Ferrari Returns to American Le Mans Series With Two-Team Effort

The Risi Competizione team ended Porsche's GT winning streak at Lime Rock Park in 2004 in this Ferrari 360 Modena. Risi will campaign two Ferrari 430 GT cars in 2006. (Photo: Greg Nichols)

BRASELTON, Ga. - Risi Competizione will field two Ferrari 430 GT race cars in the GT2 class of the American Le Mans Series this season.

Team owner Giuseppe Risi said one Ferrari will campaign the entire season, including the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. A second car will compete at multiple races including the Lone Star Grand Prix to be staged in Houston, the team's home base, on May 12. Both cars will run on Michelin tires.

"We're very pleased to race a Ferrari again in the American Le Mans Series," Risi said. "We believe that this is the leading sports car series in the United States, and we are looking forward to the competition in the GT2 class."

The driver lineup will be highlighted by Ralf Kelleners, who returns to Risi Competizione and Ferrari after competing in two Series events last year with ACEMCO Motorsports in GT1. The 36-year-old German was with Risi in 2004 when Risi's Ferrari 360 Modena took a GT2 victory at Lime Rock, breaking Porsche's 21-race winning streak in the class.

Kelleners has made 28 starts in the American Le Mans Series with 11 podium finishes, all but two with Risi and Ferrari. Further driver announcements will be made at a later date.

The Risi Ferraris join a highly competitive GT2 class, which should see its deepest field in the eight-year history of the American Le Mans Series.

"Ferrari joins a GT2 class that is ripe with championship contenders," American Le Mans Series President and CEO Scott Atherton said. "A full field of cars from Ferrari, Porsche, Panoz, Lexus and BMW no doubt will entertain our fans at the tracks and the millions who will watch the American Le Mans Series on CBS and SPEED Channel."

The American Le Mans New England Grand Prix will be held at Lime Rock on June 30-July 1. Tickets are on sale now at www.limerock.com.