partnership, and we hope this enthusiasm spills over and reaches potential new Cadillac customers in the Washington, D.C. metro area,” said Steve Rosenblum, Cadillac brand manager for motorsports. “We are working with our Cadillac dealers to provide opportunities for the entire area to enjoy this unique event through special promotions and coverage.”

“We are honored to have Cadillac as the title sponsor of this race,” said George deBidart, co-founder, National Grand Prix Holdings. “Cadillac has a rich and proud history in the automotive industry, and they are a perfect fit for this event.”

April 11,2002 Spencer Motorsports Summits First Entry For Sears

Team Spencer Motorsports has submitted the first official entry for Round 2 of the 2002 American Le Mans Series, the Grand Prix of Sonoma presented by Fosters on May 19 at California's Sears Point Raceway.

Team Spencer has entered a Lola B2K/42-Mazda machine in the LMP 675 class for smaller Prototypes. The drivers will be Dennis Spencer of Denver, Col., and Rich Grupp of Decatur, Ga.

The team entered the 2002 season-opening event at Sebring in March, but was forced to withdraw due to engine problems.

April 2,2002 Audi May Run Older car At Sears

The Audi factory could run a solo, two-year-old R8 prototype at the Sears Point ALMS round on May 19.

Audi and Team Joest are looking at leasing back the first-generation R8 that Champion Racing ran in last year's ALMS. This would enable Audi to gain championship points in California without having to ship its Le Mans cars back to the States between the test day early in May and the race.

Joest team manager Ralf Juttner said "Using the Champion car is something that we have looked into, but it is by no means decided."

Juttner stressed that Audi hadn't ruled out taking its Le Mans cars and that a decision was due soon.

Should Joest run Champion's old car it is almost certain that Rinaldo Capello would drive. He won the ALMS opener together with Johnny Herbert, who now switches over to Champion for the remainder of the season, and Christian Pescatori. Audi needs Capello to score points to prevent Herbert racking up a near unassailable championship lead.

March 28,2002 Audi 2003 Plans?

Autoweek is reporting that Audi is hinting it will leave the ALMS to its customer teams next year. Audi North American boss Len Hunt said that it could be “reasonably assumed” the works Joest team would not return to the United States for a fourth season in 2003.

“It is my desire that Audi will compete in the ALMS next season and I fully expect it will happen, but I am not sure whether there will be a works team,” said Hunt. He is hoping the German manufacturer would be represented by a number of customers in 2003. “We have Champion, but I would like to see a broader base of privateers.” Those expansion plans could include Team Rahal, which is looking to run in the ALMS next season.

Team boss Bobby Rahal has been in contact with Hunt, but the talks have been nothing more than preliminary discussions. Rahal said: “We aim to run prototypes, so it is natural to start looking from the top down.” Neither Audi Sports chief Wolfgang Ullrich nor Franz-Josef Paefgen, the new sports car boss of the VW-Audi group, was willing to discuss the marque’s plans for next year and beyond.

March 26,2002 Team Bucknum Selects New Engine Builder

After a disappointing start to its 2002 season, Team Bucknum Racing has made some personnel changes that it hopes will help its cause in the rest of the American Le Mans Series season.

The new racing team is campaigning a pair of Pilbeam MP84-Nissan machines in the LMP 675 class of the ALMS this season. However, both cars encountered overheating problems early in the running at the opening event at Sebring and were retired before 21 laps had been completed.

"The entire week we worked on the overheating issue, and by the end of the week we were able to run practice sessions with no issues," said driver Chris McMurry. "We thought we had it licked, but the race day was hot and the temperature warning lights reappeared almost from the start."

The team has changed engine builders and will now use the services of England-based International Engine Services (IES). Graham Dale-Jones of IES is the original builder of all Nissan engines in the Pilbeam MP84s that Team Bucknum uses.

"Graham has built motors for this same type of car and has won championships doing so," said team driver/owner Jeff Bucknum. "He has a positive history of putting together a package that has beaten some of the packages we compete against in North America, such as the Lola B2K/40." The team also announced that it has begun developing a 3.4-litre engine package that will produce 500 horsepower, about 125 more than the current 3.0-litre engine package. Additionally, work has begun on lightening the Pilbeam MP84 with the addition of carbon fiber components.

"We gained vast amounts of knowledge at Sebring, and, as a result, are making some immediate, serious changes in our approach," said driver/owner Bryan Willman. "As part of selecting a new engine builder, we will embark yet again on a vigorous testing program to ensure a reliable and competitive entry for Sears Point and beyond."

March 22,2002 29 Cars Commit To CIP Program

The new Competition Incentive Plan (CIP) administered by IMSA on the American Le Mans Series has attracted 20 racing teams to commit 29 cars for the full season on the sports car endurance racing series, officials have announced. Several other teams are expected to commit to the program within the next week. The 29 cars committed so far to compete in all 10 events on the series include 14 Prototypes (eight LMP 900 and six LMP 675), seven GTS cars and eight from the GT class.

"We are very pleased with the response to the CIP from such a diverse group of sports car racing teams," said Dennis Huth, President of IMSA. "A program of this nature has never been done in the modern era of sports car racing and it gives an advance peek to our event promoters and fans of the top teams and drivers they can expect at all events. "These 29 cars, and the others that were just invited and we expect to join the CIP, will represent the core field of cars that have contractually stated to us that they can be expected at every race," Huth said. "But as we saw with a record number of entries recently at Sebring, there are many more sports car racing teams out there that are interested in competing in American Le Mans Series races this season."

The CIP was created to financially reward teams that commit to running all 10 races of the series and is open to qualified privateer and factory teams. Participating teams sign agreements stating that they will compete in all events. For contesting the series, the team receives cash rewards after every event that are not part of the regular race payoff, provided that it enters the event, qualifies and attempts to compete.

The racing teams that have committed to the CIP program for 2002 from the

LMP 900 class include Audi Sport North America, Panoz Motor Sports, MBD Sportscar, Champion Racing and Gunnar Racing.

LMP 675 class for smaller Prototypes that have signed the CIP agreement include Team Bucknum Racing, KnightHawk Racing, Kyser Racing, Intersport and Porschehaus.

GTS class, the teams committed to the full season include Corvette Racing, American Viperacing, Konrad Motorsport, Park Place Racing and Team Rafanelli.

GT class include Alex Job Racing, Orbit, The Racer's Group, Seikel Motorsport and J3 Racing. The next race for the American Le Mans Series will be the Grand Prix of Sonoma at California's Sears Point Raceway on Sunday, May 19.

March 22,2002 MBD Leave Sebring With Positive Attitude

Although neither car finished at Sebring, the MBD Sportscars team came away with a very positive attitude and a lot of new information on the Panoz-Mugen that they lacked at the start of the week.

Scott Maxwell took car #17 from 16th on the grid to 12th at the start of the race. Milka Duno then improved it's position to 8th before handing over to John Graham. He also drove a full stint before the gremlins attacked the electrical system, ultimately forcing it's retirement.

Didier de Radigues was forced to start from the back of the grid as an engine change had made night practice impossible for car #18. Only twenty minutes into the race the car suffered a broken alternator belt. From then on it ran strongly for 6 hours, providing valuable engineering data for the future, until being finally sidelined by a broken CV joint.

March 12,2002 Spencer Mazola Withdrawl Explanation

Dennis Spencer comments on the decision made by Team Spencer Motorsports to withdraw from this weekend's running of the 50th anniversary of the 12 hours of Sebring, sanctioned by the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

Team Spencer purchased a Lola B2K/40 chassis that had been wrecked at the 2000 Rolex 24 Hours event. Dennis Spencer elected to reassemble the car with a Mazda rotary engine. The team fit in repairs and development time in-between a full season of racing that found them competing in both Grand American Road Racing and Historic Sportscar Racing events.

The car, affectionately dubbed the "MAZOLA" was to debut at the Petit Le Mans ALMS event last October. However, the ACO decided that, while the car was eligible to run, it would have to wait until the next event after being approved. That next event was to be Sebring, in 2002.

"After preparing a car that we felt could compete with the Reynard and the Pilbeam chassis that ran in ALMS and Grand Am last season, we intended to race at Sebring. And then the new lighter and faster MG-Lola chassis came on the scene. They did some testing at Road Atlanta and Sebring and clearly demonstrated that they had raised the bar to a point we were not ready to reach.

"We didn't realize how far behind on the development curve we were. Our first thought was to pull the 2-rotor engine out of our new Lola chassis and see if we couldn't find more power. There were other considerations as well, and the cumulative effect is that, overall, we realized that we lacked the caliber of preparedness that the ALMS deserves. We thought we had it all together but the competition showed us that we did not. While that realization was not what we would have preferred to come to, we are comfortable in that understanding.

"We knew we were up against both stiff competition, and the clock. We called upon some talented people to help us find what the team needed but what we found the team needed most was more time.

"We see now that we need to get our team back to the level of performance we ran at the last time we were regular competitors in the ALMS series. That level led us to an overall 8th place finish in the 1999 12 hours at Sebring. At that race, I think we were the highest placed privateer team. Knowing what it takes to be that good, from our knowledge of the car and the engine, to all the other factors that challenge every race team, requires a top-notch effort. We simply aren't there just yet.

"We decided that we should regroup and come back fighting when we were better prepared to be truly competitive. We refuse to be a negative factor, a source of dilution if you will, in a series that demands the level of performance the ALMS demands. We would not have been at our best. I won't let that happen in any of my other businesses and the same goes for the race team.

"With seven other teams waiting for a shot at what is surely the premier event in sportscar racing this season, and with all of them ready to be competitive today, we decided to step aside and let someone else take our place."

The team is planning on continuing the development of the rotary powerplant. It is thought the Mazda-Lola combination could be most effective in shorter races.

"We know that the rotaries run hot and we felt that the changes we would need to make - given our knowledge base today - to run faster at Sebring, would have found us back in the garage before the end of the 12 hours. With a further investment of time in development work, we think we can find the right balance of power and heat dissipation to be competitive in shorter events.

"The bottom line here is simply this, we thought we had a car and engine combination that could be competitive. We learned too late that we aren't there yet.

"It is extremely important to this team, and to me personally, to be in a car that isn't just doing laps and clogging up the racing line. I have too much respect for the other competitors to do that. And I have too much respect for the significance of the Sebring 50th anniversary to use that premier event as a test session.

"We will go back to the dyno, and increase our knowledge base, and find the needed elements to put a competitive "Mazola" on the track in the near future. And when we are on the track, we will be in the race for the podium, not just simply be in the race because we are on the track."

March 10,2002 Lambert For MBD

Bruno Lambert will team up with Didier de Radiguès in the MBD Sportscars entered Panoz-Mugen LMP900 for 2002 ALMS season. Lambert has quickly moved up the ranks from two successful seasons in GT including a win at the 24 hours of Le Mans through multiple wins and podium finishes in GTS and LMP 675 last year. “I couldn’t ask for better circumstances to begin my LMP900 career. The combination of the Panoz chassis, the proven track record of Mugen in developing powerful and reliable engines and the engineering know-how of Multimatic should help us make this car a top contender”.

This is the second time that native Belgians Lambert and de Radiguès will team up. “Bruno drove with me for the last three races of the 2001 season. He did a fantastic job and with two wins and a third place, helped me clinched the championship” said the 2001 LMP675 champion.

Lambert will be supported again this season by personal sponsor Cranium makers of the award winning and fastest selling independent board game in history, the Cranium party game. Richard Tait the company Grand Poo Bah was ecstatic. “As with Cranium in the games world, Bruno has been on the fast track to success in racing. This new team is a perfect fit for Cranium, fast, fun and competitive!

The team will field two cars for the full ALMS season and the 24 hours of Le Mans. The lineup for the other car consisting of Milka Duno from Caracas Venezuela, Scott Maxwell and John Graham both from Toronto, Ontario. For the long distance races, American Rick Sutherland join the pair of Belgian

March 10,2002 vandePoele Added To Panoz Attack

Panoz Motor Sports' assault on the 50th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring - Presented by Dodge, has been boosted with the addition of experienced sportscar aces Bill Auberlen and Eric van de Poele to its driving roster.

The team had originally planned to attack Sebring with a two-driver line-up in its pair of "Spirit of America" LMP1-Evo machines, but the availability of Auberlen and van de Poele, coupled with the expected fierce competition for the 12 hour marathon, resulted in a revised plan for the event.

"We fully expect Sebring to be a 12 hour sprint and after consultation with our drivers, we believed having three guys in both cars was going to be the most effective way to tackle the race," Panoz Team Manager, Andy Waldrep said.

"This team already has some of the fittest athletes in the series, but having the extra driver will enable them to be at their absolute peak for 12 hours."

Auberlen will join Bryan Herta and David Donohue in the #51 car for an all-American line-up. Van de Poele will drive with David Brabham and Jan Magnussen in the #50 machine.

Van de Poele and Brabham have worked together already in 2002 - teaming up aboard the Risi Ferrari at the Daytona 24 Hour for the second time this year.

"It is very nice of David and Jan to trust me to join them for Sebring," van de Poele said.

"They have a fantastic shot at victory and I just hope I can play a role in that. I really love the Sebring event and was quite upset that I didn't have a drive sorted for this year.

"I got a late call up for the Sebring race in 1995 and managed to win it. Hopefully history can repeat itself this year.

"I have also raced against the Panoz on many occasions and I am really looking forward to seeing what the car is like. I am really grateful for Don Panoz for this opportunity."

While van de Poele has Sebring victories in 1995 and 96 on his extensive resume, Bill Auberlen is also no stranger to success to the Florida venue. He won the IMSA GTU class in 1987, GT2 in 1995 and GT3 in 1997. Amazingly, he also contested all three classes at the 1996 Sebring event.

"If any car truly deserves to wear the stars and stripes it is the Panoz and I am just thrilled with the chance to drive the car," Auberlen said.

"To join with Bryan Herta and David Donohue will be fantastic and we are all looking forward to 'waving the flag' for the local race fans.

"It is also great to be back in a prototype car as well. Having raced in GT last year I know what it is like from the other side in a traffic situation and hopefully I will be able to use that to my advantage.

"David Donohue also has that experience. Bryan's outright speed is beyond question and David and I should be able to teach him a little bit about the traffic problem in this race."

March 10,2002 AVR Signs Lewis

American Viperacing is proud to announce that we have agreed to terms this morning with driver Shane Lewis for the full 2002 ALMS season.

Lewis will head up the #45 Dodge Viper GTS-R entry with sportscar veteran Rick Fairbanks for the full season. ‘I am very happy to have Shane as my co-driver for this year, we have been friends and competitors for a few years now and I am looking forward to sharing the car with Shane.’ Rick Fairbanks continues ‘Shane has an innate ability to set up a car and be at speed almost immediately.’

Shane Lewis competed in several rounds of the American Le Mans Series for AVR in the 2001 season highlighted by the second in GTS in the Portland round. As a team, we are happy to have Shane back as he has a very good rapport with the crew, and he is a positive personality and showman for the fans to get behind and cheer for.

‘I am very much looking forward to driving with Rick, since we have been competing against each other I have developed a great respect for his driving abilities and competitive spirit’ explains Lewis. He goes on to state ‘I started to gain a comfort level with the car and AVR as a team last year, and I am looking forward to getting back in the Viper and to the challenge of developing the car and the program going forward. I feel as the season moves along, we will make for a great driving team and a great program to bring to the forefront of sportscar racing in 2002.’

Lewis will greatly assist a program that is making several major upgrades to a racecar that has a great winning tradition in the Viper. Beginning with Sebring, and continuing prior to the Le Mans testing, AVR is looking to make great strides in the development of the cars as we chase the Corvette’s and Saleen’s for the championship.

March 10,2002 New Points System

The system used to determine driving championships in the American Le Mans Series has been amended for the 2002 season to further recognize the results achieved by individual drivers, officials have announced.

While points for finishing positions will be awarded using the same scale as has been used in the first three years of the series, the system of bonus points has been amended for the driving championships in the four classes of race cars within the series. All 10 events on the series schedule will count toward the championship.

Under the amended system, one bonus championship point will be awarded to the fastest qualifying driver in each class for each race. Additionally, the driver in each car who meets the minimum and maximum driving limits for the race and drives the most laps in the car will get one bonus point toward the driver's championship.

"These amendments to the bonus point system are meant to recognize the drivers who have contributed the most to the results of their team during the course of a race weekend," said Dennis Huth, President of IMSA, the sanctioning body for the American Le Mans Series.

"In other sports, rewards go to individuals performing within a team," Huth said. "For example, basketball players are recognized and rewarded for scoring the most points or getting the most rebounds, both individual accomplishments within the framework of a team.

"In our form of racing, being the fastest qualifier in class and driving the most laps in the race are accomplishments worthy of rewards in the form of bonus points toward the driver's championship," Huth said.

March 9,2002 First Actual Pic Panoz Stars & Stripes

It will be nice to see if the new "Stars and Stripes" with the now modern nose cone can bring home a win in the 50th 12 Hours of Sebring.

March 8,2002 Panoz Launches New Aerodynamics With Stars & Stripes

Photo Courtesy:Panoz Motorsport
Get ready for the Panoz "Spirit of America".

Panoz Motor Sports today announced it's two LMP-1 machines will carry a startling new stars and stripes livery for the 2002 season.

The spectacular design also compliments the stunning new aerodynamic package the Georgia-based team will use throughout the year.

"We really wanted to give the fans something to cheer for in the American Le Mans Series," Team Owner, Don Panoz said.

"Our entire team is very excited about our new look for this year. Our team is made up of some of the finest people from all parts of the globe - all of whom have chosen to live and work in the greatest country in the world.

"To take this livery with an American team to the 24 Hours of Le Mans will also be a great experience. Winning that race remains a dream for me and to do it with the "Spirit of America" would be wonderful.

"Everybody at Panoz Motor Sports, Elan Power Products and Elan Motor Sport Technologies is striving to make that dream come true."

Panoz also launched its new 2002 web-site today - www.panozmotorsports.com - to represent the new team livery. The spectacular new site includes behind-the-scenes features on the Panoz squad as well as regular video updates from the team drivers.

The Georgia-based team has recently tested it's new aerodynamic improvements in preparation for the opening race of the ALMS season - the 50th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring - Presented by Dodge.

"The team has done a fantastic job with the changes on the car and I am really looking forward to the season to start," Jan Magnussen said.

"The weather conditions we have tested in haven't been ideal but everybody is quietly confident that we will be able to continue to take the fight to Audi.

"Nobody is making rash predictions - we will wait and see when everybody gets to Sebring to see how we stand.

"Everybody in the team has worked remarkably hard during the off-season. The level of commitment in all facets of the organization has been outstanding. If we can't match the Audis - it certainly won't be through lack of trying.

"Motor racing is a team game - even more so in sportscar racing."

While Jan Magnussen (Denmark) and David Brabham (Australia) form the international part of the Panoz squad for 2002 - the team now has four American stars in its line-up: Bryan Herta, David Donohue, young test driver, Gunnar Jeannette plus Bill Auberlen who will co-drive with Herta and Donohue at next week's Sebring event.

Herta is no stranger to flying the flag for the USA. He was selected to represent the US at the 1991 Formula Ford Festival World Cup in the UK and also won the "America¹s Choice" award as one of North America¹s top young drivers in 1992.

"I am really excited about our livery for this year - it is going to be a huge hit with the race fans," Herta said.

"The Panoz is already hugely popular because of the V8 roar of the engine - now we will have something for the fans to really cheer about. We will be doing our best to wear these colors with pride and make the stars and stripes fly."

March 7,2002 Auberlen In #51 Panoz?

Bill Auberlen has now been officially confirmed as a third driver with Bryan Herta and David Donohue in the #51 Panoz.

March 6,2002 Donohue Replaces Borcheller At Panoz

David Donohue has been drafted into the Panoz Motor Sports team for the 2002 American Le Mans Series season.

The American has been recruited by Panoz to replace Terry Borcheller who the team has been forced to release after Borcheller experienced problems fitting aboard the Panoz LMP-1 Evo prototype machine.

"We are very disappointed to have to make this decision, but unfortunately, we simply couldn't get Terry comfortable in the car," Team Owner, Don Panoz said.

"We would have loved to keep Terry because he is such a great ambassador for sportscar racing in the US, but he is basically too big to fit in our car.

"He was able to drive the car, but couldn't get comfortable. Drivers basically wear a car, rather than drive it - it was like trying to squeeze into a pair of shoes that are too small.

"We got to the stage where has was basically sitting on the floor, but still couldn't get enough leg movement. The pedals were moved forward as far as they would go.

"This is not a decision we wanted to make but ensuring our drivers can fit comfortably in the car is a serious safety concern that we could not overlook."

Donohue tested for Panoz prior to Christmas was one of the original drivers in contention for the fourth seat at the Georgia-based team for 2002.

"This is truly one of the most exciting developments that has happened for me in racing," Donohue said.

"I feel really sorry for Terry because I know he would have been really looking forward to this opportunity.

"But for me, going for the overall victory will be a welcomed change from my Viper days, and being able to stay in an American car makes it a touch sweeter.

"It has always been a desire of mine to drive prototypes, and thanks to Panoz Motor Sports, I will now be getting that chance.

"Driving for a team like Panoz that has consistently shown that they are the best American LMP team puts this situation way over the top for me personally. I am truly honored to be even considered for the seat, now it will be time for me to do my part to help showcase how good this team really is."

Donohue will make his debut with the Panoz team at the 50th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring - Presented by Dodge, on March 13 to 16. He will contest the entire ALMS season alongside fellow American Bryan Herta as well as contest his favorite event - the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"Going to Le Mans as a challenger for the overall victory will be amazing. I love that race and the whole event, probably because I won the GT-2 class in the Viper back in '98," Donohue said.

"The overall win on such hallowed grounds is something that every sportscar driver dreams about accomplishing."

The second generation star is delighted to join the stellar Panoz driving squad of David Brabham, Jan Magnussen and Herta.

"It is an obvious privilege to be teamed with David, Jan, and Bryan. I have long said that 'Brabs' and 'Mags' are the strongest two drivers in the sportscar racing. Bryan¹s Champ car experience will pay dividends for the team and immediately put him in that same category," Donohue said.

"I am in elite company for sure, and cannot wait to get started.

"I obviously feel some pressure going into Sebring because I have not had much time in the car. I drove the first Panoz LMP chassis for a handful of outings on a cold day back in December. My learning curve at Sebring will need to be very steep in order to satisfy myself, and do justice for the team.

"I am really indebted to Dr. Panoz and the entire team for this opportunity."

March 6,2002 Prodrive Sebring Preview

Photo Courtesy:Prodrive
The race-winning Prodrive-run Ferrari 550 GTS Maranello will be crossing the Atlantic next week, to take part in the 50th running of the Sebring 12 Hour classic.

Second only to Porsche in the number of overall victories achieved since the inception of the US's oldest and largest sportscar race, the Ferrari marque is assured of a warm welcome at Sebring.

While the chances this year of overall success are limited for the GTS contenders, Prodrive is confident that the car has the potential to shine amongst its peers in the GTS class. The team is happy to admit that, while only a limited development and test programme has taken place over the winter months, Sebring is an important part of its durability testing in the run up to Le Mans in June.

The team's three highly experienced and already successful drivers are looking forward to the endurance race in the 6-litre V12 engined-car which won two rounds of the 2001 FIA GT Championship.

Ironically, 25-year old Czech newcomer to the team, Tomas Enge, is the only one of the three to have driven at Sebring before. F3000 front-runner Enge drove a Riley&Scott prototype in the 1999 event, and secured his place in the record books by setting fastest race lap.

"I am looking forward to, not only racing in the US again, but also doing a long distance race, which I really like," the F3000 frontrunner admitted, "Sebring is a special place for me as that was where I did my first sportscar race and my first race in the US. I think we can achieve a good result if everything goes well, and it will be good experience for Le Mans later in the year."

Enge will be joined in the cockpit by Prodrive regulars Rickard Rydell and Alain Menu, both former British Touring Car champions. Although newcomers to Sebring, Rydell and Menu's experience with the 550 GTS will no doubt be invaluable to the driving team.

March 5,2002 First Test of MBD Panoz-Mugen

The first ever shake down of the MBD Sportscars Panoz-Mugen LMP900, took place last week at the Virginia International Raceway and showed the great potential of the new American Le Mans Series entrant.

In very cold temperatures (below zero centigrade) the team completed a satisfactory two day session without major problems. The single car on track covered more than 60 laps at the 3.7 miles road circuit.

The official drivers of MBD Sportscars Team, Canadians Scott Maxwell and John Graham, Belgian Didier de Radiguès, and Venezuelan Milka Duno, drove the front engine car and were impressed by the power of the new Mugen V8, and the handling of the Panoz 07 chassis.

Dr. Don Panoz, president of Panoz Cars and founder of American Le Mans Series, was also present and enjoyed the very encouraging test.

Larry Holt, Technical Director of MBD Sportscars Team was absolutely delighted with the two days of testing the Panoz-Mugen: “It was much better than we expected. In the last two months we have worked very hard in our Multimatic factory in Canada and this practice confirms the positive solutions that we have brought to the car. In order to use the Mugen V8, the complete front of the car was redesigned, including the chassis and suspension. We are very proud of the job done by our staff“.

Sporting Manager of MBD Sporscars Team, Vic Elford, confirms the very good approach of the new machine: “The car is looking very good. It is really stable, handled very well in every type of corner and has outstanding braking. The Panoz-Mugen has great potential”.

Four Japanese Mugen engineers followed every lap completed by the car, and chief engineer Satoshi Katsumata had a great smile of satisfaction after the test. Meanwhile, Brian Willis, Director of Engineering of Elan Motorsports Technologies, also remains very happy with the test results: “For a new car like this, it is unusual to have no major problems. We are going in the right direction and the Panoz-Mugen will be a strong competitor in the 900 class”.

Official Multimatic test driver, Canadian Scott Maxwell, did most of the development driving over the two day session and as usual spent most of the time searching for the best set-up of the car. When Belgian Didier de Radiguès took the car, despite the cold conditions of the track he set a very fast time: “I’m impressed with the power of the engine.

It’s very progressive. The chassis-engine package is going to be very competitive” said the former motorcycle champion. For Venezuelan female driver Milka Duno, the Virginia test was her first contact with a LMP900 car, and she made a dozen progressive laps. “The car feels very good and its not difficult to drive. At the beginning I was a little nervous because it was my first outing with a 900 car, but in just a couple of laps I really felt comfortable with the Panoz-Mugen. The engine has a lot of power and you can feel the difference between the 675 and the 900”.

The fifth driver of the team, Belgian Bruno Lambert, was also present at Virginia but he did not drive the car. American Rick Sutherland will complete the official formation of MBD Sportscars Team for the 50th Sebring 12 Hours Race and next week the Panoz-Mugen will be seen during open practice for the first time.

March 6,2002 Team Bucknum Sebring Preview

Nine short months ago, Team Bucknum Racing began preparing for March 16, 2002. Finally, that day is about to arrive, marking the team’s official two-car launch onto the world stage of sports car racing at the 2002 American Le Mans Series opening event, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, presented by Dodge.

“We couldn’t have picked a better place to kick-off our efforts,” said proud team owner Jeff Bucknum, upon learning that an all-time high weekend crowd of 150,000 spectators is expected to watch a modern day record number of 60 entries stream past the start-finish line when the race goes green.

The livery of Team Bucknum’s lead car will car the same gold and pink color scheme worn by Bucknum’s father Ronnie when he raced a Ford GT 40 to a podium finish in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. The team is hoping a little of that good luck will rub off and repeat itself in 2002.

“A throwback style seemed perfect for this 50th anniversary of the Sebring race. Quite a few legendary drivers will be there to celebrate, some of whom knew my dad, plus I suspect there will be a lot of vintage car buffs, too, who will really enjoy the look,” added Bucknum, referring to the likes of Dan Gurney, Hurley Haywood and others.

Chris McMurry, Bryan Willman and Pierre Ehret will drive the lead car, with Bucknum, Dick Downs and a third driver to be named in the second car. Drivers from 17 countries, including Japan, Germany, Monaco and Czech Republic, will be present for the race that will be broadcast both domestically and internationally.

March 5,2002 Miami October Dates Officially Announced

Despite yesterdays ruling by a judge(see next thread) that the Grand Prix of the Americas was unfairly offered to Raceworks, LLC and much be put on hold, ALMS officails released a statement concerning the race being moved to October.

Setting the stage for the first super weekend of road racing in one of North America’s premier international cities, officials from Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. (CART) the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and Raceworks, LLC jointly announced today that the previously announced Grand Prix of the Americas will be run on Oct. 4 - 6 on an all-new circuit through the streets of downtown Miami.

The Grand Prix of the Americas is being packaged and promoted as a rare, “dual-headline” event, with the ALMS occupying center stage on Saturday and the CART FedEx Championship Series taking the spotlight on Sunday. With the CART FedEx Championship Series joining the American Le Mans Series, the Grand Prix of the Americas will now feature the two premier road racing series in North America. The added presence of the Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup and the possible addition of other racing series will make the Grand Prix of the Americas one of the foremost motorsports weekends on the entire 2002 racing calendar.

The Grand Prix of the Americas was originally scheduled for April 5 - 7, but race organizers and the respective motor racing series agreed to move the event in order to accommodate the FedEx Championship Series schedule.

“One of the most successful events in CART history was the lone race on the streets of downtown Miami in 1995,” said CART President and CEO, Christopher R. Pook. “The event was promoted fabulously and the fans came out in droves. CART has a tremendous fan base in Miami, and these fans have been asking us to come back to South Florida constantly since we last raced there two years ago. It is for precisely these reasons that we worked very hard to return to Miami this season. We are also extremely grateful to our friends at ALMS for moving their race date and allowing us to become a part of the race weekend in October. This event is sure to be one of the most anticipated of the season, and I firmly believe it will be successful in 2002 and for many years to come.”

“This is a historic day for both the motorsports industry and the city of Miami,” said Raceworks President Peter Yanowitch. “We're all very excited to bring North America's two premier road racing series, CART and ALMS, together for one mega weekend of racing. The fans of South Florida will be in for a unique weekend featuring tremendous motorsports competition on the track, as well as some exciting entertainment elements as well.”

“Miami is the perfect city for this historic first pairing of CART and the American Le Mans Series,” said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group. “The return of racing to the streets of Miami has generated a large international buzz since the time it was announced, and today's announcement will only bring this event even more into the motorsports forefront.”

March 4,2002 Judge Rules Against Miami Street Race

A judge ruled Monday, that Miami city officials illegally granted a new company the right to run The Grand Prix of the Americas, voiding the deal and putting the race's future in doubt.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Genden ruled that the city was required to have asked for competitive bids before granting the race's rights to Raceworks LLC for the next 15 to 25 years.

The American Le Mans Series race was scheduled to run April 7, traveling through Bayfront Park and along Biscayne Bay.

Genden ruled on behalf of Homestead-Miami Speedway LLC, which also had wanted to bid.

Read the rest of the article in the Miami Herald

March 4,2002 Kyser Racing Sebring Preview

Kyser Racing of Toronto is pleased to announce its move into the LMP675 class and continued participation in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) this 2002 season. Kyser will compete in the ALMS with the proven Lola B2K/40-Nissan package. The car is the current model Lola SR2 chassis that is being campaigned on both sides of the Atlantic, in the European FIA series, as well as in Grand Am and the ALMS; it is mated with the reliable 3 liter, normally aspirated Nissan powerplant, developed by Advanced Engineering Research in England. The transmission is supplied by Hewland; it is a sequential six-speed gearbox.

After finishing 6th in the GT class team championship in 2001, Kyser Racing begins its third year in the ALMS looking forward to the new challenge. “Kyser has paid its dues in the GT class of the ALMS and is ready to move up in the ranks. The additional exposure of the prototype classes will further enhance the return we can offer our sponsors”, states team principal, Kye Wankum.

Driving duties will be shared by Kye Wankum and returning standout Joe Foster. Additionally, sports car legend Doc Bundy will be an integral part of the Kyser team in the long races and in its efforts at expansion into a professional, two car effort. “We are very happy to have both Joe and Doc on board with us; aside from being great drivers, they are both fantastic at creatively giving a sponsor their money’s worth,” adds Wankum.

Calling on some of the most experienced and successful personnel in the sport at the prototype level, Kyser Racing is very pleased to enlist the managerial expertise of Michael Gue and the technical expertise of Tony Dowe. “Gue and Dowe have achieved successes at the highest levels of Sports Car racing, we’re all enthused that Kyser will have the benefit of their combined expertise.”

The 12 Hours of Sebring on March 16 will be the first appearance of the Kyser Racing LMP675 effort, with drivers Doc Bundy, Joe Foster and Kye Wankum. “This will be a long-term program for Kyser Racing. We are here to stay in the ALMS and will continue to pursue marketing partnerships that benefit our sponsors and team.”

March 4,2002 ROC AND Noel Del Bello Sebring Preview

After their LMP-675 class victories in both the 2001 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the European Le Mans Series round in Most (CZ), Racing Organisation Course is entering the next 12 Hours of Sebring on March 16th. First round of the 2002 American Le Mans Series, this historical event which celebrates its 50th anniversary is run under the same rules as the famous Le Mans race.

It is the second time ever that the Annemasse (between Geneva and Chamonix) based French team is racing in the USA. That's why everybody at ROC is very happy to welcome on board a full American drivers' line up. It is all the more exciting and pleasant for all of us as father Jeff JONES from Sarasota (Fl) is sharing the drive with his two sons Ryan and Jeffrey. Their experience is very valuable, as the 3 of them have already raced many times on the " Sebring International Raceway ", driving single-seaters or sportscars.

Jeff has had a 20 years driving career in the United States ranging from Formula Ford to The Barber Saab Pro Series, to Showroom Stock Cars, to World Sport Cars. He last raced a Riley and Scott MK111/ Chev. powered during the complete 1997 season including finishing the Sebring 12 hours with co-drivers Danny Sullivan and Ross Bentley.

Ryan's racing career has spanned 10 years beginning racing Karts at age 8 and progressed through Formula Ford, U.S. Formula 2000, Showroom Stock Cars, British Palmer Audi Championship and recently in 1999 with Intersport Racing's Lola/Ford LMP. Ryan, last drove in the 2001 SCCA Winter Regional Formula Continental Venue at Sebring Florida Placing 2nd, after starting from the 18th position. Ryan, (21) currently is living in West Palm Beach Florida, completing his College studies.

Younger son Jeffrey has been driving different forms of race cars since he was (8) years old. The 19 year old after driving Karts, attended the Bridgestone Racing School in Ontario, Canada, drove in the Jim Russell Shootout at Sears Point California, in the U.S. SCCA regional and national Formula Ford Venues. In 1999, Jeffrey drove for the Championship Haywood Racing British Formula Ford Mygale Team placing 9th overall in the series standings. In 2000, Jeffrey moved on the Formula Renault Championship Team of Manor Motorsport, for the British and European FRenault Championships coming in the top ten in both Series. In 2001, Jeffrey drove again for the Champion Manor British F3 Team. Placing in the top (5) several times in the season. Jeff in the 2001 U.S. SCCA Winter Regional Races drove a Cape Motorsports Van Dieman/Zetec Ford at Sebring Int'l Raceways to (3) poles and Three Victories. He currently is signed to stay in the U.S. for the season driving for Cape in the U.S. Formula Ford Championship Series .

The Jones' will drive Reynard chassis 2KQ-009 on Michelin tyres. This car last year finished 5th overall in the Le Mans classic and will be powered by the LEHMANN 4-cyl turbocharged engine.The aim of Racing Organisation Course their drivers and their partners Winchester Ammunitions, JCI Chemicals,PTC and Swan is to battle for the class win, when they prepare their participation to the Le Mans 24 Hours. ROC have submitted 2 entries to the Automobile club de l'Ouest.

Reynard chassis 2KQ-008 which finished 2nd overall in the 2001 ELMS round of Most (CZ) will also take part in the Sebring 12 Hours. It will carry the Noel Del Bello Racing colors. Having racedduring many years in the LM-GT class, the Jujurieux (Ain, France) based team is moving to the " baby prototype category ". The entry of this Lehmann powered Reynard is eased by the proximity of NDBR workshop and ROC's factory. Jordi GENE, being commited to his ETCC program, Jean-Denis DELETRAZ will be the team-leader of this car. Having been a involved with the Le Mans 2002 LMP-675 class win, he will share his LMP-675 experience with Peter OWEN and Mark SMITHSON. Having started their racing career driving GT-cars in UK and in the late BPR-series, they both are experienced with Brackley build chassis as they shared a Judd powered Reynard in the 2001 FIA-SRWC championship. They together won the 2000 SRII FIA-SRWC tittle driving a Pilbeam. Peter and Mark will then take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Petit Le Mans.

March 4,2002 Ascari Adds Kolby

Ascari has announced that the highly rated 23 year old Dane Kristian Kolby will join its racing line-up for the 2002 season. This marks a return to European racing for the young UK based driver in a seven race programme that includes the classic events at Sebring, Florida and Le Mans. The signing of Kolby, a former British Formula Ford Champion and last year's success story in Americas Indy Lights Championship, reaffirms the British marque's ambitions and follows last week's announcement that Justin Wilson, the 2001 F3000 Champion, will race for Team Ascari at Sebring.

Kristian Kolby: I am really happy about this deal, which will see me compete in some of the worlds great sportscar races with a team that is constantly growing and improving. Team Ascari has impressive plans and I am optimistic that we can challenge for top honours.

Ian Dawson, Race Director, Team Ascari: Kristian fits in well with our plans, he is ambitious and talented. Apart from obviously being very quick, he is also a willing team player which is important for long distance racing. I have watched him come up through the ranks and am excited that he will race in Ascari colours.

March 1,2002 Intersport Purchases MG/Lola

Intersport Racing announced today that they have purchased a new MG/Lola to contest the entire 2002 American Le Mans Series schedule in the LMP 675 class.

The #37 Intersport Racing/Banana Joe's MG Lola will make its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 16, with Jon Field, Duncan Dayton and Mike Durand piloting the prototype machine.

"We are looking forward to running the full ALMS season and competing for the LMP 675 championship," said Intersport driver Clint Field.

The team is no stranger to the Lola chassis, as they have contested a Lola/Judd for the past two seasons in both ALMS and the Rolex Sports Car Series top prototype classes.

"We are excited to be working with Lola again with this new MG product," Field said. "We have some great results in the Lola chassis and are looking to continue our success."

Jon Field tested the car in Atlanta and said the car has great potential to have a podium finish at every event.

March 1,2002 Guy Smith Sebring Preview

Guy Smith heads to America on Monday to begin testing for the Sebring 12 Hours, knowing he has a struggle on his hands to repeat the runner-up spot he achieved at Daytona last month. The 27 year-old from Hull will again partner team owner Jim Matthews in the Riley & Scott MkIII C but will face tough opposition from the factory Audis, Panoz and Cadillacs as well as the Dallara of Daytona winner Max Papis.

“ We had a great run at Daytona and second place was a fantastic result,” said Guy. “ But at Sebring we’re up against all the top teams whose cars are all very much quicker than us. Engine-wise we’ve got the pace to match them, but as with every championship, the factory-run cars with far more budget enables much more development to take place so we know we’ve got a real fight on our hands.”

“ One thing I’ve learned from sportscar racing though is that although outright speed is undoubtedly a major factor, strength and durability is equally important and that’s an area that the Riley & Scott excels in. We also run Goodyear tyres, and the three main teams all run Michelins, which are worth about a second a lap over the Goodyears.”

“ Our car is very strong, the others may be quicker, but some of them remain relatively fragile in comparison. It’s going to be a very tough week in the build up to the race. We head out to Putnam Park, Indianapolis for two days shakedown next week, prior to the official testing at Sebring on the 11th. The Sebring circuit itself is very demanding to drive and with the level of competition being so high, the whole week will be a hard test. If we can qualify in the top ten I think we’ll be reasonably happy and realistically a top five position in the race would be a very good result.”

March 1,2002 After 588 hours and 1.4 Million Miles of Racing

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Dodge began in 1952 at a former WWII air base known as Hendricks Field. Since then, the legendary track has hosted 588 hours of racing. A total of 3,093 cars have competed at Sebring in the previous 49 endurance classics. All together, these cars have recorded nearly 1.4 million competition miles, equal to over 55 laps around the world.

Of the 2,556 drivers who have raced at Sebring, only 96 have managed to win the grueling event. Among them are A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Jim Hall, Juan Manuel Fangio, Bobby Rahal, Phil Hill and Stirling Moss.

A total of 28 different manufacturers have led the Sebring race, but only 14 have won. Porsche has a record 17 wins, including a string of 13 straight. Ferrari has 12 wins, the only other manufacturer with more than four.

Even the spectators are in the Sebring record books. Often called the Mardi Gras of motorsports, Sebring boasts one of the most loyal followings of any professional sports event in North America. The only year Sebring was not held (in 1974 due to the energy crisis), several thousand spectators showed up anyway. The first fan in line for this year’s race arrived 65 days early, breaking the previous record by nearly a month.

March 1,2002 Jörg Bergmeister Porsche Works Contract

Twenty-six-year-old Jörg Bergmeister from Germany signed up as a Porsche works driver on 21st February. On 16th March the economics graduate will tackle his first race in his new status when he contests the Sebring 12 Hour race in Florida at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GR3 RS run by the private Alex Job Racing team (USA).

By convincingly winning the Porsche Supercup in 2001 as well as the national Porsche Carrera Cup title in 2000, Bergmeister Bergmeister had strongly recommended himself for the engagement as a works pilot. Moreover, the Rhinelander belonged to the driver line-up to win the GT class of the 24 Hours at Daytona (USA) early February with a private Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

At his debut as a Porsche works driver Bergmeister will share the cockpit with his 21-year-old compatriot Timo Bernhard. Bernhard, who came out of Porsche´s support and training programme for up-and-coming young drivers, won the national Carrera Cup in 2001.

With the two young champions competing in a racing vehicle of a private US team, Porsche AG continues the company policy of supporting successful customer teams with works drivers. Correspondingly, another pairing of Porsche works pilots man the second Alex Job Porsche: Lucas Luhr (MC) and Sascha Maassen (B).

The Alex Job Racing team is based in Tavares, Florida. In 2001 the outfit from southern USA won the runner-up title in the near-standard GT category of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), after securing the championship in 2000.

March 1,2002 Corvette Homestead Test

Photo Coutersy:Pratt & Miller The Facorty Corvette C5-R race team had its first shakedown last week at Homestead Miami Speedway. All six drivers were on hand for the session with Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell and Oliver Gavin driving the #3 and Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins and Franck Freon in the #4 car.

The Corvette C5-Rs have not undergone any major changes for the 2002 , but some new components have been incorporated, as well as some aerodynamic changes.

The team's three-day test was used to try out these new features, in addition to tires. The weather cooperated and all the drivers got a good share of seat time, putting about 1,000 miles on each of the cars.

Team Manager Gary Pratt says the improvements on the 2002 cars involve some subtle aerodynamic refinements, some weight reductions, and some changes to make the drivers more comfortable "It was a good test," Pratt said. "We got through everything we wanted to do, and we learned some things that will be very valuable when it comes to racing."

"It's actually quite a boring process, and it means more time away, but it's an incredibly important ingredient for success," says Ron Fellows about Testing. "The other important aspect is, we can use this time to build communications with team members. And that really pays off with better decision-making on race weekends when time is very limited."

March 1,2002 Chad Block For Gunnar/Jackson Panoz

Chad Block, fresh off a great run to second in class with Archangel Motorsports at the Rolex 24 and a recent test in a P675 MG Lola at Road Atlanta, has been named as the third driver in the #00 Gunnar 962.com Panoz LMP-1 for Sebring. He wil co-drive the car with factory Panoz test driver Gunnar Jeannette and car owner Wayne Jackson.

"I really didn't expect this, maybe the MG car, but not the full 900 class car. The Panoz is a beast, but I am ready for the challenge. I am also interested in the opportunity to work with Mr. Panoz' affiliations and their teams."

"I am very very pleased to be able to join their squad. I met Gunnar through a close friend and Archangel employee Ryan Eversely. Ryan has been very productive with introducing me to other teams, and he was instrumental in developing my relationship with Gunnar racing. I can't wait to get there and meet Mr. Jackson also. This is the type of opportunity I expected to be faced with for 2003, but I am ready and up to the challenge. I can't wait to be affiliated with Panoz Motor Sports, these are some big shoes to fill, but I will do my best to do so."

Febrary 28,2002 Gunnar Jeanette Part of B-17 Flyover For Sebring

With the help of a Flying Fortress, Gunnar Racing will salute the military aviation history of the grounds of Sebring International Raceway with its entry in the March 16 running of the 50th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, presented by Dodge.

The Palm Beach, Fla., racing team will compete in the American Le Mans Series race with a Panoz LMP-1 Prototype race car that is painted to resemble a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. In addition, a B-17 will fly into the adjacent Sebring Airport on the day before the race and will then do a flyover prior to the start of the race, with the three Gunnar Racing drivers as passengers and one of them at the plane's controls.

The race car motif will be a salute to the thousands of young flight crews who trained at Hendricks Field, a military aviation base whose expansive concrete runways gave birth to Sebring International Raceway. The front straight of the raceway is still in the original concrete of one of the runways.

Gunnar Jeannette, the youngest driver ever to finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will be one of the drivers for Gunnar Racing in the Sebring event. The 19-year-old driver will be on loan to the team from Panoz Motor Sports, which employs him as its test driver.

Jeannette will be in the B-17 when it lands at the Sebring Airport on Friday, March 15, at 3 p.m., and the Panoz race car will be parked on the airport's ramp. The B-17 will taxi into position next to the race car, and Jeannette will exit the plane and drive off in the race car.

On race day, Jeannette will actually pilot the plane from the left seat as it does a flyover prior to the 10:30 a.m. start of the 12-hour event, a tribute to the many 19-year-old pilots who flew in the war. His co-drivers, car owner Wayne Jackson and Chad Block, will be passengers on the flyover. After landing, the three drivers will be taken to the starting grid in a WWII-era military jeep.

The Gunnar Racing crew will wear uniforms resembling those worn by B-17 ground crews. The uniforms will be racing firesuits to comply with the rules of the American Le Mans Series.

The B-17 belongs to the Collings Foundation of Stow, Mass., and is part of the Veterans' "Wings of Freedom Tour" that has been conducted since 1989. The tour has showcased the B-17 and a companion B-24 Liberator at hundreds of stops around North America.

A non-profit Educational Foundation (501-C3), the Collings Foundation was founded in 1979 to support "living history" events including transportation. Originally founded with the focus of automobiles, the foundation moved to aircraft as the need for quality aviation history exhibits grew.

While the B-17 is in Sebring, including while the race is running, the Collings Foundation will offer Flight Experiences in the B-17 during daylight hours. Passengers must make a $350 fully tax-deductible donation to the foundation.

Febrary 28,2002 Alternate Team Selection Order

The IMSA Selection Committee released and posted the alternate team selection order today (Thursday) at 5:00 pm.

Any team from the "non-selected" list will be afforded the opportunity to bring their vehicle to Sebring and participate in the Preliminary Test sessions (Monday and Tuesday Track Test sessions). The vehicle will not be allowed to test in any official practice sessions unless an accepted Entry withdraws from the Event, in which case, the field will be filled in the order of alternate positions, if any are present and available to compete.

All 60 Invitations were accepted by the Thursday 12:00 (noon) required response time and date.

ALTERNATE TEAM SELECTION ORDER
Alternate #1 917 Racing
Alternate #2 Konrad Motorsport
Alternate #3 Freisinger Motorsport
Alternate #4 Graham Nash Motorsport
Alternate #5 MAC Racing
Alternate #6 Cirtek Motorsport

Febrary 28,2002 Justin Wilson Signs With Ascari

Team Ascari, has announced that F3000 Champion Justin Wilson is the latest addition to an already talented Driver line-up featuring: Werner Lupberger, TJ Bell, Ben Collins, Christian Vann.

Sebring will see Justin make his LMP 900 debut in Ascari’s new KZR-1. Team Ascari Director, Ian Dawson said "We have had conversations for a while and the American LeMans Sebring round gave us the opportunity to make this happen, we are pleased we could introduce the talented F3000 champion into a leading manufacturer and complete a British driver line-up with Christian Vann and Ben Collins"

Febrary 28,2002 IMSA Comments On Entry Selection

By the February 25 entry deadline, IMSA officials received a modern-day record 67 official entries for the March 16 event at Sebring International Raceway, forcing the IMSA Selection Committee to choose the 60 cars that would be invited to participate in the race. The pit road at the 3.7-mile Sebring track can accommodate a maximum of 60 cars.

"The Selection Committee has a very difficult job," said Dennis Huth, IMSA President and a member of the committee. "Every entered car is a top-quality machine that meets or exceeds the very strict safety and modern-day technology requirements of the ACO and the American Le Mans Series. There are no grid-fillers or ghost entries; it is a field of outstanding sports cars and racing teams."

The Selection Committee has alternate teams on its docket and invited teams have until 12:01 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, February 28, to accept the invitation.

"This comes under the heading of 'be careful what you wish for because you may get it,' and that's good," said Huth, indicating that series officials have been hearing from sports car racing teams around the world interested in competing in series events this season.

"This is obviously a good problem to have, and bodes well for the future of the American Le Mans Series," said Huth. "It's a perfect way to launch the 2002 season."

Febrary 28,2002 Jackson Panoz Plans

Panoz Motor Sports official test driver Gunnar Jeannette will team up with sportscar driver and enthusiast Wayne Jackson in a third Panoz in selected rounds of this year¹s American Le Mans Series.

Jackson has added the Panoz LMP-1 (chassis #01) to his already impressive collection of historic sportscars which include a Porsche 956, Ferrari 333SP (chassis #001) and a Nissan GTP machine.

While he has considerable experience aboard historic prototype machines, this will be Jackson's first assault in contemporary machinery in the LMP900 class.

Jeannette will join Jackson for the 50th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring - Presented by Dodge, next month as well as the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta at the conclusion of the season.

A former AMA Superbike racer, Jackson anticipates entering the Miami and Washington D.C. street events - Washington being the home race for the Columbia Maryland resident.

After Jackson and Jeannette tested the Panoz LMP-1 at Road Atlanta on Tuesday, it's new owner was full of praise for his new machine.

"I am really ecstatic at the opportunity," Jackson said. "This car is really fast and solid and I was pleasantly surprised to learn how cost effective the car will be to run.

"The support from Don Panoz and the factory team already has been fantastic and I am really looking forward to Sebring. I have always been a big Porsche fan in the past, but there is no substitute for brute V8 American power."

After strong performances in historic cars, Jackson made his ALMS debut in the 1999 Petit Le Mans. He has moved through the ranks - taking the fastest lap in the GTS class at the Daytona 24 Hour last year.

Jackson's historic stable is maintained by Kevin Jeannette - Gunnar's father - who also will oversee his Panoz assault.

"With Kevin preparing my cars and Gunnar being the official factory test driver - it makes perfect sense to have Gunnar join me," Jackson said.

"He is a very talented young man and will prove to be very beneficial to our program."

Gunnar will join the factory squad for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, but is delighted at the opportunity to gain some additional race miles.

"This will allow me to get a lot of laps in the car before Le Mans - it really is an ideal situation for me to learn more about the Panoz and working through traffic in an LMP900 car," he said.

"This year is just getting better and better for me. I really can't wait to get started at Sebring."

Febrary 27,2002 The Six Cars Not Invited

The official Entry List is now up and six cars had to be turned away. Those cars are as follow:
GTS #25 Konrad Saleen
GT #72 MAC Racing Porsche
GT #84 Graham Nash Porsche
GT #85 917 Racing Porsche
GT #98 Cirtek Porsche
GT #58 Freisinger Porsche

Though we all would have loved to have seen all these entries at in the race one just needs to look at the difference one year makes. Last year only 38 cars took the green flag.

The selection process is not known at this time but in overall sense the field loss just 5 Porsche 911 GT3-R and a Saleen. The rest of the invited entries must confirm by 12 Noon Thursday.

Febrary 27,2002 Official Sebring Invitations Extended

The Selection Committee for IMSA has formally extended invitations to 60 Entries (as per the Official Entry) for the 50th Annual Mobil 1 - 12 Hours of Sebring event out of a modern day record number of entries.

The invited teams have until noon (EST) Thursday to accept or decline their invitation.

Febrary 26,2002 Johnny Kane In KnightHawk MG For Sebring

MG factory driver Johnny Kane has been announced as the third driver in the KnightHawk Racing MG Lola for Sebring.

Johnny has been doing the testing for MG's 675 LMP and was on board at Sebring a few months back when the car broke the existing track record.

"I would like to thank Steve and Mel for giving me such a great opportunity to compete in m first Sebring 12 Hours," said Kane. "Sebring is one of the most prestigious events of the year, and I'm relishing the thought of racing there in such a competitive car." "Both Lola and AER helped bring this opportunity together -- and I thank them -- and the entire KnightHawk team as well for giving me such a warm welcome!"

"We had a really successful test at Sebring and consistently posted very good lap times," added Kane. "Although this will be my first race there, I have tested there quite a bit, albeit on the short circuit used by the CART teams. I can't wait for the race -- all the ingredients are in place for a great result and I feel confident that we will show well."

Co-Team owner Steve Knight says "Jonny is a very qualified driver, which made the decision to offer him the third seat a very easy one. The fact that he performed so well in the MG Lola at Sebring made the decision all the more logical. We want to win this race - and having Jonny on board goes a long way towards that becoming reality."

Mel Hawkins added that "several very good drivers" were interested in the drive, but that the team "simply could not ignore Jonny's experience."

Febrary 25,2002 KnightHawk MG Lola Update

Steve Knight sent in this photo of him and Mel Hawkins next to their new beauty.

When asked about his feelings on the new car Steve says "The car is incredible. Its design and functionality is very close to a F1 car, very quick, light and very responsive. Once we get up to speed, it will be a great car to challenge the rest of the pack."

Febrary 22,2002 Friday 2/22 Sebring Entry Update

The entry list continued to grow Friday for the 50th Sebring 12 Hour. The list which now stands at 48 was headlined by the 1st and 2nd place finishers in the Rolex 24.

Doran/Lista Racing has entered their #27 Dallara-Judd for Didier Theys, Mauro Baldi, and car owner Fredy Lienhard . In what will be the last time in the forseeable future that the Rolex 24 winner will come to Sebring, the Doran/Lista crew will go after the 36 Hours of Florida.

Jim Matthews Racing, coming off a wonderful 2nd place at the Rolex 24, have entered their #36 Riley & Scott MKIIIC-Elan for car owner Jim Matthews, Guy Smith, and a driver TBA.

Rounding out the latest LMP900 entries are a pair of Lola-Judds from the Intersport Racing/Banana Joes camp. This team is hoping for a little luck after a heartbreak at Daytona. Intersport were top privateer at Sebring last year finishing fifth overall.

Knighthawk Racing have filed their official LMP675 entry for the first privateer MG Lola EX257. The #11 car which could be a big surprise in the overall outlook on this race will be piloted by team owners Steve Knight and Mel Hawkins,

Also filing an entry Friday is the Porschehaus Racing Lola B2K/40 / Nissan #89 for Stephane Keilleuk, Robert Julien, and Adam Merzon. Porschehaus will run their B2K/40 /Nissan at Sebring and then debut a MG Lola at Miami.

Two other expected, but exciting new entries, come by way of the GT class with the FIA N/GT Champion JMB Racing entering a pair of Ferrari 360 Modenas. The #34 and #35 Ferraris are sure to give the top Porsches in the class a run for the money.

Other entries filed today are the two Corvette Racing entries in GTS and Cirtek Motorsports has entered a 911GT3 R for Chris Gleason and Rob Wilson in GT.

Febrary 22,2002 IMSA, Motor Sports Medicine Group Join Up

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) has joined with the Motor Sports Medicine Group to create the IMSA Sports Medicine Program, presented by Physiotherapy Associates, for all events on the American Le Mans Series in 2002. IMSA is the sanctioning body for the sports car endurance racing series.

The IMSA Sports Medicine Program is an on-site injury treatment, rehabilitation and education service plan that will be available to all participants in American Le Mans Series events. It will be an extension of the established medical program at events and is a comprehensive injury prevention program as well as a motorsport-specific rehabilitation and treatment program that is of the same caliber of sports medicine health care provided to elite athletes in other professional sports.

Housed in a mobile sports medicine center that will be parked in the paddock at all events, the program will contain the equipment necessary for the administration and execution of a sport-specific health care program. The unique tractor-van vehicle is the equivalent of the training rooms and sports medicine facilities provided by other major league sports.

The on-site staff for the IMSA Sports Medicine Program will consist of an orthopedic surgeon, athletic trainer, operations manager and administrative director as well as a locally-based orthopedic surgeon and athletic trainer and/or physical therapist. The mobile facility will also house the personnel and equipment of the IMSA emergency medical staff headed by Dr. Ron Krome.

"We are pleased to welcome the Motor Sports Medicine Group to American Le Mans Series racing," said Dennis Huth, President of IMSA. "This new program will supplement the outstanding health care that Dr. Krome and his group have provided since the inception of the series and will be an outstanding service for our participants."

"The American Le Mans Series is a vibrant, growing series, and we're happy to be a part of it," said Don Andrews, Executive Director of Motor Sports Medicine Group. "We look forward to making many new friends and helping these great athletes perform at their best."

The IMSA Sports Medicine Program is funded by Physiotherapy Associates of Memphis, Tenn., a corporate sponsor that is committed to the sport of auto racing and quality medical care. The service is provided to participants without fees.

Febrary 20,2002 Panoz Speaks at National Press Club In Washington

Dr. Don Panoz was a guest speaker Wednesday at one of America's most prestigious and exclusive locations, the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

In a venue that has been the site for addresses by world and national political leaders, famous entertainers and Hollywood stars, as well as war heroes, corporate executives and even some sports celebrities, Panoz spoke to the membership of the Washington Automotive Press Association (WAPA).

The nation's capital will be the site for the July 21 National Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., the first major auto race in the city. American Le Mans Series cars will race on a temporary circuit constructed adjacent to RFK Stadium. Interest by the membership of the WAPA in the event led to Panoz' invitation to speak to the group at the National Press Club.

Panoz, a successful entrepreneur, described to the WAPA audience the circumstances that led to him founding the American Le Mans Series. His involvement in racing came as a result of his son Danny's building and selling of the Panoz Roadster sports car through the family-owned Panoz Auto Development. Father and son agreed that sports car racing could be a way of infusing heritage into the Panoz automotive emblem and launched a racing team. The Panoz GTR-1 started racing in 1997 and Panoz found that his new racer was penalized under the ever-changing rules in sports car racing at the time.

His frustration with the state of the sport led to his founding of the American Le Mans Series, with a license granted by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizer of the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. The license granted the use of ACO technical rules, which would be in force without constant changes, and the Le Mans name. The first use was the inaugural Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in 1998, and the series launched the next year.

After Panoz spoke to the WAPA group, Chris Lencheski, Founder and Chairman of National Grand Prix Holdings, described the multi-year process involved in bringing racing to Washington. Panoz and Lencheski answered questions from the group at the conclusion of their remarks.

The National Press Club, located on 14th Street off of Pennsylvania Avenue, has been a fixture in Washington since 1908. Seventeen consecutive United States Presidents have been members, and many have spoken at the club. Some of the speakers scheduled in February include former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Gale Norton and author/comedian Al Franken.

Febrary 20,2002 Wednesday 2/20 Sebring Entry Update

The entry for the 50th Sebring as grown to 33 by this afternoon with the adition of another five cars.

Topping the list are the anticipated two entries from Ascari. Unlike Daytona, both Ascari's will be powered by Judd V10's. The #19 car is entered with Werner Lupberger and T.J. Bell while the #21 has Ben Collins and Christian Vann.

Another entry is the #87 Sezio Florida Norma/Ford. The car is listed with American John Mirro and Frenchman Georges Forgeois and Francois O'Born.

Welter Racing from France has entered the #28 P675 WR / Peugeot for Jean-Rene De Fournoux, Stephane Daoudi and another driver to be announced.

Also entered today is the #55 Pilbeam-Nissan of Bucknum Racing. The entry does not have any drivers listed yet, but Team Bucknum will be looking for much better fortunes after a nightmare Daytona.

Febrary 20,2002 Knighthawk & Archangel Link Up

KnightHawk Racing LLC and Archangel Motorsport Services, Inc. have joined forces to campaign the new MG Lola in the ALMS LMP675 category and the 24 Hours of Le Mans under the KnightHawk Racing LLC banner.

The two teams have each achieved tremendous success independently - KnightHawk in the American Le Mans Series and Archangel in the Grand-Am Series - and have already proven to be successful in their first joint effort. The two teams joined forces in this month's Rolex 24, where their combined effort in SRPII earned them a class podium and 6th Overall.

"This is very exciting for us," says Steve Knight, co owner/driver of KnightHawk Racing LLC. "We have taken the very best of both teams and combined them into one for our assault on the ALMS LMP675 Championship and Le Mans."

Mel Hawkins, co-owner/driver of KnightHawk adds, "It's a perfect match. We both have great relationships with the same suppliers - including Lola and AER. We wanted to be based out of Atlanta, and our new shop at Road Atlanta will provide everything we need."

Mike Johnson, owner of Archangel Motorsport Services, Inc., has been retained as the Team Manager for the joint effort. "Having the opportunity to manage a program like this is a dream come true. We have worked so hard to get to this point, and I am confident we can do the job."

Mike Gramke, formally of ROOCK Racing, has been retained as the team's Technical Director. "This is a great opportunity! The Archangel team is very good - as their record shows. Joining forces with them is a smart idea," says Gramke.

Brian Anderson, the current Technical Director of Archangel Motorsports, will be the new effort's Crew Chief. Anderson remarks, "I look forward to working with Mike (Gramke). His record in sportscars is very impressive and together we will be able to put forth a winning team."

A combination of KnightHawk and Archangel team personnel will make up the remainder of the KnightHawk Crew.

Febrary 19,2002 Sebring Entry Grows With ROC/VW's

Photo Coutersy:ACO The entry for Sebring's 50th grew a few more today with the filing of two P675 Reynard 2KQ ROC / Volkswagen's and a bevy of Porsche 911GT3RS cars including 2 from P.K. Sport.

The two Volkswagen entries have been filed under seperate entries. The #40 car entered under the ROC banner will be piloted by Floridians Jeff Jones, Ryan Jones, and Jeffrey Jones. The second car, #41, is listed under long time Porsche entrant Noel Del Bello Racing. This car will be piloted by Jordi Gene, Peter Owen, and Mark Smithson.

The two P.K. Sport entries, #60 and #61, will be piloted by Robin Liddell, Fabio Babini, Giovanni Anapoli, Piers Masarati, Basil Demeroutis, and Keith Alexander .

Daytona 24 Hour Champions The Racers Group have also file two entries for their Porsche's. Car owner Kevin Buckler will share the #66 car with Michael Schrom and Darren Law.

Febrary 19,2002 MSB Motorsport Ferrari Sebring Preview

MSB Motorsport is proud to participate in the 50th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring, the first race in the 2002 American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

MSB will field the No. 33 Ferrari 360 Modena GT in the historic endurance race, set for March 16 on the 3.7-mile Sebring International Raceway road course in Sebring, Fla. Ralf Kelleners of Germany and Marino Franchitti of Scotland will drive the Ferrari-red GT car, directed by team principals John McLoughlin of England and Eva Salleck of Germany.

The MSB Ferrari was the first of its kind homologated by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) for competition in the ALMS and the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. The new car passed the ACO's stringent technical inspection on its first attempt.

MSB competed in the 2001 ALMS finale - the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta - but used the race as a rookie test for the new car and team. With the knowledge gained in the 1000-mile event, together with intense testing since, the team is ready to evaluate its performance in the Sebring race.

Kelleners, who scored a podium finish at Sebring last year, said he is anxious to see the results of the team's development work.

"The last time I was at Sebring, I was on the podium, so I have good memories of the track! I hope we can have a good result again," he said.

"I like working with John and the team, and it's very interesting to be a part of developing a car from scratch. I know all the mechanics and I have the highest respect for all of them because of the way they work. Since the Petit Le Mans, the team has been working hard making the car more reliable and faster. I'm looking forward to the race - it's going to be interesting to look at what we gained throughout the last couple of months."

Franchitti is enthused, too. "It's great to be driving the Ferrari 360 Modena again and being back with the MSB guys is fantastic," he said. "When we raced at Atlanta, it was only a test. Now we've had a chance to do some testing, we believe the car's a lot better and only the race at Sebring will tell us how competitive we are. The improvements are unbelievable, it's a different car completely, it feels really, really good.

"I'm so proud to be driving in the 50th Sebring, what a landmark! Just to complete the race would be fantastic and whatever comes after that would be a bonus."

Febrary 19,2002 Harlow Confirms Ricardo Tie-Up

Following a highly successful run in the European Le Mans Series last season UK-based Harlow Motorsport has confirmed a return to international competition in 2002 in association with Ricardo plc.

The Harlow Motorsport squad made a powerful debut beyond British shores last year with consistent front-running in the now-defunct ELMS, recording the team's first-ever international GT victory at Vallelunga in September. They then entered into negotiations with engineering specialists Ricardo, and subsequently reached an agreement to prepare for a joint assault on the 2002 season.

The first fruit of this partnership sees Harlow Motorsport confirming a single Porsche 911 GT3-RS entry for the 12 Hours of Sebring (March 16) and the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 15/16). Former class-victor at Le Mans and 2001 ELMS champion Mike Youles is set to drive in both events, while Harlow regulars Terry Rymer and Magnus Wallinder are both earmarked to co-drive during 2002. Robin Liddell, who partnered Youles last year, is also in the frame, although the third seat for both Sebring and Le Mans is still available to an appropriately qualified and funded driver.

Harlow director Adam Simmons was confident about the venture's prospects. "Our alliance with Ricardo is a technology development partnership," he explained. "Both companies have the same focus and there is a great deal of synergy between our goals for the forthcoming season and beyond. We've embarked on an extensive re-engineering programme using Ricardo's facilities and I'm confident that we will be even more competitive this year as a result."

Speaking for Ricardo, Mike Youles added: "Ricardo wishes to expand the areas of development of the Porsche 911 GT3 in 2002, particularly in terms of engine development. To this end Harlow Motorsport was the obvious partner, as they already have their own engine programme in place.

There are now a number of teams in the FIA, ALMS and British GT Championships utilising Ricardo-developed chassis enhancements. Once proven in testing and racing these enhancements will be available to an expanding group of customers, giving access to the kind of technology normally only available in F1."

Simmons confirmed that Harlow has additional plans to extend their race programme. "Competing at Le Mans is the key focus for us this season, but we will also be giving serious consideration to the Spa 24 Hours and additional races within the ALMS, including Miami - this will of course be dependant upon budget and the appropriate driver interest." He is very optimistic about Harlow's chances of securing a Le Mans entry. "We have an excellent line-up of drivers in Youles, Rymer and others - several with significant international titles - and a good track record in European competition. We have also received endorsement from the ALMS organisers and we will be submitting a very strong proposal to the ACO."

"With so many cars pledged for the British GT Championship this year we will also be entering selected high-profile rounds of the national championship. It is important to us as a team that we still compete on home ground, building upon the successes of last season. These are exciting times for everyone involved," concluded Simmons, "and having Ricardo join forces with Harlow Motorsport creates a formidable presence at both national and international levels in 2002."

Febrary 18,2002 Sebring Entry Update

Entries from a pair of Saleens and three Vipers have expanded the GTS class entry list for the 50th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, presented by Dodge, at Sebring International Raceway on March 16. The 12-hour sports car endurance race will open the 2002 season for the American Le Mans Series.

The team that won the GTS class in last year's Sebring classic, Konrad Motorsport of Germany, has entered a Saleen S7R for drivers Franz Konrad of Germany, Toni Seiler of Sweden and Charles Slater of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Last year's win by Konrad was the first in ALMS competition for Saleen, the American muscle car built in California.

Also entered is Park Place Racing, which will run a Saleen for Chris Bingham of Kirkland, Wash., and Peter MacLeod of Bellevue, Wash., with a third driver to be named.

Joining the two Saleens in the GTS class for production-based cars will be two Dodge Vipers fielded by American Viperacing and a European Chrysler Viper GTS-R entered by Labre Competition of France.

One of the American Viperacing cars will be co-driven by Americans Simon Gregg of Jacksonville, Fla., Marc Bunting of Baltimore and Tom Weickardt of Whitefish Bay, Wis. Rick Fairbanks of Greenville, S.C., and two drivers to be named will be in the other entrant. Gregg is the son of the late Peter Gregg, an accomplished American road racer in his career.

The Labre machine will be co-driven by Jean-Luc Chereau and Christophe Bouchut, both of France, and Belgium's Vincent Vode.

Febrary 18,2002 Brembo Named Official Brake

Brembo, a global supplier of rotors and other brake system components, has been named the "Official Brake of the American Le Mans Series," officials of Brembo and the series have announced.

Brembo brake systems are used by many of the teams that compete in the American Le Mans Series, a series of sports car endurance races in North America that is patterned after the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Audi Sport North America team, which captured driver, team and manufacturer championships in both 2000 and 2001 on the series, is a Brembo user.

As part of the new relationship, Brembo will feature its affiliation with the American Le Mans Series in its advertising and promotions.

"This new marketing partnership between Brembo and the American Le Mans Series is a natural fit," said Mike Clark, Vice-President of Marketing for the Panoz Motor Sports Group. "Brembo products help our racing teams perform at the highest level on the track, and Brembo will now bring its marketing clout to enhance the growth of the series off the track."

"We are now directly involved in the American Le Mans Series," said Mark Cornwell, Manager of of Brembo's Racing Business Unit for North America. "We've had many customers in the past from the series and have appreciated their support. This new relationship allows us to be involved with the teams and the series." Established in 1961 in Bergamo, Italy, Brembo S.p.A., is a world leader and design innovator of automotive brake technology and is a QS-9000 and ISO 9001 certified supplier of Original Equipment braking systems to the global market of passenger cars, light trucks, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Brembo proved its leadership in braking system technology with innumerable international motorsports championships and continues to develop and refine its braking system technology in the world’s most famous racing venues: NASCAR, CART, Formula 1, FIA World Championship Rally, Motorbikes World GP and Superbike, as well as in the ALMS.

Febrary 15,2002 Champion Sebring Lineup

Champion Racing of Pompano Beach, Fla., has entered an Audi R8 Prototype in the event for drivers Andy Wallace, Stefan Johansson and Jan Lammers. Two of the three are former Sebring winners, two are former Formula One drivers and all are former winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Wallace, from England, will run the full American Le Mans Series schedule in 2002 for Champion Racing. The overall winner at Sebring in 1992 and 1993, Wallace is also a two-time winner of the Daytona 24 Hours (1990, 1997) and won the 1988 Le Mans classic while paired with Lammers. Wallace has one of the most remarkable records of any driver to have competed at Sebring, with four seconds, two thirds and a fifth along with his two wins coming in 12 starts.

Johansson has only raced in five Sebring 12-hour events, but has two overall wins (1984, 1997). The Swede, a former Formula One driver, also has a third and a fourth at Sebring, with the fourth coming last year. He was part of the overall winning team at Le Mans in 1997.

Lammers, who paired with Wallace to win at Le Mans in 1988, is seeking his first Sebring victory. The Dutch driver has a second, third and seventh in five starts at Sebring and is also a former Formula One competitior. In addition, he was part of the winning team in the 1990 Daytona 24 Hours.

Wallace will pair with fellow Englishman Johnny Herbert in the remaining nine races on the ALMS schedule in 2002. Herbert is joining the factory Audi team at Sebring but will return to the Champion Racing seat for the April 7 Grand Prix Americas in Miami and the rest of the events.

Febrary 14,2002 Carsport Viper Sebring Entry

Photo Courtesy:Spa-Francorchamps
Carsport Holland, will race at this years 50th edition of the Mobil 1 12 hours of Sebring. Sebring Raceway, the oldest permanent circuit of the US, will host the first race of the 2002 American Le Mans calender.

Driving the teams Viper will be the three contracted drivers for the FIA GT serie, lead driver Mike Hezemans, Belgium Anthony Kumpen and Italian Luca Cappellari. "The reason we are going to Sebring is to see how we stand compared to the Prodrive Ferrari and the Viper of Larbre Competition which are also competing in this years FIA GT serie but driving with Michelin tyres. For this season we have switched to factory Pirelli's tyres and this race is a excellent test to see what our laptimes will be compared to our rivals. Besides that Anthony Kumpen and Luca Cappellari will get the opportunity to get to know the team and our car. It is a tactical move to race at Sebring," reports Mike Hezemans.

From its workshop in Italy the team is preparing one of its two Chrysler Viper GTS-R's for one of the most famous endurance races of the year. Team Carsport Holland has joined forces with the Italian Racing Box team of Luca Canni Ferrari for this year and is looking forward to its first race of the season. Opposition at Sebring will definitely come from the factory Corvettes but we will also see the Ferrari 550's, Saleens and Vipers up front in the GTS class.

Febrary 14,2002 Tomas Enge Confirmed For Prodrive

Photo Courtesy:Prodrive
Tomas Enge will join Rickard Rydell and Alain Menu in Prodrive's Ferrari 550 GTS Maranello at both Sebring and Le Mans.

While focused on single-seaters in an attempt to further his career, Enge is no stranger to sportscars, having contested Sebring in 1999 as well as two FIA GT rounds in 2001. His first drive in the Prodrive Ferrari will come at Dijon tomorrow [Friday] as the team prepares the car for the Sebring 12 Hours in March.

"Tomas is the ideal partner for Alain and Rickard," said George Howard-Chappell, Prodrive Ferrari team principal, "He has proved that he is naturally very quick in a single-seater, and that he has the right frame of mind and focus to complete an endurance event like Sebring. The three of them will make a formidable team."

Prodrive will be running one car at Sebring and two at Le Mans. The second machine, a Ferrari 550 GTS, is currently under construction at Prodrive's headquarters at Banbury, and the team is currently considering drivers for this car.

Febrary 14,2002 J3 Racing Porsche To Do Full ALMS

J3 Racing, the Atlanta, Georgia-based racing outfit which is best known for successfully campaigning a Porsche GT3 Cup car for J3 namesake Justin Jackson in the Speedvision World Challenge GT Class, is stepping up to the GT class of the American Le Mans Series in 2002. Jackson, the 2000 World Challenge GT Class Rookie of the Year, will share driving duties with prolific American Porsche ace Mike Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, who captured both the coveted Porsche Cup global championship and Grand Am GTU class championship in 2000, had this to say: "The car that the J3 crew prepared for Daytona was absolutely awesome. It was unquestionably the best GT3RS that I've ever driven. If that's any indication of what we can expect for the impending ALMS season, then we will pose a serious threat in GT."

Jackson added: "We ran strong at Daytona until we had a mechanical in the fourteenth hour that ended our race. Even though we had a bad result, it was fantastic preparation for the ALMS season and the 12 Hours of Sebring. I expect J3 to challenge for GT class honors at the twelve hour this March."

Although J3 has not yet confirmed any additional drivers for the 12 Hours of Sebring or Petit Le Mans, Marino Franchitti, the brother of Champ Car great Dario and 2001 British GT Champion in a Porsche, joined Jackson and Fitzgerald at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona a few weeks ago.

J3 Racing will be supported at the ALMS series races by the J3 crew and by the Trans Sport Racing Transportation Services / Franz Blam Racing outfit. Look for the big yellow truck and stop by to wish J3 luck in the upcoming season!

Febrary 12,2002 Ticket Sales at Record Pace for 50th Sebring

Ticket sales are at record levels for the 50th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Dodge. America’s premier sports car race runs Saturday, March 16, at the historic Sebring International Raceway.

“Enthusiasm for this historic event has been building at a phenomenal rate,” stated Raceway Director Tres Stephenson. “Our reserved trackside parking is already nearing a sell-out, and many fans from across the country have told us they haven’t been to Sebring in years, and are looking forward to attending the 50th Anniversary celebration.”

The opening race of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at Sebring will be a key prelude to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. The winning team at Sebring the past three years has gone on to win Le Mans.

Gates open Wednesday, March 13, for four-days of world-class road racing. Sebring Supertickets (both 4-day and Saturday-only tickets) are available at advance purchase rates (a savings of $10 per ticket) through March 1st. After that date, gate prices will apply. A limited number of Reserved Trackside Parking/Camping spaces are still available, along with a very limited number of Club Sebring memberships.

The first fan arrived in line at Sebring 65 days before the gates open. By the time the gates open at 7 am on March 13, thousands will be on hand for the four-day event, often called the Mardi Gras of motorsports. Complete details on Sebring tickets can be found at www.sebringraceway.com. Race fans can also call tollfree in Florida 800-626-7223; outside Florida 863-655-1442.

Among the highlights of Sebring’s 50th Anniversary will be the Gallery of Champions display in the paddock, featuring 20 former Sebring-winning cars, and the Legends of Sebring autograph session on Friday, March 15, with over 25 former Sebring-winning drivers scheduled to attend.

Febrary 12,2002 Downing Entered In Mazda WR For Sebring

Photo Courtesy:AutoExe Motorsports
As expected AutoExe Motorsports has entered a Mazda-powered WR LMP-02 car in the LMP 675 class for the 12 Hours of Sebring

Jim Downing will head the three-man driving team for AutoExe Motorsports as he makes his 20th start in the Sebring 12-hour race. He will become only the fourth member of an exclusive club of drivers with 20 or more Sebring starts. Downing will be seeking his fourth class win, having taken previous ones in 1980, 1985 and 1992. Joining Downing will be Japanese driver Yojiro Terada and a third driver to be named.

The #24 is a combination of Gerard Welter's WR Prototype car from France with Downing's experience with the Mazda engine. A longtime veteran of sports car racing, Downing will be making his first American Le Mans Series start since 1999.

Febrary 12,2002 Hugh Plumb & Seikel For Season

Hugh Plumb will drive a Porsche GT3R for the Seikel Motor Sports in the 2002 American LeMans Series. Tony Burgess will co-drive the Seikel Porsche with Plumb.

“I’m really looking forward to this season,” said Plumb. “Tony and I have driven together several times, and he’s an ideal teammate. Seikel is known for first-class preparation and for knowing how to win. I think we have a great shot at a really successful year.”

Febrary 12,2002 Orbit Planning Full Season

Orbit Racing have submitted two entries for the 50th 12 Hours of Sebring. Orbit has entered a pair of Porsche 911 GT3 RS machines in the GT class for America's oldest sports car race.

Orbit, which plans to run the full American Le Mans Series schedule for the first time in 2002, has been a regular entrant at Sebring in recent years. The #42 Porsche will be co-driven by Gary Schultheis of Boca Raton, Fla., and Tony Kester of Michigan City, Ind., while driving the #43 team car will be Leo Hindery of Hillsborough, Calif., Peter Baron of San Mateo, Calif., and Mike Borkowski of Scottsdale, Az.

Febrary 11,2002 Guy Smith Confirmed In R&S For Sebring 12 Hour

Following his sensational second place in the recent Rolex 24 at Daytona, Briton Guy Smith has been confirmed to head the line-up in the Jim Matthews Riley & Scott in next month's opening round of the ALMS, the Sebring 12 hour race. The 27 year-old from Hull, Yorkshire will drive the MkIIIC he used in the Daytona race, but in accordance with the series' regulations, the car will run to IMSA/ALMS specifications.

"I'm delighted to be competing at Sebring as it's a great event and I led the race there last year until brake problems dropped us to fourth. Following the success we had at Daytona, I feel confident of having another strong finish although we'll be looking for a win this time", said Guy.

He added; "Throughout the Daytona event, we were consistently quick and despite the few problems we had, we were able to put in a really strong run and pushed the winning car right to the end. I'm sure Bill Riley and the rest of the team will pull out all the stops to make sure we're in with the best possible chance of winning the event."

This event will be the third time Guy has competed in the race, and following the success in Daytona is looking for a victory as he again teams up with the outfit with which he secured the runner-up spot in the classic 24-hour race.

Febrary 8,2002 ALMS Competition Incentive Plan

Racing teams that contest the entire American Le Mans Series schedule in 2002 will be financially rewarded as part of a new system designed by the sports car racing series.

The Competition Incentive Plan (CIP) has been created to reward teams that commit to running all 10 races of the series for 2002 and will be open to qualified privateer and factory teams. The new CIP system will be administered by IMSA, the sanctioning body for the American Le Mans Series.

"We feel that the American Le Mans Series schedule for 2002 is one of the strongest in the history of road racing in North America," said Dennis Huth, President of IMSA. "Racing teams in North America and abroad are planning their 2002 seasons based on not only the strength of the schedule but also the rules stability and overall strength of the series.

"We felt that the time was perfect for instituting a system for rewarding teams that commit to running every race," he said.

Eligible teams at the start of the 2002 season will include those which finished in the top six in one of the four class point standings of the 2001 ALMS season and meet other selection criteria. The CIP will have a selection committee that consists of Huth, IMSA Executive Director Doug Robinson and George Bruggenthies, the general manager of Road America, one of the host racing circuits for the ALMS in 2002.

Teams participating in the CIP will sign agreements stating that they will compete in all 10 events on the 2002 ALMS schedule. For contesting the series, the team will receive cash rewards after every event that are not part of the regular race payoff, provided that it enters the event, qualifies and competes.
Febrary 8,2002 Knighthawk Racing Aquires MG

KnightHawk Racing, runner up in the 2001 American Le Mans Series' LMP 675 Championship, announced today that the team has acquired the first MG Lola 675 LMP to be provided to a privateer team by Lola Cars International, the UK based designers and manufacturers of the trend-setting prototype racecar.

KnightHawk owners, Steve Knight and Mel Hawkins, campaigned a previous generation Lola B2K/40 in the ALMS 675 Class in 2001. "We wanted to build on our 2001 success with Lola and AER (the engine builders), and aim to move on to win the 2002 ALMS 675 Championship. We also have unfinished business at the Le Mans 24 Hour race in June, where we raced last year. Now in 2002, we will be in France with a package capable of winning overall - and that was also a factor in our choosing the MG Lola," said co-owner and driver Steve Knight.

The MG Lola is powered by a 2.0 liter, turbocharged, intercooled AER/MG engine. The car, designed by Lola Cars International in England, is the most technologically advanced sports car ever built. Capable of reaching a top speed of over 220 mph, the car recently set an unofficial new record for lap times at Sebring International Raceway. The car's main characteristics of high power, light weight and maximum fuel economy give the car a decided advantage in long distance races and will provide KnightHawk Racing with the opportunity to capture overall wins at every race venue.

Lola Cars Sales Manager, Nick Jordan, said, "We have worked with KnightHawk now for some time, and Lola are always impressed by their organisation, enthusiasm and race performances. Now with the MG Lola, the team has set itself a whole new horizon, and our engineers will be working very hard to assist KnightHawk, in both testing and races".

KnightHawk Racing has its race preparation shops located in Braselton, Georgia (at the Road Atlanta race track) and in Denver, Colorado. The American Le Mans Series starts at Sebring, FL., on March 16 and races in 7 states and two Canadian provinces across North America, to its October 12 season finale, at KnightHawk's new home track of Road Atlanta. The team's visit to the Le Mans 24 Hours takes place in mid-June.

Febrary 8,2002 Rahal Looking At ALMS

Bobby Rahal is looking to enter the ALMS within the next 12 months according to this week's Autosport Mag.

"We're looking around," said the former IMSA sportscar regular. "If I could find a sponsor, I'd be in sportscar racing in a heartbeat, but we are really looking at 2003.

"We are looking at the ALMS and Le Mans. Nothing else. I went to the 24 Hours three times as a driver and I'd love to go back as a team owner."

"I'm a road racer who only got into doing ovals when I started in CART. I have no interest in the Indy Racing League or in NASCAR."

Febrary 7,2002 Position Lights On All Cars For 2002

Follow the Lights, Follow the Action on the American Le Mans Series in 2002.

The sports car endurance racing series will make it easier for fans to follow the action on the track this season through the use of a revolutionary new position lights system, the first of its kind in motorsports. The lights will identify the top three cars in each of the four classes within the series and will be carried by all cars in all 10 races that make up the series schedule for 2002.

Introduced on a limited basis in the final ALMS race of 2001, the light system was designed to help alleviate an age-old problem in sports car endurance racing. Because of the difference in speed between the faster Prototypes and the slower GT cars that compete at the same time in events, it was often impossible after a few laps to tell what car was leading what class. While veteran sports car racing fans usually knew what was going on, new fans often missed exciting battles on the track. The light system will change that.

All cars will be equipped with three lights that are located in front of the rear wheel on both sides of the car. If a car is leading its class, one of the three lights will be lit. Two lights will be lit of the car is second in class, and three lit lights will indicate that the car is running third in class.

Each of the four classes of race cars will carry its own color of light, therefore making it possible to tell the class of the car as well as its position. Prototype 900 cars will carry red lights, while LMP 675 cars (smaller Prototypes) will carry blue lights. The lights on GTS cars will be green, and GT cars will have yellow lights.

The system works directly from the official timing and scoring system of IMSA, the sanctioning body for the series. The lights operate on telemetry sent from timing and scoring computers to assure accurate and timely updates. If passes are made on the track for one of the top three positions, the lights will change when the cars cross the start-finish line.

On an experimental basis, the American Le Mans Series introduced the system in the final race of the 2001 season, installing lights on a few cars in the GT class. During the off-season, the system has been tested and refined and is now ready for full use in the 2002 season.

Febrary 7,2002 Prodrive & Olive Garden File Official Sebring Entries

Photo Courtesy:Prodrive
Ferraris are returning to action on the American Le Mans Series in a big way in 2002, and the second and third entries received for the 50th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, presented by Dodge, are from Ferrari teams.

The United Kingdom-based Prodrive team and Team Olive Garden from Italy have submitted entries for the March 16 event that will kick off the 2002 American Le Mans Series season. Both teams will run Ferrari 550 Maranello cars in the GTS class.

The Prodrive team has been successful in European racing and made its ALMS debut in the 2001 season finale at Road Atlanta. The #77 machine will be driven by Alain Menu of England and Rickard Rydell of Sweden.

Team Olive Garden is returning to racing on the ALMS after a one-season absence. Team owner Gabriele Rafanelli has entered drivers Emanuelle Naspetti and Mimmo Schiattarella, both of Italy, and Johnny Ceccotto of Venezuela in the Sebring race. Naspetti and Schiattarella will be the team's regular drivers in the rest of the races on the ALMS schedule.

Febrary 5,2002 Audi Driver Fitness Camp

Before the 2002 motorsport season begins with the 12 Hours of Sebring next month, the Audi works drivers have recharged their batteries at a fitness camp in Switzerland's ski resort St. Moritz.

For six days Frank Biela, Rinaldo Capello, Johnny Herbert, Tom Kristensen, Christian Pescatori and Emanuele Pirro worked at high altitude in Upper Engadine to improve their basic fitness and endurance.

At the conclusion of the fitness camp in Upper Engadine the race drivers risked the Olympic bob sled run in St. Moritz during a taxi bob sled ride.

January 29,2002 Miami Race Organizers Moving Full Speed Ahead

Organizers of the return of street racing to Miami are moving full speed ahead toward the Grand Prix of the Americas, scheduled for April 5-7. The American Le Mans Series will be the featured event of the weekend on Sunday, April 7.

Though Miami was the home of some of the world's most successful street races in the 1980s and into the 1990s, the music of race cars has not echoed against Miami's downtown skyscrapers since 1995. Raceworks, LLC, a group of Miami businessmen working with the full cooperation of the city, has brought street racing back to the popular resort city.

Construction recently got underway on what will be a 1.54-mile temporary racing circuit that will include part of Miami's famous Biscayne Boulevard and the city's Bayfront Park. Cars will travel south on Biscayne, make a brief loop to the north, and then turn into Bayfront Park. The circuit will wind through the park and then rejoin Biscayne. Pit road and the paddock area will be on Biscayne Boulevard.

While racing through the park, the cars will have scenic Biscayne Bay in the background, with dozens of yachts and other boats moored in the water. Large cruise ships will be visible in the distance at the Port of Miami. The world-famous Grand Prix of Monaco has similar nautical scenery.

The American Le Mans Series, a series of sports car endurance races that features many of the same world-class drivers and cars that compete in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans, will join the international and cosmopolitan atmosphere of Miami. Sports cars are extremely popular in Miami, and most of the old street races in the city were sports car events.

"I'm really excited about racing in Miami," said Tom Kristensen of Denmark, a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a driver for the powerful Audi factory team. "We presented our new Audi in Miami two years ago and the people were very excited to see it. It's a lively city with lively people, and the event will be very exciting."

"I raced in the last street race in Miami in 1995 and it was great," said California's Bryan Herta, who has joined the Panoz factory team for 2002 after a stellar career in CART racing. "It's an exciting city to be in and a great place to hold a street race."

Construction underway includes roadway surface and drainage improvements along Bayfront Park roadways and service roads. More than half of the barrier walls have been built and will be shipped to the site on February 15.

The Grand Prix of the Americas weekend in Miami will also include a race for the popular Trans-Am Series for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup, along with a race for historic sports cars, including many that actually competed in previous Miami races. Also part of the weekend will be a celebrity race, with participants to be announced in the coming weeks.

January 29,2002 Panoz Adds Engineering Strength

Panoz Motor Sports' attack on the 2002 American Le Mans Series has been boosted with the team's #50 and #51 machines featuring new race engineers.

Rick Mayer transfers from the #51 car from 2001 to take over the #50 car of David Brabham and Jan Magnussen. The team has also recruited aerodynamics expert Mehdi Ahmadi who will engineer the #51 machine for Bryan Herta and Terry Borcheller.

Having been based in Florida during 2001, Mayer has moved to the Panoz team's Braselton, GA, base for the forthcoming season.

His career has included several years in the Indy Racing League as well as engineering Dick Barbour Racing to the ALMS GT Championship in 2000.

A Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University Of Michigan, Mayer has also worked as a senior design engineer on advanced jet turbine engines for aircraft constructor, Pratt and Whitney.

Educated in the UK, Ahmadi earned a Degree in Aeronautical Engineering, a Master Degree in Aerodynamics and a Doctorate Degree in Vehicle Aerodynamics from 1990 to 1997.

He was recruited by Panoz from C&B Consultants, Aerodynamics Ltd in the UK where he oversaw an extensive Champ car wind tunnel program for Honda Performance Development to provide the Honda-powered teams with an aerodynamic advantage in the CART Championship.

No stranger to the Panoz marque, Ahmadi also undertook wind tunnel testing for Panoz during the 1999 season.

"We have a very strong engineering base and this, combined with the upcoming aerodynamic improvements for 2002, will stand us in good stead for the season ahead," Panoz Motor Sports, Team Manager, Andy Waldrep said.

"Both our cars will be racing each other very hard but the combined strengths of our engineers and design teams are working very closely together on our common goal.

"The entire team is extremely focussed on this year's championship and we fully intend to ensure Audi does not have everything its own way."

The full-time appointment of Mayer and Ahmadi offsets the recent departure of Chief Engineer, Chris Gorne, who has departed Panoz Motor Sports to pursue other interests in the sport.

"I would like to thank Chris for his efforts for Panoz as he has been an integral part of this organization since 1998. Everybody at the team wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavours." Waldrep said.

January 25,2002 New Privateer Awards System

The American Le Mans Series has created a multi-faceted new awards system that will recognize and honor the achievements of non-factory supported racing teams in the 2002 season.

The IMSA Cup, named in honor of the sanctioning body of the series, will include individual race awards as well as a season-long championship. Also, the popular Privateer Point Fund in the series will be included in the IMSA Cup and will be revised as a way of placing earned cash awards into the hands of privateer racing teams sooner.

In addition to racing for overall race wins and class wins as they always have in American Le Mans Series events, privateer teams will now also compete among themselves for the IMSA Cup. Smaller versions of a unique IMSA Cup trophy will be presented to the highest-finishing privateer team in each class in every race.

Privateer teams will also compete for the IMSA Cup Championship, which will be presented to the highest-finishing privateer team in the point standings for each class at the season-ending awards banquet.

The revision of the award fund for privateer teams will see the fund broken into three segments with cash payouts to deserving teams after the third, sixth and final races of the 10-event American Le Mans Series schedule in 2002. Previously, the awards were paid in a lump sum to the teams at the end of the season. The awards totaled more than $1 million in the 2001 season.

"This restructuring is taking a great program to the next level," said Dennis Huth, President of IMSA. "By receiving the awards in segments during the season, we feel that the privateer teams will be getting a big boost that will help them be even more competitive."

The fund was designed by ALMS founder Don Panoz as a way of financially rewarding non-factory supported racing teams that compete on the series. A percentage of each race purse goes into the fund, as does any prize money that is not paid in each race. Factory-supported teams do not receive prize money in the series, and the money that would have been paid to those teams is transferred into the IMSA Cup fund.

At the end of each segment, all points earned by all privateer teams in the ALMS are combined and totaled. The total is then divided into the total IMSA Cup prize money accumulated in the fund to that point, assigning a dollar value to each point. Payment equal to the number of points times the dollars per point is distributed to the eligible privateer teams at the end of each segment.

January 24,2002 Herta Tests Panoz In The Wet

New Panoz Motor Sports signing Bryan Herta continued the team's American Le Mans Series pre-season testing today at Road Atlanta encountering conditions similar to last year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Herta had not previously driven the Panoz LMP-01 in wet conditions, but today he was able to try the latest wet weather and intermediate tires from Michelin at the venue for the season-closing Petit Le Mans event.

The Panoz team has traditionally been strong in wet conditions, with victories including the Nurburgring event in Germany in 2000 with Jan Magnussen and David Brabham.

"It was certainly very handy to get some experience in a wide variety of conditions because that is what I am going to face throughout the year," Herta said.

"If we get a race like Le Mans last year, the wet weather experience will certainly be very beneficial.

"We didn't get to run as many laps as we would have liked because it actually became too wet at the end of the day. We were actually waiting for the rain to try the wets but it really came down hard apparently there were flash flood warnings announced for the area."

"Despite the weather, the car feels really strong in all conditions and I am really feeling comfortable in it now."

Herta is looking forward to returning to the cockpit for a further test at Road Atlanta next Wednesday as the team prepares for the opening race of the year, the 50th anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, presented by Dodge, from March 13 to 16.

"Hopefully we can have some dry weather because I looking forward to getting more laps under my belt and trying some different adjustments to learn more about the car," Herta said.

"It is also great to get some more laps at Road Atlanta. The only time I have raced here was back before they put in the changes leading up to the bridge coming onto the straight.

"Some tracks will be new to me, but others I am really looking forward to. Laguna Seca, Elkhart Lake and Mid-Ohio are going to be fantastic races. I know those places extremely well from Champ cars and I can't wait to try the Panoz at those tracks."

January 24,2002 Rafanelli Announces ALMS Return

They're back with Ferrari this year and they're hungry to win the GTS Championship of the 2002 American Le Mans Series (ALMS). The familiar faces of Olive Garden Italian Restaurants and Gabriele Rafanelli's "Race Team from Tuscany" have again joined forces as an independent team to compete in all ten North American ALMS races.

While visiting the Olive Garden Riserva di Fizzano Restaurant and Culinary Institute of Tuscany here in the heart of Italy, company President Brad Blum revealed that the new effort in 2002 would be named, "Team Olive Garden." True to its Italian heritage, the team will race a newly developed Le Mans GT version of the Ferrari 550 Maranello. Team Olive Garden will make its debut at the 12 Hours at Sebring (Fla.'s) 50th anniversary race on March 16. Sebring race fans can expect to see a classic road racing battle as the independent Team Olive Garden Ferrari takes on a brace of Corvettes entered by the Chevrolet factory team as well as a number of Ford- powered Saleen supercars.

"All of us are excited to be back in the ALMS," said Blum. "We began our support of the Series with a Ferrari effort in 1999. We then joined forces with Gabriele Rafanelli in 2000. But now, Team Olive Garden is really a marriage made in Italy with a beautiful new Ferrari and an all-Italian team. This partnership truly gives Olive Garden great opportunities to broadcast our values of Italian authenticity, excellence and teamwork. We look forward to providing fans - and especially ALMS' many passionate 'Ferraristi' - with great new excitement in the coming season."

Blum also revealed that Coca-Cola will join Team Olive Garden as a major sponsor, adding, "Coca-Cola is a world-class brand and a committed business partner. Coca-Cola is enjoyed at Olive Garden Restaurants across North America and is the pre-eminent soft drink in Italy."

Driver Team Announced: Schiattarella/Naspetti

Mimmo Schiattarella will join with former Italian Super Touring Car champion (1997) Emanuele Naspetti to pilot the Team Olive Garden Ferrari 550 Maranello. The role of challenger is not new to Schiattarella who is one of only two independent team drivers in the entire history of the ALMS to win an overall race victory against factory-supported teams. He also hails from Ferrari's hometown of Maranello, Italy. Like Schiattarella, Naspetti - who comes from Ancona, Italy - drove for Rafanelli in the 2000 FIA GT championship in Europe with one pole position and three top-five finishes to his credit.

ALMS Welcomes Team Olive Garden

Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motorsports Group expressed his pleasure at the Team Olive Garden announcement. "We enthusiastically welcome Olive Garden and Gabriele Rafanelli back to the ALMS and we are also excited about the participation of Ferrari with the series. Olive Garden has been an active and innovative sponsor and we are happy that this team will again be part of our series. I also believe that the sponsorship involvement of a global brand like Coca-Cola underlines the growth of ALMS."

ALMS Team Olive Garden is developing the FIA-GT version Ferrari 550 Maranello into a Le Mans GTS contender. Changes include the addition of AP carbon fiber brakes, a new front splitter with newly revised overall aerodynamics, more horsepower and torque and a revised gearbox. Team Olive Garden will race on Michelin tires and rely on the company's expertise at each race.

January 24,2002 Champion Audi Drivers

Andy Wallace will again contest the full American Le Mans Series championship for Champion Racing in 2002, and he will be joined in the driver lineup by fellow Englishman Johnny Herbert for all but one of the 10 races on the season schedule.

Champion Racing, based in Florida, was the first non-works team to receive and campaign an Audi R8 Prototype.

Herbert, a former winner in Formula One racing, will be a third driver for the Audi factory team in the 2002 ALMS season opener at Sebring, but will pair with Wallace in the Champion car for the remainder of the season. Herbert joined Champion for six races last season.

"I couldn't be more pleased to have Andy and Johnny aboard our Audi R8 for another season," said Dave Maraj, owner and president of Champion Motors and the race team. "I feel that the Champion Racing team, with our latest-specification Audi R8, can give our drivers all the tools they require to contest for the top podium spot on a regular basis in 2002."

In six races together last year, Wallace and Herbert scored four podium finishes, including a season-best second at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Most observers feel that it is only a matter of time before the Champion car makes its way to victory to become only the second privateer car to score an overall win in ALMS history.

"We learned a lot during the 2001 season," said Brad Kettler, Champion Racing's Technical Director. "We learned a lot about the Audi R8 and how to give our drivers the best chance against the strong competition we face in the American Le Mans Series, not only from other manufacturers but also from the Audi works team. We believe we had their measure last year and the Champion Racing team looks forward to proving that in 2002."

Champion Racing will announce its Sebring driver lineup in the coming weeks.

January 23,2002 Lehto and Tinseau In Cadillac For Endurance Classics

Cadillac has announced that JJ Lehto and Christophe Tinseau will join the team at this year's classic endurance races in Sebring, Le Mans and Road Atlanta (Petit Le Mans). Lehto will team up with Eric Bernard and Emmanuel Collard, while Tinseau will partner Wayne Taylor and Max Angelelli, as he did last year. This comes one day after Lehto's previous employer BMW announced it was pulling out of the ALMS.

"It's great to have someone like JJ onboard," said Cadillac General Manager, Mark LaNeve. "Having a former Le Mans winner and multiple ALMS race winner sign for Cadillac proves that drivers of JJ's stature are convinced that we have what it takes to go for victories this year. We will do our utmost to do so."

Christophe Tinseau has been part of the Cadillac sportscar program since its inception, racing for the DAMS team in the FIA and ALMS Championships in 2000 and for Team Cadillac in the 2001 ALMS program. Together with Emmanuel Collard he scored Cadillac's first podium finish in Mosport in August last year.

Team Cadillac presented its new Northstar LMP 02 in Sebring, Florida, one week ago. Between now and the Le Mans 24 Hours in June, the team will run a 26-day test schedule which includes several 24-hour endurance tests. On March 16th, the team and all six drivers will give the Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 its race debut.

January 23,2002 Audi Sport Team Joest 2002 Preview

Driving champion Emanuele Pirro, team champion Audi Sport North America and manufacturer champion Audi will defend their championships in the American Le Mans Series in the 2002 season, Audi has announced.

The 2002 season begins with the 50th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, presented by Dodge, at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway on March 16. The Audi team has won the prestigious race the past two seasons.

Audi Sport North America will again campaign two Infineon Audi R8 Prototypes in the entire 10-race championship. The team won six of the eight events held in 2001, as well as its second consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Italian Pirro will again be paired with Frank Biela of Germany in what will be car #1 in 2002. Pirro and Biela scored three wins on the American Le Mans Series last season, taking the checkered flag in races at Mosport, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and in the season-ending Audi presents Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. The final win propelled Pirro into the driving championship for the season.

The second Audi will again be driven by Rinaldo Capello of Italy and Tom Kristensen of Denmark, who combined to win ALMS races in 2001 at Texas and Sears Point. Capello was also part of the winning team in last year's event at Sebring, joined by Laurent Aiello and the late Michele Alboreto.

For Sebring and Le Mans, Kristensen will move to join Biela and Pirro, the three having driven together to win the 2000 Sebring event and the last two runnings of Le Mans. Capello will be joined by Johnny Herbert and Christian Pescatori for the two races.

The Audi R8, which has achieved 20 victories in two years, is one of the most successful cars in sports car racing history. Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, Audi Head of Sport, said that the car is improved in detail for the 2002 season.

"The car and the new FSI engine still have potential that we want to exploit," he said.

January 22,2002 ALMS Response To BMW Withdrawl

"BMW has been a participant in the American Le Mans Series since its inception in 1999 and has brought a great deal to the series, not only in terms of star drivers and cars but also strong marketing support. We worked closely with BMW AG and BMW North America in an effort to resolve the situation and while we are deeply disappointed, we are confident of BMW's return to American Le Mans Series racing in 2003."

January 22,2002 BMW Officially Out

BMW of North America, LLC, and its racing partner Prototype Technology Group Inc. (PTG) announced today that the BMW M3 GTR is being officially withdrawn from competition in the 2002 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). At the same time, the BMW AG-backed Team BMW Motorsport will also withdraw from the series.

"Although we are in full support of IMSA and the American Le Mans Series, BMW of North America and BMW Team PTG cannot conform to the changes in the rules and regulations issued by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) for the LM GT category for 2002," said Tom Purves, Chairman and CEO of BMW of North America, LLC. "In 2001 the M3 GTR was constructed at great expense to meet the 2001 homologation requirements and was granted its homologation accordingly. The 2002 rules and restrictions will not allow the M3 GTR to race competitively in the GT category.

"The M3 GTR that competed for one season in 2001 was the culmination of six successful years of M3 racing development by PTG and BMW on both sides of the Atlantic. The decision to withdraw from the 2002 ALMS is not taken lightly, and it's unfortunate that BMW will be unable to build on its longstanding GT racing heritage in the U.S. in 2002," added Purves.

"BMW and PTG have faced our share of adversity over the past seven years together and I am proud of our achievements and consistency. We are all dedicated to racing at BMW; it's part of the fiber of our brand," said Tom Salkowsky, Motorsports Manager for BMW of North America. "In the end, our goal was always to raise the level of competition within the GT class. BMW, PTG, our drivers and crew members were looking forward to vigorously defending our 2001 championship. We are all greatly disappointed with this final result for 2002."

Prototype Technology Group President Tom Milner added, "Everyone at PTG is disappointed that after seven years of a successful partnership we are not able to defend BMW's championship this year. We will focus on other projects with BMW and we're hopeful for the 2003 season."

The BMW M3 GTR won six of eight ALMS races in its debut year in 2001, scoring five pole positions. Also, BMW claimed the manufacturer's championship, BMW Motorsport the team championship and BMW Motorsport driver Jörg Müller the driver's title. In seven years of North American sports-car racing, the BMW M3 has scored 39 wins and 38 pole positions in 72 races, collecting 14 championships along the way.

There are no plans for BMW to compete in the GT category of the ALMS with another BMW model in 2002. BMW of North America and Team PTG will assess their plans for the 2003 season as the 2002 season progresses.

January 21,2002 Team Bucknum To Run Two P675's In ALMS

The American Le Mans Series grid for the 2002 season grew again today with an announcement by Arizona-based Team Bucknum Racing that it would field two cars in the LMP 675 class for the full season.

The team, which made its debut in last year's Audi presents Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, will campaign Pilbeam MP84 chassis powered by Nissan engines in the class for smaller, less-powerful Prototype race cars. The team is moving up from the Star Mazda Series, where it won four of the six available championships in the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

"We have competed successfully over the last two years," said Jeff Bucknum, who will co-drive one of the cars. "We wanted to parlay that momentum into a move up onto the world stage and the ALMS can make that happen for us."

Bucknum, from Lake Havasu, Az., will pair with Chris McMurry of Phoenix to create an All-Arizona driving squad for the team's number one car. The second car will be co-driven by Bryn Williams of Kirkland, Wash., and Pierre Ehret of Germany. Ehret will join Bucknum and McMurry as a third driver for longer races.

"We've had the chance to watch ALMS develop over the last two years, since the Star Mazda Series has run as one of its support races," said Bucknum. "It just keeps getting better and better, with world-class drivers and teams, excellent broadcast exposure, the top road racing venues ... the series is flat-out professionally run and sponsors like it."

Last fall, the team purchased a chassis from the Lincolnshire, England-based Pilbeam and tested it at Buttonwillow Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., before its debut at Road Atlanta in the ALMS season finale.

At Road Atlanta, the #31 Fairytale Brownies-sponsored car captured attention with its "Flying Fairy" on the sidepod as it moved from the back of the field to second in class within the first three hours of the race before its day ended after it tangled with another car.

Team Bucknum Racing will be the first team to use a Pilbeam chassis in a full ALMS season. Team sponsors for 2002 will also include global digital communications company Worldcom.

January 18,2002 Panoz Sebring Test Update

Panoz Motor Sports stars David Brabham and Jan Magnussen are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2002 American Le Mans Series after completing a three-day test at Sebring this week.

The venue for the opening round of the 2002 championship, the historic Florida circuit will host the 50th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, presented by Dodge from March 14-15.

Australian Brabham and his Danish team-mate Magnussen were joined in the three day test by their new U.S. team-mates former CART ace, Bryan Herta; reigning AMLS GTS champion Terry Borcheller and young test driver Gunnar Jeannette.

Hosted by Michelin, Panoz were able to evaluate tire options for the forthcoming ALMS season.

"The test went remarkably well and the car ran very strong across the entire three days," Brabham said.

"Michelin have again done a fantastic job and we found a couple of tire options which worked really well on our car. We were able to get plenty of miles on the rubber and they stayed very consistent.

"I really am very pleased with the way everything went."

Brabham and Magnussen's new team-mates also made a welcome addition to the Braselton, Georgia-based squad.

"All the guys worked together exceptionally well and I think we should have two very strong cars out there in 2002," Brabham said.

"Driving these cars is a new experience for Bryan, Terry and Gunnar and all of them did exceptionally well. Jan and I will not have things our own way this season I am sure Bryan and Terry will be very competitive and will push us hard . . . and that is the way it should be."

The Panoz squad has been working hard on new developments for the LMP-1 which are hoped to be introduced in the near future. Magnussen is looking forward to further improvement as the team prepares for the season opener.

"The car was very strong at Sebring, but we still have a lot more to come," Magnussen said.

"The guys have been spending a lot of time on aerodynamic improvements which we are hoping to test in the near future. Our car was competitive last year, but you can't afford to rest on your laurels everybody is very motivated to make further improvements and really give Audi a real run for the championship."

January 17,2002 Barbour/Multimatic Readying Their P900's

The new LMP900 entrant for the American Le Mans Series 2002 season and 24 Hours of Le Mans, the DBM Racing Team, is working very hard to be competitive right from its first outing at the 50th edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring, next March.

The North-American based team, is finishing up all the details of the structure, including an important meeting with the Japanese principals of Mugen, in Tokyo this week.

The first practices for the Panoz-Mugen cars are scheduled for February 18 and 21 at Sebring or Road Atlanta. The tire supplier has not yet been named. The team is also still in negotiations with several major international brand companies for sponsorship.

Larry Holt, Vice-President of Multimatic Inc, the Canadian engineering services company for development of global automotive, is the technical director in this ambitious program. American team manager Dick Barbour and former European Rally champion, Formula One driver and Sports Prototype driver, British Vic Elford, will head up the sports management responsibilities.

The DBM Racing Team is in the unique position of being able to draw on the experience of Panoz, Mugen, Dick Barbour and myself," said Vic Elford. "The Japanese factory has the reputation of taking on the world - and beating them! Add to that Multimatic and you have a world beating team!"

In recent years, Elford was the coach and mentor of the Venezuelan female driver Milka Duno, and now has the opportunity to continue with his protégé in the powerful LMP 900 cars. I'm totally confident in Milka's ability to take one more step toward the top. I have rarely, if ever, met anyone with the will, the dedication and ability to succeed."

The first three ALMS 2001 drivers in the LMP675 class are confirmed in this new team: Belgian Didier de Radigues, Venezuelan Milka Duno and Canadian John Graham. The names of the others drivers of DBM Racing Team for the Endurance 12 Hour race of Sebring will be released soon.

Belgian Didier de Radigues moves to the top class and he will be the lead driver of the squad. The former GP motorcycle champion won seven races in LMP675 class in 2001 and took the drivers title. Canadian John Graham also has a lot of experience and his third place with three victories in 675 class offers to the new DBM Racing Team a reliability and confidence in this new project with the LMP900 cars.

The third regular driver for 2002 season will be beautiful Venezuelan Milka Duno. In less than two years she completed all the steps in the American Le Mans Series, and now, the 29 year old driver is on the top of the wave. She started in the ALMS GTS division in 2000, in a Dodge Viper of Chamberlain Motorsport and finished third in class at the Adelaide Race of a 1000 Years. In 2001, she signed with Dick Barbour Racing for the LMP675 prototype and finished second in overall drivers position scoring four victories. Now, she will be the first ever woman to compete in the top class of prototypes in ALMS history.

January 16,2002 Gunnar Jeannette Confirmed At Panoz

Young 19-year-old road racing stand-out Gunnar Jeannette has been ear-marked for future stardom by leading American Le Mans Series squad, Panoz Motor Sports.

Panoz has signed the Florida-born Jeannette as official test driver for 2002. The young star will also contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans and may also climb aboard the Panoz LMP-1 for the Sebring 12 Hour and Petit Le Mans events.

The youngest ever finisher at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000, Jeannette has relocated from West Palm Beach in Florida to Gainsville, Georgia to take up his new duties.

In addition to his testing schedule, Jeannette also will serve as an instructor at the Panoz Racing School located at Road Atlanta.

The son of renown historic racing Porsche restorer, Kevin Jeannette, Gunnar made his road racing debut at Road Atlanta in 1999 aboard 911 and 935 historic Porsches.

After making a name for himself aboard machinery that was much older than him, Jeanette stepped up to modern machinery in 2000, teaming up with actor-racer, Paul Newman at the Daytona 24 Hour.

In two trips to the 24 Hour of Le Mans, Jeannette finished on both occasions, finishing 2nd in class and 7th overall last year.

³Gunnar has not only showed tremendous ability but has a unique maturity for somebody so young,² Don Panoz said.

³In his outings in the car so far he has done exceptionally well and we have signed him with an eye to the future. He will be able to learn a great deal from our existing drivers and I am sure he will become a regular member of our team in the not too distant future.

³Being based in Atlanta will give him the perfect opportunity to get plenty of miles in the car.²

Jeannette is eagerly awaiting the chance to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June this time in a car capable of winning the event.

³This is a brilliant opportunity for me and I really can¹t thank Dr Panoz enough,² Jeanette said.

³To go to Le Mans in a front running car that could actually win is stuff that dreams are made of. This is what I have been aiming for, but I never believed the chance would come along so soon this really is such an honor.²

While Jeannette will only contest selected races for Panoz this season, the young protégé will attend all races in the American Le Mans Series with the team.

³This is really exciting for me because I have never had to chance to spend an entire year with a team it has always been odd races here and there,² Jeannette said.

³I am really looking to learn as much as I can. To get to work with guys like David (Brabham), Jan (Magnussen), Bryan (Herta) and Terry (Borcheller) will be a huge boost for my career.²

³I got the chance to test the car before Christmas which was a major bonus in itself. The car felt fantastic and obviously Dr Panoz liked what he saw.²

³I can¹t thank him enough this is the biggest thing that has ever happened in my life.²

Jeannette has joined his team-mates today in a three-day test at Sebring hosted by Michelin this week

January 15,2002 Tuesday Michelin Sebring Test Report

With the 2002 season opener two months away, American Le Mans Series teams began a three-day Michelin tire test today at Sebring International Raceway, with many drivers getting their first look at the newly-paved sections of the famed racing circuit.

Two-time Sebring winner Tom Kristensen drove an Audi R8 in the test, the same car that he and fellow factory driver Rinaldo Capello drove on the ALMS in 2001. The car will be campaigned in 2002 by Florida-based Champion Racing, which was fielding the machine in the test session.

Also on hand was Sascha Maassen, who co-drove to the GT class win at Sebring last year. Maassen was driving a Porsche 911 GT3 RS for Alex Job Racing in the test, the same team he competed for in 2001.

Team Cadillac revealed its new Northstar LMP 02 at a media dinner Monday night, and the car took to the track on Tuesday as part of the Michelin test. Wayne Taylor, Eric Bernard and Emmanuel Collard took turns behind the wheel of the new machine.

Panoz Motor Sports had two of its LMP-1 Prototypes at the test, with longtime drivers David Brabham and Jan Magnussen sharing the #50 machine. New team members Bryan Herta and Terry Borcheller drove the #51.

In the latter half of 2001, part of the Sebring circuit received new asphalt, though the old "airport" parts of the track remained in their original concrete, complete with bumps and dips.

"The bumps are what give Sebring its character," said Taylor, part of the 1996 winning team in the event.

Kristensen, who was part of the overall winning team at Sebring in 1999 and 2000, quickly found the fast way around the 3.7-mile track again.

"Sebring is very special to me," said the Dane. "My first race in America was here in 1999, and to win the first time at Sebring was fantastic. "This is a very challenging track because it has so many different types of corners," he said. "The new pavement has changed it some, but because there are two types of surfaces here, it's still difficult."

The first day of the test started wet after an all-night rain, but the warm Florida sun was out by late morning and drivers were running on a dry track after the lunch break. The test will continue Wednesday and Thursday.

January 15,2002 Panoz Confirm Borcheller and Herta

There will be some added stars and stripes flavor for the leading US-based prototype team in 2002 for the American Le Mans Series - Panoz Motor Sports.

The Braselton, Georgia based squad today announced Americans Bryan Herta and Terry Borcheller will team up aboard one of the team¹s revised LMP-1 prototype machines joining international regulars, Australian David Brabham and Danish driver Jan Magnussen.

"I am really delighted to welcome such a recognized and accomplished road course expert like Bryan Herta to our team," Don Panoz said.

"Bryan is a proven performer and his record both in Champ cars and in the junior formulas is outstanding and he should make a very handy addition to team and it is also fantastic to welcome such a high-profile name to our championship."

"Terry Borcheller has earned his spot with some great performances in the ALMS in the slower classes, but the work he has done so far with the team has been outstanding."

"I think they will make a great combination and having two Americans on the team will really give the crowds something to cheer for."

A two-time winner in CART, Herta is eagerly awaiting the chance to make his sportscar debut and making the transition from Champ cars.

³This is completely different to what I have done in the past and I am really looking forward to the opportunity,² Herta said.

³Don (Panoz) invited me to try the car before Christmas and I really didn¹t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised because the performance of the car was quite a bit higher than I expected.

³The carbon fiber brakes were exceptional and the car was really nice to drive. The other thing that impressed me was the team itself they know how to win and are highly motivated. As a driver, that is all that you can ask of your team.²

Herta has enjoyed a glittering career in American road racing. He is a former winner of the Barber Saab Pro Series (1991) and also clinched the 1993 Indy Lights crown. Making his debut in Champ cars in 1994, Herta¹s Champ car career includes 43 top ten and 19 top five finishes including back-to-back victories at Laguna Seca in 1998 and 99.

The chance to contest the fabled 24 Hours of Le Mans was a key factor in Herta¹s move to the world of sportscars along with the opportunity to do battle on some of America¹s finest road courses.

"Without doubt Le Mans is one of the biggest races in the world and an event that every driver wants to do," Herta said.

"It was something that I have always wanted to do and I never knew when the opportunity would present itself. To have the chance to do it in a front running car like Panoz is a great opportunity."

"To also work with two of the best sportscar drivers in the world like David (Brabham) and Jan (Magnussen) is a great opportunity for me. I have a lot of respect for what those guys have achieved in their careers."

"I hope to be able to learn a great deal from them because this style of racing is very different to what I am used to in Champ cars."

"With four different classes, the traffic situation is going to be a lot more frantic and that is what makes it so great for the race fans. Maintaining a strong pace through the traffic is going to be a real challenge."

"The other exciting factor is the chance to race on some of my favorite tracks like Laguna Seca, Elkhart Lake and Mid-Ohio which I know well from my days in Champ cars."

Herta's team-mate Terry Borcheller has been one of the busiest and most versatile men in American road racing in recent years. His crowning glory was winning the GTS Championship in last year¹s American Le Mans Series earning him the chance to join the Panoz squad for 2002.

"When I first got the chance to try the car it was a bit overwhelming, but once I got out on the track, the car was very comfortable," Borcheller said.

"This is certainly the best opportunity of my career and I am really grateful to Don Panoz for the opportunity. I believed one day I might get the chance to compete in the prototype class, but I really couldn¹t see how I could make it happen."

"I have driven all sorts of cars in recent years but I really want to make the most of this opportunity."

"The Panoz team are a stellar group of guys and I am really looking forward to teaming up with Bryan (Herta). We actually raced against each other many years ago in Barber Saab and he has had a fantastic career."

"To be in a team with guys like David (Brabham), Jan (Magnussen) and Bryan (Herta) is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me."

"Don Panoz has given me a great opportunity and taken a chance on me and I will be out to repay him."

The Panoz team today began a three-day test at Sebring hosted by Michelin with Brabham, Magnussen, Herta and Borcheller on hand to sample the car.

January 15,2002 Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 Launched

Team Cadillac presented their new Le Mans and ALMS challenger in Sebring, Florida, Monday. The completely new Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 will mark the next step in General Motors' luxury brand's sportscar racing program.

The Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 features all the latest in sportscar technology, both in the mechanical and the aerodynamic domain. The best technological experience and knowledge in sportscars was made available by matching the Brackley, UK, based design team and the Warren, Mich., based GM Racing engineers. The trans-Atlantic team produced the stunning looking car in less than nine months.

Cadillac's third season in the world's top sportscar competition includes a race debut in the 50th Anniversary Sebring 12 Hours on March 16, as well as the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

"Participation at Le Mans and in the American Le Mans Series is a means to connect with luxury customers through a program that demonstrates endurance, durability and technology," said Cadillac's General Manager, Marc LaNeve. "We anticipate considerable improvement over our performance in 2000 and 2001. The past two years have demonstrated that we can endure and also have innovative technology, like the Northstar engine. Now, we're looking to be present on the podium race after race."

Le Mans winning designer Nigel Stroud is Team Cadillac's chief designer and led this new design team. While Stroud and the rest of Team Cadillac were still working with the 2001 car, resources were allocated to begin development of performance packages as early as May of last year.

"It's been a very busy year," said Stroud. "The Cadillac Northstar LMP 02 is completely designed using CAD, which means not a single piece of paper or a pen has been used. The car packs a number of sportscar novelties, but we obviously won't disclose which ones just yet. We spent some 40 days working in the wind tunnel to define the aerodynamics. We also tried a number of very extreme mechanical solutions, but in the end decided to go for a more conventional, yet state-of-the-art package."

As was the case in the previous two years, the Cadillac LMP will be powered by the already legendary Northstar V8 engine. The reliable engine had zero failures through the entire 2001 season and has allowed Team Cadillac to focus on gaining power and improved drivability. "The Northstar engine program has made impressive progress, and we fully expect this steady improvement to continue," said Cadillac LMP Program Manager Jeff Kettman. "Working with our development partners, Ed Keating and his group have produced an extremely reliable engine package. With the enhancements that they are introducing this year, we anticipate further improvements in outright speed while maintaining the reliability and fuel efficiency that are absolutely essential in endurance racing."

Confirming their confidence in the program, Wayne Taylor, Max Angelelli, Eric Bernard and Emmanuel Collard will again lead the Cadillac's attack in Le Mans and selected races of the American Le Mans Series. Third drivers for the Sebring, Le Mans and Petit Le Mans endurance classics will be announced shortly.

Between now and Cadillac's fourth start in La Sarthe (1950, 2000 and 2001), the team will embark on its mostintense test program yet, including numerous test days on several race tracks, as well as further development in the wind tunnel.

The Northstar LMP engine is paired with a new (Xtrac-derived) six-speed sequential gearbox in 2002. Paddles mounted on the steering wheel activate gear changes through a pneumatic shifting mechanism. This system allows the driver to shift gears without moving his hands from the wheel.

"The pneumatic shifter is completely self-contained," said chassis designer Nigel Stroud. "Unlike many hydraulically operated systems, it does not require oil pressure from the engine. Consequently, we believe this air-operated system offers advantages in both reliability and maintenance."

The Cadillac LMP design team explored a variety of imaginative body and chassis layouts before finally selecting a shape that is familiar to road racing fans. "We looked at several concepts that really pushed the limits, but none satisfied all of the requirements for downforce, cooling and packaging simultaneously," Stroud said.

"Advances were made in the construction of the monocoque by using a different method of bonding the two halves together," he continued. "The side-mounted radiators employ water-to-oil heat exchangers to cool the gearbox, which eliminates the aerodynamic penalty of a separate air-to-oil cooler for the transmission. This system also stabilizes the gearbox oil temperature, especially at the beginning of a race when the lubricant is preheated by the engine coolant."

Safety considerations also figured prominently in the design of the Cadillac LMP 02 A Formula 1-style cockpit surrounds the driver while head restraints molded from shock-absorbing foam cradle the helmet's back and sides. An innovative pedal box assembly provides an extra measure of protection for the driver's lower extremities.

The monocoque is the primary survival cell," Stroud explained. "Inside of that is a secondary cell to protect the driver's feet. This 'box within a box' also offers the advantage of a fully adjustable pedal assembly to accommodate different drivers."

The double wishbone suspension employs F1-style cast stainless steel uprights that mount six-piston monoblock brake calipers and carbon fiber discs. The power steering is electronically assisted (electric motor vs. conventional hydraulic motor)

January 9,2002 Champion's New R8 Arrives

Photo Coutersy:Champion
Champion's 2002 ALMS challenger - a 2001-spec Audi R8 - has arrived at our race shops from Audi Sport in Germany. The new car still features the silver and yellow bodywork it raced with late in the 2001 ALMS season, and will test in this livery next week at Sebring during the annual Michelin tests. This is because Champion do not formally take possession of this car until after the Sebring tests, in case anything should happen to the car during the tests.

This particular car was put together from new and spare factory parts on R8 tub #505, which is at full new specification - hence the black roll bar. Champion Technical Director Brad Kettler along with technicians Greg "Wires" Laird and Siggy Hausberger built the car up from scratch at Audi's Ingolstadt headquarters in the weeks before Christmas, with the assistance of Audi Sport technicians. This is the same process used to construct our previous R8 and also the R8 we raced at Le Mans in 2001. Shortly, a truckload of spare bodywork and mechanicals will arrive to complete the package.

Audi factory driver Tom Kristensen will pilot "our" R8 at the Sebring tests, although we also hope to get Andy Wallace some seat time in the new car. Champion will be announcing our driver lineups for the Sebring 12 Hours and full ALMS season during the tests next week, so check back here for all the official news and photos from Sebring. And for those in the south Florida area who may not have had a closeup look at our previous "stars and stripes" R8, the car is currently on display in Champion Audi's new car showroom in Pompano Beach.

More photos available at Champion Site

January 9,2002 Spyker Cars To Enter ALMS

Photo Coutersy:Spyker Cars
Spyker Cars, who has a racing heritage dating back to 1903, intends to enter a car in the GT class in the upcoming American Le Mans Series races at Sebring and Miami.

Spyker Cars, Ltd., of The Netherlands has developed the car known as the C8 Double 12 that it intends to race in the ALMS events and in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Reiter Engineering's racing team will field the car in the American events, though no drivers have yet been named.

Victor R. Muller, Chairman of Spyker Cars, Ltd., unveiled the car at an auto show in Frankfort, Germany. Muller indicated that the factory would field one Le Mans entrant and that Dutch racer Hans Hugenhotz would field a second car. Hugenhotz, a four-time Le Mans entrant, has been testing the race car and has been an ambassador for Spyker.

The C8 Double 12 is powered by a normally-aspirated Spyker V8 engine. The engine is full aluminum with 90-degree block angle.

Spyker named its car the "Double 12" because of records set by Spyker cars in 24-hour runs in 1922. The C8 Double 12 will also be available as a road car.

January 8,2002 First Sebring Spectator In Line

The first spectator is in line for the 50th Sebring 12 Hours. He arrived Monday afternoon, 65 days before the gates open, breaking the previous record by nearly a month. The resident of Highlands County, Fla., will lead the charge when the gates open at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13.

January 8,2002 ALMS Explains Schedule Amendments

The American Le Mans Series has amended the lengths of some of its events for the 2002 season as a result of new input received from series television partners.

The sports car endurance racing series will hold 10 races at 10 different North American venues in the 2002 season, four of which are new to the series.

Events at Sears Point Raceway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Mosport International Raceway and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will be two hours and 45 minutes in length, as will new races on temporary circuits in Miami and Washington, D.C.

Other races will be at Sebring International Raceway (12 hours), Road America (500 miles), Road Atlanta (1,000 miles) and Le Circuit Trois-Rivieres (3 hours). NBC Sports, CBS Sports and SPEED Channel (formerly Speedvision) will televise ALMS events in 2002.

"Every major sport is occasionally called upon by television to make adjustments, and we are no different," said Andy Hall, Director of Media & Communications for the ALMS.

"By making these adjustments, we have assured our fans, participants and sponsors of live, flag-to-flag coverage of our events when they appear on SPEED Channel," he said. "And, our viewers will be able to see more live action in the races that appear on NBC Sports and CBS Sports.

"We're very proud of our 2002 schedule and look forward to starting the season," he said.

The 2002 American Le Mans Series season will open with the 50th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, presented by Dodge, on March 16. SPEED Channel will broadcast live, flag-to-flag coverage.

November 8, 1999-December 21, 2001

December 21,2001 AVR Joins Forces With Genesis Motorsports

American Viperacing and Genesis Motorsports are joining forces for the 2002 campaign in the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona, the American Le Mans Series and the 24 hours of Le Mans.

Team Owner Tom Weickardt states “I felt this was the best direction to take American Viperacing in order to move forward with the program and putting forth the best possible effort in obtaining the ALMS GTS Class Championship for 2002.”

Headed by sportscar veteran driver and owner Rick Fairbanks, Genesis has a long-standing history in sportscar racing. The team is known throughout the industry for their high level of driving talent, racecar preparation, and overall visual presentation of the team and cars.

“Genesis Motorsports and myself are looking forward to our association with American Viperacing. Team Owner Tom Weickardt and I have spoken in the past about trying to do something in 2001, but because of our commitment to Grand Am and BMW, we weren’t able to work it out. I feel that the GTS-R is closer to the spirit of a true GT car, in the sense that they are truly a production-based car, which has been adapted for racing. This has put AVR at somewhat of a disadvantage at times over the past year. However, Tom has committed to making some substantial capital improvements to the cars and I think we have one of the best crews in the business, which will help in the overall competitiveness of the team. I realize that we have a serious learning curve with the Vipers especially taking into consideration the changes being made” remarked Fairbanks.

Fairbanks will be driving the lead #45 AVR Dodge Viper GTS-R throughout the full American Le Mans Series season. He is a strong addition to the driving lineup as evidenced by his three top 10 overall finishes and two podiums in GT class for the 2001 Grand Am season. This comes after a successful 2000 season that included six top five finishes in class and three class wins.

Rick continues “After going to Le Mans this past year, I knew that for 2002 that I wanted to be in the ALMS. They have a great schedule at some of the best racetracks in the world. As a driver, I’ve got some unfinished business at Le Mans that I would like to correct, as our car failed to finish this past year. The Vipers are great cars to run there, so when Tom, who was looking for a little more continuity in his program, was willing to commit to go, I think there was a melding of interests. Then it was only a matter of working out the details.”

The team is keeping its American Viperacing marquee for the upcoming 2002 season. “We’ll be utilizing a few of Tom’s key people from this past season, so hopefully we can overcome the learning curve this new project creates in a quick fashion. The plan is to run the one car at Daytona that had already been committed, while the other car is back in our shop making the improvements. Hopefully, we will have most of them made prior to Sebring for both cars” commented Fairbanks.

December 20,2001 2002 Race Lengths Shortened

Race lengths/times for the 2002 American Le Mans Series will be as follows:

Sebring -12 hours
Miami - 2 hours, 45 minutes (Was 3 Hrs.)
Sears - 2 hours, 45 minutes(Was 4 Hrs.)
Mid-Ohio - 2 hours, 45 minutes(Was 4 Hrs.)
Road America - 500 miles
Washington - 2 hours, 45 minutes (Was 3 Hrs.)
Trois-Rivieres - 3 hours
Mosport - 2 hours, 45 minutes(Was 4 Hrs.)
Laguna Seca - 2 hours, 45 minutes(Was 4 Hrs.)
Petit Le Mans - 1,000 miles or 10 hours

December 19,2001 ELMS Canceled

The European Le Mans Series, which was formed prior to the 2001 season, will not continue, series organizers have announced.

"It is with regret and sadness that we must make this announcement," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group.

"We have been working diligently over the last several months in an attempt to confirm the continuation of the series," he said. "But establishing a new professional sports car racing series in an already-fragmented environment was a tremendous challenge.

"In addition, the state of the global economy following the events of September 11 has made an already-difficult task even more challenging," Atherton said. "At the same time, the major auto manufacturers and suppliers that are involved in Le Mans Series sports car racing made it clear that they wanted us to focus our efforts on the North American market."

The ELMS, formed as a sister series to the American Le Mans Series, held five sports car endurance races in five European countries in the 2001 season. Stefan Johansson was the series LMP 900 class champion.

Atherton praised the efforts of John Macdonald, ELMS Executive Director.

"We could not have had the inaugural season we had without the dedication and hard work of John Macdonald and his staff," said Atherton. "We also owe a big thank you to the racing teams that supported the series, and to the racing circuits and promoters that hosted the events."

Atherton indicated that he expected the Panoz Motor Sports Group would be involved in staging European events at some point in the future.

December 18,2001 DBR To Run Panoz LMP 07-Mugens

Dick Barbour Motorsports is pleased to announce their plans for the 2002 American LeMans Series including the 24 Hours of LeMans, with today's launch of their two car Panoz Mugen 07 team. As stated by Team Principal Dick Barbour : "It is every team's dream to compete for an overall championship and we have worked very hard the past couple of years and now feel that we are ready and able to move to LMP 900. We are delighted that Mugen has chosen Dick Barbour Motorsports and I am confident that the beautiful Panoz 07 will be a very competitive car. Our technical partnership with Multimatic will give us the support that we need to challenge the factory efforts. This is a multi year program, and we know that we will be competing with the best and we are eager for the challenge"

Satoshi Katsumata, Executive Director and Assistant General Manager, Motorsports Business Dept. of Mugen stated that: "we look forward to being involved in the American LeMans Series, and with our new sports car engine, we need to be with a strong team capable of winning, we know with Dick Barbour we can achieve strong results".

Don Panoz, founder of Panoz Motorsports commented: "It is an honor to participate in the program, with a premier motor manufacture like Mugen and have representation by a professional team like Dick Barbour".

"Multimatic is very proud that Dick Barbour has chosen to work with us again and in our expanded role we look forward to working with both Panoz and Mugen " said Larry Holt, Vice President of Multimatic.

Dick Barbour has also confirmed that 2 of his 2001 drivers will be returning for the upcoming season, lead by 2001 LMP 675 Champion Didier de Radigues and John Graham. Mr Luis Arevalo will continue the commercial support of Dick Barbour Motorsport.

December 12,2001 Race of Americas Kick Off

The principals of Raceworks, Inc. Peter J. Yanowitch, Willy A. Bermello, and Emerson Fittipaldi hosted a "kick-off" luncheon on Wednesday, December 12, 2001 in Miami’s Bayfront Park to mark the official 143-day count down to the Grand Prix of the Americas, a high voltage street race slated for the streets of downtown Miami on April 5-7, 2002.

The Grand Prix of the Americas will feature several race series over a three-day weekend and will attract a projected 50,000 to 75,000 local and international spectators to downtown Miami.

The luncheon was held in a tent in Bayfront Park, the site of the event, and featured prominent auto racing personalities including Derek Bell, winner of the 1985 Grand Prix of Miami, Raul Boesel, winner of the 1991 Grand Prix of Miami, and Andy Pilgrim, GTS class winner for the past two years in Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

The official Grand Prix of the Americas logo, designed by Coconut Grove architectural and engineering firm Bermello Ajamil & Partners, was unveiled at the event.

The entrance to the luncheon tent was lined with racing cars including a Champion Racing Audi R8, a Porsche 911 GT3 RS and a Porsche 962 Prototype.

Peter J. Yanowitch, President & Founder of Raceworks LLC, stated, "This event will attract thousands of tourists, race participants, sports enthusiasts, and the international press who will patronize the local hotels and restaurants generating an economic impact in excess of $25 million for the City of Miami.”

"We will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the original Downtown race by adding more entertainment activities that will appeal to a wider audience", said Willy A. Bermello, Principal of Raceworks LLC.

Famed championship driver and race promoter Emerson Fittipaldi, who recently joined the Raceworks team, said: "I have had a long-standing love affair with Miami. It is the perfect location for auto racing and I am very excited to be part of the return of racing to Downtown Miami."

Race activities will commence on Friday, April 5 with practice and qualifying activities for each of the series. The Trans Am Series race is scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, April 6. The main racing event -- the American Le Mans Series -- will be on Sunday afternoon. This event will be televised nationally on CBS and internationally on Eurosports, as well as via the Internet.

Raceworks, founded by Miami motorsports industry attorney Peter J. Yanowitch and Miami architect and developer Willy A. Bermello, secured the exclusive rights to stage an American LeMans Series professional motorsports race in the streets of Downtown Miami.

December 10,2001 American Viperacing Looses One Of It's Own Today

Early this morning Team Owner Tom Weickardt's son Justin lost his fight with Cystic Fibrosis. Just prior to the first race of the 2001 season at Texas, Justin had surgery to replace both lungs, and therefore we had 'Get Well Justin' on our windscreens for both Texas and Sebring.

American Viperacing dedicated the 2001 season to Tom's son in hopes he would get well by way of the new lungs. Justin was with the team for the first time all year at the Petit Le Mans practice sessions, and shortly after qualifying felt ill. We had to take him that evening to the Alabama state line so the emergency crews could pick him up there and take him back to the University of Alabama-Birminham where he had the surgery and was being cared for.

Justin's body just never fully took to the new lungs, and he had to be put in an induced coma and put on a respirator, and has been so since Oct. 6th. Justin never had the opportunity to see his father race live as he had so wanted. He did, however, have the opportunity to view a few of the races from his hospital bed, but never in person.

Our best wishes go out to Tom and the Weickardt family. Godspeed Justin.

December 7,2001 Oliver Gavin Signs With Corvette For Endurance Events

Oliver Gavin has signed on with Corvette Racing for four endurance races in 2002. Gavin will contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans and three American Le Mans Series races for.

Gavin, replaces Scott Pruett, who filled in mid-season last year after driver Chris Kneifel accepted the position of chief steward for CART. In addition to Le Mans, Gavin will compete at Sebring in March, at Road America in July and in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October.

"Olly brings a wealth of experience gained in some of the roadracing world's most competitive series to our stable of drivers," said Doug Fehan, program manager for Corvette Racing. "He has the balance of skills and experience that will compliment those of our other drivers as we defend our ALMS manufacturers' championship and look to repeat as GTS class winners at Le Mans."

"I'm delighted to join Ron (Fellows), Johnny (O'Connell), Andy (Pilgrim), Kelly (Collins) and Franck (Freon) to defend the C5-R's titles at Le Mans and in the ALMS," said Gavin. "The Corvette is a legend -- a thoroughbred -- and the chance to drive it and prove myself with these champions is an incredible honor."

"Corvette is eager to get back on the track after such a dominant season last year," said Rick Baldick, Corvette brand manager. "Corvette's role as the reigning GTS champion for both the ALMS and Le Mans reinforces its role as America's performance icon for Chevrolet and General Motors. Oliver's experience and competitiveness will be a great asset to us."

Gavin joins Corvette Racing as the team begins its preparations for the 2002 ALMS season, which starts with the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 13. The cadre of C5-R drivers will participate in a number of testing sessions prior to the Florida endurance event, then continue to work their way through the 10-event ALMS calendar, plus compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

December 6,2001 Park Place Saleen Commits To ALMS Season

Photo Courtesy:Grand-Am
Park Place Racing has started putting the pieces together for the 2002 race season and is announcing two of its major decisions.

The #05 Park Place Racing Saleen S7R will return to the American Le Mans series to run the full 2002 season in the GTS class. Park Place made their ALMS debut earlier this year when they competed at the Petit Le Mans.

"There were several determining factors that helped make the decision to go to ALMS," veteran Park Place driver Chris Bingham said. "We are really looking forward to competing the entire season next season. Between the other Saleens and the Corvettes, the competition in this series is going to be great for us. Not to mention ALMS is really where our sponsors want to be."

Bingham, the 2001 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series GTS Class Champion, will return to the team next season. Bingham will be joined by his new teammate, Peter MacLeod.

MacLeod, is a 31-year-old, seasoned road racer who has competed in the Kool Toyota Atlantic Championship, Pro FF 2000, Barber Dodge Pro Series and the Formula Dodge Championship Series. In addition, he was a test and development driver for Team Medlin Racing on the PPG Indy Lights circuit.

"Peter is a great addition to our team," Bingham said. "We recently tested at Button Willow and we had close lap times. The team thinks we will be a good match in the car."

The team is still seeking a third driver for seven of the events on the ALMS circuit.

Yokohama Tires will be back with the team for 2002. Following a stellar year in 2001, the team feels that Yokohama is the best package. "We worked all season last year to develop a tire specifically for this car and after recently testing other tire manufacturers we feel Yokohama still has the edge", said Chris. "I’m excited to be back with Yokohama for the ALMS season."

Another addition to the Park Place team is a new endorsement deal with Alpine Stars. The company will supply race clothing to the team. A familiar sponsor to the Saleen team, Gatorz Eyewear, will return as a sponsor in 2002.

December 4,2001 MG/Lola Eclipses 2001 Audi Pole Time In Test

Jonny Kane finished up a two day test in the MG/Lola LMP675 at Sebring this afternoon. After completing 150 trouble-free laps in two days, Kane's best lap (1m48.5s) was .6 sec. faster than Emanuele Pirro's 2001 pole time. Chief engineer Frank Dernie said: "I'm absolutely thrilled."

At this time the team says it does not have the budget to run any other races other than Le Mans. The test was done strictly for durability testing and to give perspective customers a chance to see the cars. Several drivers from other teams put in evaluation runs.

December 3,2001 MG/Lola LMP675 Testing At Sebring

The MG/Lola LMP675 was at Sebring today for "durability testing". MG factory driver Johnny Kane turned a best lap of 1:49.7. Check out Fast Details for photos and info. from the test.

November 28,2001 Lister LMP Delayed; Debut At 2002 Petit

The long awaited Lister LMP will not debut until the Petit Le Mans next October.

The prototype, which has been designed by Andy Thorby (Panoz LMP-07), had been scheduled for an encore at Le Mans next year, but will now look to 2003.

No decision has been made on which engine will power the car but development is now being handled by former Hendrick Motorsport man Rob Benson. Benson worked with engines that powered Jeff Gordons cars and was also involved in the development of the Corvette C5-R powerplant, which he would like to install in the new Lister.

The prototype is still in the wind tunnel, and Lawrence Pearce says that he does not want the pressure. "My priorities are to win the FIA GT and the British GT Championships. We'll run the new car at the Petit Le Mans, then we will be able to develop it for Le Mans in 2003." Former FIA GT Champion Jamie Campbell-Walter is to lead the driving line-up."

November 20,2001 Corvette Testing

Speedvision reports that Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell and Andy Pilgrim were on hand at Sebring Tuesday to test the latest developments on the Corvette C5-Rs.

Aero changes included a revised undertray, new engine air intakes located lower on the nose of the car to take advantage of the higher-pressure air and smaller rear-view mirrors for less drag.

Development continues on the new Bosch engine management system that has been in use since Le Mans. GM race engineer John Rice explained the advantages the Bosch system gives to the 7.0-liter LS1 engines.

"This system has moved us much closer to the 'edge of the envelope' of performance," he said. "It's allowed us to run a high compression ratio for more horsepower, plus our torque figures are much better. In addition, it will let us tune each cylinder individually."

A majority of the test centered around tire testing. Goodyear has come up with new designs for the team to consider.

"Goodyear has made a lot of progress in designs and compounds, and we're really excited to see the outcome," said Corvette program manger Doug Fehan.

"Our intention is to run for the ALMS Triple Crown again next year," Fehan said. "We plan on contesting all the North American rounds of the series, plus Le Mans, but our plans right now for the 24 Hours of Daytona are uncertain."

When asked about his driver line-up for 2002, Fehan said, "At this point I have no one signed, but it's my intention to have all my guys back next year."

The team will wrap up its pre-Thanksgiving test on Wednesday.

November 16,2001 DBR Teaming Up With Multimatic Inc.

Photo Courtesy:ALMS & Gary Dodds
With the start of the 2002 American LeMans Series season only 125 days away, Dick Barbour Racing has entered into an agreement with Multimatic, Inc. that includes the Canadian engineering group as a technical partner.

“As we continue to compete head-on with the factory teams, it is essential that we increase our technical capabilities and avail ourselves of the expertise that Multimatic possesses. They are an industry leader in suspension systems design and we are confident that this arrangement will serve to significantly strengthen our team”, said team principal, Dick Barbour.

Multimatic Vice President, Larry Holt, stated, “We have enjoyed our success with Dick Barbour Racing at the end of the 2001 ALMS season and we look forward to our expanded role and being part of Dick’s third consecutive championship”.

Dick Barbour Racing is currently in the process of reviewing chassis’ and engine options for the upcoming season, with an announcement expected shortly.

The ALMS season will open at Sebring on March 16th, and the Dick Barbour Racing team will be looking to gain victory # 5 in the “50th Anniversary of the 12 Hours of Sebring”, America’s greatest road race.

November 15,2001 Reynard 02S Update

The new 02S sports racing car from Reynard has been designed with optimum efficiency and high level performance as the two main goals, with supplier selection being a critical factor in achieving these goals. Following the success of the 01Q this year, the design team has been monitoring the development of the 675 opportunities and recognised the fundamentals required to produce a competitive car for this category. A comprehensive aerodynamics programme has defined a very efficient body, with the benchmarks of performance already noted from the company’s Sportscar experience and clearly defined minimum targets have been set using this knowledge.

The chassis has been designed to accommodate the current LMP675 customer engines available, with the two basic configurations being V8 and 4-cylinder turbo. The construction of the carbon composite tub has safety features similar to a Formula single seater car, except that it is sufficiently wide to accept two seats side by side. The fuel cell is behind the driver within a safety structure and is filled via a twin dry break coupling on the right hand side of the car. The chassis roll over and crash protection meets the requirements for both the 900 and 675 classes.

Reynard has teamed up with a strong list of suppliers in the production of the new car, with Ricardo, manufacturer of the Championship winning Audis transmission, providing the gearbox for the 02S, which features an integrated pneumatic paddle shift system as standard. The magnesium alloy case envelops a bespoke Transverse 2 Shaft layout with gears ahead of the differential unit and incorporates the oil tank in the bell housing. Ricardo has proven success in endurance racing and has an enviable customer support programme, which includes Ricardo training for technicians and a liaison engineer assigned to customers for their initial testing programmes.

In addition to the selection of Ricardo for the transmission, Reynard has chosen a first class roster of other companies for the project including: Oz supplying bespoke wheels; brake callipers, carbon discs and original carbon clutch from AP, Dynamics providing dampers, together with customer support and servicing, and Pi supplying the Delta data acquisition system with steering wheel dash display.

In its design, Reynard has taken a no-compromises approach and this is particularly evident in the structure, with a comprehensive analysis undertaken to optimise weight and stiffness, to be validated with static testing, and also in safety. The car has been crash tested to LMP900 specification, incorporates FIA specification driver head protection, and features a raised floor and nosebox, together with side impact protection.

Will Phillips, 02S Chief Designer at Reynard Motorsport explains the philosophy of the new car, saying, “We’ve taken a clean sheet of paper for this new car and set out to optimise all the essential elements of a light, fuel efficient Sportscar, paying particular attention to the aerodynamics, mechanical parts and cost. The resultant design offers enormous potential as a 675 customer car. We’ve taken into account all the other important factors, particularly in areas such as day-to-day running by the team, when the customers’ mechanics need to be able to work on the car easily and successfully, replacing parts and servicing it efficiently. Of course we’ve also addressed the safety issues and given ourselves high standards of crash testing to meet.”

“The next step for us, once we’ve completed our wind tunnel programme,” adds Phillips, “is to get our first car on track - then we can start testing. I’m very excited by this new car and I’m looking forward to seeing the fruition of many peoples work come together over the next few months.”

November 13,2001 Mugen Makes Official Engine Announcement

Mugen will enter sports car racing in 2002 with a new type of racing engine that it has been developing.

The MF408S will be a four litre V8 engine which Mugen has designed for sports car racing and has equipped with a number of technologies developed through Mugen's long involvement in racing.

Mugen is currently negotiating with several sports car racing teams for engine supplying. The company said that it will supply engines to any team in any racing series as long as there is a demand and that it has no plans of running a "works" team.

"Mugen has a confidence that our engine will be very competitive and able to win races against the competitors," said Hirotoshi Honda, president of Mugen Co. Ltd.

FULL TECH SPEC :

Engine name:MF408S
Engine Type:90 Degree 8 Cylinder
Displacement:4,000cc
Max Power:440Kw over / 9,500rpm
Max Torque:520N.m / 7,500rpm
Restrictor Size:33.4mm ~ 2 or 46.8mm ~ 1@
Ignition Type:Direct Injection
ECU System:EFI-Technology
CDI System:EFI-Technology
Clutch Type & Size:Carbon 5.5inch 4plate
Maintenance Interval:3,000Km over (5,000Km over at Le-Mans 24h)
Length:559mm (not include fly wheel)
Height:577mm (not include fly wheel)
Width:720mm
Weight:131Kg
Crank Height:92mm

November 13,2001 Team Bucknum Going Testing

Team Bucknum and their Pilbeam MP84 are turning their attention to off-season testing and practice. Although not confirmed yet, the team plans to test at Phoenix International Raceway in late November or early December. Plans for 2002 include a two-car, six-driver effort. So far, the two drivers officially named for next season are Jeff Bucknum and Chris McMurry. They plan to start with 50th Running of the 12 Hours of Sebring in March although the Rolex 24 is being considered.

Team Bucknum competed in a few ALMS and Grand-Am events near the end of the season including the Daytona Finale.

“That’s why we opted to run a few races in 2001 before we run an entire season in 2002,” Bucknum adds. “We want to get the kinks worked out now, rather than when we’re racing for points and championship.”

November 13,2001 Said Feeling Great

Boris Said is feeling great and said he is "100 percent" after suffering a minor skull fracture in a testing crash on October 18.

Known for his colorful quips, Said described the two-week period after the accident as "like having a tequila hangover," but said he's recovered and is ready to go racing again.

Said was testing a Panoz LMP-1 Prototype at Road Atlanta when he crashed in turn 10. He exited the car on his own and was held overnight in a local hospital, then released early the next day.

November 7,2001 Partial Program Still Possible For Herbert

Johnny Herbert still could possibly do a couple of races in 2002 with the Champion Audi R8.

Herbert, who is currently trying to lock up a ride in the IRL, has been in talks with Champion Team owner Dave Maraj about a partial program.

"I hope I can squeeze him into the line-up. Hopefully he'll be able to do Sebring and Road Atlanta." says Maraj

November 7,2001 Privateers Collect Purse And Point Fund Money

Privateer racing teams in the American Le Mans Series collected more than $1.7 million in purse and point fund money during the recently-completed 2001 season as part of the series' philosophy of rewarding the participation of non-factory supported teams.

The American Le Mans Series has always had a policy of not paying race purse money to racing teams supported by auto manufacturers. The series has also administered a special point fund for privateer teams. Since its inception in 1999, the ALMS has paid more than $5.6 million to privateers. In the eight events held during the 2001 season, privateer teams received nearly $800,000 in purse money, and more than $1 million was paid to 13 teams through the series' Privateer Point Fund at the end of the season.

"We love the factory teams and welcome their participation," said Don Panoz, Founder of the American Le Mans Series. "But it is the privately-entered teams that are the backbone of the American Le Mans Series. The importance of their participation cannot be overstated, and it has been our stance since Day One of this series to make them feel welcome and reward their support financially. We plan to continue that in 2002 and beyond."

A percentage of each race purse goes into the Privateer Point Fund as does any prize money not paid in an individual race, including money that would have been paid to factory teams. The fund is cumulative, and a formula and point system are used to determine the amount received by each eligible team at the end of the season.

Teams that received awards from the Privateer Point Fund for the 2001 season include:
Prototype Technology Group (GT cars #6 and 10)
Roock-KnightHawk Racing (LMP 675 car #11)
Dick Barbour Racing (GT car #15)
Alex Job Racing (GT cars #22 and 23)
Konrad Team Saleen (GTS car #26)
Petersen Motorsports (GT car #30)
Champion Racing (LMP 900 car #38)
American Viperacing (GTS cars #44 and45)
Seikel Motorsport (GT car #52)
Kyser Racing (GT car #69)

November 2,2001 Saleen And Pirelli Continue Relationship In 2002

Pirelli Tires announced today at the 2001 SEMA Show that it will be renewing Its tire and marketing relationship wlth Saleen/Allen Speedlab for the 2002 ALMS.

”We are truly excited to be back racing in North America with Saleen,” commented Francesco, Gori worldwide president of Pirelli Tires. “ALMS is steadily becoming the premier sports car racing series in the world and the Saleen S7R has definitely proven to be the finest supercar in GT racing. We're looking forward to celebrating many more podiums with Saleen, especially in the key endurance races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

“Last year was certainly a water mark year for Saleen and the S7R,” added Steve Saleen, founder and president of the Irvine, Calif.-based company. “But we’re actually looking forward to an even more exciting season this coming year. We anticpate that Pirelli’s technical resources in development and testing will provide a competitive edge to our race program that we didn’t have lesl year.”

Saleen will focus on a full factory assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as key endurance racec. Besides Saleen, Pirelli will offer its Iatest P Zero racing slicks to Saleen S7R customer teams, as well as other GTS and GT cars in the ALMS and the FIA-GT.

November 1,2001 Reynard 02S-P675

Reynard Motorsport has today confirmed the introduction of a new Sportscar for 2002. The Reynard 02S-P675 sports racing car is being developed for Sportscar Series on both sides of the Atlantic including the American Le Mans Series, FIA Sportscar Championship and Le Mans 24 Hours. The first car is due to be out testing in early December in preparation for the 2002 season.

This new Reynard Sportscar is a clean sheet design from the Championship winning constructor. The first Reynard Sportscar was built in 1999 for the 2000 season and since this time the company has been developing its 2KQ model, with the 2KQ-LM and the 01Q following its introduction. The 2002 car is an evolution of knowledge, but it is an all-new design from a vibrant young design team who have used their experience from the earlier models to develop this exciting Reynard car.

The move to the lighter, 675 class of Sportscar with this new Reynard is a strategic decision for the company. This sector offers scope for manufacturer designed customer entries, with the company focusing on designing a car that can be cost effective as well as highly competitive, to attract racers interested in participating in Sportscar series in the USA and Europe, at an affordable cost.

"We've been working on this project for around two years now," says Mark Smithson, Managing Director, Reynard Motorsport. "We've carefully evaluated the demands of this sector and the opportunities that exist for us as a volume racecar producer, and believe that the 675 class is the way forward for us. We've put together a great design and development team and they're putting a tremendous effort into the fundamentals of the car and ensuring that we'll be introducing a strong product. We'll also be taking our research and development work through to the track with a commitment to a testing programme designed to validate performance and endurance."

"Reynard's strengths lie with the quality of its people, the high standards of production that we achieve and the application of cutting edge technology in the processes we use in manufacturing. This new car will reflect our strengths and build on over 27 years of race car production experience to produce a quality product that we believe will be another Championship winner. We've had plenty of interest from the industry and we're confident that this will be a prime option for teams and drivers looking at the 675 class."

The new car is close to completion and has undergone an in-depth aerodynamics research programme. The design approach seeks to optimise the aero package with a single roll hoop and a design that offers a very low drag, high downforce configuration in its standard, delivered form, which is appropriate to the majority of the circuits used in Sportscar series, and with a ultra-low drag package for the specific demands of tracks such as Le Mans.

October 31,2001 Malaysia Officially Cancelled

The Le Mans Series Race of Champions, scheduled for Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit January 11-13, has been officially canceled.

The event was originally scheduled for Nov. 9-11, 2001, but was postponed to the January date after the tragic events of Sept. 11 in the United States.

The six-hour sports car endurance race was to have included drivers and racing teams from both the American and European Le Mans Series.

"The ongoing unrest in the world as a result of what happened on September 11 gave us no choice but to cancel the event," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group.

"We were all looking forward to holding a spectacular event in Malaysia, and regret having to disappoint those who had bought tickets or had planned to attend," he said.

What had been scheduled to be the second annual Le Mans Series Race of Champions in Malaysia on Nov. 1-3, 2002, will now become the inaugural event.

"All of the energy and effort that was being focused on the January event will now turn to the November, 2002, Le Mans Series Race of Champions," said Atherton.

"We are obviously very disappointed to have to make this decision, but the global political and financial climate has changed dramatically in the past few months," said Automobili Motorsports Chairman, Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib.

"After originally postponing the race, we were hopeful the situation may have become calmer, but this does not appear to be the case," he said.

"This is a very difficult decision for the organizing team, but we are determined to push on. I am sure that everyone will be very understanding about our predicament. Automobili remain committed to bringing the stars and cars from the American and European Le Mans Series to Malaysia and we now look forward to staging our inaugural event in November next year," he said.

Automobili Motorsports is giving ticket holders an option of receiving a refund or having the purchase transferred to the November, 2002, event.

October 19,2001 Said Released From Hospital

Boris Said was released from a Georgia hospital this morning after suffering a minor skull fracture in a testing accident yesterday at Road Atlanta.

Said was held overnight for observation at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Ga.

Said, 39, from Carlsbad, Calif., was driving a Panoz LMP-1 Prototype when the car crashed in turn 11 of the Road Atlanta track. He exited the car on his own and was awake and alert when transported to the hospital.

October 18,2001 Said Injured Testing Panoz

Boris Said was hospitalized Thursday following a testing accident in an American Le Mans Series car at Road Atlanta.

Said, 39, suffered a minor skull fracture when the Panoz LMP-1 Prototype he was driving crashed in turn 11 of the circuit. He climbed from the car on his own and was awake and alert when transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Ga. Said was to be held overnight for observation.

October 10,2001 ALMS Final Point Standings

LMP900 Drivers
(wins in parentheses)

1. Emanuele Pirro (3) 202
2. Frank Biela (3) 198
3. Rinaldo Capello (3) 175
4. Tom Kristensen (2) 161
5. Jan Magnussen (2) 159
6. Andy Wallace 153
7. David Brabham (2) 145
8. Johnny Herbert 113
9. Stefan Johansson 89
10. Christophe Tinseau 83

LMP900 Manufacturers

1. Audi (6) 206
2. Panoz (2) 162
3. Cadillac 86
4. Lola 73
5. Riley & Scott 71

LMP900 Tire Manufacturers

1. Michelin (8) 210
2. Goodyear 110

LMP675 Drivers

1. Didier de Radigues (5) 180
2. Milka Duno (4) 126
3. John Graham (3) 101
4. Steven Knight (1) 90
5. Claudia Huertgen 81
6. Bruno Lambert (2) 75
7. Mel Hawkins 64
8. Scott Maxwell (1) 51
9. Ben Devlin 26
Jason Workman 26
Andrew Davis 26

LMP675 Manufacturers

1. Lola (2) 182
2. Reynard (6) 180
3. Pilbeam 39

LMP675 Engine Manufacturers

1. Nissan (2) 182
2. Judd (6) 180
3. Volkswagen 19

LMP675 Tire Manufacturers

1. Avon (2) 186
2. Goodyear (6) 180
3. Michelin 19

GTS

1. Terry Borcheller (2) 187
2. Franz Konrad (2) 184
3. Ron Fellows (5) 171
4. Johnny O'Connell (5) 170
5. Andy Pilgrim (1) 153
Kelly Collins (1) 153
7. Tom Weickardt 123
8. Shane Lewis 87
9. Oliver Gavin (1) 74
10. Jeff Altenburg 60

GTS Manufacturers

1. Chevrolet (6) 202
2. Saleen (2) 184
3. DaimlerChrysler 156
4. Ferrari 18

GTS Tire Manufacturers

1. Goodyear (7) 210
2. Dunlop (1) 180
3. Michelin 24
4. Yokohama 22

GT Drivers

1. Jorg Muller (4) 191
2. JJ Lehto (4) 186
3. Sascha Maassen (2) 177
4. Lucas Luhr (2) 176
5. Boris Said (2) 169
6. Dirk Muller 164
7. Fredrik Ekblom 159
8. Hans Stuck (2) 158
9. Randy Pobst 148
Christian Menzel 148

GT Manufacturers

1. BMW (6) 204
2. Porsche (2) 180
3. Callaway 22
4. Chevrolet 11

GT Tire Manufacturers

1. Michelin (6) 206
2. Yokohama (2) 170
3. Dunlop 105
4. Goodyear 24

October 9,2001 Pirro Honored

Italy's Emanuele Pirro was the star of the evening Sunday night as the American Le Mans Series concluded its 2001 season with a lavish awards ceremony at the Chateau Elan.

Pirro, driver of the Audi R8 for Audi Sport North America, was honored as the 2001 American Le Mans Series champion in the headlining LMP 900 class. He received a championship trophy and ring from series founder Don Panoz.

"I love racing in America," said Pirro during his acceptance remarks, addressing an audience of 500 who attended the banquet. "I've met so many wonderful people and made so many friends. I didn't know what to expect when I came here last year."

During his remarks, Pirro asked co-driver Frank Biela to join him onstage. Biela finished second in the championship standings, only a few points behind Pirro. "I'm 50 percent of the championship, and he is the other 50 percent," said Pirro of Biela.

General Motors executive Gary Claudio was the surprised recipient of the American Le Mans Series "From the Fans" award, presented by Panoz. The award was voted to Claudio by fans of the series for his contribution to sports car racing through the development of the Corvette racing program in the ALMS. In accepting, Claudio asked Corvette project manager Doug Fehan to join him onstage and share the award.

Also honored during the banquet were the other class driving champions for the series in 2001, including LMP 675 champion Didier de Radigues, who drove for Dick Barbour Racing in a Reynard 01Q-Judd; GTS champion Terry Borcheller, who drove for Konrad Team Saleen in a Saleen S7R; and GT champion Jorg Muller, driver for BMW Motorsport in a BMW M3 GTR.

Manufacturer championships were won by Audi in the LMP 900 class, Lola-Nissan in the LMP 675 class, Chevrolet in the GTS class and BMW in the GT class. Team championships were won by Audi Sport North America in LMP 900, Dick Barbour Racing in LMP 675, Corvette Racing in GTS and BMW Motorsport in GT.

Le Mans and Sportscar Racer magazine presented "Personality of the Year" awards in all four classes, with Jan Magnussen winning for LMP 900, de Radigues for LMP 675, Johnny O'Connell for GTS and JJ Lehto and Muller sharing the GT award.

Tire manufacturer championships were presented to Michelin for both LMP 900 and GT, Goodyear for GTS and Avon for LMP 675.

Mechanic of the Year awards were presented to the lead mechanic on each team championship winner, including Jurgen Hoerdt from Audi Sport North America, Tim Mundy from Dick Barbour Racing, Bill DeLong from Corvette Racing and Wolfgang Egger from BMW Motorsport.

Also recognized during the evening were the top six drivers from the Panoz GT Pro Series, which accompanied the ALMS at several events during the season. The top three in both the GTS and GT classes were recognized, including GTS champion Gary Curtis and GT titlist Barry Davison.

Bob Varsha of the Speedvision Television Network was Master of Ceremonies for the event. Each champion driver and each category of awards was introduced by a music video that included scenes from the 2001 season. There was also a special video in honor of drivers ALMS drivers Bob Wollek and Michele Alboreto, who died during the 2001 season.

October 7,2001 Cadillac Announces 2002 Northstar LMP

Even as the engines are cooling and the drivers resting after 10 hours of racing in the season finale of the 2001 American Le Mans Series at Road Atlanta, Team Cadillac is already gearing up for the start of the next racing season. An all-new Cadillac Northstar Le Mans Prototype (LMP) was presented to the media today and will take to the track as Cadillac celebrates its centennial in 2002.

In the first two years of the LMP effort, Team Cadillac laid the foundation for its first comprehensive motorsports program in international endurance racing. Now the team is assembling the essential elements for its 2002 campaign: an aerodynamic new chassis, an efficient and reliable powertrain, and a culture that is focused on performance.

“Constructing an entirely new car and creating a totally new team to campaign it is a complex undertaking,” said Herb Fishel, GM Racing Executive Director. “We are competing against teams that have decades of experience and deep financial and technical resources. The performance standard has been raised considerably in the two years since Cadillac launched its endurance racing program, but we are quietly confident that the 2002 Cadillac LMP will be a credible contender.”

Designed and fabricated in England, the new chassis will be assembled at Team Cadillac’s U.S. base near Atlanta. Initial testing will take place in the USA.

“We have applied all of the hard lessons we learned in the last two years to the new Cadillac LMP,” said Cadillac Northstar LMP Program Manager Jeff Kettman. “It really is a clean-sheet-of-paper approach.”

The cornerstone of the 2002 Cadillac program is a new carbon fiber chassis design - designed not on blank paper, but on a clean computer screen.

“It is a matter of form following function to make the car as aerodynamically efficient as possible within the framework of the series’ rules,” Kettman explained. “The design of Le Mans Prototypes has changed significantly since the first Cadillac LMP was penned in 1999. Wind tunnel tests of the new aerodynamic package have shown substantial improvements in both lift and drag. We expect these gains to produce an overall improvement in performance while enhancing our ability to tune the Cadillac LMP to track conditions.”

Power for the new Cadillac LMP will come from an updated version of the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter Northstar V8 racing engine. A revised induction system and redesigned cylinder heads will complement the 180-degree crankshaft and upgraded engine management system that were introduced in 2001.

“The Northstar engine program has made impressive progress over the last two seasons, and we fully expect this steady improvement to continue,” said Kettman. “Working with our development partner McLaren Performance Technology, GM Racing Project Engineer Ed Keating and his group have produced an extremely reliable engine package. With the enhancements that will be introduced next year, we anticipate improvements in outright speed while maintaining the reliability and fuel efficiency that are absolutely essential in endurance racing.”

The proven Northstar LMP engine will be paired with a new sequential gearbox. This transmission permits semi-automatic gear changes with paddles mounted on the steering wheel.

“Cadillac’s endurance racing program is a fundamental part of the brand’s aggressive strategy to grow its business internationally and to influence global perception of Cadillac toward technology and performance,” said Cadillac General Manager Mark LaNeve. “Through motor racing, we will be able to accelerate Cadillac’s inclusion into the group of the world’s premier brands.”

Team Cadillac will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third consecutive year and will enter five ALMS races in North America. The 2002 Cadillac LMP will make its competition debut at the 12-hour race in Sebring, Florida on March 16, 2002.

October 5,2001 IMSA Is Back

One of the most recognizable names in the history of American and International auto racing will live again in 2002 and beyond as Professional Sports Car Racing, Inc., (SPORTS CAR) returns to its original name, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). The Clearwater, Fla., organization is the sanctioning body for the highly-acclaimed American Le Mans Series, as well as other road racing series.

The regeneration of the IMSA name is part of a new direction and expansion for the organization. "The IMSA name is immediately recognizable both in the United States and abroad," said Dennis Huth, who became president of Professional Sports Car Racing, Inc., in June. "Through the hard work of the founders of IMSA, road racing enjoyed a great deal of success in the 1970s and 1980s, and the path to the top level of professional endurance racing in the United States became clearly linked to the IMSA brand.

"As our sanctioning body continues its growth, and road racing in America continues its upward trend, it is time for the IMSA name to return to the top level of the sport," he said.

IMSA, founded in 1969 to officiate and organize professional road racing competitions, became Professional Sports Car Racing, Inc., in 1997 during an ownership change. The IMSA Camel GT Series is one of the most well-known series in American racing history. The IMSA GTP and European Group C sports prototypes were the forerunners of today's "Le Mans" prototype category, the premier class of the American Le Mans Series where manufacturers and privateers do battle for top honors.

Huth said that the cars running in the Oct. 6 Audi presents Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta for the American Le Mans Series will be outfitted with new decals carrying a revised IMSA logo with red, white and blue colors, rather than the previous red, white and black.

The newly-renamed International Motor Sports Association (a member of the ACCUS-FIA, the national sporting authority for motorsports in the United States) will continue to work in close consultation with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to organize and conduct "Le Mans Series" races in both North America and internationally.

October 5,2001 ALMS 2002 Schedule

Four exciting new venues, a revived endurance racing format with longer races and a new television partner highlight a 10-event schedule for the 2002 American Le Mans Series season, series officials have announced.

The American Le Mans Series, which features sports car endurance races based on the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans, will be in its fourth season in 2002.

The new venues for the American Le Mans Series in 2002 include one of North America's finest permanent road racing facilities, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., as well as one of its most established and successful street racing events, Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Quebec, Canada. In addition, new events in the key major markets of Washington, D.C., and Miami will be held on temporary racing circuits as part of the series schedule, with the Miami race the rebirth of what was one of the most significant street racing events in the world.

The Miami and Road America events will be televised live in the United States by CBS Sports, the first time that the popular television network will carry American Le Mans Series programming. NBC Sports, which has televised ALMS racing in all three years of the series' existence, will also carry two events, while six will be broadcast by the Speedvision Network, another partner of the series since its inception. International broadcast rights for ALMS races are currently under negotiation.

The series will open and close with its two longest events. The 50th running of the Mobil1 12 Hours at Sebring (Fla.) will open the schedule, with the fifth annual Audi presents Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta to close the season. The Petit Le Mans runs for 1,000 miles or 10 hours, whichever comes first.

The series will return to three other traditional road racing circuits which have been a part of the series since it began in 1999, including Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.; Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ont., Canada; and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. In addition, the series will return to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, which hosted its first ALMS race in 2001.

A new emphasis will be placed on an endurance racing format for 2002, with four-hour races at Sears Point, Mid-Ohio, Mosport and Laguna Seca. This format replaces the two-hour, 45-minute sprint races that had been the standard length for many ALMS events. The new event at Road America will be a distance event of 500 miles, while the new Miami, Washington, D.C., and Trois-Rivieres races will be three hours in length.

"We couldn't be more pleased with the tracks and promoters that we have forged relationships with for the 2002 season," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group. "The combination of world-class venues, major markets and an outstanding television package makes this one of the finest schedules and best values in motorsports," he said. "In three short years, the American Le Mans Series has evolved into a top property for promoters, manufacturers, competitors and, most importantly, for fans."

In addition to the 10 North American races which will determine the American Le Mans Series championships, Le Mans Series racing will also be seen in Asia as the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia hosts the Le Mans Series Race of Champions in November. The six-hour race will be a special invitational event.

The American Le Mans Series will continue its relationship with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The series schedule will include a gap of five weeks in May and June to allow racing teams to compete at Le Mans, which will be held June 15-16.

All ALMS races in 2002 will be officiated and sanctioned by IMSA (formerly known as Professional Sports Car Racing), which has sanctioned the series since its inception.

The 2002 American Le Mans Series schedule, showing date, location, race length and television network:

March 16 -- Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway; 12 hours, Speedvision.
April 7 -- Miami Downtown Street Circuit, 3 hours; CBS Sports.
May 19 -- Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.; 4 hours, Speedvision.
June 30 -- Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio; 4 hours;
Speedvision.
July 7 -- Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.; 500 miles; CBS Sports.
July 21 -- RFK Stadium Circuit, Washington, D.C.; 3 hours, NBC Sports.
Aug. 3 -- Le Circuit Trois-Rivieres, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec; 4 hours,
Speedvision.
Aug. 18 -- Mosport International Raceway, Bowmanville, Ontario; 4 hours,
Speedvision.
Sept. 22 -- Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif.; 4 hours, NBC
Sports.
Oct. 12 -- Road Atlanta, Braselton, Ga.; 1,000 miles; Speedvision.
Nov. 3 -- Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 6 hours,
TBA. (Special Invitational race).

October 5,2001 Malaysia Rescheduled For January

Malaysia's spectacular Sepang International Circuit is set to play host to the first major international sportscar race of 2002 with the Le Mans Series Race of Champions now scheduled for January 11-13.

The event was rescheduled from its original date of Nov. 9-11 after the recent tragic events which took place in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

Malaysian fans will get the opportunity to witness the stars and the cars of the American and European Le Mans Series twice during 2002. Sepang will not only open the 2002 season, it will also be the venue for the final race of the year. The scheduled 2002 Le Mans Series Race of Champions will be held Nov. 1-3.

"We were disappointed to have to postpone the event from the original date, but considering the circumstances, all of our stakeholders agreed it was the right thing to do," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group.

"The Sepang circuit in Malaysia will make a great venue for our first race of the year and from what I hear, the local race fans are really looking forward to the event," he said.

Event organizer Automobili Motorsports has maintained a heavy promotional schedule throughout Malaysia and has a spectacular week of activities planned during the race week, including a Le Mans 24 Hour-style street parade and two major concerts on the race weekend.

"Everybody remains very positive about the raceand the response from our existing ticket holders have been very strong," said Automobili Motorsports Chairman, Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib. "Now that we have the new date finalized, we will be able to push our promotions into top gear.

"Having two races in the one year is going to be fantastic for the local fans," he said. "Our local television programs kick off this weekend on TV3 and this will play a key role in further boosting interest."

October 4,2001 PTG M3GTR Patriotic Livery

To honor the victims of the recent tragedies in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, and to show their support of the United States of America, BMW Team PTG and Yokohama Tire Corporation have agreed to repaint the PTG M3s for this event. Instead of flying the corporate Yokohama colors of red, white and black, the cars will compete in the red, white and blue colors of the American flag.

"When Yokohama approached us with the idea to repaint the cars at such an important time and for such an important cause, everyone was behind it 110 percent," said PTG owner Tom Milner. "I think I speak for everyone in the extended PTG, Yokohama and BMW of N.A. family when I say that I have never been prouder to be a part of this team."

Although BMW has won 39 GT races since 1995, it has not won any of the three previous grueling Petit Le Mans events. Last year, Team PTG and BMW Motorsport were ninth and fifth in the GT and Prototype classes, respectively. Their best results at this event came in 1999 with a 2-3 Prototype finish for BMW Motorsport, and a 2-3-4 GT finish for Team PTG, repeating its 1998 performance.

The Team PTG driver lineup for its two Yokohama M3 GTRs include Bill Auberlen, Boris Said and Hans Stuck in the No. 6 car, while Niclas Jönsson will anchor the No. 10 car with Brian Cunningham, of Danville, Ky., who drove for PTG in 1999 and 2000, and PTG newcomer, road racing specialist David Murry, of Atlanta, Ga.

BMW Team PTG is taking this final event of 2001 very seriously. "This is not a time for words, but actions," said Milner. "You speak with any of our drivers - Bill, Boris, Hans, Nic or Brian and David - you'll see that Team PTG has a renewed focus for this race."

"Certainly we would like to expand BMW's trophy case again this year," said Tom Salkowsky, motorsports manager for BMW of North America, LLC. "Seven years of North American GT competition have seen two generations of M3s on the top step of the podium and BMW's five ALMS victories so far this season place the M3 GTR among the best in our racing history."

October 3,2001 Riley & Scott And Jim Matthews Form New Team

Photo Courtesy: PSCR & Gary Horrocks
Following on the recent announcement of Jim Matthews’ recent purchase of a Mk IIIc, Riley & Scott’s vice president, Bill Riley, today announced that the company will campaign the car for Matthews in the 2002 endurance classics. The car will be delivered in October, and testing will begin in November.

“Jim has been a great customer in the past, and we’re very pleased he’s chosen Riley & Scott as a partner in his return to prototypes”, Bill said. “We were able to retain the core of our racing group and the company is thrilled to return to racing what we build”. Jim Matthews Racing previously campaigned an R&S Mk III (1998), and fielded two prototypes in ALMS competition in 2000. Jim was the 1997 Rolex 24 at Daytona rookie of the year, when he finished on the podium in a GT Porsche.

Engines will be supplied by Elan Power Products. Drivers in addition to Jim are still under review. Bill and Bob Riley will engineer the car. Jim Matthews said: “I’m very pleased I was able to convince Bill and Bob to re-create a team to run the car. Our first race will be the 2002 Rolex 24 at Daytona, following a thorough testing and development program in the fall”.

The Riley & Scott Mk III C is the first major redesign of the venerable Mk III, which is still winning in major competition in its sixth year on the track. Indeed, Riley & Scott currently leads the Grand-Am manufacturers championship in SRP competition. In the debut of the Mk III C at Sebring in March 2001, the car ran a strong fourth before retiring with engine problems. Since then, the car scored a podium finish at the Mid-Ohio round of the ALMS.

Riley & Scott Racing LLC is located in the shadow of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s turn one grandstands. The firm was formed in May 1990 to specialize in the design, manufacture, and competition of complete racing cars. The company’s designs include the new Mk III C prototype, the race-winning Mark VII 2000 IRL car, and the Mk VIII Trans Am chassis in addition to the original Mk III Sports Car.

October 3,2001 Petit Testing For Dyson

Thetford / Norcold Dyson Racing returned to action this past weekend at Road Atlanta, with drivers James Weaver, Butch Leitzinger and Elliott Forbes-Robinson testing in preparation for the October 6 Petit Le Mans. Piloting the #16 Riley and Scott mk3C Lincoln LMP, the Anglo-American trio logged over 500 miles in the two-day American Le Mans series-sanctioned test session.

Having claimed the final step on the podium at the last ALMS round at Mid-Ohio, the Dyson team's objective was to refine race setup and evaluate developments made over the course of the last month. The Goodyear-shod prototype remained competitive throughout the sunny Georgia weekend. Butch Leitzinger's best lap was unofficially less than 1.5 seconds off the fastest reported time set at the test.

Both James Weaver and Team Manager Pat Smith were pleased that the Riley and Scott factory had been successful in improving chassis rigidity since August's ALMS rounds at Mosport and Mid-Ohio. Driver comfort remains a concern, however, and the team hopes that having three drivers will compensate for the mk3C's tight confines over the course of the grueling 1000 mile event.

"I think on pace we should be reasonably competitive, but we're still learning a lot," Weaver said after the test. "We've been changing the car quite a bit and now we've just got to run it to see where we stand."

This year's Petit Le Mans marks Dyson Racing's first visit to the Road Atlanta facility since the 1999 season. That year, the same driver lineup finished a dogged fifth en route to E.F.R.'s Championship success.

October 3,2001 Hugh Plumb In Seikel Porsche

Hugh Plumb will drive for Seikel Motor Sport in the Petit Le Mans this weekend. Plumb will share driving duties in the Seikel #52 Porsche 911 GT3 RS with owner-driver Tony Burgess and Andrew Bagnall.

Competing in the Speedvision World Challenge Series for three seasons, Plumb scored four wins, 10 second places, 12 top-five finishes and qualified in the top-five in 85% of his races. He won the "Rookie-of-the-Year" title in his first year in the Series. In 2000,

Hugh Plumb drove a BMW M3 in the Rolex 24-Hour race at Daytona. He drove 10 of the 24 hours of the race, the highest placing BMW. In 2001, Plumb drove a Porsche GT3 R for Westward Ho Casino/Peterson Motorsports earning a 9th in class and 10th overall finish. He is currently only one point out of second place for the Speedvision Touring Car championship title, driving for the RealTime Racing team.

"I look forward to driving in the prestigious Petit Le Mans, and it is gratifying to drive for a team such as Seikel Motor Sport that has made its mark in endurance racing, both in the United States and Europe," stated Plumb.

October 3,2001 Bernard Returns To Action

Photo Courtesy: PSCR & Gary Horrocks
Frenchman Eric Bernard, the winner of the 1999 Petit Le Mans, will return to racing this weekend for the first time since suffering a broken leg in a mountain biking accident in July. Bernard will return to the driver's seat of the Team Cadillac LMP 01.

"I can't wait to get back in a race car, and I'm looking forward to seeing everybody again in Atlanta," he said. "The doctor gave me the green light last week. He said I was three weeks ahead of schedule with my convalescence, which doesn't mean I'm now back to the form I was in before the accident. There is, however, no better training than to get back in a race car."

Bernard will co-drive with Emmanuel Collard and Marc Goossens, and he has no great expectations for his comeback race. "I'll do a stint or two and let Emmanuel and Marc do the bulk of the work," he said. "I'll be slower because I haven't been able to race or work out for nearly three months. So as not to hamper the chances for a good finish in the No. 7 Cadillac, I'll be the 'relief driver' for this race."

The Cadillac team will be using its "transition" cars for the last time in this event before breaking out all-new cars for the 2002 season.

October 2,2001 Cadillac Finishing Up Second Year

The final race of the 2001 American Le Mans Series (ALMS), Oct. 6, at the 10 hour/1000 kilometer Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta will also mark the last appearance of the transition design Cadillac Northstar LMP 01 in the prototype class.

Team Cadillac is completing the second of a three-phase plan to place the Cadillac brand in the winner's circle at the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans road race. The year 2002 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Cadillac brand and the endurance program has been selected as a platform to revitalize the brand image with performance and design equal to the world's premier brands.

"The first year of our program was a bench mark year," said Program Manager Jeff Kettman, "and we used the vast amount of data we gathered to produce a transition design for the second season. Meanwhile we were able to marshal all our efforts in designing what we believe will be a cutting edge design for 2002."

"Although we have not achieved a win," said Kettman, "our team reached the first step on the podium with a 3rd place finish at Mosport. The transition LMP 01s have shown continuous improvement in speed, handling and reliability over the previous season rewarding our entire team with a 3rd place podium and four Top 5 finishes."

The purpose built Cadillac sports racing car utilized a highly modified version of the Northstar engine system that kicked off the era of the new Cadillac. The racing version produces in excess of 600 horsepower from the addition of twin-turbochargers. The combination has demonstrated solid reliability by completing a test session and three endurance races without faltering, losing power or performance.

Cadillac's endurance racing program is a vital part of the brand's aggressive strategy to grow its business globally and to accelerate Cadillac's inclusion into the elite group of premier brands, with its unique values of technology, design and performance.

October 1,2001 Anthony Kumpen Ready For Petit

Anthony Kumpen will depart tomorrow for Petit Le Mans on a 'high' after scoring an excellent 3rd place in Round 10 of the FIA GT Championship in Jarama, Spain yesterday (Sunday). The 22 year old teams up with Dutch star Mike Hezemans to form a strong partnership to take to American Viper Racing (AVR)in this weekend's 10 hour endurance.

AVR's Eric Burch commented "We are very excited to have him on board. American Viperacing is a USA based team finishing it's first year together. AVR has recently spent a great deal of money to put the best cars on track for the upcoming race. With two second place finishes and one third so far this year, AVR is looking to better it's results in the upcoming PLM 10 hour endurance event. I think we will have our best chance of doing just that, this weekend".

Kumpen himself added "I'm very much looking forward to racing with AVR. I think that myself and Mike can put our Viper experience to good use. I've heared good things about the car and I'm looking forward to driving it".

Regarding the event itself, he contined "Petit Le Mans was on my calendar all year, and until recently I didn't know what car, or whom I would be driving for. I'm very pleased to be going to a new circuit in a relatively familiar car, and driving with someone I know and trust is always a good start".

And the track, "I haven't yet seen the track let alone driven it, but I am looking forward to the challenge. I don't think learning the circuit will raise any problems. Our main goal is to get the car setup to a way that Mike and I like it, then to aim for good reliability and a good race pace".

September 28,2001 Street BMW M3 GTR Due For Production Early 2002

In February BMW will present a pure-bred sportscar for road use - the BMW M3 GTR powered by a V8 engine. This car, which is racing from victory to victory in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), will be built by BMW M from January 2002. The flexible production facilities of BMW Individual permit the production of a small series. Road licensing is possible.

By using carbon fibre body parts and by completely foregoing any comfort equipment, the two-seater M3 GTR is a car for true purists. An empty weight of approx. 1350 kilograms has been achieved. The 4.0 litre V8 engine with a cylinder bank angle of 90 degrees resembles the race version featuring in excess of 450 hp. Due to the necessary adaptations regarding emissions and noise levels the road version still generates more than 258 kW (350 hp).

The M3 GTR road version is kept technically as close as possible to the racing version. Apart from the extremely light V8 engine this includes dry sump lubrication, a 6-speed gearbox, a two-disc sports clutch and the variable M differential lock.

For weight reduction purposes the roof, the rear spoiler as well as the front and rear aprons are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic - just like in the race version. The extended front and rear apron as well as the rear spoiler optimise the aerodynamics of the M3 GTR. Additional cooling slits in the bonnet ensure the high-performance powerplant's thermal well-being.

The BMW M3 GTR features an extremely lowered suspension and enormously sporty suspension settings. The compact V8 high-performance engine permits optimum weight distribution which, together with the 19-inch sports wheels, guarantee outstanding handling properties.

This level of exclusiveness also calls for a great deal of highly qualified manual workmanship giving the price of the BMW M3 GTR a new dimension. The price of approx. 250,000 euros reflects the extraordinary technology of this car.

Specifications BMW M3 GTR (road version):

Length: 4617 mm
Width: 1784 mm
Height: 1345 mm
Ground clearance: 95 mm
Wheelbase: 2731 mm
Weight: Approx. 1350 kg (empty)

Body: Two-door, monocoque sheet steel body with roof and add-on pieces in carbon fibre, two sports seats

Power transmission: Two-disc sports clutch, 6-speed manual gearbox, variable M differential lock

Front axle: Leight-weight construction McPherson strut suspension
Rear axle: Leight-weight construction central-link arm axle

Steering: Rack and pinion steering with variable transmission ratio

Brakes: Inner-vented, perforated compund brake discs,
front: 325 mm x 28 mm, rear: 328 mm x 20 mm

Tyres/wheels: Front: 225/40-19 with
rim size 8''x19''
rear: 255/35-19 with
rim size 9.5''x19''

Forged aluminium rims in ten double spoke design

Engine: 8-cylinder V naturally aspirated engine with 90 degree cylinder banks
Cubic capacity: 3997.3 ccm
Bore x stroke: 94 mm x 72 mm
Max. output: More than 350 hp at 7250 rpm
Max. torque: 365 Nm at 5000 rpm

Cylinder block: Aluminium
Cylinder head: Aluminium, four valves per cylinder
Valve drive: Four overhead camshafts, chain drive, mechanical bucket tappets
Lubrication system: Dry sump
Engine management: BMW MSS52

September 28,2001 Kyser Racing Looking At LMP675

Kyser Racing Team Owner and regular driver, Kye Wankum, today announced that would-be partner Ganendran Subramaniam had opted not to pursue an ownership stake in the team after all, in favour of pursuing his many other business activities.

Mr. Subramaniam, a venture capitalist and investment fund manager based in London, England and member of the London Bar, had first met with the team at their Mosport, Canada ALMS race in August of 2000 and had shortly thereafter voiced an interest in supporting the team as a major sponsor through "Hypertainment" of New Zealand, a company Mr. Subramaniam was a major shareholder of at the time.

In January of this year, this scenario was expanded to Mr. Subramaniam wanting to actually become an active partner and shareholder in the team by committing to providing 50% of the Kyser Racing teamis annual budget and purchasing a second Porsche GT3 for the team to field in the 2001 ALMS series.

Mr. Subramaniam is also known in the racing world for committing to providing part of the funding for a new racing facility, the "Active Mountain Raceway" near New Westminster in British Columbia, Canada through his Venture Capital fund, to the tune of USD 40 Million, and for up and coming Formula Renault driver Colin Brown, himself managed by David Hunt.

Kyser Racing regrets seeing Mr. Subramaniam leave the team before he has been duly initiated and able to live out his dream to be a race team owner, but understands his need to focus on his many other pressing business endeavors around the globe. "We are sad to see him go, but wish him the very best of luck in whatever ventures he may attempt to tackle next", says Kyser Racing team owner Kye Wankum, observing that Mr. Subramaniam had actually not been seen or heard from in several months: "He must already be very busy elsewhere indeed."

On another note, it has been rumored in the ALMS paddock that Kyser Racing has been contemplating to switch over to the LMP 675 class of that series for the 2002 season and that a factory deal of, as yet, undisclosed make or nature, may be in the offing.

Says Kyser Racing team owner Kye Wankum: "We have been weighing our options while finding it increasingly difficult to be competitive in the GT class without factory support or the Michelin tire, and to subsequently get exposure and to, hence, get sponsorship. We will continue in GT only with a more competitive package, but may indeed support the desire of the series organizers to strengthen the P675 ranks for next season if the right opportunity presents itself. If the current trend continues, the GT class in the ALMS will surely die a rapid death."

It is a well-known fact, that Wankum has been visiting with English chassis manufacturers, while at the same time, assembling crew members and drivers around the team that possess a great amount of experience with high-downforce race cars, including former Joest-Audi team strategist Thomas Blam and former Emerson Fittipaldi race engineer Jim Bell, as well as drivers Doc Bundy and Joe Foster. Kye Wankum was also recently seen at a fund raising dinner, sharing a table with driver Allessandro Sampedri and British American Racing Business Development Director, Keiyth Smout.

September 27,2001 Gavin Added To Park Place Saleen For Petit

Photo Courtesy:Grand-Am
Park Place Racing/Fordahl Motorsports announced today that Englishman Oliver Gavin will be the third driver in the Park Place Racing/Fordahl Motorsports/Yokohama/Gatorz/TransGroup-sponsored Saleen S7 for the Audi Petit Le Mans in early October.

Gavin will join Park Place drivers Chris Bingham and Ron Johnson for the 10-hour event at Road Atlanta.

"Olly will be a great asset to the team," Bingham said. "We will have three professional drivers in the car, which will definitely put us in contention to win."

With the addition of Gavin, not only will the Park Place entry have three professional drivers, but they are all three Saleen veterans. Bingham and Johnson have won seven of nine races this season in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series in the #5 Saleen S7.

Gavin is also no stranger to the powerful S7. He is a Saleen factory driver and competed in an S7 in this year’s running of Le Mans, finishing third in the GTS class and he won the 12- hour event at Sebring in an S7 earlier this season.

Although they are a privateer team, Bingham is confident he and his co-drivers can give the factory teams a good run.

"Although we are a privateer team going up against the Vipers, Ferrari and the factory Corvettes, we have a great car, great crew and experienced Saleen drivers," Bingham said.

September 27,2001 Champion To Run Special Livery At Petit

Photo Courtesy:Champion Racing/Tim Crete
Champion Racing today proudly announces a very special new livery for our Audi R8 Le Mans Prototype, set to compete in the upcoming ‘Audi Presents Petit Le Mans’ at Road Atlanta.

Like all Americans, the Champion Motors family has been deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic events of 11 September, but also inspired by those who have so heroically served their country during this difficult time. As an American team, our Audi R8 always proudly carries the U.S. flag in American Le Mans Series competition. But we wanted to go beyond that, to honor our country in a special way.

Champion Racing owner Dave Maraj, a naturalized American citizen, commissioned artist Dave Schnorr to transform our normally rainbow-colored Audi prototype into a symbol of the strong patriotism we all share. Schnorr, who has been responsible for decorating Champion Racing’s cars for nearly ten years, has applied our trademark reflective color designs in red and blue on the Audi R8’s white bodywork. To complete the stylized American colors theme, reflective white stars are scattered throughout the new design.

Race fans in attendance at Road Atlanta will be able to experience the full effect of this special livery, because the 10-hour/1000mile Petit Le Mans race extends well into the hours of darkness, where track lighting and camera flash cause the reflective colors to “pop” brilliantly. As always, we expect the car to be a photographer’s favorite.

More photos availabe at :Champion's Website

September 26,2001 Malaysia Postponed

Officials announced today that the Le Mans Series Race of Champions event that had been scheduled for Nov. 9-11 at the Sepang international Circuit in Malaysia has been postponed due to international concerns following the tragic events which recently took place in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.

The event at Kuala Lumpur's Sepang International Circuit will now be staged early in 2002 - with a specific date to be finalized after consultation with the competing American and European Le Mans Series teams and key stakeholders. The new date announcement will be made on Oct. 6 at next week's Audi presents Petit Le Mans event at Road Atlanta.

The six-hour sports car endurance race in Malaysia will bring together drivers and teams from both the American and European Le Mans Series at the Sepang International Circuit, considered to be one of the world's most beautiful and modern auto racing facilities.

"The general uncertainty of the world's political situation as a result of the events of September 11 has caused everyone involved in this event to acknowledge the circumstances we are faced with and act accordingly," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group.

"We regret having to postpone the event, but feel it is the prudent action to take," he said. "After consultation with our teams and key stakeholders and sponsors, we will determine the most suitable date and make the announcement at Petit Le Mans."

Local event organizers Automobili Motorsports remain committed to bringing the stars and the cars from the American and European Le Mans Series championships to Malaysia.

"In light of what has happened, we understand the situation and concerns of the foreign participants about international travel," said Automobili Motorsports Chairman, Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib.

"We feel at this time that it is in the best interest of everyone to postpone the event to a new date," he said. "The organizing team at Automobili has a great many friends in the United States and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."

Taib said that all tickets and hospitality facilities that had been purchased for the event would be honored on the rescheduled date.

"We remain committed to bringing world-class sports car action to Malaysia," he said. "All ticket holders will be able to use their tickets at the new dates."

Atherton indicated that the postponement of the Malaysian event would not affect the Oct. 6 running of Audi presents Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, the final round of the American Le Mans Series championship for 2001.

"We look forward to holding a great event at Road Atlanta, and kicking off the new year with a spectacular event in Malaysia," he said.

September 25,2001 The Return Of The CALLAWAY C12-R

“I am excited about being back with Aspen Knolls and MCR,” said Shane Lewis from the Florida shop of MCR. “I feel like I am back with family for the one of the biggest events of the year. Bob [Mazzuoccola, owner of Aspen Knolls Racing] and I have worked together for so long that it has been strange not being at the track with him. American Viperacing (AVR) gave me a great opportunity coming out of the leg surgery while the Callaway was on hiatus. I certainly appreciate the opportunity to help AVR develop their program.”

The Callaway made its first North American appearance in the hands of Lewis at Sebring International Raceway in late February pre-season testing. As the lead-driver of the Aspen Knolls team, Lewis drove the C12’s only two US appearances at the Texas Motor Speedway and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Lewis, looking over the Goodyear tire-shod Callaway in the MCR shop, spoke with enthusiasm, “With the changes MCR has been making to this car we should have a good chance at the Petit Le Mans. Road Atlanta should play well into this car’s horsepower and aerodynamic advantages. There is some steep competition with the BMWs and Porsches in the GT-class but if we can set a good strategy and follow it, we will surprise some people.”

The #12 Aspen Knolls Callaway C12-R will be co-driven by Bob Mazzuoccola, of Staten Island, New York and Cort Wagner of Los Angeles, California in the GT-class. Lewis, who has scored points in both the ALMS GTS and GT classes in 2001, will test the MCR-revised C12-R at Road Atlanta on Sunday, September 30 in preparation for the season-ending endurance event.

September 24,2001 Hawaiian Tropic Joins ALMS

Hawaiian Tropic, which has been part of the spectacle of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for 22 years, has joined with the American Le Mans Series in a new agreement that will bring its promotional models to all series events, beginning with Audi presents Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on October 6.

Hawaiian Tropic expanded its suncare product distribution to Europe in the late 1970s, providing a natural transition from the company's racing history with NASCAR to increase its brand and imagery through the prestige of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The history of Hawaiian Tropic and the Le Mans race has been a winning combination.

Hawaiian Tropic's models have been a media magnet every year at Le Mans since 1979. Drawing crowds and media exposure wherever they have been at the French racing classic, the models have had a presence in both the driver's parade and in pre-race promotional activities and have served as goodwill ambassadors for teams and drivers.

Four Hawaiian Tropic models will attend every ALMS event. In addition to participating in such pre-race activities as starting grid ceremonies, the models will also hold autograph sessions and make special appearances at all events. The models will all be contestants from the popular Miss Hawaiian Tropic United States and Miss Hawaiian Tropic International pageants.

"Our 22-year history with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and my personal love for racing is something that I am extremely proud of and an area in which we have been looking for ways to expand," said Ron Rice, owner and founder of Hawaiian Tropic. "The crowds, media, drivers and other sponsors have come to know the Hawaiian Tropic promotional team as an annual focal point at this very prestigious race and we are equally anticipating the same reception with the American Le Mans Series."

"Hawaiian Tropic's history with the 24 Hours of Le Mans has provided us with exceptional exposure during the month of June," said Jeff Lalanne, Vice-President of Advertising for Hawaiian Tropic. "This new and exciting ground floor relationship with this fast-growing series allows us valuable North American exposure for six months in high-profile events. Needless to say, this is exactly where we need to be in terms of crowd exposure and television coverage and it's a win-win situation for everyone."

September 19,2001 J.C. Boullion Teams Up With Mowlem For Petit

Jean-Christophe Boullion has joined Petersen Motorsport for the October 6 event at Road Atlanta. He will partner Johnny Mowlem and Michael Peterson in the teams Porsche 911GT3-RS.

"Jean-Christophe has a great reputation and it will be an honour to race with him," said Mowlem. "I reckon the last time we raced in the same event was at the Formula Ford Festival in 1990, when we shared the fastest lap in a quarter final!

"We'll have a reasonable chance over 10 hours at Petit Le Mans. We'll need a bit of luck and the Alex Job Racing Porsche team will be strong as well, but any one of us could win the class. If we managed to finish fifth at Laguna Seca over three hours, we definitely have a chance of a podium over 10 hours."

September 10,2001 Michael Mallock Heading For 2002 ALMS

18 year old GT racer Michael Mallock is looking to extend his motor racing experience by considering an offer to compete in the 2002 American Le Mans Series for GT and Sportscars.

The Wellingbrough based driver's career to date has netted an overall chamiponship title in 2000, and a full time drive in the FIA Sportscar and British GT Championships during 2001.

Michael is fully aware of the possibilities and opportunities that lie within the ALMS Series in the USA " At the moment the best endurance racing in the world is in the ALMS".

"They seem to have all the bases covered for a good championship, ie close racing, manufacturer support, decent crowds, and good media coverage. The championship is at the forefront of Sportscar racing and as such that's where I want to be.

When asked about his offer, he continued "Iam not able to discuss this at the moment, but I will be have a very high profile test in the coming weeks. Then it should all become clear!"

How will it further your career? "As a professional driver I need to be putting myself in the right place to let the right people see what I can do. Getting a seat with a decent team in the ALMS will show the people in the know how quick I am and act as a showcase for my ability and commitment".

Are the teams better? "Although there are many top teams in Europe the whole level of professionalism seems to be higher over there. generally speaking they tend to spend a lot more time on presentation but without loosing out in anyway on preparation".

Are your chances to progress better than in Europe? "I believe so, I want to be a pure Sportscar driver (ie Prototype's), should I end up in a GT or GTS car next season at least I will be constantly infront of the LMP team bosses. Whereas in Europe the types of racing are in different series, therefore making it more difficult to get yourself know about the paddock. In the ALMS I know I can do the job, and prove to everyone what I can do".

"As well as the ALMS, I am continuing to explore other opportunities of course. the fIA Sportscar series is excellent and I think will become stronger, and The British GT also has good reasons to keep me there. I'm looking at the FIA GT too, but I will take this offer seriously and aim for the ALMS first and foremost".

When asked about his current season he replied "well i've driven with 2 teams - Swara in the FIA Sportscar, and Eclipse in the British GT. They are both great teams with a good level of committment and enthusiasm. I will of course be looking at their plans for 2002 too".

Michael will embark on his first race at Germany's infamous Nurburgring this coming weekend with his FIA Sportscar Championship Team, Swara Racing.

"I hope we'll have a good race this weekend. I'm really begining to enjoy driving the Tampolli-Nissan now, especially after our strong outing at Donington. I am getting along well with my team mate Phil Andrews, and that is a vital part to our success. So yes I'm looking forward to learining the track too. It's the Grand Prix Circuit, not the Nordschleife unfortunately, but it's still going to be good".

September 8,2001 Fordahl Motorsports Make Official Petit Announcement

Photo Courtesy:Grand-Am
Park Place Racing/Fordahl Motorsports officially announced today that it will enter the Park Place Racing/Fordahl Motorsports/Yokohama/Gatorz Eyewear-sponsored Saleen S7 in this year’s running of the Audi Petit Le Mans at the Road Atlanta Motor Sports Center in early October.

Park Place driver, Chris Bingham competed the majority of the 1999 ALMS season with Hybrid Racing in a Ford/Riley and Scott prototype, but has never competed at the Petit Le Mans.

"I am really looking forward to returning to the ALMS," Bingham said. "Petit is one of the biggest, premier road races and I am excited to be a part of it."

Although this will be Bingham’s first Petit race, he tested with Panoz Racing in 1998 at Road Atlanta and will have several familiar surroundings this time around.

He will be aboard the car that he has won 6 out of 8 races and captured 7 out of 8 poles with in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. His outstanding run in that series has put him atop the remainder of the GTS field for the 2001 driver championship.

Another familiarity will be one of Bingham’s co-drivers. Although the third driver is yet to be announced, Bingham will team with his current Grand-Am co-driver, Ron Johnson.

"Ron and I are a great team," Bingham said. "We’ve had great success in the Saleen together in the Grand-Am series, and I think we will carry that over to ALMS."

September 6,2001 Law In AVR Viper For Laguna

Darren Law will be aboard the American Viper Racing Dodge Viper GTS-R in the Grand Sport Touring (GTS) class at this weekend’s Monterey Sports Car Championship at Laguna Seca.

Law will again be teaming up with Shane Lewis, who he drove with in the 2000 American Le Mans season. The duo will maneuver the #45 Viper around the 2.238-mile, 11-turn Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca road racing course.

"This is a great opportunity to run in the GTS class in the ALMS series," Law said. "I am exited to get back to Laguna Seca and looking forward to working with the American Viper Racing team."

This will be Law’s first time competing in a Viper and he is looking forward to the challenge of competing in a different car.

"Although the car hasn’t been quite as competitive as the factory Corvettes and Saleens, the team has made some great upgrades to the car," Law said. "I think we can give it a real competitive run."

September 5,2001 BMW Restrictor Change

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest / ALMS has reduced the restrictor for the 4.0-liter V8-powered BMW M3 GTR from 31.4mm to 29mm in a move to try an equate the advantage shown by BMW in the past few races. The change will go in effect starting this weekend at Laguna Seca and will be reconsidered at the end of the year.

Gerhard Berger commemented by saying "BMW will respect any regulation which is fixed by sportscars."

September 5,2001 Barbour Lineup Changes

Dick Barbour Racing, which fields two Reynard 01Q-Judd machines in the LMP 675 class of the ALMS, has shuffled its driver lineup for this weekend's event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Didier de Radigues, who has already clinched the LMP 675 driver's title for 2001, will be paired with Milka Duno for the Laguna Seca event. In the other car, guest driver Scott Maxwell will join with regular Barbour pilot John Graham, creating an all-Canadian driving team.

Bruno Lambert, who joined the Barbour team at Mosport and has teamed with de Radigues to win the last two races, is not available for the Laguna Seca event due to a previous commitment. In Lambert's absence, Barbour brought in Maxwell and switched the driver pairings. Maxwell drove a Prototype in several ALMS races in 1999.

Lambert will be back with the team for the Audi Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October and is a permanent member of the team, according to team owner Barbour.

September 1,2001 Prodrive Ferrari 550 For Petit

Photo Courtesy:GTRacing.net
The mystical Ferrari marque will return to sports car endurance racing in the American Le Mans Series in the Audi Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on Oct. 6.

The 2001 season finale event for the series will be the scene for the debut of a Ferrari 550 Maranello, entered in the GTS class by the England-based Prodrive team. The car, which will be racing for the first time, is a sister to the machine that recently, in only its third outing, scored Ferrari's first-ever victory in the FIA GT Championship in Europe.

Rickard Rydell of Sweden and Peter Kox of Holland, who co-drove to victory in that event in Austria, will drive the new car in the Audi Petit Le Mans along with a third driver to be selected. The new car, built to ACO rules for the ALMS, will be tested in England before being shipped to America for the race. Dave Price, a veteran team manager and crew chief in the ALMS, is working with Prodrive for its effort in the Audi Petit Le Mans.

The third driver, Price said, will most likely be an American, and he has several candidates.

The Ferrari name has not been seen in the ALMS since early in the 2000 season, when several Ferrari Prototypes competed in events. The Prodrive car will be the first in the series in the GTS class for production-based cars.

While the Prodrive entry is a semi-factory works effort, Price said that the Ferrari 550 Maranello will be available as a customer car for the 2002 season. "We believe that America will be a big market for us," he said, adding that several potential customers will visit the car and team at Road Atlanta.

In the GTS class of the ALMS at the Audi Petit Le Mans, the Ferrari will compete against the two-car Chevrolet Corvette C5-R factory team, as well as several Saleen S7R machines and privately-entered Dodge Viper GTS-R racers.

August 30,2001 Archangel Motorsport Entering Petit

Photo Coutersy:Grand-Am
Grand-Am SRPII champion Archangel Motorsport will be entering one of their Lola B2K/40 Nissan in LMP675 for the Petit Le Mans. The car will run in its usual Grand Am specs rather than converting it to true LMP675 specs.

"Even though our car won't be built to the full extent that the ALMS rules allow, I think we will be able to make up for that with our speed and reliability," said team owner Mike Johnson. "Ben Devlin is our only potential driver at this time. It is likely that he will join on with the team for Petit Le Mans, but it is not yet confirmed. Ben just recently joined the team, winning two of his first three races with us. We are still taking requests to fill the other two seats."

"I am excited about this opportunity to drive and hope all the final details can be worked out so I can drive for Archangel there," said Devlin. "Archangel's shop is located at Road Atlanta in the Road Atlanta Industrial Park, so this is their home track. Being located less than a mile away from the track, we have had a lot of test miles at Road Atlanta, and we have a really good baseline setup to put on the car to start the weekend."

August 30,2001 Nissan Sportscar Return

Nissan is looking at a return to international sportscar racing after an absence of two years with the latest its line of high performance 'Z' cars, according to this week's Autosport.

NISMO, Nissan's in-house motorsport department, has met with Le Mans organisers, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest as well as attending a number of ALMS races with representatives of Nissan USA. ALMS bosses have also admitted that talks with Nissan are on-going.

"They've been represented at a lot of races," confirmed an ALMS insider. "Nissan in the US want an image and we believe we can give them that image."

A test chassis based on the new 350Z is believed to be up and running and is due to be unveiled at the Tokyo motor show in October. The interest would seem to be placed with competing against Porsche and BMW in the GT class.

August 28,2001 All New Ascari Possible For Petit

The all new 2002 Ascari A420 had its first test last week at Snetterton, England The car which is powered by a BMW V8 completed 35 trouble-free laps with Ben Collins driving. The team are now said to be considering running the car at the Petit.

"I like a tall order," says Team Manager Ian Dawson. "Providing we can complete some more testing without any major problems and can be sure of not going to Atlanta to get egg on our faces, we would regard the Petit Le Mans as an ideal test for our new car for next season.

"We do not yet have the power of the Judd engine and the BMW V-8 is heavier, but it has more torque and a great deal of potential. It is where I would expect it to be at the outset. We have got to be competitive next year, because we are not there to make up the numbers."

August 23,2001 Shane Lewis Ready For Mid-Ohio

In just three starts, Shane Lewis sits ninth in 2001 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GTS-class points with 55 markers. The Jupiter, Florida driver joined American Viperacing at the X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma on July 22 after competing in the first two races of the season in GT-class. In those races, Lewis has earned one podium finish, a second at Portland International Raceway, and two fourths.

The Dodge Viper GTS-R that Shane Lewis races on track is one of the world’s most sophisticated racecars. However, even the advanced V10 racer can’t compete with Lewis’ right leg. Following minor leg surgery in March, the Lancaster, California-born driver was forced to go back in for surgery as a result of a serious infection. The right tibia was re-broken and drilled. The drilled bone was replaced by a titanium rod, which runs from his right kneecap to his ankle, and is held in place by four titanium screws. The rod will remain in Lewis’ leg for life. After months of intensive rehabilitation- which included a specially designed weight machine that mimics his actions in the cockpit- Lewis returned to the cockpit at Sears Point Raceway with the American Viperacing team. He continues to undergo rehabilitation and is continuing to build-up strength in his leg.

Shane Lewis is not a newcomer to Mid-Ohio. The 1998 PROFESSIONAL SPORTS CAR RACING Rising Star Award-winner has competed professionally here three times prior to this weekend’s event. In 1995, Lewis won one of three IMSA Supercar Series events driving a Corvette after starting fourth. He set fastest lap on his way to leading every lap of the event beating, among others, Randy Pobst. His worst finish at the track came in 1998 in the United States Road Racing Circuit (USRRC) when mechanical failures dropped his GT-class Mosler Raptor out early after qualifying fifth. He would return the following year with the USRRC this time in a BMW M3. Co-driving with current GTS competitor Andy Pilgrim, Lewis finished third in class and eighth overall. The 1999 event stands out to Lewis as he was able to enjoy only a small part of the podium celebration before rushing to the airport to fly to Le Mans to race for Riley & Scott Europe.

“This makes me appreciate what I have done in racing and it makes me want to continue racing even more. It really makes you appreciate all aspects of your life when you go through something that can have the impact that this almost had. Whatever I do I want to succeed. Even when times get thin, I do whatever I have to do to keep racing. Mentally, I knew I had to get back into a car. I worried about the leg a lot at Sears but, when I was in the car, I never thought about. By Portland, I pretty much stopped worrying about it altogether. It has pushed me a lot harder to get into better shape. >From the waist up I am in the best shape I have ever been as a race driver.”

“I am really excited about getting to run here at Mid-Ohio. This is a great track, one of the true, traditional road courses. I enjoy tracks with elevation changes and technically different types of corners. The people that come to Mid-Ohio really love sports car racing. Families come here and camp out in the hills and, if you have time, you can go watch the race from every corner on the track. It is such a great atmosphere and I am thrilled to be here with such a strong team and getting to return with David Donohue.”

“We learned so much last weekend between David (Donohue) and I. Since Sears we just keep learning more and more about these cars and we are getting them better and better. The team is performing extremely well and I am very much looking forward to getting to race on Saturday.”

August 21,2001 Mid-Ohio Team Updates

INTERSPORT
Clint Field, the 18-year-old son of Prototype driver Jon Field, will make his American Le Mans Series driving debut in this weekend's event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Field, who lives in nearby Dublin, Ohio, will partner with his father and uncle, Joel Field, as drivers of the #37 Intersport Racing/Banana Joe's Lola B2K10B-Judd. The team had originally planned to enter two cars, but recently made the decision to race with three drivers in one car.

"I'm excited to get to drive with my dad and Uncle Joel again," said Clint Field. "I am looking forward to competing in the ALMS. It's a very prestigious series and it provides a lot of exposure for an up-and-coming driver like myself."

The car is a newer version of the Lola that Intersport Racing used in ALMS races earlier this year at Sebring and Sears Point. "The new Lola is tighter," he said. "With the car being 32 percent stiffer, the overall handling will be better."

Though the ALMS has never raced at Mid-Ohio, Clint Field has competed in many events at the 2.258-mile circuit, having raced in various types of vehicles there since he was 15. "Obviously I love this course," he said. "This is where I started racing. I have competed here several times over the past three years and I'm very comfortable at this track."

PETERSON WHITE LIGHTNING
American driver Mike Fitzgerald of Fountain Hills, Az., has been called in to substitute for ALMS regular Timo Bernhard in this weekend's activities at Mid-Ohio. Bernhard will be in Europe to compete in a Porsche Carrera Cup event, a series in which he is involved in a championship battle.

Fitzgerald will partner with Johnny Mowlem of England in the #30 Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The car was damaged in a crash during Sunday's ALMS race at Mosport, but will be repaired in time to participate at Mid-Ohio.

No newcomer to the Las Vegas based Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing team, Fitzgerald pilots the Westward Ho Casino/MPIE World Challenge GT Porsche and was part of the team when they took the GT victory and second overall at the prestigious Rolex-24 at Daytona earlier this season.

"I'm really pleased to be driving at Mid-Ohio," says Fitzgerald who is replacing Timo Bernhard, who has a prior racing commitment in Europe. "It is a great track and I have logged a lot of successful laps there. Experience here will hopefully give us an extra edge and I think we have a good chance of doing extremely well."

SOUTHERN COMFORT RACING
The new LMP 675 class for smaller Prototypes in the American Le Mans Series will expand to four cars at Mid-Ohio with the addition of a Pilbeam MP84-Nissan entered by Southern Comfort Racing.

Jimmy Adams of Suffolk, Va., and Joe Blacker of Ellicott City, Md., will share driving duties in the car as the team and drivers make their ALMS debuts. Both drivers have been competing this year in the Speedvision World Challenge, which accompanies the ALMS at most of its events.

Adams, 29, is a former winner of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in the Legends class, setting qualifying and race records in 1997. He was an off-road racer prior to that. In recent years, he has also competed in INEX Legends cars and in SCCA Club racing.

Blacker, 47, has considerable SCCA Club racing experience, as well as in Vintage racing. He won the Vintage Formula B championships in 1997 and 1998. Blacker is the president of Audi Associates in Maryland.

August 17,2001 Pescarolo Estoril Victory Reinstated

Henri Pescarolo's Peugeot-powered Courage has been reinstated as winner at the third round of the European Le Mans Series at Estoril. The team were initially disqualified after an incident between Boris Derichebourg

and Stefan Johansson’s Gulf Audi R8 when Portuguese authorities ruled that he had ignored the blue flags in previous laps and threw him out of the resulting win, but that has been overturned this week without Pescarolo carrying out his threat to take his appeal to the FIA.

"I am very pleased because I was sure that it was the wrong decision," said Pescarolo, who is now considering entry to the Petit Le Mans on Oct. 6. "It was the marshals in Portugal who took the decision, not the organizers of the ELMS, and they were really frightened.

"If the Audi had been a couple of centimeters higher, two, three or four marshals could have been killed. I believe that they took the decision because they were frightened, but this is something that could happen when two drivers are fighting together."

August 17,2001 Steven Stokoe To Race At Vallelunga

British GT driver Stephen Stokoe is set to make his International racing debut at Vallelunga, Italy, at the wheel of the Cirtek Mettoni.com Porsche GT2 Evo.

The 26 year old Melbourne (Derbyshire) based driver is thrilled "I'm over the moon. Really looking forward to racing in the European Le Mans Championship (ELMS). I guess the Boss thought I did a good enough job in Donington so he has given me this chance".

Team Principal and 'Boss' Rob Schirle is interested to see how Stephen performs "I think he needs a shot in an International arce actegory. The Porsche he will contest is the car that he drove to an excellent 4th place at donington recently. It'a an ex-Roock GTS car and we have a lot of power from the motor. I am keen to ee how he'll get on at a level I consider higher than the British Series where he has competed over the last 2 seasons".

1999 Proton Coupe Cup Champion Stokoeis upbeat about his chances too "I've been following the ELMS series this year, and i think we'll have an outside chance of a podium all being well. The GTS Porsche is still a competetive car in it's own right, so we'll see!".

Stephen's team mate for the 2.5 hour race will be announced shortly.

August 10,2001 Miami Race Passes Final Vote

The Miami City Commission, by a unanimous vote of 5-0, gave its final approval to allow Raceworks, LLC, to hold racing events in the Miami city streets Thursday Evening.

"We are extremely pleased that the Miami city commissioners have given Raceworks the final go-ahead to conduct races," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group, which includes the American Le Mans Series. "We look forward to working directly with Raceworks to confirm an American Le Mans Series event in the streets of Miami in the near future." The event is tentatively scheduled for April 5-7, 2002

Raceworks plans a 1.5-mile temporary street circuit that will include part of the Bayfront Park area in the Miami downtown.

August 9,2001 Washington Race Official

Photo By:Cornerstone Imaging
Washington, D.C. Officials Announce 10-Year Agreement to Stage “NATIONAL GRAND PRIX OF WASHINGTON, D.C.”

Washington, D.C. - Mayor Anthony A. Williams and the D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission today announced that Washington D.C. has entered into a 10-year agreement with National Grand Prix Holdings, LLC to stage the “National Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.” - an international, annual motorsports event and festival on the grounds of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium beginning with the American Le Mans Series Race, Friday through Sunday, July 19 through 21, 2002. The event, which is expected to provide economic impact of $350 million over a ten-year period, will showcase the American Le Mans Series, an international sports car endurance racing series.

"Professional racing showcases some of the world's greatest cities: Melbourne, Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Montreal. I'm proud that Washington, D.C. is a member of that group," commented Mayor Anthony A. Williams. "With our world-class hotels, restaurants, transportation, shopping, entertainment and cultural attractions, we're the ideal city for racing enthusiasts - and their families - to spend the weekend."

Christopher Lencheski, founder and chairman of National Grand Prix Holdings, LLC, said, “We are grateful for the hard work and determination of D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission President, Bobby Goldwater, Legg Mason Sports Industry Group and our racing partners. This city, with its cosmopolitan flair and importance on the global business scene, provides a terrific combination that will only grow over time into a signature racing event for all involved.”

The weekend will include a three-hour race for the American Le Mans Series on Sunday, July 21, 2002, as well as an event for the popular Trans-Am Series, a celebrity race and other support services. Other aspects of the festival will be announced later.

The racing will be held on a temporary road racing circuit that will be set up on the grounds of RFK Memorial Stadium. The circuit length is estimated at 1.7 miles. The ALMS race will be televised live by NBC Sports in the United States, with additional coverage in many countries around the world.

“This is a tremendous development for the American Le Mans Series and for motorsports in general, said Scott Atherton, president and COO Panoz Motor Sports Group, which includes the American Le Mans Series. “This event will showcase our series and motorsports to the world from our nation’s capital. Washington, DC, joins an elite group of cities from around the world in hosting this type of racing and we are grateful to those who have made this become a reality.”

According to Bobby Goldwater, president, D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission, “We welcome this event to our city. Its economic impact, plus the opportunity to showcase the city to an international television audience will be very significant. In the past other host cities have drawn huge crowds. We are looking forward to a great event.”’

Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 888-456-8448, or on the web at NationalGrandPrix.com.

NATIONAL GRAND PRIX HOLDINGS
National Grand Prix Holdings, LLC, a Delaware Limited liability Company was founded in 1999 by Christopher Lencheski to develop and execute the National Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. - A three day Motorsports event festival featuring an internationally sanctioned racing event in the District of Columbia.

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES
The American Le Mans Series was founded by entrepreneur Don Panoz in 1999 and is based on the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans; the world's most famous endurance race. Many of the cars, drivers and manufacturers that compete at Le Mans also compete in ALMS events, which are held at North American venues as well as those in Europe and Asia. Participating manufacturers include Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Corvette, Dodge, Panoz, Porsche and Saleen.

D.C. SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION
The D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission, an independent agency of the District of Columbia government, is responsible for the management and operation of RFK Stadium, the D.C. Armory and its adjacent facilities and for presenting and promoting sports, entertainment and special events in the District.

August 9,2001 Lambert Signs With Barbour

Bruno Lambert has been signed to partner Didier de Radigues in Dick Barbour Racing's leading LMP675 Reynard-Judd. At Mosport Barbour will return to two cars for the first time since the Le Mans fire. Eric van de Poele who was originally scheduled to drive for Barbour this season was released to Bentley.

Lambert has been successfully campaigning the RML Saleen in the ELMS where he took an overall victory at Estoril and the GTS class win at Most.

August 6,2001 Washington Race Announcement

EnduranceSportsCar.com received a media advisory this evening announcing an event scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. on Thursday August 9th at 1:00PM.

"The Honorable Anthony A. Williams, Mayor of the District of Columbia in conjunction with National Grand Prix Holdings, LLC, will make a major announcement concerning a multi-year international auto racing agreement in the nation’s capital. Drivers and cars will be on site for the announcement."

There has been some speculation as to if this will be an ALMS or a CART event including Speedvision . Well we don't cover CART here and have been asked if we would be attending the event, so I will leave it up to you to make your own assumptions.

This article was posted here in the news section on June 1. :

The American Le Mans Series is in negotiation with Washington, D.C., city officials to hold a sports car endurance race on a temporary racing circuit in the capital city of the United States.

American Le Mans Series officials are working with National Grand Prix Holdings, LLC, which started on the project in 1999 and has had a Memorandum of Understanding from the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission to pursue a racing event for the city since June of 2000.

"We have a very strong interest in holding a race in Washington," said Don Panoz, founder of the American Le Mans Series. "The strong international flavor of our series would be a very good fit in the nation's capital, and our racing teams have already demonstrated their outstanding abilities on any kind of racing circuit. We feel that this would be a sporting event for everyone in the Washington area to enjoy."

The proposed Washington event would be part of a festival, which would also include a concert and other activities.

Last year, the American Le Mans Series was part of a similar event in Adelaide, Australia, on New Year's Eve. The race was held on a temporary circuit, followed by concerts and New Year's fireworks. The event attracted more than 140,000 spectators.

"The successful race in Adelaide last year is a model for the event in Washington," said Panoz.

August 3,2001 Konrad To Take Delivery Of New Saleen

PORTLAND, Oregon, Aug. 3, 2001 -While RML's British-based Saleen S7R and Seattle-based Fordahl Team Saleen are hoping to repeat with victories this weekend, Konrad Team Saleen is looking to regain its earlier form in this Sunday's Grand Prix of Portland, the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). After qualifying on the pole in last month's ALMS race at Sears Point, the Konrad Team Saleen S7R of Terry Borcheller set the fastest lap and led by more than seven seconds during the first stint. But the team lost grip in its Goodyear tires allowing the two factory Corvettes to defeat the Salaen. This was a rwersal of March's 12 Hours of Sebring where the #26 EASF Saleen S7R earned a flag-to-flag victory over the Corvettes.

Next week, Konrad will take receipt of his second Saleen S7R to continue competing in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) with Ray Mallock Ltd. (RML), Saleen's technical partner in England. Between them, Konrad and RML have won all three rounds of the ELMS, including last month's race at Estoril, Portugal where Saleen S7Rs placed first and second overall -- another first in the S7Rs inaugural season! This Sunday, RML will try to repeat his Estoril victory and increase his lead in the GTS championship in the fourth round of the ELMS at Most, Czech Republic.

August 2,2001 Track Resurfacing Underway at Sebring

For Immediate Release
Contact: Ken Breslauer
863.655.1442

Track Resurfacing Project Begins at Sebring

SEBRING, FLA - A major resurfacing project is underway at America's oldest sports car racing circuit. The historic Sebring International Raceway is being repaved from Turn One through Turn Nine of the 17-turn, 3.7 mile circuit. Other smaller segments of the track are also being resurfaced, and the pit area of Sebring's test circuit is being expanded and improved.

Other improvements slated to begin this summer include new safety barriers at various locations around the track.

Despite the extensive enhancement program, Sebring's famous concrete front straight, originally part of the Hendricks Field WWII airfield, is being left unchanged.

"While improving the circuit is a top priority, we are maintaining the historic character of the track," stated Raceway Director Tres Stephenson.

July 30,2001 Trans-Am Rookie Kevin Allen Joins AVR At Portland

Trans-Am Series Rookie Kevin Allen, a former SCCA Divisional Champion and 24hr of Daytona competitor, has been named as one of the drivers in the American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Portland at Portland International Raceway, to be held Sunday, August 5.

Allen was picked this morning to drive the American Viperacing Dodge Viper GTS-R in Portland, and will share driver responsibilities with driver and team owner Tom Weickardt in the 2-hour, 45-minute sports car race. American Viperacing (AVR) is the only privately owned ALMS team that currently competes in the series with a Dodge Viper GTS-R.

Allen, who has three SCCA Divisional Championships, 2 top-25 finishes and 1 top-20 finish in the Trans-Am Series in 2001, found his un-sponsored Trans-Am team running low on funds last month despite their consistent improvements in the first 4 races, including a 15th place finish at Detroit. After sitting out the Cleveland Trans-Am event, Allen and his Eagle Racing Development Team Manager Jamey Slawter decided that they weren’t going to find a ride or a sponsor sitting around the shop, so they made to over 2000 mile trip to Sears Point in search of funding for their efforts, and a ride in the ALMS or Trans-Am Series for the remainder of the 2001 season for Kevin. Fortunately, Allen had tested earlier this season for AVR at Savannah GA (Roebling Road), and also had previously driven a Viper GTS-R in the 1999 24hrs of Daytona event (Finishing 10th in class). After several meetings with AVR’s Weickardt at Sears Point as well as phone conferences late last week, Kevin was contacted over the weekend with the news that the team had selected him as a team driver for the Portland event.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Allen. “I have been following this team’s progress all season long and I truly think that they’re just a few steps away from being a serious competitor in the ALMS series. I have also wanted to be back in a Dodge program since my Daytona race in ’99…so I just hope that I can go to Portland and bring AVR a great finish…these guy’s really deserve this.”

And his thoughts on his co-driver and team owner Weickardt: “You could not ask for a better team owner and co-driver than Tom,” Allen said. “His enthusiasm and support are second to none, and the equipment and team he’s given me for Portland all add up to a great opportunity. I know that with the team’s energy and professionalism, as well as my previous experience in a Viper, we’re not only going to have a great weekend performance wise…but we’ll have fun in the process as well.”

July 26,2001 Miami Vote Passes Unanimously

The Miami City Commission voted unanimously 5-0 to host an ALMS race put on by Raceworks LLC through the streets of Miami. The race will take place April 5-7, two weeks after the 12 Hours of Sebring.

The ISC tried to block the vote stating that this race will hurt the marketability of Homestead Speedway. The ISC owns the rights to the name Miami Grand Prix.

There are a few T's to be crossed I's dotted but it will be nice to see sportscars back in the streets in Miami. More later.

July 26,2001 News On Future Of Callaway C12-R

Bob Mazzuoccola who owns the all new Callaway C12-R has stated that he still wants to run the car at the Petit Le Mans. Mazzuoccola recently pulled his Aspen Knolls money out of the project. Mike Colucci Racing has been behind the project but without financial backing can not return to racing it.

"Bob wants to do the Petit Le Mans, but I cannot survive on just one race," says Colucci . "Reeves Callaway is looking for some way to take over the project, and wants me to do it. This car really will be the one to beat at Mosport, Mid-Ohio, Laguna and Road Atlanta."

Hopefully someone can come in with some backing for this project as many in the sport saw the car had finally turned the corner with its pole at Le Mans.

Update 7/27 The Callaway is now entered at Mosport under the MCR/Aspen Knolls banner with Shane Lewis and Cort Wagner driving. Maybe Mr. Callawy has talked Mr. Mazzuoccola into continuing.

July 26,2001 Wendlinger To Drive M3 GTR At Petit

Karl Wendlinger will partner JJ Lehto and Jorg Muller in the #42 Schnitzer BMW M3 GTR for the Petit Le Mans.

"I had the opportunity to test the BMW M3 GTR and was very impressed," said Wendlinger. "I'm really looking forward to driving this car at Road Atlanta. JJ and Jorg are strong partners and the team is known for its good strategies and fast pitstops, which are crucial factors in an endurance race."

July 25,2001 Herbert Confirmed For Season

Following the Sears Point race, Champion Racing entered the Portland event with only Wallace listed as a driver, but confirmed Herbert's entry today. Herbert will drive for the team in the remaining ALMS races this season.

"We are fired up for the next race," said Herbert. "We know pace-wise we are podium material, without a doubt. Driving an Audi makes it even more special. Andy and I are happy racing together. We're here to convey to everybody that we will be at Portland on the podium."

July 25,2001 Miami Alms Race Decision Expected Tomorrow

The proposed revival of top-flight sportscar racing through the streets of Miami is expectid to be decided by Miami commissioners

tomorrow. On July 10th the commission voted to defer until July 26 a decision on returning car racing to the city's streets. City commissioners asked City Manager Carlos Gimenez to negotiate a better deal with Raceworks LLC, backed by the Panoz Motorsports Group of Georgia.

The group had agreed to pay the city 1 percent of its gross revenue for the first two years of the race in the American Le Mans Series, scheduled to begin April 5-7 next year. The percentage would rise to 3 percent in the fifth year and thereafter.

Homestead city leaders and Homestead-Miami Speedway officials(ISC) have campaigned intensely against the idea. ISC (under the aegis of Homestead-Miami Speedway) has launched a major campaign to sway the taxpayers of the region that such an event is a potential money-losing proposition for the city. A number of full-page advertisements have appeared in the Miami Herald in opposition to the event, and pamphlets have been handed out to local businessmen to convince them that their businesses will suffer with the congestion associated with such an event in the downtown streets. Also, local Miami radio stations have carried heated debates on the issue.

Last night, the speedway issued a press release stating that a recent poll indicates that a majority of Miami’s citizens oppose such an event, and would vote against any Miami city commissioners who would support it.

Commissioner Joe Sanchez said, “I don’t think this issue is about the City of Miami or Homestead, or a good deal or a bad deal. It’s about ISC versus Raceworks LLC on competition. That’s all it boils down to.”

July 23,2001 Shane Lewis Happy With Sears Point

Shane Lewis, of Jupiter, Fla., drove the #45 ESP American Viperacing Dodge Viper GTS-R to fourth in the GTS class in yesterday’s X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race. The two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans starter was 18th overall here at Sears Point Raceway co-driving with Jeff Altenburg. Lewis was making his return to the cockpit following right leg surgery to repair a previous injury. "We went aggressive on a tire choice in our first stint and that sort of bit us,” said the 1998 Professional Sports Car Racing Rising Star. “But, it was a good run for the ESP American Viperacing Dodge. I thought we were going to get the Saleen there at the end but it topped us. It feels great to be back in a car. I feel great. I am ready to go race in Portland right now. I could jump right back in that Viper and run an endurance race as good as I feel." The three-time IMSA Supercar race winner, who qualified the Viper fourth in class, was closing on the class pole-winning Saleen entry towards the checkered flag. Despite gaining on each successive lap, Lewis was not able to catch the rear-engine specialty car before the finish. The leg surgery sidelined him at this year’s endurance classic at Le Mans but Lewis has run in all of the 2001 ALMS events to date. Since the surgery shortly after the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Lancaster, California-born driver has been undergoing vigorous rehabilitation to prepare for his return to the cockpit. “In two laps I was yelling and screaming I was having such a good time,” Lewis exclaimed. “To be honest, once I was in the Viper, I didn’t event think about the leg. I just fell into a groove and it was like I had never been out of a car. This was sort of a check-up for me personally. I wanted to remove any doubt in my mind that the leg was ready to go. Now we’ll go into Portland with nothing but winning on our minds.” The personable driver, who regularly ranks as one of the ALMS’ most popular, will drive in the second race of a two-event deal with American Viperacing at Portland International Raceway on August 5th. American Viperacing is currently seeking the resources to keep Lewis as a key member of their team for the remainder of 2001 and beyond. “I think that this first race with American Viperacing went really well,” reflected Lewis. “The guys on the team worked hard and we raced hard. Jeff [Altenburg] and I got along well and the car was really very good. I am looking forward to going into Portland. I think we can do a lot up there with this Viper.”

July 21,2001 Malaysia Race of Champions

One of the world's most beautiful, modern and challenging racing circuits will host the final round of Le Mans-style racing for the 2001 season on the weekend of Nov. 9-11.

The Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia will be the site for Le Mans in Paradise Malaysia, a six-hour event that will be a Le Mans Series Race of Champions between top teams of both the American and European Le Mans Series.

Excitement is already building in Malaysia for the event, which will be run on Sunday, November 11. Located seven degrees north of the equator in the heart of Southeast Asia, Malaysia is a tropical paradise. Already known world-wide as a holiday destination, it is also gaining recognition as a venue for international class exhibition, trade fairs and conventions.

The opening of Sepang International Circuit in 1999 also made Malaysia an international motorsports attraction. The 3.42-mile circuit was voted to be "Most Challenging" on the Formula One circuit in 1999 by F1 drivers. A complex series of uphill and downhill turns are worked into the natural topography of the track site, and the circuit also includes two long straights.

In addition to the tough racing circuit, Sepang also includes modern and spacious amenities for both competitors and fans alike. The circuit is located at the top of the Southern Corridor of Peninsular Malaysia, bordering the states of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. It is only a short distance east of the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which serves Malaysia's capital city of the same name.

Malaysia is known as a country that has just about everything a visitor is ever likely to desire in a travel destination - fascinating scenery, friendly people, miles of white beaches, an intriguing cultural mix and fabulous local food.

July 19,2001 Pescarolo Appeal

Following the incident which occurred during Round 3 of the European Le Mans Series at Circuito do Estoril on Sunday 15th July and the subsequent exclusion of Car 72, Pescarolo Sport, a letter of appeal was sent by Henri Pescarolo to the Portuguese Automobil Federation, with copies sent to the FIA and FFSA. The letter was presented in French, the English translation is as follows;

Mr Chairman, Stewards,

During the 1000km ELMS event at Estoril the Courage C60 Peugeot car of my team, Pescarolo Sport, was disqualified after the race, even though we had won the race and the podium ceremony had taken place.

I lodged an appeal against this decision within the time allowed.

Before going back over the grounds of this disqualification and the events themselves, I would like to inform you that if the stewards were endangered by the collision which brought about the exit of the Coronel Audi, I am particularly sorry, just as Boris Derichebourg is. The incident wasn't caused intentionally, at 290km/h, one doesn't deliberately hit another car, the outcome being unpredictable.

This being said the procedures used are marred by an irregularity. I was not listened to as Director of my Team by the group of stewards before the decision to disqualify was taken. Only Boris Derichebourg had been listened to when the penalty was considered, not for the driver, but for the team. I would like to remind you of my last 33 years as driver and my 20 wins in the World Endurance Championship. That would perhaps allow me to reveal some useful facts for your consideration.

And in any case, as Team Manager, I should have been consulted before the decision was taken, not after, as has been the case.

But going back to the facts, I absolutely do not dispute that Boris Derichebourg hit the rear of the Audi driven by Coronel in the breaking zone after the stands. The statement of my driver is as follows;

"Coronel, after having overtaken me in the straight line of the stands, pulled in front of me. I tried to avoid it (the car) but couldn't manage it, all the more so since my break pedal had begun to have more and more movement. It is in my opinion a 'race event, obviously regrettable, and I deplore it."

The grounds of the disqualification are a violation of articles;
- App. H, Chapter II, Art. 4.1.2 d) Blue flag during the race
- App. L, Chapter IV, Art.2.b) Driver not letting other driver to overtake

Can I be permitted to remind you, and the lap by lap is very clear on this subject, that Boris Derichebourg and Tom Coronel lapped for more than 50 laps in the same time, and that they overtook several times and it was a question of two cars at the head of the race fighting for victory. They were separated by 1min 31secs after 4½ hours of the race, that is to say a lap. It is necessary to know that this gap corresponds to a refuelling, and that at this moment in the race, both cars still had the chance of winning. It was therefore logical that the two drivers started a duel of which there was obviously not good ground to wave blue flags and no case to request a driver let another pass. In this case, it would have prevented a driver from defending the chances of his car until the finish.

Mr Chairman, Stewards, if you consider that Boris Derichebourg has done something foolish, it is the driver who should be punished and not his team. This was the first win for the Pescarolo Sport team. We have made considerable efforts, my partner and myself, to be competitive at a high level. My honest and sporting mind has been acknowledged during my long career, punishing the team will lead it to believe that it's the team that is at fault at the strategic level of the race, which is obviously not the case. If, however, the disqualification of the Courage C60 Peugeot of the Pescarolo Sport Team is confirmed we would clearly question the competence of the FIA Appeal Tribunal.

In the hope that these points allow you to re-establish the finishing order approved on the podium.

Yours sincerely, Henri Pescarolo

The date for the appeal hearing by the Portuguese ASN is expected to be announced before close of business on Monday 23rd July.

July 19,2001 Could Maserati Be Heading For ALMS ???

Ferrari's Formula One sporting director Jean Todt will also oversee Maserati's future motor racing activities, Ferrari announced on Wednesday.

In Ferrari's new organisational structure, the Frenchman, who recently extended his contract until the end of 2004, was named as a general manager in charge of motorsport activities at both marques.

The 55-year-old will report to Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo.

Maserati and Ferrari are both controlled by the Italian automotive giant FIAT but Maserati have not been active in Formula One since 1958.

Montezemolo is keen for Maserati to return to motorsport but he said last year that he was "90 percent sure it will not be in Formula One."

He added: "One company in Formula One is enough for me, for my balance and my heart."

Recent media reports have linked Maserati to motor racing in the U.S.

July 17,2001 ALMS News Roundup

BMW MOTORSPORT SETS UP SHOP IN AMERICA -- Team BMW Motorsport, which is based in Germany, has relocated to the United States for the next three months because of the upcoming American Le Mans Series schedule.

The team will field a pair of BMW M3 GTR machines for drivers JJ Lehto, Jorg Muller, Dirk Muller and Fredrik Ekblom in the seven ALMS races remaining in North America. The races will be run in a three-month period, with four of them coming during one stretch of just five weeks.

"Between races, we have to travel long distances across the continent and carry out our normal race preparations," said Charly Lamm, team manager. "You can't afford to have any serious problems during that kind of phase. There just isn't enough time to respond."

Before departing Germany, the team was particularly diligent in its preparation, carrying out tests on two different circuits as well as BMW's own track in Ismaning near Munich.

"Because the project was launched at a relatively late stage, work on getting the cars race-ready has run into the season," said Lamm. "In the meantime, we've ticked off a number of tasks and the most recent test has been very promising."

PANOZ TEAM SHAKES COBWEBS FROM ROADSTERS -- The Panoz Motor Sports team has been testing its 2000-spec LMP-1 Roadsters at its home track of Road Atlanta in preparation for its assault on the rest of the 2001 ALMS schedule.

The team used the tests to re-familiarize itself with the older cars after deciding to temporarily park its LMP 07 machines. The roar and rumble of the six-litre V8 engines in the LMP-1 cars, long a favorite of fans at road racing venues, will return to competition this weekend at Sears Point.

While Panoz drivers David Brabham and Jan Magnussen have extensive racing experience in the older machines, the same cannot be said for new team driver Franck Lagorce. Lagorce is teamed with Klaus Graf, who was a test driver for Panoz Motor Sports in the past and has many laps in the LMP-1. Lagorce recently drove one of the machines for the first time.

"It was like driving a great, big go-kart," said Lagorce. "The engine was fantastic, and there was so much torque. I found it easy to drive and Klaus and I are developing a really good working relationship. I feel very at ease with the car and the team."

"We are all looking forward to getting into a race car which should be quicker and more reliable than we have had so far this season," said Brabham. "This will lift the whole team and for us drivers it's a bit like the start of another season. We are determined to make the most of it."

SEARS POINT GAINS LOCAL ENTRANTS -- This weekend's The X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma gained some more local flavor Tuesday with the announcement of two drivers for a second Porsche to be fielded by The Racer's Group team.

ALMS veteran Vic Rice, who lives only a few miles from Sears Point in San Rafael, Calif., and Santa Cruz, Calif., driver Robert Orcutt will co-drive the 911 GT3 RS in the GT class. The Racer's Group, which is based at Sears Point Raceway, is also running a car to be co-driven by Kevin Buckler of Sonoma, Calif., and Tyler McQuarrie of Walnut Creek, Calif.

THE GULF AUDI team of driver Stefan Johansson, which has been competing on the European Le Mans Series this season, will travel to America for the ALMS event on September 9 at California's Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca ….

July 16,2001 Shane Lewis In AVR Viper

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Monday, July 16, 2001- Shane Lewis, of Jupiter, Fla., has been contracted to drive the #45 ESP American Viperacing Dodge Viper GTS-R for the next two American Le Mans Series (ALMS) events. Lewis, who contested the first two ALMS events of the season for a GT-class team, will race in the hotly contested GTS class at this weekend’s X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma. The event, to be held at Sears Point Raceway’s newly configured road course, is round three of the 2001 ALMS season.

“I am really looking forward to getting back into a car,” offered the excited Lewis. “My last race was Sebring and that is just too long for me to be out of a car. I am use to being behind the wheel pushing the limits. This opportunity with American Viperacing is a great chance to get back out there and do what I do; drive. Sears Point has been a great place for me and, being from Lancaster, I can’t think of a better place than California to join American Viperacing.”

Lewis recently became available for driving duties when longtime employer Aspen Knolls opted to withdraw from ALMS competition. When that team made their plans public, American Viperacing immediately called to sign Lewis to a two-race deal. The agreement puts Lewis behind the wheel of the #45 at Sears Point and the following ALMS race at Portland International Raceway on August 5. Currently, team management is seeking additional support to keep the ALMS-favorite in the car for the remaining 2001 races with hopes to continue the relationship into 2002.

“When we heard Shane was available, we contacted him right away,” enthused Eric Burch, American Viperacing team representative. “He will be a great addition to the team. We are looking for a way to keep Shane with us for the rest of the season and, hopefully, beyond.”

According to Lewis, the opportunity to run a Viper in GTS competition was not difficult to say ‘yes’ to. “It was a great honor to get that call from Eric [Burch]. There were a lot of people calling since they heard Bob [Mazzuoccola, owner of Aspen Knolls Racing] was going to re-evaluate what he is doing. The Viper-name has been such a dominant one in ALMS history. The cars won everything there was to win.”

The three-time IMSA Supercar winner will co-drive the #45 ESP Dodge Viper GTS-R with Jeff Altenburg. This will be Lewis’ second time to race a Viper in competition. Previously, he drove the American sports car in the 1997 FIA season-finale at Laguna Seca Raceway. This will be Lewis’ first run in GTS-class in 2001.

Lewis has successfully raced for Riley & Scott Europe, Pilbeam Racing America, Mosler Automotive, Saleen, BMW, in Team Cascadia’s LMP Lola and most recently the Callaway C12-R. He is considered one of the sports’ best development and race drivers and is always a favorite among the fans.

July 13,2001 Herbert To Drive For Champion At Sears

British racing star Johnny Herbert, a former winner in Formula One competition, has joined the elite field of racing talent for the American Le Mans Series The X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma at California's Sears Point Raceway on Sunday, July 22.

Herbert has been named to drive the Champion Racing Audi R8 in the event, teamed with fellow Englishman Andy Wallace in the two-hour, 45-minute sports car race. Champion Racing, owned by Florida Audi and Porsche dealer Dave Maraj, was the first private racing team to receive one of the dominating Audi R8 Prototypes for use in competition.

Herbert, who has three Formula One wins to his credit, drove for the Champion team last month in the 24 Hours of Le Mans but has never competed in an American Le Mans Series race. He took two F1 wins for the Benetton team in 1995, then scored his third win for the Stewart team. He also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991 for Mazda.

Though now retired from F1 competition, Herbert is a testing and development driver for the Arrows team and has plans for competing in CART events.

In making the announcement, Champion Racing Vice-President Don Skuta said that the team hopes to have Herbert as its co-driver with Wallace for the remaining American Le Mans Series races this season.

July 13,2001 Tinseau To Replace Bernard After Injury

Christophe Tinseau will replace his fellow countryman Eric Bernard at next week’s X-Factor Grand Prix Of Sonoma in Sears Point, third round of the 2001 American Le Mans Series.

Eric Bernard broke his left leg yesterday when he fell while mountain biking near his home in Pertuis, France. He was transported to the Polyclinic in Aix-en-Provence where Professor Hughes Debat performed an operation to insert pins to secure the double fracture. Bernard said he expects to be out of action for at least two months and thinks he will be back behind the wheel of a Cadillac Northstar LMP at the Laguna Seca ALMS race in September at the earliest.

For the Sears Point event Christophe Tinseau will replace him. “Christophe did an excellent job for us in Le Mans, so we asked him to step in for Sears,” Team Cadillac Director Jeff Hazell said. “It also makes sense with regard to the seats as he is more or less the same size as Emmanuel. Depending on how many races Eric will have to miss we will see who will replace him at other events.”

July 12,2001 Lanesra Racing Explains Estoril Withdrawl

Photo Courtesy:ALMS
Lanesra Racing, which planned to enter a Panoz LMP-1 at Estoril, has decided not to attend the race due to parts problems.

"Things were just too tight," said team boss Dave Sims. "We wouldn't have had enough parts and we aren't prepared to compete unless we do so properly. The car will definitely be ready for the next race at Most ."

July 12,2001 Dick Barbour Racing News

Photo Courtesy:ALMS
The heavy fire damage sustained by one of DBR's Reynards at Le Mans could not be repaired in time for Sears Point, so the team will run one Reynard 01Q alongside its GT Porsche 911GT3-R. In order to preserve his opportunity for championship points, Didier de Radiguès will now share the seat of the #57 Reynard with DBR teammates John Graham and Milka Duno.

In commenting on the turn of events Dick Barbour stated, "Despite the heavy damage suffered at Le Mans, we had hoped we could field both Reynards at Sears Point. Unfortunately, the rear structure of our #5 car was very badly burned. So, despite massive efforts by our guys and great support from Reynard over the last few weeks, we've come up short of time to get the car ready to race at Sears. We expect to be at Portland with both prototypes."

July 9,2001 Timo Bernhard Signs For 2001 With White Lightning

Photo Courtesy:ALMS
Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing is pleased to announce that Porsche factory driver Timo Bernhard has joined the team to contest the remainder of this year’s American Le Mans GT Series.

Replacing the late Bob Wollek, Bernhard will join Englishman Johnny Mowlem behind the wheel of the Westward Ho Casino/MPIE-sponsored Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

"We are extremely pleased to have Bernhard on board," says team owner Mike Petersen. "He comes with excellent credentials and will definitely be a welcome addition to the team. His behind-the-wheel skills, coupled with those of Johnny Mowlem, should put us in a strong position for consistent top finishes at every race."

Hailing from Bruchmuhlbach-Miesau, Germany, Bernhard has been involved in racing for most of his life. Just 20 years old, this young rising star has already made his mark in the racing world. Starting with karts at the age of 10, he has worked his way up through the ranks to being one of the elite contenders in the German Porsche Carrera Cup.

"I am very excited about this opportunity," says Bernhard, who drove with Alex Job Racing at Sebring earlier this season, driving with Randy Pobst and Christian Menzel. "My first race in the United States was Sebring," he continues, "and we came in second. This year is going to be a fantastic challenge for me. I am eager to learn all the new tracks and with Johnny Mowlem’s help, I think we will be able to do extremely well."

One of the most dedicated and goal-oriented teams in sports car endurance racing today, Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing has definitely established itself as a premier team. In fact, it was the team’s second place overall at the this year’s Rolex 24 that earned it the privilege of having two top-ranked Porsche drivers, plus full tech support.

"Both Mike Petersen and I are looking forward to working with Bernhard," says team manager Dale White. "He will definitely be a welcome addition to our team."

July 9,2001 Sepang Update

Preaparations are well underway for this year's Asia Pacific Le Mans Series event at Malaysia, the first time that the stars and the cars from the fabled Le Mans 24 Hour will do battle in this tropical paradise.

Staged from November 9 to 11, this year's event is the final round of the 2001 ALMS, ELMS and APLMS calendar and will be staged at the state-of-the-art Sepang International Circuit - the annual home for the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix.

The event will be a six hour race, kicking off at 4.00pm and finishing at 10.00pm local time.

Like last year's season finale in Adelaide, Australia, the Malaysian event will feature two major international concerts and fireworks displays to cap off the 2001 ALMS, ELMS and APLMS season.

Representatives from the Malaysian organisers will attend the next round of the American Le Mans Series at Sears Point in California.

Event promoter Automobili Motorsports will be represented by Executive Director, Chua Ho Pheng and new Event Director, Rob Curkpatrick. After serving as Executive Director for the Adelaide event last year - Curkpatrick has now taken on a new role with the Malaysian race.

The duo will be joined by Mohd Rosly Selamat from the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board and three representatives from Asian Overland Services, the official travel tour operators for the Asia Pacific Series event.

"A number of teams have expressed interest in adding an end-of-season holiday after this year's race," Chua said.

"With a tropical paradise like Malaysia, this is the ideal venue for a holiday on the beach. I can think of no better way to finish a long season of racing."

Apart from the excitement of the final race of the 2001 season, the Malaysian Asia Pacific Le Mans Series event will feature an action packed support and entertainment program.

Malaysian race fans and visitors will be entertained by Australian stunt motorcyclist Robert Jones while the skies above will feature aerobatics expert, Pip Borrman.

Borrman shouldn't have far to fly to reach the Sepang International Circuit - the track is located only a short distance away from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Historic race fans will also be able to enjoy a huge field of Austin Healeys which will do battle as part of the event carnival program.

Two more support events will be announced shortly.

British entrant Roger Walters has confirmed that his Corvettes will contest the Malaysian Asia Pacific Le Mans Series event.

Named "Atomic Kitten Racing" after the chart-topping British all-girl band, Walters' team will join the European Le Mans Series event at Estoril next month.

"The GTS cars will arrive some time in August - in full works colours. I can now announce that Ron Fellows will be driving one of them, when his Pratt & Miller commitments allow. We'll be starting off at Estoril next month with the GT3 (Trinkler) Corvette," Walters said.

The team's plans also include the remainder of the ELMS as well as the Petit Le Mans and Charlotte ALMS races before finishing off the year in Malaysia.

July 5,2001 Estoril Entry News

Four times Le Mans winner and sportscar legend Henri Pescarolo brings his team, featuring Jean-Christophe Boullion, to Estoril next weekend seeking one of the automatic qualification places for the 2002 Le Mans 24 Hour race. Three entry places are up for grabs in this European Le Mans Series 1000km endurance event, for the winning prototype, GTS and GT cars. It promises to be an exciting and competitive race with so much at stake for the 22 cars assembled, heat is likely to play a significant part in the outcome of the race.

Portuguese interest will focus on Tiago Monteiro, the Formula 3 hot-shot driving the Panoz of Lanesra Racing team. On home soil, Monteiro will no doubt be looking to demonstrate his racing credentials against the likes of BAR test driver Patrick Lemarie, Tom Coronel and ex-Formula One ace Stefan Johansson, all piloting the Gulf Audi R8 of Johansson Racing and likely to be pushing for honours at the front of the grid. The newly launched sportscar team AKR, backed by British girl band Atomic Kitten, are entered with a Chevrolet Corvette into the highly competitive GT class, dominated by Porsche and including a two-car entry from British team PK Sport, fresh from a creditable 16th place overall on their Le Mans debut.

New entries for the European Le Mans Series include the Brookspeed Viper to challenge the dominant Saleen S7R's of Konrad and RML. The RML driver line-up is strengthened by the inclusion of Londoner Chris Goodwin, who will transfer from the McLaren Formula 1 car that he will drive this weekend at the Goodwood Festival. With Luc Alphand Aventures, Freiseinger Motorsport and Racing Engineering joining Atomic Kitten Racing in making their debut, the pop group backed car might not go straight in at number one.

July 4,2001 Prodrive Ferrari F550 To ALMS

Speedvision are reporting that Prodrive's Ferrari 550 Maranello will race in the American Le Mans Series, and its first race stateside will be the Petit. The car which has been built to the Le Mans regulations, meaning that it is 2in narrower than the FIA version and the Xtrac transverse gearbox that the team originally attempted to get through FIA scrutineering has a cartridge that allows an H-pattern gear shift necessary for the GTS class.

"The intention was always to build a car that was eligible for both the FIA and the ALMS, and I had the car inspected by the ACO last week," said project manager George Howard-Chappell.

The team is required to have the car for sale under the FIA regulations, and is talking with established teams for next season "on both sides of the Atlantic," according to Howard-Chappell.

July 3,2001 Atomic Kitten Racing Officially To ELMS/ALMS

Photo Courtesy: Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten Racing, owned by Roger Walters and based in England, will field Corvettes in the remaining European Le Mans Series races this season, as well as selected American Le Mans Series events.

The team will travel to America for the Mid-Ohio round of the ALMS in August, as well as the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and the season-finale at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., both in October. In addition, the team plans to compete in the combined ALMS-ELMS in Malaysia in November.

Named for the British pop music group Atomic Kitten, the racing team will start with a Corvette purchased from Trinkler Racing and used earlier this year at Texas and Sebring. Cars built by Pratt & Miller, which fields the factory Corvette team in the ALMS, will join the team lineup next month.

The first race for the team will be the ELMS event at Estoril, Portugal, on July 15.

June 28,2001 Dave Price Leaves Panoz

In line with recent moves to centralize all his motorsport activities in Georgia, Don Panoz, owner and founder of the Panoz Motor Sports team today announced revisions to the management of his sportscar team. David Price will no longer be Director of Racing, a position he has held since December 1999.

Don Panoz said: "It has become apparent to me in recent months, with the many different programs we are running within the organization, that we needed to look again at the management structure of some of the companies. As far as the team is concerned, they will be concentrating on the American Le Mans Series here in the US for the rest of the season. Dave - because of his other business commitments in the UK - was unable to offer us any more of his time and his involvement with Panoz Motor Sports will therefore not continue at the same level.

"I am very appreciative of all the efforts made by Dave, who was one of the first people involved with me when I entered international motor racing in 1997. He will remain a confidant and advisor to me and the team and will be attending races within the American Le Mans Series in this capacity. I have valued Dave's forthright advice and opinions over the years and the help he has given us will be on-going.

"We are not yet ready to announce who will be stepping into the senior management position at Panoz Motor Sports, but I expect there to be a seamless transition which will not detract from the team's enthusiasm and desire to win."

June 28,2001 MG Announcement Expected Soon ???

Chamberlain Motorsports are reporting that MG should announce the next race for its cars soon. As reported during Le Mans, many believe this race will be the Petit Le Mans but there are suggestions circulating that the team could possibly enter some ELMS rounds. One interesting note is that Chamberlain now lists a TBA for type of vehicle on its 2001 schedule for the Petit where it used to say Viper. Keep those fingers crossed!!!!!!

June 25,2001 TV Package Announced For ELMS

In addition to the live action on Sky Sports 3 and highlights package on Eurosport, Portuguese terrestrial television channel RTP2 will broadcast live coverage of the third round of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) race in Estoril on 14th/15th July. The start and finish of the 1000km endurance event will be shown live along with two short mid-race action updates.

An extensive pre-race promotional push will include event trailers and numerous ELMS features on primetime sport shows. In the week following the endurance event RTP2 will broadcast a 45 minute highlights programme covering all the action.

"The decision of RTP2 to cover the ELMS event in Estoril provides another boost for the Series, the teams, their sponsors and the growing army of fans," explains John Macdonald, Executive Director for the European Le Mans Series. "It is testament to the status of the Series that Portuguese television has committed a significant programming schedule to the event. The attraction of a major international sportscar event with a highly competitive line-up of cars and drivers will ensure an exciting viewing experience. There is the added attraction of automatic qualification for the 2002 Le Mans 24 Hours for three class winners to increase the drama of the race."

12 cameras will film the action in Estoril, and four cars will be equipped with on-board cameras as well as 'foot-cams' and state-of-the-art moveable mini-cams recording driver movements and capturing track incidents at close quarters.

June 23,2001 Automatic Le Mans Bid At Estoril

The third round of the European Le Mans Series takes place in Estoril, Portugal, over the weekend of 14th/15th July and carries with it, not only the prestige of winning, but automatic qualification for the 2002 Le Mans 24 Hour race. Three entry places are up for grabs in this 1000km event, for the winning prototype, GTS and GT cars. It also carries a considerable prize fund for winners in all categories. John Macdonald, Executive Director of the European Le Mans Series explains, "there is a great deal on offer for teams competing in the Estoril 1000km. The honour of winning at a classic endurance distance, substantial prize money, an impressive TV and marketing package and a superb circuit layout with state-of-the-art facilities. Add to this an automatic qualification for next years Le Mans and its not surprising that we anticipate the grid to exceed 30 cars. Some of the entries such as the LMP 675 of Didier Bonnet Racing are new to the European Le Mans Series, they recognise the marketing and racing potential of the ELMS and we are delighted that they have decided to join us." "The television package includes live coverage on Sky Sports 3, a highlights programme on Eurosport and live race day coverage with pre event build-up on Portuguese TV station RTP2." Leading the Series after two rounds is the 2001 Le Mans winning Audi R8 driver Tom Kristensen.

June 21,2001 Latest PTG BMW Testing

Photo Courtesy: PTG
BMW Team PTG successfully completed a three-day test of its new 4.0-liter V8-powered BMW M3 GTR at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla., this week. In very hot and humid conditions the testing team of PTG and BMW Motorsport engineers and technicians ran the newest M3 racer approximately 500 miles around the 3.7-mile circuit with very positive results. Boris Said established benchmark times with the No. 6 M3 CSL (6-cylinder) that he and Hans Stuck drove to fourth place at this year's 12 Hours of Sebring while Yokohama tire technicians mounted new test tires on the equally-new GTR-specification BBS wheels.

Following the replacement of one faulty part after its first lap, the GTR performed flawlessly, producing so much data the CD burner in the trailer was working overtime as four laptop screens glowed with the good news. Bill Auberlen, Niclas Jonsson and Hans Stuck each spent time behind the wheel, the honor of taking the first lap going to the veteran Stuck. Testing will continue next week at Summit Point Raceway in Summit Point, W. Va., as PTG prepares to debut two BMW M3 GTRs at the X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sears Point International Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on July 22, the third round of the 2001 American Le Mans Series.

Tom Milner, Prototype Technology Group team owner: "We expected to go a little faster than the times set during the 12 Hours in March even though the conditions were not perfect. We were able to test the GTR directly against the six-cylinder CSL and we saw the expected performance increase - not only because of the GTR's added power, but the handling and braking capabilities are improved due to the car's lighter weight. We are quite happy."

Hans Stuck, driver: "The GTR has a great throttle response which makes it easier to drive and it has a very nice development of torque - exactly what a driver wants. It is more than I expected. I am really impressed with what this engine can do."

Bill Auberlen, driver: "Once again BMW has built a race car with a heart. The M3 GTR will definitely connect with fans because when they hear it go by the sound it makes is unbelievable. Right out of the box it is the best GT car I have ever driven."

Niclas Jonsson, driver: "The GTR is a completely different animal. From the second the tires touched the ground you could feel that this was a race car. So crisp, so responsive, so precise, so balanced. We are all very happy."

Tom Salkowsky, Motorsport Manager, BMW of North America, LLC: "It is a very exciting time for our motorsports program in the U.S., and this marks the culmination of a lot of long hours and hard work. The entire PTG team has done an outstanding job of building its first GTR in less than two months to prepare for this test. For us this is an important milestone in terms of race-car development and allowing the drivers to become accustomed to their new car. In addition, PTG's engineers can now take this data, analyze it and apply any modifications to the construction of their second GTR. We have less than five weeks before Sears Point so there is little room for error, but we have tremendous confidence in PTG and the team's proven abilities."

June 19,2001 Panoz Returns To 2000 LMP-1 Roadster S

The roar and rumble of the 6-liter V8 engines will once again be heard in Panoz sports cars on race tracks throughout North America.

From the third round of the American Le Mans Series onwards, the X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma, which will be held at Sears Point, CA on 22nd July, the Panoz Motor Sports team will be running two LMP-1 Roadster S prototype cars instead of this year's LMP-07 model.

Team owner, Don Panoz, says: "This decision has been made after long and careful consideration and was not one that was reached lightly as I am someone who generally prefers to look forward rather than back.

"However, it's no secret that the ménage à trois that is our 2001 car - a new chassis, new engine and new gearbox - has been going through a troubled time. The marriage of the three started out well in Texas which, looking back, was definitely the honeymoon period. Since then, the three have started to fight and we now need some time out of the limelight, away from race meetings, to work through those problems and fix them."

No decision has yet been made about how many races the LMP-1 cars will contest, but the design and engineering team in Georgia will be working hard over the coming months to overcome the LMP-07's technical and reliability issues that have hampered the team's progress this season.

The Panoz driver line-up will also see a change. Stalwart, star drivers David Brabham and Jan Magnussen will be renewing their acquaintance with a car in which they have had multiple successes. They will once again have an opportunity to prove their skill and experience and are confident that they will be able to challenge worthy competitors such as Audi and Cadillac for victory.

They will be joined in this fight by experienced sportscar racer, Franck Lagorce, who will be replacing Brazilian Gualter Salles for the remainder of the season. Frenchman Lagorce is teamed with rising star Klaus Graf of Germany, and the duo have already formed a strong working relationship as the Frenchman was part of the team's Le Mans line-up.

The team entered this year's 24 Hour gruelling test of man and machine with realistic expectations of success but nevertheless determined to fight to the bitter end.

A gamble by the team's race engineers and team partner, Michelin, to start the race on intermediate tires paid off handsomely when the heavens opened after only a handful of laps. The two Panoz cars leapt up the placings as the majority of the field was forced to pit for rain tires, and Klaus Graf had the honor of leading the race on the track for a short time. This event was applauded by many, enjoyed by fans around the world, and surpassed everyone's expectations.

Don Panoz: "We knew we weren't going to have an easy time at Le Mans but we didn't run away from the challenge. We went there to race and that is what we did until beaten by technical problems that couldn't be overcome.

"I'm obviously disappointed, but I'm proud of the way the whole team worked so hard and so professionally all week. We might not have tasted success this time around but we can go away knowing that it certainly wasn't for the want of trying."

June 19,2001 MOST Announced For ELMS Round #4

Bicester, UK, Tuesday 19th June 2001: The new venue for Round 4 of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) is confirmed as Most, the Czech circuit situated north-west of Prague. The event will take place over the weekend of 4th/5th August.

Most replaces Salzburgring, after the Austrian circuit was unable to meet deadlines for key safety improvements. The appointment of Most, a 'spectator friendly' 2.5 mile circuit close to the German border, is a major coup for the ELMS, as Chief Executive John Macdonald explains.

"We have been well supported by circuits and the public at the first two rounds and Most will be no exception. The circuit was attracted by the ELMS formula of providing the fans with competitive, world class sportscar racing and has promised a crowd of over 50,000. Their set-up is impressive and we are delighted to be working with them.

"The European Le Mans Series is building momentum, its attendance figures after two rounds confirm its public appeal, the live and highlighted television packages are unrivalled and circuits want to be associated with Europe's premier sportscar series."

The third round of the ELMS takes place at Estoril, Portugal, over the weekend of 14th/15th July, where many of the cars and stars competing will have come directly from the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

June 8,2001 PRIVATEER PROTOTYPE TEAMS TO BENEFIT FROM AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES TECHNICAL REGULATION CHANGE

Prototype racing teams in the American Le Mans Series that are not fielded by automotive manufacturers will benefit from an increase in horsepower under a new technical regulation that will take effect in the next series race.

The horsepower increase will come from the use of larger air restrictors by Privateer (non-factory) teams in the LMP (Le Mans Prototype) 900 class. The regulation, which actually reverts to restrictor sizes that were used in 1999, will be implemented in The X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma on July 22 at California's Sears Point Raceway.

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and rulesmaker for the American Le Mans Series, worked with officials of the ALMS and Professional Sports Car Racing, Inc., to establish the technical regulation change that will only apply to ALMS events. All manufacturers registered to enter cars in the LMP 900 class agreed to the change.

"We are very pleased with both the ACO and the manufacturers who race with us for their understanding and support of this change," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group, which includes the ALMS. "We believe the additional horsepower our Privateer LMP 900 competitors will now have will improve the level of competition and strengthen our grids."

Atherton said that the change marks the first time since the formation of the ALMS in 1999 that ALMS officials had requested a technical regulations change from the ACO.

The change will affect race teams using cars with engines from a manufacturer other than that of the chassis, such as those using a Lola chassis with a Judd engine, a Riley & Scott chassis with a Ford engine, a Reynard chassis with an Oldsmobile engine, etc. The change does not apply to hybrid cars entered by the manufacturer of either the chassis or the engine.

Privateer status will be determined by Professional Sports Car Racing in consultation with the ACO.

The change in air restrictor size will not be in effect for the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on Oct. 6. Because the race is a qualifying event for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it must be run adhering to ACO regulations in their entirety.

"In international racing at the highest level, it's unusual to change rulesafter the season has started," said Doug Robinson, Managing Director of Professional Sports Car Racing. "But many of the privateer teams have cars that were built in 1999 before air restrictor sizes were reduced to their current levels. The change is to help private teams race the cars they have and get more performance out of them.

"We feel that this change presents a relatively inexpensive way for the private teams to increase their participation and competitiveness," he said. "Many of them raced the cars in 1999 and still have the information they will need to operate under those restrictor regulations. They probably won't have to spend a lot of money on dynos or testing."

June 7,2001 AUSTRALIA OUT AS SITE FOR ALMS-ELMS SEASON-ENDING EVENT

(June 7, 2001) -- There will not be a race in Australia this year for the American and European Le Mans Series, series founder Don Panoz has announced.

"We've simply run out of time," said Panoz, who had spent the majority of the last week in Australia trying to finalize arrangements for an event. "We can't keep the stakeholders of our series waiting any longer because it is not fair to them. We've elected at this time to not hold an Australian event in 2001."

Panoz was forced to try and relocate an event that had been scheduled for December in Adelaide, South Australia, after the South Australian government canceled the event earlier this year. The inaugural event, held in December of 2000, attracted a crowd of more than 140,000. Panoz and his Australian partner, Dean Rainsford, received offers from several locations around the country to hold a replacement event. While there was not sufficient time to finalize arrangements for an event in 2001, Panoz did not rule out a possible Australian race in the future.

The Australian race was to have been part of the new Asia Pacific Le Mans Series and would have been an invitational event featuring the top racing teams from both the American and European Le Mans Series.

The elimination of Australia is not expected to affect the Nov. 11 Asia Pacific Le Mans Series race that will be held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Panoz said that additional details of that event will be issued soon.

June 7,2001 PTG BMW Update

While half the Prototype Technology Group shop continued to make the first Team PTG V8-powered M3 GTR ready for its June 11-13 test at Sebring International Raceway in Florida, the other half of the crew was 15 miles down the road at Summit Point Raceway, in Summit Point, W. Va., with drivers Bill Auberlen and Boris Said, running the six-cylinder M3s to test new equipment and new ideas.

"We will bring one of our six-cylinder cars to Sebring to establish a baseline - to see exactly where the track is that day," said PTG owner Tom Milner. "I feel quite sure we can continue to improve the GTR. Development is a constant at PTG."

Assisting Team PTG in the critical last days of construction of the GTR are three engineers from BMW Motorsport. Having already proven the new M3 GTR a winner at the European Le Mans Series race in Jarama, Spain, on May 20, the mood in the shop was decidedly upbeat.

Returning from Summit Point and a fast day in the M3 CSLs, Boris swung open the shop door late in the afternoon asking the question that is first in everyone minds; "Is it done? Let's go. I'm ready!"

The BMW Team PTG M3 GTRs will debut at the X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma on July 22 at Sears Point Raceway.

June 1,2001 ALMS Interested In Washington Event

The American Le Mans Series is in negotiation with Washington, D.C., city officials to hold a sports car endurance race on a temporary racing circuit in the capital city of the United States.

American Le Mans Series officials are working with National Grand Prix Holdings, LLC, which started on the project in 1999 and has had a Memorandum of Understanding from the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission to pursue a racing event for the city since June of 2000.

"We have a very strong interest in holding a race in Washington," said Don Panoz, founder of the American Le Mans Series. "The strong international flavor of our series would be a very good fit in the nation's capital, and our racing teams have already demonstrated their outstanding abilities on any kind of racing circuit. We feel that this would be a sporting event for everyone in the Washington area to enjoy."

The proposed Washington event would be part of a festival, which would also include a concert and other activities.

Last year, the American Le Mans Series was part of a similar event in Adelaide, Australia, on New Year's Eve. The race was held on a temporary circuit, followed by concerts and New Year's fireworks. The event attracted more than 140,000 spectators.

"The successful race in Adelaide last year is a model for the event in Washington," said Panoz.

June 1,2001 Corvette Testing New Components

Photo Courtesy:ALMS
The Corvette team spent last week using their 2000 cars for some component and system testing. Ron Fellows and Kelly Collins, spent May 21, 22 and 23 at the Mid-Ohio.

"The main purpose of the test was our new 6-speed transaxle," said Gary Pratt, team manager. "We want to have it ready for racing later this year, and we need to run a lot of miles with it to prove the reliability. We don't want any surprises.

"We also tested our pit speed limiter for Le Mans, the Bosch fuel calibration system, and some new Goodyear tires," Pratt added "We had a busy three days, and managed to put about 850 miles on the cars."

The new transaxle combines the transmission and differential in one unit, instead of the separate gearbox and differential in the current setup.

"Our present gearbox is mounted at the rear, but it's a separate unit so the installation is fairly complex," explained Pratt. "This will simplify things quite a bit, and it also will move a little weight farther to the rear."

"I really like the feel of the new transaxle," commented Fellows. "There's a little less effort and a shorter throw. And I expect the extra weight moved to the rear will be especially effective on the new cars. I'm looking forward to trying it.

"Those new Goodyear tires were a real pleasant surprise," added Fellows, "and I think we'll like them even more on the new cars. The tires were designed for better performance in high-load turns, and that translated into quite a bit more speed. The Goodyear engineers have been working hard on construction, and it's paying off."

The three-day test was cut short when heavy rain flooded the track on Wednesday afternoon.

May 20,2001 SALZBURGRING EVENT CANCELLED

Jarama, Spain, Sunday 20th May 2001: European Le Mans Series officials announced today the cancellation of the Salzburgring, Austria event due to the circuit's inability to comply with FIA safety requirements. An alternative venue for the August 3-5 weekend will be announced soon.

"We are very disappointed to be making this announcement now, but were only recently made aware of the situation," stated John Macdonald, executive director of the European Le Mans Series. "The FIA has been in contact with the Salzburgring management and unfortunately there isn't time for the circuit to make the required safety improvements prior to the race. We recognise the impact that this schedule change has on all our series participants, but the safety of competitors is our top priority," added Macdonald.

Several European tracks are currently being considered with the intention of replacing the Salzburgring event with a high quality venue on the same weekend.

"This is a very frustrating announcement to make," stated Scott Atherton, president and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group, which includes the European Le Mans Series. "We worked with the circuits, national ruling bodies, ACO and the FIA to confirm our entire European Le Mans schedule. The schedule, including Salzburgring, was ratified last December, but unfortunately a recent development involving the Salzburgring circuit forced us to take this action. I hope everyone affected by this decision understands that we would never compromise the safety of our competitors and this decision is a direct reflection of that."

Following the success of the inaugural race at Donington, England, round two of the European Le Mans Series takes place this weekend at Jarama, Spain before moving to Estoril, Portugal, in mid-July. The Series is the natural progression of the highly successful American Le Mans Series, now in its third year, and offers the public top quality sportscar racing and unrivalled accessibility to cars and drivers.

May 14,2001 Kelly Moss Closes Doors ?

David Murry reports on his website that Kelly Moss Motorsports has closed its doors on its racing program and will be looking at what it will do in the future. David who will do some Grand-Am drives with G&W Motorsports is looking for a new full-time ride.

May 14,2001 Dennis Huth Joins Panoz

BRASELTON, Ga. (May 14, 2001) -- Veteran motorsports executive Dennis Huth has joined the Panoz Motor Sports Group in a newly-created dual role that will include becoming President of Professional Sports Car Racing, Inc., as well as involvement in the Trans-Am Series. The Panoz Motor Sports Group includes many of the motorsports holdings of Don Panoz.

Huth, who was a key executive at NASCAR during its explosive growth in the 90s, will execute day to day operations of SPORTS CAR, the sanctioning body for the American Le Mans Series and several other road racing series. In addition, Huth will have direct oversight of the Trans-Am Series, the oldest road racing series in America. Last year, Panoz and Florida businessman Ralph Sanchez acquired the operating rights for the Trans-Am Series, with Panoz becoming chairman.

"The appointment of Dennis Huth is a function of the remarkable growth of the Panoz Motor Sports Group, and is a highly-significant addition to our team," said Panoz. "He brings a wealth of experience and talent to his new roles within our organization and this further confirms our commitment to build and develop the Trans-Am Series and Professional Sports Car Racing."

"I am very excited about the challenge and opportunity I have been presented," said Huth. "I see the same potential and commitment from Don Panoz in the Professional Sports Car Racing organization and Trans-Am that I saw 20 years ago with the France family and NASCAR."

"Having worked closely with Dennis in the past, I am well aware of his ability to successfully organize and administrate numerous projects simultaneously," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group. "That was clearly in evidence by the number of NASCAR touring series that reported to him in his previous position.

"He brings invaluable experience as a sanctioning body executive that both Trans-Am and SPORTS CAR can benefit from," Atherton said. "The fact that he was responsible for the entire points and membership department of NASCAR is a prime example. The process of bringing him on board has been ongoing for several months and we are very pleased to be able to make this announcement."

Professional Sports Car Racing, Inc., located in Clearwater, Fla., is the premier sanctioning body for sports car racing in North America. Established in 1969 (as the International Motor Sports Association), SPORTS CAR organizes and officiates professional road racing competitions. Huth will work closely with SPORTS CAR Managing Director Doug Robinson.

"SPORTS CAR has done an incredible job with the American Le Mans Series and is the mortar that holds together the European and Asia Pacific Le Mans Series as well," said Atherton. "It has become critically important to expand the sophistication and reach of the organization in order to take full positive advantage of numerous other sanctioning opportunities that are available. We feel that Dennis will be a tremendous catalyst for the growth of SPORTS CAR."

Huth will work closely with Trans-Am Series Executive Director John Clagett on series operations, as well as working toward series growth and expansion.

Huth was an executive with NASCAR for nearly 20 years, most recently serving as Vice-President of Touring Series and International Development until early 2000. He helped to launch the successful NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 1995 and the NASCAR Northwest Tour in 1987. In addition, he helped spearhead the growth of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, bringing many weekly race tracks under NASCAR sanction. He started with the organization as Northwest Field Manager in 1982.

Prior to joining NASCAR, Huth operated weekly race tracks, including tracks in Portland and Medford, Ore., and several in California. A native of Oakland, Calif., he resides in Ormond Beach, Fla., with his wife, Jeanne, and their two children.

May 14,2001 RML Jarama PR

LAMBERT AND McKELLAR JNR. SEEK SECOND GTS WIN AT JARAMA

Belgian GT ace Bruno Lambert and former TVR Tuscan champion Ian McKellar jnr are looking for their second win in the RML Saleen S7-R supercar in the next European Le Mans Series (ELMS) race at Jarama, Spain on Sunday (May 20).

Bruno Lambert, sponsored by the best-selling Cranium board game, and Ian McKellar jnr, sponsored by Scania and Big D Fifth Wheel, took the first round at Donington Park on April 14 just two days after the RML Saleen had its first run.

It was also the driver team’s first race together, as well as McKellar’s debut in the Le Mans Series, and they beat the works Saleen car, which had just won the Sebring 12-Hours race in America.

“The Donington race showed that the RML Saleen was highly competitive. With a month’s further development, I am very hopeful that we can extend our lead in the GTS category at Jarama and mount a strong challenge for the Le Mans 24-Hour race in mid-June,” Bruno and Ian commented.

At Le Mans pre-testing, the RML team - comprising Lambert, McKellar jnr and Johnny Mowlem - was second in GTS category rankings. In his first full lap of the 8.45 mile-long Le Mans track - and never having driven the course before - Ian McKellar was just 3 seconds off the fastest GTS time in the morning session. Bruno Lambert also led Saleen times during the day and saw off the challenging Vipers and Corvettes.

“I learn courses quickly and, with help from Bruno, Johnny and the team, I was able to get good times quickly,” said Ian McKellar jnr. “Jarama will be new for both Bruno and I, but we’ll be working hard on getting the right lines.”

“We have an excellent chance of getting a second ELMS win. The RML Saleen S7-R has been very quick and reliable since it first ran on April 12,” said Bruno Lambert. “Testing at Pembrey and Le Mans has given continuous improvement and the results showed when we headed the very highly-developed Corvettes and Vipers in Le Mans pre-testing.”

May 11,2001 ALMS to Sydney?

Graeme Doyle has passed on this article from the Sydney Morning Herald concerning the Australian Le Mans round:

Le Mans set to rev it up at Olympic Park track
Date: 02/05/2001
By Bob Jennings, Motoring Writer

The NSW Government and organisers of the international Le Mans sports car series are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding this week clearing the way for a race around Olympic Park in December.

Negotiations in the past month have included the Olympic Co-ordinating Authority, Tourism NSW through its Major Events Board, and Panoz Motorsport Australia, one of the organisers of the six-hour New Year's Eve Le Mans race in Adelaide.

The Sydney event, planned for December 8, would follow a three-kilometre circuit at the Homebush Bay site.

The chief executive of Panoz Motorsport Australia, Mr Dean Rainsford, said yesterday: "I think we are pretty close to signing."

Mr Rainsford said the site was a natural for the event, with comprehensive corporate facilities in place and excellent infrastructure for transporting spectators. There were also plans to hold concerts and other events during the four-day race period.

Panoz Motorsport Australia is the local representative of American billionaire Mr Don Panoz, who founded a pharmaceutical empire based on the nicotine patch. He has an agreement with the famed Le Mans 24-hour sports car race in France to run international races for Le Mans sports cars. He instigated the American Le Mans series, which is expanding to include a European and an Asia-Pacific series. The Homebush Bay race, expected to run four hours with the last 90 minutes at night, would be the grand finale of the various series.

A government source said: "The Panoz organisation and NSW Major Events have been negotiating directly for about a month, and there's not a lot more talking to be done."

The Adelaide event attracted 141,000 visitors over the four days, 4,500 from overseas, and pumped between $15 million and $20 million into the State's economy.

However, the South Australian Liberal Government decided the $8 million cost of staging the race at the temporary venue was too great, and surprised organisers by announcing it would not continue with the event. This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited.

April 24,2001 Redman Bright To Run Jarama

Photo Courtesy:FIA-SCC
The Redman Bright team will compete in the ELMS round at Jarama on May 20. The teams new Reynard 01Q/Judd is coming off an impressive performance at the FIA-SCC Monza 100KM where the car sat on the pole and finished fourth. The team is also considering entering the Petit Le Mans in October with Gary Formato as a driver.

April 19,2001 PTG BMW Update

This week Prototype Technology Group crew members Brian Krem, Larry Hahn and Greg Forde traveled to Munich, Germany, to spend three days at BMW Motorsport getting familiar with PTG's two new M3 GTRs in anticipation of the first car's arrival at the team's shop in Winchester, Va., in the first week of May. The second car will arrive two weeks later and the rest of the month will be dedicated to building both cars. "Obviously PTG has a wealth of M3 experience," explains team owner Tom Milner. "Specifically, we are making the trip because we want to be completely up to date with the engine management and data acquisition systems. Sears Point is the site of our first M3 victory in 1996 and has always been a special place for PTG. We intend to be ready."

Both the No. 6 and 10 M3 CSLs (six-cylinder) have been completely rebuilt and are ready for test drivers Bill Auberlen and Niclas Jonsson to return to Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., on April 24 for a Yokohama tire test. Returning to the site of February's ALMS Spring Training will provide a direct comparison to information collected that weekend and further data gathered at the Texas and Sebring races. After the assembly of the M3 GTRs is completed, at least six days of testing are scheduled in June. A shakedown is planned at Summit Point Raceway in Virginia, followed by three days at Sebring and a return to Summit Point. A final test is planned at Road Atlanta at the end of the month.

Co-drivers Bill Auberlen and Niclas Jonsson have used their time off to add a new sport to their training regimens -- golf. Living only 25 minutes apart in Southern California the duo have taken to the links and find the game to their liking. "We are evenly matched," says a diplomatic Jonsson. When asked who gets to drive the cart, an equally diplomatic Auberlen points out: "We are teammates -- it has to be fair. We have decided to walk." After returning from Road Atlanta testing, the pair will team up at Laguna Seca Raceway on May 1 in an M3, but not a PTG M3. Bill and Niclas will be attending a media day for the Western Automotive Journalists and will be "chauffeuring" group members around the 2.24-mile Monterey, Calif., circuit in a 2001 production BMW M3 and M5.

Boris Said is at the beginning of a driver's dream season as, in addition to his seat in the Team PTG BMW M3, he currently stands sixth in the Trans-Am driver's championship, may soon be looking out the windshield of a Winston Cup car and there is a distinct possibility that he will return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France this June for the first time since 1994! "I'm always looking for a new car with more horsepower and that is exactly what PTG will have at Sears Point," says Said.

April 15,2001 Porsche Officially Protests BMW M3GTR

Photo Courtesy:ALMS/GARRY DODDS
Porsche has filed an official protest with Automobile Club de l´Ouest - ACO against the homologation of BMW´s new GT3 car.

The 'spirit of the rules' is a bit hard to define, but Porsche´s racing director Herbert Ampferer thinks he knows what it is, and he firmly believes BMW´s new M3 GTR with it´s revolutionary V8 engine does not meet that very spirit.

Ampferer recalls various meetings he has had with Alain Bertaut, the French genius behind the technical rules for the Le Mans 24 Hours - and thus also the American Le Mans Series. Ampferer and Porsche´s long serving technical director Norbert Singer sat together with Bertaut and created the GT3 category for GT cars with a clear heritage of a road car when it become obvious that the GTS class, formerly known as GT2, had moved heavily towards the old GT1 category and therefore would be very hard to finance for customer teams.

The new threat to Porsche impressed with a few technical gimmicks, like an engine which hides very low and way back in the engine bay. Race suspension and a roof carved from carbon-fibre further fuelled Porsche´s belief that the BMW M3 GTR had more of a GTS heritage than GT.

While Bertaut, who had homologated the car for the ALMS after a personal visit in a Munich, insists the road-going M3 GTR - which he has seen and used as the base for his homologation - carries these relevant features exactly as they are on the race cars, Porsche remains suspicious. Weissach want to see the road car - and hinted that the way it presented its road and race versions of the 911 GT3-R at Le Mans and then made the road car available for sale immediately after was the right way to meet the spirit of the GT3-rules.

Porsche has asked ACO president Michael Cosson to make sure that the BMW is truly eligible to race in GT trim, and especially to double check the eligibility paragraphs 2.1.3. and 2.1.4. of the GT rulebook.

Furthermore, according to Porsche, Cosson should force BMW to make details of the road version - such as price, number of cars to be built, and selling procedure - public within the next six months, and to sell road cars within the space of nine months.

Finally, Porsche wants to see the homologation sheets which Bertaut and his partner Daniel Perdrix compile on every car and which Porsche have made public to its customer teams. Should BMW be unable to meet the demands, Porsche wants to see it excluded from every race held according to ACO regulations.

Both the ACO and BMW are reluctant to follow the lines of Porsche, though. Bertaut insisted the car meets the technical rules he has written himself; since he has seen a road car and BMW officials have informed him they want to sell road cars within the space of one year from homologation day, the ACO requirements have been fulfilled. The Frenchman added BMW would publicise the homologation sheets as soon as the first customer teams came along, just like Porsche has done.

BMW claims that it wants to set up a customer car system similar to Porsche´s, but don´t yet know how many cars could be sold at which price. This should be defined as soon as the development programme carried out by Schnitzer has been completed. And while it unofficially agrees that GT3 is not for factory entries, BMW claims that it had to throw its own works squad into the championship because the decision to start the project came so late that there was no time to develop the car. The 2001 season is the development year before the cars will be on sale.

After an impressive performance at Sebring, the odds are that the development season will turn into a winning year soon, fuelling Porsche´s suspicion that BMW could turn an entire racing category into turmoil.

Ampferer´s protest is not meant to say the BMW M3 GTR is an illegal race car - he just wants the ACO to make sure it´s a car that fits into the class it´s been built for.

"Which customer team can afford a high-tech car like this for the price BMW would have to sell it for," he asked, while his North American racing director Alwin Springer adds: "Most of the Porsche privateers will leave the ALMS and join the rivalling GrandAm series, where the BMW is not allowed and they still stand a chance of winning with their Porsche cars."

Porsche´s press spokesman Juergen Pippig stresses: "We fear the entire class might die after this. A car with the technical details of the M3 has to run in the GTS class. We don´t want history to repeat itself: We´ve been in exactly the same situation when the Mercedes CLK was allowed into Le Mans and the FIA GT Championship, and we all know where that ended for us, for Mercedes and for the entire championship. The ACO has to avoid this from happening again.

"We are by no means prepared to join the cost explosion in the category. And we have launched our protest to get a precise update about the rules and their interpretation."

The protest was filed on 4 April. Since BMW has not entered for the Le Mans 24 Hours, it can only refer to the American Le Mans Series - which will come to a break after Donington´s Easter race for the good of the 24 Hours anyway. A decision prior to the French classic seems highly unlikely, however.

April 13,Mid-Ohio To Host ALMS In August

The famed Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, will host an event of the American Le Mans Series on Aug. 25, ALMS and Mid-Ohio officials have announced. The new event replaces a race that the ALMS recently cancelled at Canada's Circuit Mont-Tremblant.

Races for the American Le Mans Series and the Trans-Am Series have been incorporated into a scheduled NeOhio Region-SCCA National event, happening Aug. 24-26, creating a spectacular weekend of road racing action at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio circuit. Both the ALMS and Trans-Am races will be run on Saturday of the weekend, with SCCA Club Racing on both Saturday and Sunday. Qualifying and practice for the ALMS and Trans-Am events will be held on Friday.

The ALMS race will be a timed event of two hours and 45 minutes and will get the green flag at 1 p.m. (EDT). It will be televised live in the United States by NBC Sports, with highlights to be televised in Europe by Eurosport on Sept. 9 at 23:15 (CET). The 100-mile Trans-Am event will start at 4:15 p.m.

"This is a tremendous development and a great day for the American Le Mans Series," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group, which includes the ALMS. "Mid-Ohio has a long history and tradition of excellence in motorsports, and we can't think of a better place for us to be racing as a replacement after the unfortunate situation with the Mont-Tremblant event.

"We owe a great deal of thanks to Michelle Trueman Gajoch and the entire staff of Mid-Ohio for what they have done," said Atherton. "And we also are thankful to NeOhio Region - SCCA and Duane Harrington, the SCCA Regional Executive, for being instrumental in the SCCA allowing us to be a part of their weekend at Mid-Ohio. This sets the stage for the future of the American Le Mans Series at Mid-Ohio."

"This weekend is a spectacular new addition to our 40th year of racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, which for the first time ever features seven spectator events," said Michelle Trueman Gajoch, President of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. "The cooperation and support of the NeOhio Region - SCCA, and the SCCA Club Racing national office were crucial in making this event happen.

"The weekend will provide a fabulous show for sports car racing fans and also serve as a preview to the Valvoline Runoffs (National Championship for SCCA Club Racing) happening in mid-September at Mid-Ohio," she said. "We want to thank Don Panoz and Scott Atherton of ALMS for their persistence and dedication in bringing the series to Mid-Ohio."

The ALMS, which features many of the cars and drivers that compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, was founded in 1999 by entrepreneur Don Panoz. The series is holding nine events in North America in the 2001 season, and the Mid-Ohio race will be the first ever for the series in the American Midwest.

"Mid-Ohio is a very important addition to our schedule," said Atherton. "Not only is it one of the premier road racing facilities in the country, its location helps our series, manufacturers and sponsors break into an entirely new market. We are looking forward to an outstanding weekend in August."

April 12,DBR Porsche & Sears Point Get New Sponsor

The X-Factor, a new line of pre-paid cellular phone products, will become the title sponsor of the July 22 American Le Mans Series sports car race at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. The event will be known as The X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma.

The race sponsorship coincides with the summer release of the new product in the Northern California market. Sears Point Raceway is located to the north of the San Francisco-Oakland area, and west of Sacramento.

The X-Factor Grand Prix of Sonoma will be the third race of the 2001 American Le Mans Series season and will be televised live on NBC Sports, with highlights to be shown July 29 on Eurosport. The series, founded in 1999 by entrepreneur Don Panoz, features many of the same cars and drivers that compete in the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. CT Industries, the telecommunications subsidiary of The Auxer Group, Inc. (OTCBB: AXGI - News), recently began an aggressive campaign to promote its new line of calling cards, known as The X-Factor, and its own line of prepaid cell phones. The products are designed for America's Generation X, which accounts for more than 32 million people who spend more than $150 billion per year.

The Prepaid X Calling Card debuted with a huge promotional giveaway at the American Le Mans Series 12 Hours At Sebring in March, with The Prepaid X Cell Phones to debut this summer. The X-Factor is also the sponsor for the Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS that will be driven in the ALMS Championship this season by Mark Neuhaus and Randy Wars.

"The X-Factor is going to be the new wave of telecommunications," said Ronald Shaver, Executive Vice-President of The Auxer Group, Inc. "The prepaid cell phone industry is rapidly expanding and becoming widely accepted among the Generation X-ers who will be our target market. By aligning ourselves with the American Le Mans Series, it shows our commitment to being recognized as a major player in the telecommunications arena."

"The X-Factor's new product line is a perfect fit for the fans of the American Le Mans Series," said Bill Donaldson, Executive Director of the ALMS. "The events for our series at Sears Point Raceway have been among the most successful in the two-year history of the series, and the additional marketing and promotional clout that The X-Factor will bring to the table with its product launch will only help to build on that success."

April 12,Westward Racing-Snetterton Shakedown

Photo Courtesy:ALMS
Donington Park, Leicestershire, England: Westward Racing Group LLC and their Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S will make their debut today at this weekend’s round of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at Donington Park. Team drivers Jay Cochran and Peter Boss will partner in the car for Saturday’s race.

“We went to Snetterton on Monday and managed to get some track time for Jay and Peter, not a full test mind you, but enough to get familiar with the Avons." said Motorsports Director, Dave Sims. “Sirish Vissa, Panoz Motor Sports Race Engineer will help us get the car sorted for Donington.”

Westward driver, Jay Cochran, added, "The Panoz Roadster responded very well to the Avons, felt glued to the circuit. The competition is formidable to say the least, so we’re looking for every advantage. ”

Peter Boss concurred, ”The Avons were an unknown part of the equation and now we know they’re a plus. The ELMS has attracted some great teams so we’ve got to drive smart and rely on Dave Sims’ proven strategy to run up front.

April 10,Reynard To Build All-New LMP675

Reynard will build an all-new 2002 prototype strictly for the LMP675 class. The manufacturer currently has teams running the LMP675 class with the 01Q that was designed for LMP900. Reynard's sports car project manager Kieron Salter said the new car should be raedy for testing in October or November.

''The 675 division is the emerging class in sports car racing and we are basing our strategy around it,'' Salter states.

The first customer is likely to be Dick Barbour Racing who will spearhead the Reynard attack in LMP675 in 2000..

2000 Reynard 2KQ-LM

April 9,Westward Racing Group Donington PR

New York, NY & Norfolk, England: Westward Racing Group LLC has entered one of their Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S prototypes in the Easter weekend round of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at Donington Park. The event will be televised in the United States on a same-day basis at 4 p.m. (EST) by NBC Sports on April 14.

“The Donington Park event is where Westward will actually come together as a complete team. After testing in Atlanta, and racing with the assistance of the works Panoz team in Texas, our true debut will be in the UK,” stated Peter Kuhn, Westward's Managing Director.

Westward will be conducting pre-race testing for Avon Tyres prior to the Donington event. “We’re very excited to be working with Avon. They’ve had enormous success in other formulas so we are aiming to give them winning results in the LMP900 class as well," said Motorsports Director, Dave Sims from Westward's factory in Norfolk, England. Westward driver, Jay Cochran, added, "With the popularity of motor sports in the UK being at an all time high, we look forward to giving those ELMS dedicated sports car fans a great show".

Westward Racing Group LLC is a motor sports and marketing organization with management offices in New York, New York and race team works in Norfolk, England.

Photo Courtesy:ALMS

April 6,Panoz Donington PR

The forthcoming British round of the European Le Mans Series, to be held on Easter Saturday, 14th April, sees the Panoz Motor Sports team transfer two race cars, 17 tons of equipment and 20 team members across the “Pond” for the start of nearly three months away from their home base at Road Atlanta, Georgia.

The team will be temporarily based in Britain from now until after the 24 Hours of Le Mans event on 16th/17th June and, during that time, will visit Belgium, France and Spain in the course of their race and test program.

Panoz’s international driver line-up is looking forward to racing at the English track for many reasons, not least that it is a track they all know well from years past. The 2.5 mile (4.023km) former Grand Prix circuit flows through undulating, scenic countryside, has both fast and slow corners and superb spectator viewing.

Dane Jan Magnussen, who will be driving the Panoz LMP 07 #50 with partner David Brabham of Australia, has fond memories of Donington from his all-conquering F3 Championship year: “I am really looking forward to going there again as it’s a great circuit. We are not sure yet how the new car will be, but are much more confident of repeating how things went at Texas rather than Sebring! The Panoz LMP 07 certainly doesn’t like the bumps so it’s an immediate advantage that Donington has a smooth track surface. It’s can be quite difficult to find a quick set up there so that presents a challenge - particularly in the very fast Craner Curves/Old Hairpin section - but if you get it right it’s spectacular to watch.”

Car # 51 will be driven by German Klaus Graf and Brazilian Gualter Salles.

The team has been working hard since Sebring on the continuing development program towards Le Mans. Several modifications have been made for the 2hr 45 minute Donington race, including a new alternator drive system and modifications to the steering system. The results of further development work will not be seen until nearer the 24 Hour event.

April 6,Dick Barbour Racing Donington PR

Dick Barbour First To Exploit Rules Allowing V-8s In Le Mans P675 Class

Braselton, Ga. (April 6, 2001) - Once again, Dick Barbour Racing is at the forefront. At Donington Park's European Le Mans Series (ELMS) round on April 14, the team will introduce the first example of a racing sportscar designed to fit the new category regulations announced last year by the Automobile Club de L'Ouest (ACO). The most significant change to the LMP 675 category promulgated by the ACO -- creator and organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans -- was to allow purpose-built racing V-8 engines to power the lighter weight brethren of the headlining LMP "900" category.

In recent years, six-cylinder and turbocharged four-cylinder engines have powered "675" entries. To re-invigorate the category this year the ACO will allow V-8s. To date, only Dick Barbour has fully appreciated what some racing engineers consider the performance advantage created by the new ACO rules: Full "P900" chassis and aerodynamic technology at lower overall weight combined with a powerful, lightweight, purpose-built racing engine.

The Engine Developments KV 675 is a 3397 cc V-8 that certainly fits that power plant description. It is derived from the hugely successful 3-liter V-8, which has been the backbone of the international Formula 3000 Championship since 1995. There it enjoys an enviable reputation for reliability and power. In Le Mans trim and fitted to the Reynard chassis, it will produce well over 500 HP and approximately 300 LBFT of torque. It can rev up to 11,000 rpm and is expected to give the Dick Barbour Racing entries a power-to-weight ratio quite comparable to the leading P900 cars.

Reynard has done a great deal of development based on last year's 2KQ sportscar. On the 01Q, aerodynamics have been improved at the front for greater downforce. The suspension has been refined and the entire chassis made more durable to suit the demands of long distance sportscar racing.

While the strong fuel economy advantages (fewer pit stops and longer stints between refueling) will not be as apparent in a 2 hour, 45 minute race like Donington, the team is still anxious to show what a proper LMP 675 vehicle can do.

In preparation for their Donington debut, the team has been on a very short lead-time. With the program just announced on March 1 all the team's suppliers have had rather little time to develop the project. Starting merely a month before the debut race, the timing has not allowed a normal pre-testing program. Still, both Reynard and Engine Developments have extensive databases and experience with their predecessor products and this gives the team considerable confidence.

The driver lineup at Donington will be John Graham of Canada - last year's Le Mans LMP 675 class winner - who will co-pilot the number 57 Dick Barbour Racing Reynard with American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Women's Global GT category star, Milka Duno of Venezuela. The cockpit of the number 5 entry will be shared by 1998 Le Mans LMP1 class winner Eric van de Poele and his Belgian compatriot Didier de Radiguès. De Radiguès is an experienced Le Mans and ALMS regular and former Grand Prix motorcycle ace.

April 5,Chrysler Donington PR

Chrysler Team ORECA will debut its Le Mans Prototype racecar in the third round of the American Le Mans Series at Donington Park in the UK, on April 14. The Chrysler prototype will race in it's all new livery of silver and blue.

The Donington event, which is also the second round of the European Le Mans Series that started at Sebring last month, will be used by Chrysler as an early test for the Le Mans 24 hours which takes place on 16/17 June, in which three Mopar B.O-litrc V8-powered Chrysler LMPs will race. The team has not raced at Donington since I999 (in the FIA GT Championship), when Olivier Beretta and Karl Wendlinger won in the Chrysler Viper GTS WT.

At Donington the entry is made in the name of Team Playstation, in appreciation of a principal sponsor which will also support Chrysler team ORECA at Le Mans.

Four-time Le Mans winner Yannick Oalmas will share the Chrysler LMP with Monegasque Olivier Beretta. The pair have shared much of the workload in developing the new car and its revised engine from that which raced at Le Mans last year. The remaining drivers for the Le Mans 24-hours will be announced at a later date.

The team has recently completed a successful test at Jerez, Spain, last week, completing more than' 750 trouble-free kilometres with the new engine and chassis package. "It was a good first step, and the second is coming," said Eeretta after the test.

"It is very early days and we are a little bit in the unknown," says team director Pierre Dieudonne. "We are not coming to the race with a real ambition. We have a target, which is Le Mans, and racing is the best proving ground. Afier three days of testing everyone was quite pleased but it is a little unusual to go to your first race after just one test with the new engine. We are not rcaly comparing ourselves to the opposition at Donington, as our whole project is geared towards Le Mans."

Dalmas, who last raced at Donington in 1998, added: "The test was very positive but we still have i ot of work to do. Donington is a little bit early for us but it is important that we get a lot of I leage with the new Mopar engine and it is better to race than to test. I think that the Dallar chassis with the Mopar will be a very good package, but I don't want to make a CQmpi son with the other cars immediately, just start to work on the new engine, the aerod: amics and the chassis development."

April 4,Guy Smith Returns To Donington

Guy Smith, from Beverley in Yorkshire, will partner ex-Formula 1 and Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Stefan Johansson in the Gulf Oil-sponsored Audi R8 of Johansson Racing in the opening round of this years European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at Donington Park over the Easter weekend.

This will be Guy's first race in the UK since May last year. "It's going to be great taking on the pair of works Audi's in front of my home crowd. Donington is one of my favourite tracks from my days in Formula Renault and Formula 3, and Stefan is also very quick around there. It's going to be difficult against the works cars, but I'm very confident we can do well and give them a run for their money."

In front of 168,000 in Florida's Sebring 12-hour race last month, Smith partnered Johansson and brought the car home in 4th place, only after electrical problems towards the end of the event denied them a much deserved podium finish. "We had a few problems at the end of the race in Sebring, which definitely cost us third place, but the car was essentially brand new, with very little running prior to qualifying. Those problems have now been sorted out and we will be in good shape for Donington Park."

With a glittering career in British and American single seaters behind him Guy has firmly set his sights on making a name for himself in sportscars after moving to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) last season. "I am totally focused on what I am doing at present. I have a deal to drive the Johansson Racing Audi in the ELMS and I will be driving the new Bentley at Le Mans in the summer. I have learned a lot already this season from top class drivers like Stefan and Martin Brundle and my aim is to win Le Mans. Being a driving force in sportscar racing will really help my career, it certainly hasn't done Allan McNish (2000 ALMS Champion) any harm with him securing a drive for Toyota in Formula 1. I won't rule out a return to single seaters, 'never say never' is one of my mottos, but I intend to concentrate on the here and now and do the best job I can, starting with the race at Donington next week."

The 30 car grid at Donington Park will be packed with the worlds top sportscars and drivers. When the actions starts at midday on Saturday 14th April the East Midlands circuit will reverberate to the sights and sounds of Le Mans in the first round of the 2001 European Le Mans Series. The big question is will it be a podium finish for the Yorkshire lad on home turf?

April 3,ELMS Winners To Receive Watches

Stefan Johansson may be best known for his driving ability and racing career that has included Formula One and now sees him as a leading contender to win the European Le Mans Series in the Gulf-sponsored Audi R8. He also has a successful watch making business, H III Watches of Geneva, and has agreed to provide limited edition time-pieces to the winning drivers at each round of the ELMS. The first round takes place at Donington Park, UK, on 13th/14th April. The outright championship winners will be awarded with an engraved special edition gold watch.

"I'm delighted to extend my involvement in the European Le Mans Series beyond racing. For many years I have had an interest in design and have been an avid collector of watches. I have produced commemorative watches for a number of racing drivers and am delighted to have this association with the European Le Mans Series. The ELMS has all the making of a very successful and exciting championship with large grids and very competitive cars and drivers - at least a few of them will now be able to improve their punctuality!"

Whilst driving for the Ferrari Formula One team, Stefan's association with a leading Swiss watch manufacturer sparked the idea of designing and retailing a brand of watches. 'H III' represents Stefan's philosophy on life - honesty, humour and happiness.

April 2,Donington Entry News

The key ingredients for a top sports car race - competitive racing, exciting cars and world class drivers - will assemble at Donington Park over the Easter weekend, 13th/14th April, to do battle in the opening round of the European Le Mans Series. The grid boasts thirty of the world's best sports cars and an international line-up of drivers eager to be let loose on the Leicestershire circuit for two and three-quarter hours of nail biting action. It is the UK's first major motorsport event of the year.

On its first competitive outing the brand new Chrysler ORECA LMP, driven by triple Le Mans champion Yannick Dalmas and Olivier Beretta, faces a stiff test, not least from the two works Audi's of Capello/Kristensen and Biela/Pirro. On home territory the Gulf-sponsored Audi R8 of Stefan Johansson Racing will be looking to mix it with the two works cars for top honours, whilst David Brabham will lead the charge of the British drivers in the LMP (Le Mans Prototype) 900 class in one of the works Panoz with his Danish partner Jan Magnussen. Londoner Ben Collins and Silverstone-based South African Werner Lupberger team up in the Ascari A410 with Patrick Le Marie driving the second entry. Four-times Le Mans winning Henri Pescarolo is entering his one-car Pescarolo Sport team with Boullion, Bedon and Bourdais sharing the driving seat. Le Mans legend Pescarolo won the 24 Hour race for Matra three years in a row. His first win was in 1972 with Graham Hill.

The women are represented by Venezuelan driving ace Milka Duno, who will pilot one of the two Dick Barbour Racing LMP 675's with co-driver John Graham from Toronto. The Belgian pairing of Eric Van De Poele and Didier De Radigues take charge of the second car.

Two Saleen S7R's will run in the GTS class, with the Sebring (American Le Mans Series) class winning and Northampton-based Oliver Gavin heading the charge with team mate Terry Borcheller and team owner Franz Konrad. This will be the first time a Saleen S7R has raced in Britain.

Alex Job Racing from the USA will be entering two Porsche's after taking a class one-two at Sebring with Lucas Luhr, Emmanuel Collard and Randy Pobst first across the line. The American team are coming to Donington to take on the might of the works BMW M3 GTR's. While BMW failed to take class victory in the 12-hour Sebring race, they performed impressively enough to worry the dominant Porsche teams. Could Donington Park be the venue that sees the M3's of Fredrik Ekblom / Dirk Muller and J.J. Lehto / Jorg Muller take the first win against their rival German manufacturer?

Other entries in the GT class include PK Sport from the UK, German-based Seikel Motorsport and French team Noel Del Bello Race, all adding to the cosmopolitan flavour of the opening round of the 2001 European Le Mans Series at Donington Park, providing more than a touch of je ne sais quoi!

March 29,Mont-Tremblant Officially Canceled

INDIANAPOLIS (March 30, 2001) -- The American Le Mans Series has canceled the event that had been scheduled at Canada's Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant on August 25 and is aggressively seeking a replacement race for the 2001 series schedule.

The ownership of the road racing circuit located in Mont-Tremblant Village, Quebec, communicated to the ALMS an inability to comply with the terms of the event agreement reached with the ALMS prior to last September's announcement of the race.

"It's very disappointing to lose an event," said Scott Atherton, President and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group, which includes the ALMS. "Our competitors were looking forward to racing in Quebec, and we had heard from many fans who wanted to attend the race."

"But the American Le Mans Series is on a very strong path of upward mobility, particularly after our great Sebring race two weeks ago," he said. "We hope to turn this momentary distraction into a great positive with the announcement of a replacement event very soon."

Atherton indicated that race fans in Canada and the Northeastern United States will still have the opportunity to see the ALMS in person when it competes at Mosport International Raceway near Toronto on August 19. Canadian Ron Fellows and the powerful Corvette Racing Team are expected to be among the stars of the Mosport event.

March 29,Ascari Confirm Donington ELMS Entry

Bicester, UK, Thursday 29th March 2001: British-based Team Ascari has today announced it will have two Ascari A410's present on the starting grid for Round One of the 2001 European Le Mans Series, taking place at Donington Park during Easter weekend, 13th/14th April.

The Ascari A410, which made it's endurance racing debut at Le Mans pre-qualifying last year, will be piloted at Donington by Ben Collins from England and South African Werner Lupberger. Current test driver for the BAR F1 team, Patrick Le Marie from France, will drive the second entry - his partner is yet to be announced. Team Manager Ian Dawson comments; "we are on a very tight schedule after testing in Spain, Italy and the UK and will be very limited by engine turn-around time until we know the outcome of our two-car Le Mans entry. We hope that both are accepted so we can plan accordingly for the remainder of 2001".

Team Ascari bring yet another respected name from the world of endurance racing into the Series as a momentum of anticipation builds towards the first race. The Judd-powered prototype will be battling for honours on the Donington Park circuit with the likes of Crysler, Audi and Panoz in the highly competitive LMP900 class.

Photo Coutersy:ASCARI

March 27,Robin Liddell To PK Sport

Robin Liddell has signed a deal to compete in the European Le Mans Series driving a Porsche 911GT3-R for PK Sport.

This will mark Robin's first season racing across Europe and he is confident that it will be a successful season.

"I can¹t wait," said Robin. "Sports car racing has become a very competitive environment in recent years and the racing is very exciting. The idea of racing in as high-profile a championship as the European Le Mans Series is tremendous and I can¹t wait to get started. It is a class of racing that rewards speed as well as consistency and I believe that I will be a race-winner this season."

Robin teams up with Porsche stalwart Mike Youles, a winner in the British GT Championship last season, and PK Sport will run the car in the five ELMS races.

March 22,Bob Wollek Funeral Services

Funeral services for Bob Wollek have been announced.

Wollek will be laid to rest on Friday, March 30, in Klingenthal, France, in the same church in which he was christened 57 years ago. The memorial service and funeral are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local time at the Protestant church in the center of town. The church has no name, for it is the only church in the small town, located about 16 miles from Wollek’s hometown of Strasbourg..

Those wishing to write to Bob’s widow, Michelle, may use this address: Michelle Wollek, Le Moulin, Berstett, F-67370 Truchtersheim, France.

Mrs. Wollek has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the following foundation: Account No. 11265219486, Foundation Transportation, 5 Avenue Moliere, F-67200 Strasbourg, France. -

March 21,Joest Audi 12 Hour Test

A little over 24 hours after the Joest Infineon Audi R8s freight-trained to a second consecutive win in the 12 Hours of Sebring, the team went on to show why they are so good. The team was not done with Sebring. On Monday and Tuesday the team completed another full 12-hour-distance in preparation for the Le Mans 24 Hour classic in June.

A member of the team was quoted as saying "we have a lot of work to do for Le Mans".

Could the next step for this team be to run Le Mans without a single glitch. We'll see in June!!!!!!!!!

March 19,FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE - DONINGTON PARK UPDATE

Bicester, UK, Monday 19th March 2001: There is no threat to the European Le Mans Series race at Donington Park, on 13/14th April, from the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease.

In accordance with guidelines issued by the Association of Motor Racing Circuit Owners (AMRCO), Motor Sports Association (MSA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), Donington Park Leisure confirm that the ELMS event will go ahead as planned.

March 14,New BMW M3 GTR Unveiled For ALMS

New BMW M3 GTR unveiled for ALMS

12-hour event to serve as first test outing for the new GT sports car

Munich. It's Wednesday and BMW is about to begin a new chapter in its motor racing history. At Sebring in the US state of Florida, the new BMW M3 GTR will be making its debut in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). JJ Lehto (FIN)/Jorg Muller (D) will be putting it through its paces under race conditions for the first time in this Saturday's Sebring 12 Hours. The car is powered by a V8 engine producing over 400 bhp and is the first of four BMW M3 GTRs developed in Munich for the 2001 season.

The other BMW M3 GTRs will in due course be driven by the second brace of drivers of Team BMW Motorsport, Fredrik Ekblom (S) and Dirk Muller (D), as well as by the BMW North America-backed BMW Team PTG with its regular drivers Hans-Joachim Stuck (D)/Boris Said (USA) and Bill Auberlen (USA)/Niclas Jonsson (S). At Sebring the BMW pilots, with the exception of Lehto/Muller, will be driving last season's BMW M3 GT.

"In the BMW M3 GTR, the philosophy behind BMW's high-performance M models has, in tandem with BMW Motorsport, been consistently developed into a race car primed for action in the ALMS," says BMW Motorsport Director Dr. Mario Theissen.

The USA and Canada are BMW's most important export market. The year 2000 saw another increase in vehicle sales there -- amounting to 22 per cent this time. Models from the M range are particularly popular in North America, which remains unmatched by any other market when it comes to M car sales. Following two successful years of racing in the ALMS prototype category, BMW is now gearing up for its GT class entry.

The deployment of the new BMW M3 GTR in this, America's most traditional long-distance race, will be an endurance test par excellence. Theissen's colleague, BMW Motorsport Director Gerhard Berger, has this to say: "The decision in favour of the project wasn't made until the end of September. We developed the car in record time and put the first example through its first functional test just a few days ago. We'll be jumping in at the deep end in Sebring, but there's no test that can replace an actual race. Naturally, kicking off with a 12-hour endurance event is rather extreme, not just on account of the distance but also because of the very uneven track."

At their next race in Donington, BMW Motorsport will be fielding two M3 GTRs for the first time. The American Team PTG will be debuting with its two BMW M3 GTRs in the fifth race of the season at Sears Point, California.

Beneath the beefy silhouette of the new BMW M3 GTR beats a powerful heart: a four-litre V8 engine delivering more than 400 bhp. This short-stroke, high-speed unit epitomizes the tradition of M power and is compact enough to fit into the M3.

In accordance with the regulations of the Automobil Club de l'Ouest (ACO), which also organizes the Le Mans 24 Hours, BMW Motorsport will be building a limited production run of M3 GTRs in addition to the race version. This vehicle is primarily intended for customer racing. Depending on national homologation regulations, however, it can be distributed with road licensing. Detailed technical specifications and prices are to be released at a later date.

Key technical specifications of the BMW M3 GTR (race version):

Chassis/Body: Unitary steel body with safety cell of high-strength precision tubular steel; front and rear aprons, engine hood, doors, front wings, flared rear wheel arches, rear wing, rear lid and roof outer skin made of CFK; safety tank under the boot made of CFK sandwich; vehicle weight 1120 kg (minimum stipulated weight), fuel tank capacity 100 litres (maximum stipulated capacity)

Engine: Eight-cylinder, naturally aspirated, 90-degree V-engine, 3997 cc displacement capacity, over 400 bhp at c. 7500 rpm, maximum torque c. 480 Nm at c. 5500 rpm, aluminium engine block and cylinder head

Transmission: Triple-disc carbon-fibre clutch; straight-toothed six-speed manual gearbox; step-up differential with visco-lock

March 13,BMW To RUN V-8 M3 At Sebring

BMW Motorsports will debut the V8-powered BMW M3 GTR in this weekend’s 12 Hours of Sebring. A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

The new No. 42 to be driven by JJ Lehto and Jorg Muller. Fredrik Ekblom and Dirk Muller will drive the #43 six-cylinder car.

The new car had its first test at France’s Miramas circuit on March 6-7 with Dirk Muller behind the wheel.

March 13,Pruett To Replace Kneifel At Corvette

Scott Pruett will replace Chris Kneifel in the Corvette Racing driving line up after this weekend’s Sebring 12 Hours.

Kniefel who recently filled the position of chief steward with the FedEx Champ Car series, will race for the last time at Sebring before he concentrates full-time on his new position.

Pruett, who lost his NASCAR Winston Cup ride for 2001 with PPI Motorsports to Ricky Craven, will join the team straight after the Sebring 12 Hours. He and the team will stay at the Florida track as the team begins to prepare the C5-Rs for the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

“We’re very pleased to be able to get a proven champion like Scott,” said Corvette programme manager Doug Fehan. “Scott has ample experience in endurance racing and cars in Corvette’s classification to be an immediate contributor to the success of Corvette Racing.”

“The chance to join a proven racing team at a time when their fortunes are clearly on the rise is what every driver dreams about,” said Pruett. “Joining a well-knit team like Corvette Racing with drivers like Andy Pilgrim, Ron Fellows, Kelly Collins, Franck Freon and Johnny O’Connell in equipment like the Corvette C5-R is awesome.”

March 12,AVR Names Sebring Driving Squad

American Viper racing has signed sportscar veteran Stu Haynor, 2000 Trans Am Series Rookie of the Year Jeff Altenburg, and Andy Pardoe of England to run the 12 hours of Sebring this coming week.

AVR is looking to improve on an already good start to the 2001 ALMS season. Sebring will be a good gauge for where the team will be this year, and we feel that these drivers give our team an excellent opportunity to finish on the podium with both Dodge Viper GTSR's for the second straight race.

March 12,Oreca Confirms Donington Debut

CHRYSLER PLAYSTATION LMP IN THE EUROPEAN LE MANS SERIES

Bicester, UK, Monday 12th March 2001: ORECA has today confirmed that it is entering the brand new Chrysler Playstation LMP in the European Le Mans Series race at Donington Park over the Easter weekend (13-14th April). The prototype will be piloted by Olivier Beretta and Yannick Dalmas and will race in the highly competitive LMP900 class against the likes of the Audi R8 and Panoz. The Chrysler ORECA partnership brings some formidable credentials to the Championship, it has dominated the GTS class in the American Le Mans Series with the Viper GTS-R for the past two years winning both the manufacturer and driver titles. Between 1997 and 2000 the Chrysler ORECA Viper won over 40 races and came first in its class at Le Mans in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Mopar V8 engine will power the Chrysler LMP in its first competitive race on UK soil.

The confirmation that the Chrysler LMP will race in the ELMS at Donington Park brings yet another manufacturer with such a strong sportscar pedigree into the fold. Seen as a Le Mans shakedown, the race offers the British public their only chance to see all four categories of Le Mans cars before the 24-hours French Classic.

March 9, Kelly- Moss Motorsports Sebring News

Kelly-Moss Motorsports will bring in Darren Law to help out with the driving duties of its #99 Porsche 911GT3RS to be co-driven by David Murry and Anthony Lazzaro. Murry who is just recovering from a kidney operation says he is ready to get back behind the wheel.

March 8,Dyson Racing Tests Riley and Scott MkIII C

HOMESTEAD, MIAMI, FLORIDA, MARCH 8-- The Thetford / Norcold Dyson Racing Team has recently concluded testing its new Riley and Scott Mk3C in the run up to the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 17.

Following its victory in Saturday's Nextel 250 at Homestead, the team took delivery of the new car on Sunday and worked late into the night preparing it for a two-day test on the combination road course-oval.

James Weaver spent Monday morning testing shocks on the team's proven Riley and Scott Mk3 and sought to achieve a benchmark time. The team continued to prepare the new car into the evening and eventually Weaver was able to do a "systems check" in the paddock parking lot. With everything functioning without a problem, the team headed home for some rest.

Tuesday dawned sunny and breezy, and Weaver set out on his initial laps in the new car early in the morning. After a few installation laps, the team attended to some driver comfort issues and James was then off do a few flying laps. Working gradually to learn the new car, the Englishman was able to get down to satisfactory times within the car's first few laps' running.

During a break in the action, Weaver commented that the car "feels much better on old tires. It's a step in the right direction." The team spent the first part of the afternoon massaging the car's setup and then Weaver and teammate Butch Leitzinger were able to resume serious testing for the remainder of the day.

"We're looking forward to running the car next weekend," team owner Rob Dyson said. "So far things look pretty encouraging, but we need to keep running the car to evaluate its strengths and how we can make it better. Thankfully, the basic package is the same as the car we've been running. It is an evolution of the mk3, and we think it's an improvement."

The Pat Smith-led crew is taking a short break at home in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. before returning to Florida this weekend to complete preparations for the Sebring enduro.

Check out testing photos at Dyson Racing

March 9,Sebring Driver Updates

Johansson Audi
Guy Smith who last week was announced as a Bentley Factory driver for Le Mans will contest the 12 Hours with his former boss Stefan Johansson in the formers new Gulf sponsored Audi R8. Smith will possibly drive in some other ELMS rounds with Johansson that do not conflict with his Bentley test schedule.

Pescarolo Sport
Frenchman Redon Laurent has been announced as the third driver on the Pescarolo Sport Courage C60-Peugeot. He will partner fellow Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais and Jean-Christophe Boullion.

Gunnar Racing
First off Kevin Jeannette has stated at Gunnar Racing that the team has run into some to "some engineering difficulties that will take a little longer to sort out, " on the 2-liter flat-six, air-cooled, single turbo. "We'll be using the 4-valve/4-cam motor at Sebring instead of the air-cooled motor we've been building up in the last few installments." The team just took delivery of their second Lola B2K/40 chassis yesterday and the plans are to have two cars with two different motors.

Bill Adam will co-drive the #77 Gunnar Racing Lola B2K/40-Porsche LMP675 with Gunnar Jeannette and Wayne Jackson. The last time Adam raced in the 12 Hours was in 1997 with Champion Racing's 911GT2-EVO in which he experienced a big shunt heading towards Big Bend. It is great to see Bill Adam back at Sebring.

Alex Job Racing
SuperCup and Porsche Junior Team member Timo Bernhard of Germany will partner Randy Pobst and Christian Menzel in the #22 Porsche 911GT3RS. Frenchman Emmanuel Collard who piloted one of the DAMS Cadillacs at Sebring last year will partner Lucas Luhr and Sascha Maassen in the #23 Porsche 911GT3RS.

Broadfoot Racing
Broadfoot Racing has been added to the entry with their #47 Porsche 911GT3R. John Warner, Ron Zitza and co-driver tba will piolt the car entered by the Broadfoot Porsche race team.

Kelly-Moss Motorsports
Frenchman Christophe Tinseau who also piloted a DAMS Cadillac at Sebring last year will co-drive the #98 Kelly-Moss Motorsports Porsche 911GT3R with Rich Polk and Cort Wagner.

March 6,No Hurley in 12 Hours?

By JACK HARRIS

SEBRING - Hurley Haywood, the enduring endurance driver at Sebring, said Friday he won't be running in the 49th annual 12 Hours of Sebring, breaking a long string of participation in the classic road race.

Haywood, of Ponte Vedra Beach, has started 28 times in the 12-Hours, a record since the race began in March, 1952.

"I don't have a ride," he said. "I don't want to drive for the sake of driving, I want to win." said Haywood, who added that this doesn't mean he will not drive in the 12-Hours again. "In 2002, if I get a good ride, I'll be back."

Haywood drove a prototype for Champion at February's 24 Hours of Daytona, but that car, under the American Le Mans rules, isn't competitive, he said. The 24-Hours runs under Grand-Am rules.

"So far, what has been offered to me can't win." "If I had a chance to drive a really good car, I'd do it. A good car in GT3 or a good car overall."

Champion is running an Audi and Haywood wouldn't feel comfortable leaving Porsche, he said. "At this stage, I've run 28 of these things so I certainly don't need to do it for the thrill of driving at Sebring. I want to do it so I'll have a chance to win."

The 52-year-old Haywood ran in the GT3 class last year in a Reiser Porsche 911 with co-drivers Joel Reiser and Craig Stanton. "That team is no longer running,"

He said his next race will be at Watkins Glen with the Champion team in the car he drove at Daytona. Haywood is in Sebring this weekend for the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) event. He said he will continue to drive in HSR for Brumos Porsche of Jacksonville, where he is executive vice president and where he started his road-racing career.

"I may be working with Speedvision in its TV coverage of the 12-Hours," he said, "but if that doesn't work, I'll probably be in Gainesville for the drag racing."

Through the 2000 race, Haywood has missed only once (1989) since first driving in the 12-Hours in 1971 with his mentor, the late Peter Gregg. The pair won overall in 1973. Haywood also won overall in 1981 with Bruce Levens, of Seattle, three months after Gregg killed himself on a beach in Ponte Vedra.

John Morton and Jack Refenning are the closest to Haywood in starts, with 20 each. Haywood also holds the record for most top 10 finishes at Sebring with 11. He's the only driver to win 10 times in the big three of endurance races - Sebring twice, Daytona five times, and Le Mans, three.

Haywood first saw the 12-Hours in 1967 as an 18-year-old boarding school student on spring break. He has said it was then he decided to become a sports car driver.

March 5,More On Reynard Sportscar Racing

Reynard has been working hard over the last year on its sportscar plans, with an intensive research and development programme, designed to improve the car to suit both LMP900 and LMP675 racing classes. Reynard will be working alongside the three teams out on track this year to provide engineering support from their UK and USA based departments, to help in maximising the potential of the car and teams' success in each of these important Sportscar series. The design team is led by Will Philips as Chief Designer, with Nick Carpenter as Assistant Chief Designer, supported by a core of research and development specialists.

Mark Smithson, Managing Director, Reynard Motorsport, comments on the 2001 plans, saying, "This year will be a critical one for our sportscar programme. We've made enormous progress with this evolution of the 2KQ, through the 2KQ-LM and now the 01Q, with the LMP675 version of the car being an important move. Roc Auto showed us last year how competitive the car could be in this category and with Dick Barbour Racing, I'm sure the Reynard will be a real contender for class honours."

On driving the 01Q in the FIA Sportscar Championship, Smithson adds, "I will also be able to experience at first-hand the capabilities, driveability and potential for the car with the Redman Bright team. I hope this will be valuable to both Reynard and the other teams and I've no doubt that they will be watching me closely to see how I perform!"

The Reynard 01Q is the second stage of the development of the companies' sportscar programme. At the end of this year, further plans will see the famous racecar constructor look towards the development of an all-new sportscar which will build on the development of the 2KQ and 01Q for 2002. This year the focus for Reynard Motorsport is the building of a strong engineering team, developing an effective product and healthy market for 2002 and beyond

March 1,Dick Barbour To Run LMP675 Reynards

DICK BARBOUR STEPS IT UP FOR 2001 ALMS CHAMPIONSHIP

Road Atlanta, GA March 1, 2001 - Dick Barbour Racing will compete in the 2001 American Le Mans Series Championship in the Prototype Class. The Team will enter two Reynard O1Q/Judd LMP 675's - the numbers 5 and 57.

The Team will begin their assault on the LMP 675 Championship with the April 14th event at Donington Park in England. The Team will then remain in Europe to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"It is a logical progression for both me and my team," says Barbour. "As in the past, I'm happy to once again compete for overall victories. I'm anxious to flex my team's muscle's, so-to-speak, with the prototype group. After being away for twenty years, I thought it prudent to spend my first season back 'getting up to speed' - which we did very successfully with the amazing Porsche 911 GT3 R's".

The Dick Barbour Racing Team recently garnered the 2000 American Le Mans GT Championship with nine wins in twelve races. The Team also contributed heavily to Porsche winning the GT Manufacturer's Championship and Michelin winning the GT Tire Manufacturer's Championship. The Team's four drivers finished one, two, three and four in GT Driver's Points - with team member Dirk Muller walking away with the GT Driver's Championship.

Mark Smithson, Managing Director, Reynard Motorsport, commented, "We're very pleased that Dick Barbour Racing have chosen to race with the Reynard 01Q this year in the American Le Mans Series. Dick Barbour Racing is a strong, professional team with many years of sportscar racing experience who will make a valuable contribution to the continuing development of the car. Reynard will be assisting the team with a comprehensive support engineering programme and we hope that, working together, there will be success for the team this year".

Engine Developments, manufacturers of the Judd family of racing engines, is delighted to announce its association with Dick Barbour Racing for the 2001 ALMS season. "The KV675 engine which Dick Barbour Racing will run has been developed from our very successful KV F3000 engine and also uses much of the experience gained since 1999 with our Judd V10 engine in the LMP 900. We are sure that the combination of this powerplant, Dick Barbour Racing's renowned race experience, and the Reynard Chassis, will bring success during the year", says John Judd.

Piloting the number 57 Reynard O1Q/Judd will be Venezuela's Milka Duno and Canadian John Graham. Duno was named Venezuela's "National Auto Racing Driver of the Year in 2000. Graham most recently captured first place honors in the LMP 675 Class at the 2000 24 Hours of Le Mans and a second place class finish and fifth overall with Dick Barbour Racing at the ALMS season finale in Australia.

Belgium's Didier de Radigues will helm the Team's number 5 Reynard O1Q/Judd. In the 2000 ALMS Championship, de Radigues drove for Team Rafanelli in the LMP 900 Class. Joining de Radigues will be yet another world-class driver to be named at this year's 12 Hours of Sebring.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the way our 2001 season is evolving. To team with both Reynard and Judd is like a racer's dream come true. I can't imagine a better scenario than to compete this year with both of these world-class companies," added Barbour. "To further enhance this outstanding program we are building an incredible driver line-up that begins with Duno, Graham and de Radigues."

February 28,Gunnar LMP 675-Porsche To Miss Texas

Kevin Jeannette have posted this statement concerning the Texas event this weekend at the Gunnar Racing Site:

"Yesterday, after assessing the build situation with the Lola, we made the decision to miss out the first ALMS round at Texas. While we felt we could have gotten the car together in time for the event, taking five days off to make the race would have meant we would not have been prepared for Sebring, which is important to us as a preliminary shakedown/test prior to the Le Mans prequalifying tests in May."

Though this is a disappointment it looks like Gunnar Racing should have the car good and ready for Sebring. Also you can still follow the preparations of the car at Gunnar Racing.

February 28,Guy Smith Still Pursuing Drive With Johansson

Guy Smith, who just yesterday was announced as part of the Bentley Le Mans driving squad, is still pursuing a ride at Sebring and possibly some ELMS rounds with his former boss and teammate. Stefan Johansson who drove with Smith last year in a Reynard/Judd is currently in a driver search to help partner his new Gulf sponsored Audi R8.

"Stefan is talking to a lot of drivers at the moment, but he will need two more at Sebring and I would like to be one of them," said Smith. "I think with the factory Audis there it will be tough, but with the Panoz performing the way they are, he stands a chance of getting a result."

February 28,R&S MKIII C Hits Wind Tunnel

Indianapolis, - Riley & Scott Racing LLC successfully tested the first all new Mk III C in the Lockheed Martin wind tunnel in Atlanta on February 24th.

Company President Bob Riley commented: "First, we are pleased that production goals were met- this car is on time and beautifully made. I personally thank all our employees, customers, and vendors for their special efforts on this project. Second, it was a productive test and the new car shows substantial aerodynamic improvement over the Mk III. Finally, we look forward to its upcoming tests and race debut at Sebring."

Photo Courtesy:Riley & Scott

February 27,Mont-Tremblant In Trouble

Just four days after the cancelation of the Adelaide Final comes news that the Aug. 25 event at Canada’s Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant is in trouble.

The ALMS indicated that it had been advised by circuit owner Lawrence Stroll that Mont-Tremblant has been unable to comply with certain terms of the event agreement reached last September.

"We are very disappointed to have to make this announcement," said Scott Atherton, president and COO of the Panoz Motor Sports Group, which includes the ALMS. "And we sincerely hope Mr. Stroll and his team sort out their issues. Knowing that many of our fans and race teams have already made travel plans and other arrangements, we felt it was best to inform everyone of the questionable status of the race as soon as we became aware."

Atherton said that the event was not yet cancelled, but should be considered tentative for the time being. If the event is cancelled, the ALMS will seek an alternative venue, but Atherton admitted that options would be limited due to the short time left to plan and execute such an event from scratch.

"Mont-Tremblant has a lot of history and is going to be an excellent facility when the renovations are complete," said Atherton. "We look forward to confirming the opportunity to bring the American Le Mans Series there for a major event."

February 27,Third Panoz Entry for Westward Racing Group at the Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas

Texas "Three" Step

New York, NY & Norfolk, England: American sports car star, Jay Cochran and England's F-3000 and GT ace, Richard Dean, will drive a third Panoz works entry in the Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas at the Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, the first stop on the ALMS series tour. "We are pleased to be able to work with Westward Racing Group and we hope this race in Texas will enable them to be better prepared for the European Le Mans Series," stated sports car racing visionary, Don Panoz.

“The Panoz organization has offered our drivers and crewmembers a huge opportunity by entering the third car for us,” said Westward Motorsport Director, David Sims. “This will give us essential hands-on experience with the Panoz LMP-1 Roadster in the heat of battle," Sims said.

Taking an uncharacteristic position outside the car is Westward regular driver Peter Boss. "Having completed just 20 laps testing in the 2000 Panoz chassis at Road Atlanta last Monday, I felt that it was in both Panoz Motor Sports' and Westward's best interest to hand the wheel to a more experienced endurance driver like Richard Dean. It’s not easy, but it's the right decision," Boss stated.

Westward Racing Group LLC is a motor sports marketing organization with management offices in New York, New York and racing team works in Norfolk, England.

February 26,2001 AVR Driver Update

Eric Burch at AVR has passed on that Terry Borcheller will partner Erik Messley in the #45 AVR Viper GTS-R at Texas, not Neil Hannemann. The team are "very pleased to see him on board."

Announced already is the #44 Viper GTS-R to be driven by team owner Tom Weickardt and Joe Ellis.

February 26,2001 Panoz Team Update

The Panoz Motor Sports team head for the 2001 American Le Mans Series’ opening round, the Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas, with the knowledge that all their racing experience and expertise may be called upon in the increasingly competitive sportscar series.

The 2 hour 45 minute race at Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Tex., on 4th March will feature three Panoz prototype cars. Car #50 will be a new 2001 Panoz LMP 07, and will be driven by Australian David Brabham and Dane Jan Magnussen, while the other two are the LMP-1 Roadsters so successfully campaigned by the team in recent years.

Car # 51 will be driven by the new Panoz pairing of Klaus Graf and Gualter Salles. The latter had his first taste of Panoz power at the recent Spring Training at the Road Atlanta track and, with the close help and guidance of his new team-mate, Graf, soon familiarised himself with both track and car.

Having been up against a very tight test, development and build schedule in the last two months, and with some technical modifications having been made quite recently, it was decided that only one LMP 07 will be raced in Texas. This will allow the team to more fully prepare two LMP 07s for the next round, the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance event. The German/Brazilian pairing of Graf and Salles will therefore race last year’s car for the season’s opener.

The third Panoz, # 49, is being entered by Panoz Motor Sports in co-operation with Westward Racing Group. The entry gives Westward’s drivers, American Jay Cochran and Briton Richard Dean, and team personnel the opportunity to gain valuable racing experience with the factory squad before they start their European Le Mans Series campaign.

The Panoz drivers, like all their fellow competitors from 2000, will welcome the opportunity to visit the 2.83 mile part oval, part infield course in less than the searing 100oF plus temperatures of last August. The race, which starts at 1 p.m. (CST), will be televised live on the Speedvision Network at 2 p.m. (EST), and can be heard online through the American Le Mans Radio Web at www.americanlemans.com.

NEW TECHNICAL SUPPORT AT PANOZ MOTOR SPORTS

Following the recent departure of Andy Thorby from the role of Panoz Motor Sports Chief Designer, there has been a restructuring of the Design and Engineering departments. The following new appointments are therefore announced, all of which take place with immediate effect.

Brian Willis will become Technical Director of Panoz Motor Sports. Willis, 37, has been working within the Panoz group of companies at Elan Motorsport Technologies in Braselton, Georgia, and amongst other projects has been responsible for the new Panoz Trans-Am car. Prior to joining Panoz in March 1999, Brian was senior designer on the Williams-BMW Le Mans programme and before that senior designer for Team Rahal. He brings to his new role over 15 years’ experience in GTP, Group C and Champ Car racing.

Bob Bell has been appointed Senior Design Engineer, with particular responsibilities to the continuing development of the 2001 Panoz LMP 07. Bob, who brings many years of sports car experience to the role, will be based at G-Force’s premises in Southern England.

Chris Gorne is promoted from Senior Race Engineer to the role of Senior Development Engineer and will be working closely with Brian as well as the team’s race engineers.

Buddy Fey will assume the position of Senior Race Engineer and will be responsible for the Brabham/Magnussen car. Rick Mayer joins the team from Dick Barbour Racing to engineer the Graf/Salles car.

Sirish Vissa has become Customer Liaison Engineer, responsible for privateer entrant Westward Racing Group’s Panoz cars.

David Newall, after 7 years at DPR, has joined PMS as Operations Manager. He will primarily be based in the UK and, working alongside John Love, will be responsible for customer support programmes.

February 26,2001 Richard Dean & Westward

The #49 Panoz running at the ALMS opening round in Texas , is being entered by Panoz Motor Sports in co-operation with Westward Racing Group. The entry gives Westward's drivers, American Jay Cochran and Briton Richard Dean, and team personnel the opportunity to gain valuable racing experience with the factory squad before they start their European Le Mans Series campaign.

February 26,2001 Don Panoz Statement on Adelaide

Don Panoz:

"Sorry that I am not there this morning but I have only just returned from a visit to Adelaide to carry out the final negotiations on our deal for future races. I hope that you can understand that I am not about to get on a plane a few days later.

"I would like to say that I really do like the city of Adelaide and the people here so much so that I brought my entire family of 26 there for 10 days over Xmas.

"I would like to thank the media and the race fans who supported our racing and the terrific team we have in Adelaide for giving us a chance to bring international motorsport back to Adelaide in such a dynamic way.

"I would also like to thank the hundreds of people who have supported us heavily, our key sponsors, business connections and those Government people who have joined us in a partnership to heavily promote Adelaide.

"Contrary to what has been reported, this announcement caught us completely by surprise. While in Adelaide I had several productive meetings with the Premier and Minister of Tourism for South Australia.

"Before I left Adelaide I was presented with a draft contract that confirmed a Le Mans Series race would be held in Adelaide for the next four years. We had agreed to all of the terms. I shook hands on the deal because I was told by the Government's negotiation team that the terms were in line with Cabinet requirements.

"My next contact with the Government was a conference call with the Minister for Tourism and Dean Rainsford on Friday 22nd February (Adelaide am time). The Minister had called a meeting with our people the day before to explain her difficulties in obtaining a sign off on our agreement and was suggesting the investigation of combining the Le Mans series Race with the Clipsal 500.

"This was my original concept and an idea we have fostered including re-iterating this offer with the Premier during a meeting