Sebring, Fla. - The three-day test at Sebring International Raceway was the first running for the package. "The car was flown here from England and arrived here Friday afternoon," said Chris Dyson. "It did not turn a wheel until this test. It was a very sleep-deprived weekend for the boys. It has been a big push, but thankfully the car was delivered as we expected. We are lucky that we are dealing with two companies like Lola and AER that are small, nimble and responsive. When the Series announced this date a couple of months ago, we were looking at a late January delivery, and Lola and AER stepped up and answered the call when we said we would like to make this event."

"Compared to the old car, it changes directions much better, it is easier to drive, the aerodynamics are much more benign and it is not as sensitive to ride height as the old car," summarized Weaver, who did all the development laps over the test. Straight out of the box, it is easier to drive and doesn't have any vices. The engine makes good power at the top end and the car is good over the bumps. We have some new Penske shock absorbers this year. We have always used Penske shocks but we have a derivative of the dampers that McLaren and Renault used in Formula One on our car and the initial reaction is that it is a definite step forward."

"We were running the car at normal speeds," noted Dyson. "We were doing systems checks and not concentrating on lap times. There is a large amount of basic housekeeping jobs that have to be done with a new car. The fundamental package is very good and it is clear the car is going to be very quick. The second car will be delivered toward the beginning of next week and we will be testing back here at Sebring the second week of February."

The American Le Mans Series begins its 2006 season with the 54th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The 12-hour endurance classic is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. EST on March 18 at Sebring International Raceway and will be televised on SPEED Channel. American Le Mans Series Radio will have flag-to-flag coverage available at www.americanlemans.com, along with IMSA Live Timing & Scoring.