Audi Presents Petit Le Mans - 06/10/2001   Changes The Detail   © Tom Kjos Braselton, Georgia, USA--The American Le Mans Series adopted a slogan of "Back to the Future" in announcing its 2002 schedule, emphasizing sports car racing history in the United States even as it continues and will extend its association with the Automobile Club de L'Ouest and Le Mans. Dennis Huth, who was named President of Professional Sports Car Racing (PSCR) opened today's press conference by announcing that that body, which sanctions the ALMS and other racing series will adopt both the name and logo of its predecessor, the International Motor Sports Association, IMSA, effective Sunday, October 7, 2001. The IMSA logo will be displayed on some cars in Saturday's Petit Le Mans. Don Panoz admitted to his own lack of knowledge in the "late realization of the import of the IMSA name...we just, from my perspective, didn't understand it," he said. In speaking about the "state of the sport," Dr. Panoz confirmed that both the Miami and Washington DC races had been courted hard by CART, and it was a "good feeling that they chose us (ALMS)." Scott Atherton (above), President of the Panoz Motorsports Group, introduced a 2002 schedule that at first look would seem to achieve much of what the series has intended since it's creation in 1998, before the inaugural 1999 season. Road America, Trois-Rivieres, and Mid-Ohio all join the schedule, while Portland is lost. Perhaps to the surprise of some 'insiders', Sears Point also remains on the schedule. As expected, the oval tracks are gone, and the intent was clear; they will never return (with one possible exception, of course). In introducing the 2002 ALMS schedule, Mr. Atherton outlined the criteria applied in its adoption. "The American Le Mans Series is determined to: · Race on premier natural terrain road courses with a history of sports car road racing · Include strategic street course venues in major markets · Work only with the best promoters and track operators in the world · Keep a strong TV package, and maintain the mix between Speedvision and major network coverage · Run a championship solely contested in North America. In keeping with this latter principle, no mention was made of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) until in response to a question, Atherton said "The European Le Mans Series is currently under discussion. We are meeting with John Macdonald and his staff this weekend. I don't want to pin down a time, but there will be an announcement in the future." In presenting the 2002 schedule, the series appears to have redressed its geographical balance in the addition of the two most famous and popular road courses in North America and in the placement of the National Grand Prix in the heavily populated Northeast corridor. Three races (Miami, Washington, and Trois-Rivieres) are three hours in length. The rest are a minimum of four, with Road America to run its historic length of 500 miles. The Schedule: March 13-16 50th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Dodge Sebring International Raceway 12 Hours Speedvision April 5-7 TBA Miami Downtown Street Circuit 3 Hours CBSSports May 17-19 Grand Prix of Sonoma Sears Point Raceway 4 Hours Speedvision 4 Hours Speedvision July 5-7 Road America 500 Road America 500 Miles CBS Sports July 19-21 The National Grand Prix of Washington DC Washington, DC(RFK Stadium) 3 Hours NBC Sports August 2-3 Le Grand Prixde Trois-Rivieres Trois-Rivieres, Quebec 3 Hours Speedvision August 16-18 Grand Prix atMosport Mosport International Raceway 4 Hours Speedvision September 20-22 Monterey Sports Car Championships Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca 4 Hours NBC Sports October 10-12 Audi Presents Petit Le Mans Road Atlanta 1000 Miles Speedvision Announced separately was a rescheduled date for the Sepang race in Malaysia of January 11 - 13, 2000. Next season's Sepang race is scheduled for November 1-3, 2002. Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport