Lowe s Fernandez Racing returns to familiar territory this weekend as the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) makes its debut in a premier West Coast event - the 33rd Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Team owner/driver Adrian Fernandez has been competing on the challenging temporary race circuit through the streets of Long Beach, Calif., for over a decade. Co-driver Luis Diaz is also not lacking in experience with five career starts at Long Beach including a win in last year s Grand-Am race.
While new to ALMS competition, Lowe s Fernandez Racing has made an impressive start and currently sits second in the LMP2 class point standings. Fernandez and Diaz looked poised for Victory Lane two weeks ago at the Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg until a costly late-race penalty knocked the #15 Lowe s Acura Lola out of the lead. Knowing they have a car capable of meeting the demands of a temporary street course, Fernandez and Diaz feel they are ready to challenge at Long Beach.
Race Notes:
• Circuit - 1.968-mile temporary street course
• Saturday s ALMS race will be 1 hour 40 minutes (4:00 pm PT start)
• A driver may not drive more than 1 hour 10 minutes total in the race
Of Note:
• Fernandez is the most experienced driver in the ALMS field on the streets of Long Beach having made 13 career starts on the temporary street circuit [one in Grand Am, 11 in Champ Car and one in Indy Lights competition]
• Fernandez claimed his best finish at Long Beach of second in 2003 driving for Fernandez Racing in the Champ Car Series; his best starting position was third in 1998 in Champ Car
• Diaz was last year s polesitter and race winner in the Grand-Am race at Long Beach
• Diaz has made a total of five career starts at Long Beach [two in Indy Lights, two in Atlantics and one in Grand Am]
• Following two rounds of ALMS competition [Sebring and St. Petersburg], Fernandez and Diaz currently sit second in the LMP2 championship standings, only three points out of first
• A first-year team in ALMS competition, Lowe s Fernandez Racing has claimed two top-five results to date – second at Sebring and fourth at St. Petersburg
• Fernandez entered sports car competition in 2006 after a successful career at the top levels of open-wheel racing
• Diaz, voted “Driver of the Year” in Mexico in 2006, brings the most sports car racing experience to the team with eight wins in three years of Grand-Am competition
