Level 5 Motorsports Sebring advance

2011-03-17 13:56:00 by PR

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."

The team had its first chance to test the new Lolas on Saturday and were eager to get back on track as practice for the 12 Hours of Sebring began in ernest Monday.

"We have not had much time with these cars," said Tucker. "But the team has been working closely with Lola throughout their constrution and we are pretty confident that they will be ready to race Saturday. We just need some time as drivers to get comfortable."

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.