.: Bienvenue aux 24 Heures du Mans!

As Level 5 Motorsports teammates Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut head to France for the 78th running of the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans, a quick look at the past and present of this sports car racing classic is in order.

As the oldest sports car race in the world, Le Mans has a special place in motorsports lore. Adding to the legend is the unique setting and structure of the race. Held on 8.48 miles of closed public roads, the race brings incredible speeds from the world's most technologically-advanced sports cars. Only 55 cars are invited to participate and the one-of-a-kind qualifying process requires all teams to be within 10 percent of the speed of the fastest qualifier in order to race.

Over the years, the international field has consisted of some of the biggest names in racing. In 1979, legendary actor and sports car racer Paul Newman summed up his second-place effort in the grueling event with a simple remark: "I was like a piece of meat out there."

This year, there are less than 10 Americans in the world-class field. Tucker is one of only two in the LMP1 class -- the event's fastest division. The only other is Marco Andretti, Indy Racing star and grandson of the legendary Mario Andretti.

The other stars of the event are the cars. The machine that Tucker and Bouchut will pilot is the famed Audi R-10. The car has a remarkable four 24 Hours of Le Mans championships. Along the way, the 5.5 litre V12 diesel-powered racer clocked a record speed of 220 MPH and 13 fastest lap records in the European Le Mans Series. An engineering marvel, the car has 650 Horsepower, a five-speed, paddle shifting sequential gearbox and a full carbon fiber monocoque.

While Tucker is making his Le Mans debut, Bouchut brings tremendous experience in this race. He has 17 starts including a win in 1993. Along with his his wins in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 24 Hours of Spa, Bouchut has an endurance-racing record that puts him among the all-time greats.

This weekend's race will be seen by more than 100 million race fans in 170 counties. Nearly nine million are expected to watch the race online this year.

There are two qualifying sessions for the 24 Hours of LeMans Thursday, one set for 1 p.m. ET, with the other scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.

The green flag for 24 Hours of LeMans is scheduled to drop at 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday, with the checkered flag scheduled to drop at 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday. The SPEED Channel will televise the first four hours of the race live. Coverage will continue from 6 p.m. ET until the race's finish.

Here's a great video about the Audi R-10:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwU4UXL3kt4&feature=related