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ALMS: Michelin wins second consecutive Petit Le Mans

1 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Michelin-shod Audi Extends Michelin Endurance Racing Win Streak

(Braselton, GA) - Michelin won its second consecutive 1000-mile Petit Le Mans sportscar endurance race today at Road Atlanta at the hands of Allan McNish, Rinaldo Capello and Michele Alboretto in their Michelin-shod Audi. The win also extended Michelin's domination of worldwide endurance racing, having already scored wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring earlier this year.

"It may have looked like just another day at the office, but I assure you that it was much more than that," said Jerry Rinaldo, Michelin Racing Manager. "The Petit Le Mans is a thousand miles of grinding competition. We raced very hard today. The Petit Le Mans is one of the major endurance races in the world and winning it was one of our stated goals at the start of the season. We brought a new tire to this race and I am happy to say that it performed flawlessly. Audi is awesome and we are proud to be their partners."

Michelin has won every American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race this season and has already secured the ALMS Tire Championship for the prototype category in 2000.

Michelin teams led every one of the 394 laps today. Season-to-date, Michelin teams have led 1628 of 1633 laps in ALMS competition.

Michelin swept the victory podium by also placing second and third. Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Tom Kristensen finished second in an Audi fitted with Michelin tires while Jan Magnussen and David Brabham finished third in a Michelin-shod Panoz.

Michelin-shod Porsches Sweep GT Podium

Bob Wolleck and Sascha Maasen won their second consecutive ALMS race by out-pacing the Alex Job Racing Porsche driven by Randy Pobst, Bruno Lambert and Anthony Lazzaro. Wolleck and Maasen's Dick Barbour Racing teammates Dirk Muller and Lucas Luhr placed third.

Michelin-shod Dodge Viper Places Second in GTS

In the closing minutes of the race and thanks to an untimely caution flag that allowed the field to be bunched up behind the pace car, the Michelin-shod Dodge Viper driven by Tommy Archer, Patrick Huisman and Boris Derichebourg was passed by the Goodyear-shod Corvette. Viper went on to finish second. Dodge Viper has won all but two ALMS races this season plus the 24 Hours of Daytona outright and the GTS category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Michelin Tires Tops At 1000 km Events

When it comes to ALMS races of at least 1000 kilometers, including today's Petit Le Mans, Michelin has won all but the Petit Le Mans in 1998. The win list includes the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Petit Le Mans in 1999, as well as the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Nrburgring 1000 km in 2000. Remaining on the schedule for this year is the 1000 km or longer category is The Race of 1000 Years in Australia.

Text Provided By Bob Andrew

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.