Team Trans Sport Racing Announces 2007 American Le Mans
Series GT2 Program
This weekend's Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring will mark the debut of
Team Trans Sport Racing in the American Le Mans Series GT2 class. A
collaboration between Boston developer Tim Pappas and Jim Bell of Bell
Motorsport, the team will campaign a 2007 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR this
season. Please see the press release below for further information and
do not hesitate to contact me with any additional questions or interview
requests.
Thank you,
Jessica
________________________________
jessica saller
senior pr account executive
160over90
215.732.3200 ext.114
215.732.1664 fax
one south broad street
10th floor
philadelphia, pa 19107
For Immediate Release
March 15, 2007
Team Trans Sport Racing Announces 2007 American Le Mans Series GT2
Program
BOSTON - Jim Bell, of Bell Motorsport, and Tim Pappas have joined forces
to campaign a 2007 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR in the American Le Mans Series
GT2 class. The new team, Team Trans Sport Racing ("TSR"), will be run
out of Bell's Miami Florida shop, with management being jointly
coordinated between Pappas and Bell. While Jim's accolades are well
known in American sports car racing, Tim's are less so, however, he has
been involved in professional sports car racing since 2000. Pappas
previously fielded three cars in the Speed World Challenge Touring Car
Class in 2002 and 2003, as well as being a co-driver in successful Grand
Am Cup teams in 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Though TSR is quite new, it was granted a contract for one of the highly
sought after RSR's back in July of 2006, which has given Pappas and Bell
plenty of time to plan the season's strategy. Many probably relate Jim
to his recent overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona or Daytona
Prototype Championship in 2004 and 2003 respectively; however, Jim has
had an affiliation with Porsche racing cars that dates back to the
1970's. In fact, before Bell was a pioneer in the new DP Class, he was
honored with the IMSA Mechanic of the Year title in 1979, while
campaigning a Porsche 935. Pappas has long driven and raced Porsche's
both in club and pro level competition and has been active in Porsche
Club of America since 1991.
TSR will also partner with Yokohama Tire Corporation to develop a new
tire for ALMS GT2 competition. Engineers from both the US and Japan
will be working closely with the team throughout the season. "Yokohama
is proud to partner with Team Trans Sport for the 2007 season and look
forward to producing top results together," commented Robert Dole,
Product Promotions Manager for Yokohama Tire. "The GT2 category is
always tough but in 2007, it promises to provide the most exciting
competition in all of the ALMS. Knowing this, it is very important to
have partners on the track that you work well with and can constantly
develop your product on daily basis. There is absolute confidence at
Yokohama that we have found that with Jim, Tim and the entire Trans
Sport team."
"Yokohama is no stranger to the process of developing competition tires.
I have enjoyed working with them in the past because Yokohama is a
technical company, which thrives on winning. We have planned a full
testing program and should have something for the competition in short
order," commented Bell.
Team Trans Sport Racing's driver lineup for the 12 Hours of Sebring will
be Americans Terry Borcheller, Mike Fitzgerald, and Tim Pappas. "After
waiting months for this car to arrive from Germany, it was fantastic to
shake it down at the IMSA Winter Test at Sebring. Though planning out
our season and creating partnerships for the team has been exciting,
nothing can compare with turning laps in the new RSR," explained Pappas.
The Technical Partners that have committed to TSR are Yokohama,
Performance Friction, Moton Suspension Technology, H&R Springs, MOMO
Italy and Renewable Choice Energy. vineyard vines(r) will be the
official supplier of non-racing apparel for Team Trans Sport Racing.
TSR plans to debut its car livery and full Corporate Partner lineup at
the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, on March 17th.
Be sure to check out Team Trans Sport's web site at
www.transsportonline.com <http://www.transsportonline.com/> and look
for more announcements in the coming weeks.
Press inquiries regarding Team Trans Sport, please contact:
Jessica Saller, 215.732.3200 x114, jsaller@160over90.com
Rina Saleh, 215.732.3200 x111, rsaleh@160over90.com
