ALMS Announces VP Racing Fuels as Official Racing Gasoline Supplier

With a new 3-year agreement beginning in 2012, VP Racing Fuels has increased its level of partnership with the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr¢n and the International Motor Sports Association. The agreement calls for VP – provider of racing fuel to the Series and its sanctioning body for the last four years – to continue as the Official Racing Gasoline Supplier to ALMS and IMSA through 2014, the organizations announced today.

As such, VP will continue supplying VP100, its ethanol-enriched E10 unleaded fuel, and cellulosic E85 fuels for the ALMS. VP also provides VP100 to the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama and Cooper Tire Prototype Lites powered by Mazda. The two are the top-level development championships in the IMSA family, and prepare drivers and teams for competition in the American Le Mans Series.

“With VP on the leading edge of race fuel technology, ALMS has long served as the perfect platform to showcase the use of our fuels in some of the most technologically advanced vehicles on the planet," said Alan Cerwick, President of VP Racing Fuels. “As our retail branding program unfolds, it made sense to ramp up and leverage our relationship to introduce to ALMS’ tech-savvy fans and performance enthusiasts our VP-branded retail gas stations and the performance products to be found there. In turn, we anticipate using the stores to help increase attendance and audience for ALMS racing, so it’s a true win-win."

VP’s consumer marketing push is a major component to its activation program. In addition to its own efforts, the ALMS will offer VP representatives and their guests premium event and hospitality experiences that showcase the link between VP’s products for the race track and its consumer offerings. Additionally, VP will have a significant presence in the Series’ race coverage on ABC, ESPN2 and ESPN3.

The position of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr¢n as the Global Leader of Green Racing bodes well for VP’s participation as a supplier and partner. The ALMS rulebook allows for multiple energy options as competitors and partners alike push energy-efficient automotive technology in the most extreme setting possible – world-class endurance road racing.

"Competitors in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr¢n and IMSA development championships are part of the most rigorous and demanding forms of racing in the world," said Scot Elkins, IMSA COO. "Having technical partners like VP Racing Fuels in our paddocks is key to continually delivering exciting products for our fans. VP's commitment to ALMS and IMSA, along with its plans for activation around our events, is exemplary and one for which we are thankful."

The American Le Mans Series next travels to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the third round of the 10-race championship. The six-hour American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patr¢n is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 12 from the 2.238-mile circuit in Monterey, Calif. ESPN2 will air the race at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 13. Live coverage is available starting at 4:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.

Viewers outside the U.S. can watch the Monterey round and all ALMS races live on ALMS.com. The Series’ website offers additional content such as live in-car cameras, and timing and scoring for all users around the world.