The fastest cars on the track were also the most efficient as the race-winning Acura prototype of de Ferran Motorsports and the GT2 class-winning Porsche from Flying Lizard Motorsports also won the Michelin Green X Challenge awards here at Lime Rock Park, the fifth stop of the 2009 American Le Mans Series season.
De Ferran Motorsports Acura became the first three-time winner of the Michelin Green X Challenge, taking Prototype honors at the Northeast Grand Prix at the scenic 1.51 mile circuit located in the Berkshire Mountain foothills.
“The Michelin Green X Challenge is a prize that our team and Acura both treasure very much,” said winning team owner and co-driver Gil de Ferran. “Acura and our team work very hard to win this award. Our fuel efficiency is quite important in winning races and Acura treasures this award.”
Developed in cooperation with the United States Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and SAE International., the Michelin Green X Challenge is a race within the race at every 2009 ALMS event. The awards are based upon a formula developed by the Argonne National Laboratory including over 30 measures of speed, distance, energy use, emissions, and environmental impact.
“The Michelin Green X Challenge is very special to us,” said Patrick Long, co-driver of the winning Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche team. The ALMS is the global leader in ‘green racing’ and this is something that we can do for the fans. We are all learning how to go faster, but more efficiently. Porsche has done a great job providing us a very efficient car and engine. We are very happy to win this award for a second time.”
Presenting the awards was Carl Simon, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Racing in a park like setting here in the Northeast, we saw families and younger fans connecting the links between the efficiency of the cars, engines, tires and the environment,” said Silvia Mammone, Michelin motorsports manager.
