Level 5 Motorsports Team Turns in Stellar Qualifying Effort for Petit Le Mans

BRASELTON, Ga. -- With a championship in sight, Scott Tucker and the Level 5 Motorsports team are preparing for a lengthy race Saturday -- the 10-hour Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Tucker will start the prestigious American Le Mans Series season finale from the No. 6 position in the LMP Challenge class after a solid qualifying effort Friday afternoon in the No. 95 ORECA FLM09.

Tucker ran a best lap of 1:18.342 around the 2.54-mile, 12-turn road course. His teammate, Christophe Bouchut, qualified in the fifth position in the LMPC class with a best lap of 1:16.483.

The championship race couldn't get any tighter. Tucker and Gunnar Jeannette of Green Earth Team Gunnar come into the ALMS finale tied for the lead in the LMPC standings. Whoever finishes ahead of the other Saturday evening will win the title.

Jeannette qualified second Friday with a lap of 1:15.525.

"It all comes down to Saturday, for all the marbles," Tucker said. "The season has been an unbelievable one for the Microsoft Office Level 5 team, and we want to finish it off with a bang. Our cars were very good in practice and they were good in qualifying. We can't wait to get out there and race."

The Level 5 Motorsports team brings a championship driver lineup to Road Atlanta for the Petit Le Mans. Tucker will co-drive the No. 95 Microsoft Office-sponsored ORECA FLM09, along with Marco Werner and Burt Frisselle. He will also co-drive the No. 55 Microsoft Office-sponsored ORECA FLM09 along with Bouchut and Mark Wilkins.

Earlier this season, Wilkins, a regular in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, helped the No. 55 team win the LMPC class at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring. Bouchut, who has co-driven with Tucker throughout the ALMS season, was also a member of that winning effort.

Frisselle is also a regular in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Werner is a three-time class champion (2003, 2004, 2008) is the American Le Mans Series.

Thursday's practice session saw Bouchut navigate the 2.54-mile, 12-turn road course with a fast lap of 1:17.455. He improved his time Friday morning with a lap of 1:16.274.

"Road Atlanta is a very difficult road course, especially with the esses between Turn 3 and Turn 5," Tucker said. "I was very pleased with what I saw from our cars during the practice session Thursday night and Friday afternoon. Thursday's session was two hours long, and that gave us a good idea of the setup we are going to need for the cars.

"This is a long race. We have been preparing for this one for several weeks. The Level 5 Motorsports team has brought some great cars and we're ready for qualifying and the race. It's time to take home a championship."

Endurance races have been the forté of the Level 5 Motorsports team in 2010. After finishing on the overall podium during the prestigious Rolex 24 At Daytona, Tucker led the NO. 55 team to victory at Sebring.

"It's been a while since we have participated in an endurance race, but we have all of the tools to get the job done," said team manager David Stone. "We definitely have a very solid driver lineup.

"We've been pointing toward this race for a long time, and we're excited for Scott and the opportunity that lies before him to win a championship. We are going to do everything in our power to help him win that championship."

The green flag is scheduled to wave on the Petit Le Mans at 11:20 a.m. ET Saturday. The race will be broadcast on the SPEED Channel beginning at 11 a.m.