Merchant Services Racing Ready For Season Finale at Road Atlanta

Merchant Services Racing returns to action this week at historic Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia for the 2012 season finale, the American Le Mans Series presented by Patrón 15th Annual Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda.

Deciding to focus all their energy on a single car effort, the team will field the No. 8 Butterfield Farms PC Oreca with Kyle Marcelli, Chapman Ducote and Matt Downs sharing the driving duties. Marcelli lead last year’s Petit Le Mans right down to the last lap only to get caught in traffic just fractions of a second from taking the checkered flag.

“We are excited about running one car,” said BAR1 Motorsports team owner and manager of the Merchant Services Racing program, Brian Alder. “It’s like stacking the deck, so-to-speak.”

The team has continuously improved in every area imaginable throughout the season. By putting the emphasis on one car, the team hopes to see thier efforts pay off in the final race of the season.

“We’re concentrating on winning the race and finishing 2nd in the team championship,” added Alder. “I’ve personally had lots of success at Petitt…I’m hoping for more of the same this year.”

Petit Le Mans uses the rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), slightly modified to allow additional cars to compete.

The race was founded by Road Atlanta owner Don Panoz and first run on October 10, 1998 as part of the IMSA season. The 1999 edition was one of the original events of the American Le Mans Series.

The race covers a maximum of 1,000 miles (1,600 km) (which is approximately 394 laps) or a maximum of 10 hours, whichever comes first; only once, in the rain-stopped 2009 race, has the leading team failed to complete 1,000 miles (1,600 km). Class winners at Petit receive an automatic invitation to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Photo John Thawley