Miami, September 26, 2002
After three consecutive victories at the Le Mans 24 Hour race, Audi now
bids for another hat-trick: Before the final two races of the season in Miami
(Florida) and Road Atlanta (Georgia) on October 5 and 12 respectively, the
Team Audi Sport North America aims to successfully defend its American
Le Mans Series (ALMS) title with the two Infineon Audi R8 sports cars. After
2000 and 2001, this would mark the third triumph for Audi in one of the
most important automobile markets.
In the Miami street race, an eleventh place would be enough for Audi to win
the Manufacturer’s title. Whereas it seems that the outcome in the Drivers´
category will have to wait until the finale in Road Atlanta: Prior to the final
two rounds, nine drivers can still theoretically win the title. With points
leader Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello, Johnny Herbert, Frank Biela and
last year´s champion Emanuele Pirro, five Audi drivers occupy the first five
places in the overall standings.
In Miami and Road Atlanta, the Team Audi Sport North America and the
customer Champion Racing team face two extremely different tasks within
one week: The new, near 1.5 mile (2.5 kilometre) long Miami street circuit
is one of the shortest and slowest tracks of the season. As a contrast, the
final race in Road Atlanta takes place on one of the fastest tracks of the
ALMS. And whilst the race in Miami lasts only 2:45 hours, the “Petit Le
Mans“ in Road Atlanta, with a distance of 1,000 miles or maximum ten
hours, is a real long-distance race.
Logistically as well, the “double-header“ at the end of the season also
provides the Audi team with a challenge: On Wednesday after the race in
Miami, practice begins for the “Petit Le Mans“ race over 600 miles (1,000
kilometres) away in Road Atlanta.
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