Liz Halliday   Newsbytes From despair to elation in one weekend for Halliday Halliday back in the Eurosport commentary box for Le Mans Halliday battles back for Lotus 2-Eleven class win at Donington Halliday eyeing Lotus Cup UK challenge at Brands Stunning comeback helps Halliday score second on Lotus debut Halliday primed for Lotus debut at Silverstone Liz Halliday to make full-time racing return in 2012 Halliday to appear on Nissan GT Academy judging panel Liz Halliday back at Le Mans with Eurosport Liz Halliday debuts at Silverstone Classic Liz Wins! Halliday enjoys busy week of horsepower! Halliday to count on Porsche Human Performance again in 2010 Liz Halliday to mentor BWRDC GoldStars winner Ilsa Cox Liz Halliday returns to Le Mans with Eurosport - 2009 Liz Halliday joins Eurosport for the Le Mans 24 Hours - 6/3/08 Halliday on road to recovery and back behind the mic for Motors TV - 11/1/07 Halliday misses Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca to concentrate on recovery - 10/3/07 Liz Halliday joins Motors TV commentary team for Spa 1000kms - 8/14/07 Liz Halliday sidelined with broken collar bone - 7/24/07 Halliday to cover Lime Rock race for CBS - 7/6/07 Halliday’s victory bid ended by gearbox failure - 6/17/07 Wet qualifying brings more positives than negatives for Halliday - 6/15/07 Woman in Le Mans world - 6/13/07 New challenge for Liz Halliday in Valencia - 5/2/07 Liz Halliday joins CBS Sports for American Le Mans Series coverage 4/12/07 Halliday ready for European season opener 4/11/07 All systems go as Liz Halliday heads to Sebring Halliday 'delighted' to be named in 50 to watch list by San Diego Magazine Dual sportswoman Liz Halliday to race Aston Martin in 007 year! New 2007 "Women Racers" calendar featuring Liz Halliday - 11/13/06 Halliday joins Coulthard, Irvine on Sky One - 11/2/06 Liz Halliday and Intersport Racing end the season on a high - 10/21/06 Liz Halliday, Jon Field and Clint Field finished 4th in class in the 1000 mile Petit Le Mans - 10/1/06 Halliday’s most impressive performance to date - 9/3/06 Halliday and Intersport finish 3rd in class, 8th overall in Road America - 8/18/06 No Let-Up for Halliday as She Trades One Kind of Horse-Power for Another - 8/4/06 Mid-season Q&A with Liz - 7/29/06 Liz Halliday becomes the winningest female in ALMS history - 7/23/06 Liz Halliday second in class at Salt Lake City - 7/16/06 Salt Lake City Preview, Round 5 of ALMS Series - 7/12/06 Lime Rock Challenges but Halliday and Team Retain LMP2 Lead - 7/6/06 Lime Rock Preview, Round 4 - 6/27/06 Salperton One-Day Event, Gloucestershire, England - 6/27/06 Gritty Drive Rewards Liz Halliday at Le Mans - 6/18/06 Finish Frustration and Another Fight-Back - 6/17/06 18 Hours Impressive Fight-Back for Liz Hallidy - 6/17/06 6 Hours Q&A for Liz regarding the 24 Hours of LeMans Liz Halliday - First (and only) Lady of Le Mans Tweseldown CIC Liz Halliday on Le Mans... Third Straight Podium for Halliday Liz Halliday and Intersport Racing Score another Class Win in Houston Preview - Lone Star Grand Prix - American Le Mans Series - Round 2 Racing Driver and Equestrian, Liz Halliday, on Radio 5 Live! Encouraging Sebring Test for Liz Halliday and the Intersport Team Halliday's 2006 Season is Go! Intersport beat Porshe to Claim Class Win and Second Overall in the 54th Runnings of the 12 Hours of Sebring Intersport Still Relishing 'Enormous" Sebring Win Interview with Liz Liz Halliday Ends Alms Season on a High as Intersport Claims Team Championship Victory Liz Halliday Gets Ride for 2006 Liz Halliday Heads East for Season Finale Puncture Halts Intersport's Challenge for LMP2 Pole Position at Sebring Racing Driver and Equestrin, Liz Halliday, competes in CCI** Event with New Horse, Harry (Silken Crisp) Stand By For Sebring! Victory for Liz Halliday at Petit le Mans Related Issue: Women in Racing, Women Racers, More Women in Racing, Notable Women 2008 ALMS Race Schedule 2007 ALMS Race Schedule 2007 LeMans Race Schedule 2007 Schedule Le Mans Series Monza 1000 kms, Italy: 13th, 14th and 15th April Valencia 1000 kms, Spain: 4th, 5th and 6th May Nurburgring 1000 kms, Germany: 29th, 30th June and 1st July Spa 1000 kms, Belgium: 17th, 18th and 19th August Silverstone 1000 kms, England: 14th, 15th and 16th September Mil Milhas, Brazil: 9th, 10th and 11th November Le Mans 24 Hours Official Test Day: Sunday 3rd June Qualifying 1: Wednesday 13th June Qualifying 2: Thursday 14th June Race: Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th June 2006 Race Schedules Newsbytes From despair to elation in one weekend for Halliday Liz Halliday was again dovetailing her dual sporting careers last weekend when she competed in the Lotus Cup UK at Oulton Park before travelling south for the Catton Park Horse Trials in Derbyshire. Motorsport and equestrianism are two very different sports, a fact that was underlined by the dramatic change in Halliday’s fortunes over the three days… Friday and Saturday were spent in Cheshire where the bad luck that has characterised Liz’s Lotus motor racing campaign was once again in evidence. This time teething problems proved the least of her and the John Danby Racing team’s worries however after Halliday’s Lotus 2-Eleven was hit by a spinning driver as they slid back across the track in front of her. Powerless to prevent a collision, the hefty impact saw Liz retire on the spot. Liz Halliday: “What happened in the Lotus Cup race was so frustrating because there was absolutely nothing I could do to avoid the spinning car ahead. I did my best to miss it but there was just nowhere for me to go, and the end result is that my car sustained some heavy internal damage." Busy weekend done and dusted, Liz spent Monday travelling to France where she is due to commentate on the Le Mans 24 Hours for Eurosport. Her pitlane reporting and commentary duties mean that she’s in for a busy time throughout the race on Saturday and Sunday. Source: Press release Halliday back in the Eurosport commentary box for Le Mans Liz Halliday will be back behind the microphone next weekend (22/23 June) commentating on the 90th anniversary edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours for Eurosport. The professional dual sportswoman, who has made three appearances at the event as a driver and remains the most successful female competitor in American Le Mans Series history, will bring her experience to bear on Eurosport’s live international and UK television feeds. This will be the sixth time that Liz has provided expert analysis as part of Eurosport’s Le Mans commentary team that includes Martin Haven, Carlton Kirby, Mark Cole, Jeremy Shaw, Damien Faulkner, Neville Hay and Chris Parsons. Halliday’s airtime begins with Wednesday’s practice and qualifying sessions before taking in both further qualifying segments on Thursday and the race itself on Saturday/Sunday. Having previously competed in both the prototype and GT ranks she has rounded, first-hand experience of the skills required to contest the world’s greatest motor race. Liz Halliday: “The Le Mans 24 Hours remains the highlight of my motorsport year, and even though I'm not competing there, being back in the commentary box is certainly the next best thing. Watching the race unfold live in the company of my regular commentary team is great fun as we’ve got an excellent rapport that I think comes across to the viewers at home. “This year’s race looks set to be a belter in all four classes. Naturally there will be a focus on the battle at the front between Audi and Toyota, but there’s so much strength in depth across LMP2 and the GTE categories that I’m not sure how we’re going to keep up!” Eurosport’s extensive coverage of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which is available in High Definition, begins with Wednesday’s practice session at 18:00 local time. The race itself kicks off at 15:00 on Saturday. Check local listings for precise timings. Don’t forget you can stay up to date with Liz at Le Mans and contact her in the studio by following her on Twitter at @lizhalliday. There’s also more information available at www.lizhalliday.com Eurosport’s live Le Mans coverage (All times local) Wednesday June 19 18:00: Practice 22:00: Qualifying 1 Thursday June 20 19:00: Qualifying 2 22:00: Qualifying 3 Saturday June 22 14:45: Le Mans 24 Hours Source: Press release Halliday battles back for Lotus 2-Eleven class win at Donington A stirring performance helped Liz Halliday overcome damaged rear bodywork, which caused two additional pit-stops, to take 2-Eleven class honours in the penultimate round of this year’s Lotus Cup UK championship at Donington Park last weekend (October 6/7). The 90-minute enduro that ran into darkness always looked likely to suit the most successful female driver in American Le Mans Series history, and so it proved as she displayed much experience and speed during her feisty fight back. Halliday’s stunning qualifying lap hinted at what was to come after taking third overall and class pole by an impressive 1.5 seconds in her John Danby Racing-run Lotus 2-Eleven. That pace was also evident over the opening laps of Sunday’s contest as the professional dual sportswoman built a healthy advantage over her pursuers. But with less than 30 minutes on the clock the complexion of her race changed dramatically when the car’s rear-end was damaged, which began to badly affect its handling. With the problem only worsening and her lap times suffering as a result, Liz elected to make her mandatory fuel stop early in the hope that the team could address the problem. Despite the JDR mechanics working quickly to rectify the damage during the short pit window, Halliday re-joined knowing that an additional pit-stop would probably be required. Flat-out was now the only way to ensure a strong result and Halliday duly set about doing just that while the diffuser and undertray held together. Ultimately she would give away an additional two stops to her rivals over the 90-minute race as the full extent of the issue became apparent. But despite the various dramas, with just a handful of laps remaining Halliday had clawed her way back up to third in class, a commendable result given the circumstances. Then, out of nowhere, an even more unlikely turn of events helped her assume the lead when both cars ahead hit trouble. The result wasn’t assured though as the Lotus, all-but out of fuel due to the unscheduled early pit-stop, began to splutter on the final lap. Fortunately there was just enough in the tank for Liz to coast over the line and secure her maiden victory in the 2-Eleven class. Liz Halliday: “What a crazy race! There were so many twists and turns throughout so it’s a relief, as well as a surprise, to have taken the win. But I don’t think this was a fluke. Yes, we got some luck at the end with the two leaders retiring and the car just making it around, but we were on pole by a big margin and able to comfortably build an advantage at the start before the diffuser began to badly affect the car’s handling. It generates a lot of the rear grip so losing that has a big impact on performance. The team worked very hard at each stop to find a lasting solution, and they did very well to eventually figure out a way to hold it all together through to the end. I am extremely proud of the job they’ve done to develop the car into a class winner over the season and hopefully we can repeat the result, if not the manner of it, at Snetterton!” The final round of this year’s championship takes place at Snetterton on October 28. Source: Press release Halliday eyeing Lotus Cup UK challenge at Brands Liz Halliday’s Lotus Cup UK campaign continues this weekend (18-20 May) when the championship visits Brands Hatch for round two of its 2012 season. Following a scintillating comeback drive at Silverstone in April, the professional dual sportswoman is hoping to demonstrate the full potential of her John Danby Racing-prepared Lotus 2-Eleven after mechanical problems during qualifying forced Halliday to battle back from dead last to second in class at the opening round. The 60-minute race, which features on the support bill of the highly-prestigious Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series, will be the first time in nearly ten years that Liz will have competed at the former Grand Prix venue in Kent. A recent family bereavement sadly forced Liz to miss JDR’s Brands Hatch test where the team worked on optimised dry weather suspension settings. Although useful for future rounds, those developments could ultimately count for little this weekend with forecasters predicting rain throughout the event. Fortunately Halliday’s former career in sportscar racing, coupled with Silverstone’s exhibition in overtaking, should play into the team’s hands over Brands Hatch’s shorter and more congested Indy layout where the 40-strong Lotus field will be jostling for position over just 1.198-miles of tarmac. Source: E-Mail Stunning comeback helps Halliday score second on Lotus debut Liz Halliday overcame starting dead last in the opening round of this year’s Lotus Cup UK at Silverstone on Sunday to score a sensational podium finish on her series debut. The professional dual sportswoman, and most successful female driver in American Le Mans Series history, put her experience of top-level sports-prototype racing to good use by scything through the 40+ car field en route to fifth overall and second place in the hotly contested 2-Eleven category. With a multitude of red flags restricting track time during Friday’s running, Liz was hoping that Sunday’s additional free practice and qualifying sessions would help her to continue learning the John Danby Racing-prepared 2-Eleven in time for the afternoon’s hour-long race. Those hopes were dashed however when a problem with the car’s supercharger in the morning prevented her from setting a qualifying time. Despite the complexity of the problem, the team worked wonders to machine a new part from scratch in time for the start where Halliday lined up at the tail of the field. The race’s one-hour duration and Silverstone’s wide-open Grand Prix layout would at least provide ample opportunities for making up the lost ground. Some decisive overtaking moves, no doubt honed during her days in the ALMS and at Le Mans, also made the difference as Liz consistently set the 2-Eleven class pace to steadily work her way back into contention. An excellent pit-stop, timed to perfection by the JDR crew, played its part in Halliday continuing to pick up places as the race drew to a close. So strong was her and the team’s performance that another lap would have almost certainly seen her take fourth overall. Liz Halliday: “It was great to be back racing again and an excellent result in the circumstances. The JDR team did a phenomenal job to repair the supercharger in time for the race as it wasn’t just a case of replacing a broken component. We’re here to win but second in class on my debut would have been a fantastic way to begin the campaign without the dramas, so I’m more than happy with the result. In some ways it was good to get some overtaking practice in before Brands Hatch which will be very busy on the short circuit!” Source: Press release Halliday primed for Lotus debut at Silverstone Professional dual sportswoman Liz Halliday returns to the cockpit this weekend (13/15 April) for her first competitive outing since 2010 when the Lotus Cup UK season begins at Silverstone. The British-based Californian, who remains the most successful female driver in American Le Mans Series history, will channel her considerable knowledge of sports-prototypes into a new project with highly-experienced Lotus squad John Danby Racing. Despite sporadic outings, Halliday’s motorsport career has been largely on hold since 2008 when her other profession, 3-Day Eventing, took precedent. That commitment to both sports will be in evidence again this weekend when Liz, having completed practice on Friday, travels to the South of England Horse Trials in Sussex before returning to Silverstone for Sunday’s qualifying session and one-hour race around the full Grand Prix layout. Halliday has already sampled the team’s 2-Eleven at Donington Park and Brands Hatch ahead of this weekend’s season opener and found that despite its obvious differences, the Lotus still exceeded her expectations. “The car was very good right out of the box and felt like I could race it straight away,” said Liz. “We’ve made a few changes as you would expect but I must congratulate JDR on developing a very impressive package over the winter. It goes without saying that the 2-Eleven is vastly different to the LMP cars I have driven in the past but that didn’t stop me from having a great time. It’s a quick car and I think that as I spend more time driving it and getting to know the characteristics of the handling I will enjoy it even more. “The quality of drivers, their experience of the championship and sheer number of cars ensures that the series will be competitive from the start. Silverstone is about finding my feet and establishing where we are, but with a car capable of running at the front that’s where I’m hoping to be on Sunday. It's going to be great to be out there again and I just can’t wait to get started!” Source: Press release Liz Halliday to make full-time racing return in 2012 Professional dual sportswoman Liz Halliday will return to regular motorsport competition in 2012 after sealing a deal to contest the Lotus Cup UK series with John Danby Racing. The British-based Californian, who combines careers as a professional equestrian and race car driver, has focused much of her energy on 3 Day Eventing in recent years, recording a string of impressive results during 2011 while also developing her burgeoning Chailey Stud Equestrian Centre into South England's premier facility. Halliday was nevertheless keen to maintain her involvement with four-wheeled as well as four-legged competition, working as a commentator for Eurosport's coverage of the Le Mans 24 Hours and as an expert judge on SPEED TV's GT Academy. In 2012 she will be back behind the wheel of a racing car along side her busy eventing schedule, launching an assault on the fiercely competitive Lotus Cup championship aboard one of the British marque’s 2-Eleven sportscars. The effort will be run by the vastly experienced John Danby Racing outfit, for whom Liz successfully contested a number of historic events during 2010. The smooth running of these outings made the Colchester-based squad a natural choice for her return to competitive racing action. The Lotus Cup takes in eight races over the course of 2012, beginning in style at British Grand Prix venue Silverstone on April 15. Other highlights include joining the DTM bill at Brands Hatch on May 19/20 and a trip to historic Belgian circuit Zolder on September 22/23. Liz Halliday: "I'm really excited to be going racing again in 2012. It’s shaping up to be an extremely busy year: alongside the Lotus Cup, I'll still be focusing heavily on my eventing competitions and on the running of Chailey Stud Equestrian Centre, and I am also keen to continue my TV work, so there will barely be time to catch my breath. "Moreover, I'm thrilled to be renewing my relationship with John Danby Racing. They're a fantastic team, extremely hard working and reliable. They did an excellent job running the historics in 2010 and as a group they inspire a great deal of confidence in a driver. I can't wait to get started and to begin working with them again." John Danby, Team Principal: “We are extremely pleased to be welcoming Liz on board full-time for 2012. Having worked with her previously we know the commitment and passion she brings to her racing, and are looking forward to a thoroughly successful season together." Source: eMail Halliday to appear on Nissan GT Academy judging panel Liz Halliday, the most successful female driver in American Le Mans Series history, will make her debut as an “expert judge” on GT Academy USA this Tuesday (September 20) as the five-part SPEED television series begins its quest to turn one online gamer’s virtual racing dream into reality. The California-born, British-based dual sportswoman, who has also contested the world famous Le Mans 24 Hours on three occasions, joined former Indycar champion and 1985 Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan, as well as Tommy Kendall – a four time Trans-Am Series title winner turned broadcaster – on the panel at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix, back in June. Together they assessed the merits of 16 USA finalists who had seen off nearly 54,000 other applicants over three stages of Gran Turismo® 5, the PlayStation® 3 game widely regarded as the world’s most authentic virtual racing simulation. Each finalist was judged on their natural skill, performance and overall aptitude for the requirements of a professional racing driver behind the wheel of a variety of cars in real-world conditions during the gruelling week-long assessment process. Having seen off stiff opposition, the overall winner now begins the hard journey towards becoming a professional racing driver in the hope of emulating Spain’s Lucas Ordoñez who made his Le Mans 24 Hours debut this year after being crowned European GT Academy champion in 2008. Liz Halliday: “It’s a big honour for me to have been selected for the GT Academy USA expert panel alongside two legends of American motorsport, especially as we have now helped to ignite one man’s future racing career. We’ve seen with Lucas in Europe that a talented virtual racer also has the potential to become an excellent professional driver in the real world. To step from virtual simulation to Le Mans 24 Hours in just over three years is an unbelievable achievement and one that our winner will be hoping to emulate one day. Their life is about to change forever and I’m really excited to be a part of that.” The five-part series directed by Jeff Zwart through @radical.media will be broadcast on the SPEED channel across North America from tomorrow (Tuesday September 20) at 22:00 ET and 19:00 PT, as well as on the PlayStation® 3 network. For full listings, visit www.speedtv.com/schedule and search ‘GT Academy USA’. Liz Halliday back at Le Mans with Eurosport Liz Halliday, the most successful female driver in American Le Mans Series history, will return to endurance racing’s most iconic event this weekend as the California-born, British-based dual sportswoman makes her fourth consecutive appearance as part of Eurosport’s commentary team at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Halliday, who has competed in the event three times as a driver - finishing fourth in class in 2006 - will again be providing expert analysis throughout the race for the pan-European channel, which will screen all 24 hours live as well as practice and qualifying throughout the week. This year’s race is set to be another compelling battle between manufacturers Audi and Peugeot, with the French marque hoping to bounce back having lost its title to the German giants in 2010 following one of the most exciting races in recent history. Liz will join F1 race-winner Johnny Herbert, fellow sportscar star Stuart Hall, former driver Chris Parsons as well as motorsport journalists Martin Haven, Mark Cole, Jeremy Shaw and Neville Hay in the commentary box. Liz Halliday: “I love the Le Mans 24 Hours and I’ve really enjoyed working with the Eurosport team over the past few years, so it’s great to be involved again in 2011. “There’s a great camaraderie among all the commentators and being with Eurosport at Le Mans is definitely the next best thing to driving! “After last year’s incredible race, I’m expecting the battle at the front between Audi and Peugeot to be just as good this year, and the GT fight is always amazing with the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, Corvette, BMW and Aston Martin all in contention to win.” Eurosport’s coverage of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which is available in High Definition, began on Monday 6 June with the channel’s ‘Le Mans 24 Minutes Live’ magazine show. This will also screen every night prior to the race, and continues with practice live on Wednesday, qualifying live on Thursday and the warm-up and race coverage live on Saturday into Sunday. Halliday enjoys Silverstone Classic debut Liz Halliday enjoyed her first ever outing at the annual Silverstone Classic last weekend, where she competed with two historic Alfa Romeos to celebrate the iconic Italian manufacturer’s 100th anniversary. The California-born dual-sportswoman raced a rare Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Coda Tronca in the prestigious Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy and Italian Historic Car Cup and an Alfa Romeo GTA in the Under-2 Litre Touring Car (U2TC) event. The cars, both run by preparation experts John Danby Racing, ran without problems in all three races and Halliday, who last raced an historic car more than ten years ago, thoroughly enjoyed her return to the discipline. “It was a fantastic experience and completely different from the modern sportscar racing I’m used to,” Liz said. “The Silverstone Classic was brilliantly organised and there was a fantastic atmosphere in the paddock among all the drivers and the fans. “There tends to be a big difference between the cars on the grid, so we weren’t that competitive in terms of overall results, but it was great fun racing the two Alfas.” Halliday got the chance to bring home a trophy by virtue of the SZ winning the GT1 class of the Italian Historic Car Cup and admitted that the experience has left her wanting to experience more classic motorsport. “I’d love to come back to the Silverstone Classic and the weekend has got me looking forward to the Goodwood Revival later in the year. I’m also going to race the GTA at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park and I’d like to do more events in the future too. Liz Halliday debuts at Silverstone Classic Liz Halliday enjoyed her first ever outing at the annual Silverstone Classic last weekend, where she competed with two historic Alfa Romeos to celebrate the iconic Italian manufacturer’s 100th anniversary. The California-born dual-sportswoman raced a rare Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Coda Tronca in the prestigious Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy and Italian Historic Car Cup and an Alfa Romeo GTA in the Under-2 Litre Touring Car (U2TC) event. The cars, both run by preparation experts John Danby Racing, ran without problems in all three races and Halliday, who last raced an historic car more than ten years ago, thoroughly enjoyed her return to the discipline. “It was a fantastic experience and completely different from the modern sportscar racing I’m used to,” Liz said. “The Silverstone Classic was brilliantly organised and there was a fantastic atmosphere in the paddock among all the drivers and the fans. “There tends to be a big difference between the cars on the grid, so we weren’t that competitive in terms of overall results, but it was great fun racing the two Alfas.” Halliday got the chance to bring home a trophy by virtue of the SZ winning the GT1 class of the Italian Historic Car Cup and admitted that the experience has left her wanting to experience more classic motorsport. “I’d love to come back to the Silverstone Classic and the weekend has got me looking forward to the Goodwood Revival later in the year. I’m also going to race the GTA at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park and I’d like to do more events in the future too. “I’d like to say a big thank you to all the guys at John Danby Racing. Until practice on Friday, the GTA hadn’t turned a wheel on road or track for about ten years, but it ran faultlessly on Saturday which shows what a great job they did preparing it for the race. “I’d also like to thank a number of my sponsors and supporters – Immunall for helping to keep me alert and 100% through out the weekend, and Performance Drink for keeping me focused and at the top of my game for all three of the hour-long races! “Thank you also to FreeM for providing me with a fantastic new race suit, and who continue to make the best custom suit around! “I also trialled a new cool vest this weekend – Body Chill – and I do highly recommend this to anyone who is racing in hot conditions. Even after just having the vest in the fridge it stayed cold for quite a while and was comfortable to wear under my suit. “My final thank you is to Cyclo-Ssage, who provided the hospitality area with their amazing portable pulse massage beds. I give them credit for keeping me pain free and physically 100% for all of my long races, and I think this is an essential item for any race teams and drivers who are serious about their results!” At the weekend, Halliday returned to her other sporting career as she competed with a number of her horses at the Little Mattingley and Wilton Horse Trials. Halliday enjoys busy week of horsepower! Liz Halliday enjoyed a hectic few days featuring two very different types of horsepower last week as she made her return to the race circuit and continued her British 3 Day Eventing season. The week began with the California-born dual sportswoman attending the Silverstone Classic media day where she had a first opportunity to put her father’s 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Coda Tronca through its paces. The car, a rare ‘cropped tailed’ version and one of just 29 ever made, will be raced by Liz at the Monza Coppa Intereuropa and the Silverstone Classic this summer. It has been expertly prepared by race car specialist John Danby Racing and ran perfectly throughout the day as well as attracting plenty of media interest. The test, which took place on Silverstone’s Bridge Grand Prix Circuit, also marked Liz’s first return to a race track since contesting the 2008 American Le Mans Series season-finale at Laguna Seca in a Creation CA07 LMP1 prototype. “The Alfa Romeo is very different to the last race car I drove!” said Liz. “It has smaller tyres and brakes, no downforce, much less power and it rolls around a lot more in the corners, but it was still a great car to drive and I really enjoyed it. “The car hasn’t been run for about ten years and I haven’t ever driven it on track, but it was dialled in straight away and we had no problems at all, which shows what a great job all the guys at John Danby Racing have done. It looks stunning and is beautifully prepared and that’s what this car is all about. It’s a very special car for its period and it was a real honour to drive it.” Halliday will make her race debut in the Alfa Romeo at Monza on June 5-6, 2010 , but is hoping to have another run in the car before then. “We are hoping to have another test before the end of the month so that I can get a bit more seat time and so that we can also try a few different set up changes, etc. and I am confident that we will have a great car for Monza. Monza was one of my Dad’s favourite tracks, so it is really special for me to be driving his car there. Even though he can’t make the trip to be there with me, I will have him in my thoughts! “I want to also say thank you to my sponsors Immunall, as not only are my horses using the products, but I am too! I was really struggling with jet lag before I tested the car, as I had just returned from the USA, but using the Immunall really helped to keep my energy levels up and my focus high. I can certainly recommend it to everyone who wants that extra edge!” Halliday to count on Porsche Human Performance again in 2010 Halliday has renewed her partnership with Porsche Human Performance in 2010 as she prepares for another busy season in the cockpit and saddle. Halliday, who spent the majority of last year pursuing her International Eventing dreams, will once again make use of PHP’s world class facilities and staff based at Silverstone as she readies herself for the unique physical demands of her dual career. The Centre boasts a sports science laboratory designed for the assessment and training of racing drivers and other athletes alike. It is run by a team of experts with a rare combination of academic qualifications in science and coaching as well as experience of working at the highest level in motorsport and competitive backgrounds as elite athletes. These factors combine to help individuals at all levels of motorsport, right up to the highest echelons of Formula 1, meet and then smash their personal fitness goals. Liz said: “Porsche Human Performance surpassed all of my expectations last season so I’m really pleased to have been invited back for a second year. Their team of experts are second to none and know exactly how to get the best out of their drivers. “I’ve already been on one of the fitness days this year where the team put everyone through their paces with a range of physiological tests, training sessions and seminars. Mark Webber was also there to chat with the drivers and answer questions, which was really helpful for everyone and offered an inside view to what it takes to be both mentally and physically fit for the highest levels of motorsport.” Andy Blow, Director of Porsche Human Performance Centre, said: “At PHP we will be helping Liz to manage the dual demands of her racing and Eventing career with a combination of regular scientific assessments and a flexible training plan to make the most of her limited time. Horse riding keeps Liz basically very fit for that sport and the other training we factor in is to compliment that; strengthening any weaknesses and ensuring at the same time she does not over work and end up fatigued. We are mindful that both the riding and driving can be risky sports so injury prevention through excellent conditioning is central to the way Liz prepares and trains.” Places are still available on the upcoming Porsche Human Performance training camp in the New Forest on 5-8 March where the team behind F1 driver Mark Webber’s and MotoGP ace Bradley Smith’s fitness regimes will be hosting a weekend of coaching. It will focus on readying drivers for the demanding 2010 season ahead through a mixture of indoor and outdoor training exercises. For more information on Porsche Human Performance, or to book your place, email php@porsche.co.uk or call +44 (0)1425 674 955. Prices start at just £449, or £499 for single occupancy. Liz Halliday to mentor BWRDC GoldStars winner Ilsa Cox For the second year running sports car racer Liz Halliday will act as a mentor to the BWRDC GoldStars ‘Club’ Award winner, after joining motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss in presenting Ilsa Cox with the honour at the Autosport Show. Having been based in the UK for 10 years, the California-born Halliday, who is the most successful female driver in American Le Mans Series history, enjoys close links with the British Women’s Racing Drivers Club. In 2009 she was mentor to the inaugural winner of the award, Rachel Green, and will take the same role with Cox this year. “It is a big honour for me to be asked to be a mentor for the BWRDC Elite GoldStars ‘Club’ Award winner for the second year in succession and I congratulate Ilsa,” said Liz. “I’ve always liked to support women in motorsport and I think the BWRDC is a wonderful club that does tremendous work. It was a pleasure to be at Autosport International with them and I will be available for Ilsa this year if she needs any help and advice.” Cox, who has 26 career race wins and is a class champion in the Hot Hatch series said: “I’m delighted to have Liz Halliday as my Mentor. She is such a professional driver that I know I will gain a lot of tips from her and I’m really looking forward to that. She's also a great person and very approachable, so I can't wait to be working with her." Sir Stirling Moss was on hand to present the awards to both Ilsa and GoldStars ‘Elite’ Award winner, Alice Powell, in what Halliday described as a huge honour for the BWRDC. “I was lucky enough to meet Sir Stirling a couple years ago at Le Mans, and it was certainly a pleasure to see him again at the Autosport Show,” said Liz. “He is a legend of the motor sport community and it is a great honour for the club to have had him with us. It was very exciting for everybody and fantastic for the girls.” "On behalf of the BWRDC I would like to thank Liz Halliday for being the Mentor for the BWRDC GoldStars 'Club' Award again this year,” said Georgie Shaw of the BWRDC. “It means a great deal to everyone, especially the winner Ilsa Cox who has a great opportunity to tap into the wealth of knowledge and expertise Liz has gained on the international scene both as an ALMS driver and broadcaster. "Liz is a great Ambassador for the BWRDC and as GoldStars 'Club' Mentor helps to elevate the importance of these awards." Dual sportswoman Halliday, who combines her careers as a racing driver and international 3-Day eventer, is currently planning her 2010 season on track and is also preparing to take three of her horses to Portugal for the Barroca d’Alva Horse Trials in March. Liz Halliday returns to Le Mans with Eurosport - 2009 Liz Halliday will return to the Le Mans 24 Hours this season after rejoining Eurosport’s commentary team for the second successive year for their live coverage of the world’s most famous motor race on 13-14 June. The dual sportswoman, who also competes in International 3 Day Eventing, has contested the world’s most famous motor race three times, finishing fourth in class in 2006, and will again provide expert analysis for the pan-European channel. The California-born Halliday has previous commentary experience on both sides of the Atlantic with CBS Sports and Motors TV and has vast experience of sportscar endurance racing having competed in the European based Le Mans Series, the FIA GT Championship and the American Le Mans Series, where she is the most successful female driver ever in the championship’s history. “I’m thrilled to be back with Eurosport again this year,” said Halliday. “I really enjoyed my time with them in 2008, which was my first time ever commentating at Le Mans and I’m looking forward to what should be a fantastic race." “I love Le Mans and everything about the historic race, and hopefully that enthusiasm will be transferred to the viewers during the race. I’ve got good experience there as a driver and I hope to bring that to the commentary box. This year’s race looks set to be another classic battle between Audi and Peugeot, and with Aston Martin also in the mix, I think the viewers are set to witness an epic.” Halliday has concentrated on her career in 3 Day Eventing this season, achieving fine results in a variety of international events including the Barroca D' Alva Horse Trials in Portugal earlier this year. She raced in both the European and American Le Mans Series last year but ultimately opted not to compete at La Sarthe for a fourth time in ’09. “There were some opportunities at Le Mans this year, but I didn’t think any of them were a great fit for myself or my sponsors, so I had to make the difficult decision to pass on being a driver this year. I am so pleased to be with Eurosport again though, and thrilled to still be there and be a part of the race.” said Liz. “I do hope to be back on track later in the year however in America or Europe, and hopefully I will have more news on that soon.” Eurosport’s coverage of the Le Mans 24 Hours begins on Wednesday 10 June with action from practice, followed by qualifying on Thursday 11 June and live coverage of the race on Saturday/Sunday 13/14 June on both Eurosport 1 and 2. For more details, please visit www.eurosport.com. For more information on Liz Halliday, or to download hi-res photos for use in editorial, please visit www.lizhalliday.com *     *     * The most successful female driver in American Le Mans Series history, Liz Halliday will return to the Series for the final two events of 2008 with Creation Autosportif and its two-car lineup of Creation-AIM prototypes in LMP1. ... Has won six times with 14 podium finishes (all with Intersport Racing) in 19 career starts ... Also an elite level equestrian competitor and has eye on future Olympic berth. At Le Mans: Drove with Sam Hancock/Gregor Fisken at Le Mans in 2005 for Intersport. Car led class by four laps 10 hours in before retiring. … In 2006, drove Intersport Lola with Field/Duncan Dayton. Early promise gave way to a frustrating string of mechanical and other failures that kept the car along pit lane throughout first hour. Team did manage to finish the race and took fourth in LMP2. ... Retired after 198 laps in Noel Del Bello Courage-AER in 2007. LMP2 entry suffered terminal gearshift issues near 11-hour mark. A world traveler and competitor in the truest sense. ... Also trains and competes in Olympic-level equestrian events and is eyeing Olympic berth in 2012. ... Raced in nine rounds of 2005 FIA GT Championship, where best showings for Lister Racing was seventh at Brno and Monza. ... Teamed up with Kevin Buckler, owner of The Racer’s Group, to race in the 2004 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. ... In August 2003, Halliday and Amanda Stretton became first women ever to win a round of the British GT Championship at the wheel of a Porsche GT3. ... Drove in famous Bathurst 24-hour race in Australia in late 2003. ... In 2002, named "Driver of the Day" at Donington and Croft and again at Rockingham in 2003. ... Halliday’s motor racing career, inspired by her father Don, opened in 1996 with the SCCA, the Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) and the Alfa Romeo Club. ... Owns three horses and competes regularly in Three Day Eventing and Dressage. ... Would most like to attend Formula One race and Olympic Equestrian event “because I want to compete there one day”. ... Series driver she admires most is Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen. ... Likes to relax before race by meeting fans and hearing the anthems. ... Studied marine biology for three years at UC Santa Barbara and plans to finalize her degree in England. American former British GT driver (with Phil Hindley's Tech 9 operation), Liz Halliday stepped up a gear. At 26, the California native joined the No. 37 Interport Lola team in an American Le Mans Series LMP2 at Road Am. Also Europe'/s FIA AGT Champsionhip series. International GT and Sports Car Racing — After a busy 2004 season racing Porsche GT3s in America and Europe, Liz moved up another level in her racing career for 2005. She was given the exciting opportunity to race in the Factory Lister Storm for the entire FIA GT season with Justin Keen, as well as the chance to race in the 53rd annual Mobile 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, and the famous Le Mans 24 Hours with the Telesis Intersport Racing Team. This was the team who won the LMP2 class at Le Mans in 2004 and Sebring will be Liz’s first drive with the team and in an LMP2 car. Formula Woman — For a new twist to the year, Liz has joined forces with Formula Woman, which successfully ran a televised UK all women competition and race series in 2004. She has been appointed as the manager of the new Formula Woman race team, which will run a one –two car all women team in the European Endurance Racing Club. www.lizhalliday.com www.intersportracing.com www.americanlemans.com www.roadamerica.com For further information on Liz Halliday, please contact Vincent Franceschini: Mobile: +44 (0) 7860 410 950 Tel: +44 (0) 20 8543 2101 Fax: + 44 (0) 20 8543 4134 E-mail: A world traveler in the truest sense. . .She also competes in FIA GT Championship and competes in Olympic-level equestrian events. . .Drove with Sam Hancock/Gregor Fisken at Le Mans for Intersport. Car led class by four laps 10 hours in before retiring. . .Raced in nine rounds of FIA GT Championship, where best showings for Lister Racing was seventh at Brno and Monza. . .Teamed up with Kevin Buckler, owner of The Racer’s Group, to race in the 2004 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. . .Recorded first ever podium, finishing third in class at the 2004 Grand Prix of Miami with co-driver Buckler. . .In August 2003, Halliday and Amanda Stretton became first women ever to win a round of the British GT Championship at the wheel of a Porsche GT3. . .Drove in famous Bathurst 24-hour race in Australia in late 2003. . .In 2002, named "Driver of the Day" at Donington and Croft, and again at Rockingham in 2003. . .Halliday’s motor racing career, inspired by her father Don’s, opened in 1996 with the SCCA, the Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) and the Alfa Romeo Club. . .Owns three horses and competes regularly in Three Day Eventing and Dressage. . .Career goal is to take part in an Olympic Games equestrian competition. . .Would most like to attend Formula One race and Olympic Equestrian event “because I want to compete there one day”. . .Likes to relax before race by meeting fans and hearing the anthems. . .Studied marine biology for three years at UC Santa Barbara and plans to finalize her degree in England. Liz Halliday joins Eurosport for the Le Mans 24 Hours Racing driver Liz Halliday will form part of Eurosport’s commentary team for their exclusive coverage of the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours on 14-15 June. The dual sportswoman, who also competes in International 3 Day Eventing, has contested the world’s most famous motor race three times, finishing fourth in class in 2006 and leading the LMP2 category last year before gearbox failure, and will now provide expert analysis for the pan-European channel. The California-born Halliday has previous commentary experience on both sides of the Atlantic with CBS Sports and Motors TV and has vast experience of sportscar endurance racing having competed in the European based Le Mans Series, the American Le Mans Series and the FIA GT Championship. She is now set for her first Le Mans commentary stint and admitted she’s looking forward to the challenge of tackling a 24 Hour race from a very different perspective! “It’s a big honour for me to be invited by Eurosport to do this,” said Halliday. “They’re a huge channel all across Europe and it’s a good opportunity to further my media career, which is something I really enjoy. “I absolutely adore Le Mans and hopefully that enthusiasm will be transferred to the viewers during the race. I’ve raced at La Sarthe three times and was the only female driver to do so for the past two years, so I’ve got good experience there as a driver and I hope to bring that to the commentary box.” Halliday, who hasn’t raced so far in 2008 having undertaken an extensive 3 day eventing programme all across Europe, also revealed she is planning a return to the cockpit later in the year. “I had a couple of options to race at Le Mans this year, but, having come so close to a podium finish in 2006 and then having led the LMP2 class last year, I only wanted a drive with a team capable of challenging for honours. However I’m hoping to return to action at Petit Le Mans and possibly Laguna Seca later in the year so plans are very much in the pipeline to get behind the wheel again soon.” Eurosport’s coverage of the Le Mans 24 Hours begins on Saturday 14 June at 7.30am (UK Time) and continues throughout the day. They will also stream all the action live at player.eurosport.co.uk For more details, visit www.eurosport.com Halliday joins Coulthard, Irvine on Sky One Female racing driver and equestrian, Liz Halliday, will help Formula 1 stars David Coulthard and Eddie Irvine put ten celebrity wannabe racing drivers through their paces next week, as part of a new Sky One television show presented by Denise van Outen called, The Race. Designed to finally determine whether it’s men or women who really make the better drivers, the series will pit two teams of five against one another for seven days of frantic battle-of-the-sexes action at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. Liz, a multiple race winner and championship runner-up in the 2006 American Le Mans Series, will help Red Bull Racing driver Coulthard train the girl’s camp, comprising urban music maestro Ms Dynamite, Tamara Ecclestone – daughter of Formula One boss Bernie – former Atomic Kitten Jenny Frost, US film star Melissa Joan Hart and TV personality Ingrid Tarrant. Meanwhile, former Ferrari ace Irvine – who finished runner-up in the Formula One World Championship in 1999 – will coach the boys alongside Silverstone Racing School chief instructor, Steve Deeks. Representing ‘the lads’ will be ex-boxing world champion Nigel Benn, England football legend Les Ferdinand, AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Nick Moran and electro-pop pioneer Gary Numan. Before the real trials begin, each celebrity will have to obtain their Association of Racing Drivers Schools certificate (ARDS) to qualify them for the challenges ahead and ensure they have the necessary skills to cope. From then on it's high-octane entertainment as every day from 6 November one driver from each team will step forward to take part in a one-on-one driving duel, the Rev Head Challenge. With the pressure all on one person to bag valuable points and move their team up the grid, this will be a true test of character. The main event of each day will see the celebs competing as a team against the opposite sex in everything from superminis and monster trucks, to off-road buggies and Lotus sportscars to improve their ‘grand prix grid’ standing and avoid being handed the ‘suit of shame’. With team pride and camaraderie playing as big a part as personal rivalries and self-esteem, passions and tensions are set to run high. Coulthard and Irvine will have to choose a driver from their respective teams to be eliminated on the Friday night show, while a grand final - a Formula Ford race – will be held on Sunday November 12. “I’m really excited to be involved in this and so pleased to have been asked,” enthused Halliday. “It’ll be a real honour to meet and work with Eddie Irvine and David Coulthard and hopefully I can learn a thing or two myself. I’ve done quite a lot of coaching in the past which should stand me in good stead with my team and allow me to pass on some constructive assistance. I’m going to push the contestants as much as I can because I really want us to win, but ultimately it’ll be down to each one of them being brave, being focused and working hard.” An excited Denise van Outen added, “I can't wait to get trackside with the girls and boys to find out once and for all which sex really is better behind the wheel. This is going to be the hardest week of some of our celebrity's lives and with David and Eddie in charge I can't see anyone being given an easy ride." • 'The Race' will be shown live at 10pm every night on Sky One during the week of competition, beginning this coming Monday, 6th November. More information on www.skyone.co.uk • Further ‘behind-the-scenes’ coverage will also be shown in an additional program, The Pit Stop, at 11pm every night on Sky Three, a Freeview channel. More information on www.sky.com • Anyone wishing to watch the Grand Finale live at Silverstone on Nov 12th can purchase tickets directly from Silverstone (Ticket Hotline: 08704 588260) or visit www.silverstone.co.uk Liz Halliday and Intersport Racing end the season on a high Liz Halliday and the Intersport Racing team secured a fantastic second overall in the LMP2 Driver’s Championship of the American Le Mans Series this weekend, with a podium finish in the tenth and final round of the season at Laguna Seca, California. Halliday and co-driver Clint Field’s championship position is even more impressive for the fact that they have finished ahead of two of their four arch rivals from the factory Porsche team, despite many observers writing off their chances as soon as Porsche announced their plans towards the end of 2005. To achieve success in the face of such adversity illustrates perfectly the character of the little Intersport team, a private, family-owned operation based in Ohio. Throughout the season they have fought hard to maintain intense pressure on their Porsche rivals, seeking to exploit any sign of weakness. Reliability was one such area in which Porsche struggled early on in the season and Intersport capitalised beautifully, being sure to finish races where their rivals faltered. It was at this early stage of the year that Intersport built the foundation to their championship assault, Halliday’s co-driver and defending champion Clint Field keen to seal a second title and Liz herself looking to record her first. Inevitably however, Porsche soon found the reliability to match their speed, and finally the mighty RS-Spyders were able to exploit their inherent pace advantage. Yesterday’s race in Laguna Seca summed up much of the second half of the season, with Intersport feistily refusing to give up, proving themselves absolutely the ‘best of the rest’ as the German steamroller continued. Jon Field took the start for Intersport, impressively holding station in third place as the Goodyear tyres on the Lola-AER struggled for grip on the dusty circuit. Jon’s son Clint then took over, continuing the faultless run before handing to Halliday on lap 65. Despite the increasingly eventful race being peppered by a multitude of accidents and crashes, Liz performed beautifully, lapping quickly and consistently, maintaining third place with a flawless run. On lap 80 a ‘full course yellow’ forced the team to review their strategy and Liz was called into the pits for a driver-change, fuel and new tyres. Such is the advantage of pitting during a safety-period that the sacrifice to Halliday’s remaining run was very much in the team’s overall interest. With Jon Field now back at the wheel, the charge continued for the #37 car, again unabated until Clint was handed the reigns for a final, clean run to the flag. With four hours complete, Intersport finished 12th overall, 3rd in class. Summing up her weekend, Liz said: “It’s not too bad a way to end the year. Although we always race for the win, it’s great to be on the podium here today – especially with the class having become super competitive with the arrival of more Radical chassis and so on. We're proud to be ‘best of the rest’. I didn’t get too much time in the car today but I think the strategy was right. We had planned all along to switch drivers under yellow and this is exactly what we did. It paid off and helped us to secure third place in the race and second in the championship, so we’re ending the year on a good note. “This has been a very educational season and I have learnt a lot. I would like to thank Clint, Jon and the entire team for a great year and my first full ALMS championship. We led the championship ahead of the two Porsches for the first six races of the season and this says how competitive the team is. When a one-car, small privateer team can get on top of a two-car, factory outfit like Porsche, it’s a great credit to the mechanics, their preparation of the car and its faultless reliability. The boys really deserve this result and I’m very happy for them. It is a shame that Clint couldn’t retain his LMP2 title and that I couldn’t secure my first one, but it is a well fought third place. On the podium, we had the Penske Porsche drivers saying to us that we scared them all season and they were relieved the season was now over! This is the best compliment we could get!” Team owner and co-driver to Liz, Clint Field added: “Liz drove a strong race today and this is fantastic for the team to end the season on a high. It would have been great to win the Drivers’ championship for the second season in a row and help Liz secure her first championship but we knew it would be a tall order against Porsche. As a team we did the best we could since Sebring in March and I feel we can be proud of what we achieved. I cannot wait for 2007 which will be an even more competitive season!” Source: www.lizhalliday.com/pages/news/latest_news_detail.aspx?nid=89 Liz Halliday, Jon Field and Clint Field finished 4th in class in the 1000 mile Petit Le Mans race in Atlanta yesterday - the penultimate round of the American Le Mans Series. - 10/1/06 After a fraught start to the 10 hour enduro, the relatively small private team found themselves ahead of their great championship rivals, the works Porsche squad. With both Porsches being delayed with temporary mechanical troubles, Jon Field in the Intersport Lola found himself in the early lead of the LMP2 class and taking full advantage of his rivals' troubles. With the Porsches soon back on track and aggressively looking to make up lost ground, Jon wowed the crowd with a spectacular stint in the middle of the race, keeping the charging Porsche of Timo Bernhard at bay for lap after enthralling lap. Ultimately the Porsche prevailed, but only when Jon found himself having to combat mild down-shift problems with his gearbox. Still with a two lap lead, Jon pitted to hand over to son Clint, who looked set to continue Intersport's incredible effort. Unfortunately, soon after the pit stop, the steering column on the Lola-AER failed dramatically, very nearly pitching Clint into the wall and forcing him to stop for lenghthy repairs. The mechanics did a superb job to get the number 37 car back into the race just 38 minutes later, sill 13th overall and 4th in class. Clint and Liz put in fantastic final stints to bring the car to the flag unscathed, securing vital championship points. More info to follow shortly.... Source: www.lizhalliday.com/pages/news/latest_news_detail.aspx?nid=86 Halliday and Intersport finish 3rd in class, 8th overall in Road America -8/18/06 Californian racing driver and equestrian, Liz Halliday, traded one paddock for another last weekend to compete in Round 7 of the American Le Mans Series: the Generac 500 at Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The UK-based ‘dual-sportswoman’ headed into the race hoping to build on the five-point lead in the LMP2 class drivers’ standings that she currently shares with her Intersport Racing co-driver, Clint Field. Whilst the duo did manage to continue their unbroken run of podiums with a solid third place finish, their arch rivals in the Porsche factory squad confirmed that they have now added reliability to their already exceptional pace, with a dominant one-two finish in class and 4th and 5th places overall. Despite having been pole vaulted in the lead for the championship by Porsche driver Sascha Maassen, who now enjoys a two-point advantage, Halliday and Field remain upbeat about the rest of the season having perhaps demonstrated their strongest pace yet and an improving ability to stay in touch with the Porsches over a race distance. “So far this year it’s clear that they have had a significant pace advantage over us and indeed nearly everybody else,” said Halliday after the race, “so we focused on our reliability and made sure to pick up the points if they encountered problems. That strategy has worked so far but we need to continue improving our pace to beat them fair and square on the track. We struggled a bit in recent races but we weren’t that far off today and in the ebb and flow of caution periods we even managed to split them [the two Porsches] at times. We’re pretty pleased with the progress we’ve made pace-wise and that’s a fantastic testimony to the team’s efforts on the car. We’ll keep pushing in this area and if we can just stay in contention then who knows what is possible with the championship – it’s far from over yet that’s for sure!” Halliday and Field were joined in battle this time by Clint’s father, Jon Field. Well known for his blistering pace, Jon was given again qualifying duties and his best effort, a 1m52.453s lap, was good enough for third in class, just over a second shy of the class pole set by Porsche driver, Lucas Luhr, at 1m51.199s. After strong but fairly short stints from Clint and Liz, Field Snr also took the helm for much of the race and did a great job to keep the Lola-AER-GoodYear car in touch with the leaders. “Jon did a really nice job today,” continued Liz. “We focused on making driver changes under yellow flags and this was the right strategy to stay in contention with the Porsches. We’ve got to do all we can to keep up the pressure on Porsche because we know that they’re fallible. We’re no longer leading the Drivers’ championship, which is of course frustrating, but we’re only two points behind Maassen so we are certainly not giving up yet! There are three rounds to go and in this sport, anything can happen.” Fighting talk from Liz, who will resume battle with her Intersport team in two weeks’ time at the Mobil 1 presents Labour Day Grand Prix of Mosport, set for 3pm EDT on Sunday, September 3rd. Halliday’s most impressive performance to date Californian racing driver and international equestrian, Liz Halliday, received plaudits from rivals and team mates alike on Sunday after a stunning performance in Round 8 of the American Le Mans Series in Mosport, Canada. UK-based Halliday started the 2h45m race from 3rd in class, 7th overall, and had onlookers gripped when, having inherited 2nd place from arch rival Sascha Maassen of the mighty factory Porsche team when he pitted early for fuel under a safety car period, she managed to keep him at bay for nearly a full stint. Liz was matching his lap times lap for lap in a tense duel, until she was ultimately hampered by a couple of brake lock ups and a flat spotted tyre in the last lap of her stint. The entire race was held in dry conditions, which came as a welcome surprise after torrential weather caused organisers to cancel Saturday’s qualifying session and allocate grid positions according to lap times attained in free practice. With just half an hour to the start of the race and with grey clouds still looming ominously overhead, Halliday’s Intersport racing team opted to put a full dry-weather set-up on the LMP2 class Lola-AER, a decisive move which would pay great dividends later in the event. Liz’s performance was followed up by a typically charging drive by team mate, Clint Field, who took to the circuit 3rd in class and 7th overall. Unfortunately, after a few laps Field began to have problems with the front brakes locking up which ultimately had him back in the pits on lap 53, when he came down the pit lane in spectacular style with the Lola’s front brake discs on fire. Instantly the Intersport crew set to work on repairing the damage and did an amazing job to have it back on the circuit less than half and hour later. With 50 minutes remaining, Clint laid 19th overall, 28 laps down on the leader and hopes of beating the Porsches were now dashed. The new objective was to cover at least seventy percent of the leaders’ race distance in order for the car to be classified at the end of the race and therefore eligible for championship points. Clint achieved this with a quality, consistent drive and came home third in class, securing an impressive eighth podium in as many races for the small privateer team. After the race, a delighted Liz said: “Today I think I drove the best stint of my career and I am really pleased. I was hoping all weekend for the race to be dry because it’s such an incredible track to drive on slicks. I just love this circuit - it’s fast and challenging and is definitely one of my favourite tracks of the season. It is a shame we had the problem with the brakes today as we were closer to the Porsches than we have been for a while and I think we had the potential to challenge and maybe split them on the podium. The crew did brilliantly to get us back out on track during the race though, and they were a big part of the points we gained today. We had a tough time, but I am glad I was able to show some of my potential today. I feel like I have learned a lot and stepped up in my driving this weekend, and I am going to do my best to build on that for Petit Le Mans and the future.” Team mate Clint Field was also very impressed by Liz’s performance. He said: “Liz was awesome today. This was absolutely the best stint she has ever done and I am very proud of her. When I took over the car, we were in a very strong position thanks to her efforts and we were able to push the second Porsche hard. Unfortunately, after a few laps flat out, the front brakes locked and I had to drive with them like that all the way from Turn 2. They were so hot by the time I got to the pits that they were flaming! Thankfully I managed to get the car back to the boys who did a great job to turn our fortunes around. All credit to them for a great team effort today.” Round 9 of the 2006 American Le Mans Series is the famous “Petit Le Mans” in Road Atlanta and takes place on 30th September. NoLet-Up for Halliday as She Trades One Kind of Horse-Power for Another - 8/4/06 In a case of ‘no rest for the wicked’, Surrey-based racing driver and equestrian, Liz Halliday, exchanged the near 600 hundred horse power available from the AER engine in the back of her Lola racing car, for just two last weekend - called Harry and Oscar – as she set off to compete in the Wilton Horse Trials. With her relentless schedule marching on, Halliday jetted to Wilton having just finished a hugely successful run in three near-consecutive races in the American Le Mans Series. A win, a second place and a third helped to maintain her fantastic lead in the LMP2 class driver’s standings, her advantage over the mighty Porsche factory squad currently secured by a slender five points. Back in Wilton, Oscar – entered in the intermediate category – had a great run with a great score in the dressage and a much-improved show jump - albeit slightly marred by one rail down, and a solid clear cross country round. “I’m pleased with the progress that Oscar and I are making together and I feel that we are really starting to put all three phases together now.” Said Liz, “We had a couple Liz/Oscar communication issues on the cross country, but nothing major that would have caused us any trouble. The ground was also pretty hard and given that he’s going to run again on Wednesday at Aston-Le-Walls I didn’t want to take him too fast.” Despite holding back, Liz and Oscar finished a satisfying 8th overall – their best result to date at Intermediate level. On with Harry who, despite being a bit unhappy with the large amount of flies around the event, went on to do a very acceptable dressage test leaving them in good standing as they went into the jump phases. Two rails down was the result of a slightly wild run in the show jumping, but overall Liz was satisfied with his performance. The same could not be said however for the cross country which, according to Liz, was a disaster!: “It was a strange day. We had two stops on the course and Harry just didn’t seem right straight out of the box. He was very disinclined to gallop-on and just kept backing out of the fences, which was very out of character. Naturally we had the vet out straight away who found that, although he is mostly okay, he did have quite sore muscles, especially in his front end, and some physio work seems to have helped a lot. You have to remind yourself that horses have off-days too- just like us!” Following the result on Sunday, Liz obviously opted to withdraw Harry from the Gatcombe Horse Trial on the 5th August as it was meant to be his first competition at Advanced level and she did not feel it would be right for him physically or mentally to move up a level off of a bad run. Luckily, she was able to get him into the Aston-Le-Walls horse trials on Wednesday the 9th where he and Oscar will both again compete in the Intermediate sections. Until next Wednesday, Liz will pay extra attention to Harry’s performance and of course do everything possible to ensure he arrives well-prepared. Looking further ahead, the following event for Liz will be the Highclere Castle Horse Trials in Wiltshire on the 28th of August. Before then she’ll be back behind the wheel on August 20th with Round 7 of the American Le Mans Series: the Generac 500 at Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Mid-season Q&A with Liz Following three wins, a second place and two thirds from the opening six races of the 2006 American Le Mans Series, Liz Halliday’s attention now turns to a pivotal stretch of the season. Four races remain for Halliday and her co-drivers, Jon and Clint Field, in the #37 Intersport Lola. After running three events during July, the Series will draw breath and next be in action on August 18-20 at the Generac 500, Road America. During this slight break in her driving schedule, but not in her other pursuits (Liz is also an international equestrian), Halliday took the time to reflect on the first half of the sportscar season. All in all, are you happy with how the first portion of the season has unfolded for you and the team? “By and large, yes. Getting the LMP2 win at Sebring was a huge confidence-builder for all of us. Winning that race over the 12-hour period proved that our car had the durability you need to win out here.” At the end of 2005, Porsche debuted a pair of LMP2 cars with Roger Penske managing the team. What was your initial reaction? “The more top-of-the-line manufacturers we can attract into the Series, the better it is for all of us. We knew from the start that we could not match up to either of their cars in terms of flat-out speed. Where we could compete, however, was in our ability to finish races.” The Penske cars have won an overall race [Mid-Ohio] and led in several others, and some feel it is the equivalent of an LMP1 car? “I would not want to speak for them, but their stated goal has been to win as many LMP2 victories as they can, and I think they are sincere in that belief. Lucas [Luhr] and Sascha [Maassen] are both champion drivers. They are tough to beat no matter what car they might be in.” You ended July with a come-from-behind win at Portland. Explain how it came about? “Both Porsches showed early speed. But the #6 car got tangled up with Duncan Dayton’s prototype and needed extensive repairs. That allowed us to move up to second position. Then, with about 15 minutes to go in the race, the #7 blew its engine and now it was up to us to take advantage.” When Luhr’s #7 went out, you were in the car. What did the team tell you on the radio? “Just the normal lap information followed by the fact that I was running in first place! After that I was just told to keep the car on course, and not do anything too risky that would jeopardize a win.” Of the three wins so far, which was more satisfying, Sebring, Houston or Portland? “You can’t categorize winning. Sebring was great because it set a tone and it is such a difficult and significant race to win. When the Porsches came on the scene, a lot of people thought we might not win again. Both Houston and Portland were gratifying from the standpoint that we had a reliable car, managed to avoid trouble, and came home first in class.” Intersport and Porsche are currently locked in a tight battle in the overall LMP2 points race? “We are, and I hope we will continue to be all the way to the final event at Laguna Seca in October. All of us at Intersport have a lot of respect for the team that Penske/Porsche has put together. At the same time, I hope they have the same respect for us.” How has your driving improved from last year to this? “I believe I get better from race to race, but there are still some rough spots along the way. At Salt Lake City, I thought my first stint [to open the race] was one of my poorest as I always have very high standards for myself. Jon pulled me aside and said, ‘We all know you can do better,’ and put me back in the car for the finish of the race. That meant a lot. I’ve only been driving this type of car for about a year and I’m improving all the time, but I’m competing against some of the best drivers in the world and I try to learn from each of them as I go along.” At Portland, you “debuted” as a CBS reporter on one of the feature segments. How did that go? “It was a lot of fun. Television commentary is something I want to pursue career-wise and the more experience I can get now, the better. My job was just to talk to the other drivers about some fun topics that were a bit different than the average interview, racing or non-racing. I think I came off okay!" What will you be doing between now and the next race at Elkhart Lake? "I’ll be concentrating mostly on my horses and eventing in England. I left the States the day after Portland, and for the most part, I’ve just been working my horses out in preparation for several events in early August. It will be good to spend a couple weeks focusing on my horses consistently, but I also think that I’ll be more than ready to get back in the car by mid-August. It’s going to be a fight to the finish in our class and I’m greatly looking forward to being in the middle of it.” Source: www.lizhalliday.com/pages/news/latest_news_detail.aspx?nid=74 Liz Halliday becomes the winningest female in ALMS history - 7/22/06 Liz Halliday became the winningest female in Series history with her sixth career win as she and Clint Field gave Intersport Racing its third LMP2 victory of the season in LMP2. Halliday took the lead with seven minutes to go as Penske Racing's No. 6 Porsche RS Spyder sat helplessly in pitlane with a blown engine. Entering the race with a 1-point lead in the class drivers championship, they leave with a 5-point advantage over Lucas Luhr and Sascha Maassen. "This one's for the team," said Halliday. "They are the ones who keep this Lola going around forever. Slow and steady wins the race has been our motto. We know we can't keep pace with the Porsches but they had some problems today that played into our favor. Great luck today." Intersport's AER-powered Lola B05/40 opened the season with consecutive wins at Sebring and Houston. The car has finished every race except one this year and has earned championship points in each of the Series' six rounds of 2006. In the class team championship standings, the Ohio-based independent trails the Penske crew by just 3 points heading into the next round at Road America. Never one to back down to a challenge (just ask Penske and Porsche), Intersport is showing no signs of letting up even as three Acura P2 entries loom for 2007. "We came away from Salt Lake a little disappointed. We took second which was great but we were disappointed with our pace," Field said. "This week we were a little closer to Porsche. The grip wasn't good. Our pace in the race was a second to a second-and-a-half off. We kept going around and were happy to capitalize on their reliability. "When a company like Porsche comes into the Series, they're going to do it right," Field added. "We want to beat them outright. Toward the end of this year and next year, I think we can get closer and beat them fair and square. We have a good car, engine package and tires. With the announcement that Porsche was coming in, we upped our game and we'll do the same for Acura. Hopefully we'll be as quick as they are." More information to follow shortly. Liz Halliday second in class at Salt Lake City - 7/16/06 Californian ‘dual-sportswoman’, Liz Halliday - a racing driver and international equestrian in three-day eventing - finished second in class in Sunday’s fifth round of the 2006 American Le Mans Series, held at the brand new Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The ten-round series was making its first visit to the impressive new venue and the extremely long, fast and flowing track appeared to delight both fans and competitors alike… "Wow, what a facility!” said Halliday when commenting on the host venue, “Larry Miller has really done a great job to create a superb track and venue, and I'm sure it will only get better over the years. I certainly found the track very challenging though, and with twenty-four turns and not many features, along with the lowered grip from the sand that was blowing onto the track, it was one of the toughest I have driven - but a great challenge nonetheless.” Halliday and her team mate, Clint Field, started the 2h45min race from eighth position overall and third in class. As has now become the norm, Halliday took the start and completed a trouble-free opening stint, despite struggling slightly with the new circuit. After fifty-four minutes she handed over to team mate Clint who drove for one hour before handing back to Liz for her final run to the flag. A fairly quiet and incident-free race for the duo suddenly perked up when their main rivals, the Porsche factory team, had a problem with one of their cars as it stopped on the track with terminal throttle problems with less than half an hour to go. Having been running third in class, Halliday and Field promptly inherited second position and a vital clutch of championship points to retain their slender lead in the LMP2 drivers’ standings by just one point. Liz Halliday said after the race: “My first stint in the race was difficult but I kept going and made sure I stayed out of trouble. Clint then took over and kept up a good pace, staying as close to the Porsches as possible– which, yet again, had incredible pace. When I took over the car later on for my second stint, I found it far more comfortable and enjoyed the push to the flag. Given our ‘David vs. Goliath’ situation at the moment I’ll gladly take today’s result even if it was a bit lucky – The team did a great job to give us a very reliable car, and it just goes to show that in sportscar racing sometimes staying out of trouble and doing consistent laps can go a long way! The ALMS now heads to the Portland International Raceway for round six of the series on July 22. The race starts at 18:00PST and will last for 2h45m. Salt Lake City Preview, Round 5 of ALMS Series - 7/12/06 UK-based Californian, Liz Halliday, heads to the brand new Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City this weekend for round five of the American Le Mans Series. Along with her Intersport Racing co-driver, Clint Field, Liz leads the LMP2 class drivers’ championship by just five points from the factory Porsche squad of Saacha Maassen and Lucas Lurh. Despite scoring two superb class wins and two thirds in the opening four races, Halliday and Field are only too aware that their challenge to stay at the top of the table intensifies as the might of the Porsche rollercoaster roars on. Halliday, who is tied for the most Series wins by a female driver (5), said: “Clint and I are under no illusion that to stay abreast of the two Porsche works cars for the remaining six races of the season is going to be hard, but we will do our best and keep on fighting! We had a tough weekend in Lime Rock and despite my contact with the wall towards the end of the race we still scored more points for the championship with a third place classification. So we are still well in the hunt and fully motivated, it would be great to beat at least one of those Penske - Porsches this weekend….!” Liz, who is also an international equestrian in Three Day Eventing, has been back in England recently for a one day event at Tweseldown in Hampshire, but is looking forward to getting back to business behind the wheel. “I’m really excited to be visiting Salt Lake City,” says Liz, “the circuit is totally new, very long and by all accounts a real pleasure to drive – I can’t wait. I expect the weather will be very hot so it might be a hard race physically, but it’s nothing we are not used to or prepared for.” Co-driver and Team Manager of Intersport Racing, Clint Field, said: “Salt Lake is a first for the ALMS championship and also for all of us here at Intersport. It’s a new, state-of-the-art, permanent circuit – very long at 4.5-miles, with 24-turns, so it should be a great! I am also pleased that all the teams will be starting from a level playing field with no previous experience of the circuit to rely on as I think this will play into our favour slightly and help us keep up with the Porsches – never an easy task, but we’ll be giving it everything!” In the US, CBS Sports will televise the event on Sunday 16th July 2006, 12pm MST. For more information, please visit www.cbs.com In Europe, the race will be broadcast on Motors TV at 6.30pm UK time on Sunday 16th July 2006. For more information, please visit www.motorstv.com Live coverage will be available at www.americanlemans.com with American Le Mans Radio and IMSA Live Timing & Scoring. For more information on the circuit, visit www.millermotorsportspark.com Lime Rock Challenges but Halliday and Team Retain LMP2 Lead - 7/6/06 American racing driver and three-day event rider, Liz Halliday, endured a tough race at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut this weekend but came through to be classified 3rd in class and retain her position at the top of the LMP2 drivers’ championship leader board alongside her Intersport Racing team mate, Clint Field. Halliday and Field pushed hard from start to finish despite difficult traffic conditions throughout the race, and braking issues in the last hour that made for a challenging drive. However, they knew from early on that while they would struggle to match the pace of their main title rivals, the two-car works Porsche team, a solid run to the finish would secure vital championship points. That plan was nearly scuppered however when in the latter stages of the 2h45m event, having been running a fine 3rd in class, Halliday was finally caught out by the braking problems in the Lola. Like her team mate, she had been struggling with pad knock-off, necessitating several pumps to the pedal before each and every corner to regain lost brake pressure. While concentrating on lapping heavy traffic, Liz by her own admission forgot to pump the pedal for a couple seconds. As she entered one of the fastest corners of the challenging 1.53 mile circuit, it dropped straight to the floor, then the rear brakes locked up and she spun and made heavy impact with the wall. Although Liz was able to drive the car back to the pits, the car suffered extensive damage, and the team chose to retire the car safe in the knowledge that they had completed more than enough laps to be classified and to maintain their 3rd position until the finish. Liz Halliday: “Phew – tough day! Given everything we had to go through, I am hugely relieved to still be classified and retain our lead in the championship because with Porsche running so strongly now, we really can’t afford too many more days like this. The first part of the race was fine for us – I took the start once again and felt like I made a pretty good run off the line, but then lost a couple places when I got stuck on the outside of the Highcroft Lola which had lost its gears suddenly just into the first corner. After that I settled down and concentrated on putting in some good lap times. It’s a bumpy, twisty, slippery, ‘busy’ track – but I enjoyed it, it’s a really good challenge. Unfortunately though, we later had to cope with this braking problem which ultimately caught me out not long before the end of the race. I was in fifth gear when I hit the wall so it was pretty fast. It’s unfortunate for the team who now have a lot of work to do, but equally I’m really happy we still grabbed those championship points. A big thanks to Clint and the rest of the boys for all their efforts.” Intersport Racing Team Manager and co-driver to Liz, Clint Field: “I feel happy that we retained our classification, but bad for Liz. Unfortunately she got caught out by the brake problem and hit the wall. The car was so uncomfortable and unpredictable on the brakes that it literally could have happened to anybody - especially on a small circuit as twisty as Lime Rock with no run off area. Nevertheless, we still got classified third in class and scored more points which is more than we were expecting, so the weekend turned out pretty good despite what happened in the end. We are pretty happy heading to Salt Lake City and believe that we can step up our level of performance and be closer to the two Porsche works cars.” A hectic schedule continues now for Liz as she heads back to the Tweseldown Horse Trials in the UK to ride in another one day event on 10th July, before flying back to the US for the next round of the American Le Mans Series in Salt Lake City on July 15th. Lime Rock Preview, Round 4 Having barely drawn breath since finishing 4th in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the British-based Californian sportswoman Liz Halliday, heads to Lime Rock, Connecticut, this weekend to continue her title chase in the American Le Mans Series, in which she currently leads the LMP2 class drivers’ standings with her team mate Clint Field. On the back of two wins already this year (Sebring and Houston) expectations are high for Lime Rock, although even Liz admits it will be a big challenge, “This will be my first visit to Lime Rock,” says Liz, “and there is very little practice time so I don’t expect things to be easy. Having said that, the great thing about getting to the end of a race as long and gruelling as Le Mans, is that you end up doing nearly a full season’s worth of mileage in just one event, which is really useful in terms of getting fully dialled in to the car and just feeling very at one with it. So when I get to a new track like Lime Rock, I can concentrate all my efforts on learning the circuit without being in any way distracted by what’s going on with the car.” Liz will be helped in her preparations by professional race instructor Bruce MacInnes, a Lime Rock specialist, who will help tune her into every little nuance of the 1.53 mile circuit, “I came across Bruce through Lynn St. James [female ex-Indycar racer] and I’m sure he’ll help me up to speed quicker than I would otherwise. All circuits have their little secrets so Bruce’s experience here will be invaluable.” Far from putting her feet up between Le Mans and Lime Rock, Liz has been flat out with her other sporting career as an international equestrian, having taken part in a one day event at Salperton Park, in Gloucestershire, England, as well as making a guest appearance in a promotional event for the British Military… The “Kingsley Challenge” was originally set in the 19th Century by the Kingsley Club, a Worcester College, Oxford Gentleman’s Club, when Henry Kingsley won a wager that he could run a mile, row a mile and horse ride a mile, all in fifteen minutes. It was seen as 'a near impossible feat' and for many years the challenge was all but forgotten, but it has since been resurrected to foster competitive spirit and ethos amongst Guards units in London. This year the Challenge was held on and around the Serpentine in Hyde Park on 21 June. Each competitor began by rowing a mile on the Serpentine, then ran a mile along the south side, and finished by riding a mile along Rotten Row. While of course being more than happy with the riding section and breezing through the run, Liz was not the only competitor to struggle with the row. Navigating a professional skull backwards at 5mph requires a technical skill very different to driving forwards at 200mph and it is fair to say that Liz’s chosen route was probably not the fastest! Nonetheless, having had only a few hours of rowing experience in her life, she at least managed not to capsize, which is more than can be said for many other competitors! For this weekend though, Liz will require a very different kind of horsepower as she takes the fight to the factory LMP2 class Porsches, “It’s sad to say,” says Liz, “but now that Porsche have found reliability, they are going to be virtually unstoppable – they’re just so quick. Having said that when you look at the dominance of the Audi’s in Le Mans and you consider that we finished 2nd overall to them in Sebring, I think we’re doing a pretty good job. Realistically if we can finish in front of at least one of the Porsches this weekend I think we’d be pretty pleased. Either way you can be sure we’ll be going for it and the team will give it their all.” The race is scheduled for a 3 p.m. EDT start. In the US, CBS Sports will televise the event from 4 to 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday 2nd July. In Europe, the race will be broadcast on Motors TV at 1.30pm UK time on Sunday 2nd July 2006. For more information, please visit www.motorstv.com Live coverage will be available at www.americanlemans.com with American Le Mans Radio and IMSA Live Timing & Scoring. Salperton One-Day Event, Gloucestershire, England Liz Halliday, the British-based Californian sportswoman, competed in Saturday’s Salperton Park One Day Event with horses Harry (Silken Crisp) and Oscar (Arctic Knight), just days after returning from Le Mans in France, where she finished 4th in class and was the only female driver to contest the famous annual 24 hour motor race. Liz’s dual sporting focus on both her horse riding and motor racing ensures a busy schedule, but she relishes the challenge: “I love being busy,” says Liz, “and coming straight here to Salperton so soon after Le Mans is no problem at all – in fact I love the variety.” Liz entered her first horse, Harry, in the Advanced Intermediate class where he performed beautifully in his first Advanced Dressage test giving Liz her best score on him this season. He then jumped very well around a large Advanced show jumping course and only had one unfortunate rail down. “Harry did a fantastic job,” said Liz, “and I’m very, very pleased with him. He’s well on his way to a full advanced run now. I didn’t cross country him today because we wanted to save his legs since he's done quite a lot this year already, but some great progress has been made in the other phases.” Liz’s second horse, Oscar, was also “phenomenal!” in both the show jumping and dressage, running as high as 2nd after the dressage. Again, like Harry, Oscar had one rail down in the show jumping but given the size of the course and his previous difficulty with the show jumping phase, Liz was very pleased: “I had a good day today with Oscar, although he did find the cross country tough going. It’s basically a fitness issue and something we’ll need to address, but given his comparative lack of experience with me it’s not something we can't solve with a bit more time. We’ll get to work on his strength and fitness over the next couple weeks, and both horses will be out again at the next event at Twesledown on the 10th of July, where they will compete in the intermediate class.” Gritty Drive Rewards Liz Halliday at Le Mans Europe-based American racing driver and equestrian Liz Halliday today realised one of her life’s ambitions by completing the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s greatest motor race. Liz was the only woman competing in the event this year and was also privileged to take the start of the event for the Intersport team. The 2006 edition of the race began with two qualifying sessions held in torrential rain on Wednesday afternoon and evening and two more, in the dry, on Thursday. Intersport qualified second in the LMP2 category and Halliday approached the start in an optimistic mood, soaking up the incredible atmosphere. Race day dawned clear and warm and an estimated 230,000 fans packed in to the famous circuit to watch the start of the race. However, 2006 would prove to be a year of intense competition and incredibly high attrition as the race unfolded over the 24 hours. Halliday and her American team-mates, Clint Field and Duncan Dayton, suffered technical difficulties from the off, with an engine misfire which took several laps to resolve, demoting them to 49th within the first half hour. However, they mounted a monumental fight-back, which began with Halliday pushing hard from the off. “I was in the car for about two hours at the beginning. It took a couple of laps to get my rhythm back after we sorted the problem but then it started to go well.” She and her team-mates began by driving double stints each and by her second session, Halliday was clearly settling into the car and the conditions. “The car felt much better in the second stint,” she explained. “My lap times were improving all the time, although the traffic seemed quite bad at times, so it was important to try to be safe, as well as fast.” By the time Liz handed the car over to Dayton, the Intersport Lola was occupying 20th overall and third in LMP2. But then, at half race distance, the car suffered a gearbox problem. The rules stipulate that teams can rebuild gearboxes but not change the outer casing, so the Intersport technicians did just that, taking only 40 minutes to replace the gearbox internals. But the time loss undid much of their incredible climb up the leader-board and they had to mount a charge again, in the full darkness of the French countryside. Halliday again took over and by the end of her next stint, had moved up from 33rd to 28th overall. “That was a really good stint,” said Liz. “But I still had to be careful. There was so much debris and gravel on the track that it was easy to pick up a puncture.” Indeed, she was one of many drivers suffering from deflated tyres but this simply served to spur her on even harder. “We were on another fight-back at that point but we were already at half race distance, which was further than I’ve got last year, so that gave me a boost.” Several smaller glitches were dispensed with on the run through dusk and as the sun came up, the Le Mans heat returned, with a vengeance. However, a combination of determination and focus looked like rewarding Liz with her first Le Mans finish, a prospect she was looking forward to. “I have to say, I’ve never done that many total hours in a car before – I am exhausted. The physical exertion and the heat made it very hard work. I’ve done 24 hour races before but with four drivers to a team, where we did single stints. This weekend, I did three doubles and a triple and I know I’ve been working hard. Having said that, watching from the garage as Clint drove the final stint to the finish, I would happily have got back in and driven all the way to the end!” The 2006 event would have one last sting in its tail for the team, however, as Field suffered a puncture at the end of the Mulsanne straight and the tyre debris wrapped itself around the car’s bodywork, preventing it from driving. The team held its breath as they watched on the live TV screens while Field wrestled with the tyre and bodywork until finally, he was able to continue and cross the finish line, recording the team’s finish. Speaking after congratulating both team-mates, Liz said; “I’m so happy we finished this year. In fact, it means a lot more after that finish! Of course, we would have loved to have been on the podium, as that was my original goal. But with all the issues we had, to finish fourth is still pretty good for the whole team and I’m very proud of that. I think the important thing is that we showed we had the pace, comparable with some of our competitors who did make the podium and I think the car still has the pace to be able to achieve that. “We did the Sebring 12 Hours earlier this year with the Lola but that was a completely different event. Le Mans is obviously a lot longer and the nature of the circuit is very different. At Sebring, you don’t have the chance to rest for a minute whereas here, with the long straights, I was even having to talk to myself at times to stay focussed. “I feel I’ve learned a huge amount this year. We’ve already had some good results in the ALMS but this is Le Mans – it’s the ultimate endurance race. And we finished.” Team Manager Brian Alder was also happy with the team’s performance over the week. “What an unbelievable way to finish! This is the first 24 hour race I have finished and I’m very pleased about that. It justifies all the effort and hard work that everyone has put in over the last few weeks. We’ve had a great season so far; four races and four great results. We now need to maintain that momentum in the ALMS.” Frustration and Another Fight-Back - 6/18/06 - 18 hours Having mounted a huge fight-back at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, climbing to 20th from 49th following repairs to the engine, Liz Halliday and the Intersport Racing team faced another set-back just before half race distance, when their gearbox failed. Regulations prevent the team from actually changing the gearbox but rebuilding it is permitted, despite taking time. The problem occurred during Duncan Dayton’s night-time stint, with the loss of gears. The team brought the car into the garage and rebuilt the gearbox with new internal components, retaining the original casing, as stipulated by the regulations. An impressive feat in itself but not without a time penalty – the process took 45 minutes and when Halliday retook to the track, they had again descended the order, this time to 33rd. However, by the time she handed the car back to team-mate Clint Field, the team had risen to 28th overall. “That was a really good stint,” said Liz. “I did a double, as our tyres don’t seem to last for a triple. I was very cautious with the amount of traffic on the circuit, as well as the debris – there was gravel all across the road at Arnage. I picked up a puncture on my penultimate lap and I think I got it there. It was strange though – it didn’t feel like a puncture at first and I was terrified there was a suspension problem. So I backed off completely to make sure I didn’t damage the car.” Once back in the pits, the team changed the tyres and Liz handed the car over to Dayton once again for his pair of stints. “I guess we’re on another fight-back now, after the time lost fixing the gearbox. But we’re well over halfway race distance now, which is further than I’ve got before. I also think it will be easier once the sun comes up. I always find the 3am stint to be the hardest – it’s really tough.” Impressive Fight-Back for Liz Hallidy - 6/17/06 6 Hours American driver Liz Halliday and the Intersport Racing team mounted an impressive fight-back from 49th place overall, following a problem with their Lola AER which resulted in five pit stops in as many laps, straight from the start of the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans. Halliday started the race but immediately noticed a misfire from the AER turbocharged engine. A series of pitstops ensued, while the team attempted to rectify the problem, including replacing the ignition coil and spark plugs. However, the fault was eventually traced to a problematic turbo wastegate which was causing excessive turbo boost and the engine to enter a ‘safe’, limited mode. Once the team changed the wastegate, Liz and team-mates Duncan Dayton and Clint Field set about climbing back up the leader-board, having dropped to 49th position in the process. “I was in the car for almost two hours at the beginning,” said Halliday at the six-hour mark. “We got the problem sorted but obviously we lost a lot of time. Then it took me a few laps to get my rhythm back. When you’re trying to drive and talk to the team on the radio, explaining the problem, it’s quite distracting.” Duncan Dayton took over for a single stint, followed by Clint Field, also for a single stint, before Halliday took to the car again for the first of the team’s multiple sessions. She ran faultlessly for a double stint, around 1.5 hours in the darkness of the La Sarthe circuit, setting increasingly impressive lap times as she went. “The car felt much better in the second stint,” she explained. “My times are still improving, as I learn more places where I can gain extra speed. I think Le Mans is like that, you keep learning all the time. The traffic seems quite bad this year but that’s probably because my times are better at night than last year. It’s a case of keeping it as safe as possible now throughout the night.” By the time Halliday handed over to Dayton, the team had climbed back up to 20th overall and third in LMP2, an impressive feat in the first quarter of the race. Halliday and Intersport Racing Qualify Second in Class for LeMans The Intersport Racing team completed the fourth and final qualifying session for this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans by posting the second fastest time in the LMP2 category. This means they will start the 74th running of the greatest motor race on earth second in class and 13th overall. The team missed out on pole position by two seconds, over the 13.5Km La Sarthe circuit. Duncan Dayton took the car out early on and Liz Halliday followed, before Clint Field took over, claiming the team’s fastest time in the process. After yesterday’s torrential rain, the times tumbled as the drivers exploited the warm and dry conditions. As expected, the fastest times were set at the end of the first session and the very beginning of the second, as the air cooled and the tyres used for qualifying worked perfectly. However, the margin for a quick lap was very narrow, just one or two circuits and the combination of a fresh track after the rain and heavy traffic throughout posed a problems for many drivers. Liz Halliday explained; “I only did two timed laps in the first of the two sessions this evening,” she said. “To me, the car didn’t feel as stable as it usually does and when Clint took over, he agreed. We feel it may be that the tyres pressures climbed too high on the circuit, while the rain also washed the build-up of rubber away, changing the grip levels. However, following the one-hour break, the car felt much better when Halliday re-took to the track. “The second session showed that we’re all on the pace at night. The car felt a lot more stable and that helped the confidence a lot. My pace was a lot better than last year and without the traffic we experienced, I feel I can go even quicker in the race. “I did almost a full stint, around 10 laps, replicating race conditions and I’m pleased with the result. I think we all are. I feel we’re definitely ready for the start now.” Team Manager Brian Alder was also pleased with the team’s performance. “Second in class is a good result – it shows we’re right there. The track conditions after the rain last night are a lot different to the test day, so everyone’s times are a little slower. But we’re right where we need to be. We have a good pace and set-up on the car, so we’re ready.” Halliday and the rest of the drivers will now take part in the legendary drivers’ parade around the streets of Le Mans tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. This gives the estimated ¼ million fans the opportunity to see their racing heroes close up and personal before the race itself begins at 5pm local time on Saturday afternoon. Q&A for Liz regarding the 24 Hours of LeMans - 6/14/06 American motor racing driver and equestrian rider Liz Halliday talks about her feelings in the run-up to her second time at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. What do you remember most about your debut at Le Mans last year? It was amazing – really the most spectacular event I have ever been a part of. I remember the feeling when I took to the track for the first time and thinking, ‘Wow, I’m actually here!’ Also, the fans were incredible – it was totally unbelievable to be around the hundreds of thousands of people who come to watch the race. I really can’t wait to take part again! You led the LMP2 class for quite some time before a mechanical failure caused the car’s retirement. How do you think this year be different, for you and the team? I think that we were a strong team last year, but since then we’ve had more time to get to know the car. AER has also done more work on the engine reliability as well, so in theory, we should be even better prepared this time. Last year’s Le Mans was also my first race in this car. Since then, I have had lots more races and success with the team and the car. We have a great driver line-up and team, and hopefully we will be on the podium at the end. You and Intersport go to Le Mans off the back of three straight American Le Mans Series podium finishes. How important is that momentum? It’s great to go into a big race like Le Mans knowing that you have had a strong start to the year. The win at Sebring is especially important because the car ran almost flawlessly for the twelve hours – that’s a big boost for the team. What’s the most difficult thing for a driver preparing for Le Mans? I think the mental and physical preparation is difficult. Because you are sometimes doing three or four-hour stints at Le Mans, you need to have a lot of endurance fitness, as well as neck and upper body strength. The other big factor at Le Mans is mental fitness. It’s the biggest endurance race in the world and there is a lot of pressure on the drivers to perform well and get to the finish. If you’re well rested and prepared, you can put everything into the race. What will you be doing when you arrive in France? When I arrive, there is a day of scrutineering, which is always busy, but around that you want to have as much time as possible to relax and settle in before the driving starts on Wednesday evening. If you are to win Le Mans, what factors come into play? Most importantly, you need reliability from the car and the drivers. We need to be quick and consistent without taking too many risks. Also, a good race strategy from the team must be in place, to keep the car running in the best condition. It’s a team effort, and the main goal has to be to finish. What LMP2 cars will be your main competitors? I think our main competitors will be the RML car, which won last year and the Belmondo cars, as they tend to be very reliable. There are many more competitors this year that we need to be wary of, such as Synergy, Rollcentre and Binnie Motorsports. How was scrutineering this afternoon? Yes, it was fine. As drivers, we don’t do very much when we’re there. It was very hot though. Last year was very busy, with lots of fans. Was it the same this year? There weren’t as many as last year but still quite a lot. Last year we were right next to Pescarolo so that was a big draw for the crowds. There were still plenty there this year, though. I did a lot of interviews, some on the stage and some with Motors TV. We also did the traditional team picture, so there was plenty going on. I also signed a lot of autographs for the fans who were there, which was nice. Is there much of a buzz because you’re the only woman taking part? Yes. Most of the questions I get asked revolve around that. I think most people know who I am after last year now. How does it feel to be the only woman? Actually, it’s pretty cool. From a media standpoint, it’s good to be unique. From a driving point of view, I hope we all respect each other as drivers. When we’re on the track, for me, that’s the main point. I think as long as you do the job, then the other drivers will respect you, woman or man. Do you think being the only woman puts extra pressure on you? I’ve never been one of many woman anyway. I’m the only one in ALMS and last year, there were only two of us. I guess there’s some added pressure because people will always remember if you mess up. But hopefully not much more than for anyone else. Is there a general feeling of respect within drivers in endurance racing? I think so, yes. I think that, if you’ve proved yourself on the track, they accept you as a driver in your own right. There are a few drivers out there with less experience who are still learning and the more experienced drivers pick up on that pretty fast. But I feel I’ve held my own and done my best to run my own race and not give anyone any hassle. And I think you get respect for that. Looking ahead to the weekend, the weather forecast looks undecided. Do you have a preference for the weather? For a really long race, I usually prefer it to be dry because otherwise, there can be so many ups and downs. Le Mans is such a long track that if you get stuck out there on slicks in a downpour, you can be in trouble. Also, because it’s so long, you can have rain on half the circuit and dry on the other half, which makes for a real tyre issue - far more than it would on a short track. But I’ve driven the car in the wet now and it’s good, so I think we’d be OK. But obviously it would be easier in the dry, definitely. It also wouldn’t be much fun in the wet in an open-top car – the driver would get pretty wet. Liz Halliday - First (and only) Lady of Le Mans - 6/6/06 Racing driver and equestrian Liz Halliday will be the only lady driver taking part in this year’s running of the most famous endurance race in the world, the Le Mans 24 Hours. UK-based Liz will compete against 149 male drivers in the race in front of 230,000 spectators and 230 million TV viewers and she is relishing the challenge. At Sunday’s official test day for the event, she and team mate Clint Field made their preparations and completed a successful day’s running on the 8-mile circuit in La Sarthe, France (3min 43.408sec, 3rd in LMP2 class and 13th overall). Clint and Liz are regular co-drivers in the American Le Mans Series and following their exceptionally victorious start to the season they are currently leading the American Le Mans Series LMP2 Drivers’ championship. For Le Mans, they will be joined by new team mate and veteran sportscar driver, Duncan Dayton, who returns to the Intersport team having driven for them in 2004. Following the test Liz felt encouraged, well prepared and delighted to be back in Le Mans: “The beginning of the day was not too bad and our car ran better than most. Clint and I were both quick and I was thrilled to instantly find a 6 second improvement (3min 49sec) from my best lap last year. I know everything so well now compared to back then - the team, the car, my team mate – and it makes a huge difference to your confidence. By the end of the day we had set the third fastest overall LMP2 time which should put us in good stead for the race – Ultimately, when you’ve got 24 hours to run, the last thing you need to worry yourself about is raw pace over one lap, but it’s still nice to know that we are quick. It is awesome to be back here again and I just wish there wasn’t another whole week to go before we get back to the circuit and start the real race week!” Liz’s team mate, Clint Field: “Today was good except for the time we lost with an engine problem. We had a misfire, came in, changed the coils - but it missed again so we cam back in, changed the waste gate and changed the coils again and found out it was just a coils problem – a bad batch. Either way, we had it all fixed at the very end, so at least we needn’t be concerned for the race. “Overall though our performance was good - we could have gone quicker at the end of the day maybe and I am confident we will set a high ‘thirties time in qualifying time next week. I managed to squeeze a few laps at the end of the day to check the engine and it was back to normal. It might sound frustrating but I am glad it happened today and not next week! Third driver, Duncan Dayton, had a previous commitment in the US and was unable to attend the test. Duncan will join Liz and Clint next week in Le Mans in advance of the qualifying sessions on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th, followed by the race itself, starting at 5pm on Saturday 17th June. Tweseldown CIC - 5/24-28/06 UK based Californian sportswoman, Liz Halliday, who competes both as an equestrian in Three Day Eventing and as a racing driver in prestigious international sportscar races such as the Le Mans 24 Hours, competed two horses in the recent Tweseldown International Horse Trials last weekend. The first horse Harry (Silken Crisp) entered the CCI**, finishing 17th from 108 entrants; while Oscar (Arctic Knight II) took part in the unaffiliated CIC* class and came home 6th out of over 50 starters. Harry (Silken Crisp) Thursday’s CCI** dressage proved difficult for Liz and Harry thanks to the damp and sodden arena but they still placed a respectable 40th position. “Harry (Silken Crisp) warmed up really well for the Dressage," said Liz, “and I was feeling pretty optimistic for a good test. When I entered the Dressage arena to start my test, I realized that all along the edges of the arena was really deep mud from all of the horses that done their test on it already. Unfortunately, Harry has never been a horse to go well in mud, and even though he tried his best, I could feel that he struggled through a lot of the movements to keep his balance.” Onto the CCI** Cross Country and Harry was fabulous. “I knew that I had to go clear and inside the time in order to have a shot at finishing well in the event and Harry was fantastic,” said Liz. “He made the course feel easy and I am confident now that he will soon be ready for Advanced level which we are hoping to move him up to later in the year.” Liz and Harry were clear and inside the time on the Cross Country, just 2 second off the optimum time. They started the show jumping phase in 25th place, and the now tired horse really performed in the arena. “Harry tried so hard to jump a clear round today,” said Liz. “Unfortunately I didn’t give him the best ride to fence 4 and we got a bit too close and had the one rail down, but I am confident that he would have jumped clear otherwise.” Even with a rail down, Liz moved up to 17th place and in the money – overall a very good event for the pair. Oscar (Arctic Knight II) Oscar hadn’t competed since Portugal in March due to an illness, but came out on fine form with an impressive Dressage score in the CIC*, placing 2nd at the start of the competition. In the show jumping the next day, a phase that was always hardest for Oscar, he was brilliant and jumped a clear round for Liz, maintaining their 2nd place as they went into Sunday’s Cross Country phase. Liz knew that to retain 2nd place she would have to go clear and inside the time. But it was also important to give the horse a good round given a lack of Cross Country practice for him since March. Ultimately Oscar did a great job, but unfortunately had 3 time faults, dropping he and Liz to a still impressive 6th place. “Oscar was fabulous this weekend and I’m just kicking myself for having some time faults!” said Liz, “However I knew that Oscar hadn’t done Cross Country for a while and is still a slightly inexperienced, big horse that needs time to think on course. I suppose I just made the option to give him a positive, confidence giving round over pushing hard enough for the 2nd place finish. I am very pleased with him though and am confident that there will be other chances to us to be at the top.” Next event with Harry and Oscar is the Salperton Park Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, England on June 24th. Liz Halliday on Le Mans... This weekend, Liz Halliday returns to Le Mans for the official test day that forms the prelude to the world’s most famous endurance sports car race. Liz and teammates Clint Field and Duncan Dayton will each pilot the Intersport Racing Lola in their bid to capture the LMP2 class victory at the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race, scheduled for June 17-18, will be televised worldwide, with United States coverage provided by SPEED Channel and throughout Europe by MotorsTV. Liz recently reflected on her first trip to Le Mans a year ago, and several other Le Mans-related topics: What do you remember most about your debut at Le Mans last year? “Wow! It was truly amazing – Really the most spectacular event I have ever been a part of. I remember the awe of taking to the track for the first time and thinking, ‘Wow, I’m actually here!’ Also the fans were incredible – it was totally unbelievable to be around the hundreds of thousands of people who come to watch the race. I really can’t wait to be there again!” You led the LMP2 class for quite some time before a mechanical failure shelved the car. How will this year be different, for you and the team? “Well, I think that we were a strong team last year, but since then they have had more time to get to know the car, and AER has done more work on the engine reliability as well, so in theory we are even better prepared this time. Last year’s Le Mans was also my first race ever in this car. Since then, I have had many more races and wins with the team and the car. We have a great driver lineup and crew, and hopefully we will be on the podium at the end.” You and Intersport go into Le Mans on the strength of three straight American Le Mans Series podium finishes. How important is this momentum going to France? “It’s great to go into a big race like Le Mans knowing that you have had a strong start to the year. The win at Sebring is especially important because the car ran almost flawlessly for the twelve hours – that’s a big boost for the team.” What’s the most difficult thing for a driver in preparing for Le Mans? “I think the mental and physical preparation are both difficult. Because you are sometimes doing three or four-hour stints at Le Mans, you need to have a lot of endurance fitness, as well as neck and upper body strength. The other big factor at Le Mans is mental fitness. It’s the biggest endurance race in the world and there is a lot of pressure on the drivers to perform well and get to the finish. If you’re well rested and prepared, you can put everything [you have] into the race.” When will you travel to France, and what will you be doing as soon as you arrive? “I will be traveling to France on the Sunday before the race [June 11]. There will be a day of scrutineering, which is always busy, but around that you want to have as much time as possible to relax and settle in before the driving starts on Wednesday.” If you are to win Le Mans, what factors must come into play? “Well, most importantly there must be reliability from the car and the drivers. We need to be quick and consistent without taking too many risks. Also, a good race strategy from the team must be in place so as to keep the car running in the best condition possible. It’s all a team effort, and the main goal has to first be to finish.” What LMP2 cars will be your chief competitors? I think our main competitors will be the RML car, which won last year; the Belmondo cars, as they tend to be very reliable; and there are many more competitors this year who we need to be wary of such as Synergy, Rollcentre and Binnie Motorsports.” Third Straight Podium for Halliday Liz Halliday, the Californian racing driver and international equestrian, secured her third straight LMP2 class podium of the 2006 American Le Mans Series on Sunday with a third-place finish alongside her Intersport Racing team mate, Clint Field, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Field and Halliday, who won the season-openers at Sebring and Houston, overcame early race gearbox problems to keep the car in podium contention on a weekend when the entire field – even the premier LMP1 category teams – were being shown the way by the awesomely dominant factory Porsche LMP2 cars who went on to finish 1st and 2nd overall, 1st and 2nd in class. Both Halliday and Field were especially delighted with the result given that Halliday, who took the opening stint for the team, was forced to forfeit the car’s 4th place qualifying position – secured in a ‘guest appearance’ by local ace and father of Clint, John Field - and begin from the pit-lane at the rear of the field having lost operation of the paddle-shift mechanism on the warm-up laps. Having pitted for repairs, she rejoined the race and carved her way back through the pack before handing over to Field at the one hour mark. Field’s outstanding stint continued the car’s progress and at 2 hours he handed back to Halliday for the final run to the flag. Liz’s strong final stint and resultant podium was more than enough to keep the two drivers at the head of the LMP2 driver’s standings – with an 8 point lead over the factory Porsche drivers. Halliday and Field, along with the rest of the Intersport team, will now head to Le Mans for the 24 Hours [June 18-19, La Sarthe, France] – their most important event of the year, and one in which they hope to make up for the disappointment of 2005, where the car submitted to engine failure while enjoying a class lead of nearly four laps at the 11 hour mark. Liz Halliday: “I’d like to thank the Intersport boys because they’ve worked hard all weekend and did a great job to fix the car at the start. Given that set back, I think we can be pretty satisfied with today’s result. We netted some extremely important championship points and are still in the lead. Although I think it’s hats-off to the Porsche guys today because they did a stunning job.” Clint Field: “We had a good, clean race today although the paddle shift problem at the start was unfortunate. But the crew did a great job getting the manual transmission installed and we didn’t lose too much time. The tires were great for me from the start of my stint and I had a quick car. Liz had never driven this car with a manual shift before so she did a great job. I had a great little battle with Dindo [Capello] and [James] Weaver which I enjoyed enormously. I seemed to have them in the esses and carousel, but they could pull away in the straights. The important thing for us today, is that we came up with some good points going into Lime Rock [July 1] and we’re still at the top of the table.” Liz Halliday and Intersport Racing Score another Class Win in Houston American three-day eventing rider and sportscar racing driver Liz Halliday continued her 2006 winning streak today, taking the LMP2 class of the Lone Star Grand Prix with team mate Clint Field and top privateer racing team Intersport Racing. Following their LMP2 class success in Sebring in March, Liz Halliday’s and Clint Field’s second win in as many races, again beating the two mighty works Porsches, mean that they have extended their lead in the 2006 Drivers Championship whilst Intersport Racing has also extended its lead in the Teams’ Championship. To complete her success of the day, the organizers awarded Liz the Founders Trophy - an award given to privateer drivers. Her fifth career Series win means that she ties for the most victories by a female driver in the American Le Mans Series. The number 37 Lola was running a strong third in class, two hours into the race, when the car suffered a cracked header – caused by an extremely bumpy circuit - and lost a lot of power. Clint drove back into the pits, the mechanics worked on the car and he rejoined the race. Ten minutes later, Clint was forced back into the pits but this time the team were able to fix the problem enough to get the car to the end. He rejoined the race and could not believe his luck when the Penske Porsches fell by the wayside during the last 30 minutes of the race! Field nursed the underpowered Intersport Racing Lola over the final 20 minutes to claim his second straight win of the season with Liz Halliday. After celebrating on the podium with her team mate, Liz Halliday said: "This is just an awesome result for the team, Clint and I – not bad for my first street race! It shows that it is never over until the chequered flag. We knew we could not beat the works Porsche on performance – they are in a league of their own and their speed this weekend was unbelievable. But the circuit is extremely bumpy and very hard on cars and drivers. We knew some teams might try too hard and would have mechanical problems towards the end of the race and this is exactly what happened with both Porsches. Third behind the two Porsches was already a good result for us, but to beat them for the second straight race is very sweet and fantastic for the team. Today’s race was survival of the fittest and we did!" After the race, Clint Field added: “When I passed the yellow Porsche, I thought this is too good to be true! At the end of the race, power-wise it was a quarter of the power, I could go flat out in most of the corners that I shouldn't have been able to. We seem to have a knack for holding the car together and Porsche is developing the art of losing the car with half and hour to go.” This event also saw Liz continue her move up the step ladder of endurance racing as the young American qualified the Intersport Lola B05/40 AER for the first time. Liz said: “This race has been brilliant for me. I was very proud to qualify the car for the team for the first time. It was not the easiest circuit for a first but I think I did a pretty good job and third in class behind the two Porsches was not too bad! In the race, I was a bit cautious at the start as I did not want to be in the wrong place in the wrong time on a circuit with no run off. I then drove a solid one hour stint and then handed the car to Clint as planned. This new win feels really good and I hope that we can score a hat trick in Mid Ohio next weekend Preview - Lone Star Grand Prix - American Le Mans Series - # 2 Sebring 12 Hour P2 class winner and overall podium finisher, Liz Halliday takes a step into the unknown this weekend as she competes in her first ever street circuit event at the downtown Reliant Park circuit in Houston, Texas for round two of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Californian Liz, who alongside her race car driving is also an international equestrian in Three Day Eventing, was a three-time winner in last year’s ALMS and continued that form into 2006 with her most important victory to date earlier this year in Sebring. Not only did she and her Intersport Racing team mates, Clint and Jon Field, win their class, but they also finished second overall – right behind the awesome new Audi R10 and in front of arch P2 class rivals, the mighty factory Porsche team. Despite the long break since that race, the win for Liz has yet to sink in: “I won’t pretend that we didn’t have some serious celebrations right afterwards, but once they were out of the way it was straight back to business and time to focus completely on the next race. If we can repeat that success here in Houston it would be fantastic and I am confident that the team will give Clint and I a great race car for the job." The awesome street circuit layout has been created especially for this weekend’s Grand Prix of Houston event and will be re-opened to the public in time for their Monday morning commute! “Street circuits by their very nature are not forgiving,” said Liz, “and I don’t have much experience of them, so my plan is to use the practice sessions to get myself confident and settled in, making sure we get as many laps as possible to arrive on race day fully prepared.” Uniquely, the Grand Prix of Houston will feature TWO main events – the 2h45min American Le Mans Series race on Friday night and the Champ Car World Series race on Saturday night. This incredible double-bill is sure to excite the fans and, according to Liz, the competitors too: “I’m really excited to be racing alongside Champ Car – it’s a world-class series and highly complimentary to the ALMS. My only concern is how their rubber on the circuit may affect our cars throughout the weekend, but everyone’s in the same boat so we’ll just deal with it as best we can.” With her recent success and growing profile, media interest in Liz this week is such that Grand Prix of Houston organisers have arranged a special Television Media Opportunity where both Liz and another outstanding female driver, Katherine Legge from the Champ Car World Series, will be available for interviews. It will take place in the media centre on Thursday, May 11th at 13:15. Both Liz and Katherine will speak of their individual careers and driving achievements and will be happy to answer any questions from the media. TV coverage: CBS Sports on May 13th, 1pm EDT Racing Driver and Equestrin, Liz Halliday, competes in CCI** Event with New Horse, Harry (Silken Crisp) Shortly after returning from her win in the prestigious Sebring 12 Hour motor race in Florida (American Le Mans Series), Liz Halliday and her new horse, Harry (Silken Crisp), headed to Compiegne, France, for their first international CCI** event together. Although Liz has competed up to CCI*** level, the horse had never competed beyond an intermediate one day event, as Liz explains: “I have big hopes for Harry and would like him to get up to Advanced and CIC*** this year, so the CCI** is the first step for his learning and qualifications.” In cold but clear weather Liz was drawn for an 8:45am Dressage and felt confident about their chances. A nice start was soon marred by trouble in the canter work of the test. Liz said: “ The trot and walk work at the beginning of the test was lovely, but when I went into canter and did my first medium canter down the long side, Harry suddenly got spooked and went totally nuts! From then on I couldn’t get him anywhere near that side of the dressage arena. It was very disappointing and unexpected, and I was lucky to get a qualifying score.” It was later discovered that wild boar had been in the woods to the side of the dressage area. “Horses are known to be really funny with pigs,” said Liz, “and just the smell is enough to set them off. I guess I should be pleased that there is at least an explanation for his fright!” After the Dressage, Liz just tried to focus on completing the weekend with the necessary qualifying result. On Cross Country day she was really pleased with the horse, even though they had to take a few long routes. “He was a good boy,” said Liz. “Because we are still learning each other and this is the biggest event that he has done, we had a few steering issues on occasion, and he also hung a leg into one combination, meaning that I had to take the option fence to ensure a clear round, but for the most part I was really pleased and am confident with his ability for the future.” Show Jumping followed the Cross Country and despite a good warm up, the horse had 4 rails down in the competition arena. Luckily, this was still within the parameters of qualifying, so Liz completed the event with a result that she could use for the future. Liz said: “ I was a bit upset about having so many rails down on a horse that I know is a good show jumper, but I know it was a tough course and we are still learning each other, so I think it is something we can work on for the future. I let him get a bit flat in his back and too quick at times which meant that he had the rails down with his hind legs, but I think that this is something that we can improve on before the next competition.” A qualifying score now secured, Liz is now working toward her next big competition with Harry, the Tweseldown CCI** May 25-28 in Hampshire, England. She hopes this will give the horse enough experience to move up to Advanced level at the Gatcombe Park Horse Trials the first weekend of August. Racing Driver and Equestrian, Liz Halliday, on Radio 5 Live! Tune in to Radio 5 Live tomorrow morning, 10.15 UK time to listen to racing driver and equestrian Liz Halliday as she is interviewed by Eamonn Holmes. Liz is the most successful female driver in the history of the American Le Mans Series with 4 class wins within the past year, including victories at the most prestigious events: Petit Le Mans and most recently, the Sebring 12 Hours where she also finished 2nd overall behind the factory Audi team. Liz’s international equestrian career is equally important to her as she aims to one day compete in the Olympics with the US team. After returning from Sebring on 18th March, she and her new horse, Harry, headed straight to Compiegne, France, for their first international CCI** event together on 6th-9th April Liz is now back in the UK and is preparing for her next two motor racing events (Houston Grand Prix on 12th May and Mid-Ohio on 21st May) with Intersport Racing. Her next equestrian event will be the Tweseldown CCI** on 25th / 28th May in Hampshire, England. You can listen to BBC Radio 5 Live in the UK on 909 & 693 Medium Wave, on digital television through Freeview, satellite and cable (Freeview: channel 705, Satellite: channel 0105, NTL: channel 863 and Telewest: channel 905) or on line: www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive Intersport Still Relishing 'Enormous" Sebring Win Intersport Racing's Lola B05/40-AER had a monumental outing at Sebring last month. In the offseason, Clint Field always said his Intersport Racing crew wasn't going to back down from Penske Racing and its factory Porsche effort in the American Le Mans Series' LMP2 class. Then, as if to prove a point, the Ohio-based privateer team not only beat both Penske Porsches at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring but also posted a runner-up finish in the 54th running of America's oldest sports car race. It was the highest finish ever for a P2 car at Sebring with only Audi's new diesel-powered R10 TDI LMP1 completing more laps. Sports car racing's version of David and Goliath turned out to be one of the biggest early season stories of the Series. "It was pretty huge. I don't think it has sunk in yet," said Liz Halliday, who drove with Clint and Jon Field in the No. 37 Lola B05/40-AER at Sebring. "What the team has accomplished is enormous. I don't think anyone expected us to finish that high. It will probably take up until Houston for me to realize what exactly happened." Perfect pit stops and reliability turned out to be the difference. While the two Porsches spent significant time in the pits, the Intersport team performed flawlessly and the Lola had only a couple of minor issues. It was exactly the kind of effort the team knew it needed. "We have the best crew in the paddock," Halliday said. "We were all completely switched on. Our pit stops were perfect, and that's what wins races. Even though we don't have 87 people per car like they do, we don't need it." Source: americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?ID=1908 Intersport beat Porshe to Claim Class Win and Second Overall in the 54th Runnings of the 12 Hours of Sebring The privateer Intersport Racing team, consisting of Jon Field, Clint Field and Liz Halliday, enjoyed a perfect start to the 2006 American Le Mans Series yesterday when they beat the mighty Porsche factory team to LMP2 class victory in the 54th running of the Sebring 12 Hours; while at the same time finishing a hugely impressive 2nd overall to the awesome new Audi R10. Intersport owner and lead driver, Jon Field was forced to start from the back of the grid, following a puncture on his out lap in qualifying. Nevertheless, Jon, Clint and Liz drove a storming race to scythe through the pack taking the lead of the LMP2 class just two hours into the race. During the fourth hour, they benefited from the retirement of one of the works Audi’s to move up to second overall whilst first in class. They held that position comfortably until the middle of the tenth hour when the Porsche overtook them for the lead. The Intersport drivers kept their cool and had their faith rewarded when, with 22 laps to go, their Porsche rival stopped on the track with mechanical problems. Intersport duly reclaimed the lead and Liz Halliday took the car to the finish to score the team’s best ever win. After his exceptional drive, Jon Field said: “I made a good start from the back of the grid, overtaking as many people as possible but making sure I stayed out of trouble at the same time! It was an awesome race and I enjoyed every minute of it! We drove our own race and we played catch up with the number 1 Porsche all day. In the end, they broke down trying to catch us. This is a great win, probably the best that we’ve ever had as a team. Liz also became the highest placing woman driver ever at Sebring, beating Lynn St James who had managed fifth overall in the past. We did not have a trouble free race! We had some engine issues from the seventh hour and every time we came into the pits, AER engineers would download a new mapping but it did not make any difference. We think that problems started when Clint was forced to go off the track at high speed when the Audi spun in front of him. We think that some dirt got into the injectors. Nevertheless, we made it to the finish and the pleasure is even stronger!” Jon’s son and team mate Clint Field added: “At the beginning of the race, the weather was so hot and the track so greasy that we decided to be careful and make sure we looked after the car and did not damage it. With the exception of a scary moment avoiding a spinning Audi our plan worked out and we were ready to push hard when dusk arrived. We tried everything we could to keep the Porsche behind but we had picked up a misfire and they finally got by towards the end of the race. We continued to push hard and then they broke down as we were racing them. It was a great day and I am delighted for the team, Jon and Liz. We now need to capitalize on this result for the next race in Houston on 13th May. To win our class and finish second overall behind the works Audi team is a major achievement and this is my personal best ever overall finish in the ALMS. I would like also to thank Goodyear - they gave us great tyres this weekend and hopefully they can continue to do so throughout the year. We should get some softer compounds for Houston and hopefully they will be as good as the tyres we had today.” Jon and Clint’s team mate Liz Halliday concluded the day by saying: “This is a magic day for the team and I want to applaud Jon and Clint for doing such an awesome job in giving Porsche a run for their money. It wasn’t an easy drive today, but I loved every second of it – and what an honour to drive the car to the chequered flag in the final stint of the race. The team and the mechanics worked hard all week and they really deserve this result. Today we beat Porsche fair and square which, as a privateer team, is a major achievement.” Liz’s result is the highest ever finish for a female driver in the history of the Sebring 12 Hours and she also holds the highest number of wins for female drivers in the ALMS. Puncture Halts Intersport's Challenge for LMP2 Pole Position at Sebring Jon Field’s qualifying was abruptly stopped on his out lap when his left front tyre deflated with a puncture. The Intersport Racing lead driver drove back to the pits but was forced to abandon the session due to a regulation that states ‘no tyre changes allowed under any circumstances’. As he got out of the car, Jon Field said: “What a shame for the team and the fans! I couldn’t even drive a single flying lap. The bad news is that we will be starting from the back of the grid on Saturday morning; the good news is that it should be a good show for the fans as I will be overtaking as many cars as I can to get back to the front where we belong. We proved yesterday that we have a very good chassis, engine and tyre package and I was looking forward to a strong battle with the two Porsches for LMP2 pole position. It was not meant to be today and we will have to do the talking in race conditions now!” Jon’s team mate Liz Halliday added: “It is a shame that Jon couldn’t do a single flying lap, but that’s motor racing for you! We are well prepared as a team and we should have a strong race. Jon will make the start, then Clint will take over and I will join for the third stint. We will all start with single stints so that we all get a good rhythm and then we will are planning to double sting depending on the way the race unfolds. I am very pleased with the car and the set-up that we have and I look forward to a fun race.” Clint Field said: “We are confident for the race. This year will be different to last year for us as we have been racing the Lola for a year now. We know the car inside-out and we have a fast, reliable package. If I know Jon, he will be back to the front pretty quickly after the start. The race will be challenging this year the competition is really tough with many strong cars, teams and good drivers. The Intersport Racing team will now prepare for a night practice session this evening, followed by a practice session tomorrow, the race warm-up on Saturday morning, and then the start of the ‘Sebring 12 Hours’ at precisely 10:43 local time. Halliday's 2006 Season is Go! The Californian sportswoman, Liz Halliday, whose endeavours include both race car driving and Three Day Eventing, will kick off her intensive 2006 sporting schedule next weekend when she competes in the opening round of the American Le Mans Series: the Mobil 1, Twelve Hours of Sebring , to be held in Florida on March 18th. British-based Liz enjoyed tremendous success in the American Le Mans Series last year where, in her first season of international sportscar racing at ‘prototype’ level, she claimed three impressive P2 class wins, finished 4th in class in the final drivers’ standings, won the Dailysportscar.com Rookie of the Year Award and helped co-driver Clint Field lift the LMP2 drivers’ title. This will be Liz’s second appearance in the Sebring 12 Hours and she will use her previous experience to ensure absolute preparation: “A lot of things have changed since this time last year,” said Liz, “and I’ll be heading into this season better prepared than ever before. For a start, I know the car intimately now and have enjoyed a lot of success in it – it feels like an old friend who I’m hugely comfortable with, whereas a year ago I was just tentatively making my first steps into ‘prototypes’ and it was a massive jump. “Secondly, I now know the team very well and there’s a great dynamic between us. I’ve been working really hard on my driving and I’m closer than ever before to the pace of my co-drivers, Clint and Jon Field – both of whom are proven hot-shoes at this level! “Finally, I’m a little more used to the pressure and enormity of events like these. When you first go to places like Sebring or Le Mans you can’t help but be blown away by the size of the crowds and the big fanfare that accompanies the race. Events like these will always be a big challenge, but I just feel more prepared for it now.” This Sunday, Liz will arrive at the famous Floridian race track straight from Portugal, where she has been pursuing her other major sporting career as an international equestrian. So tight is her schedule that she has had to request special permission to go first in the show jumping section of her International Three Day Event, so that she has enough time to catch her flight from Lisbon to Orlando! “It doesn’t really worry me, the tight schedule” said a typically calm Liz, “I’m more than used to it now – and really love being busy. Everyone tells me that I am mad to have this twin sporting focus in my life, but I find that one complements the other. The cars demand focus, accuracy, and strength. The horses require the same, but with a lighter touch. One is a machine that is purely technical, while the bond between horse and rider is a unique relationship,” she adds. Despite the challenge of competing in both sports simultaneously, Liz is equally determined to succeed both as a driver and an equestrian – and if last year’s success on the track is anything to go by, then Liz’s future in 2006 and beyond looks very bright indeed. Stand By For Sebring - 2006! ALMS front-runner Liz Halliday will be the special guest on Midweek Motorsport this Wednesday at 8pm UK time. Liz has just announced a full season of LMP 2 partnering former Champion Clint Field in the ALMS and will be adding the 24 Hours of Le Mans to her busy racing schedule. Midweek Motorsport one of the live show and events covered by GlobeCast Radio. The station, launched in September 2004, is the only motorsport and automotive biased service in the UK. Broadcasting 24-hours and day, free-to-air to 11.5 million homes via Sky Digital channel 907 and across the world via the Internet at www.radiolemans.com the channel has quickly established itself as the home of motoring broadcasting for an English-speaking audience. Liz will be joining Radio Le Mans and ALMS Radio regular John Hindhaugh who is the presenter of the show. "It's great to have Liz as a studio guest" said Hindhaugh. "Quite often we can only speak to the stars on the phone, having Liz in means we can take emails, text messages and even phone calls from our listeners." John is encouraging fans to get their questions in early - email is the best way - studio@radiolemans.com or by telephoning from around 7pm UK time on the night +44 (0) 20 7753 3636. There will be prizes for some listeners! Recent Midweek Motorsport guests have included F1 stars Mark Webber and Michael Schumacher, Head of Prodrive (and WRC rights holder) David Richards, ChampCar supremo Kevin Kalkovan and stars from the world of sportscars including Le Mans winners Tom Kristenson, Allan McNish and Guy Smith. On average GlobeCast attracts a weekly satellite audience of around 100,000, however live event coverage can attract more than half of that in a single day. Over 20,000 international listeners tune in live each week. These figures are boosted by the thousands of enthusiasts who use the ‘Podcast’ archive. Listeners can download programmes on demand to computers or MP3 players allowing them to hear their favourite station whist in the gym, the car, indeed wherever they are. Like the satellite audience, Internet listener figures increase substantially during live event coverage. During the live broadcast of Le Mans 24 Hours 2005, throughout Saturday and Sunday there were an average of 63,000 individuals logged on to the live coverage at any given time. Globecast broadcast extensive coverage of every ALMS event. Practice, qualifying and the whole race is exclusively live. In addition the station covers every British Rally Championship round, the UK WRC event, Wales Rally GBand reports on a host of national and international motorsport. Globecast is free to air on Sky Channel 907, available 24-7 via the Internet at www.radiolemans.com and live shows are archived for 'download-on-demand' by searching for 'Globecast' at www.iTunes.com and other podcasting sites such as www.podcast.net Encouraging Sebring Test for Liz Halliday and the Intersport Team The UK-based American sportswoman Liz Halliday enjoyed a successful official test as she prepares for the 54th Annual 12 Hours of Sebring, completing three days at the circuit in the LMP2 Intersport Racing AER Lola. She shared the driving with Clint Field, whom she will partner throughout the 2006 American Le Mans Series, as well as Clint’s father and team owner Jon, who will also drive at Sebring. The test began with Liz topping the time sheets for the first morning session. She explains: “There were several new cars there, including the Audi R10s and the Lola LMP1 and they were shaking down to start with. I thought that it was quite funny, being quicker than the brand new works Audis!” Despite this early incentive, there was much work to do in preparation for the opening round of the ’06 ALMS season. “The AER Lola is fundamentally the same specification as we used last year but with a couple of developments carried out over the winter,” explains Liz. “What we wanted to achieve at the test was to come away with a set-up that will give us a quick car that is as easy to drive as possible for the long race. “During the test, we made a range of changes to various aspects of the car and made a lot of improvements over the three days.” In fact, the Intersport Racing Lola stayed at or close to the top of the time sheets throughout the test. “Although we made good progress, there are limits to what we could achieve at the circuit. So now, the crew will continue with the development of the car when they get back to the workshop and introduce a few more changes, including a new aerodynamics package from Lola. So I’m positive that by the time we get to the start, we will have a quick, well-handling and reliable race car. “In terms of lap times, I was quite pleased with the test. I ended up just 0.5 seconds off Clint’s laps, which was closer than I’ve been before and closer to where I hoped to be,” said Liz. But it wasn’t just car settings and racing lines that would prove beneficial from the test. The Sebring circuit is particularly demanding and understanding the physical loads on the driver is as important as those on the car. Liz explains: “Sebring is a tough track; it’s very fast and bumpy and incredibly physical. I realised that I need to improve my endurance and upper body strength for the race, and I want to make sure I am as well prepared as I can be. So I have been speaking to a trainer and have worked out a fitness plan to achieve this between now and the race. “It’s exactly this kind of thing that you need to figure out at Sebring. It can make a real difference to how you feel and how you perform.” Despite the arduous nature of the event, Halliday is looking forward to the race: “Sebring is unique because of its years of history and heritage, but also because of its bumpy, high speed corners and the technical nature of the circuit. Doing the 12 Hours of Sebring is harder than a 24 Hour race, like Le Mans, I think. A lot of people find it the toughest event of the year but that’s all part of what makes it special. And after this test, I’m very excited and looking forward to being back in the car with Clint and Jon for the race.” Interview You have a background in riding - is there a link between riding and cars? LH : "I'm still competing in three-day eventing -both last weekend and next weekend ! I'd like to make the 2008 Olympic team - that is definitely my goal. I'm trying to do both riding and driving this year, so it's a very busy schedule. But I seem to have found a way to separate it in my mind and it is not too difficult to swap between the two. I spend every hour when I'm not at the track, at the yard. The two are similar - I think it's something to do with the weight shift, and balance, and the accuracy. Judging distances for jumps is quite similar to the way you go into a corner. How do you see the current situation of women in motorsport ? Is the situation improving ? LH : "You don't grow up as a young girl with your family suggesting you try motorsport. But I think it's coming up, especially with things like Formula Woman which I am working for this year. There are a lot of women who want to race. But they don't know how to start. They feel in the dark and behind the men. There are quite a few girls in karting and the lower formulae, but not that many in GTs so far. But it is changing. Lilian's been there, she's really good, but we don't know how good Liz is, without giving me a chance to prove. This is my first year in GT1 cars, I won't be at the front of the grid. You have to spend longer building up a reputation than a man would in a similar situation." What about this season ? LH : Spa was a great race for me too, it was really special to finish the race in the Autorlando Porsche. I hope this year will be good, as it's my favourite circuit in Europe. Our aim for this year is to keep working on the car, aiming for the podium. The car is very good, the competition is tough, but we need to keep on working. The Lister is a nice car to drive, when you get used to the fact that you can't see. Laurence Pearce has been very supportive; I am very much the rookie driver this year. But it's looking good.   Any final words to girls out there who are thinking about getting started ? LH : There is support from organisation and other women out there. So be determined, get out there and find the help. It is do-able. Liz Halliday Heads East for Season Finale Following her recent race in Zhuhai, China, Liz Halliday continues her world tour with the FIA GT Championship, discovering new countries and tracks on the way. This time, the 26-year old American heads to the Middle East, for the last two rounds of the 2005 FIA GT Championship in Dubai and Bahrain. The GT circus will be returning to the Dubai Autodrome between 16th and 18th November and a week later (23rd-25th November), it will move for the first time to Bahrain where a ‘GT Festival’ was organised in 2004. Lister driver Liz Halliday is delighted to discover these new circuits and countries. Halliday said: “I have never been to this part of the world before and I am looking forward to it. Winter is fast approaching in Europe, so it is going to be great to spend some time in the sun, away from the British gloom! Saying that, high temperatures can make it hard work in the car, especially with Nomex underwear, overalls, gloves, boots, balaclavas and helmet on! I have been riding a lot and preparing in the gym as well as one can do in the British climate but I’m sure it will still be hard work once I arrive!” Dubai and Bahrain will be the last two races of the year for the American Sportswoman, after an extremely busy 2005 season. Liz commented: “2005 has been a great year for me. I have raced and learned a lot, in the American Le Mans Series, the FIA GT Championship, the Le Mans 24 Hours and also the Britcar/Silverstone 24 Hours in the UK. The racing experience I have gained since the beginning of the year is invaluable and I now have a strong foundation for next year’s programmes.” It is also a hectic time of year for the Lister team, with all the required equipment traveling straight from Zhuhai to Dubai. Liz Halliday said: “This is a busy period for the team who will be racing the LMP1 car at Vallelunga near Rome this Saturday before flying to Dubai! I hope that luck will be on our side this time and that we can finish the season with two strong results for Lister.” Liz continued: “These two races will also be new ones for the Lister team, so it will be a learning curve for all of us. I have heard good things about these two circuits. They look interesting and challenging and they both have large asphalt run-offs, which can only help in an endurance race. So we’re crossing our fingers for these two events, as I would love to end the GT season on a high.” Although racing is the top priority of Liz’s programme in the Middle East, she is also excited about discovering two new countries: “My schedule this year, between motor racing and horse riding, has been so hectic that I am looking forward to a few days off in Dubai, with my team-mate Justin Keen, in between the two races.” The 5.39km track at the Dubai Autodrome is one of the most modern in the world; it is also one of the most challenging, with its combination of high-speed straights and technical corners. The layout, which contains six different configurations, is designed to allow three circuits to operate simultaneously, safely and independently from each other. The result presents circuit users with unparalleled options. The 5.417 km Bahrain circuit, which hosted its first Grand Prix in 2004, is located in the south of the country, in Sakhir, 30 minutes from the airport. It was designed by the famous circuit specialist Hermann Tilke, and provides teams and fans with modern facilities and hi-tech amenities. The circuit design is unique, as it comprises six individual tracks, four of which can be used at the same time. The Grand Prix circuit uses both the Outer and Inner tracks, and features 16 corners. One of its characteristics, which can have a large influence on the cars’ set-up, are the nearby desert sands, which can blow across the circuit itself and reduce the cars’ grip. TV coverage: Please visit www.eurosport.com for more information Liz Halliday Ends Alms Season on a High as Intersport Claims Team Championship Victory Liz Halliday and Intersport Racing continued their impressive performance in the 2005 American Le Mans Series (ALMS), overcoming hurdles on a challenging final race of the season at Laguna Seca, California, with Intersport clinching the Team Championship and team-mate Clint Field wrapping up the LMP2 class Drivers Championship. Liz and regular team-mate Clint Field were once again joined by Clint’s father and team owner Jon Field and the Halliday/Flint partnership continued its successful journey. Engine troubles during qualifying meant the Intersport Racing Lola-AER started the race from the back of the grid, leaving the trio an even bigger challenge ahead. But Jon took control of the wheel initially and powered through the field to reach seventh by lap six and second in class. Liz took over to continue the hot pace and by the end of the second hour of the four-hour race, Clint had brought the Lola-AER LMP2 even further up the order. But the Intersport machine suddenly hit trouble as there were problems with a battery cable, forcing it into the pits where it remained for the best part of half an hour while the team anxiously worked to rectify the problem. Liz Halliday explained: ‘The team worked so hard to find the problem and we were in the pits for ages. What was difficult was knowing that we had to complete 70% of the race in order for Clint to be able to win the Drivers’ championship and everyone was very conscious of that for every minute we were in the pits. But the team did a stirling job and got us back out there so we could finish the job we set out to do: to help Clint take the LMP2 Drivers’ title.’ Thinking about the race, Liz said: ‘As Laguna Seca is so close to home it was great to have my family here and one of my friends who I haven’t seen in two years drove down to support me as well, which makes the race even more special. Compared to the last race at Petit Le Mans where we won, this race was more of a challenge but I guess that makes our overall success taste even more sweet. It’s an awesome track and even though we only finished fifth in class I was happy that we completed the race as I didn’t manage that last year.’ Despite having only contested five races of the 10-race series, Liz Halliday’s three ALMS victories with Clint counted heavily towards her own drivers’ points tally which put her in a well deserved sixth overall in the Drivers’ standings. ‘I’m surprised that I’ve finished so high up the standings but I’m really happy I have! At the beginning of 2005 I truly didn’t expect to get the opportunity to drive an LMP2 prototype, let alone compete in Le Mans but I’ve been very lucky this year.’ Clint Field took the Drivers’ title 22 points clear of nearest rivals, team-mates Jamie Bach and Guy Cosmo of B-K Motorsports. The young American finished the season with five victories in the Intersport Racing Lola-AER, the most of any driver in the class. Halliday’s delighted team-mate Clint Field said ‘This is a good year to say the least. I came close to the championship on the other ones but it was a tough year for us with problems ranging from gearbox issues to a fire at Road America, and they are difficult issues to overcome for a small team like ours. We only have two full-time employees and seven or eight team members in total. For this race we really just did what we planned, which was just to run enough laps. We wanted to compete with Penske [Porsche] but after the first stint we knew we really couldn’t match their pace. I think this is the best fifth place finish we’ve ever had!’ Echoeing her team-mate’s thoughts, Liz added ‘Intersport are an awesome team to work with and the crew dealt with issues better than anyone in that pit lane would have done. I know it’s always the drivers who are seen to be winning races but the team has certainly helped us take a lot of our good results this season and I raise my hat to them.’ I have learned a huge amount this year,’ said the 26-year-old Californian, reflecting on the season. ‘I was given a great opportunity and we’ve had some great results but it’s actually quite depressing reaching the end of a season you have really enjoyed. Now we’re in discussions for plans for 2006. Personally I would love the opportunity to drive an LMP2 car in ALMS again as I’ve learned so much and it’s been very enjoyable, it’s an excellent championship and it would be great for my parents to be able to see me race more. I’m hoping for the opportunity to drive at Le Mans again next year and I’m also planning a competitive year in equestrian eventing, my other passion, and strange though it may sound, the two sports complement each other perfectly.’ With no time to spare in her busy schedule, Liz now jumps on a plane to China for the first of the last three rounds of the 2005 FIA GT Championship in Zhuhai with the Lister Storm team October 23, 2005. Liz Halliday Aims to End Alms Season on a High After her Petit le Mans victory last week, American sportswoman Liz Halliday is aiming for another victory at the wheel of her Lola-AER LMP2 prototype with Intersport Racing, to end the season on a high and clinch the Drivers’ title for team-mate Clint Field. Heading into the final round of the American Le Mans series season, Liz Halliday comments: “I’ve had a great time in the ALMS this year and taken three wins. I really hope that Clint and I can win our fourth race of the season together which will make sure Clint wins the Drivers’ Championship. He leads by 22 points but it’s not over yet and anything can happen.” Remembering the last race, the 26-year-old Liz said: “Petit Le Mans was a great achievement for Jon Field, Clint Field and I so we want to continue the good work and finish the season on a high. As it is a four hour race Jon will be back with us and he is a great asset to the team. We know each other well and we work well together.” “The Lola AER car is very fast, as we proved again at Petit Le Mans, and we should be fighting at the front,” Halliday added. “The great news is that the Porsche LMP2 works team will be there for their first race and it will be interesting to see how we compare to them as they prepare for their assault on the 2006 championship. They’ll be our biggest competition I think and it will be ideal if we can beat them.” Looking forward to heading back to home ground, the Californian said: “I have been to Laguna Seca before as I raced there last year in the GT2 class with the Porsche of the PK Racing team. It was a good race even though the differential failed with an hour still to go, but on such a difficult race the two stints I drove were useful experience to take back there this year.” “I can’t wait to discover the circuit again but this time at the wheel of a competitive prototype,” said Liz. “The main difference is that the LMP2 is a much quicker car with a lot more down force. It should be awesome with the Lola AER, especially on corners like the cork screw!” For a sportsperson who lives in the UK and spends the lion’s share of her time competing in Europe, Liz is looking forward to being able to race in front of a home crowd: “I’m excited to be racing in front of my family who will be there this year. Most of my family lives in San Francisco but they will make the trip south. I love Monterey, it is a great town and it’s always a pleasure to go back there. I’m travelling to California from the UK early as I have some press commitments the week before but it is a great track that I really enjoy going back to each year. With the added bonus of racing in front of my family, it will be a great atmosphere and a very special moment for me.” Liz was back in action this weekend with her other passion, three-day eventing, for an important three-star equestrian event in Boekelo, Holland. As the only American competitor of 120 from 24 nations, she and her horse ‘Foxy’ were happy to be among the 84 riders who completed the event. “It was a great event considering my horse is young and relatively inexperienced and quite daunting considering it’s a selection trial for the World Games,” said Liz. “We arrived back from Holland at four o’clock this morning and I’m now about to jump on a plane to California for this weekend’s race.” Laguna Seca is the most spectacular permanent racing circuit on the West Coast of America. It is 3.602 kilometers long with eleven turns running anti-clockwise and is hidden away in a natural bowl in the hills which overlook Monterey Bay. It is two hours drive south of San Francisco but the beautiful and rugged Monterey Peninsular provides a wonderful place to spend some time in quaint Carmel, along Cannery Row or in among the cypress trees at Pebble Beach and along Seventeen Mile Drive. Laguna Seca is conveniently located halfway between Monterey and Salinas on Highway 68. Victory for Liz Halliday at Petit le Mans Liz Halliday and Intersport have continued their impressive performance in the 2005 American Le Mans Series (ALMS), winning the LMP2 class of the blue ribbon Petit Le Mans endurance race with flying colours. Liz and regular team-mate Clint Field were joined by Clint’s father and team owner Jon Field and the Halliday/Flint partnership continued its successful path. The Intersport Racing Lola-AER car was the class of the LMP2 field during the week and started the race from class pole position. Jon Field was at the wheel and following a first lap accident involving some of the leading LMP1 cars, the Intersport machine was running an impressive second overall and first in class for most of the first half of the 10-hour/1000 mile race. Clint took over from Jon’s first stint and then Liz was on board for her first stint, the car still lying second overall and first in class. As Liz was reaching the end of her stint, the GT1 Maserati spun right in front of her in turn ten. Liz Halliday said: “I got in the car after Jon and Clint had done their first stints. It was running well and amazingly we were in second position overall, ahead of most of the LMP1 cars. I had a good first stint despite difficult track conditions with a lot of debris and traffic. The objective was to maintain our second position overall and first in class but at the same time making sure we didn’t make any mistakes that would jeopardise the race which was very important for the team and for Clint in the Drivers’ Championship. “As I was coming to the end of my first stint I was right behind the Maserati, up its bumper and ready to overtake it, when it spun in front of me at the exit of turn ten,” continued Halliday. “Despite quickly yanking the wheel to the right, I could not avoid contact and we collided. There was a big noise and I was worried that my car was damaged. In a split second, I decided to go straight back into the pits and get the boys to check the front end of the car. The front splitter was slightly damaged but nothing major, so I was able to carry on for a while longer before Jon jumped in the car for a double stint as planned.” Although the final result might have looked like an easy cruise for car number 37, the team had a few engine issues during the race which makes the victory even sweeter. Liz described what happened: “We started to have turbo problems with an over boost – putting the car into safety mode - quite early in the race, but it sorted itself out. Then we had an issue with the engine management system which worsened during my second stint and I was down on power. I had to keep swapping the mapping of the engine around, so that the car kept going and that isn’t easy when you are racing and overtaking other cars at the same time! After Jon took over for his final stint, the team decided to change the coils and plugs, and this seemed to improve the car.” An ecstatic Liz Halliday said: “This result is fantastic and I am delighted for my team-mates and the team. Petit Le Mans is a major event and to win it on my first attempt in a prototype is pretty special. It was a tough race, really tough, and we were under pressure as we needed a good result for the 2005 Championship. We were running second or third overall for most of the race and we only really dropped to fifth overall when we decided to change the coils and plugs. With this new win, Clint now leads the Drivers’ Championship by 22 points. It’s not over yet however; the title will be decided at Laguna Seca in a fortnight. This win also secures an LMP2 entry to Intersport Racing for the 2006 Le Mans 24 Hours, which is great news for the future.” Jon Field said after the race: “That was a lot of fun, the car was fast and the problems we had at the end gave us a bit of a fright but I’m really delighted with that.” Clint Field added: “That was a great race and we had very few problems. The car was fast, all three drivers were fast and the Lola is now looking like a real endurance car.” Liz Halliday’s busy schedule continues despite her win. No time for celebrations as she flew back to the UK on Sunday and went straight to Holland on Monday for an important three star three-day equestrian event in Boekelo. Liz concluded: “I will go straight home from Gatwick, swap my bags and then leave again for Holland. This is the first time that I will take my horse ‘Foxy’ to this level of competition and it will be the second time I’ll ride at this level. So it is an important competition for both of us! As soon as I get back from Holland, I will fly to Laguna Seca in California for the last round of the ALMS championship.” Monterey Sports Car Championships Fri, 10/14/2005 - Sun, 10/16/2005 provides a dramatic conclusion to the 2005 season with a Saturday afternoon-into-evening four-hour race featuring the season finale for the prestigious American Le Mans Series. The series features Le Mans prototypes and GT cars, many of which compete in the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. www.laguna-seca.com For more information, please visit: www.lizhalliday.com www.intersportracing.com , www.americanlemans.com ,www.roadatlanta.com For further information on Liz Halliday, please contact Vincent Franceschini: M: + 44 (0) 7860 410 950, T: + 44 (0) 20 8543 2101, F: + 44 (0) 20 8543 4134, or vincent@pole.uk.com Source: www.lizhalliday.com Photo by John Waugh johnwaugh.com WomenInRacing.org ©1996-2023 by of Gordon Clay