POMPANO BEACH, Fl.  (August 31, 2004) – Team ADT Champion Racing is excited to announce the addition of a second Audi R8 LMP1 “prototype” to contest the two remaining American Le Mans Series races at Road Atlanta (Petit Le Mans) and the season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Johnny Herbert, former Formula 1 Driver, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and popular American Le Mans Series driver will return to the United States along with up and coming Audi “works” driver Pierre Kaffer.   Herbert and Kaffer will join ADT Champion Racing regulars JJ Lehto and Marco Werner to pilot a second, identically prepared Audi R8. 

Veteran driver Johnny Herbert is no stranger to U.S. road courses and especially not to Team ADT Champion Racing.  Herbert joined ADT Champion Racing in their maiden year (2001) and quickly earned the team three podium finishes.  Herbert returned again with ADT Champion Racing in 2002 and 2003 and continually brought home more podium finishes for the team including the 12 Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, and other American Le Mans Series races.  Herbert born in Brentwood, Essex, Great Britain, currently resides with his wife and two daughters in Monte Carlo, Monaco.  www.johnnyherbert.com

Pierre Kaffer, a new member to the Audi “factory” squad, began his racing career in Karting in 1990.  In 1995 he won the German Formula Ford Championship and in 1996 he won the German Formula Opel Championship.  He quickly moved on to compete in the German Formula 3 Championship, Porsche Carerra Cup and Supercup races before earning a coveted spot with Audi AG in 2004.  In Kaffer’s very first year driving an Audi R8, Kaffer placed first at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Nurburgring, Silverstone, and second at Monza.  Kaffer born in Bad-Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany, currently resides in Burgbrohl, Germany.  www.pierre-kaffer.de

“We are very happy to announce Johnny Herbert and Pierre Kaffer as the drivers for our 2^nd ADT Champion Racing Audi R8 car,” said Team Owner Dave Maraj.  “We look forward to Johnny driving for Champion again.  He was a huge asset during the three years he drove for us.  Pierre Kaffer is definitely an up and coming driver who has already proven himself at Le Mans and in the Le Mans Endurance Series.  He’ll make a perfect addition to our team.” 

Herbert and Kaffer currently drive for the two-car customer Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx that competed this year at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and in the newly created Le Mans Endurance Series.   Although they compete with different cars (Herbert with co-driver Jamie Davies and Kaffer with co-driver Allan McNish) collectively the Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx team has been on the podium at every event this year, including four 1^st place finishes. 

Driver quotes:

Johnny Herbert:  "I am really happy to have this opportunity to race in the last two races of the ALMS series with Champion Racing.  I have missed not racing with them this season and it will be good to get back into the team and see everybody again.  I have raced against Pierre Kaffer in the LMES championship this year and I know him to be a very good driver, I am looking forward to having him as my teammate.  This is going to be a great challenge, the Audi R8 has won six of the ALMS races this year and having been given the opportunity to win Petit Le Mans again I intend to do just that.  I am also looking forward to finishing the series on a high note at Laguna Seca.”

Pierre Kaffer:  “I am really looking forward to Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca.  Those are great race tracks and most definitely challenging ones too.  I am very proud to drive for Champion Racing and I look forward to coming over and joining them soon.  I tested an R8 at Road Atlanta earlier this year and found that track to be very much like Nurburging, lots of ups and downs with fast corners. I especially like the first part of the track, Turn 1 and the Esses.  You really need a big heart for this track!”   

Herbert and Kaffer will pilot the No. 2 ADT Champion Racing Audi R8 at Petit Le Mans September 23-25 and again at the season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca October 14 – 16.