Michael Valiante will race for Michael Shank Racing in 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Nov. 6, 2008) - After a breakout 2008 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 season, which saw Columbus-based Michael Shank Racing team take a record-setting pole for the Rolex 24 At Daytona and close out the year with two consecutive race wins, the team is already getting a fast start on 2009 with the signing of Michael Valiante. The Canadian-born racer will co-drive the No. 6 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley with John Pew.

Making no exception to the rule over the years in terms of weather the « 4000 km de Nevers Magny-Cours » event basked in glorious sunshine for all the races in the different categories, with competitors fighting it out for the final honours. The Challenge Endurance Proto and Challenge Funyo crowned their champions whereas the Sprint Proto title will be decided in three weeks at Pau Arnos, and those of the Endurance GT/Tourisme and VHC at Estoril at the end of November.

Challenge Endurance GT/Tourisme

Chasing a first win since the start of the season after taking a series of podiums, Jean-Paul Pagny and Pierre Benoist took a clear win, teamed up with Thierry Perrier as they always doe for the long events in the Ferrari F430 of Perspective Racing.

Challenge Sprint Proto

Race 1: Toulemonde the opportunist
Having shared the pole positions during the practice sessions, the two contenders for the Challenge began the weekend well with the usual miniscule time differences.

After two seasons racing the RS Spyder, Dyson will not race the car in 2009

Dyson Racing has announced that with the end of the 2008 American Le Mans Series season, it will be concluding its partnership with Porsche Motorsport and Porsche Motorsport North America. For the 2007 and 2008 race seasons, Dyson Racing campaigned two Porsche RS Spyders in the Series' LMP2 class, successfully assisting Porsche in winning back-to-back manufacturer championships.

After many successful years campaigning with MG power, RML will race with Mazda power for at least the next two years

RML’s LMP2 sports prototype programme has been one of the most successful of the last five years, with back-to-back victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the class title in the Le Mans Series in 2007. Co-drivers Mike Newton and Thomas Erdos have established an excellent reputation as the driving line-up to beat in LMP2, especially at Le Mans, and for seven years the team has championed the motorsport heritage of iconic British marque MG.