Tucker, Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports Team Look to Continue New Jersey Success Story

With three victories already behind him in the Ferrari Challenge Series in 2010, Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports driver Scott Tucker has his sights set on two more this weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

The 2.25-mile, 14-turn road course in Millville, New Jersey, is conducive to success for Tucker and the Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team. In 2009, Tucker set a track record there in qualifying in his F430 and finished a solid second in the first event. He led every lap in winning the second race of the weekend.

"We are really looking forward to going back to New Jersey," Tucker said. "When you see a track where you have won before on the schedule, you can't help but be enthusiastic about returning there.

"We had a couple of really good races there a year ago, and we have the track record for qualifying. We are hoping for more of the same success this weekend."

Tucker has posted one victory at each event in which the team has participated in 2010. He has scored checkered flags at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Miller Motorsports Park and Infineon Raceway.

The Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team did not race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal in June due to a commitment to the American Le Mans Series. Despite missing that event, Tucker comes into this weekend third in the Ferrari Challenge Series championship standings.

"Winning races is where our focus is. We expect to come out of New Jersey with a pair of victories," Tucker said.

Qualifying for the first race of Round 5 of the Ferrari Challenge Series is set for 12:05 p.m. ET Saturday, and the green flag is scheduled to wave at 2:30 p.m. ET. Qualifying for the second race is set for 10 a.m. ET Sunday, with the green flag scheduled to wave at 2:15 p.m. ET.

ABOUT BOARDWALK

Boardwalk Ferrari, Located in Plano, Tex., is one of the nation's leading Ferrari and Maserati dealerships. The company has extensive involvement in motorsports including relationships in the American Le Mans Series and their extremely successful sponsorship of Level Five Motorsports Ferrari Challenge entry.

ABOUT CROWN ROYAL CANADIAN WHISKY

Crown Royal Canadian whisky is the number one selling Canadian whisky brand in the United States by value, and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal Canadian whisky's smooth, elegant style reflects its aristocratic origins and is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information visit www.crownroyal.com. It's about quality, not quantity.

ABOUT DIAGEO

Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com. Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly.

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Tucker, Level 5 Battle to Solid Finish at Lime Rock Park

Despite difficult weather conditions all weekend at Lime Rock Park, Scott Tucker and the Level 5 Motorsports team fought to a strong third-place finish in the LMP Challenge class in Saturday's American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix.

With temperatures soaring into the 90s and the humidity making it feel much hotter Saturday, Tucker brought the No. 95 ORECA FLM09 home behind Gunnar Jeanette and Elton Julian, drivers of the No. 99 ORECA FLM09, and Alex Figge and Tom Popadopoulous, drivers of the No. 52 ORECA FLM09. The third-place finish in the LMP Challenge class allowed Tucker to maintain his lead in the ALMS championship standings.

Tucker continues to lead the LMPC standings over Jeanette and Level 5 Motorsports teammate Christophe Bouchut.

Tucker took over the seat of the No. 95 ORECA FLM09 for Andy Wallace -- who started fourth in class -- just past the halfway point of the 2-hour, 45-minute event at the 1.5-mile, 10-turn road course. He spun out shortly after on Lap 82, but didn't lose any ground among LMPC competitors.

"Andy did well for us the first half of the race. When I jumped in the car, we continued to stay steady," Tucker said. "We didn't get up there and challenge for the victory today, which is disappointing. But, we came home with a good finish."

With heavy rain coming down Friday, Bouchut set a track qualifying record of 1:02.020 for the LMP Challenge class in the No. 55 Level 5 Motorsports ORECA FLM09. The car never made a lap, however, as Bouchut suffered an accident in practice Saturday morning, keeping the car out of competition Saturday.

"That was a tough break for all of us," Tucker said. "The team prepared two really good race cars and we were looking to put another one in the victory column. It was unfortunate what happened in practice. But, we will put this past us, move on to the next race and continue our quest for a championship." Tucker and Bouchut came into the American Le Mans Grand Prix with an 11-point lead over Jeannette in the LMPC standings.

A rebroadcast of the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix will be shown Sunday evening, July 25, at midnight on the SPEED Channel.

The Level 5 Motorsports team will take a week off from the American Le Mans Series before returning to action for the sixth race of the season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course August 5-7. The race will be broadcast live on the SPEED Channel.

ALMS events also remain at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (August 20-22), Mosport in Canada (August 27-29), and the Petit Le Mans endurance race at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on September 29-October 2.

Tucker and Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports will participate in a pair of races in the Ferrari Challenge Series on July 31 and August 1 at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

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Level 5 Qualifies on Pole in ALMS Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock, Sets New Course Record

Bouchut, Tucker Turn in Record-Setting Qualifying Runs at Lime Rock In a very soggy day at the track, Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut turned in impressive qualifying runs at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, Friday afternoon. Tucker ran a solid lap of 1:05.617 and qualified the No. 95 Level 5 Motorsports ORECA FLM09 at fourth in Saturday's Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix. Bouchut led the field for the session, qualifying the No. 55 Level 5 Motorsports ORECA FLM09 in the first spot with a new-course record time of 1:03.020 for the LMP Challenge class.

Tucker will team with Bouchut, in the No. 55. He will also spend time behind the wheel of the No. 95 car with teammate Andy Wallace. During the afternoon practice session, Bouchut put up the best-in-class lap time in the No. 55 LMPC Oreca FLM09. His time of 1:04.980 put him at the top for the session. Bouchut overcame a spin in wet conditions and rallied to start in first in class.

Tucker and Bouchut come into this weekend's 2-hour, 45-minute race having won three of the first four ALMS events in 2010. They have taken checkered flags at Sebring, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Miller Motorsports Park while finishing second on the Streets of Long Beach, California.

The duo has an 11-point lead in the LMPC standings over Gunnar Jeannette before starting the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix. The 1.5-mile, 10-turn road course has developed a reputation as a track where passing comes at a premium. That is what made Friday's qualifying session so crucial.

"Starting up front in the LMP Challenge class was a priority because it's very difficult to pass at this track," Tucker said. Both Tucker and Bouchut will make their first starts at historic Lime Rock Park this weekend.

The green flag is scheduled to wave on the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on the SPEED Channel beginning at 2 p.m. ET, with a re-broadcast scheduled for Sunday at midnight.

The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix is the fifth of nine races in the American Le Mans Series in 2010. Events remain at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (August 5-7), Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (August 20-22), Mosport in Canada (August 27-29), and the Petit Le Mans endurance race in Braselton, Georgia (September 29-October 2).

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Level 5 Team Brings Momentum, Points Lead to Lime Rock

Scott Tucker is never one to back down from a good challenge. He and the Level 5 Motorsports team will be faced with yet another this weekend when the American Le Mans Series visits Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut.

This is Tucker's first visit to the 1.5-mile, 10-turn road course. But, then, new tracks have never bothered him before.

"Lime Rock Park is a shorter road course than most of the ones on which we race," Tucker said. "It presents unique challenges for a driver. It's a narrow track, so it's not easy to pass. In turn, it's not easy to be passed.

"Therefore, we need to be able to qualify well. We need to start up front in our class, and that's what we intend to do."

Tucker and the Level 5 Motorsports team come into the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix - a 2-hour, 45-minute event - on a roll and in first place in the LMP Challenge class standings. The team has won three of the first four races of the 2010 season, including two weeks ago at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

Tucker and Christophe Bouchut, who will drive the No. 55 ORECA FLM09 this weekend at Lime Rock, lead the LMPC standings by 11 points over Gunnar Jeannette and by 27 points over third-place Elton Julian.

The team's second car, the No. 95 ORECA FLM09, will be piloted by veteran Andy Wallace and Tucker. Wallace has driven the last two American Le Mans Series events for Level 5 Motorsports.

"We've got a great deal of momentum coming into Lime Rock," said Level 5 Motorsports Team Manager David Stone. "We need to be able to maintain that. Scott has never raced at Lime Rock and neither has Christophe. Andy hasn't been there to race in about 10 years.

"But, nobody else has raced an LMPC car at Lime Rock, so I don't think anybody has an advantage going in. There is one exception, of course, and that's Scott and his tenacity to get to Victory Lane. That's an advantage for us."

Tucker and Bouchut have won ALMS races this season at Sebring, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Miller Motorsports Park. The tandem finished second on the Streets of Long Beach, California.

Prior to coming to Lime Rock this week, the Level 5 Motorsports team will be at Watkins Glen International in upstate New York for a test session in preparation for a Ferrari Challenge Series race later this year.

A 20-minute qualifying session for the LMPC class is scheduled for Friday beginning at 4:40 p.m. ET. The green flag is scheduled to wave on the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on the SPEED Channel beginning at 2 p.m. ET, with a re-broadcast scheduled for Sunday at midnight.

The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix is the fifth of nine races in the American Le Mans Series in 2010. Events remain at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (August 5-7), Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (August 20-22), Mosport in Canada (August 27-29), and the Petit Le Mans endurance race in Braselton, Georgia (September 29- October 2).

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Level 5 Motorsports Prepares for Historic Summer Racing Stretch; 8 Races in Six Weeks

Resilience is a strong characteristic of any championship team. Over the next seven weeks, that trait in the Level 5 Motorsports team will be tested stringently.

Level 5 Motorsports Team Manager David Stone, however, isn't the least bit concerned about whether his drivers and crew members will be able to meet the challenge of a historical stretch that sees the team race eight times in six cities, a challenge few teams have undertaken previously.

First up is the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, on Friday and Saturday, where Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut will attempt to extend their lead in the LMP Challenge class standings.

"The one thing about these guys is that they are all absolute racers. That's why they chose this lifestyle," Stone said. "I am really, really happy with the way this team has come together. It's a young team, and they have a lot of heart.

"I know that they're going to do just fine over the next few weeks. From my perspective as a team manager, it shows me who can hang and who will struggle with this kind of stretch. But, from what I've seen with this team, I anticipate all of the guys being able to handle this type of situation very well. Scott has given us all the right equipment and all the resources to get the job done. We will be just fine."

Tucker has beefed up his regular weekly workout routine to ensure that he is in top physical shape.

"To meet the challenge of such a grueling stretch of races, you have got to be able to handle it physically," Tucker said. "I'm working harder than ever to continue to build my stamina. A schedule like that is sure to wear on you, but I'll be ready."

In addition to this weekend's ALMS Series race at Lime Rock Park, other Level 5 Motorsports team members will travel to Watkins Glen International in New York on Wednesday and Thursday for a Ferrari Challenge Series test session at the historic road course. The test session comes in preparation for a pair of races there on September 4 and 5.

Level 5 Motorsports will field two cars in this weekend's event at Lime Rock Park, the No. 55 ORECA FLM09, driven by Tucker and Bouchut, and the No. 95 ORECA FLM09, driven by Tucker and Andy Wallace.

"We've certainly got a lot of things going right now. But, I know this team is up for it," Tucker said. "We will have some guys going to both Watkins Glen and Lime Rock, so it will be a tough week for them. I have no doubt that we will have a successful test at Watkins Glen and then come back and have a successful weekend at Lime Rock. We're really looking forward to the rest of July and August. We've got a lot of racing ahead of us."

The Level 5 ALMS team will take a week off before racing three of the next four weekends in August. In between, however, the Level 5 Ferrari Challenge Series team will be at New Jersey Motorsports Park July 31-August 1, for a pair of races.

"Most of these guys will be on the road for a long stretch. So, we try to give them a few days off here and there," Stone said. "But, everything is based on the situation. If it works out, that is great. If not, they know they've got to do whatever it takes to get ready. That's how dedicated these guys are, and their work doesn't suffer at all. We try to make it as bearable for them as possible."

On August 5-7, the American Le Mans team returns to the track as the series visits Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. On August 20-22, the ALMS team travels to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. It is then on to Mosport in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, for an event August 27-29.

The Level 5 Ferrari Challenge team then concludes the long stretch of consecutive weekends with the races at Watkins Glen.

Stone has little doubt that the Level 5 Motorsports ALMS team has what it takes to continue its strong championship run in 2010.

"Having been involved in a number of teams that have won championships over the years, I know that this team has what it takes to win one," Stone said. "Scott and Christophe are certainly doing their job in the driver's seat, and the team is giving them winning race cars. We have to keep focused on the next race, however. We can't get ahead of ourselves. Anything can happen."

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