Agreement with Patrick Racing for Research and Development

BRASELTON, Ga. (June 20, 2012) - The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), sanctioning body for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, announced that it has entered into an agreement with Jackson, Mich.-based Patrick Racing to research and develop natural gas as an alternative fuel for the Series' Prototype Challenge cars.

Embracing natural gas as a safe and abundant fuel, IMSA/ALMS and Patrick Racing will identify development and testing opportunities for the source to power the Series' PC cars, beginning as early as the 2013 season.

"We are the only racing series recognized to comply with the Green Racing protocols developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and SAE International," said IMSA and ALMS Chief Operating Officer Scot Elkins. "These organizations see Green Racing as a way to foster technology developments for tomorrow's consumer production vehicles, enhance national energy security, and reduce carbon emissions. We view the addition of natural gas to the Series as a means of continuing our mission to be on the front line of automotive technology advancement, while providing unequalled entertainment for our fans."

ALMS' Prototype Challenge class features the ORECA FLM09, a race car with a minimum weight of 1,985 pounds and powered by a 430-horsepower Chevrolet LS3 engine. The FLM09 features a full carbon fiber chassis, carbon Brakes and an Xtrac sequential gearbox with paddle shifting.

Green Racing is a major component of ALMS' platform. Two Green Racing competitions are in play every time ALMS cars hit the track: the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge aimed at ALMS teams and the GREEN CHALLENGE^TM aimed at vehicle manufacturers. These challenges form a "race within a race" that build on the ALMS' intense competition while measuring the factors that determine which car is winning the world's most important race - the race to an energy-secure and economically vibrant future.