Photo by: Bob Heathcote
Alex Job Racing Ready for ALMS Season Finale Petit Le Mans
TAVARES, FL, (Sept. 27, 2011) - Alex Job Racing (AJR) is headed to the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón season finale Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda to be run at Road Atlanta, Saturday, Oct. 1.
The same AJR trio of drivers who started the season at Sebring will finish it at the very challenging 2.54-mile, 12- turn Road Atlanta circuit this weekend. Bill Sweedler, Brian Wong and Leh Keen will be looking to put the No. 23 Battery Tender/William Rast/Robert Graham/Alex Job Racing Porsche on top of the podium for the final run of the GTC season. The race will be 1,000 kilometers (621.3-miles) or 10-hours, whichever comes first. Aside from the endurance aspect of the race, there will be a full field of 53 cars for the finale. The regular ALMS competitors will be joined by the International Le Mans Series cars as well. With a full field, ALMS officials have limited the GTC Class to just four cars.
"I'm really excited to get back to Road Atlanta and race in the Petit Le Mans," Sweedler, said. "I love this track for its high speed sections and roller coaster elevation changes. The downhill has to be one of my most favorite turns in North America. From a fan's perspective, 10-hours, with 53 cars thrashing around the course should provide constant thrills as six classes constantly battle. Leh, Brian, and I have not driven together since the Sebring 12 hours. We have been waiting all season long to come together again and fight for a win. Going into the winter break we want to give AJR a win to remember during our long off season! "
Brian Wong is coming off of a weekend in Singapore where he competes in the Porsche GT3 Asian Series.
"I have had a couple of pretty good runs at Road Atlanta the last couple of years," Wong said. "We have been able to win a couple of the IMSA GT3 races that I have entered over the last couple of years. Road Atlanta is definitely one of my top five favorite tracks we go to. There is just a good flow and rhythm to the track. Turn One and the Esses will definitely be the focus for the car set-up, but as long as we have a fast, comfortable car that Leh, Bill and I can drive for 10-hours that is the key. Like every other race on the ALMS schedule, traffic is always a BIG issue for us in GTC. Road Atlanta is no different. Making things more difficult is that this is not only the last event for the ALMS, but many of the European teams from the ILMC will be filling the field. We don't have the racing experience with the ILMC teams. The unknown will be very high with our lack of knowledge of their cars and drivers. More than other races, if we can keep our nose clean and manage the traffic the best, I am very confident that Leh, Bill, and I can bring home a much deserved win for Battery Tender, AJR, and Porsche."
Leh Keen was in Las Vegas on Monday accepting the winner's accolades for his GT Class championship in the Grand-Am Rolex Series driving the Brumos Porsche.
"Road Atlanta was actually the first track I ever drove on," Keen said. "It's also one of my favorite tracks, if not my favorite track in North America. I've had many wins there, but not in a major series. I did Petit Le Mans in 2006, but had a pretty bad race. I actually went to the first Petit Le Mans event and have been to most of them as a fan. Growing up in Georgia it's a special track to me because it's so close to home. I am really looking forward to another good result with Alex knowing that endurance racing is his specialty. It's going to be a huge event with a record car count and what looks to be a record crowd. We have plenty of time to get a good set-up on the Battery Tender Porsche and will work on something that's fast and comfortable to drive for the 10-hour event. Turn 12 is really the "cherry on top" to finish off the lap at Road Atlanta. This race is one of the "highlights" of the year for me, and it will also be closing out a great year for me driving Porsches. Coming off a good race that got me a championship in the Rolex series, I am expecting big things late Saturday night. It will be good to have Brian in the car this week. Brian, Bill and I have unfinished business as a team from Sebring."
Alex Job, team owner, will have his team ready for 10-hours of racing on a crowded track. The team has four Petit Le Mans wins, 2004, 2003, 2002 and 1999.
"This is going to be a really interesting race," Job said. "With 53 cars, 49 of those turning laps faster than our GTC Porsche Bill, Brian and Leh will have to be paying close attention to what is happening on the track. With only four cars in our class, that places an even bigger premium on running a clean race on the track and in the pits, we can't give anything away. Our goal is this weekend is to win."
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