Level 5 Motorsports Prepares for Le Mans Prototype Debut, Famed 12 Hours of Sebring

SEBRING, Fla. - The Level 5 Motorsports team is preparing for a new era of sports car racing with this weekend's running of the 12-Hours of Sebring. The American Le Mans Series Season-opener marks the first race for the new Le Mans Prototype Challenge (LMPC).

The team has been on quite a roll already this year. First, they earned a podium spot for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Grand American Rolex Series event at Daytona International Speedway in January.

The owner/driver Scott Tucker won a Ferrari Challenge Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway last weekend. Now, the Level 5 team takes on perhaps its biggest challenge yet: two new LMPC cars and the ultra-competitive American Le Mans Series in one of the world's biggest endurance racing events.

"We've obviously prepared and executed well so far this season," Tucker said. "With this new Le Mans Prototype, we have some unknowns heading into this weekend. But this team has proven it can win and we've done our homework so we feel very confident about our chances in this very prestigious race."

Tucker recently earned two podium finishes at Circuit Paul Ricard in France driving for Hope Financial in the Formula Le Mans series. That series features a car very similar to the new Oreca Prototype he will wheel this weekend.

Level 5 has entered two Microsoft Office 2010-sponsored entries in this weekend's race and will feature a of host of successful endurance racers sharing seat time with Tucker, who will once again pull double duty in each car, a historic first for the LMPC class.

Christophe Bouchut was Tucker's teammate for 2009 and returns in 2010 for another full season of racing. Bouchut, one of the most successful endurance drivers in the world, is a past winner of the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 24 Hours of Spa. He has also won three Porsche Carrera Cup France championships, three FIA GT titles and a FFSA GT championship. He is the only triple FIA GT champion in history. In addition, he is the only driver in this class to have won the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans, making him the most accomplished driver in the field.

"This season's objective is to win the ALMS title from the first year," Bouchut said. "With Scott, we form a very good pair, very solid, very homogenous and extremely competitive; this will be vitally important."

Also in that No. 55 entry with Tucker and Bouchut will be Toronto - native Mark Wilkins who has experience in various racing series. In 2004, he earned his first podium (third) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona (SGS Class) repeating a year later taking third in GT. This will be his first 12 Hours of Sebring.

"Level 5 runs a first-class operation and will put a good car on track for Christophe, Scott and myself," Wilkins said. "I have raced against both of these drivers and there is an intensity that will work in our favor during the race. I am looking forward to getting into the Oreca, working with the team and focusing on a good result next Saturday."

The second Level 5 Motorsports entry will find another frequent Tucker co-star behind the wheel. IZOD IndyCar standout Ryan Hunter - Reay will share driving duties of the No. 95 LMP. Hunter-Reay is coming off a fantastic run in the IZOD IndyCar Series season-opener, the Sao Paulo Indy 300 in Brazil, where he finished second in his Andretti Autosport entry.

"I'm really looking forward to the 12-Hours of Sebring," Hunter Reay said. "These new Le Mans Prototypes should be a blast to drive and I know the Level 5 crew will bring their 'A' game for this."

The No. 95 entry will also see the Level 5 Motorsports debut of driver James Gue. Gue is running the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT series with Dempsey Racing.

"The 12-Hours of Sebring is one of those races that every racer wants to win," Gue said. "With this car and this team, I feel we have a real shot."

The American Le Mans Series will open its 12th season with America's greatest sports car race, the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida, March 17-20. The green flag will wave at 10:35 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, March 20, with live coverage on SPEED.

Visit the American Le Mans Series' schedule page for ticket and accommodation information.

About Microsoft Office 2010

The Microsoft® Office system provides tools to help people quickly and easily create great-looking documents, spreadsheets and presentations, organize and search for information in one place, and keep everything in one place, all with enhanced security. www.office.microsoft.com

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. www.microsoft.com