Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars

John Neff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:45:00 EST

We were baffled a few weeks back when the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series announced new classes that will make up their combined racing program in 2014. Gone from the list is the Le Mans Prototype class, otherwise known as LMP1. The LMP1 class has long been the top dog of endurance racing, both in Europe and the US, so we couldn't figure out why this newly minted racing series was jettisoning it like yesterday's donuts.

It appears as if Audi is confused by the move as well. The German brand has announced it will participate in this year's ALMS opening round, the famed 12 Hours of Sebring, as it does every year, and bringing two Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro hybrid race cars with which to compete. Unlike every other year, Audi is treating this year's race as its potential swan song in this famous Florida race.

There's a good reason that Audi is so fond of the 12 Hours of Sebring, as it debuted the gas-powered R8R there in 1999 that kicked off its participation in the upper echelon of endurance racing. The R8R preceded the R8, which debuted at Sebring in 2000 and won that race, starting an amazing career for that car that included five more wins at Sebring. The R8 was followed by the R10, then the R15 and R18, and finally we wind up at today's R18 E-Tron Quattro - all winners, all dominant, all exciting to watch.

Along with the two R18 E-Tron Quattros doing the actual racing, one of which will be a new updated version, Audi is bringing an R8 from the 2000-2005 era, an R10 TDI from the 2006-2008 era, an R15 TDI from 2009 and the R18 TDI that won there last year, all for the enjoyment of spectators who've watched Audi dominate this race, winning it outright in 10 of the last 12 years.

Though Audi has long since abandoned campaigning the whole ALMS season, it was still usually good for at least the season opener in Sebring, which provided a nicely timed testing opportunity ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, if not a couple of other races on the calendar. Unfortunately, with the demise of LMP1 in American endurance racing, March 16 in Sebring, Florida may be the last time for a while that we see Audi dominate an endurance race on American soil. Let's hope ALMS and Grand-Am find a solution.

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Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ALMS, Grand-Am asking fans to help name new combined series

George Kennedy — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Racing

Now that it is settled that the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex racing series are officially tying the knot, the next big thing needs to be settled: What are they going to call it? Organizers must be preoccupied with either determining race classes or figuring where they are going to put so many awesome GT-class racers and prototypes, because they are asking the fans to come up with a name for the combined entity.

Dubbed "Name the Future," the contest started on November 20, but fear not, as it runs through the end of December. Simply head over to www.namethefuture.com and take a shot at naming the series. Anyone who submits a name is automatically entered in a chance to win a VIP trip for two to either the Rolex 24 at Daytona (Jan 24-27, 2013) or the Twelve Hours of Sebring (Mar 13-16, 2013). In just one week of the contest, there have already been over 2,800 submissions.

The VIP trip up for grabs will include airfare, hotel, and the full race-weekend VIP treatment. That likely means pit access, a ride in the pace car, a behind-the-scenes tour, and more. The news of this contest comes quickly after word that SME Branding has been hired on to help create the brand identity of this new race series. So if you love sportscar racing and would like to have a hand in creating the new series' image, click the link here to enter.

ALMS, Grand-Am asking fans to help name new combined series originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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