Petersen/ White Lightning Likes Line-up of Final Three ALMS Races

Petersen/ White Lightning Likes Line-up of Final Three ALMS Races

 

ELKHART LAKE, Wisc., Aug. 17, 2004 - Petersen Motorsports/ White
Lightning Racing is the defending GT class champions for Sunday's
American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Road America 500. That would make any
team confident going into the Elkhart Lake, Wisc. race. However, the
Michael Petersen-owned effort feels that not only does round-seven of
the nine-race ALMS season bode well for the No. 31 Westward Ho Casino/
MMPIE/ PAWS/ Michelin Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, but so do the two races which
follow it. The picturesque 4.048-mile, 12-turn Wisconsin road course is
the perfect place for Petersen/ White Lightning to continue its pursuit
of the 2004 IMSA Cup for privateer race teams in the ALMS and the
drivers' title for team shoes David Murry (Cumming, Ga.) and Craig
Stanton (Long Beach, Calif.) .

 

Murry and Stanton have stood on the GT podium in the last two ALMS
races- a second most recently at Mosport, a third at Portland- and have
taken podium positions at four of the six ALMS races held this season.
Their Michelin-shod Petersen Porsche has also taken podium finishes in
the two endurances races- events four hours or longer- the team has
competed at in 2004. Included in that tally is a win at the non-ALMS
sanctioned 24 Hours of Le Mans and a third at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours
of Sebring. 

 

Previous endurance success, for a team which got its start dominating
the grueling off-road world of desert racing, includes a GT win at the
2003 24 Hours of Le Mans and a second at both the 2003 12 Hours of
Sebring and the 2002 Petit Le Mans. A third last season at Mazda Raceway
Laguna Seca- sight of this year's season closing four-hour race-
strengthens the teams' hopes of success at the Monterey, Calif. track as
well. All of this has them feeling very upbeat going into these final
three races of Road America, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and Mazda
Raceway Laguna Seca.

 

In the closing stages of the ALMS point chase, Petersen/ White Lightning
continues to close on its rivals. Finishing second at Mosport shrunk the
gap in the GT class IMSA Cup points by five markers leaving the Las
Vegas-based team only 23 points out of first. Murry and Stanton are tied
for fourth in the GT drivers' contest 27 points behind the leader and
only two arrears of second. 69 points are up for grabs in the final
three races of the season.




quotes. 

Michael Petersen, owner/driver: "Last year at Road America was our first
win in the ALMS. We beat the factory, as we all knew that we could, but
it sure was tough! It was a great feeling to look at the guys' faces and
see the satisfaction as we all had worked so hard. We had been close so
many times. This year is quite different. We've had what I feel is the
best setup car at the last few races. Those who think otherwise had
better stay up all night and get it figured out as we'll be on the
podium several more times this year. The team is just on fire right now.
If we could just get some luck, look out! The rest of the season should
be good."

 

Dale White, team manager: "Road America has been a very good track for
us. We won our first Trans-Am race there and we won our first ALMS race
there. It is a tough track to call strategy because fuel mileage plays a
huge part. The track is the longest we run on in the ALMS and only
second to Le Mans that we race on all year. With the elevation changes
and long straights, it really plays games with the fuel. But, you know
that going in and you adapt your strategy to it. This whole team is
really coming together right now, we all are very confident. I have
never seen the confidence so high with a team. We just need to break
through and grab a win this season so we can really make things happen."

 

David Murry, driver: "Each track we go to has its own unique
characteristic. Road America is such a gorgeous place and the track
itself is a real road course. It is probably the fastest track in the
country; smooth pavement and very challenging. It has very long brake
zones and many are downhill, taxing the brake system. Porsche is known
for their brakes so it helps us. There is also the famous 'Kink' turn
that really makes you step up to the plate as a driver. It has eaten
many racecars in the past. The area is great and I always have to have a
bratwurst. after the race is over of course. I used to come to Road
America a lot when I taught for Skip Barber Racing School which has a
base here. It feels like home."

 

Craig Stanton, driver: "We've had some good success at Road America. I
like the track being so high speed. There are a lot of elements to the
track that really make the driver think about strategy as well as setup.
There are high speed turns, low speed turns and the braking zones are
always really intriguing. If you've been around Petersen Motorsports/
White Lightning Racing you've noticed a big difference in the morale and
the focus of the whole operation. We're not taking anything for granted.
I am looking forward to being a part of a team so focused going into an
event. I feel really optimistic and really confident. Traditionally
there are a lot of race fans here and I think they will remember us from
last year. The race on Sunday should be very, very entertaining with
lots of good quality competition."

 

For more, please visit www.petersenmotorsports.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, 

615-778-1614 (office), 404-229-3703 (cell), tom@darkhorsecom.com