Petersen Motorsports
Since 2000, Las Vegas based Petersen/White Lighting has been a perennial contender in the GT 2 class. With drivers, Patrick Long and Jorg Bergmeister, winning five times in 2005, including Sebring, Petit LeMans, and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Petersen White Lighting scored Drivers Championships, Team Championship, and IMSA CUP for top privateer for 2005. The team also finished second in class at LeMans in 2005, after finishing first in back to back class wins in 2003 and 2004. Time will tell what is in store for this highly competitive team.
Petersen/White Lightning Captures Second-Straight Petit Le Mans
It took an effort that put two laps on the American Le Mans Series GT2 class field but Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing captured their second consecutive Petit Le Mans today at Road Atlanta. As late as the sixth hour of the 10 hour or 1,000 mile race, the No. 31 MMPIE/PAWS/Michelin Porsche 911 GT3 RSR languished a lap behind the class leaders. All of that had changed as the car crossed under the checkered flags in just over nine hours to complete 1,000 miles one lap ahead of the field. Persistent and aggressive driving by Jörg Bergmeister (Langenfeld, Germany) and Patrick Long (Las Vegas, Nev.), key strategy decisions by team manager Dale White (Bozeman, MT) and what are now being called “White Lightning” quick pit stops, the Michael Petersen-owned team rallied to their third Series class victory of the season. In the process, the Las Vegas-based team cut the driver championship lead to four points and added a ninth career Series victory to their tally.
Petersen/White Lightning’s Love Affair with Road America Continues
Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing has a love affair with the beautiful Road America facility here in Elkhart Lake, Wisc. Since debuting the No. 31 MMPIE/PAWS/Michelin Porsche 911 GT3 RSR at the 4.048-mile course in 2002, the Michael Petersen-owned operation has tallied trio of American Le Mans Series GT2 class victories including today’s Generac 500 at Road America. Today’s one minute, 3.389 second victory, the Dale White-managed team’s eighth in the Series, did not come easy. Despite starting from the class pole position Patrick Long (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Jörg Bergmeister (Langenfeld, Germany) had to battle nose-to-tail for most of the day to take the checkered flag first. It was the 2005 American Le Mans Series GT2 Champions second victory of the season.
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Petersen/White Lightning Sweeps Major Activities at Road America
Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing swept the two major events today here at Road America. The No. 31 MMPIE/PAWS/Michelin Porsche 911 GT3 RSR won the GT2 class pole position for Generac 500 at Road America and the Semi-Finals of the Klein Pit Crew Challenge. Jörg Bergmeister (Langenfeld, Germany) looked deep within himself to capture the quick time on the 4.048-mile Road America facility after it looked like his best time would not be good enough. The lap of two minutes, 7.355 seconds, turned on his fifth and final qualifying lap, set a track record for the historic Wisconsin track bettering Bergmeister’s own lap time of 2:07.577 set in 2004. The lap, the quickest of the weekend, barely edged the No. 23 Porsche by only 0.13 seconds. Patrick Long (Las Vegas, Nev.) will start the No. 31 13th overall in the 22 car field of the two hour and 45-minute “sprint” race. This is the team’s third pole start of the 2006 season but its first at Road America.
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Petersen / White Lighting Moves to Salt Lake City Front Row
Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing will move from third to second on the GT2 class grid for tomorrow’s Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix. The 2005 American Le Mans Series GT2 Class Champions had qualified third for the fifth-round of the American Le Mans Series season but a disqualification by the second-quickest car will move them up one position to 15th overall for Saturday’s start. The change in position also makes the No. 31 MMPIE/PAWS/Market Scan/Michelin Porsche 911 GT3 RSR the fastest Porsche in the class.
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Le Mans No Vacation for Petersen’s Dale White
Sacramento, Calif. – Dale White arrived in Le Mans yesterday, the place he’s been thinking about a couple hours per day since January. The team manager for Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing isn’t in France to see the sights, though.
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Two-Time Le Mans GT2 Champions Petersen / White Lightning Annouce 24 Hour Plans
LAS VEGAS, Nev., May 12, 2006 – Official entrant Dale White (Bozeman, Montana, USA) announced today that Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing will return to take part in the 74th Annual 24 Heures Du Mans in June. The two-time Le Mans class-winning effort also confirmed marketing support from Krohn Racing for the Automobile Club De L’Ouest-sanctioned event. The 2005 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT2 Champions will be attempting their third Le Mans Grand Touring Two (LM GT2) victory in only their fourth attempt at the world’s most famous sports car race. The No. 90 Krohn/ Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Michelin Porsche 911 GT3 RSR will be raced by Jörg Bergmeister (Langenfeld, Germany), Nic Jönsson (a native of Sweden currently living in Buford, Georgia, USA) and Tracy Krohn (Houston, Texas, USA) in the June 17-18 race.
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