The American Le Mans Series

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HOW IT BEGAN:

Every year millions of spectators, broadcast viewers and listeners from around the globe focus on the Sarthe region of France to witness a 24-hour motor racing event that dates back to 1923. The 24 Hours of Le Mans tests both man and machine in what is arguably the world's most prestigious automobile race.

In an effort to expand upon the rich history and tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizers and rights holders for the trademarks and rules for the 24-hour race, agreed to license their internationally famous brand name and rules to successful businessman and entrepreneur Donald E. Panoz.

In addition to the licensing rights, the ACO agreed to grant pre-qualifying exemptions for the 24-Hours of Le Mans each year to three class winners in each of the three major territories (Americas, Asia and Europe). This represents nine of a total of twelve pre-qualifying exemptions for the 48-car starting field. Such an incentive is sure to attract major teams and manufacturers from around the world.

With these rights, Panoz founded the American Le Mans Series in 1999 with an eight-race schedule. In 2000, the schedule was expanded to 12 races (eight in the United States, one in Canada, 2 in Europe and the season finale in Adelaide, Australia). In 2001, the schedule included 15 races (eight in the U.S., one in Canada, 5 in Europe, and the season closer in Malaysia). In 2002, the schedule included 10 races in North America. In 2003, there are 9 races in North America. Each race will have a minimum purse of $200,000 with ten percent of each purse going to the privateer fund to be distributed at the end of the season. Prize money from the race purses is distributed exclusively among privateer teams. Our domestic and international television and Internet distribution is unprecedented in American sports car racing history.

The American Le Mans Series has been created to stabilize and implement a growth strategy for professional sports car racing in America.

OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES:

With the ACO license for the internationally known Le Mans brand name and rules, the American Le Mans Series will pattern each race week after the popular 24 Hours of Le Mans in order to stimulate fan interest in the sport.

The license for the ACO rules will bring the stability that teams, manufacturers and fans are seeking in sports car racing today. ACO makes the rules, and International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) has been contracted to officiate and administer the rules.

The American Le Mans Series will implement a domestic/international, comprehensive, and customer-driven marketing plan with a focus on promoting the Le Mans brand and the 2001 schedule through co-op advertising and promotional campaigns. Regional promotions at some events will include the public viewing of the cars in a public forum within the race week, followed by a charity fashion show with a major retailer in the race market.

A diversified weekend race schedule is assured through the American Le Mans Series own support event: The Panoz Racing Series, featuring Panoz Racing School student drivers and professional drivers. Other support events will be tailored to each market.

Manufacturers and key category sponsors will be attracted to the fully integrated marketing platform for the new series, which will include hospitality and on-site signage at the events, cooperative advertising and promotional programs, and domestic/ international television, radio, as well as Internet commercial and sponsorship packages.

The American Le Mans Series will deliver to sponsors, manufacturers and competitors quantifiable short-term benefits as well as measurable results from longer term investments in marketing, branding and education.

FOR THE FANS:

Fans get a taste of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including downtown scrutineering and the same rules and race format as the historic French event.

The paddock area will allow fans to get a close look at the race cars and their equipment, and have a chance to obtain autographs from their favorite drivers.

Fans will be well informed at the events with portable, electronic scoreboards and a giant video screen, and each event will provide a hint of the French ambiance.

Race participants will include private teams as well as the world's leading sports car manufacturers competing in four classes of cars as defined by the ACO for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The participants in the event will be competing on a level playing field by using predictable and stable rules established by the ACO.

FOR COMPETITORS:

Why the American Le Mans Series is Designed For the Competitors

ACO rules and SPORTS CAR implementation of the rules provide confidence and stability that competitors have been seeking from American sports car racing.

Experienced and reputable series management will bring additional confidence to the competitors.

The series marketing platform will bring more fans to the events and a much larger viewer and listening audience from domestic and international television, radio and Internet broadcasts. This provides the competitors with a car sponsorship value greatly enhanced over previous years in American sports car racing.

The series will work with car sponsors to enhance their value through the series marketing platform opportunities without taking away from team sponsorship revenues.

Using Le Mans rules allows teams who wish to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans an opportunity to compete under those rules in events leading up to pre-qualifying and the race as opposed to simply testing. Actual race competition and returned value in prize money and sponsor exposure make this a valuable attraction to competitors.

The American Le Mans Series' multi-year contract with the ACO provides competitors with the comfort of knowing that there is a long term plan for the growth and stability of American sports car racing.