Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing began by competing in off-road endurance events in the late 1980s, earning championships in the SODA, SCORE and SNORE series, and class victories in both the Baja 1000 and Baja 500. Last year, the team returned with an impressive debut on the Dakar, with Petersen finishing fifth in class alongside English co-driver Matthew Stevenson, and was due to return to the African event this year, prior to it being cancelled by terrorist activity.
Despite that setback, Petersen now anticipates contesting as many as four other
FIA Marathon Rally World Cup events in 2008, picking from a schedule that includes the Optic Tunisia Rally in Africa, the Vodafone Rally Transiberico in Portugal, the Por las Pampas Rally in Argentina and Asia's UAE Desert Challenge. The exact schedule will be announced in the near future.
"Unfortunately, this ends a long tradition in the American Le Mans Series with Mike, and I want to thank him for his support," White commented, "We have had a lot of success together in sportscar racing and, at the same time, White Lightning Racing is eager to continue our participation in the American Le Mans Series.
"We are actively working to get our program back in place as soon as possible. I definitely want to thank all of our partners like Petersen Motorsports,
Ferrari, Michelin and everyone at the American Le Mans Series and IMSA for their support before and since this decision. Not only have they proven to be great partners on the track but great friends off the track. I can't say enough about every team member who has walked through our door. I have a lot of respect and am very grateful to everyone that has worn a Petersen/White Lightning firesuit over the years."
