TV AUDIENCE, ATTENDANCE UP FOR AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES THIS SEASON

Attendance is up six percent for American Le Mans Series race in 2008. Photo: American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series reports gains in both television ratings (Nielsen Media Research) and attendance as the world's premier sports car series heads to Road America August 9 for Round Seven of its 2008 season.

With broadcast network television ratings 31 percent ahead of last year's final network ratings and attendance up six percent averaging 82,250 fans per race weekend, the American Le Mans Series heads into its final five races of the season poised to achieve a meter-breaking year as it celebrates its 10th anniversary season.

"While there are a lot of factors that determine how and why a sports entity builds fans attending events and eye balls on TV," said American Le Mans Series President and CEO Scott Atherton, "suffice it to say that in this economy and with industry trends working against us, we are more than pleased with the results so far this season. You are not seeing these types of increases with many other sports and entertainment organizations. We are elated that our fan base has continued its momentum this year. We believe this is the best indicator that we are providing consumers and fans with a motorsports product that is relevant, exciting and enjoyable. And our fans seem to be telling their friends…"

Network ratings for the recent Mid-Ohio race increased 34 percent. The Mid-Ohio race broadcast on NBC Sports is one of four network exposures for the Series. Its final network broadcast is the season finale October 20 at Mazda Raceway Laguna-Seca. NBC Sports also airs American Le Mans Series events two additional times on its Universal HD network that has an audience of 24 million households.

The addition of Germany's DSF network, Italy's Sport Italia and Eurosport2 has extended international coverage of the American Le Mans Series to more than 600 million deliverable households worldwide, one of the most extensive international distributions in motorsports.

With more and more consumers educating themselves about energy independence and alternative fuels, the American Le Mans Series' position as the global leader in green racing may be having an effect. They are not only intrigued by the Series' green racing initiatives, but they are coming to the tracks and television broadcasts to witness competitive races with close, constant passing by prototype and GT race cars that use a collection of three different alternative fuels. Races in the American Le Mans Series have never been more competitive. Six races this year within the four Le Mans-style classes have been determined by two seconds or less with several last lap passes needed for victory.

All cars in the American Le Mans Series race on "street legal" alternative fuels -- E10 gasoline, cellulosic E85 ethanol or clean, sulfur-free diesel. "Street legal" refers to the fact that in many locations the same type of fuels is available to consumers at their local fuel station -- or soon will be.

On October 4, in conjunction with its signature race Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, the Series will debut the Green Challenge™. That race-within-a-race competition will conclude with officials from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency in conjunction with SAE International, awarding a trophy to a prototype and a GT team that has demonstrated the highest performance while being the most environmentally friendly (fewest greenhouse gas emissions) and fuel efficient over the 1,000-mile race.

The Generac 500 at Road America presented by Time Warner Cable is scheduled for Saturday, August 9 from Elkhart Lake, Wis. The four-hour race will start at 4 p.m. CT with SPEED televising the race starting at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 10. XM will air the race from 4 to 8 p.m. ET on Sunday via Sports Nation Channel 144. Live radio coverage will be available from American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com, which also will feature IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring.