ALMS lit up ‘for the fans’

From the start of next season, all cars in ALMS races will carry three small high-intensity lights clearly visible to fans around the circuit. During the race, they will light up on the cars lying in the first, second and third places of each of the series' four classes - with the appropriate number of lights illuminated to illustrate the top three's respective positions.

When drivers change positions, the new running order recorded on a track's official timing system will be transferred by a radio signal to a transmitter fitted to all cars, thereby adjusting the number of lights illuminated. To aid the clarity of what is happening, each of the four classes - LMP900, LMP675, GTS and GT - will have different coloured lights that match their race number.

ALMS president and CEO Scott Atherton said the system would be a major step forward in overcoming one of the perennial problems for long-distance sportscar racing - keeping the spectators up to speed on which cars are running at the front.

"This is the most significant improvement we've made for our fans in the ALMS," said Atherton. "At Petit Le Mans this weekend we have 46 cars from four classes out there racing, which is one of our biggest assets. But it can also be an Achilles heel, because people are left asking 'who's leading what?' This system provides an age-old problem with a new-age solution."

The system will be given a field test in Saturday's race at Road Atlanta, with the GT class front-runners from PTG BMW and Alex Job Racing Porsche carrying the lights.