PENSKE RACE REPORT - Oct. 7, 2008

BRASELTON, Ga. – The Porsche RS Spyder/Acura prototype pilots battle in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) LMP2 class ended happily for the German sports car manufacturer as Penske Racing drivers Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Romain Dumas (France) took their No. 7 DHL Penske Porsche RS Spyder to a 2008 American Le Mans Series championship at the 11th running of Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on Saturday.

This is the second straight LMP2 driver’s championship for Bernhard and Dumas, which they achieved by finishing second (fifth overall) in the 1000-mile event. It also marked the third ALMS team championship for Penske Racing.

“This championship was even more special than last year because Acura provided such stiff competition,” said Bernhard, who has won drivers titles in both LMP2 and GT2 with Porsche. “Acura came to the series this year with the full resources of the Honda factory, and pressed us to the limit, but Penske Racing and Porsche Motorsport responded with improved performance, a new direct injection 3.4-liter V8 engine, perfect car preparation and strategy, and teamwork that makes us champions.”

The driving duo finished behind the No. 5 DHL Penske Porsche RS Spyder, driven by teammates Ryan Briscoe (Australia) and Helio Castroneves (Brazil), who were victorious in their first ALMS pairing. Team Penske IndyCar Series drivers Briscoe and Castroneves piloted an additional Penske Porsche RS Spyder in the Petit Le Mans to assist Porsche in its battle against Acura, and that addition paid off as the duo won the LMP2 class.

Castroneves, a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, said, while he and Ryan were “visitors” to the RS Spyder team this weekend, they felt like major contributors to the effort. “Remember, I drove the RS Spyder in 2006, and have tested it several times, and Ryan was a regular on the team last year, so we fit right in,” said Castroneves, who is the only driver to win both the Indianapolis 500 and the Petit Le Mans. “The race against the Acuras was tough, but our car was well-prepared and we were able to maintain a lead until the Andretti/Kanaan/Montagny Acura crashed late in the event, assuring us the win.”

Completing the sweep of the LMP2 podium was the No. 6 DHL Penske Porsche RS Spyder driven by Patrick Long (USA), Sascha Maassen (Germany) and Emmanuel Collard (France). Long, Maassen, Collard and the No. 6 team also won in class in the American Le Mans Series Green Racing Challenge, which measures and rewards teams that achieve high performance on the race track combined with the greatest fuel efficiency.

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Kurt Busch Leads Penske Racing at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Penske Racing drivers Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman finished 21st and 43rd respectively at Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s AMP Energy 500.

Busch, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, started 33rd and led the 500-mile event for two laps before engine problems sent him behind pit wall. The Pat Tryson-led Penske Racing team was determined to return to action and their persistence paid off as the No. 2 car returned in the 39th spot after losing 10 laps behind the wall. After two of the “big ones” - the multi-car crashes that are typical with the restrictor-plate races held on the 2.66-mile Alabama track - took their toll on the 43-car starting field, Busch was able to bounce back and pull out a 21st-place finish for the day. Busch now sits 18th in the Cup Series standings.

“Our car was strong enough to stay on the lead lap and by playing our cards right, we hooked up with Brian Vickers and led for two laps,” Busch said after the race. “But with him pushing us out front, it must have pegged the rev meter and we just put too much strain on the engine.”

Superspeedways have been a strong suit for Newman and the No. 12 Alltel Dodge throughout the 2008 season, beginning with a season-opening victory in the Daytona 500 in February. However, Newman, who started 24th, suffered engine problems early in the 190-lap event and ended the final superspeedway race of the season with a 43rd-place finish. With six races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series season, Newman is 15th in the driver point standings. Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger for Penske Racing, was unable to qualify for the AMP Energy 500.