Local racing team posts victory at Le Mans

Monday, June 16, 2003 | 10:16 a.m.

Temporarily setting aside their rivalry in the American Le Mans Series, Las Vegas-based Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing and Alex Job Racing teamed to win the GT class at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, which concluded Sunday in Le Mans, France.

Drivers Emmanuel Collard of France, Lucas Luhr of Monaco and Sascha Maassen of Belgium overcame a variety of problems and posted a three-lap victory over the Orbit Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS. It was the first Le Mans victory for either Job Racing or Petersen/White Lightning.

The Petersen/White Lightning Porsche 911 GT3 RS survived a broken shifter, two punctured radiators, loose bodywork and a failed alternator during the world's most famous endurance race for sports cars.

"It is still soaking in that we have actually won the biggest sports car race in the world," team manager Dale White of Las Vegas said shortly after the victory. "The whole team worked so hard to make this happen. We came here with what I have been calling the 'super team' and I think we proved that it is."

Las Vegas businessman Michael Petersen supplied the Porsche for Le Mans and the car was painted in Petersen livery, which included sponsorship from the Westward Ho casino in Las Vegas. Alex Job provided the drivers and the majority of the crew and served as crew chief.

"Although we have run Porsches at endurance races before without any glitches, this is the toughest sports car race in the world," Job said. "The key to victory for us was to catch problems early, fix them and prevent other problems, and set the proper pace in order to finish ahead of the others.

"Everyone on the Alex Job and Petersen crew, especially Petersen team manager Dale White, pitched in to make this happen and no one could match up with our three drivers for speed when we needed it."

Both teams have previous endurance racing success, with Petersen/White Lightning winning the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in 2001. Alex Job Racing has won both the Rolex 24 and, most recently, three consecutive 12 Hours of Sebring events -- all with Maassen and Luhr.

Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing began operation in the late 1980s, competing in off-road endurance events. Major successes have included titles in SODA, SCORE and SNORE and more than 50 victories and 80 podium finishes.