Overview & History

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the world’s premier sports car racing series. The 10-race championship is a venue for the planet’s largest auto and tire manufacturers to go head-to-head on legendary circuits, piloted by the sport’s most respected drivers and teams.  The Series gives fans non-stop action on track and an open and friendly paddock, while providing manufacturers with a real-life laboratory to push the limits of automotive innovation and technology.Recent technology breakthroughs in the Series have focused on the environment. As the Global Leader in Green Racing, we contest the race to tomorrow … faster. Examples include development of biofuels, hybrid technology and tire compounds, plus more efficient auto engineering that carries over to dealership showrooms.

Since 1923, the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans has served as a test bed for both man and machine. Each June, the small French town of Le Mans plays host to the endurance classic that has spurred some of the most significant auto advancements in history. Seventy-five years after the first Le Mans, Dr. Don Panoz breathed new life into American sports car racing by launching the American Le Mans Series in 1999.Now in its 14th season, the Series offers a mix of the premier manufacturers and leading independent teams with races on North America’s most celebrated road courses and street circuits. The greatest names in motorsports have tested their skills in the American Le Mans Series. Names like Brabham, de Ferran, Franchitti, Kristensen and McNish fill the talent roster. Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Mazda, Panoz, Peugeot, Porsche and Saleen are among the marques that have tasted victory in the Series.Such aspirational brands attract a passionate and affluent fanbase. According to Nielsen Media Research, the ALMS fan is highly educated, key decision-maker with a median income of $125,000 (more than any regularly televised sport in America). ALMS fans are fiercely loyal, with 75 percent saying they prefer to purchase brands associated with the form of motorsport that drives their passion and interest. 

It is no surprise then to see high-end automotive products and premium non-endemic partners like The Patrón Spirits Company, Robert Graham clothing and Yancey’s Fancy New York Artisan Cheese partnering with the Series. The entire cast takes center stage in a pioneering multi-platform television partnership that includes broadcasts on ABC and ESPN2 in concert with live streaming coverage of all qualifying and races on ESPN3 – the true broadcast format of the future.Le Mans stands for diversity, innovation and relevance – platforms the American Le Mans Series embraces and furthers with each event. Whether it is advancements in energy efficiency, car safety, tire technologies or TV programming, the American Le Mans Series IS the ultimate on-track R&D laboratory and the premium brand of motorsport.