APR Steps Up to Rolex Series, Becomes First Team to Field Audi R8 LMS

Audi R8, which raced in Europe this year in GT class is coming to the Grand-Am Rolex Series

APR Motorsport is proud to announce that it will become the first team to compete in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series with the Audi R8 LMS, when the team takes the green flag for January's 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 28, 2012 – and, hopefully, is first to the checkered flag on January 29.

Passion for the Audi brand runs deep at APR. Stephen Hooks, President and CEO of APR, was an aspiring driver and Audi enthusiast who raced Audis in the Motorola Cup – the predecessor to GRAND-AM's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

After leaving his driving ambitions to build APR into the largest aftermarket and motorsport company for Audis worldwide, Hooks returned to competition as a principal in APR Motorsport. The team was the first to race Audi's newest and hottest sedan, the B8 model generation Audi S4, in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Being the first team to field the R8 LMS in North America is a natural progression for APR Motorsport.

The winning pedigree of APR Motorsport's brand-new Audi R8 LMS, the first example built for the Rolex Series, is undoubtedly strong as well. Examples of the Audi R8 LMS have taken victory more than 100 times in races in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. Now, APR's customers – as well as Audi fans from Ingolstadt to Alabama – will cheer on the APR Audi R8 LMS as it seeks to add to the win tally.

Building upon experience gained in the CTSCC, APR Motorsport will now have the Rolex Series' Grand Touring class looking over its shoulders with the series' newest major contender, the Audi R8 LMS. Using the same team and infrastructure that has made the team a force to be reckoned with in the CTSCC, the team will now look to shake up the status quo of the Rolex Series – which has seen the series dominated by the same three manufacturers over the past several seasons. APR Motorsport also remains committed to discovering and developing the best driving talent found today in GRAND-AM.

Teams hoping that this will spell and end to APR Motorsport's efforts in the CTSCC will be disappointed, as the team will continue its CTSCC program in 2012, with an exciting announcement about that program coming soon. APR Motorsport will make further announcements about drivers for the APR Audi R8 LMS, as well as marketing partners, in the coming weeks.

APR Motorsport's Audi R8 LMS will make its on-track debut – dressed in the distinctive APR Motorsport livery – at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test at Daytona International Raceway on January 6-8, 2012.