12 HOURS OF SEBRING PRE-RACE NOTES

The American Le Mans Series begins its 10th season with the 56th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 15 (10:00 am - 10:00 pm). It is arguably the most prestigious and historic endurance race in the Western Hemisphere.

Should you be interested in feature material or simply a notes package of some type, here is some fodder:

# The American Le Mans Series has become acclaimed as the Global Leader in Green Racing as both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in conjunction with SAE International have proclaimed the Series as the only racing series currently to meet is criteria for green racing. All cars that compete in the American Le Mans Series run on either clean diesel, E10 or cellulosic E85.

# Audi has never lost at Sebring since its inaugural entry in 2000. This year, it will be tested mightily by Peugeot Sport Total, the "other" diesel race machine. The two had a classic head-to-head battle at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year. Peugeot won the pole. Audi won the race. Both agree that the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is a perfect warm-up for their next match-up at the world's most famous endurance race.

# Acura entered the American Le Mans Series for the first time last year with a three-car effort. In its first 2007 contest - the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring - the Andretti Green Racing team of Bryan Herta, Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti won the LMP2 class and placed second overall. This year AGR has Herta, Christian Fittipaldi and Marco Andretti behind the wheel of the new Acura ARX-01b. Andretti gives the famous racing family its third generation to compete in this historic endurance classic; grandfather Mario is a three-time overall Sebring winner.

# Penske Racing, in 2007, became the first LMP2 class team to win overall more than one time in a single season. Prior to 2007, an LMP2 car had only won twice overall in the history of the American Le Mans Series. Last season, Penske Racing won eight times (in succession from Round 3 through 10), headed by six victories from class champions Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard.

# Corvette Racing, which has won seven consecutive GT1 titles, ran virtually uncontested last year. This year, Bell Motorsports from Miami, FL will run a full-season Aston Martin DBR9. The last time Corvette lost was in 2006 (Laguna Seca) to an Aston Martin.

# Another Aston Martin (DBRS9) is entered in GT2 class, piloted by a former lord of Parliament. Lord Drayson served as Minister of Defense in Great Britain's House of Lords until resigning to run a full-season in the American Le Mans Series in the Drayson-Barwell Motorsport entry that will run on a cellulosic E85 mix.

# Risi Competizione is back to defend its GT2 championship from a year ago with defending championship drivers Mika Salo and Jaime Melo. Last year at Sebring, Melo drove his Ferrari 430 GT to what was recently voted "The Greatest Moment in American Le Mans Series History" as he and Flying Lizard Porsche driver Jorg Bergmeister bumped and exchanged the lead twice in the final turn after 12 hours of racing before Melo took a 0.202-second win in the closest finish in race history.

# Audi's Tom Kristensen, who has won four times at Sebring, can become the race's all-time leader in overall victories this year. He is driving an Audi R10 TDI with last year's LMP1 Series' champions Allan McNish and Dindo Capello. Kristensen is also the all-time career leader in wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - seven (7).

# Corvette Racing's Johnny O'Connell (Flowery Branch, GA) can break the record for consecutive starts at the 12 Hours of Sebring this year. He is currently tied with Hurley Haywood and Bruce Jennings at 17. O'Connell is schedule to drive the No. 3 Corvette with Jan Magnussen and Ron Fellows.