Porsche Motorsports@PETIT LE MANS

MENZEL PUTS ALEX JOB RACING MCKENNA PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS FOURTH ON PETIT LE MANS GRID AT ROAD ATLANTA; BMWs TAKE FIRST THREE POSITIONS

-In a qualifying session which featured both wet and dry conditions, Porsche 911 GT3 RS racers ran well, but turn focus to 10-hour race to try and outlast faster BMWs-

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - October 5, 2001 - Determined to outlast the faster BMWs in tomorrow's ten-hour Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta, the Alex Job Racing McKenna Porsche 911 GT3 RS drivers have put their race cars in good position to challenge for a podium finish.

German GT specialist Christian Menzel qualified the #22 Alex Job Porsche in fourth position, with Lucas Luhr putting the #23 car in sixth place. Although team owner Alex Job would have liked to see faster qualifying laps, he realizes that this race will be won in the late hours on Saturday.

"Fast laps do no good if a car breaks in the eighth or ninth hour," said Job, whose car won Petit Le Mans in 1999. "We feel we are ready to complete all ten hours at a pace which should put us in the winner's circle. Whether we can still win the driver's title for Sascha Maassen depends on whether the BMWs can also complete the event."

Maassen, who seemed to be a shoe-in for the championship last year before an unexpected DNF at the finale in Adelaide knocked him out of the points lead, is hoping for a turn-about tomorrow in the Petit Le Mans event at Road Atlanta. Sascha will be co-driving with Luhr in the #23 Alex Job Porsche.

Other Porsche 911 GT3 RS qualifiers included the #30 Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Porsche 911 GT3 RS Mowlem/Boullion (7th); the #69 Kyser Racing entry with Wankum/Foster/Bundy (9th); the Gunner Racing entry of Gunnar Jeannette and Joe Policastro, Jr. and Sr. (10th); and the leading Orbit Racing team entry of Hindry/Kester/Baron