Intersport Racing News

Intersport Racing Tops Off 2011 ALMS Season With 2nd Place Finish At Petit Le Mans

2011-10-04T18:58:35Z

Ricardo Vera Crowned Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Champion

Fighting back from a devastating crash in practice, winning the class pole then being put to the back of the grid on race day, wasn't enough to stop the #89 Intersport Racing The Sitter / Muscle Milk / Merchant Services / Lafarge / DynaPep LMPC march to the podium at the 14th running of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron Petit Le Mans.

Piloted by Tomy Drissi, Kyle Marcelli and Chapman Ducote, the Intersport LMPC car rose up from the ashes to dominate the LMPC over 999 miles of racing at the historic Road Atlanta road course.

Anyone witnessing the horrific crash of David Ducote during Friday's practice could not have predicted the ultimate outcome of Saturday's race. When a Ferrari GT car made contact with Ducote's rear quarter, the car was pushed partially off track. Fortunately several cars exiting the turn were able to drive around as the car sat perpendicular to the racing line. Suddenly, the Robinson Ford GT driven by David Murray was caught up in the incident. Quick thinking Murray immediately threw the Ford GT into a sideways slide and was able to shift the impact to a side by side as opposed to head-on. David was airlift to a local hospital and kept for observation.

The Intersport team sprung into action and quickly went to work repairing the car. Amazingly… and to everyones disbelief, taking spares from the team's #37 car, the #89 car was ready for afternoon qualifying. Kyle Marcelli climbed in and when the checkered flag was thrown on the session, Kyle was at the top of the time sheets.

"I can't say enough about the hard work our guys put in this weekend," said team manager Brian Alder. "And I don't know what to say about Kyle Marcelli… other than amazing. Kyle is as dedicated and talented as they come. He put his team on his back and left it all out on the track."

With David Ducote sidelined, driving duties were redistributed among Tomy Drissi, Chapman Ducote and Marcelli. Due to tech inspection questions regarding replacement parts from the teams #37 backup car, Marcelli was forced to start the car from the back of the grid. However, when the green flag dropped on the 1000 mile race, Marcelli wasted no time chasing down the rest the LMPC field. Intersport was heading to the front.

"The team made no secret about riding on Marcelli's talent," said Kyle's co-driver, Tomy Drissi. "First, he's earned it. He's consistently fast and takes care of the car. We knew Chapman and I had to stay on pace, be aggressive but keep the wheels on the car. The team was flawless with fueling stops and the driver changes where perfect."

Marcelli kept the team up front all day. Then, with just two laps to go, in traffic, the #52 car tucked himself into the headlights of a few P1 cars and Marcelli lost him in his mirrors. The #52 got by leaving the #89 to take second. A brilliant race and a brilliant drive by Marcelli none-the-less.

The season concluded with Intersport enjoying five podium finishes; 2nd at Long Beach, 3rd at Lime Rock, wins at Mid-Ohio and Baltimore and 2nd place at the prestigious Petit Le Mans. Intersport Racing finished its season taking third in the LMPC Championship.

Ricardo Vera Crowned Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Champion

On the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites side of the team, Ricardo Vera ascended to the top of the IMSA Lites ranks taking the 2011 Drivers Championship. In the Thursday's round 13, Vera drove to a solid fourth place finish. Friday, in the season closing round 14, all Vera need to do to secure the championship was simply start the race. Never one to rest on his laurels, Vera drove to a 3rd place finish taking the championship and a spot on the podium.

“The Intersport Racing team gave me a great car all year,” said Vera. “I’m really happy to have won the championship! I knew that with the lead I had, all I had to do was finish near the top. It’s been great racing against everyone this year.”

For the 18-year-old Vera, the championship brings many awards, not the least of which is a test session in the Dyson-Mazda LMP car. To win the title in his rookie season means a great deal to the young Puerto Rican.

Intersport Racing: One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

The Cooper Tire Prototype Lites mission is two-fold: present an opportunity for semi-professional race car drivers to compete in a world-class environment while also providing an avenue for drivers to move up the ladder into the LMPC or LMP classes in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón.

The series is divided into two classes: Lites 1, featuring the Élan DP02 chassis, powered by a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MP2 engine; and Lites 2, utilizing the West WX10 and WR1000 chassis, with either a Kawasaki ZX10R or a Suzuki GSXR motor.

Intersport Racing Hoping To Keep LMPC Podium Streak Alive At Petit Le Mans

2011-09-27T20:04:44Z

Ricardo Vera Seeking Drivers Championship In Cooper Prototype Lites

With a record 58 car field, Intersport Racing will concentrate their efforts on the No. 89 Merchant Services / The Sitter / Lafarge LMPC car for the 14th running of the American Le Mans Series Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

This year’s final round of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón features a 58-car entry and a starting grid of 53. The 1,000-mile/10-hour enduro also is the penultimate round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. With the number of entries and because the LMPC class is not recognized for ILMC competition, only a limited number of LMPC entries are qualified for the race. To accommodate ALMS regular season entries and drivers, an agreement was reached between IMSA and the ACO to allow for four driver teams. Taking advantage of the four-driver rule change, Intersport will run Kyle Marcelli, Tomy Drissi, Chapman Ducote and David Ducote.

"The rule change somewhat plays in our favor," noted team manager, Brian Alder. "We've got four experienced drivers on our roster. Tomy and Kyle have been especially strong together in the US while Kyle and Chapman have had great success in Europe. I think the No. 89 car will be the LMPC car to watch."

Meanwhile, Ricardo Vera will be running for his first IMSA championship in the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites division. He goes into Atlanta with the lead in the drivers championship and a first and second place win at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The 14th annual Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda is set for a 11:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 1 from Road Atlanta. The race will air on ABC at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 2. Live coverage will be available in the U.S. on ESPN3 or outside the U.S. on americanlemans.com. Ticket and schedule information is available on the ALMS schedule page.

Intersport Racing

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

The Cooper Tire Prototype Lites mission is two-fold: present an opportunity for semi-professional race car drivers to compete in a world-class environment while also providing an avenue for drivers to move up the ladder into the LMPC or LMP classes in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón.

The series is divided into two classes: Lites 1, featuring the Élan DP02 chassis, powered by a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MP2 engine; and Lites 2, utilizing the West WX10 and WR1000 chassis, with either a Kawasaki ZX10R or a Suzuki GSXR motor.

Intersport Racing Continues Podium Streak At Monterey

2011-09-23T16:40:28Z

Intersport Racing enjoyed a successful weekend for the ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Finishing 3rd and 5th in LMPC and taking a win in Cooper Tire Prototype Lites.

Kyle Marcelli, teamed with Chapman Ducote and David Ducote, drove the No. 89 Merchant Services / Lafarge / DynaPep car to a solid 3rd place finish after taking the pole in Friday's qualifying. Teammate, Tomy Drissi, together with Ricardo Vera and Luca Moro drove the No. 37 The Sitter / Muscle Milk car finishing 5th.

"Both cars ran strong all day," noted team manager, Brian Alder. "We had no issues, it was just fuel, tires and driver changes throughout the race. The No. 89 really ran strong. Kyle had an excellent 3-hour stint in the car, managing to get a lap back that we had lost earlier in the day. That put him in the lead."

"Tomy had a great opening stint in the No. 37," added Alder. "He was easily matching lap times of the leaders. Unfortunately starting from the rear of the grid put us at a major disadvantage to the rest of the field, and the yellow flag we were hoping for never came. Tomy handed to car over to Ricardo Vera who in only his 2nd LMPC race set the fastest lap time of the race for the 37 car. Luca drove a solid double stint during the middle of the race before handing the car back to Ricardo then Tomy for the finish."

On the Cooper Tire Prototype Lites side of things, Ricardo Vera dominated the weekend with a 2nd place finish Saturday and a 1st place finish Sunday. Ricardo heads to Road Atlanta with an impressive 15 point lead in the Championship points.

"Ricardo drove amazing in the 1 hour endurance race," said Alder. "He's been doing exactly what he needed to do to extend his championship points lead. He didn't make a single mistake all day long. He's really showing great maturity, knowing when to push and when to be patient and conserve his tires."

The teams now head to Atlanta for the final race of the 2011 season. The 14th annual Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda is set for Saturday, Oct. 1 from Road Atlanta. The race will air on ABC at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 2. Live coverage will be available in the U.S. on ESPN3 or outside the U.S. on americanlemans.com. Ticket and schedule information is available on the ALMS schedule page.

Intersport Racing

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

The Cooper Tire Prototype Lites mission is two-fold: present an opportunity for semi-professional race car drivers to compete in a world-class environment while also providing an avenue for drivers to move up the ladder into the LMPC or LMP classes in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón.

The series is divided into two classes: Lites 1, featuring the Élan DP02 chassis, powered by a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MP2 engine; and Lites 2, utilizing the West WX10 and WR1000 chassis, with either a Kawasaki ZX10R or a Suzuki GSXR motor.

Intersport Racing Mixes Things Up For The ModSpace American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patrón

2011-09-15T15:12:14Z

Intersport Racing will shake up their winning driver combination when they head to the Monterey Peninsula and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for this weekend's ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey Presented by Tequila Patron.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has been hosting world-class sports car racing for more than 50 years. And the ModSpace Monterey is one of the season favorites among teams and fans alike. If six hours into the darkness doesn't get you excited, dropping the equivalent of five and a half stories through the downhill CorkscrewTurn will.

Currently the most winning team in the LMPC class, Intersport has chosen to break up the winning combination of Kyle Marcelli and Tomy Drissi. With the pair coming of their most recent win at the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix, Drissi will join Ricardo Vera and Luca Moro in the No. 37 The Sitter / Muscle Milk LMPC, while Marcelli will hook up with the Ducote brothers, Chapman and David driving the Merchant Services / Lafarge / DynaPep car.

"We've got the cars working really well," said team manager Brian Alder. "With a six hour race, we feel we can maximize our driving talent by moving them around to the current line up. They are all talented and have the maturity to work together for getting the most from each combination. They've got good equipment and if they can keep the cars underneath them, I'm confident we'll see two cars on the podium."

The ModSpace American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patrón will go green Sept. 16 at 1:30 PM (PT). The race will air on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 17 and be carried live on ESPN3 beginning at 12:50 PM.

Intersport Racing

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

Drissi and Marcelli Win For Intersport Racing at the Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix

2011-09-07T14:08:39Z

As they dominated their class taking the top spot on the podium and third overall at the American Le Mans Series Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix, it was a near-perfect run for Tomy Drissi and Kyle Marcelli in the No. 37 Intersport Racing Alvin and the Chipmumks: Chipwrecked / Muscle Milk / Lafarge / DynaPep LMPC car.

Drissi turned in a picture perfect start falling into lock step with the leaders, staying out of the turn one melee and holding firm ground through another charge of traffic into turn two. The race became a three-way battle with the No. 6, No. 63 and the No. 37 car of Tomy Drissi. Tomy grabbed the lead on lap 14 when the No. 6 car began falling by the way side. The No. 6 went in for a lengthy pit stop dropping the car well down the order and out of contention.

From that point on Tomy Drissi navigated the streets of Baltimore with ease.

At 57 minutes and according to schedule, Tomy brought the car in for a driver change and fuel only. Tomy and Kyle, who were winners in round five at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, ran the rest of the race unchallenged for their second win of the season and fourth podium for the year.

It was the decision to double stint the tires that widened the lead for the team and would prove to be unsurmountable for any of the LMPC challengers. The win was truly a near perfect team effort.

"The track was really, really difficult," Drissi said of the 2.1-mile street circuit along Baltimore's Inner Harbor. "With the risk you take for a second here, tenth there, another tenth there, you have to keep your ego in check. I got it [lap time] down to race pace during my stint after settling in. So then it was about delivering a good car to Kyle to let him drive it in."

"I think going into a temporary circuit on a weekend like this, you have to come in with a well-prepared car," added Kyle Marcelli. "We unloaded off the trailer with a baseline. We sat in the board room and picked what we wanted to do. I knew my job was to bring the car home and maintain the lead that I knew Tomy would bring us…. I kept my nose clean and did what I could to get by trying to be as clean and lean as possible. Our pace was really close for overall finish, but we had our own issues getting out of the pits, it took me three times to get the starter working, otherwise we might have been able to get out in front of the Dysons."

"You can't say enough about Brian [Alder] and the Intersport crew," added Tomy. "I always refer to Intersport as the little giant slayers. Both Jon and Clint Field drive all out and the team works the same way. This is just so much fun being with people that are all working together for the same goal. And I can't say enough about Kyle... he's so fast and so consistent. Everyone here makes me want to bring my best… you just don't want to be the guy that lets the team down. This was a great weekend for us."

Intersport's No. 89 Merchant Services LMPC car driven by Chapman and David Ducote didn't fair so well. It was all up hill for the duo after Chapman was hit during qualifying. Suffering damage beyond a quick repair, Chapman was unable to return to the track and get a fast lap.

At the start of the race, the No. 89 was caught up in the first turn melee and forced down the turn 1 access road. The rest of the field had run over 1/2 lap before the car got clear to proceed.

Adding insult to injury, nearing the end of the race, the No. 89 Merchant Services LMPC was hit by one of the Ferraris bringing an end to an already frustrating day.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will make a cross country trip to California for round eight at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The ModSpace American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patrón will go green Sept. 16 at 1:30 PM (PT). The race will air on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 17 and be carried live on ESPN3 beginning at 12:50 PM.

Intersport Racing

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

Intersport Racing Sets Sights on Eastern Seaboard

2011-09-01T03:07:52Z

American Le Mans Ready for the Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix

Intersport Racing will roll into to Baltimore, Maryland this week for round seven of the American Le Mans Series championship. The inaugural running of the Baltimore Grand Prix will be a two-hour sprint race starting at 4:30pm on Saturday, September 3.

The second street race of the 2011 American Le Mans Series season, Baltimore's newly constructed temporary 2.0-mile race track represents an unknown challenge to the Series' drivers and teams. The Baltimore circuit will work its way through the streets of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area and around Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The former railroad center will serve as the backing to pit row for the 12-turn temporary road course.

Mid-Ohio winners, Tomy Drissi and Kyle Marcelli will be back together piloting the No. 37 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked / DynaPrep / Lafarge / Muscle Milk LMPC car. It should also be noted that Drissi and Marcelli combined for a 2nd place finish the last time the Series raced a temporary street circuit in Long Beach California. In addition, the pair made their way to the podium in the Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back in the prototype with Kyle," said Tomy Drissi. "I've been off doing a couple of NASCAR Nationwide events and campaigning the No. 47 TruSpeed Motorsports Porsch GT Cup car in World Challenge. ALMS weekends are always good competitive racing and it's even better when you're teamed up with a driver like Kyle and a crew like Intersport."

Brothers, David and Chapman Ducote will pilot the No. 89 Merchant Services LMPC car for Intersport. The brothers recently teamed up with team principal Clint Field, for the Time Warner Cable Sports Car Showcase at Road America. The trio was looking at a podium finish when a gamble on pit strategy caught them out on a caution dropping them back to fourth. David and Chapman like their odds in Baltimore citing the unknown circuit will level the playing field in the highly competitive LMPC class.

With the track being *the* unknown factor for the weekend, the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix has the potential of being the most challenging race of 2011 for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. It's no secret that team engineers have been trying to find any knowledge or detail that might provide an edge for the weekend event. The drivers will get their first full look at the track during a two-hour track walk on Thursday.

Track time will be at a premium with just two hours of practice before qualifying for Saturday's main event. The first practice session for ALMS cars is scheduled for 9:25 a.m. Friday. Who did their homework and guessed right will quickly become apparent.

The Baltimore Grand Prix is the seventh round of this year’s American Le Mans Series championship. It is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 3. The race will air on ABC, Sunday, Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) and be shown live in the U.S. on ESPN3 or americanlemans.com outside the U.S. Live coverage also will be available on Rogers Sportsnet One in Canada and MotorsTV in Europe. Ticket and schedule information is available on the ALMS schedule page.

Intersport Racing

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

Intersport Racing Battles Through A War At Road America

2011-08-23T17:25:03Z

Ricardo Vera Maintains Points Lead in Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship

The Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase featured the closest overall finish [0.112 sec.] in the history of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. For Intersport Racing, it was a long week fighting an uphill battle with the team's pair of ORECA-Courage FLM09 LMPC cars in an attempt to repeat their 1-2 finish at Mid-Ohio.

After sorting through some issues earlier in the week, and some challenges in qualifying, the Intersport crew were ready come race day.

"The cars were good all day," noted team manager, Brian Alder. "Unfortunately, we went down a lap in each car due to green flag pit stops. We were never able to catch back up."

"Later in the race," added Alder, "we gambled with the No. 37 Lenco Mobile car by staying out under caution trying to get a wave by and get our lap back. It didn't work out as we had hoped and we fell from 3rd to 5th. Had it worked we would have been positioned to battle with the leaders."

Either way, it was all for naught. With 30 minutes remaining the No. 37 made slight contact with the wall and ended the day. Alder was very complimentary of his drivers.

"James French and Michael Marsal both drove great stints," said Alder. "They were very professional it was a pleasure having them on board."

Clint Field, Chapman and David Ducote also drove a solid race in the No. 89 Merchant Services car. The team was battling for 3rd position but a penalty in the pits cost them the last podium spot.

Ricard Vera, driving the No. 37 Intersport Racing Elan DPO2 maintained his points lead in the Cooper Tire Lites Prototype Championship with a 6th place finish in round 9 and 4th place finish in Saturday's Round 10. He currently holds a sizable point lead over second place Gerry Kraut. Kraut finished 7th in Round 9 and 3rd in Round 10.

Wayne Ducote was also in the Intersports Lites stable driving his No. 3 Elan DP02. Wayne scored a 10th place finish in Round 9 and was running 9th at the end of Round 10.

The team now looks look forward to next week when Tomy Drissi will rejoin Intersport as will Chapman and David Ducote. The American Le Mans Series returns to the Atlantic seaboard with the first running of the Baltimore Grand Prix Saturday, September 3, 4:30 p.m. ET. The circuit in downtown Baltimore will run along the city`s Inner Harbor, making the venue one of the most picturesque in ALMS history. The race will be streamed live on ESPN3.com beginning at 4:15 p.m. ET, Sept. 3 and air with a tape delayed feature on ABC at 4 p.m. ET, Sept. 4

The Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship is back on the track September 16 - 18 at the ModSpace American Le Mans Grand Prix Monterey at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, with two races on the weekend schedule – a 30-minute race on Saturday at 9:00am and a 75-minute endurance event Sunday at 9:10am. Visit www.prototypelites.com for live timing and scoring and updates throughout the race weekend.

Intersport Racing

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

The Cooper Tire Prototype Lites mission is two-fold: present an opportunity for semi-professional race car drivers to compete in a world-class environment while also providing an avenue for drivers to move up the ladder into the LMPC or LMP classes in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón.

The series is divided into two classes: Lites 1, featuring the Élan DP02 chassis, powered by a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MP2 engine; and Lites 2, utilizing the West WX10 and WR1000 chassis, with either a Kawasaki ZX10R or a Suzuki GSXR motor.

Intersport Racing Heading To Road America With New Driver Line-Up

2011-08-17T13:47:11Z

After a 1-2 finish in the LMPC class at Mid Ohio, Intersport Racing will roll into to Road America for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase with momentum on their side. The team will field two LMPC prototype cars and shake things up with new driver line-ups in both cars. Clint Field will be joined by Chapman and David Ducote in the No. 89 Merchant Services ORECA-Courage FLM09 while Jon Field will team up with James French and Mike Marcel in the No. 37 Lenco Mobile ORECA-Courage FLM09.

One of the most storied sports car tracks in North America, Road America's 4.048 miles of challenging turns, curves and high-speed straights is the perfect track for this late summer 4-hour classic. The green flag drops at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 20.

"Clint and Jon drove together in the No. 37 at Mid Ohio," noted team manager, Brian Alder. "They both ran on the lead pace all day long. By splitting them up it gives us the best opportunity to repeat the 1-2 finish we had at Mid-Ohio. We know the cars are fast and we know we've got a fast team-leader in each car. If we can keep the cars underneath them, I'm confident they can find their way to the podium."

Ricardo Vera will be on hand at Road America to defend his points lead in the Cooper Tire Prototype Lites Championship. Ricardo won the rain soaked round at Mid Ohio last week by putting on a driver's clinic and extending his lead in the Championship.

The Time Warner Road Race Showcase is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, August 20 with ABC airing the race at 4:30 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) on Sunday, August 21. Live video coverage on race day will be available at 3:45 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com in the US, and americanlemans.com for international viewers. Canadian fans may also watch live coverage on Rogers Sportsnet. Worldwide radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com. For more information on the broadcasts, go to americanlemans.com/tv.

The Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship will have two 30-minute races during Time Warner Road Race Showcase weekend at Road America – Friday at 4:25pm and Saturday at 10:45am. Visit http://www.prototypelites.com/ for live timing and scoring and updates throughout the race weekend.

Intersport Racing

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

The Cooper Tire Prototype Lites mission is two-fold: present an opportunity for semi-professional race car drivers to compete in a world-class environment while also providing an avenue for drivers to move up the ladder into the LMPC or LMP classes in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón. The series is divided into two classes: Lites 1, featuring the Élan DP02 chassis, powered by a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MP2 engine; and Lites 2, utilizing the West WX10 and WR1000 chassis, with either a Kawasaki ZX10R or a Suzuki GSXR motor.

Intersport Racing Riding High At Mid-Ohio Homecoming

2011-08-08T21:10:54Z

1-2 Sweep in LMPC and 1st In IMSA Lites

You couldn't script a better homecoming than that of Intersport Racing's weekend at the American Le Mans Series Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge. The team took the top two spots on the podium with their first win in the highly competitive LMPC class and a win in the IMSA Cooper Tire Lites Prototype class. The finishes were first-time wins in LMPC for Tomy Driss and Kyle Marcelli and the IMSA Lites win was also a first for young Puerto Rican star, Ricard Vera.

The homecoming also marked a return to the cockpit for American Le Mans Series Champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Clint Field. Clint and his father, Jon, rounded out the teams winning weekend running second to Drissi and Marcelli in LMPC.

"You know, you always aim for this sort of result," said team manager Brian Alder. "You know you can do it. You have the faith in your team, your drivers and the long-term goals of your program. But a weekend like this… on your home track with friends and family there to cheer you on… I can't describe the feeling. It's just awesome. The feeling is so satisfying… because it's such a huge group effort. Everyone… all the way down the line… including friends and family, they're all part of it. They've all sacrificed and they've all been there for you. That checkered flag drops and it's like everything falls into slow motion… and you look around realizing it's all about the people. Sure, we race cars… they're machines… it's mechanical. But in the end… it's people. It really soothes all the bumps and bruises you've earned along the way. This is when it's fun being privateers."

Kyle and Tomy are each first-time winners in ALMS. When contact, spins and penalties cost current LMPC contenders time on track, patience led Intersport's No. 89 In Time / Muscle Milk / Lafarge / DynaPep LMPC car to the checkered flag.

"I was tired of second to be honest," Marcelli said. "I won in the (Le Mans Series) race at Imola a few weeks ago, then won the pole at Mosport and thought we had a car to win before an unfortunate incident put us out. Tomy did a good job in the first stint, then we got that first penalty and I was saying a few prayers for rain because we were a lap down. I have driven in these conditions although not in a prototype. I have driven here in the rain before so I knew a bit of what the conditions would be like. It was a good battle with (team owner) Jon (Field). It was a really good weekend for the team. Jon has a lot of family and friends here so it was important for him for the team to do well. I think he`s pretty happy now."

Even with a stop-and-go penalty for avoidable contact, followed by a pit lane speed violation, the No. 89 endured.

"There was a point where there was a change for the lead within a few corners," Drissi said. "I`m still not sure what happened (with the penalty). There was another car in the mix, and it turned out to be a back-marker. All I know, I spun him or her around and I was mortified. I thought I was going to get a stop-and-go. I thought I might lead this thing for Kyle when I come in for the stop. When I thought they were going to let me go, they said it, `stop and go`. I got back on the track, and then we got a speeding penalty. I don`t know if it was me or the car."

Early contact between Eric Lux and Ricardo Gonzalez, put the [current points leader] No. 06 car well back in the field. Drissi took the fight to Lux shortly after, but it was a spin by Lux`s teammate, Christian Zugel in Turn 1 as the rain started, that enabled Marcelli to take hold of the lead.

With Jon and Clint Field finishing second in the team`s sister ORECA FLM09, it was a one-two finish in LMPC for Intersport Racing.

Ricardo Vera Gets First IMSA Lite's Win!

Ricardo Vera, the 19-year-old rookie sensation from Puerto Rico, earned his first Lites 1 victory in a wet Round 8 of the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship.

Vera, driving the #37 Intersport Racing Élan DP02, had an adventurous road to victory. He started second behind Jonathan Gore and took the lead when Gore spun on the first lap. Vera spun several laps later though gathered himself quickly and returned to the track in second position. He retook the lead when the No. 55 car spun on lap eight. Ricardo never looked back.

“This is my first time in the car in the rain,” said Vera, “and it’s my first time here as well. I was worried about the first lap because I didn’t know how the car would respond in the wet, but the car was awesome. I had a problem and spun when I was in the lead early, but I kept going and caught Gerry [Kraut] – then he spun out. I had a good lead, nearly a minute. I’m very happy with the car and the team – I hope there will be more podiums!”

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will stay planted in the Midwest for Round Six traveling to Wisconsin for the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase at Road America, Aug. 20. The race will air on ABC, Aug. 21 at 4:30 p.m (ET) and be carried live on ESPN3.com in the U.S. or americanlemans.com outside the U.S. For more visit americanlemans.com/tv.

Intersport Racing

One of the founding teams of the American Le Mans Series, Intersport has established itself as a premier independent team in sports car racing. The Dublin, Ohio-based team has taken on mightiest of factory prototype teams in recent seasons and posted noteworthy class victories within that span including an LMP1 triumph at Detroit in 2008 and 2006 at Sebring. You can find out more about Intersport Racing at http://www.intersportracing.com, join our Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter at Intersport37.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world`s leading sports car championship and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars - purpose-built prototypes and production-based Grand Touring automobiles - race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85 or E10, Isobutanol and electric hybrid technologies. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. The ALMS competes at North America`s premier road racing tracks and selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

The Cooper Tire Prototype Lites mission is two-fold: present an opportunity for semi-professional race car drivers to compete in a world-class environment while also providing an avenue for drivers to move up the ladder into the LMPC or LMP classes in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón. The series is divided into two classes: Lites 1, featuring the Élan DP02 chassis, powered by a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MP2 engine; and Lites 2, utilizing the West WX10 and WR1000 chassis, with either a Kawasaki ZX10R or a Suzuki GSXR motor.

Clint Field Returns In The No. 37 Lenco Mobile LMPC - Ricardo Vera Leads Points Race for IMSA Lites

2011-08-04T00:31:19Z

Intersport Racing RIght At Home And On Track at Mid-Ohio

The stage couldn't be set better for Intersport Racing's homecoming at this weekend's American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patron race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Both of Intersport's LMPC cars have been wicked fast in the past two ALMS events with the No. 89 In Time / Muscle Milk / Lafarge / DynaPep car driven by Kyle Marcelli and Tomy Drissi delivering two podium finishes. And just two weeks ago, Kyle Marcelli took the pole at Mosport and set the fastest lap of the race.

"Mosport was a real heartbreaker," said Kyle Marcelli. “We showed our dominance throughout the weekend. The Intersport Racing crew deserve a lot of credit for their hard work and efforts. Trust me, we'll have our heads down and racing for the win at Mid Ohio.”

"I think we're positioned to have a great weekend," said team manager Brian Alder. "The cars have been extremely strong and our driver line-up is second to none. Kyle and Tomy have been fantastic together and having Jon and Clint back together…. well, needless-to-say, we're excited."

"I've been looking forward to this weekend all year," said Tomy Drissi. "I know I can count on Intersport to turn out a great car for the weekend. And Kyle has been fast everywhere we've been. We're both really excited about doing well on Intersport's home track."

The 2.258-mile circuit at Mid-Ohio is always a popular stop with the ALMS drivers. Coming right at the mid-point of the 2011 American Le Mans Series season, it's the race where many teams hope to hit their stride and hope to secure their position in the championship or at least begin to mount their challenge. Fans are guaranteed to see some of the best racing of 2011 and Tomy, Kyle, Jon and Clint with their respective Intersport crews fully intend to deliver.

Ricard Vera will be back behind the wheel of his Cooper Tires Lites Prototype this week as he sets his sights on increasing his lead in the Series Championship. Ricardo's consistent driving and on-track maturity has really paid off for the young Puerto Rican. The Mid-Ohio race comes into play at just the right time for Ricardo. In testing this spring he took to the track like a veteran turning in some very promising times. Look for Ricardo to run to the front.

The action gets underway Thursday afternoon with two promoter testing sessions. There will be two practice sessions on Friday ahead of GT qualifying at 2:40 pm ET. The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 6 with ESPN2 airing the race starting at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 7. Live video coverage on race day will be available at 3:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com in the US, and americanlemans.com for international viewers. Canadian fans may also watch live coverage on Rogers Sportsnet starting at 3:30 p.m. ET. Worldwide radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com.