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JAXRS6
February 24th, 2005, 21:59
Received this email today:

TEAM ADT CHAMPION RACING ANNOUNCES DRIVER LINE-UP FOR THE 12 HOURS OF SEBRING AND THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS
POMPANO BEACH, Fl. (February 24, 2005) – After a successful three day test session at Sebring International Raceway in early February, Team ADT Champion Racing announces the driver trios for the two Audi R8s that will compete next month in the 12 Hours of Sebring and in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Joining JJ Lehto and Marco Werner, last year’s American Le Mans Series Driver Champions, will be six-time Le Mans winner and former ALMS Driver Champion (2002) Tom Kristensen. In 1999, Kristensen and Lehto were partnered in a BMW V12 LMR and together along with co-driver Jorg Muller they won the very first American Le Mans Series race, the 12 Hours of Sebring. One year later, Kristensen put the Audi R8 on the “sports car map” when he finished 1st again at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Kristensen’s winning streak at Le Mans, five consecutive wins (four with the Audi R8) should also boost Team ADT Champion Racing’s hope for a win.



Piloting the #2 Audi R8 will be the Audi “works” squad of Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Allan McNish. McNish scored his first victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring last year driving for Audi Sport UK. Pirro has one Sebring win (2000) and Biela has three (2000,2003,2004). Collectively this trio has seven Le Mans wins: Pirro three (2000, 2001, 2002), Biela three (2000, 2001, 2002) and McNish one (1998). Their goal in June will be to give an American sports car team, Team ADT Champion Racing, a victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a milestone that has not been achieved since 1967.

Team ADT Champion Racing has yet to achieve a victory in either the 12 Hours of Sebring or the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With this extremely experienced and talented group, this year could be the exception.

Team ADT Champion Racing will compete in North America’s most prestigious and longest running sports car race, the 53rd Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring March 16-19 in Sebring, Florida. This inaugural American Le Mans Series race continues to attract the finest and most competitive sports car teams from around the world, 2nd only to the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans race in Le Sarthe, France.

For more information on Champion Racing, please visit www.championracing.net. For more information on Audi’s motorsport program, please visit www.audiusa.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Grunnah, Audi Sport North America Public Relations

(678) 556-0611



Melissa Grunnah

Press Officer

Audi Sport North America/Champion Racing

Tel. (678) 556-0611

Fax (678) 556-0785

Cell (678) 642-5795

mgrunnah@charter.net