Petersen/ White Lightning Picks-Up New Porsche RSR

Petersen/ White Lightning Picks-Up New Porsche RSR 
 
LAS VEGAS, February 23, 2004 - The familiar Petersen Motorsports/ White
Lightning Racing graphics which have appeared on American Le Mans Series
(ALMS) GT class Porsches since 1999; will be flown on Porsche's new 911
GT3 RSR in 2004. Petersen/ White Lightning took delivery of its new RSR
in Los Angeles and has begun preparations to campaign the full,
nine-race ALMS schedule with drivers David Murry, Cumming, Ga., and
Craig Stanton, Long Beach, Calif., in the No. 31 Westward Ho Casino/
MMPIE/ PAWS/ Justice Brothers Michelin-tired Porsche. The 2003 Road
America 500 GT class winners have started an extensive tear-down of the
latest iteration of the world's most recognized sports car, the Porsche
911, in order to learn its every nuance and make
unique-to-Petersen/White Lightning 'tweaks' to the car in preparation
for the 52nd running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 20.
While each of Porsche's 445 horsepower 911 GT3 RSRs is built to the
exacting standards of the Weissach, Germany-based Porsche Motorsports,
the Dale White-led team incorporates special features learned from
decades of endurance and off-road competition into each new race car.
Due to this preparation time, time that the team feels is more valuable
than on-track testing, the Las Vegas-based operation will not run
on-track until March 15 at Sebring International Raceway. Following
tear-down and rebuild, the all-white Porsche will be festooned in those
familiar Westward Ho Casino graphics which take nearly a week to apply. 
 
The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR is the competitive extension of the highly
successful 911 GT3 R and RS that have dominated GT class competition
since GT3 introduction in its current, water-cooled (chassis designation
996) form. The RSR has extensive improvements over the 2003 RS model.
Improvements include better aerodynamic downforce on the front axles, a
sequential gearbox, increased horsepower and torque ratings and safety
improvements. The Michael Petersen-owned car will be the primary mount
of the team in 2004. However, the team's 2003 RS, which won the 2003 24
Hours of Le Mans (in conjunction with Alex Job Racing) and the Road
America round of the ALMS, will be utilized as a back-up car for Murry
and Stanton.  
 
Uwe Brettel, Porsche Motorsport North America president: "As long-time
Porsche Motorsport customers, Mike Petersen and Dale White have really
risen to the top of the Porsche pack in the last year with their win at
Le Mans and the ALMS victory at Road America. We are confident that they
will prepare their new Porsche 911 GT3 RSR very competitively to aim for
the podium all year."
 
Mike Petersen, owner: "Just recently the new 2004 RSR has hit the
Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing shop. What a fantastic
looking car! We are all very excited to get the current car stickered-up
and get it to the track soon in preparation for the 2004 ALMS season. I
can hardly wait to drive it!"
 
Dale White, team manager: "I couldn't be happier with the new car.
Porsche has done another exceptional job with design and manufacture.
Combined with Kent Moore's meticulous preparation and we will have a
winner." 
 
Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing began operation as an
off-road team in the 1980s winning over 50 truck victories, including
three-consecutive overall wins at the Baja 1000, and multiple
championships. Since beginning sports car racing, the effort has scored
victories in the ALMS, the Trans-Am Series, Speed Challenge Series and
endurance sports car wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Alex Job
Racing, Watkins Glen and at the Rolex 24 of Daytona. 
 
For more, please visit www.petersenmotorsports.com.  To learn more about
the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR please visit www.porsche.com.
 
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Digital images and complete team and driver bios available upon request.
Editors, please do not publish any contact information other than web
sites.  Thank you.
 
contact: Tom Moore, Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing,
615-599-7034 (office),404-229-3703 (cell), tom@darkhorsecom.com