ALMS Honors its Best on a ‘Night of Champions’

Bryan Sellers

Corvette Racing and Team Falken Tire were the big winners among fans of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron for a second straight year. Only this time, the honors were reversed at the annual Night of Champions awards banquet Sunday.

Falken’s Bryan Sellers won the ALMS’ Most Popular Driver trophy, and Corvette Racing won the From the Fans award again after Team Falken Tire claimed the honor in 2011. It goes to the person or group who made the biggest contribution to ALMS and sports car racing during the past year.

Both awards were voted on by ALMS fans and were the first of many trophies doled out the night following Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda and the close of the 2012 season.

Doug Fehan accepts the GT manufacturers award for Chevrolet

It was a big night for rookies. CORE autosport’s Alex Popow claimed the Rookie of the Year award to go along with his Prototype Challenge championship. Cooper MacNeil, the GT Challenge champion from Alex Job Racing, won the Founder’s Cup.

The Battery Tender Mechanic of the Year trophies went to Jason Safray, Dyson Racing (P1); Norm Hornitschels, Level 5 Motorsports (P2); Alex Zaric, Team Falken Tire (GT); Cody Brown, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports (PC); Larry Ellert, JDX Racing GTC).

Mazda received the annual Promoter’s Trophy for its efforts in the promotion and support of the American Le Mans Series through its on-track activity, consumer activation and social media efforts.

All the champions

2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron
Award Winners
Most Popular Driver: Bryan Sellers
From the Fans: Corvette Racing
Rookie of the Year: Alex Popow
Founder’s Cup: Cooper MacNeil
Promoter’s Trophy: Mazda
Mechanic of the Year: Jason Safray, Dyson Racing (P1); Norm Hornitschels, Level 5 Motorsports (P2); Alex Zaric, Team Falken Tire (GT); Cody Brown, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports (PC); Larry Ellert, JDX Racing GTC)

Manufacturer Champions
Tire: Michelin (P1 and GT), Dunlop (P2)
GT: Chevrolet
P1 and P2: Honda Performance Development (Chassis & Engine)

Team Champions
P1: Muscle Milk Pickett Racing (1st)
Dyson Racing (2nd)
P2: Level 5 Motorsports (1st)
Conquest Endurance (2nd)
Dempsey Racing (3rd)
GT: Corvette Racing (1st)
BMW Team RLL (2nd)
Extreme Speed Motorsports (3rd)
PC: CORE autosport (1st)
RSR Racing (2nd)
Merchant Services (3rd)
GTC: Alex Job Racing (1st)
TRG (2nd)
Green Hornet Racing (3rd)

Driver Champions
P1: Klaus Graf/Lucas Luhr (1st)
Chris Dyson/Guy Smith (2nd)
Eric Lux (3rd)
P2: Christophe Bouchut/Scott Tucker (1st)
David Heinemeier-Hansson/Martin Plowman (2nd)
Patrick Dempsey (3rd)
GT: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner (1st)
Scott Sharp/Johannes van Overbeek (2nd)
Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen (3rd)
PC: Alex Popow (1st)
Jon Bennett/Colin Braun (2nd)
Bruno Junqueira (3rd)
GTC: Cooper MacNeil (1st)
Leh Keen (2nd)
Spencer Pumpelly (3rd)