The 2011 American Le Mans Series season kicks off this weekend, and Level 5 Motorsports brings a standout driver lineup for its two entries in the 12 Hours of Sebring -- one of the world's most prestigious sports car races. The event also marks the start of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, the international series in which Level 5 will also campaign for a world championship.
Three time National Champion Scott Tucker will get behind the wheel of both Level 5 Motorsports' No. 33 Microsoft Office 2010-sponsored Lola Coupe and its No. 055 Microsoft Office 2010 Lola Spyder. He will be joined in the No. 33 by long-time teammate Christophe Bouchut and Portugal's Joao Barbosa, and in the No. 055 by Luis Diaz and Ryan Hunter-Reay for the prestigious endurance event at Sebring International Raceway.The No. 33 and No. 055 Honda-powered Lolas are also sponsored by Microsoft Office 365, Windows Azure and Alpina Watches -- all new to the team this season. Level 5 has joined the LMP2 class for 2011 after winning a championship in the ALMS LMP Challenge class in 2010.
"We've been looking forward to this weekend ever since the end of our title run last season," Tucker said. "There is no doubt that we have had a very busy off-season and have been preparing earnestly for what we believe will be another great year for Level 5 Motorsports. It all begins this weekend."We've got a great track record as a team and we've added very talented drivers for the 12 Hours. With that kind of talent, we expect to be competitive against a world-class field."
Tucker not only won the ALMS LMPC title a year ago, but was named the ALMS Rookie of the Year. He was voted to the 2010 All-America Auto Racing team by the media as "Rising Star" and won his second consecutive Sports Car Club of America T1 National Championship.
Bouchut helped Level 5 Motorsports score its ALMS victory in the LMPC class last March at Sebring. One of the most successful endurance drivers in the world, Bouchut is a past winner of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa. He is also a three-time FIA GT Champion. During the 2010 season, Bouchut earned his 100th career victory en route to the ALMS LMPC Team Championship.A champion and veteran of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, Barbosa celebrated a victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona last season with Action Express Racing. He made seven starts in ALMS, driving in the GT2 class for Extreme Speed Motorsports.
Diaz brings a championship résumé to Level 5 Motorsports. In 2004, the Mexican co-drove the No. 01 car with Scott Pruett for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. He moved to ALMS in 2007, and, two years later, he won the LMP2 championship while also claiming the series' Most Popular Driver Award. Diaz made his Level 5 Motorsports debut in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in February.
Hunter-Reay has proven himself at every level in which he has raced. A regular in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Andretti Autosport, Hunter-Reay has two career victories in that division, including in 2010 at Iowa Speedway. He helped the No. 95 Level 5 Motorsports BMW Riley to a third-place finish in the 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and scored a GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series victory at Miller Motorsports Park in 2007."You won't find a more solid group of proven, veteran drivers in the American Le Mans Series," said Level 5 Motorsports Team Manager David Stone. "You can see why we're so confident going into the 12 Hours of Sebring. We won here last year, and that's a plus. While we know that the LMP2 is a whole different ballgame, we have a tremendous lineup on our side with the drivers, the sponsors and the cars. It should be a great weekend for us."
In addition to its ALMS schedule in 2011, Level 5 Motorsports has garnered a good deal of attention with its entry into the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. It is the only American team to contest a prototype in international competition in the last 25 years.
The 12 Hours of Sebring will begin at 10:30 a.m. (ET) Saturday, March 19. The action will broadcast live on ESPN3.com beginning at 10:15 a.m. A recap show will be broadcast on ABC the following day, March 20, at 12:30 p.m (ET).About Level 5 Motorsports
Level 5 Motorsports has fielded successful entries in GT and Prototype classes in the American Le Mans Series, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16, Ferrari Challenge Series and the Sports Car Club of America since 2008. The team has competed throughout North America and Europe, extensively in France and Spain. Team owner and driver Scott Tucker has earned three national championships and has more than 70 podium finishes and 50 victories in his driving career. Level 5 is based in Madison, Wisconsin. www.Level5Motorsports.comAbout Microsoft Windows Azure
The Microsoft Windows Azure platform provides a group of sophisticated cloud technologies, each providing a specialized set of services to application developers. Put simply, Windows Azure runs Windows applications and stores data in the cloud. www.Microsoft.com/WindowsAzureAbout Microsoft Office
The Microsoft Office system provides tools to help people quickly and easily create great-looking documents, spreadsheets and presentations, organize and search for information in one place, and keep everything in one place, all with enhanced security.www.Office.Microsoft.comAbout Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. www.microsoft.comAbout Alpina Watches
Alpina is racing. With its fabled pedigree, high quality of each timepiece, built to endure, the soul of the Alpina watch movements belong where sport is at its most intense. "Be a player" is not just a slogan, it is a way of being. www.Alpina-watches.comAbout Michelin
Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs approximately 20,900 and operates 18 major manufacturing plants in 16 locations. www.Michelin.comAbout Lola Group
A UK based (Huntingdon), global market leader in advanced composite technologies, design solutions and manufacturing, Lola Group have 52 years experience in a variety of industries. 2011 racing programs include models in LMP1 and LMP2, as well as a range of World Junior Car single seaters and the famous T70 Continuation series. Lola's motorsport heritage includes three Indianapolis 500 victories, supplying Formula One cars and Le Mans designs for Honda, Nissan, MG, GM and Aston Martin. www.LolaCars.comAbout Honda Performance Development
Honda Performance Development (HPD) is the Honda racing company within North America. Founded in 1993, and located in Santa Clarita, Calif., HPD is the technical operations center for American Honda high-performance racing cars and engines. In addition to its role as single engine supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series, HPD is active in a variety of motorsports activities from pinnacle through grassroots, including the class victory in its inaugural attempt at the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans. www.Racing.Honda.com
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