SPORTS CAR News

January 24, 2001

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES NOTES OF INTEREST

** NEW MANUFACTURER FOR GT CLASS: Callaway Cars, the performance engineering division of Callaway Companies, will enter the GT class of the American Le Mans Series for the 2001 season with the C12-R super sports car.

The Callaway C12-R will be campaigned by Aspen Knolls Racing, a regular team on the ALMS in 2000. Team owner Bob Mazzuoccola of Staten Island, N.Y., will share driving duties with Shane Lewis of Jupiter, Fla. The team will make its debut in the Grand Prix of Texas at Texas Motor Speedway on March 4, the 2001 season opener for the ALMS.

The race-bred Callaway C12-R will challenge the Porsche 911 GT3-R and BMW M3 cars that have dominated the GT class of the ALMS in its two seasons of existence. The car is powered by a 7.0 liter, 480-horsepower SuperNatural engine.

"Every element of the C12-R’s genetic code was programmed for competition," said Reeves Callaway, founder and president of Callaway Companies. "Like every Callaway car, the C-12R’s ultra-competitive race track character is enhanced by its impeccable on-the-street manners, a trait that has always been the hallmark of our design and engineering philosophy."

The C12-R was developed by an international team of design, engineering and competition experts, including partner IVM Engineering of Munich, Germany. IVM is recognized as a leader in high-performance series development for Germany’s top automakers. Each edition of the C12-R is handcrafted by Callaway Competition in Leingarten, Germany.

The C12-R will be on display in March at the 2001 Geneva International Auto Show in the IVM Engineering exhibit.

** TEXAS EXECUTIVES ATTEND INAUGURATION: Eddie Gossage, General Manager of Texas Motor Speedway, and Speedway Motorsports Chairman Bruton Smith were guests of U.S. President George W. Bush at last week’s Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.

The speedway, located in Fort Worth, Tex., will host the Grand Prix of Texas to open the 2001 American Le Mans Series season on Mar. 4.

While serving as Governor of Texas, Bush was a supporter of TMS, which opened in 1997. Smith and Gossage met with Bush at his office on several occasions after the building of the speedway began in 1995. Bush attended the track’s NASCAR Winston Cup race in 1999 and served as Honorary Starter.

While in Washington, Gossage and Smith attended the swearing-in ceremony, and were also guests at Bush’s "Black Tie and Boots Ball" on the night before. They also attended the Presidential Parade following the ceremony, as well as another ball that night.

** QUICK NOTES: Several ALMS teams have been testing Michelin tires in Valencia, Spain, including Audi Team Joest, Panoz Motor Sports, Team ORECA and BMW Motorsport .... ALMS driver Ron Fellows and series founder Don Panoz attended "Texas Tour 2001" media day on Tuesday at Texas Motor Speedway. The day-long event highlighted all series that will race at TMS in 2001 .... While in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Fellows attended the Dallas Stars vs. Vancouver Canucks National Hockey League game on Monday night. His Dallas-based sponsor, AER, had seats behind the Canucks bench ....

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MEDIA CONTACT: Andy Hall, ALMS Director of Media & Communications, (317) 295-3500, ext. 31



News Release
American Le Mans Series Notes of Interest

January 24, 2001 AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES NOTES OF INTEREST NEW MANUFACTURER FOR GT CLASS: Callaway Cars, the performance engineering division of Callaway Companies, will enter the GT class of the American Le Mans Series for the 2001 season with the C12-R super sports car. The Callaway C12-R will be campaigned by Aspen Knolls Racing, a regular team on the ALMS in 2000. Team owner Bob Mazzuoccola of Staten Island, N.Y., will share driving duties with Shane Lewis of Jupiter, Fla. The team will make its debut in the Grand Prix of Texas at Texas Motor Speedway on March 4, the 2001 season opener for the ALMS. The race-bred Callaway C12-R will challenge the Porsche 911 GT3-R and BMW M3 cars that have dominated the GT class of the ALMS in its two seasons of existence. The car is powered by a 7.0 liter, 480-horsepower SuperNatural engine. "Every element of the C12-R’s genetic code was programmed for competition," said Reeves Callaway, founder and president of Callaway Companies. "Like every Callaway car, the C-12R’s ultra-competitive race track character is enhanced by its impeccable on-the-street manners, a trait that has always been the hallmark of our design and engineering philosophy." The C12-R was developed by an international team of design, engineering and competition experts, including partner IVM Engineering of Munich, Germany. IVM is recognized as a leader in high-performance series development for Germany’s top automakers. Each edition of the C12-R is handcrafted by Callaway Competition in Leingarten, Germany. The C12-R will be on display in March at the 2001 Geneva International Auto Show in the IVM Engineering exhibit. TEXAS EXECUTIVES ATTEND INAUGURATION: Eddie Gossage, General Manager of Texas Motor Speedway, and Speedway Motorsports Chairman Bruton Smith were guests of U.S. President George W. Bush at last week’s Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. The speedway, located in Fort Worth, Tex., will host the Grand Prix of Texas to open the 2001 American Le Mans Series season on Mar. 4. While serving as Governor of Texas, Bush was a supporter of TMS, which opened in 1997. Smith and Gossage met with Bush at his office on several occasions after the building of the speedway began in 1995. Bush attended the track’s NASCAR Winston Cup race in 1999 and served as Honorary Starter. While in Washington, Gossage and Smith attended the swearing-in ceremony, and were also guests at Bush’s "Black Tie and Boots Ball" on the night before. They also attended the Presidential Parade following the ceremony, as well as another ball that night. QUICK NOTES: Several ALMS teams have been testing Michelin tires in Valencia, Spain, including Audi Team Joest, Panoz Motor Sports, Team ORECA and BMW Motorsport .... ALMS driver Ron Fellows and series founder Don Panoz attended "Texas Tour 2001" media day on Tuesday at Texas Motor Speedway. The day-long event highlighted all series that will race at TMS in 2001 .... While in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Fellows attended the Dallas Stars vs. Vancouver Canucks National Hockey League game on Monday night. His Dallas-based sponsor, AER, had seats behind the Canucks bench .... -30- MEDIA CONTACT: Andy Hall, ALMS Director of Media & Communications, (317) 295-3500, ext. 31** Andy Hall Director of Media & Communications American Le Mans Series (317) 295-3500, ext. 31 andyhall58@hotmail.com