Level 5 Motorsports and Microsoft Office 2010: Fast friends

p>As one of the premier teams in the American Le Mans Series' Le Mans Prototype Challenge, Level 5 Motorsports knows that it takes teamwork to mount a successful campaign in the highly competitive world of professional motorsports. That is what makes having Microsoft Office 2010 part of the team so important.

"This is well beyond a typical race car-sponsor relationship," Level 5 owner / driver Scott Tucker said. "We've allowed them into our operation to see how we use Office 2010 to support our team. And they, in turn, have helped us get even more out of the software. That certainly helps us get the most out of our efforts, which translates into winning races."

With Microsoft Office on board since the season-opener at Florida's Sebring International Raceway, the Level 5 team has been on quite a roll. The team has four victories and sits atop the point standings. But, heading into this inaugural season for the LMPC in the American Le Mans Series, there were many unknowns.

"This team brought a lot of racing experience to the table, but certainly the new car presented us all with quite a learning curve," Tucker said. "Our success on the track shows the professionalism of this whole team."

That professionalism and experience attracted Microsoft Office and fueled this unique sponsorship program, the first of its kind for Microsoft Office. The platform was developed by Level 5's marketing and communications agency, Anthem Media Group.

"We knew we had a unique opportunity with Microsoft Office," said Brian Weaver, CEO of Anthem Media Group. "We were able to tailor this program around their very specific set of objectives and drive tremendous value through this relationship."

The exposure earned by the multiple-race-winning team is only the beginning for Microsoft Office. The software giant, and Microsoft service partner Core BTS, has become embedded with Level 5 Motorsports to experience first-hand the demands of running the organization.

"Certainly we were attracted to this sponsorship for the traditional reasons: great exposure for our products. But, we also saw that we could do something rather unique with this opportunity," said Chris Barry, Director in Microsoft Office. "We wanted to show how Office 2010 could help even the highly technical, fast-paced business of racing be more productive."

The hands-on approach for Microsoft Office was essential to understanding the day-to-day needs of the team. From office personnel, to crew members to drivers --Office 2010 is a part of nearly every facet of the team's activities.

"There are more moving parts to this operation than most people realize," said David Stone, Team Manager for Level 5. "Microsoft Office and Core BTS got an up-close view of what the race team is all about. And, they certainly have a product capable of supporting this effort."

For their part, Core BTS was thrilled to have the chance to undertake such a project.

"In my 17 years of consulting, I have helped many businesses leverage Microsoft platforms in a variety of different ways," said Nicholas Morris, Vice President of Enterprise Architecture, Core BTS. "But nothing has inspired us quite like the opportunity with Level 5. It became apparent while developing the solution that Office 2010 presented a real competitive advantage for the team and provided an excellent platform for rapid development."

This weekend, as the ALMS races at Wisconsin's Road America, Microsoft Officials and the Core BTS team will be trackside as Level 5 race competes at the highest level.

"We're looking forward to seeing just how this incredible organization puts all of the planning into action," Barry said. "We'll be looking to help them find even more ways that Microsoft products can help."

The result of this weekend's activities, and the months of work that have gone into this program, will be a series of video case studies that will demonstrate the power of Microsoft Office to support any business. Those videos and the supporting information will be made available to IT professionals and other users of Microsoft Office later this summer.

"If you think Office 2010 solutions are only relevant within office buildings, the solution we implemented for Level 5 shoots that idea right out the window," added Tim McKellips, Solutions Architect with Core BTS. "It is truly amazing what the product can do for any organization, race teams included, when applied intelligently to their unique needs."

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

About Core BTS

Core BTS, Inc. is a leading business transformation company, providing organizations comprehensive IT solutions through True Lifecycle Management. Across the breadth of Core's competencies in data center, security, application development, collaboration, managed services and Inacom Learning practices, Core maintains a unique and consistent methodology that begins with business analysis, continues with scope and deployment, and closes with hands-on training and ongoing support.

Core brings clients the expertise, availability, knowledge and talent of more than 350 skilled professionals. Core BTS is headquartered in Madison, WI, with offices across the Midwest and East Coast. For more information, visit www.corebts.com.

About Level 5 Motorsports

Level 5 Motorsports has fielded successful entries in the American Le Mans Series, NASCAR Grand Am Series, Ferrari Challenge Series and the Sports Car Club of America since 2005. Owner and driver Scott Tucker has earned national championships and numerous podium finishes in his illustrious driving career.

 

Level 5 Qualifies on Pole in ALMS Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock, Sets New Course Record

Bouchut, Tucker Turn in Record-Setting Qualifying Runs at Lime Rock
In a very soggy day at the track, Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut turned in impressive qualifying runs at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, Friday afternoon. Tucker ran a solid lap of 1:05.617 and qualified the No. 95 Level 5 Motorsports ORECA FLM09 at fourth in Saturday's Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix. Bouchut led the field for the session, qualifying the No. 55 Level 5 Motorsports ORECA FLM09 in the first spot with a new-course record time of 1:03.020 for the LMP Challenge class.

Tucker will team with Bouchut, in the No. 55. He will also spend time behind the wheel of the No. 95 car with teammate Andy Wallace. During the afternoon practice session, Bouchut put up the best-in-class lap time in the No. 55 LMPC Oreca FLM09. His time of 1:04.980 put him at the top for the session. Bouchut overcame a spin in wet conditions and rallied to start in first in class.

Tucker and Bouchut come into this weekend's 2-hour, 45-minute race having won three of the first four ALMS events in 2010. They have taken checkered flags at Sebring, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Miller Motorsports Park while finishing second on the Streets of Long Beach, California.

The duo has an 11-point lead in the LMPC standings over Gunnar Jeannette before starting the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix. The 1.5-mile, 10-turn road course has developed a reputation as a track where passing comes at a premium. That is what made Friday's qualifying session so crucial.

"Starting up front in the LMP Challenge class was a priority because it's very difficult to pass at this track," Tucker said.
Both Tucker and Bouchut will make their first starts at historic Lime Rock Park this weekend.

The green flag is scheduled to wave on the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on the SPEED Channel beginning at 2 p.m. ET, with a re-broadcast scheduled for Sunday at midnight.

The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix is the fifth of nine races in the American Le Mans Series in 2010. Events remain at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (August 5-7), Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (August 20-22), Mosport in Canada (August 27-29), and the Petit Le Mans endurance race in Braselton, Georgia (September 29-October 2).