The American Le Mans Series mapped out its vision toward 2010 on Friday at the annual State of the Series address at Road Atlanta - and announced that it has reached a new three-year television agreement with SPEED.
In addition, President and CEO Scott Atherton spoke of maintaining the Series' worldwide leadership for alternative fuels within the auto racing industry [see below], introduced new team and auto manufacturer content in the all-important independent team category [see seperate story] and unveiled a 12-race schedule similar in scope to the one in 2007 that has lead to an attendance surge of more than 40 percent over 2006 [see seperate story].
"Last year we announced a comprehensive initiative centred around the utilisation of alternative fuels for racing - and it could not have gone better," said Atherton. "We also presented what we referred to then as the best overall schedule in the history of the Series.
"Today, we are enjoying the most successful season ever - and announcing similar news and programmes that will only build upon the very positive momentum we are experiencing."
The ALMS was the first major racing series in the world to adopt multiple alternative fuel initiatives relevant to the consumer as well as the race teams.
This season, ALMS participants raced an E10 ethanol-enriched gasoline blend (10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline) with the exception of Audi, which continued to develop its turbo diesel-powered race car, which uses a new zero sulfur "clean" diesel.
Both fuels are considered "street legal", which means they are virtually the same as consumers would use in their automobiles.
With a push toward the use of new technologies and renewable fuels, the ALMS intends to develop additional alternative fuels, including the introduction of an E85 (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) ethanol option and a bio diesel product suitable for Audi and perhaps Peugeot, which also competes with a diesel race car and is expected to race in next spring's Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
