Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas Opens Great American Speedway Season

--For Immediate Release

FORT WORTH-DALLAS (Feb. 13, 2001) - Less than six months ago, drivers battled extreme heat conditions during a Texas drought in the inaugural road race at Texas Motor Speedway.  On March 3-4, temperatures should be dramatically different for the Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas, as the road race opens the 2001 racing season at The Great American Speedway.

"We look forward to starting our race season with some of the most high-profile racing machines in the world," speedway vice president and general manager Eddie Gossage said.  "We have built a challenging and entertaining road course for drivers and fans alike, and having the race in the spring is an exciting way to drop the green flag on our season."

The Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas is the first race of the third season for the American Le Mans Series.  The Texas event is a two-hour, 45-minute sports car endurance race on the 2.323-mile Texas Motor Speedway road racing circuit.

The 2000 ALMS race at Texas was a Labor Day weekend battle of physical endurance by drivers and cars alike.  Temperatures soared above the 100-degree mark for the weekend, putting to test the nerves and determination of those in the field.  Last year's American Le Mans Series race was run under the lights at Texas, but the 2001 edition will have a 1:00 p.m. green flag on Sunday, March 4.  Other series also competing at the Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas include the SPEEDVISION World Challenge and Star Mazda series.

Tickets for the Leather Center Grand Prix of Texas are available by calling the speedway ticket hotline at (817) 215-8500, at participating Ticketmaster outlets, and online at www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

Discount ticket coupons are available in the Fort Worth-Dallas area at 11 Leather Center locations, as well as all O'Reilly Auto Parts stores and Long John Silver restaurants.

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LEATHER CENTER GRAND PRIX OF TEXAS SCHEDULE

Saturday, March 3, 2001
  8:00 am Gates Open
  8:00 am -   8:30 am Practice Star Mazda
  8:45 am -   9:45 am Combined Practice - ALMS (LMP 900, LMP 675, GTS and GT)
10:00 am - 10:45 pm Practice - SPEEDVISION World Challenge
11:00 am - 11:30 am Practice Star Mazda
11:30 pm - 12:30 pm Lunch
12:30 pm -   1:30 pm Combined Practice - ALMS (LMP 900, LMP 675, GTS and GT)
  1:45 pm -   2:30 pm Practice SPEEDVISION World Challenge
  2:45 pm -   3:15 pm Practice Star Mazda
  3:30 pm -   3:50 pm Qualifying - ALMS (GTS and GT)
  4:10 pm -   4:30 pm Qualifying - ALMS (LMP 900 and LMP 675)
  4:45 pm -   5:30 pm Qualifying - SPEEDVISION World Challenge

Sunday, March 4, 2001
  8:00 am Gates and Victory Lane Club Open
  8:00 am -   8:45 am Qualifying - Star Mazda
  9:05 am -   9:35 am Combined Warm up - ALMS (LMP 900, LMP 675, GTS and GT)
10:00 am - 10:50 am SPEEDVISION World Challenge - Touring Race
11:15 am - 12:00 pm Star Mazda - 45 Minute Race
12:00 pm -   1:00 pm Lunch
  1:00 pm -   3:45 pm American Le Mans Series - 2 Hour 45 Minute Race
  4:10 pm -   5:00  pm SPEEDVISION World Challenge - GT Race

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Media Relations Dept.
Texas Motor Speedway
(817) 215-8520
(817) 215-8424 fax