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Pastorelli, Schwager to lead full-season ALMS charge in Yokohama-shod GT2 entry
West Racing named Nicky Pastorelli and Dominik Schwager as the first two drivers of its Yokohama Tire Corporation-sponsored Lamborghini on Monday. The two were teammates in last year’s FIA GT1 championship and will campaign West Racing’s first ADVAN® A005 tire-shod Lamborghini in the 2011 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.
As reported earlier, the team hopes to test at Sebring later this month and plans to return for the annual Winter Test from February 9-10. It will make its race debut at the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on March 19.
“West Racing owner Eduardo Espindola has hired two top-notch, seasoned pros,” said Andrew Briggs, Yokohama senior manager of motorsports. “The competition will be tough, but Nicky and Dominik have experience racing Lamborghinis, so we’re anticipating an exciting, successful season. I’m confident Yokohama’s motorsports heritage will be very well represented by Nicky and Dominik and the entire West Racing Team.”
“I’m proud to be part of the West-Yokohama racing team,” said the Dutch-born/Italian-bred Pastorelli, who won the European F3000 championship in 2004. “It’s a great challenge to be part of a new project and help make it successful.”
Pastorelli has seven ALMS starts to his credit – all with VICI Racing in a GT2 Porsche. His best finish was a fifth-place showing with Johannes Stuck at Utah in 2009.
The ALMS campaign will reunite the German-born Schwager with Yokohama. In 2004, he was a driver of the ADVAN-shod Toyota Supra in the Japanese Super GT series. “I’ve always been interested in ALMS racing, so this is a tremendous opportunity,” he said. “Because we’re a new team, I know the task ahead is going to be demanding, but thanks to technology partners like Yokohama, I know we’ll be competitive.”
West Racing and the rest of American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will open 2011 at the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 19. The race, set for 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 19, will be shown in its live and in its entirety on ESPN3.com and americanlemans.com. ABC will provide coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 20. Visit the American Le Mans Series’ schedule page for information on tickets and area accommodations.
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