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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">23/03/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">PK Sport</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Two Cars In The ELMS</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/portTwo%20AME.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"> PK Sport and Sussex based Ricardo Vehicle Engineering are set to shake up the GT class in the newly announced European Le Mans Series (ELMS), with their joint announcement of a two car programme for the five race ELMS calendar. The drivers are Mike Youles / Robin Liddell and Piers Masarati / Mark Humphrey.<BR> <BR> This is the first confirmed announcement of entries in the GT class; many more are sure to follow.<BR> <BR> PK Sport and Ricardo Vehicle Engineering began their association at February’s Daytona 24 Hours, where the PK Sport Porsche 911 GT3RS was heading up through the field after an early delay. The car was on course for a top three finish in class until an accident eliminated it approaching the 20 hour mark.<BR> <BR> That car is currently at Ricardo’s Shoreham base for strengthening and stiffening work on the chassis, in preparation for the bulk of the 2001 season. The two PK Sport / Ricardo Porsches will make their debut at the inaugural ELMS race at Donington Park on April 14 (Easter Saturday).<BR> <BR> “This is a new era for PK Sport,” said Team Owner Mike Pickup. “We’ve shown the potential of our cars at the last two Daytona events, and although we’ve yet to make the finish, I know we can win that race. We’ll be approaching PK’s first international series with the same positive approach, convinced that we have a very good chance of success. Ricardo’s involvement will make the GT3RS even more competitive than when it left Porsche in January. We’ve also got the driver squad to do the job.”<BR> <BR> Mike Youles is a former class winner at Le Mans, so he provides the experience, while the other three drivers are all highly talented, but are all new to international motorsport. Robin Liddell and Piers Masarati both have GT experience in the Privilege Championship, while Mark Humphrey has shown his speed in MGFs and Caterhams. For all three, the prospect of racing in an international series was too stirring to ignore.<BR> <BR> Partners in the ELMS programme will include LAL Air Conditioning, Counter Solutions, SAIL, Teng Tools and the csma magazine Motoring & Leisure.<BR> <BR> Paul Tarry at Ricardo Vehicle Engineering confirmed that his company will be looking at three key areas for development of the team’s Porsche 911 GT3RS. “We will be exploiting to the full the structural, aerodynamic and thermodynamic aspects of Porsche’s design. The Le Mans / ELMS rules allow a certain amount of latitude in these key areas, so we’re aiming to put the PK Sport / Ricardo Porsche on the grid in the best possible shape to go for the class win."<BR> <BR> The European Le Mans Series commences at Donington Park on Easter Saturday, continues at Jarama on May 20, then resumes (after Le Mans) on July 15 at Estoril, August 5 at Salzburgring and September 2 at Vallelunga.<BR> <BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>