Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – Monterey, Calif., May 23, 2010 – The stage was set but the outcome was unsure until Patron Highcroft Racing (PHR) pulled out all the stops and moved through the field to take the LMP1 win at the grueling six hour American Le Mans Series race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Once the race began, it took a total of 78 minutes for the PHR entry to weave through and around 32 other competitors with the help of sticky Michelin tires and a crew that was motivated to accept nothing less than victory. It was the second time the HPD ARX-01c of Brabham, Pagenaud and Franchitti wheeled into the Winner's Circle in as many races and there was little doubt the win was well deserved considering what the team had to contend with throughout the race.

During the last two hours of this six hour race, Franchitti was engaged in a back and forth battle with the Lola of Dyson/Smith/Meyrick until a oil filter gave way on the Mazda, sidelining the car with a mere 24 minutes left. After that point, it was clear that barring any mechanical failures, PHR was not to be denied ... and they weren't.

The Level 5 Motorsports Oreca FLM09 entry, driven by Tucker, Bouchut and Wilkens won the LMP Challenge portion of the race in addition to setting the fastest lap in the class along the way to their victory with just seven seconds separating the top two finishers. It was closer than they wanted to be but more than enough to win.

In the GT class, there were three Ferraris, two BMWs, two Corvettes and one Flying Lizard Porsche, all trying to outdo one another while taking their turn for the lead. Midway through the race it was a toss-up with all the top contenders finding themselves able to hold onto their positions without much difficulty. The racing was close and it was clear that anyone had a chance to reel in the gold.

With eight minutes left, the 911 Porsche RSR of Bergmeister and Long passed the BMW M3 of Mueller and Hand at Turn 11 just as the restart went to green. In the end, only 0.365 seconds separated the top two cars. It was a great finish and the kind of close racing one has come to expect in this class.

GT Challenge was led from start to finish by the Black Swan Racing Porsche entry driven by Pappas/ J. Bleekemolen/ and S. Bleekemolen. This team dominated the race from start to finish and went a long way toward erasing some of the sour memories of their 2010 debut at Long Beach when the team experienced problems early on in that race when things didn't go as expected.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (http://www.mazdaraceway.com) provided a variety of fan oriented events that appealed to all ages on and off the track, ranging from kid's crafts to meet and greet autograph sessions with over 100 American Le Mans drivers. It was the first six hour Le Mans Series race at this venerable Monterey facility and with a total of nine races completed over the weekend, the action was non-stop from start to finish.

Race Results-Top Two Finishers/Class

LMP
1. Brabham/(Pagenaud)/Franchitti – HPD ARX-01c
2. Gidley/(Graf)/Maassen – Porsche RS Spyder
Fastest Driver: Guy Smith – Lola

LMP Challenge
1. Tucker/(Bouchut)/Wilkens – Oreca FLM09
2. Sutherland/Weickardt/(Marcelli – Oreca FLM09
Fastest Driver: Cristophe Bouchut – Oreca

GT
1.  (Bergmeister)/Long – Porsche 911 RSR
2.  (Mueller)/Hand – BMW M3 GT
Fastest Driver:  Johannes Van Overbeek--Ferrari

GT Challenge
1.  Pappas/(J. Bleekemolen)/S. Bleekemolen – Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
2.  Richard/Villeneuve/(Lally – Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Fastest Driver:  Jeroen Bleekemolen – Porsche

Michelin Green X Challenge Winners
LMP1 – Brabham/Pagenaud/Franchitti – HPD ARX-01c
GT – O’Connell/Magnussen – Corvette C6.R

Total Cautions – 10
Lead Changes – 4

Then next American Le Mans Series Race presented by Tequila Patron, will be at the Larry H. Dealerships Utah Grand Prix, held on Sunday, July 11th at Miller Motorsports Park. Check your local listings for broadcast times or www.americanlemans.com for more information.