NOVEMBER 1, 2005

Patrick Long is ALMS GT2 Champion

Grandprix.com's Young Driver of the Year from 2001 Patrick Long has won the American Le Mans Series GT2 Championship, driving for the US based Petersen-White Lightning Porsche team.

The Californian, who many felt was the best US hope for F1 when he was racing in the junior formulae in Europe, took up the offer to be a Porsche factory sports car driver when his path to F1 was frustrated by lack of funding. So far that decision seems to have panned out well as he has since won class victories in the Le Mans 24 hour, the Sebring 12 hour, and now the ALMS Championship.

Long is the first American ALMS GT Champion since 1999. He has also made appearances in the Rolex Series GT and Daytona Prototype classes this past season.