Guide to the 2009 American Le Mans Series Series 101
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THE LEADING EDGE: A GUIDE TO THE 2009 AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES SERIES 101 SERIES 101 INFORMATION ............................................................................ 2-21 • American Le Mans Series Overview ..................................................... 2-3 • Premium Brand ..................................................................................... 4-5 • Green Racing and the MICHELIN® Green X® Challenge ...................... 6-7 • Classes of Competition ........................................................................ 8-9 • Race Car Comparisons ........................................................................ 10-11 • Anatomy of a Pit Stop .......................................................................... 12-13 • Protecting the Driver/Effects of Racing ................................................ 14-16 • Leader Lights System ........................................................................... 17 • Behind the Wheel ................................................................................. 18 CIRCUITS • For the Fans .......................................................................................... 19-21 2009 CIRCUITS ................................................................................................ 22-27 2009 TEAMS .................................................................................................... 30-40 2009 MANUFACTURERS ................................................................................ 41-50 • Auto Manufacturers .............................................................................. 41-46 • Chassis Manufacturers ......................................................................... 47-48 • Tire Manufacturers ................................................................................ 49-50 TEAMS ALL-TIME WINS, POLES AND CHAMPIONS ................................................. 52-61 AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES AND LE MANS............................................... 62-64 • A Link to the Past and Future ............................................................... 62 • A Competitive Impact at Le Mans ........................................................ 63 • American Le Mans Series Winners at Le Mans .................................... 64 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Leading Edge: A Guide to the 2009 American Le Mans Series was written MANUFACTURERS and edited by the staff of the American Le Mans Series. Managing Editor: Ryan Smith. Supervising Editor: John Evenson. Writers/Contributors: Allison Barry, Bob Dickinson, Misty Dreifuss, Jamie Sellers, Ryan Smith. Photography: Dan R. Boyd, and Mark and Terri Taylor. Design: Chris Spinner, Josh Winstead. Copyright 2009 by the American Le Mans Series. All rights reserved. AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES 1394 Broadway Avenue, Braselton, GA, 30517 (706) 654-2983 • (706) 654-2019 (Fax) americanlemans.com WINS / POLES BY YEAR AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES MEDIA CENTER STAFF Bob Dickinson Allison Barry Dan Boyd Vice President of Public Relations/ Manager of Public Relations/ Official Photographer Media Services Media Services [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (706) 654-2983, Ext. 240 (706) 654-2983, Ext. 362 Lee Driggers Event Media Information Ryan Smith Misty Dreifuss Director of Public Relations/ Public Relations, Special Projects Justin Driggers SERIES & LE MANS Media Services & Web Site Operations Editor and Promotions Manager Event Media Information [email protected] [email protected] (706) 654-2983, Ext. 319 (706) 654-2983, Ext. 294 John Evenson Senior Vice President, Broadcasting & Communications To request media credentials for American Le Mans Series events, please [email protected] contact Bob Dickinson, (706) 654-2983 or [email protected]. (706) 654-2983, Ext. 301 AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES 1 RACING INTO THE NEXT DECADE 99 SERIES RACES. AND COUNTING! After celebrating an epic 10th season in 2008, the new year marks a fresh beginning for the American Le Mans Series with the start of its second decade of world-class sports SERIES 101 car racing in North America. The beginning of the season at Sebring – and the 100th race for the American Le Mans Series – continues the magic Series founder Dr. Don Panoz brought from Le Mans to America in 1998. The first Petit Le Mans on October 10, 1998 laid the foundation for the start of the American Le Mans Series the following year. In March of 1999, the American Le Mans Series began its inaugural season at the 12 Hours of Sebring with the factory BMW trio of JJ Lehto, Tom Kristensen and Jörg Müller taking the victory. It is entirely appropriate that Sebring – site of that first Series race – will also serve as the scene of its 100th all-time event. Through 10 years and 99 races, the American Le Mans Series has fulfilled Panoz’s dreams with a mix of the world’s premier manufacturers and leading independent teams. Since it’s debut, 43 different chassis, 30 engine manufacturers, 192 entrants and 759 separate drivers have competed in the Series. The American Le Mans Series holds races on the most prominent permanent road courses and major-market temporary street circuits in North America and around the world. Twenty-three venues in five countries have played host to the American Le Mans Series since 1999 with four holding events each year since the Series’ inception: Sebring International Raceway, Mosport International Raceway, Road Atlanta and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The greatest names in motorsports have tested their skills in the American Le Mans Series. Names like Beretta, Brabham, de Ferran, Franchitti, Kristensen, Lehto, McNish and Salo fill the talent roster. Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Panoz, Porsche and Saleen are among the marques that have tasted victory in the Series, as have teams the caliber of Audi Sport North America, Corvette Racing, Dyson Racing, Penske Racing, Prodrive and Risi Competizione. With such a history and heritage, it is easy to see why the American Le Mans Series is recognized as one of the world’s fastest growing forms of motorsport. It is even easier to imagine what the next decade has in store. 2 AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES: WHO WE ARE A PRIMER FOR 2009 SERIES 101 The world’s premier sports car series… Growing fast… Conceived by entrepreneur Dr. Don Panoz and based on the The American Le Mans Series is the fastest growing race format and rules of the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, the series in the world. Attendance, corporate partnerships American Le Mans Series has become the world’s premier and manufacturer involvement have shown significant sports car series in just 10 short years. increases over the last several years. In 2008, attendance alone grew six (6) percent, averaging nearly 80,000 per What makes us unique… race. The Series boasts a worldwide television audience of The American Le Mans Series, like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, nearly 650 million homes. features four classes of cars racing on the track at the same time, making for endless passing throughout the race. Each car About the demographics… has two drivers (three for the longer endurance races such as The American Le Mans Series has the most affluent the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans) who demographic following out of all regularly televised sports, switch during the course of the race. exceeding sports such as golf, tennis, skiing and sailing. Many of its fans drive or aspire to own products that participate in the The majority of the races are “timed” races of 2:45 and not American Le Mans Series. The median income of the average based on laps. Longer endurance races include the Mobil 1 fan is in excess of $125,000. Twelve Hours of Sebring (12 hours), Petit Le Mans (10 hours or 1,000 miles, whichever comes first), the Road America The participating manufacturers… 500 and the season-finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca The American Le Mans Series has more participating (four hours apiece). manufacturers than F1, NASCAR and IndyCar combined. They include such prestigious and elite brands like Acura, Aston World’s most “RELEVANT” race series… Martin, Audi, BMW, Dodge, Ferrari, Ford, General Motors/ Auto manufacturers that compete in the American Le Mans Corvette, Mazda, Panoz, Peugeot and Porsche. Series develop technologies and innovations which eventually transfer to the showroom. Some Series examples The Series and Le Mans… include direct fuel injection, sulfur-free diesel technology, The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a single, stand-alone event composite brakes, paddle shifting, lightweight carbon fiber organized and operated by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest chassis/body panels, telemetry, drive-by-wire throttle and (ACO) in France. It is one of the oldest and most famous auto tunable traction control. The Series also is the first major races in the world and was the genesis of the American Le racing series in the world to use multiple “street legal” Mans Series in 1999. American Le Mans Series teams have alternative fuels. Rules allow all racecars to compete using been winning forces at Le Mans during the past 10 years with clean diesel, E10, a cellulosic E85 ethanol blend and a gas- eight overall victories and 23 class championships. electric hybrid. Special consideration is given to Series teams during the The Series also introduced the Green Challenge™ in 2008 at entrant selection process for Le Mans. The four class team Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans, a race-within-a-race that scores