For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
 
 
 
 
Genoa Racing to Enter ALMS' 
LMPC Division in 2010
 
ZIONSVILLE, Ind., Dec. 10 - Genoa Racing, one of the most successful teams 
in Indy Lights and Atlantic history, announced today that it will undertake 
a new challenge in 2010: the American Le Mans Series' brand-new Le Mans 
Prototype Challenge (LMPC) class.
 
Actually the team is returning to its roots. It fielded top cars in the 
legendary Can-Am Series, the precursor to today's American Le Mans Series, some 
30 years ago. 
 
Since then Genoa Racing has enjoyed tremendous success in International
Formula 3000, Atlantic, Indy Lights and IndyCar competition.  In over 240 
formula car starts its heritage includes a championship, 17 victories, 20 
poles and a front-row starting position at the 1998 Indianapolis 500 in 
conjunction with Thomas Knapp Motorsports.  Some of its past drivers include Ivan 
Capelli, Juan Manuel Fangio Jr., Thiago Medeiros, Jimmy Vasser and Greg Ray.
 
In 2009 Genoa Racing fielded up to three cars in Atlantic events for 
Frederic Vervisch, James Winslow, Jonathan Summerton, Tonis Kasemets, Greg Mansell 
and Robert Wickens.  The team had one victory, six other podium finishes 
and five additional top-five finishes in 11 of the 12 events.  Summerton, who 
ran with two different teams, was in contention for the driver championship 
up to the series finale, and finished second. Vervisch, who ran exclusively 
with Genoa Racing, finished fourth in the point standings and won the Rookie 
of the Year award.
 
But Genoa Racing's roots are in endurance sports car racing.
 
Indeed, Switzerland's Marzio Romano finished second in the Under 2-Liter 
division in the six-race Budweiser Can-Am Challenge in 1983 in a Genoa Racing 
Ralt RT2 Hart.  Genoa Racing recorded class podium finishes in events at 
Lime Rock, Road America and Mosport, and class victories in a second race at 
Mosport and at Trois-Rivieres that year. Romano finished third overall in the 
latter race, sharing the podium with Jacques Villeneuve and Jim Crawford.
 
Genoa Racing is owned by Angelo Ferro, a businessman who is the largest 
producer of table olives in North America.  He also owns the AngRay Fantastico 
flower market in San Francisco, Calif.; two car dealerships; a five-star 
hotel in Santa Rosa, Calif., and an automobile restoration shop.  He was born 
in San Francisco in 1931, but spent his childhood near Genoa, Italy. He 
returned to California at age 20.  He started Genoa Racing in 1978 and began 
competing in the Can-Am Series, beginning a long tradition of helping young 
drivers achieve their dreams.
 
Genoa Racing's manager and chief engineer, Thomas Knapp, managed Team 
Menard in 1999 when it won the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series  championship. 
He was also the engineer for the pole-winning car at the 2000 Indy 500. 
 
Ferro and Knapp have a working relationship that stretches back to 1991.  
Another key player in Genoa Racing's LMPC effort will be Dayton, Ohio 
businessman Larry Connor, who has been associated with Knapp even longer (1988).  
Connor is expected to be one of the team's drivers at the two longest races 
on the ALMS schedule, the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at 
Sebring, Fla. in March, and the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in Braselton, 
Ga., in October. 
 
Knapp said the team anticipates taking delivery of its new LMPC car at the 
team headquarters in Zionsville, Ind., in January, which will give it a full 
month to prepare for the series test in February.