LUHR, MAASSEN AND COLLARD TO PILOT ALEX JOB RACING-PETERSEN MOTORSPORTS/ WHITE LIGHTNING RACING PORSCHE AT LE MANS
For Immediate Release Alex Job Racing Media contact: Lee Heublein 503/720-0172 <mailto:Leeh@teleport.com> Leeh@teleport.com Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing Media contact: Tom Moore 404/229-3703 <mailto:Tom@DarkhorseCom.com> Tom@DarkhorseCom.com LUHR, MAASSEN AND COLLARD TO PILOT ALEX JOB RACING - PETERSEN MOTORSPORTS/ WHITE LIGHTNING RACING PORSCHE AT LE MANS TAVARES, Fla. - May 12, 2003 - Alex Job Racing and Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing announced today the final driver line-up for the team's assault on the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans. Lucas Luhr, 23, and Sascha Maassen, 33, will team with Emmanuel Collard, 32, in the No. 93 Westward Ho Casino/ MMPIE/ PAWS/ mail2web.com Porsche 911 GT3 RS for the world's most famous sports car race on June 14 and 15. Luhr and Maassen, each regular drivers for Alex Job Racing, were previously announced at the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) season opening event, the Mobil1 12 Hours of Sebring in March. France's Collard joins the team following several seasons racing for the Cadillac LMP 900 effort in the ALMS and at Le Mans. "It's good to have Emmanuel as part of the AJR-Petersen/White Lightning team; he's a great driver and we've been successful together for the win at Sebring in 2001. We're fortunate to have Sascha and Lucas with us since we are all comfortable as a team in the regular ALMS season. We feel great about the driver lineup. This is our first experience as a team at Le Mans and only my second time at Le Mans. It's great to be here and I'm looking forward to the race in June," Alex Job, team owner of Alex Job Racing said. Luhr, of Monaco, is a two-time Le Mans winner (2000 and 2002) and defending ALMS GT champion. The former International Formula Ford co-champion and Porsche Carrera Cup champion has scored 15 class wins in the ALMS and 10 pole positions. Maassen, of Raeren, Belgium, co-drove with Luhr to the 2003 ALMS GT-class championship and has 17 career ALMS wins and a second-place at Le Mans in 2002. He is the 1995 German Super Touring Car World Cup victor and has competed in Formula 3 and British Formula 3000. Collard will be returning for his eighth start at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The former F1 test driver has 12 series championships to his credit including French and World Karting titles, the 1990 French Formula Renault crown, three International F3000 championships and two SportsRacing World titles (1998 and '99). He drove to the Porsche Super Cup title in 1996 and the FIA GT Championship, driving for Porsche, in 1997. He won the 1999 SPA 24 Hours with Peugeot and has career-high finish of seventh at Le Mans in 1996. "I am excited about everything in Le Mans. This will by my third attempt to win it and after finishing second twice I am almost desperate to win, and the chances are pretty good with a team like AJR-Petersen/White Lightning and my good old teammate Lucas and the even older new teammate Emmanuel. This all makes me very confident of having the best chances at the race, together with Michelin as a partner we are surely the favorites," Sascha Maassen said. The distinctive alliance of Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing with Alex Job Racing is a truly cooperative effort with members of both Alex Job Racing and Petersen /White Lighting preparing and crewing the car. While rivals in the GT-class of the ALMS, the two have joined to create a formidable team to compete at the prestigious Circuit Du 24 Heures in LM GT-class. Neither team has competed at Le Mans before. Michael Petersen is the car owner while Alex Job acts as entrant and manager. Dale White is the program manager for the operation. Michael Petersen, owner of Petersen Motorsports, offered these thoughts on the upcoming event; "We did not have the fastest time at the end of the test day but we are all very confident with our setup and the driver line up. With the experience of both teams, Lucas, Sascha and Emmanuel, we are all looking forward to the race in June!" Formed in 1988, Alex Job Racing is considered one of the top sports car competitors in the American Le Mans Series. The team has continued its success in the ALMS with numerous podiums, wins and track records including five 2002 championships in the ALMS GT class, IMSA Cup championships, Lucas Luhr and Sascha Maassen shared the driver championship and crew chief Jeff Gamroth won the GT technician-of-the-year award. Based in Tavares, Fla., Alex Job Racing serves as a race prep, chassis-building and tuning facility. On a day-to-day basis, team owners Alex and Holly Job are involved in the growth and administrative functions of the team and business. Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing began operation in the late 1980s competing in off-road endurance events. Major successes have included championships in SODA, SCORE and SNORE and more than 50 wins and 80 podiums. The team has competed in ALMS, Grand Am and World Challenge races with many impressive victories and podiums including a class win, second overall, at the grueling Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Las Vegas-based effort has regularly ranked as the ALMS' highest-placing, non-factory GT team including a second-place finish at the 2003 12 Hours of Sebring and runner-up at the prestigious 2002 Petit Le Mans. To learn more about Alex Job Racing, visit <http://www.alexjobracing.com/> www.alexjobracing.com. To learn more about Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning, visit <http://www.petersenmotorsports.com/> www.petersenmotorsports.com. ###