Maassen and Luhr are back!

[Mags]

champion addition

BAM! (British American Motorsport) will add two champions to its driver lineup for the 2004 American Le Mans Series. Lucas Luhr of Monaco and Sascha Maassen of Raeren, Belgium will join Leo Hindery, Jr. of New York behind the wheel of the No. 43 YES Network Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Luhr and Maassen were ALMS GT co-champions in 2002 and 2003, driving an Alex Job Racing Porsche.

Hindery will drive in the remaining eight ALMS races this year. Luhr and Maassen, both Porsche factory drivers, will compete in six races that do not conflict with their duties in the European FIA GT Championship. Both will race with Hindery at Lime Rock Park and at Laguna Seca Raceway. Luhr will also drive at Mosport International Raceway and at Road America. Maassen will drive at Sears Point Raceway and at Portland International Raceway.

BAM! co-owner Peter Baron will drive with Hindery at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Porsche factory driver Mike Rockenfeller of Neuwied, Germany will join Hindery and Baron for the Petit Le Mans. The trio drove together in the 2003 Petit Le Mans and the 2004 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

no mistakes

"It's a good opportunity to have my championship try in Europe and to still be involved in American racing with a great new American racing team with a lot of potential. The BAM! crew doesn't make any mistakes and that's what you need to win," Maassen said.

"It will feel strange competing against Alex Job, but of course they are the main competition. I'll feel really bad competing against them - until I put on my helmet."

BAM! benefits

The BAM! car will be prepared by team co-owner and technical director Tim Munday of Jupiter, Fla., supported by a strong British and American crew. Peter Baron of Deerfield Beach, Fla., will oversee operations as co-owner and business director.

Luhr appreciates the career advantage of racing on two continents. "Thanks to Leo for giving us the opportunity to drive with him. It gives us the ability to race in the U.S. and also in Europe, and that's a big advantage. If we can do both, more people will know us," he said.

"From my point of view, Tim is one of the best mechanics in the whole paddock. I am absolutely confident in the whole package - the crew, a brand-new car with Michelin tires, everything that we need for a win. And a nice bonus, we have Play Station in our truck!"

[Fogelhund]

Holy Mother Load, thanks for the info Mags.

That should keep the AJR boys in check some.

[Fogelhund]

BAM! ALMS driver assignments:

12 Hours of Sebring - 3/20 - Baron, Hindery, Rockenfeller
Sebring, Fla.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - 6/27 - Baron, Hindery
Lexington, Ohio

Lime Rock Park - 7/5 - Hindery, Luhr, Maassen
Lime Rock, Conn.

Infineon Raceway - 7/18 - Hindery, Maassen
Sonoma, Calif.

Portland Intl Raceway - 7/25 - Hindery, Maassen
Portland, Ore.

Mosport Intl Raceway - 8/8 - Hindery, Luhr
Bowmanville, Ont.

Road America - 8/22 - Hindery, Luhr
Elkhart Lake, Wis.

Petit Le Mans - 9/25 - Baron, Hindery, Rockenfeller
Braselton, Ga.

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - 10/16 - Hindery, Luhr, Maassen
Monterey, Calif.

[Fogelhund]

I wonder though, where will Rockenfeller be racing now?

[BSchneiderFan]

Maassen and Luhr will be racking up the frequent flier miles, certainly.

But how good is Hindery? He's the lynchpin of the whole effort, after all. I still wouldn't bet against Bernhard/Bergmeister and Lieb/Dumas.

[Liz]

Carrera Cup. They want him to win it before they assign him permanently to a team.

"Their FIA-GT duties" with whom? I have heard they may drive with Freisinger, but nobody has confirmed this. Does anyone know?

[BSchneiderFan]

Maassen and Luhr have already been driving the second Freisinger car at Monza last weekend, Ortelli and Collard being in the first.

[Liz]

Thanks for that information -- I thought it would be Freisinger.

Hindery is at least as good as Kevin Buckler was the year he and two PFT drivers won the GT class at Le Mans.