By Sam Tickell
Need a quick introduction to the world of the American Le Mans Series??? The basics are here including a quick description of the cars, the calender, the rules and the series history.
As the title, American Le Mans Series (ALMS) suggests, this series is Le Mans but in the USA. Running the same rules as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and The Le Mans Series, the cars in this category are eligible to run at Le Mans.
The Classes
LMP-1
There are four classes – Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP-1), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP-2), GT1 and GT2. The Prototype classes are the open wheel cars, with the LMP-1 cars being the most powerful and highest grip cars in the series. This is usually where teams with bigger budgets race as the cars are more expensive and faster. Teams to look out for in this category are Audi and Dyson, whom are expected to dominate in 2006.
LMP-2
The LMP-2 class is similar to the LMP-1 class in that they cars are open roofed. These cars are less powerful and offer less grip than their LMP-1 counterparts. This class is also cheaper to compete in. It was originally designed for privateers to compete on a smaller budget. In 2006 Porsche will turn the tables with a full factory effort and are favorites to win the title. Also watch out for a Mazda powered car. Mazda are competing with a rotary powered car and are looking to relive their glory days when they won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991.
GT1
The GT classes are designed for road available cars. The GT1 category features the most powerful and exotic of sports cars. Naturally, these cars may have been altered to conform to the regulations. While not offering the same power and grip levels of LMP-1, these cars are still very quick and are a crowd favorite. The favorites in 2006 are Aston Martin with the DBR9 and Corvette with their C6-R.
GT2
The GT2 class is similar to GT1 in that the cars could be seen on the public streets. This class offers less power and grip than GT1 and was designed to cater for teams with low budgets. Teams running Porsche cars have dominated in the past. This year there will also be competition from a Ferrari 430 and from the Panoz stable.
The Races
In 2006 the ALMS will be racing 10 times with the Sebring 12 Hours in March and the Petit Le Mans in September being the blue-ribbon events. These events are important as good results can determine whether teams are invited to compete at Le Mans. By winning the Petit Le Mans, a team is guaranteed entry. Good results at Sebring can also bring the team to the attention of the Le Mans organisers. It is also useful to note that the winner of each category of the ALMS series is guaranteed a starting position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Other Rules
These races are usually run over 2 hours 45 minutes, but Sebring is the longest race with 12 hours of racing and The Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta lasts for 1000km, closer to five hours of racing. This means that there must be driver changes during the race. The drivers can change as often as they like but each driver must complete a certain time behind the wheel and a driver must not exceed a certain time behind the wheel. It is also not necessary for the same drivers to stay together for the whole year and the driver parings may change from race to race.
Each race counts equally towards the championship, meaning that to win each driver must drive carefully and reliably for the whole year. Driver combinations are also important as driver parings of equal ability, similar set-ups and similar height can perform better than drivers who are different to each other.
The Series
The ALMS series was founded in 1999, using the rules from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was formed by Dr Don Panoz in an effort to rejuvenate US road racing and to give US teams a better chance of competing at Le Mans. Unlike series such as Grand Am, this series is designed more to get teams to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, while still being a high class series in the US. The series is sanctioned by the IMSA (International Motorsports Association) and prides itself on its openness to fans and the ability to give the spectators the feeling of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the USA. For more information check out the official site at www.americanlemans.com.
For all the ALMS and other Sports Car news and views keep visiting
FeedMeSportscars.