The American Le Mans Series ( ALMS ) was a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada . It consisted of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans .
61-464: The MG-Lola EX257 (sometimes referred to as simply MG EX257 ) is a Le Mans Prototype racing car built by Lola for the MG car company for their attempt to compete again at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2001 . The car has had many years of mixed success since its introduction, even in privateer hands. It was Lola's only car built specifically to LMP675 regulations, and was known by their designation as
122-434: A 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8. In seasons 2017 through 2020, the engine produced about 600 bhp . Dallara , Onroak Automotive (Ligier), Oreca and the joint-venture Riley Tech / Multimatic were selected by FIA as the four exclusive chassis constructors, which must be closed-cockpit designs. Before the start of the 2021 season LMP2 cars have been slowed down to ensure the necessary lap time difference between
183-469: A best finish of fifth, earning them fifth in the teams championship. In America, Dyson continued with their two-car squad, while Intersport continued with their Judd-powered entry. The success of the previous year could not be repeated, as Dyson was now in the same class as the dominant Audi R8 . Although Dyson was able to score an overall victory against the R8s at Mosport , the team had to settle for second in
244-562: A class above production-based grand tourer cars, which compete alongside them in sports car racing . Later, LMP1 designs included hybrid cars that use electric motors to assist acceleration. The Le Mans Prototype LMP1 class has been replaced by Le Mans Hypercars in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and in the 24 Hours of Le Mans from the 2021 season . Non-hybrid LMP1 cars were eligible to be "grandfathered" for two more seasons and compete alongside
305-634: A mere 102 laps. The ACO decided to alter the Le Mans Prototype rules due to the inherent problems of the LMP675 class. The classes were restructured into LMP1 and LMP2, and the MG's found themselves moved into the top LMP1 class. Over in Europe, Ray Mallock Ltd. carried on the MG name in the new Le Mans Endurance Series . The car performed well over the short season, finishing all races, and achieved
366-711: A part of the Professional SportsCar Racing series, in which Panoz was an investor. For 1999, the series changed its name to the American Le Mans Series, and adopted the ACO's rulebook. The partnership with the ACO allowed ALMS teams to earn automatic entries in the Le Mans 24 Hours. This was a practice that began with the inaugural Petit Le Mans, a practice that continues today, where 1st and 2nd place teams in each class earn entries to
427-514: A production-based engine in an LMP675 instead of a custom-built engine that would be larger than anything MG had in their production cars at the time, MG decided to enter into this new class in agreement with Lola Cars International . Lola had previously built cars in 2000, known as the B2K/10 and B2K/40 , but they were not designed with the LMP675 regulations in mind. Lola would therefore have to build an all-new prototype design that would center on
488-575: Is a list of the owners of each EX257 or B01/60 chassis. Intersport's #HU-01 and RML's #HU-03 were the chassis modified to fit a Judd engine. #HU-05 was planned but never built. #HU-01: #HU-02: #HU-03: #HU-04: #HU-06: Le Mans Prototype A Le Mans Prototype ( LMP ) is a type of sports prototype race car used in various races and championships, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans , FIA World Endurance Championship , IMSA SportsCar Championship , European Le Mans Series , and Asian Le Mans Series . Le Mans Prototypes were created by
549-740: Is commonly referred to as a Le Mans car in the media. The first use of what would become Le Mans Prototypes was at the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans . In an attempt to increase the number of entrants beyond the small field of Group C competitors that the World Sportscar Championship had to offer, older Porsche 962s were allowed entry in Category 3. To further increase the size of the field, small open-cockpit race cars using production road car engines which were raced in small national championships were allowed in Category 4. Later, ACO announced its intentions to completely replace
610-476: Is used to produce a score based on the three categories. The car with the lowest score at the end of the race wins the Challenge for that race. The series' first season in 1999 was covered by NBC and CNBC . Since 2000 Speed Channel broadcast the majority of ALMS races, including the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans , while some of the series' other races were broadcast on ABC , NBC and CBS . For
671-514: The 2008 Petit Le Mans and would continue this at least up to the entire 2009 season . In 2010 the American Le Mans Series signed its first title sponsorship agreement, with Tequila Patrón becoming a presenting sponsor for three seasons. On September 5, 2012, the series announced that they would fully merge in 2014 with Grand-Am Road Racing under the banner of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship , with
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#1732780805185732-540: The American Le Mans Series season. Improvements to the EX257 provided greater durability, shown at Sebring with Intersport taking the LMP675 win and seventh overall, while KnightHawk took third in LMP675. Over the rest of the season, the pair of EX257s dominated the series, taking four more wins. KnightHawk took the LMP675 championship by a single point over Intersport. Also, for the final four races of
793-495: The American Le Mans Series , KnightHawk Racing left; its place was taken by a second Dyson Racing EX257. Both Dyson and Intersport traded wins off during the entire season, with the EX257 winning every race that year to give Dyson the championship. Notably, the #16 Dyson entry, piloted by James Weaver and Butch Leitzinger, took an overall victory at the Infineon Raceway round, the first time an LMP675 car had pulled off
854-595: The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The technical requirements for an LMP include bodywork covering all mechanical elements of the car. As of 2023, there are two classes within Le Mans Prototypes, designated LMP2 and LMP3 . While not as fast as open-wheel Formula One cars around a track, the LMP1s were the fastest closed-wheel racing cars used in circuit racing. Le Mans Prototypes are considered
915-548: The Grand Touring classes GT (GTE-Pro and GTE-Am combined, formerly GT2 ) along with GT-Challenge or GTC. The former GT1 category was abandoned after 2009 season. In 2012, the "Le Mans" (LM) was dropped from the names of the prototype categories. Each car is driven by multiple drivers (2 or 3, depending on the length of the race), and all cars compete together simultaneously. P1 generally contains factory teams while P2 contains privateer teams. In ACO-sanctioned racing all of
976-668: The Indy Racing League , at cities such as St. Petersburg, Florida and Long Beach, California . The series raced at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca , Mosport , Road Atlanta and Sebring in every year of its existence. From 2011 until the series folded, ALMS competed on a street circuit through the Inner Harbor coinciding with the Grand Prix of Baltimore , Maryland over the US Labor Day weekend. The series
1037-594: The International Motor Sports Association . The American Le Mans Series used essentially the same rules as the 24 Hours of Le Mans . Like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, there were three primary classes, though there were two extra "Challenge classes" using standardized cars. Purpose-built race cars with closed fenders competed in the Prototype classes P1, P2, and PC (Prototype-Challenge) and modified production sports cars competed in
1098-474: The Lola B01/60 . The last EX257 in original specification was retired from racing in 2007. Following a resurgence for the MG brand in the beginnings of the 21st century, the decision was made to expand the brand into motorsports including touring car and sports car racing . MG had previously had success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans many decades ago, yet had never scored an overall win. At approximately
1159-661: The Oreca FLM09 (P) and the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GT), though there were reports that the ACO would open the Challenge class to other manufacturers in 2013 or later. The team points champions and runners-up in each class at the end of the season received an automatic invitation to the next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. In January 2008, the American Le Mans Series announced it would hold its first "Green Challenge" competition during Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October, ahead of
1220-555: The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship . The series was created by Braselton, Georgia -based businessman Don Panoz and ran its first season in 1999. Panoz created a partnership with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), the organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans , to begin a 10-hour race in the spirit of Le Mans, dubbed the Petit Le Mans . The inaugural Petit Le Mans took place in 1998 as
1281-509: The 2012 season, all races were webcast on ESPN3 .com. The Long Beach Grand Prix, Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock, and Grand Prix of Mosport were broadcast live on ESPN2 , while the ALMS at Monterey, Road Race Showcase at Road America and ALMS at VIR had delayed highlights on the same channel. The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge was broadcast live on ABC , while the 12 Hours of Sebring, Baltimore Grand Prix, and Petit Le Mans had delayed highlights on
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#17327808051851342-822: The 2015–2019 first-generation ruleset were the Ginetta-Juno P3 , Ligier JS P3 , Norma M30 , ADESS-03 , and the Ave-Riley AR-02. The cars were eligible in a number of series, such as the Asian Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series, as well as the V de V Endurance Series and the IMSA Prototype Challenge . A number of championships for the class have also been created, such as the FRD LMP3 series and
1403-564: The ACO to equalize cars. In 2003, the Intersport Racing team considered that the MG engine was lacking the power necessary for tracks used in the American Le Mans Series . The team transplanted a Judd KV675 naturally aspirated V8 engine in place of the MG XP20. This required the removal of the large turbo inlet, replacing it with an air inlet mounted behind the cockpit. This car, referred to by its Lola designation only due to
1464-818: The British LMP3 Cup. First-generation cars were powered by a 5.0-litre normally-aspirated Nissan VK50 V8 engine , producing 310 kW (420 hp). A 2nd Generation ruleset was introduced for 2020, with new cars introduced: the Ginetta G61-LT-P3 , Ligier JS P320 , Duqueine D-08 , and the ADESS-03 Evo. These cars can be built from its predecessors using an upgrade kit. The new LMP3 prototypes are used in Asian Le Mans Series, Michelin Le Mans Cup , IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge , European Le Mans Series, and Prototype Cup Germany. For
1525-800: The Challenge being implemented at all ALMS races during the 2009 season. In conjunction with the Department of Energy , the Environmental Protection Agency , Environment Canada and SAE International , the Series unveiled the Green Challenge's rules and regulations. Two class leading vehicles ran low CO 2 or green engines during the 2008 season – the GT1 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R with an E85 cellulosic ethanol powered 7.0 litre V8 and
1586-522: The European races disappeared, with the creation of the short-lived European Le Mans Series , and later the Le Mans Series . The series also began to move away from the rovals , road courses in the infield of large superspeedways , at Charlotte Motor Speedway , Las Vegas, and Texas Motor Speedway . In its later years, the series visited more temporary street courses, many in conjunction with
1647-583: The GT class regulations, forcing the ACO to promote them as prototypes. In 2000, changes were made to the LMP regulations, as the ACO once again split the open-cockpit LMP class. The two new classes became known as "LMP900" and "LMP675", with the numbers denoting the minimum weight requirements (in kilograms) for each class. The LMP900s were to be more powerful and faster in top speed, but also heavier and more cumbersome. The LMP675s were to be smaller and more nimble, yet lack
1708-519: The Group C cars with Le Mans Prototypes . Two classes were created, with LMP1s running large displacement custom-built engines that were usually turbocharged, and LMP2s using the smaller displacement production-based engines. Both classes were required to have open cockpits. However, LMP1 cars that year were just former Group C cars, some still with closed cockpits ( Toyota 94C-V , Courage C32 , Kremer K8 Spyder , Porsche 962C GTI , ALD C289 and Alpa LM). At
1769-686: The Hypercar category, a single aero kit has been made mandatory across the whole season and is limited to the Le Mans specification in the WEC; the ELMS teams have retained the right to switch between the aero kits. LMP3 is an entry-level prototype class intended for introducing young drivers and new teams to endurance racing before they progress to the higher classes of prototype racing, LMP2 and ultimately Hypercar. LMP3 uses closed-cockpit chassis, which can be built by any licensed constructor. Cars eligible for
1830-603: The LMP1 Audi R10 TDI with a 5.5 litre turbodiesel V12. Currently, the Michelin Green X Challenge awards invitations to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the 1st and 2nd-place winners in the Prototype and GT categories for the entire season. The Challenge measures "Green" (based on fuel-type and other factors influencing emissions), "Speed" (overall speed), and "Efficiency" (based on fuel-economy). A formula
1891-596: The LMP2 and a new class—Hypercar. In the original version of the new ruleset, revealed in November 2020, only the power of the Gibson engine has been reduced—to 560 bhp. Right before the start of the season, the cars were further weakened, by trimming an additional 20 bhp to a total of 540 bhp. The minimum weight of the cars has also been increased by 20 kg and has been set at 950 kg. Furthermore, mirroring
MG-Lola EX257 - Misplaced Pages Continue
1952-438: The LMP2 class victory, this year they finished in eighth place overall, a mere 37 laps behind the overall winning Audi R10 . 2007 began to see the end of the EX257. The final original car still in competition, Autocon Motorsport's entry, began the 2007 American Le Mans Series season . However following three rounds of racing, the team decided to buy a newer Creation CA06/H after the Grand Prix of Long Beach . The following
2013-465: The R8s, although it did manage to take two wins over the season, coming second in the LMP1 championship. In Europe, RML saw better performance against their LMP2 competition, including their first class victory at Istanbul Park . RML managed to finish second in the LMP2 championship behind Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsport. However the MG's greatest success came at Le Mans, with RML managing to not only score
2074-399: The best result of the season, taking third place overall at Petit Le Mans . Meanwhile, Ray Mallock, Ltd. continued to campaign their EX264, now using the old MG/AER turbocharged engine once again. Another single victory was achieved by the team at Donington Park , yet again leaving them with second place in the LMP2 championship. At Le Mans however, RML repeated their success. Again taking
2135-507: The capabilities to survive long distances. Following a mere 30 laps, one MG was forced to retire due to exhaust failure. A few hours later, the second MG succumb to an oil leak, leaving MG retired from the event at a very early stage. For 2002, the EX257s were offered to customers for the first time. Two American teams, KnightHawk Racing and Intersport Racing, would seize the opportunity and purchase one chassis each, for competition throughout
2196-442: The car's first finish in the race, but also taking the LMP2 class victory by a mere four laps over a pair of Paul Belmondo Racing Courages . For 2006, Dyson Racing decided that the old EX257 was no longer competitive, and purchased newer Lola B06/10s . The two former Dyson EX257s were sold to two teams, Highcroft Racing and Autocon Motorsports, who competed in limited schedules in the American Le Mans Series . Highcroft scored
2257-465: The car. A large single air inlet was placed on the top of the car, slightly off to the side of the cockpit in order to house the turbo inlet. Using a design element borrowed from the Audi R8 , a single rollbar was used behind the driver, instead of a long rollbar that covered the entire width of the cockpit. In the rear, the wing was mounted low on the chassis in order to increase overall top speed. In
2318-435: The championship. Intersport's hybrid car failed to perform, managing to score points in only two races. For Le Mans, both Ray Mallock, Ltd. and Intersport participated, but once again neither car finished. Intersport's car was taken out in an accident, while RML's entry blew an engine in the closing hours of the race. Following the dismal performance of Intersport's hybrid B01/60, the car was retired for 2005. This left only
2379-538: The costs, FIA introduced a new set of LMP2 regulations, which will be locked in through 2020, aiming for a significant power increase, to the range of 150 horsepower (which is expected to lead to a four-second decrease in lap time at Le Mans). Gibson Technology is the exclusive engine supplier for LMP2, producing a four-litre normally-aspirated V8. Biofuels , specifically petrol with 10% ethanol and biodiesel ( BTL ), are allowed in both LMP1 and LMP2 categories. The fuel tank size and minimum weight for non-hybrid cars
2440-578: The drivers are professional in GTE-PRO, while in GTE-Am, 1 or 2 amateurs are allowed to race with a professional driver in support. However, since ALMS uses only one GTE category and combines the PRO/AM classes, there are no limitations for drivers. The two "Challenge" classes were formula-based , and were designed for privateers or rookies to have an easier time entering the series. The Challenge classes used
2501-472: The end, the EX257 was very light at approximately 690 kg at its launch (675 kg being the minimum allowed by the rules). For an engine, MG turned to Advanced Engine Research (AER) for construction of their engine and Garrett for turbocharging it. Using some elements of MG's production engines, the new 2.0 Litre turbocharged Inline-4 known as the MG XP20 (AER designation P07) came to approximately 500 hp, limited by air restrictors put in place by
MG-Lola EX257 - Misplaced Pages Continue
2562-629: The light weight and small engines of LMP675. Since the B2K/40 was more similar to the LMP675 regulations, many design elements of it were brought over for the new car, which Lola designated B01/60. The front fender design of the B01/60 was nearly identical to that of the B2K/40, but the nose of the car was radically different, incorporating a large square airbox (shaped like an MG grill) in the raised nose. The sidepods were also radically different, using sweeping lines to better manage airflow both in and out of
2623-479: The loss of the MG engine, had a short career with some success. The new MG-Lola EX257 made its competition debut at the 2001 24 Hours of Le Mans , with two cars being run by MG Sport & Racing Ltd. The new cars showed their pace, qualifying 14th and 17th overall, the fastest two times amongst LMP675. The problems with the LMP675 formula showed their signs early in the race. Although quick even with their small engines, these engines were highly stressed and lacked
2684-662: The new class for the 2021 to 2022 seasons. Starting from the 2023 season of WEC and IMSA SportsCar Championship, Le Mans Hypercars are joined by Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) cars. These two kinds of prototypes will form the top class of endurance racing: Hypercar in WEC and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) in IMSA. Le Mans Prototypes have used various names depending on the series in which they compete. The FIA 's equivalent cars were referred to as Sports Racers (SR) or Sports Racing Prototypes (SRP). The American IMSA GT Championship termed their cars World Sports Cars (WSC), while
2745-626: The next year's 24 Hours. The ALMS race at Adelaide in 2000 also received automatic entries. Invitations were extended to the series champions beginning in 2003, for the 2004 race. The ACO has always given high consideration to teams competing in ALMS races, and many ALMS teams have seen success in the 24 Hours. The series began with eight races in 1999 , beginning with the 12 Hours of Sebring , and ending at Las Vegas Motor Speedway . The schedule expanded to 12 races in 2000 , including two races in Europe, and one in Australia. In subsequent years,
2806-456: The same class structure as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, meaning it was the first championship to use the LMP name. At the same time, the ACO greatly altered their LMP classes. The smaller LMP2 class were briefly eliminated, while a new class of closed-cockpit prototypes was allowed in, known as "LMGTP" (Le Mans grand touring prototype). These cars were evolutions of production-based road cars that the ACO considered too advanced and too fast to fall under
2867-501: The same time, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) had changed the Le Mans Prototype regulations for Le Mans, making it possible for two different classes of prototype to be capable of taking an overall win. This class, known as LMP675, would use smaller turbocharged engines yet would be lighter and more nimble, making it possible for them to compete with the larger, more powerful LMP900 class. Seeing an opportunity to use
2928-494: The same time, the IMSA GT Championship announced the end of their closed cockpit GTP and Lights classes, deciding as well to replace them with a single open-cockpit class of World Sports Cars equivalent to LMP1. This formula continued up to 1996, with many manufacturers embracing the LMP and WSC classes, including Ferrari , Porsche , and Mazda . In 1997, the first European series based around Le Mans Prototypes
2989-402: The season, a third EX257 joined the series, in the hands of Dyson Racing , who managed fifth in the championship although taking part in just a handful of races. Back at Le Mans, the factory MG team again returned with their two EX257s. Their reliability was improved, as both cars survived further than they had the previous year. Gearbox problems eliminated one car after 129 laps. The second car
3050-475: The second generation, engines were upgraded to the 5.6-litre Nissan VK56 , increasing horsepower to 340 kW (455 hp). For 2025, the engines used in the class are set to be replaced with the twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre Toyota V35A , bringing about a power increase to 350 kW (470 hp). LMPC ( Le Mans Prototype Challenge ) was an earlier entry level class, introduced in 2009, consisting of competitors running identical Oreca FLM09 cars. The class
3111-521: The short-lived United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) used the classic Can-Am (CA) name for their prototypes. Since 2004, most series have switched to referring to these cars as Le Mans Prototypes . The American Le Mans Series , the successor to the IMSA GT Championship and the predecessor of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, officially referred to the cars simply as Prototypes (P1, P2, or PC). An LMP
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#17327808051853172-589: The sportscar championship of the 1970s. However, the USRRC collapsed before the end of 1999, with the series becoming the Rolex Sports Car Series chose to use the FIA's SR1 and SR2 formula instead. 1998 saw a great expansion for the ACO's LMP classes. Following the cancellation of the IMSA GT Championship at the end of 1998, the ACO allowed for the creation of the American Le Mans Series. This series used
3233-482: The top speed of the larger class. Both classes were intended to be able to compete for overall wins. Audi , Chrysler , Cadillac , and Panoz opted to use the LMP900 formula, while MG were the only major manufacturer to attempt the LMP675 class. The LMGTP class also continued, with Bentley being the only manufacturer to build a closed-cockpit prototype after the regulation changes in 2000. In 2017, in order to limit
3294-587: The two-car Dyson team in the American Le Mans Series , and RML in the Le Mans Endurance Series . However, RML had made extensive modifications to their car during the off-season, including the addition of a Judd XV675 V8 similar to Intersport's modification, leading to the new car being renamed the MG-Lola EX264. The car was now transferred to the LMP2 class, while Dyson's unmodified cars remained in LMP1. Dyson once again suffered against
3355-519: The upset. However, Intersport made an unusual decision for the final round at Petit Le Mans , deciding to replace the turbocharged MG engine with a new naturally aspirated Judd KV675 V8. This forced the team to make some mechanical changes to their car (now referred to as B01/60), but it was successful and the team managed to take the LMP675 win. Even with this perfect season for the EX257, Le Mans still saw problems. A single entry from Intersport failed to finish yet again, due to an engine failure after
3416-446: Was subject to adjustment to reduce the difference in performance between hybrid and non-hybrid cars. There were no limits on the number of cylinders for any type of engine. Bodywork was required to cover all mechanical elements of the car, so that they couldn't be visible when the car is viewed directly from the front, side, or top. The LMP1 cars were generally the most powerful, with higher straight-line speeds. The LMP1 category
3477-671: Was dropped in European Le Mans Series in 2014 . As the cost of running an LMPC team was found to be comparable to that for an LMP2 team, the class was dropped after the 2017 season in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. American Le Mans Series The American Le Mans' headquarters was in Braselton, Georgia , adjacent to Road Atlanta . In 2014, the series merged with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series to form
3538-451: Was launched, known as the " International Sports Racing Series ". Using classes similar to LMP1/WSC and LMP2, these cars were known as "SR1" and "SR2" by the FIA. 1998 saw the creation of another series of Le Mans Prototypes, with the new United States Road Racing Championship attempting to break away from the IMSA GT Championship. To differ from IMSA'S WSC class, the USRRC named their open-cockpit prototypes " Can-Am " in an attempt to resurrect
3599-429: Was retired at the end of the 2020 season, replaced by a new top class of the endurance racing: Hypercar . From 2017, in order to limit the costs, FIA introduced a new set of regulations, which will be locked in through 2025. The rules allow a significant power increase (150 horsepower) which is expected to lead to a four-second decrease in lap time at Le Mans. Gibson Technology is the exclusive engine supplier, producing
3660-519: Was running strong until the final few hours of the race, when the engine let go. The American KnightHawk team also participated, but their car succumbed to fire during the night. After two years of being unable to finish at Le Mans and financial strain on the MG Rover Group , the sports car project was cancelled. However Lola continued selling the cars to customers, offering continued technical support along with Advanced Engine Research . In
3721-752: Was the first motorsport racing series in North America to be recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA), the United States Department of Energy and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International) as a "Green Racing Series", and held an all-new series implemented on series races dedicated to the environment by holding their first-ever Green Challenge during
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