The real 24 Hours of Le Mans just ended, but thanks to the upcoming release of Forza Motorsport 3, you'll be able to recreate the battle between Audi and Peugeot any time you want. Turn 10, the developers of FM3, have confirmed the game's inclusion of Circuit De La Sarthe, including every famous turn and that most monster of straights, the Mulsanne. We're told that the entire 8.5-mile course and its 21 famously named turns have been painstakingly recreated - even the shorter Bugatti circuit will be playable.

La Sarthe is no stranger to being virtually recreated in video games. Most recently, the extremely addicting racer GRiD offered up Le Mans in between seasons while playing in career mode. The third installment of Forza, however, will be the most detailed recreation yet.

Turn 10 has also announced a partial list of race cars with which you'll be able to tackle the 24 Hours of Le Mans in your living room. In addition to this year's Le Mans-winning Peugeot 908, Audi's R8 and diesel-powered R10 will be available. There's no mention of the newer R15, but we expect Turn 10 to complete the roster of Audi LMP1 cars with some downloadable content later on.

Check out the gallery below to view the rest of the recently announced Le Mans racers and see how well Turn 10 recreated La Sarthe.



[Source: ForzaMotorsport.net via Jalopnik]

382 laps. 3,247 miles. 24 hours. If you haven't been following along, that's the recipe for Peugeot's first and second place finish at the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans. After a ten-minute stint in the pits, the No. 1 R15's fate was sealed, and when the checkered flag finally dropped, the Audi was seven laps behind the No. 9 Peugeot. But just as impressive asPeugeot's win (and its first-place standing since 9 pm last night) is the 007 Lola Aston Martin's fourth-place finish, the Corvette C6.R's complete and utter dominance of GT1 and the fact that every single GT2 car – including the No. 85 Spyker C8 Laviolette – beat out the lone Porsche 911 GT3 RSR after the three other 997s slowly succumbed to attrition. We're going to leave it to the analysts and commentators to pick apart how the race was won (or lost), but we will say that our first experience at Le Mans left us in awe of the competitors, the support teams and, most impressively, the mass of fans that descended on the circuit. It's a goosebump-inducing experience and needless to say, we highly recommend it. Time for a much-needed shower and some rest. Check the gallery below for plenty of photos from the finish and see the full standings here.

We managed to snag just over an hour's worth of sleep underneath the stairs of the Audi Arena after bouncing around the track in the early hours of the morning. Before dawn broke, two massive strings of racers were caught behind the safety cars for over 40 minutes after the No. 17 Pescarolo Peugeot shunted into the wall in one of the most violent crashes in recent Le Mans history. Reports about the driver's condition haven't been forthcoming, with the ACO only saying that he was conscious when the medical crew arrived. We haven't heard anything new, so if you have, let us know in the comments.

The Pescarolo joins 14 other cars that are officially out of the race, including the No. 2 Audi R15 from last night, the LMGT2 Lamborghini and the Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

With just under six hours left, the Peugeot Total team is continuing to hold off the Audi R15 currently piloted by Mr. Le Mans, Tom Kristensen, with the 007 Lola Aston Martin coming in six laps behind the R15, followed by the No. 11 Oreca AIM and the No. 14 R10. The two R10s are holding slots in the top ten, further proof that the older TDIs are still competitive in the field. The official timing is available at the Le Mans website, and we've posted another sizable batch of photos from late last night/early this morning. Our apologies for the photo quality (we're getting a bit loopy), but they should give you a feel for what Le Mans is like at night and what the next several hours hold for the competitors. We're off to acquire colossal amounts of carbs and coffee. More to follow.

We've been bouncing all over the track since late yesterday morning, but a little after 2 AM we found our new favorite spectator spot – directly above the Audi pits. The speed, skill and – in typical German fashion – efficiency of the Audi crew is unmatched at Le Mans, but lighting quick fuel stops and deft tire swaps are only part of the equation. And Audi is having a difficult time filling in the numbers.

After an achingly long spell in the garage, the No. 3 Audi R15 is 42 laps behind the race leader, placing 44th overall and dashing any hopes of a triumphant comeback. So with the No. 2 Audi out altogether, the No. 1 R15 is the sole Audi fighting it out with the three seemingly (and just recently) unflappable Peugeots for a top spot. McNish might make it to sunrise on his current stint, but the No. 8 Peugeot was breathing down his neck before coming in for a driver change, so there's a distinct possibility that Sarrazin could overtake the Scot for the second spot. If you're getting the impression that Audi may have overestimated its abilities, you're not alone. But we're only at the cusp of the halfway point, and as history shows, Audi shines when the heat is on.

As for the rest of the field, the No. 31 LMP2 Team Essex Porsche Spyder is maintaining a commanding three-lap lead over the No. 5 Navi Team Goh Spyder, while the three C6.R Corvettes maintain a steady pace taking the top three spots in GT1. For the rest of the rankings, check out Le Mans' official time page and if you're following along at home, turn down the volume on SpeedTV and tune into Radio Le Mans for some of the best commentary around. We're off to find a Grand Marnier crepe and see what kind of debauchery is taking place outside the paddocks.

The air is thick and the sun is setting over the Circuit de la Sarthe as the competitors press on deep into their eighth hour of racing. By the time these words hit the screen, the No. 9 Peugeot will have done over 120 laps, with the No. 1 Audi R15 trailing by a full lap. The final five LMP1 slots are filled by the No. 8 Peugeot, No. 17 Peugeot and the 007 Lola Aston Martin. The No. 63 and 67 Corvettes have been running clean and strong all day, each putting down almost 110 laps and keeping a comfortable spread from the rest of the GT1 cars. Too bad this is the C6.R's last Le Mans, but we've been assured – despite GM's current troubles – that the team should be back next year.

Although Saturday's been hot and muggy, the most recent weather reports suggest rain is on the way, with a thunderstorm coming sometime Sunday – here's hoping. Despite being on the ground, we've been listening to the race unfold on Radio Le Mans, which has been broadcasting some stellar coverage of the event. Check it out here and expect more updates as the night wears on. With an espresso machine nearby and a comfortable floor to catch a few winks, we plan on enduring the enduro into the morning. Watch this space – Le Mans is at its best after the sun sets.

The Driver Parade at the 24 Hours of Le Mans combines the world's finest cars and top driving talent. It's a veritable wonderland for motorsports geeks, and with tens of thousands of people packed into the city's central square (think McQueen's entrance at the opening of Le Mans), next to the race itself, it's the biggest highlight of the weekend.

The parade kicked off with some varied exotic hotness, including appearances by a Caparo T1, Zenvo ST1, Tramontana R and the GTbyCitroen concept, the latter creating a glorious noise as it drove past the grandstand. Sprinkled in with the teams, drivers, awards and marching bands were a number of oddities and classics, including an appearance by the GT40 owner's club, the European Corvette club and, surprisingly, a crew of about 40 Harley-Davidsons – and that was just in the first 20 minutes of the two-hour event. Check out the massive, 100+ image gallery below to get a feel for the festivities.

The green flag dropped a few moments ago on one of the hottest days in Le Mans history. The No. 8 and 7 Peugeots are in the top two slots, followed by McNish in the Audi R15. We're assembling a few galleries from yesterday's Driver Parade and our walk through the pits this morning, so stay tuned for more live action from LeMans.

UPDATE: The No. 3 Audi, piloted by Premat, during its third lap, although it didn't hit the wall. Damage seems minimal.

UPDATE 2: The Audis are trailing the Peugeots by between 3-4 seconds a lap.

UPDATE 3: Gallery of the start added. Best noises: Corvette rumble and Aston P1 high-pitched shriek.

UPDATE 4: The safety car is out after the Pescarolo Peugeot hit the works Peugeot in the pits. The tire is shredded, debris has coated the track and undoubtedly, the guy the waved the Peugeot out is being berated as you read this.

Just over an hour ago, we arrived at the Circuit de la Sarthe for the 77th running of the 24 Hours of LeMans, and judging by the competitors, the track and the weather, the 2009 event has all the potential – if not more – than last year's race.

It's mid-June and that means it's time for the 24 Hours of Le Mans again. If the past decade is anything to go by, the number one contenders will again be the factory Audis, which have won eight of the last nine races (all nine if you count the 2003 as the Audi it truly was). For the past two years, the big battle for overall glory has been between the diesel-powered Audi R10 and Peugeot 908, and this year looks to be no different aside from Audi having an all new car, the R15, still with TDI power.

While the Peugeots have shown superior speed the last two years, the Audis have had better reliability and pit work. This year, the R15s appear to have made up the speed deficit, and the Germans look set for victory again if the crew can keep them running. Unfortunately for Audi, the race won't start with one of its cars in the lead, as Stephane Sarrazin has once again captured the poll in his Peugeot 908 for a record third straight year. Alan McNish managed to qualify one of Audi's three R15s right behind Sarrazin, but the other two cars managed to qualify only sixth and seventh on the starting grid. Three other Peugeot 908s will start from third, fourth and fifth, respectively, which means diesel power penetrates all the way back to the fourth row on this year's starting grid.

For those interested in following Audi's progress this weekend, the automaker is following up up its Sebring Facebook coverage with even more social media stuff this weekend. You can find photos, videos and news at AudiR15TDI.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Our own Damon Lavrinc will also be reporting live from Le Mans this year, so keep an eye on Autoblog and make sure to follow our Twitter feed all weekend long.

[Sources: Yahoo Eurosport, Audi, AutoCar | Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images]

As we approach the half-way point of 2009, the automotive industry is still in turmoil and the economy is just barely showing signs of recovery, but we still have plenty to be happy about. Dozens of concours events, cruise nights, and local shows are being held each and every weekend around the country. There's probably one close to you. Greenwich, Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, and Rodeo Drive top that list of concours in June. There will also be plenty of racing action with another running of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans June 13 and 14. Formula 1 makes stops at Turkey and Silverstone. With the Indianapolis 500 over, IndyCar moves on to Texas, Iowa and Richmond. And NASCAR fans can see action at Pocono, Michigan International Speedway, Infineon and New Hampshire. Speed junkies will also have another go at land speed records when the next El Mirage event takes place June 14.

There will also be some auction action too, with a Bonhams sale at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance and the Mecum Corvette Auction during Bloomington Gold in St. Charles, Illinois. One of our favorite events of the summer returns this June, the Friends of Steve McQueen Car Show in Chino Hills, CA. Other events on our Google Calendar this month include the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals, Susquehannock Trail Rally, Fleetwood Country Cruize-In, Corvettes of Myrtle Beach, Greatest Cruise on Turf, Wranglers' All Ford Show and Swap Meet, 20th Annual Orphan Car Tour, Automezzi Colorado, Red Mill British Car Day, 14th Annual San Clemente Car Show, GoodGuys Hot Rod Nationals, AutoMat's 52nd Anniversary Car Show, 24th Annual Huntington Beach Concours, UCP Concours d'Elegance, Ault Park Concours d'Elegance, Classy Chassis, Pismo Beach Classic Car Show, 45th Annual L.A. Roadster Show, British Motorcar Gathering, Challenge Rally Cinque, The Hemmings Challenge, Annie & Steve Norman Classic Motorcar Rally, GoodGuys East Coast Nationals, CAR Show at the AACA Museum, Palo Alto Concours d'Elegance at Stanford, and another pair of AW Briefing events from London.

If none of those events appeals to you, check the Google Calendar after the jump for even more listings, all with detailed info and links. Please use the comments section to add or modify listings. Oh, and Happy Fathers Day to all of you Dads out there.