Penske and Porsche to team up?

[bento]

http://www.penskeracing.com/news.asp?chaid=81070

"first committed prototype car since the GT1"

Is this what we've been waiting for or is it a pump fake a la the Fabcar 3.6 powered Daytona prototypes?

[Jim Garfield]

I'd heard the rumors about this, and I think that it could be great news. The fact that they have decided to reestablish a relationship with Penske bodes well. It seems as though they might have found a way to come in "under the radar" and maybe exploit a loophole in the PII regs as they were so good at doing under Norbert Singer.

I only wish that Mark Donohue was overseeing Penske's end of this deal as team manager.

I wonder though how the recent acrimony between the ACO and IMSA will affect the final outcome of this project? It wouldn't be the first time that politics killed what looked to be an entertaining proposition.

Let's hope for the best, this could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

[GIBSON]

Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere, but this came through the PCNA pipeline today:

Contact: Bob Carlson
Manager, Automotive Press
770-290-3676

New Porsche Prototype Racing Program
Announced for North America

Penske Motorsports to Partner in Campaigning New Factory-Built Porsche Racecar


ATLANTA, GA, April 15, 2005 – In response to increasing customer demand and to raise the excitement level in American sports cars racing, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), and Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA), today revealed they will embark on a new racing program created for customers in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). The two organizations have commissioned their parent company, Porsche AG, to design and construct a racecar that will be eligible to compete in the LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) class of the ALMS. It will be the first Porsche-built prototype racecar since the 1998 Porsche 911 GT1.
Penske Motorsports, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Penske Racing, Inc., will field the new Porsche prototype in its first full season of competition exclusively in 2006. One of the world’s most successful racing organizations, Penske Motorsports has a rich racing history with Porsche highlighted by winning championships in the 1972 and 1973 SCCA Can-Am series campaigning the legendary Porsche 917/10 and 917/30 race cars. It is anticipated Penske Motorsports will debut the new Porsche prototype at the final two races of the 2005 ALMS season, the Oct. 1st Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and the Oct. 16th season finale at Laguna Seca, as test events before entering the entire 2006 season.
“Our American racing customers have made it clear to us that they would like to move up several levels in ALMS competition, as would we,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, PCNA President and CEO. “We believe this new Porsche prototype program will provide the perfect means to do so and will generate added enthusiasm for sports car racing in America, especially with Penske Motorsports as our partner and initial entrant.”
Porsche’s current ALMS customer program, administered by PMNA, is confined to the GT2 (formerly GT) Class, where Porsche customer teams have captured a record 47 victories resulting in Manufacturers Championships in five of the past six seasons primarily racing variants of the production-based Porsche 911 GT3. It is the latest in more than 30 years of highly successful North American Porsche customer racing programs that have featured such famed Porsche racecars as the 934, 935 and 962.
“PMNA is fully committed to provide the same level of customer support for this new ALMS prototype program once it reaches fruition,” commented PMNA President, Uwe Brettel. “Indications are there is real interest in a racecar such as this for the LMP2 class.”
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., and its subsidiary, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., are the exclusive a further importers of Porsche 911, Boxster and Carrera GT sports cars and Cayenne sport utility vehicles for the United States and Canada. A wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG, PCNA employs approximately 250 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 205 U.S. and Canadian dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service.
###
Contact: Bob Carlson

[tchanson]

Penske and Porsche, Amen. Attention to detail, squared.



Its not LMP1, (at least for '05) but its a sensible toe in the water. The overly long era of "factory" racing being essentially glorified club racing may be finally starting to end.

Time to start planning the June '06 travel to France...

Tim

[rcwaldo]

Roger is always one-step ahead.. Maybe this is things to come with regard to Penske's involvement in the IRL?

Since this is Chevy's last year in the IRL, and Honda has stated that without direct, mfg. competition, they withdraw from the IRL. Toyota seems to be whereever Honda is, so, time will tell..

Kudos to Roger for stepping-up!!

[BReyes]

Thanks for the heads up. Yes we have been waiting for this for several years. And I was hoping AUDI would get some compition in P1 soon.

Regards,

[s2per]

Porsches back in IMSA prototype racing; this is great news! I was worried that Stuttgart's next racing step would be off-road in modified Pepper-vagens.