HUGE ALMS news Porsche/Penske raise the stakes
04-15-05, 08:27 PM
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HUGE ALMS news Porsche/Penske raise the stakes
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Porsche/Penske announce entry into LMP2 class w bigtime program.
this will raise the profile of the series to a new level and should deepen Mazda's LMP2 commitment to ALMS. the fact that they announced the program today, at the event where Mazda makes its debut, pits the two efforts against each other and since they will be running the new car in October they must be well along in development. Mazda no doubt knew this was coming.
we now have the bets hugely raised on the table and things are going to get really interesting. many of you on the forum may not remember how powerful mazda's racing efforts were back in the late 70's early 80's.... over 100 wins in IMSA's GTU class etc.
wow!
here is a part of the announcement..................................
Porsche, Penske Motorsports to Run Together With New Prototype in ALMS
In what American Le Mans Series President and CEO Scott Atherton calls "one of the most significant if not the most significant announcement in our series' history," ALMS and Porsche jointly announced today that Penske Motorsports, Inc. will field a new Porsche prototype racecar in the ALMS. The history-making unveiling of the new prototype sports car racing program intended for customer race teams was made at Road Atlanta, scene for Sunday's ALMS Sportsbook.com Grand Prix of Atlanta
Porsche's key corporate North American organizations - PCNA and PMNA - have commissioned their parent company, Porsche AG, to design and construct a race car that will be eligible to compete in the LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) ALMS class. It will be the first purpose-built Porsche factory racecar since the 1998 Porsche 911 GT1.
Penske Motorsports, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Penske Racing, Inc., will field the new Porsche prototype in its first full season of competition exclusively in 2006
It is anticipated that Penske Motorsports will debut the new Porsche prototype at the final two races of the ALMS season - the Oct. 1 Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and the Oct.16 season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, as test events before entering the entire 2006 season.
"The fact that Porsche is returning with a racing program in the LMP2 class in 2006 was going to be a big announcement all by itself," said Atherton, "but to add Penske Motorsports' involvement beginning this year in Atlanta at Petit Le Mans makes this one of the most significant developments in the history of the American Le Mans Series."These announcements today have the potential of causing a very positive paradigm shift for the ALMS and potentially for road racing in general. This sends a loud and clear message that the ALMS is a very strong and growing platform - worthy of attention, investment and participation by the best manufacturers and race teams in the world."
The Porsche-Penske announcement becomes the latest in a long list of very positive developments for the American Le Mans Series. The series has stepped up to a new level of proficiency and acclaim, and announcements of new manufacturers such as the Porsche prototype, Aston Martin, Maserati and the new the Mazda-powered prototype introduced at Road Atlanta are significant developments within the last 12 months.
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Porsche/Penske announce entry into LMP2 class w bigtime program.
this will raise the profile of the series to a new level and should deepen Mazda's LMP2 commitment to ALMS. the fact that they announced the program today, at the event where Mazda makes its debut, pits the two efforts against each other and since they will be running the new car in October they must be well along in development. Mazda no doubt knew this was coming.
we now have the bets hugely raised on the table and things are going to get really interesting. many of you on the forum may not remember how powerful mazda's racing efforts were back in the late 70's early 80's.... over 100 wins in IMSA's GTU class etc.
wow!
here is a part of the announcement..................................
Porsche, Penske Motorsports to Run Together With New Prototype in ALMS
In what American Le Mans Series President and CEO Scott Atherton calls "one of the most significant if not the most significant announcement in our series' history," ALMS and Porsche jointly announced today that Penske Motorsports, Inc. will field a new Porsche prototype racecar in the ALMS. The history-making unveiling of the new prototype sports car racing program intended for customer race teams was made at Road Atlanta, scene for Sunday's ALMS Sportsbook.com Grand Prix of Atlanta
Porsche's key corporate North American organizations - PCNA and PMNA - have commissioned their parent company, Porsche AG, to design and construct a race car that will be eligible to compete in the LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) ALMS class. It will be the first purpose-built Porsche factory racecar since the 1998 Porsche 911 GT1.
Penske Motorsports, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Penske Racing, Inc., will field the new Porsche prototype in its first full season of competition exclusively in 2006
It is anticipated that Penske Motorsports will debut the new Porsche prototype at the final two races of the ALMS season - the Oct. 1 Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and the Oct.16 season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, as test events before entering the entire 2006 season.
"The fact that Porsche is returning with a racing program in the LMP2 class in 2006 was going to be a big announcement all by itself," said Atherton, "but to add Penske Motorsports' involvement beginning this year in Atlanta at Petit Le Mans makes this one of the most significant developments in the history of the American Le Mans Series."These announcements today have the potential of causing a very positive paradigm shift for the ALMS and potentially for road racing in general. This sends a loud and clear message that the ALMS is a very strong and growing platform - worthy of attention, investment and participation by the best manufacturers and race teams in the world."
The Porsche-Penske announcement becomes the latest in a long list of very positive developments for the American Le Mans Series. The series has stepped up to a new level of proficiency and acclaim, and announcements of new manufacturers such as the Porsche prototype, Aston Martin, Maserati and the new the Mazda-powered prototype introduced at Road Atlanta are significant developments within the last 12 months.
Last edited by Howard Coleman; 04-15-05 at 08:34 PM. Reason: double post
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