Facts and figures
The two Audi R15 TDI cars are fielded by Audi Sport Team Joest, but the car of the reigning ALMS Champions Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner will run under the banner of "Audi Sport North America" ... Team Joest will contest the "Petit Le Mans" race for the first time since 2003. A part of the squad was deployed to Road Atlanta in 2006 for the debut of the Audi R10 TDI to support Audi Sport North America ... On Sunday before the race there will be a testing opportunity at Road Atlanta which Audi Sport Team Joest will use with a car for Dindo Capello, Allan McNish and Marco Werner... Lucas Luhr will be the guest star at AUDI AG's booth at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt on the weekend before "Petit Le Mans" and will travel to Atlanta afterwards ... Mike Rockenfeller was nominated as reserve driver for the race at Road Atlanta. The young German will go to Atlanta directly after the DTM race at Barcelona ... Audi has not been beaten in the "Petit Le Mans" race although the fight was close in each of the previous years: In 2007, Dindo Capello and Allan McNish won with a lead of just 0.923 seconds, last year their lead amounted to 4.512 seconds - after races that lasted almost ten hours ... With a total of five overall victories so far, Dindo Capello is the most successful "Petit Le Mans" driver.
All "Petit Le Mans" winners
1998 Eric van de Poele/Wayne Taylor/Emmanuel Collard (Ferrari)
1999 David Brabham/ric Bernard/Andy Wallace (Panoz)
2000 Michele Alboreto/Dindo Capello/Allan McNish (Audi R8)
2001 Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro (Audi R8)
2002 Dindo Capello/Tom Kristensen (Audi R8)
2003 Johnny Herbert/JJ Lehto (Audi R8)
2004 JJ Lehto/Marco Werner (Audi R8)
2005 Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro (Audi R8)
2006 Dindo Capello/Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI)
2007 Dindo Capello/Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI)
2008 Dindo Capello/Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI)
The Audi drivers at Road Atlanta
Dindo Capello (I): * June 17, 1964 in Asti (I); residence: Canelli (I); married to Elisabetta, one son (Giacomo); height: 1.72 m; weight: 66 kg; Audi driver since 1994; "Petit Le Mans" overall victories: 5; Le Mans overall victories: 3
Lucas Luhr (D): * July 22, 1979 in Koblenz (D); residence: Ermatingen (CH); married to Claudia, one daughter (Georgina), one son (Gianluca); height: 1.85 m; weight: 72 kg; Aud driver since 2007; "Petit Le Mans" overall victories: 0 (best result: 3rd place); Le Mans overall victories: 0
Allan McNish (GB): * December 29, 1969 in Dumfries (GB); residence: Monaco (MC); married to Kelly, one son (Finlay), one daughter (Charlotte Amelie); height: 1.65 m; weight: 58 kg; Audi driver in 2000 and since 2004; "Petit Le Mans" overall victories: 4; Le Mans overall victories: 2
Mike Rockenfeller (D): * October 31, 1983 in Neuwied (D); residence: Altnau (CH); single (partner Susanne); height: 1.75 m; weight: 67 kg; Aud driver since 2007; "Petit Le Mans"overall victories: 0 (best result: 6th place); Le Mans overall victories: 0
Marco Werner (D): * April 04, 1966 in Dortmund (D); residence: Ermatingen (CH); married to Annett, one daughter (Janina); height: 1.75 m; weight: 66 kg; Audi driver since 2002; "Petit Le Mans" overall victories: 1; Le Mans overall victories: 3
The schedule at Road Atlanta
Wednesday, September 23
14:00 - 14:30 Test session (prototypes)
14:30 - 15:30 Test session (all classes)
15:30 - 16:00 Test session (GT vehicles)
Thursday, September 24
10:05 - 11:05 Free practice
15:20 - 16:20 Free practice
19:20 - 21:05 Night practice
Friday, September 25
09:00 - 10:00 Free practice
14:25 - 14:50 Qualifying (GT vehicles)
14:55 - 15:20 Qualifying (prototypes)
Saturday, September 26
08:15 - 08:40 Warm-up
11:15 - 21:15 Race (1,000 miles or max. 10 hours)