Tucker Completes Successful ALMS Weekend at Long Beach

Tucker Completes Successful ALMS Weekend at Long Beach With Podium Finish, Fastest Race Lap, Pole Position and New Track Record

LONG BEACH, Calif. - After setting a track record in qualifying, Level 5 Motorsports' No. 55 Le Mans Prototype Challenge entry continued its history making run in the American Le Mans Series by posting a podium finish on the challenging Long Beach, Calif., street circuit. The second-place finish allows owner / driver Scott Tucker and veteran Christophe Bouchut to maintain their position atop the point standings.

"It was a great day for the Microsoft Office 2010 Level 5 crew," Tucker said. "This is one of the toughest circuits we'll run all year and to be able to set a track record and back it up with a podium finish is incredible."

Tucker and Bouchut carried tremendous momentum into the weekend's race following their history-making win the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring last month. Bouchut posted a record time in qualifying proving that the team was determined to be the class of the field once again.

"The Level 5 crew makes sure the car is ready every race," Bouchut said. "It is our job as drivers to keep the car out of trouble and run a smart a race. We did that again today."

Bouchut, the most successful endurance sports car racer in the field, waged a furious battle with Gunnar Jeannette in qualifying and carried that over to Saturday's race with Jeannette edging Bouchut at the checkered flag. Bouchut set the race's fastest lap in the LMPC class on lap 56, but the stellar effort was not enough to regain the lead.

The Long Beach street course has long been considered one of the most challenging on the American Le Mans Series schedule. True to form, the course was slick and passing opportunities were rare.

"The track got pretty dirty as the race wore on," Tucker said. "Combine that with how narrow it is and you've got your hands full."

Tucker fought traffic during his time behind the wheel and posted increasingly fast lap times as the race progressed. This helped the team to secure its second-consecutive podium finish in the inaugural season of LMPC competition.

The American Le Mans Series resumes May 22 at the historic Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterrey, Calif. The event will be televised nationally May 29, 2010, at 1:30 pm ET on CBS. Visit Americanlemans.com for more 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