SPORTS CAR News



News Release
ALMS Cars to Show Off for CART Fans at Mid-Ohio

INDIANAPOLIS (July 30, 2001) -- The thousands of race fans attending the CART FedEx Championship Series event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course August 11-12 will have the chance to witness the first laps on the famed circuit by cars from the American Le Mans Series, including one of the series-leading Audi R8 machines. At least three ALMS teams and one from the Trans-Am Series will run demonstration laps on the 2.258-mile track on two occasions during the CART weekend, giving fans a sneak preview of the action in store during the ALMS Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio on August 25. The event will be the first ever at Mid-Ohio for the ALMS. ALMS cars from Audi Sport North America, BMW Team PTG and Panoz Motor Sports are scheduled to participate in the demonstration laps, along with Cowen Racing from the Trans-Am Series. ALMS points leader Rinaldo Capello, winner of the first three races of the 2001 season, will wheel the Audi R8. The cars will run for 15 minutes on Saturday, August 11, at 12:45 p.m., and will then run again immediately following the conclusion of the CART race on Sunday, August 12. The ALMS will have had a strong presence at both Mid-Ohio itself and in the surrounding area prior to the August 25 race. In addition to the demonstration laps during the CART weekend, the new ALMS show car display will also be on-site all weekend. PA announcements about the ALMS race will be made during the weekend, and discount ticket coupons will be distributed. -30- MEDIA CONTACT: Andy Hall, American Le Mans Series Director of Media & Communications (317) 295-3500, ext. 31.