American Le Mans Series Showcases Technology and Performance
World-class brand of motorsport to switch to ethanol-enriched fuel
HILLIARD, Ohio, Feb. 7 -- The American Le Mans Series continues its tradition of excellence and leading edge technology with its decision to use ethanol-enriched fuel for the 2007 racing season.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061117/CGF027LOGO )
The organization has partnered with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) to make E10, "the official ethanol-enriched fuel" of the series.
"At a time when alternative fuel initiatives are in the daily headlines, we could not be more pleased to unite with an organization such as EPIC to aid in spreading the awareness of renewable energy and the benefits of ethanol in the most demanding environment in motorsports: American Le Mans sports car racing," said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series.
The American Le Mans Series was founded in 1999 by Georgia-based entrepreneur Don Panoz. It features top manufacturers such as Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, Corvette, Ferrari, Mazda, Panoz, Porsche, and Saleen.
Four different classes of competition are showcased in the American Le Mans Series, featuring open-top prototypes and sophisticated production-based GT cars. The competition is held at road racing venues across North America, as well as selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets. All cars in each class will be using gasoline enriched with 10% ethanol for the entire season.
"We are proud to be associated with one of the fastest growing brands of motorsports in North America," said Tom Slunecka, executive director of EPIC. "With television broadcasts in the U.S., Latin America and Europe, this partnership offers an incredible platform to market the performance and environmental benefits of ethanol, in a variety of engine types, from multiple manufacturers. This will also be the first time that ethanol-enriched fuel will be used in a 12 hour endurance race."
The agreement follows the IndyCar(R) Series decision to use 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol for the 2007 season. The EPIC-IndyCar series partnership began in 2005, and has advanced from ethanol being a team sponsor to working with the series to introduce an ethanol-methanol blend in 2006.
The American Le Mans Series features 12 races in 2007, including the prestigious season opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring (March 17) and the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans. All other races are sprint endurance formats, ranging from an hour, forty minutes at Long Beach to four hours at both Road America and the series finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. All events are televised by CBS, NBC or SPEED.
About The American Le Mans Series:
The American Le Mans Series is the premium brand of motorsport in North America, featuring high-tech sports cars from the most prestigious automobile manufacturers in the world. Its unique four classes of competition showcase exotic, open-top prototypes and sophisticated production-based GT cars, all competing on the track at the same time. The American Le Mans Series competes at the premier road racing tracks across North America and at selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets. With a 2007 television package that includes five network broadcasts on CBS and NBC as seven telecasts on SPEED, plus live broadcasts across Europe, the Series delivers a global marketing platform that is unmatched in motorsports. The Series, founded in 1999 by Georgia entrepreneur Don Panoz, represents a mirror image to the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's most famous and authentic automobile race. The American Le Mans Series features elite marques such as Audi, Porsche, Corvette, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Panoz, and premium brands such as Michelin, Yokohama, Kumho, Lowe's, EPIC, Shell and many others. To learn more about the American Le Mans Series, visit http://www.americanlemans.com/ .
About EPIC:
The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is an alliance of ethanol producers and industry leaders who have come together to spread the word about the benefits of ethanol through information and promotional programs. EPIC is a nonprofit organization and is overseen by a nine-member board of directors. To learn more about the ethanol, visit http://www.drivingethanol.org/ .
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061117/CGF027LOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: SATELLITE INFORMATION: A Video News Release will be distributed from 4:00-4:15pm EASTERN TIME. Coordinates: Galaxy 11 K15 Contact: Ron Smith 614-860-2127