Intersport Adds To Protorype Program With FLM09 Purchase

Dublin, October 24, 2009: Intersport Racing, one of the premier independent teams in sports car racing, is pioneering a developmental ladder system within its own organization that aims to groom a new generation of prototype drivers from its American Le Mans Series program.

The latest step is the acquisition of an ORECA-Courage FLM09 car for the 2010 Le Mans Prototype Challenge class. It will go alongside Intersport’s IMSA Lites program with the Elan DP02 and the AER-powered Lola B06/10 that competes in the American Le Mans Series’ LMP1 class.

“As a privateer team, our commitment to IMSA and the American Le Mans Series is not only unwavering, it is stronger than ever,” said team owner and driver Clint Field. “It is their continued effort to grow sports car racing in North America that wins our confidence to continue to invest our racing dollars here.”

The ORECA-Courage FLM09 represents an affordable “value engineered” entry to Le Mans prototype racing. It is a highly sophisticated race car with a full carbon fiber chassis, carbon brakes and an Xtrac sequential gearbox with paddle shifting. All LMPC cars will race on single-supply tires.

The prototype was originally introduced earlier this year as part of the Le Mans Series in Europe. It was also showcased as part of the 24 Hours of Le Mans weekend through the collaborative efforts of the ACO and ORECA/DPPI. The race car has a minimum weight of 900 kilograms similar to its LMP brethren, but its horsepower is 450 hp which is considerably less than the LMP cars which range from 500-700 hp.

In 2010, LMP1 and LMP2 cars will compete as a single LMP class with exception of the Series’ two endurance classics - the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida and Petit Le Mans. Those races will continue to adhere to the ACO technical rules for LMP1 and LMP2.

“The new Challenge classes show us the Series is listening,” added Field, the 2005 LMP2 champion. “We see the LMPC car has the perfect addition to our LMP1 program and an extension of our IMSA Lites program. Our program can now provide a true path of growth for drivers who want to succeed in sports car and endurance racing. With the addition of the LMPC car we now provide fully supported programs in three steps… IMSA Lites, LMP Challenge, and our flagship prototype, LMP1.”

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport Racing has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories in that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring in LMP2.

In addition to Clint Field’s P2 title in 2005, father Jon won the 2002 LMP675 championship. Clint Field also reigns as the youngest prototype champion in Series and IMSA history.

In 2008, Intersport became first prototype team in Series history to campaign on cellulosic E85, a pioneering effort in the Series’ Green Racing initiative. The final round of the 2009 season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca saw Intersport become the first team to make 100 starts in the American Le Mans Series.

The team campaigned the full-season in 2009 with a Lola B06/10-AER with the father-son combination serving as the primary drivers. The Fields recorded six podium finishes on the season.