Chantilly, VA, June 2006 -- Dedicated Micros, Inc. joins their parent company, AD Group of Warrington, England, in celebrating a stunning second victory at the 74th 24 Hours of Le Mans race, held in Le Mans, France, in June.
The MG Lola EX264, owned by AD Group and run by Ray Mallock, Ltd. (RML) of Wellingborough, England, claimed the victory once again in the LMP2 class (the "baby" prototype class), with 280,000 fans looking on.
AD Group's CEO Mike Newton, Brazilian Thomas Erdos, Newton's regular driving partner in the MG Lola, and British racecar driver Andy Wallace created the three-driver race team. Wallace won outright with Jaguar in 1988.
"We are absolutely delighted with the result," said Adam Wiseberg, AD group director. "To win once at Le Mans is unforgettable but to secure the LMP2 class for a second time, twelve months on, is truly remarkable. It really is a testament to the focus and preparation of the team and the drivers."
Erdos posted the fastest LMP2 time during Thursday's qualifying to secure the top grid position in class. During the race, the MG led the LMP2 class for all but a handful of laps, proving itself fast, rugged and reliable.
Newton drove the car past the checkered flag just after 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, leading by more than one hour over the second place car.
"Only Audi with their massive manufacturer's budget achieved the same domination of their class, said Newton, "and our winning margin was more than three times theirs."
Newton also overtook a close challenger on the final lap to take 8th position overall – the highest ever finishing position for an LMP2 car.
"It really was a fantastic moment," said Newton, "the stuff from which dreams are made…to repeat last year's success and be in the driving seat right at the very end. It's a great feeling to be able to show that last year's win was no fluke and to have dominated the class throughout the race."
AD Group's commitment to team achievement is a reflection of their commitment to consistent high standards and determination on a business level.
"Through these events," said Dr. Alan E. Calegari, president and CEO of Dedicated Micros Inc., "we enhance the team spirit model which truly differentiate Dedicated Micros from other organizations. The endurance, the innovative skills and the disciplined approach to execution that made us winners at Le Mans are essential skills that we apply to our business models."
In-depth race reports regarding the MG Lola's class victory at the Le Mans are available at www.mg-lola.com.
AD Group companies AD Aerospace, Dedicated Micros, D-Tec, RemGuard and TSS sponsored the racecar.
