Monaco 13 July, 2000

July 21st Sports car racing returns to Sears Point Raceway, from July 20-23 Sears Point Raceway will host the American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Sonoma.

This will mark the fifth event in the twelve-race series, which is in its second year. The Grand Prix of Sonoma, a two-hour, 45-minute endurance race, will feature racing patterned after the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. Top marquees include: Audi, BMW, Dodge Viper, Lola, the Panoz Roadster and Porsche.

The 3.14 kilometre Sears Point track, is located 30 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and serves as the gateway to the beautiful Sonoma Wine Country. The track hosts several nationally televised events, including NASCAR Winston Cup, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag racing, the American Le Mans Series, and the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Superbike Tour. Sears Point is a year-round motorsports complex with events scheduled 340 days and 50 weekends a year. Alone last year, over half a million spectators followed the action on this circuit.

Speedvision LIVE
3:00pm - 6:00pm (est)

Schedule
Wednesday, July 19, 2000
10:00 am - 5:00 pm SPORTS CAR Registration
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Technical Inspection by Appointment for ALMS Competitors

Thursday, July 20, 2000
8:00 am - 5:35 pm Promoter Test Day open to ALL Competitors
ALMS (PROTOTYPE) = 2 - 40 Minute Sessions
1:15 pm - 1:55 pm ALMS (PROTOTYPE)
4:15 pm - 4:55 pm ALMS (PROTOTYPE)

Friday, July 21, 2000
10:15 am - 11:15 am Combined Practice - PROTOTYPE/GTS/GT
2:35 pm - 2:55 pm Qualifying - PROTOTYPE

Saturday, July 22, 2000
10:20 am - 11:20 am Combined Practice - PROTOTYPE/GTS/GT
2:20 pm - 2:40 pm Qualifying - PROTOTYPE

Sunday, July 23, 2000
8:20 am - 8:45 am Combined Warm up - PROTOTYPE/GTS/GT
12:00 pm - 2:45 pm American Le Mans Championship - 2 Hour 45 Minute Race

Q&A
What is the maximum driving time of a driver
A Driver may not drive more than 75% (123.75 minutes) of the scheduled race time (2.45h).

Can the team decide who starts the race
The rules say, the entrant shall nominate the driver to start the race 30 minutes after the end of the final qualifying session.

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Fox Sport Net July 30th
1:00pm

TV coverage

Attack and go for the lead
For the Audi works pilots, who secured a triple victory at the Le Mans 24 Hour race in June, the goal is clear: During the remaining two-thirds of the championship their plan is to attack and take over the lead.

“The race on the Nurburgring confirmed that Audi's custom-made Le Mans car is also quick on other race tracks,” declares Reinhold Joest, who has already arrived in America with his Team Audi Sport North America and the Audi R8 racing sportscars. However, the task will not be easy for the team. “We are not at all familiar with the US circuits. Sears Point will be particularly tough because the track characteristics differ greatly from Le Mans,” explains Head of Audi Sport, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.

Prepared to face the challenge is the Audi driver line-up of Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro and Rinaldo Capello/Allan McNish. Apart from Allan McNish, none of the other Audi drivers has competed on the Sears Point circuit - in contrast to the other competitors. Last year the teams from BMW and Panoz shared the podium at the Californian race.

“After having competed two rounds with last year´s model it is now imperative to collect points. Time is running out for us in the fight for the championship,” says Le Mans winner Frank Biela. However, the points system of the ALMS makes it difficult to catch up to the rivals ahead. Even when a car does not manage a placing, a driver is able to collect points for the fastest lap or for leading the race.