Porsche builds new sports prototype – Penske Motorsports exclusive partnerMotorsport programme in North America intensified
Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, designs and builds a completely new sports prototype for customer racing in America's most important sportscar series, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). This new programme was initiated by its North American subsidiary, Porsche Cars North America (PCNA). The vehicle complies with the technical specifications of the LMP2 category (Le Mans prototypes) and is the first purpose-built Porsche factory race car since the successful 911 GT1 from 1998.
As exclusive partner, Penske Motorsports will race the new prototype in 2005 and 2006. Roger Penske and his team won two CanAm Championships in 1972 and 1973 with the legendary Porsche 917 sportscar. Regarded for decades as one of most professional and successful racing organisations in the USA, Penske will enter the new sports prototype for testing in the final two races of this year's ALMS season on 1st October in Road Atlanta and on 16th October in Laguna Seca. In 2006 it is planned to race two vehicles at all ten rounds of the series.
Peter Schwarzenbauer, president and CEO of PCNA, announced at the second ALMS race in Road Atlanta (15-17 April) that with this racing programme Porsche Cars North America and Porsche Motorsport North America are eager to provide customer teams with the possibility of competing in prototype categories of the American Le Mans Series in the future.
In the near-standard GT2 class, motorsport customers have secured 47 victories and five manufacturer championships in the last six years with the Porsche 911 GT3. With this new and intensified racing programme, Porsche intends to raise the excitement and interest levels in American sportscar racing.
North America is not only the most important market for Porsche but also the region with the largest number of enthusiasts for sportscars from Zuffenhausen. The Porsche Club of America boasts almost 60,000 members, making it the world's largest manufacturers club. For over 30 years and with extraordinary race cars like the 934, 935 and 962, Porsche racing customers have contributed to the rich and successful motorsport tradition on the American continent.
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15.04.2005