Austin, June 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Circuit of The Americas (COTA) today announced that the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (ALMS) is the newest addition to the Circuit's annual calendar, with the first ALMS race scheduled to take place in the spring of 2013, at the sports, entertainment and business development facility soon to be completed in Austin, Texas.
The ALMS features a unique, multi-class auto racing format that brings together five diverse and technically-driven categories of international racecars in battles of endurance at speeds topping 180 mph. The Series is based on the world's greatest endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in France. Many of the world's most iconic automotive brands compete in the Series, including BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Honda, Lotus, Mazda and Porsche. The Series and its teams enjoy broad corporate support from a variety of domestic and international sponsors, and a hallmark of ALMS is its commitment to automotive innovation and sustainability. It is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing by top federal agencies and is lauded for its focus on alternative energy solutions.
"Our vision is to bring premier sports and entertainment programming to Circuit of The Americas and to partner with motorsports organizations that put a premium on innovation, fan experience and environmental sustainability," Circuit President Steve Sexton said. "The American Le Mans Series--with its highly competitive, customer-focused programming and its well-known commitment to Green Racing--certainly fits that vision. The ALMS at Circuit of The Americas will include an endurance race, which will be another thrilling experience for fans. We know ALMS fans to be extremely loyal and engaged, and we look forward to showing them a great time in Central Texas."
ALMS Enjoys Worldwide Support
More than 25 million U.S. fans follow the American Le Mans Series, which also has a growing international following in Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. All Series races are broadcast by the ABC and ESPN2 television networks and across the ESPN3 online distribution portal.
ALMS' presenting sponsor, Tequila Patrón, is a product of Patrón Spirits, which was founded by Austin, Texas-based entrepreneur and Circuit investor John Paul DeJoria. Circuit of The Americas joins other elite racing venues on the ALMS calendar, including Sebring International Raceway in Florida, Road Atlanta, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, to name a few.
"The opportunity to partner with the Circuit of The Americas to bring North America's premier sports car racing series to fans across Texas, at what is going to be one of the finest road racing facilities in the world, is a natural fit for all involved," ALMS President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Atherton said. "The addition of Circuit of The Americas to our schedule will be very well received by our fans and stakeholders alike. We know we have a lot of ALMS fans in Texas, and for our teams, manufacturers and sponsors, Austin and the surrounding region represent an important new business market."
Global Leader in Green Racing
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón stakes its claim as the Global Leader in Green Racing by being the only racing series recognized to comply with the Green Racing protocols developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and SAE International (SAE). These organizations see Green Racing as a way to foster technology developments for tomorrow's production vehicles, enhance national energy security and reduce carbon emissions.
The ALMS, DOE, EPA and SAE have formed a partnership to demonstrate that advanced automotive technologies and renewable fuels can meet the performance requirements of even the most demanding endurance racing conditions and can be readily transferred from raceway to driveway. The world-class competition in the ALMS shows that Green Racing is real, ultra-competitive and makes for great racing.
Two Green Racing competitions are in play every time ALMS cars hit the track: the GREEN CHALLENGE™ aimed at vehicle manufacturers and the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge aimed at ALMS teams. These challenges form a "race within a race" that builds on the ALMS' intense competition while measuring the factors that determine which car is winning the world's most important race--the race to an energy-secure, environmentally sustainable and economically vibrant future. Both the Green Challenge and the Michelin Green X Challenge use a unique scoring system jointly developed by ALMS, DOE and EPA technical staffs, which rewards high performance on the race circuit, energy efficiency, and the smallest environmental impact.
"The American Le Mans Series is the model for sustainability in the motorsports industry," Edgar Farrera, sustainability director for the Circuit, added. "The Series' commitment to environmental stewardship matches our own, as Circuit of The Americas has joined the Green Sports Alliance and is the first ALMS facility to join the alliance. It's rewarding to partner with a motorsports series that's truly in sync with a cause that matters to us."
Green Sports Alliance is a non-profit organization comprised of more than 40 professional and collegiate sports teams and nearly 90 sports venues, with a mission to help sports teams, venues and leagues enhance their environmental performance.
"Knowing of Circuit of The Americas' focus on innovation and sustainability, the opportunity to showcase our cars, our teams and our pioneering role as the recognized Global Leader in Green Racing just makes it that much better," Atherton added. "Our competitors are looking forward to the challenge and intrigue of racing at what will be a world-class motorsports venue, and our Series is thrilled to welcome Circuit of The Americas as a key round for our 15th championship season."
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, education and business. It will be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power, and be the U.S. home to the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ Nov. 16-18 and V8 Supercar Championship.
The Circuit of The Americas' master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile circuit track. Other support buildings will include a medical facility, a conference center, a banquet hall as well as an expansive outdoor live music space. Future proposed amenities include a driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event center and tower, and a trackside recreational vehicle park. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com.
About American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world's premier sports car racing series. The 10-race championship is a venue for the planet's largest auto and tire manufacturers to go head-to-head on legendary circuits, piloted by the sport's most respected drivers and teams.
Now in its 14th season, the Series offers a mix of the premier manufacturers and leading independent teams, with races on North America's most celebrated road courses and street circuits. The Series gives fans non-stop action on track and an open and friendly paddock, while providing manufacturers with a real-life laboratory to push the limits of automotive innovation and technology. Recent technology breakthroughs in the Series have focused on the environment. As the Global leader in Green Racing, the American Le Mans Series contests the race to tomorrow, including the development of innovative biofuels, hybrid technology and tire compounds, and more efficient auto engineering that carries over to dealership showrooms. For more information, visit www.alms.com.
Round four of the 2012 American Le Mans Series season is the Northeast Grand Prix from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. The race airs live, Saturday, July 7, at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2. ESPN3 streams the race live, beginning at 2:45 p.m. ET. The Series' official website, ALMS.com, offers live in-car cameras, timing and scoring, and a live broadcast feed for viewers outside the U.S.
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