American Le Mans Series

Alex Figge Joins Tafel Racing
Open Wheel and Sports Car Racer to Share No. 73 Ferrari with Jim Tafel for Rest of '08

News from Tafel Racing
CUMMING, Ga. (April 30, 2008) - Tafel Racing announced today the addition of American Alex Figge to its 2008 driver lineup. The former Champ Car driver will share the No. 73 Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC with owner/driver Jim Tafel (Alpharetta, Ga.) for the remainder of the American Le Mans Series season. Figge, who has seven career Series starts in the GT1 class, will make his GT2 debut with the Cumming, Ga.-based organization at the Utah Grand Prix on May 18. To date, the resident of Denver, CO. has an American Le Mans Series career- best finish of third (Portland, 2005). "I am just really excited to be with Tafel Racing,” said Figge. “When the [IndyCar- Champ Car] merger happened I was nervous about what I'd be doing and I am really thankful to Jim and Tony for taking me on. I have met all the guys and Dirk and Dominik. There is a lot to learn there. I am really pleased to be back in the American Le Mans Series and I am ready to get to Utah and get started."

The 14-race Champ Car veteran joins the second- year American Le Mans Series team with an impressive racing resume. Figge has run one full season on the Champ Car Series (2007) with a career-high finish of 11th and finished 14th earlier this year at the Champ Car Series' Finale in Long Beach. The Colorado-native has five class top-10 finishes in the American Le Mans Series, all in '05, and multiple career starts in the Grand-Am Daytona Prototype class with a best finish of second (Phoenix and Laguna Seca) in 2006. In 2004, Figge finished seventh overall in the Champ Car Atlantic Series with one win in Monterrey, Mexico, two podiums and two front row starts. He was also awarded the Michael Rosen Memorial Award by the Atlantic Series for "dedication, perseverance and his desire to succeed" that year. Figge's sophomore season of Atlantics spawned two top-five finishes in 2003 and nine top-tens in 12 starts. His rookie season in Atlantics resulted in two top-10s and a front row start. Figge ran consistently in the top- five of the US Formula Ford 2000 Championship in 2001 and scored three victories and two pole positions in the Formula Mazda Series from 1998 to 2000.

"From my spot as the owner and as a driver,” said Jim Tafel, “I am really excited to have Alex join the team. I get a good sense that he is hungry to race. He doesn't want to miss a beat and he wants to compete. We haven't driven together yet but I think Alex will be quite good. For me, it isn't just Alex but he brings Mike Zimiki [driver coach] with him as well. Having worked with Mike and Graham Rahal I know how much he brings. They will both be great assets to Tafel Racing. I am very pleased to be able to help give Alex a home. I think we can have a prosperous year from Utah on."

Tafel Racing Technical Director Tony Dowe (Cumming, Ga.) oversaw Figge's indoctrination into the team today during a private test at Road Atlanta. The test marked Figge's first opportunity to experience the Ferrari F430 GTC and Michelin's racing tire. Along with the on-track testing, the time at the Braselton, Ga. track provides an ideal opportunity for Figge and Jim Tafel to work on their driver changes prior to the fourth- round of the American Le Mans Series season scheduled at Miller Motorsports Park in mid-May.

The Salt Lake City event marks the return of the No. 73 to the GT2 grid. The car finished fourth in the season- opening 12 Hours of Sebring with Tafel, Pierre Ehret (Germany) and Allan Simonsen (Denmark) behind the wheel. The car did not race in the two events since Sebring (St. Petersburg and Long Beach).

The No. 73 Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC joins the No. 71 Tafel/Bell Micro Racing Ferrari F430 GTC in team's stable. The Dominik Farnbacher (Ansbach, Germany) and Dirk Müller (a native of Germany living in Monaco) driven No. 71 has won the last two GT2 races (St. Petersburg and Long Beach) and currently holds the Team, Driver and IMSA Cup point lead for the class.

The Utah Grand Prix will be held May 18 at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. The two hour and 45-minute event can be seen live on SPEED Channel beginning at 3 PM ET. American Le Mans Series Radio Web coverage as well as live timing and scoring can be found at www.AmericanLeMans.com
 

B-K Motorsports BP Lola Mazda Records Strong Finish in Long Beach
News from B-K Motorsports
Photos courtesy John Thawley
LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 20, 2008) — B-K Motorsports earned its second consecutive top-10 finish overall Saturday in the Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach. The No. 8 BP Lola B07/46 Mazda MZR-R LMP2 car enjoyed a solid run in the 100-minute race on the historic street circuit in Southern California. Gerardo Bonilla drove a consistent opening stint before handing over to Ben Devlin, who took the car to the checkered flag.

"It was pretty challenging," Bonilla said after climbing from the car. "We started really well and the track got very slippery. So it was a struggle to maintain a pace. The tires started really well, but the track temperature got really high."

B-K Motorsports, like many other teams, got caught out by the weather at race time. Initial forecasts for Saturday called for cooler and overcast conditions, much like what was seen in the morning. This would have been ideal for the team, as Bonilla clocked the third quickest time in warm-up. But conditions changed by the afternoon, bringing increased track temperature for the race.

"I think we were a bit off with the setup change we made overnight and this morning with the colder weather, trying to get a bit more front grip," Devlin said. "So I think we lost out a little bit there. But the tires did a great job, thanks to Yokohama. They've worked hard to produce a soft tire for street racing."

John Doonan, Manager, Motorsports Team Development for Mazda also thought cooler track conditions could have better suited the car's setup.

"The temperature changed on us," Doonan said. "We felt really good this morning. We were third quick in warm-up, it's just the sun came out. We needed it to stay cloudy and cool, which was what the forecast was for. But there's nothing you can do about it, so we'll just get after it in a couple of weeks."

After making the one and only pit stop for fuel and Yokohama tires in the race, Devlin drove the Mazda-powered Lola prototype to a eighth place finish in the highly competitive LMP2 category.

"We're just looking to get better every single time we go out," Bonilla said. "That last stint that Ben did showed that we are making some progress. We learned some things with the stint I drove and we're going to figure out what the difference is and go from there."

With another solid finish in the books, its mission accomplished for B-K Motorsports as they now turn their focus back to racing on permanent road-racing facilities. The next round of the American Le Mans Series takes the team to Miller Motorsports Park, which will host a the two-hour, 45-minute race on the circuit's outer course. The team conducted a successful test on the new layout last week and can't wait to return next month.

"We wanted to get out of here with a finish," Doonan said. "This is an awesome event, but we're looking forward to a natural terrain course and getting after it. We had a great test in Salt Lake City this past week. So we'll go into there with a lot of confidence and see what we can do. The car is in one piece, so we'll go home with that and get them next time."

On Saturday, the team and tire partner Yokohama announced their partnership with the upcoming motion picture "Speed Racer". The stars of the movie were on hand for photo opportunities with Ben, Gerardo, the entire crew, and the team's Mazda LMP2 race car, which carried "Speed Racer" decals this weekend. "Speed Racer" hits theaters nationwide on May 9.

B-K Motorsports' next stop will be at Miller Motorsports Park for the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix presented by The Grand and Little America Hotels on May 16-18. SPEED Channel will provide live coverage of the two-hour, 45-minute race on starting at 3:00 p.m. EST on May 18.
 

American Le Mans Series announces Long Beach Extension through 2013
LONG BEACH, California (April 18, 2008) — The American Le Mans Series and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach today announced an extension to keep the world's premier sports car series racing at one of the world's most iconic street circuits. The Series competes this weekend in the Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach for the second consecutive season. The extension will allow southern California fans to enjoy the cars and stars of the American Le Mans Series through 2013.

While the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach with its 34 years of history may be best known as an open-wheel venue, the American Le Mans Series scored a victory of its own as Long Beach spectators were enthralled by the world's premium brand of motorsport in 2007, a race that began Penske Racing's unparalleled eight-race overall win streak.

The Series' collection of elite prototype and production-based manufacturers, competing with a platform that encourages technology transfers from racetrack to showroom, and a fan-friendly openness with spectators all combined to make the American Le Mans Series an instant success.

"There is no doubt that Long Beach and southern California represent an ideal market for the American Le Mans Series," said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series. "We have seen that our brand of racing - with its relevant, leading-edge technology goes hand-in-hand with the most influential marketplace in North America. That is a key reason why we are so thrilled to announce this five-year extension today.

"We send special thanks to Jim Michaelian and the rest of the staff with the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach," Atherton added. "They are a large reason why we are making this announcement. The reception of the American Le Mans Series in our first year at Long Beach in 2007 was more than we could have hoped for. With this world-class event now confirmed as a regular feature on our calendar, we look forward to working with Jim and his staff to make our race bigger and better by every measure."

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, in its 34th year, is America's premier street race that annually attracts 180,000 people during its three-day weekend. The Grand Prix features six racing series, free concerts, a Lifestyle Expo with an emphasis on green technologies and a number of other activities.

"We're delighted to have the opportunity to host a round of the American Le Mans Series here at Long Beach for the next five years," said Jim Michaelian, President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. "Its exciting brand of racing has certainly enhanced our Super Saturday program and its efforts with regard to highlighting alternate fuel alternatives fit extremely well with our own Green Power Prix-View concept."

The southern California market became an even greater focal point of the Series in January when it became the first motorsports organization to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy and SAE International as a 'green racing' series. The American Le Mans Series has more manufacturers competing head-to-head than any other series in the world and also is a pioneer in the field of alternative energy sources. All cars compete with either clean diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10.

American Le Mans Series rules also allow the introduction of additional energy sources including fuel-electric hybrid motors and energy recovery systems. The regulations encourage manufacturers to develop new technologies through racing that can be applied to improve the automobiles being built for consumers.

"This makes our Series a perfect fit for the focus the Grand Prix of Long Beach has featured in its Expo with emphasis on such things as alternative fuels, reduction of greenhouse gasses and related issues," Atherton noted. "Addressing these challenges is at the core of the American Le Mans Series' green racing initiatives. It will be interesting to see what new automotive innovations are showcased on the streets of Long Beach by the Series over the next five years."

This is the second such event agreement for the Series in less than a month. The city of St. Petersburg, Andretti Green Promotions and the Series announced April 6 that the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will continue through 2013 with the Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg a staple of the weekend.

A year ago, Penske Racing's Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas won overall and led a podium sweep for Porsche in the American Le Mans Series' Long Beach debut. Other premium manufacturers such as Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, Corvette, Dodge, Ferrari, Ford, Mazda and Panoz will compete in Saturday's race. All view southern California as a target-rich market.

"Just as the American Le Mans Series symbolizes authenticity and forward-thinking innovation, the Grand Prix of Long Beach also represents historical significance and excellence in motorsports," Atherton said. "We are proud that the American Le Mans Series is establishing itself as a cornerstone race within the event weekend. We bring an unmatched level of competition and relevance that made this long-term extension an easy decision for all involved.

"Our teams, our manufacturers and our corporate partners have made it clear they want us to be here," he concluded. "We share that sentiment and with this new agreement it's safe to say the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach does as well."

The Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, Round 3 of the 2008 season, is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 19 from the famed Long Beach street circuit. ABC will broadcast the race from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 20. XM Satellite Radio will provide coverage on Channel 144 from 7 to 9 p.m. ET Saturday, April 19. American Le Mans Radio will have live coverage of the race at americanlemans.com, which also will feature IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring.
 

Distinctive Canadian Flavour a Feature of ABC's American Le Mans Series Broadcasts
By Lee Baille
Photo courtesy Robin Thompson

BOWMANVILLE, ON (APRIL 1, 2008) – When the American Le Mans Series visits the west coast of Florida this weekend for the Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg, a Canadian motorsports great will be there to bring the action home (ABC, Sat. April 5, live- 1:30 pm- 3:30 pm EDT). Bill Adam, a Canadian sports car racing legend and veteran motorsports broadcaster will serve as ABC's analyst for the race along with the Series' April 19 stop in Long Beach, California.

Raised in Burlington, Ontario and currently living in Miami, Florida, the 61 year-old Adam's decorated sports car racing career began in the late 1970s. After being hired to drive the factory-backed Group 44 team in the IMSA series in 1980, he and co-driver Bob Tullius piloted a Triumph TR-8 to victories at Mosport Road Atlanta, Road America and the Twelve Hours of Sebring. One of Adam's more memorable wins came at Mosport in 1983, when he and Tullius piloted a Jaguar GTP prototype to victory in a six-hour endurance race. In 1986 and 1987, Adam collected more victories competing in the Rothmans Porsche Cup and also won the Porsche Cup award in recognition of being one of the top Porsche drivers worldwide.

After spending some time out of motorsports Adam returned to racing, piloting the Champion Racing Porsche in 1994. Along with international sports car racing star Hans Stuck, he finished second at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in 1995, and scored a class victory with Stuck in 1996. In 1997, he placed second in class with Stuck and Thierry Boutsen in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He won the Daytona World Sports Car Enduro race in 2005, and still competes in select Historic Sports Car Racing events behind the wheel of an American Le Mans Series prototype Audi R8.

Since 1985, Adam has also worked as a broadcaster for various forms of motorsports. In addition to the American Le Mans Series, he has worked Formula 1, Champ Car World Series, Formula Atlantic and Trans Am Series races for networks such as CBS, NBC, ESPN, SPEED, CTV and CBC.

"My favourite is the American Le Mans Series. I suppose because I raced big sports cars, I still love them the best," Adam said of his many broadcasting assignments in the world of motorsports.

Confirmed to work ABC's two American Le Mans Series telecasts, Adam will also be a part of the Edmonton IndyCar Series broadcast team in July.

ABC Headlines U.S. Coverage of St. Petersburg Round; DSF, Eurosport2, Sport Italia Added To European Lineup
BRASELTON, Georgia (April 3, 2008) — The American Le Mans Series launches one of its most extensive telecast ventures ever this weekend in conjunction with the Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg presented by XM Satellite Radio. In the U.S., ABC will broadcast the race live Saturday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. In Europe, in addition to live coverage on MotorsTV, new telecast partners in Germany's DSF, Europe's trans-terrestrial Eurosport2 and Sport Italia will provide special produced highlight coverage for the first time.

The additions of DSF, Eurosport2 and Sport Italia to the international lineup gives the American Le Mans Series one of the most extensive international television packages in sports with more than 600 million homes worldwide capable of viewing American Le Mans Series races.

"This just further signifies the growth and popularity of the American Le Mans Series on a global scale," said Scott Atherton, Series President and CEO. "It is an excellent tribute not only to our world-class style of racing, but to our auto manufacturers, teams, drivers and corporate partners who are all helping make this series one of the most exciting and widely watched motorsports series in the world."

DSF is a major German terrestrial network with country household penetration of 95 percent. Total household estimates reach 33.1 million including cable, satellite and "aerial" distribution. The 32-minute DSF highlight program is produced by Greenlight Television in cooperation with the American Le Mans Series. It will be telecast on Saturday, the week after the Series' actual race, from 7:30-8:00 p.m. Central European Time.

Eurosport2, meanwhile, reaches 28 million pan-European satellite households in 43 countries including England, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Russia, and offers coverage in 11 different languages. The American Le Mans Series program airs 10 days after the actual race between 6:00 p.m. and midnight depending on other Eurosport2 programming. It, too, along with Sport Italia's highlight program is produced by Greenlight Television, a longtime American Le Mans Series partner.

Headlining the telecast for ABC will be veteran broadcasters Greg Creamer and Bill Adam in the booth with pit reporters Jon Beekhuis and Kelli Stavast. This weekend's round is the first of two races to air on ABC in its first-year relationship with the American Le Mans Series. The network also will air the Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach on April 20.

In addition, radio coverage from St. Petersburg can be heard live on American Le Mans Radio via americanlemans.com and by XM Satellite Radio on Channel 144 from 5 to 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 6.

The Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg presented by XM Satellite Radio is Round 2 of the 2008 American Le Mans Series schedule. A year ago in the inaugural event, Audi Sport North America finished 1-2 with eventual Series champions Allan McNish and Dindo Capello prevailing over the 1.8-mile street circuit along St. Petersburg's waterfront.
 

Two commitments for the Audi R10 TDI

News from Audi Motorsports

INGOLSTADT (March 28, 2008) — Even in its third year of racing the Audi R10 TDI still experiences some débuts: on the first weekend in April, the diesel-powered sportscar will compete simultaneously for the first time in two races, in America and in Europe. In St Petersburg (U.S. state of Florida), on Saturday (5 April), the second round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series will be staged. One day later, the European Le Mans Series kicks off with the 1000-kilometre race at Barcelona (Spain).

For the more than 650-hp strong Audi R10 TDI conditions in these two events could hardly be more different. The 2.918-kilometre track along St Petersburg’s southern marina is one of three city street circuits on the schedule of the 2008 American Le Mans Series. Lasting only 1:55 hours, St Petersburg is the second-shortest race of the season.

The Circuit de Catalunya on the outskirts of Barcelona has been the venue of the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix since 1991. For the past two years, it has also been host to the Spanish DTM round. The 4.655-kilometre Grand Prix circuit with its fast turns is considered particularly demanding. For the 1000-kilometre distance, the sports prototypes, depending on weather conditions, will need between five and six hours.

With the Audi R10 TDI, AUDI AG is impressively demonstrating how today’s modern diesel engines combine powerful performance with good fuel economy – and that racing cars do not have to be noisy. Its manufacturer’s commitment in the Le Mans Series gives Audi the opportunity to convince even more customers in Europe of the merits of TDI technology.

Every second Audi is a TDI

For the first time in its history, AUDI AG will be delivering more than one million new vehicles worldwide. About half of them are equipped with TDI engines. The TDI engine has established itself in virtually all markets of the world – except the United States. There, the Audi R10 TDI is paving the way for the upcoming TDI offensive. In 2008, Audi is launching the world’s cleanest diesel engine with an ultra low emission system on the U.S. market.

In St Petersburg, Audi clinched a 1-2 victory last year, proving that it is possible to be successful with a sportscar developed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans on a much slower city street circuit as well. Dindo Capello and Allan McNish, who triumphed in Florida in 2007, are contesting the Le Mans Series this year, in the #1 car. Their team-mates at Audi Sport Team Joest are the two youngsters Alexandre Prémat and Mike Rockenfeller.

In St Petersburg, Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner as well as Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro are competing for Team Audi Sport North America. In Florida, Audi’s primary rivals are Acura/Honda and Porsche, at Barcelona, the closest rival is Peugeot.

"The weekend is a major challenge for Audi Sport, both in terms of logistics and the demands made on personnel, particularly as the 2008 DTM season presentation is taking place in Düsseldorf at the same time," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. "Still, in St Petersburg as well as at Barcelona we want to leave a better impression than we did at the season opener at Sebring – although we’re fully aware of the fact that we’ve got strong competition on either side of the Atlantic and are facing difficult tasks."

The race in St Petersburg will start on Saturday at 1:25 p.m., local time (7:25 p.m. in Germany). The start at Barcelona is scheduled for 11:35 a.m., local time, on Sunday.
 

Series Momentum Continues With Record Sebring Attendance and TV, Web Viewership
BRASELTON, Georgia (March 21,2008) —The momentum for the American Le Mans Series continued to build as reports for attendance, TV ratings and website traffic trickled in following the 56th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida last Saturday.

The first round of the American Le Mans Series season set a new attendance record for the endurance classic. Sebring International Raceway officials announced attendance of more than 170,500 over the four-day event.

In addition, ratings for SPEED's 11 hours of coverage increased 17 percent to 173,000 households with Tampa-St. Petersburg (.52 rating), Las Vegas (.49 rating) and Seattle-Tacoma (.47 rating) coming in as the highest-rated markets. SPEED also reported outstanding positive viewer response to both its Thursday night Live Sebring Special and the race broadcast itself, the first event ever shown in high definition on the network.

Web traffic, too, increased significantly with more than 407,000 page views, 107,000 visits and 54,000-plus unique visitors for the five-day Sebring event period.

"I think these increases across most every measurable category indicate that the American Le Mans Series is clearly adding to the momentum that was established last season," said Series President and CEO Scott Atherton. "This is not an isolated occurrence; we are seeing significant growth across the board. I can't thank our teams, drivers, manufacturers and corporate partners enough for the role they have played to establish us as the world's premier sports car series. Our 10th anniversary season is off to a great start, and the best is yet to come."

The next race for the American Le Mans Series is the Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg. The green flag is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 5 from the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. The race will be broadcast on ABC from 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET on April 5. American Le Mans Radio coverage will be available on XM Satellite Radio Channel 144 and americanlemans.com, which also will feature IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring.
 

B-K Motorsports BP Lola B07/46-Mazda MZR-R LMP2 Ready With New Sponsors, New Look and New Determination
News from Creative Communications

Photo courtesy John Thawley
SEBRING, Florida (March 10, 2008) — B-K Motorsports will debut the BP Lola B07/46-Mazda MZR-R LMP2 featuring its new livery at the 56th running of the American Le Mans Series 56th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Florida Fresh, March 12-15. The team plans to capitalize on the well developed MAZDASPEED MZR-R engine’s strengths during the grueling 12 hour event while using E85 and supporting the “Green” movement within the American Le Mans series. This years 12 Hours of Sebring will be aired live on SPEED starting at 9:30AM EDT, March 15.

Driver Ben Devlin returns to the B-K fold in 2008. Devlin's hopes and spirits are high.

“The team tested over the winter and we're very encouraged by the gains,” said Devlin. “We have great car and an awesome powerplant in the MZR-R. Going the full 12 hours will be key. That in itself is a feat at Sebring and we really want to welcome our new friends at BP and Castrol with a good outing.”

Joining Devlin for 2008 will be 2007 IMSA Lites series champion Gerardo Bonilla. Most of Bonilla’s previous experience is behind the wheel of various formula type cars, he's relishing the opportunity to climb aboard the BP LMP2 machine.

Bonilla had this to say about the new challenge: “I'm excited to compete with a world class team in a world class series. The BP Lola B07/46-Mazda MZR-R LMP2 car is just incredible. I'm quite confident we will have a successful outing.”

The addition of this year's sponsors is more than just a color change for the team and car. BP, Castrol and Yokahma Tire Corporation are key contributors to the team’s overall program with both technical and marketing collaboration. BP is a global energy leader with extensive experience with alternative and future fuels and lubricants. With the “greening” of the ALMS series, BP’s direction will complement the Mazda program. Yokohama has a storied history in motorsports and has multiple past collaborations with Mazda for production and motorsports programs. Mazda and Yokohama have enjoyed joint success and are looking to build on that foundation.

“We are thrilled to have BP, Castrol and Yokohama working with us in 2008,” said Robert Bach, owner, B-K Motorsports. “With everyone’s combined efforts, I am certain we will see the Mazda powered B-K Motorsports team at the front of the pack.”

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by “Fresh from Florida” is the opening race of the prestigious American Le Mans Series. For six decades Sebring has hosted the most important endurance race in North America, a key prelude to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, America’s premier sports car endurance race runs Saturday, March 15, 2008 at the famed raceway in central Florida and airs live on SPEED starting at 9:30AM EDT, March 15.
 

Grand Prix of Houston cancelled
HOUSTON, (March 3, 2008) — The Grand Prix of Houston announced today that the 2008 event, originally scheduled for April 25-27 at Reliant Park, has been cancelled. Grand Prix officials made the determination that after the unexpected unification of the Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League and the resulting exclusion of Houston from the schedule, it was not possible to stage the event in 2008. However, Grand Prix officials are already in discussions about the possibility of holding the Grand Prix of Houston in 2009 with the American Le Mans Series and Indy Racing League.

"The unification of Champ Car and IRL caught us by surprise, and we were informed that due to the last-minute nature of this unification the Houston date could not be accommodated for 2008," said Michael T. Lanigan, owner and chairman of the Grand Prix. "We are saddened and disappointed to have to make this decision, but we remain optimistic that we will have the opportunity to bring the American Le Mans Series and the Indy Racing League to Houston in 2009."

The Grand Prix of Houston was not involved in any way in the unilateral discussions between Champ Car and the Indy Racing League, and despite a contract with Champ Car for 2008 the Houston race was excluded from the schedule.

Grand Prix officials explored the possibility of staging this year's event without Champ Car, but it was determined that holding the Grand Prix with only one headlining series would not be possible. Creating the temporary street course at Reliant Park requires tremendous expenditures including multiple grandstands, over three miles of race wall and fencing, fan amenities, media facilities, numerous jumbo screens, and broadcast production; all of these costs would remain essentially the same with only one series.

"Putting on an event of this magnitude is very challenging, even when we had two great headlining series in 2006 and 2007," Lanigan stated. "We did explore the possibility of holding our event this year with only an American Le Mans Series race and we were sincerely interested in doing that, but the reality is that our expenses would have actually increased with only one series. As a result of Champ Car's actions, we have unfortunately determined that staging an event in 2008 was not feasible."

In addition to initial conversations with Indy Racing League CEO Tony George, event organizers are currently in discussions with Reliant Park and the American Le Mans Series about 2009. Tim Mayer, Chief Operating Officer of the American Le Mans Series commented:

"The American Le Mans Series has enjoyed a great relationship with the City and Fans of Houston and with the great team that promotes the Grand Prix of Houston. So it is with great regret that we face the cancellation of the event, caused by circumstances outside of any of our control, the merger between Champ Car and the Indy Racing League. As we have proven in several markets this past year, the combination of the American Le Mans Series and various open wheel series makes a terrifically strong combination. The loss of the Champ Car Series, and the fact that the IRL has pre-existing commitments created a gap very late in the promotion cycle that no amount of effort would bridge, although Grand Prix of Houston worked tirelessly to do so.

"We continue to enjoy a warm relationship with the Grand Prix of Houston, especially General Manager Chuck Kosich and Founder Mike Lanigan, to whom we are very grateful. We believe that the City of Houston is a great market, and we are committed to working together to try to put together a strong event for the future.

"We do not have plans to replace the Houston race in 2008. History has shown that last minute replacement events are poor representations of the series that run them. We have a great series, with teams, sponsors, manufacturers, promoters and fans of whom we are extremely proud. We have a schedule that is both demanding and rewarding. We will continue to act in everyone's best interest and look forward to continuing to grow this great sport."

Lanigan remains committed to the event and is optimistic about its return in 2009.

"We are grateful for the tremendous support we have received over the past two years from fans, corporate sponsors, our partners Reliant Park and SMG, and the entire Houston community, so we are extremely disappointed to have to make this decision," Lanigan said. "For the long term, we hope that despite this setback we have the opportunity to bring the Indy Racing League and American Le Mans Series to Houston and stage our biggest event ever in 2009."

Fans who have previously purchased tickets for the 2008 event will receive a full refund on the ticket price beginning later this week. Details will soon be available at www.grandprixofhouston.com
 

Strong team at Audi Winter Camp
News from Audi Motorsports

INGOLSTADT (February 25, 2008) – Audi prepared its factory drivers from the DTM and sportscar programmes for the 2008 season at the traditional winter camp. The comprehensive winter programme in Ofterschwang, Bavaria, encouraged team "bonding" and the strategic alignment but also included sports activities plus fitness and health regimes. Fun, hard work and excellent team spirit marked the winter camp between 10-17 February 2008, in which the three squad newcomers Oliver Jarvis, Katherine Legge and Markus Winkelhock, also participated.

The drivers competing in the 2008 season, Head of Audi Sport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich plus Team Directors Hans-Jürgen Abt (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline), Ernst Moser (Audi Sport Team Phoenix), Arno Zensen (Audi Sport Team Rosberg) and Ralf Jüttner (Audi Sport Team Joest), each had a particularly intensive week at the "Sonnenalp". "At the winter camp, it’s much more than just a question of fitness," emphasises Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. "It is the best opportunity to start the new season. Victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and winning the championship in the 2007 DTM were the fruits of excellent teamwork. The winter camp creates the basis to be able to start the 2008 racing year especially full of strength and motivation."

Methodical scientific methods as foundation

The daily routine started with gymnastics and aquapower in the early morning. Afterwards, the morning was dominated by skating and Nordic walking, before team sports ranging from basketball to water polo encouraged the group theme. Strengthening exercises, spinning and stretching were just a few of the other training exercises, included in the programme. Coordination abilities were also encouraged through special kinetics exercises. Late in the afternoon, there were additional team "bonding" units.

"In theory, the best form of training for racing drivers is the driving itself, since it trains the neck and pectoral girdle muscles," explains Audi team physician Dr Christian John who, as usual, supervised the programme. "However, this alone has long since been inadequate. A sports programme to increase stamina is important as a supplement, and which ideally consists of jogging, cross country skiing in winter and cycling. To check their abilities in these areas we measure the drivers’ performance and lactate values as an expression of the individual oxygen debt. In other words, ‘what does a driver produce and how does the body react as a result?’ "

The winter camp was a new experience for the new Audi factory drivers. "This is the first time that I’ve participated in such professional preparations for a season in motorsport," said an impressed Oliver Jarvis. "The winter camp has given me plenty to think about and I now know which areas I must concentrate in my future fitness training. It was also fantastic to be able to meet the other drivers before the season starts."

Tom Kristensen arrived in excellent form. The Dane, who was hampered by a heavy accident last year, reported: "It was a fantastic weekend and it was great to see all my team mates again after the winter break. I’m feeling very well. I’ve trained even harder and am even better prepared than last season. I want to attack this year."

The other Audi drivers also made an excellent impression at the Sonnenalp. For Dr Christian John the entire squad’s performances are a positive conformation of complete team work: "The development we’ve seen over the years is just amazing. When we started, some drivers admitted that they hadn’t trained since Christmas. Nowadays, this is taboo. All the drivers are in an excellent physical condition. They train regularly throughout the entire year. We see the fruits of our labour."
 

American Le Mans Series Issues Statement regarding Open Wheel Unification
Tim Mayer
Chief Operating Officer
International Motor Sports Association & American Le Mans Series

Photos courtesy eeproductions/Craig Elliott 2007
BRASELTON, Georgia (February 22, 2008) — "IMSA and the American Le Mans Series have been monitoring the talks between the owners of the Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League very closely. We have enjoyed good relations with both. However, instability in the business of auto racing is bad for everyone concerned. We hope that the events of recent days lead to a more stable situation; one where teams, promoters, sponsors and fans can invest their time and money back into the sport. Ultimately this would be the best resolution for all of us, including the American Le Mans Series.

"For 2008 we have six of our twelve races slated to be shared with the two open wheel racing series, three with CCWS and three with the IRL. We have been asked by many to speculate on how this transition will affect these events, and other aspects of our business, including the four development series that we are proud to sanction. Many details have yet to be worked out, so it is simply too soon to know all of these answers, and we do not think it is productive to speculate. However, we believe that it will affect our participation in the events very little. We have run successful events at many of these venues with and without the open wheel series. We are currently working on the promotion of all twelve of our events, and will continue to do so. We have a growing series with incredible drivers, teams, manufacturers and sponsors, a stable relationship with the event promoters and with the television broadcasters, and we look forward to displaying our great racing, at all of the venues on our schedule.

"Finally, we look forward to working with the combined open wheel series, to continuing to promote the sport of auto racing and to serving our fans."
 

Peugeot Sets Sights on Sebring with 12 Hours Entry
Photos courtesy Dan Boyd
BRASELTON, Georgia (February 15, 2008) — On the heels of an impressive showing last month at the American Le Mans Series Winter Test, Peugeot announced Friday that it will compete for the first time in North America by entering the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on March 12-15.

Pedro Lamy, Nic Minassian and Stephane Sarrazin will pilot the diesel-powered Peugeot 908 in the 12 Hours. It was Sarrazin who posted the fastest time in the three-day test at Sebring last month, a blistering 1:42.801 (129.571 mph) that was more than two full seconds better than last year's record-setting qualifying mark turned in by Audi's Marco Werner.

"Peugeot's confirmed entry into the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring sets the stage for one of the most anticipated editions of America's greatest endurance race," said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series. "It is another validation of the importance that manufacturers and teams place on competing at Sebring and in the American Le Mans Series.

"It is no secret that Peugeot's ultimate goal for 2008 is to once again claim victory at Le Mans, and there is no better proving ground than Sebring," Atherton added. "We couldn't think of a more appropriate way to open our 10th season than by welcoming another world-class entry - Peugeot - into the American Le Mans Series. The North American racing debut of Peugeot coupled with all that is already in place within the American Le Mans Series all but assures that this year's race will be a classic."

Peugeot is seeking to become the second manufacturer to win overall at Sebring using diesel power. Audi accomplished the feat first in 2006 with its R10 TDI and repeated in 2007. The two marques also finished 1-2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007 with Audi taking a resounding victory.

Sarrazin and Lamy both will race at Sebring for the third time after competing for Aston Martin Racing in 2005 and 2006. Minassian will compete in the 12 Hours for the first time.

The 2008 American Le Mans Series season opens with the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 15. The race will start at 10 a.m. ET and will be broadcast live by SPEED, which will begin its coverage at 9:30 a.m., MotorsTV, Fox Latin America; 7TV in Russia and Greenlight Television will provide international coverage as well. American Le Mans Radio and IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring will be available at www.americanlemans.com
 

BMW, M3 Returning to American Le Mans Series with Rahal Letterman
CHICAGO (February 7, 2008) — BMW announced at the Chicago Auto Show Wednesday its plan to return to the American Le Mans Series with its next-generation M3 coupe starting late 2008. For this venture, Rahal Letterman Racing will campaign the cars on behalf of BMW Motorsport.

"This is another monumental day for the American Le Mans Series - we have had a phenomenal start to '08 and this big news from BMW adds to our momentum," said Series President and CEO Scott Atherton. "BMW represents one of the cornerstones on which the American Le Mans Series was built and has maintained a loyal following of dedicated owners and fans since that time. We are thrilled to embrace this effort from BMW with Rahal Letterman Racing."

The 2009 season will see Rahal Letterman campaign two M3s for a full-season championship run.

As a result, BMW will compete in a GT2 field that includes efforts from defending class champion Ferrari as well as Aston Martin, Dodge, Ford, Panoz and Porsche. The Series boasts more manufacturers in the single GT2 class than many other motorsports series do in their entire grid.

"The American Le Mans Series prides itself on being the ultimateR&D platform for manufacturers from all over the globe," Atherton said. "And now BMW - 'The Ultimate Driving Machine' - joins the most extensive list of world-class manufacturers to recognize the opportunity the Series offers to transfer the technology present on their race cars directly to showrooms and dealerships around the world. I have no doubt that BMW will capitalize on its investment in the American Le Mans Series and see the same rewards our other competing manufacturers have realized."

The return of BMW appropriately coincides with the American Le Mans Series' 10th season of world-class sports car racing. BMW won the first race in the history of the American Le Mans Series as JJ Lehto, Tom Kristensen and Jorg Muller drove a BMW V12 LMR to victory in the 1999 Twelve Hours of Sebring. That same year, BMW became the first team from the American Le Mans Series to win the overall championship at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In all, BMW teams have won 15 times in the series - nine in GT2 and six in LMP1.

"Not only has the American Le Mans Series' fan base increased substantially over the years, but also has BMW's following among its owners and club members," Atherton said. "BMW has some of the most passionate and outspoken fans - trust me, I hear them often... - and I believe we can speak for these fans in saying we are overjoyed that they will be returning to the Series. We share the passion and appreciation they have for world-class sports car racing and competition, and we can't wait to see the new BMW M3 back on the race track."

Wednesday's announcement is the latest in what has been a history-making off-season. In January, the Series revealed a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy and SAE International as it was recognized as the world's first motorsports body to meet the criteria for green racing being developed by these groups. The Series also laid the groundwork for the Green Challenge, a competition that will encourage manufacturers to introduce and develop their "green" technologies. It will debut at Petit Le Mans.

In a related development, the Series also announced in conjunction with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) that KL Process Design Group will supply cellulosic E85 for 2008. Corvette Racing in GT1 and Drayson Barwell Motorsport in GT2 will campaign the full season on E85.

The Series also will see new entries from Acura, Aston Martin, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche for 2008.

The 2008 season opens with the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 15. The race will start at 10 a.m. ET and will be broadcast live by SPEED, which will begin its coverage at 9:30 a.m. MotorsTV, Fox Latin America, 7TV in Russia and Greenlight Television will provide international coverage as well. American Le Mans Radio and IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring will be available at www.americanlemans.com
 

Peugeot Fastest on Final Day of Winter Test
Photos courtesy Dan Boyd
SEBRING, Florida (January 30, 2008) — The final day of the fourth annual American Le Mans Series wrapped up on Wednesday with Peugeot on top of the timing charts, with a fastest lap of 1:43.771. The driving team of Pedro Lamy, Nic Minassian and Stephane Sarrazin piloted the diesel-powered Peugeot 908 to the fastest time for the second consecutive day of Winter Test.  --->MORE

American Le Mans Series

2007 Sebring Finish Voted Series' Greatest Moment
Photos courtesy Dan Boyd
BRASELTON, Georgia (January 31, 2008) — Throughout its history, the American Le Mans Series has been filled with memorable and celebrated moments. With the start of its 10th season on the horizon with the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida, the Series announced its Greatest Moments as chosen by fans through Internet voting at americanlemans.com.

Quite appropriately, the most exciting finish on the Series' premier stage was chosen as its Greatest Moment - the climatic GT2 finish at Sebring in 2007 with Risi Competizione's Jaime Melo and the Ferrari F430 GT beating Jörg Bergmeister in an all-out drag race on the final lap by just 0.202 seconds. It is the closest finish in the history of the 12 Hours.

"It's a great honor to have been voted the American Le Mans Series' No. 1 greatest moment, especially because this accolade comes from the fans," said team owner Giuseppe Risi. "Since Risi Competizione has been involved in the Series, we have raced with and against some of the greatest names in motorsport and enjoyed a level of competition that is, in my opinion, the best in the world. I warmly applaud the American Le Mans Series for giving us and the Ferrari marque the opportunity to offer to fans the type of entertainment that was seen at Sebring last year. I hope we can repeat our victory in 2008, though I have to say I think we would all prefer the winning margin to be a little greater!"

"I'm very proud to be a part of the American Le Mans Series' No. 1 greatest moment," Melo said. "Lots of people have asked me about that last lap. We had some brake issues and we'd double stinted our tires, so I knew it would be hard but I just tried to keep calm and do a good job. I knew it was really important for me, the team and for Ferrari to win, but I didn't realize then how much of an impact it would have - especially on the fans. We go racing to put on a good show for them, and perhaps this was one of the best shows so far. I wonder what will happen this year...?"

Corvette Racing's first Series victory at Texas in 2000 ranked second, followed by the fantastic 2007 finishes between Audi and Porsche at Petit Le Mans and the Monterey Sports Car Championships. Champion Racing's overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005 rounded out the top five.

The first race of the Series - Sebring in 1999 - led the second half of the voting with the 2000 finish at Mosport between Audi and BMW (the closest overall finish in Series history at 0.148 seconds) next. Rounding out the list were the Audi R10 TDI's debut at Sebring in 2006, the Audi R8's debut in 2000 and Panoz Motor Sports' thrilling overall victory at Washington.

Honorable mentions were Panoz's win at Nurburgring in 2000, Pedro Lamy's flight in the Aston Martin at Mid-Ohio in 2006, Acura's debut win at Sebring in 2007, Dyson Racing's 2003 overall win at Infineon and Aston Martin's 0.033-second win at Lime Rock in 2006 for the closest finish in Series history.
 

Dale White joins Drayson-Barwell for 2008 ALMS
News from Drayson-Barwell Motorsports
(January 28, 2008) — We are delighted to announce that former American Le Mans Series GT2 Championship-winning team owner, Dale White, will be joining the Drayson-Barwell team for the 2008 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) season. The British team will be campaigning the first Aston Martin Vantage GT2 chassis in the ALMS, which will run on E85 Bio-Ethanol fuel. This follows on from Barwell Motorsport and Paul Drayson’s pioneering Bio-Ethanol season in British GT in 2007, where they scored the first ever outright British national series race victory for an alternative fuel racing car.

Dale, whose Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing outfit has claimed two ALMS titles, has joined Drayson-Barwell whilst his own team takes a sabbatical from the series in 2008. He will be passing on his extensive experience and knowledge to us, as well as performing the role of Strategic Consultant to Team Principal, Mark Lemmer, at the race events themselves.

“I am delighted we will be working together with Dale this year” says Paul Drayson, “He has a tremendous track record in GT racing and will be a major asset to the team. I know we have a lot to learn in our first year in ALMS, but with Dale's help, I am sure we will learn fast."

Dale White comments: “I am very excited for this opportunity with Drayson-Barwell. I have known several of the key people at Aston Martin Racing for a number of years. It is an absolutely top organization and I am quickly learning Drayson-Barwell is also a well structured and professionally run group. It was disappointing not being able to continue our programme this year. However, as they say in life, as one door closes, so another one opens. I was contacted by a number of teams but the fit here seemed perfectly matched to my goals. Having an engineering background and experience in alternative energies, [White is a former Engineering Co-ordinator for a USA Department of Energy contractor and a past member of the Nuclear Emergency Search Team] I was especially excited about Paul Drayson’s push to run an E85 fuel in the Aston Martin Vantage GT2. It is going to be a very exciting year with a lot of new challenges. I am really looking forward to staying involved in the ALMS.”

http://www.endurance-info.com/article.php?sid=4806&thold=0

Lowe's Fernandez Readies for Full Acura Effort
BRASELTON, Georgia (January 24, 2008) — When Lowe's Fernandez Racing hits the circuit at Sebring International Raceway this weekend, it will enter the second phase of its American Le Mans Series venture. A brand new Acura chassis, the next-generation ARX-01b, will be on display as the team prepares for its second appearance in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The work will continue Monday through Wednesday at the American Le Mans Series' fourth annual Winter Test at Sebring.

"We took delivery on December 28th," said Tom Anderson, co-owner with Adrian Fernandez. "We are quite excited about the changes that have been made between last year's 01a-specification ARX versus the 01b which we received. The computer numbers look very impressive and hopefully this will translate to the quicker estimated lap times that the computer shows. We are really looking forward to getting to Sebring and our first on-track adventure with it."

Fernandez and Luis Diaz finished second in LMP2 and third overall in the team's Acura-powered Lola in the 2007 race at Sebring. Lowe's Fernandez served as the engine development team for Acura last year, and the 3.4-liter V8 never suffered from a reliability standpoint.

"What Acura accomplished in their first season is remarkable," Fernandez said. "They were strong out of the box with not only a brand-new engine but the chassis as well. Expectations are even higher for next year."

The three Acura-powered LMP2 entries are part of a strong prototype contingent entered for the Winter Test. Audi, Lola, Mazda, Peugeot and Porsche also will have prototypes on track.

Updated news, timing information, photos, audio and video from the Winter Test will be available at americanlemans.com throughout the week.

The 2008 season opens with the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 15. The race will start at 10 a.m. ET and will be broadcast live by SPEED, which will begin its coverage at 9:30 a.m. American Le Mans Radio and IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring will be available at americanlemans.com.
 

Tafel Racing Signs Dirk Müller for '08
2007 FIA GT Champ to Pilot No. 71 American Le Mans Series Ferrari F430 GTC with Dominik Farnbacher
News from Tafel Racing
ATLANTA, Georgia (January 22, 2008) - Tafel Racing has signed Ferrari factory driver Dirk Müller to pilot the No. 71 Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC for the full American Le Mans Series season in 2008. Müller, the 2000 American Le Mans Series GT2 Class Champion, will share driving duties in the Tafel Racing machine with Dominik Farnbacher (Ansbach, Germany). Müller, the likable German who now calls Monaco home, has spent recent seasons successfully campaigning several European championships as a factory driver. In 2007, Müller helped give Ferrari and Michelin GT2 manufacturer titles on the way to his first FIA GT Series championship. He made seven starts in the American Le Mans Series last year, his first since 2001, while pursuing the FIA title. In his American Le Mans Series return, Müller had three fastest race laps and a podium finish at the Detroit Grand Prix driving a Ferrari F430 GT.

Müller will be greeted by several familiar faces when he premieres in the white, blue and silver Tafel Ferrari. His 2000 championship came at the wheel of a Tony Dowe (Cumming, Ga.) managed machine. Dowe is now the Technical Director for the two-car operation which is based close to the Road Atlanta circuit. Müller's most recent experience working with Tafel, Dowe and several other team members came at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2007.

Müller's eight American Le Mans Series victories include the 1999 Petit Le Mans and the 2000 12 Hours of Sebring. He has 34 GT2 (known as GT until 2005) class starts. The native of Burbach, Germany is eighth on the all-time list for fastest qualifiers with 13 Series pole positions. That distinction marks him as the leader in most career GT2 poles, winning at least one pole in each of his three full seasons of competition in the Series to-date. Müller's six pole positions in 1999 still ranks a class record. Those 1999 fastest laps came on the way to a string of eight consecutive class pole positions- dating from Infineon Raceway in 1999 to Silverstone in 2000- an American Le Mans Series record for any class.

Farnbacher drove for Tafel Racing in 2007 earning career high finishes of second in the last two races of the season. "Dom", as he is known on the team, was named to drive the No. 71 at the time the sophomore American Le Mans Series effort announced its move to the Ferrari F430 GTC in late 2007.

Müller, Farnbacher and Tafel will make the North American debut of the Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC as part of the American Le Mans Series Winter Test at Sebring International Raceway, January 28-30. The 56th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring will open the 2008 American Le Mans Series season on March 15. The program had is first taste of the