gaijin
12-14-2006, 09:49 AM
EARLY LE MANS INVITES HAVE STRONG SERIES FLAVOR
Ten entries from the American Le Mans Series are among the first 24 invitees to the 75th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's most prestigious auto race. The twice-around-the-clock event is scheduled for June 16-17 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
American Le Mans Series teams have enjoyed remarkable success at Le Mans with at least two class victories each year since the Series' formation in 1999. Series teams also have posted six overall race wins and 19 class championships, numbers that could grow again once the 2007 race is in the history books.
Teams granted an automatic invitation include:
Audi Sport North America (two entries in LMP1)
Penske Motorsports (two entries in LMP2)
Corvette Racing (two entries in GT1)
Aston Martin Racing (two entries in GT1)
Risi Competizione (two entries in GT2)
Class champions from the American Le Mans Series are granted automatic entries to Le Mans, as are class winners at Petit Le Mans. First- and second-place finishers from the previous year's running of the 24 Hours are given invites as well.
Corvette Racing finished third in class at Petit Le Mans but was granted a second Le Mans invitation because Aston Martin's two DBR9s did not compete at Petit Le Mans in ACO spec. Petersen/White Lightning, which won for the second straight year at Petit Le Mans, was denied an early invite because all Porsches entered ran a larger restrictor that was allowed by IMSA but larger than permitted by the ACO.
In 2006 the trio of Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner drove a diesel-powered Audi R10 TDI, two of which competed in the Series' second-half, to a historic overall victory.
Corvette Racing also won in GT1 for the fifth time in six seasons as Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen once again beat back an incredible challenge from Aston Martin Racing. In addition, Panoz stood atop the GT2 podium with a victory by Team LNT and its Panoz Esperante GTLM.
Ten entries from the American Le Mans Series are among the first 24 invitees to the 75th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's most prestigious auto race. The twice-around-the-clock event is scheduled for June 16-17 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
American Le Mans Series teams have enjoyed remarkable success at Le Mans with at least two class victories each year since the Series' formation in 1999. Series teams also have posted six overall race wins and 19 class championships, numbers that could grow again once the 2007 race is in the history books.
Teams granted an automatic invitation include:
Audi Sport North America (two entries in LMP1)
Penske Motorsports (two entries in LMP2)
Corvette Racing (two entries in GT1)
Aston Martin Racing (two entries in GT1)
Risi Competizione (two entries in GT2)
Class champions from the American Le Mans Series are granted automatic entries to Le Mans, as are class winners at Petit Le Mans. First- and second-place finishers from the previous year's running of the 24 Hours are given invites as well.
Corvette Racing finished third in class at Petit Le Mans but was granted a second Le Mans invitation because Aston Martin's two DBR9s did not compete at Petit Le Mans in ACO spec. Petersen/White Lightning, which won for the second straight year at Petit Le Mans, was denied an early invite because all Porsches entered ran a larger restrictor that was allowed by IMSA but larger than permitted by the ACO.
In 2006 the trio of Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner drove a diesel-powered Audi R10 TDI, two of which competed in the Series' second-half, to a historic overall victory.
Corvette Racing also won in GT1 for the fifth time in six seasons as Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen once again beat back an incredible challenge from Aston Martin Racing. In addition, Panoz stood atop the GT2 podium with a victory by Team LNT and its Panoz Esperante GTLM.