Braselton, June 28, 2003

The Team ADT Champion Racing Audi R8 of Johnny Herbert and JJ Lehto starts the second round of the American Le Mans Series from third place on the 35-car grid at Road Atlanta.

Lehto set a fastest time of 1min 13.826secs around the undulating 2.54-mile, 12-corner course in Georgia. Grid positions were taken by the fastest time set by each car in any session today after officials cancelled the official qualifying session due to heavy rain.

Herbert, 39 last Wednesday, and Lehto are driving together for the first time. Florida-based Champion Racing has finished third (Herbert/Wallace) and second (Herbert/Johansson) in ALMS races at Road Atlanta over the past two years with its “privateer” Audi R8.

Johnny Herbert (39). Born: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Lives: Monte Carlo. ALMS stats: 17 starts, 1 win, 11 top-3s, 15 top-5s, 17 top-10s.

“It would be really nice to win after finishing second and third here for the past two years - and the Champion deserve an ALMS victory. It has taken me time to reacclimatize to the Audi after two races in a Bentley. The seat does not ‘hug’ me as tightly while the steering wheel on the Audi is much smaller.”

JJ Lehto (37). Born: Espoo, Finland. Lives: Monte Carlo. ALMS stats: 31 starts, 10 wins (6 overall), 25 top-3s, 29 top-5s, 31 top-10s.

“Cancelling qualifying was a ridiculous decision. If the track is wet during the session, then it’s wet for all of us - it could rain for the race so what is the problem? We now start third which is extremely disappointing after Frank [Biela] knocked us off the front row in the third practice at the end.”