March   Petersen Motorsport White Lightning Racing
Mention Petersen White Lightning and anyone will distinctly know just whom you are talking about. The car is instantly recognizable to everyone with the striking red lightning bolts running along the side of the Porsche GT3 RSR, but it's not just the well designed graphics of the car that the team are well known for it's the success on and off the track. Petersen White Lightning are one of the most successful privateer race teams to grace the worlds race circuits in recent years and will most probably become motorsport legends in years to come. History    Grass roots Petersen Motorsports White Lightning racing, based in Las Vegas, was founded in 1889 by Mike Petersen and Dale White who first met in the mid-1980's. Dale was a very successful off-road desert racer in the Baja 500 and the Baja 1000 and Mike was very interested in the sport as most people are in Nevada. Looking for a way in Mike began talking to people about building a "Pre-Runner" a vehicle used to "pre-run" the course to scout off-road courses so he could race them. Someone put him in contact with Dale and a friendship and partnership bloomed from there. They soon became one of the most successful off-road truck operations in history with championships in SODA, SCORE and SNORE, over 50 wins, 80 podiums and four consecutive class victories in both the Baga 1000 and Baja 500 in there Chevy pick-up trucks winning overall titles in 1995, 96 and 97. Dirt  track to Tarmac Looking for a new challenge, Mike and Dale moved to sports car racing in the 1990's Dale always thought that pavement racing looked very expensive but Mike always talked about road racing when they raced off-road together. A friend of Dale's told him about a SCCA GT1 Camaro that was for sale, Mike looked at it and liked it. Dale passed his SCCA license in a old Celica at Willow Springs.                                                Since entering sports car racing full time, Petersen / White Lightning race cars have not only swept the GT2 Championship in the ALMS in 2005 but have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans GT class (now GT2) twice in 2003 and 2004. The 12 Hours of Sebring 2005, Petit Le Mans 2005, the Monterey Sports Car Championship 2005, the 24 Hours of Daytona 2001 and the Six Hours of the Glen in 1998. Plus a total of six ALMS wins as well as three SCCA World Challenge events and a Trans-Am Series race.         In Remembrance of Bob Wollek The 2005 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring was the fourth anniversary of the loss of sports car racing legend Bob Wollek, the team driver for Petersen White Lightning in 2001, Bob Wollek was killed in a bicycle accident shortly before that' years 12 Hour race. In respect to the racing great, Petersen White Lightning withdrew from the event in 2001.In 2005 the team honored Wollek with a GT2 class victory, Wolleck's memory is ever constant with the team but nowhere is stronger than at Sebring. Triple Deuce Last year the team proudly carried the unit insignia for the Second BN 222nd Field Artillery National Guard Division Known as the "triple Deuce". The team is always in full support of all our fighting men and women around the globe but the Triple deuce holds a special place in the heart of Dale, Dale's nephew, Sergeant 1st Class Terry Wilde is a member of the 450 soldier unit. The Wizard The small "In Memory of the Wizard" decal on the No 31 car has generated much debate as to who "The Wizard" is. The decal is a tribute to the memory of car owner Michael Petersen's father, Dean Petersen. The elder Petersen was nicknamed "The Wizard" for his magic touch in the world of business. He became a legend in Nevada for his ability to create massively successful business ventures through knowledge and hard work. Salvation Army Petersen Motorsports white Lightning Racing works closely with the Salvation Army at each ALMS event through a variety of fund raisers. The team regularly has visits arranged by the Salvation Army, for as many as 20 children at the team's transporter on race weekends. Last year Petersen White Lightning teamed up with Porsche Motorsport Artist Paul Holroyd to produce a limited edition print in aid of the Grid Kids.      The End of a Partnership    The 2006 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring American Le Mans Series season-opening event will mark the first time Westward Ho will not be emblazoned on the side of the team's car. " We have had a great relationship with the Westward Ho Casino since Dale and I started this team" commented Mike Petersen, a vice-president of the Westward Ho. " I think for all of us at Petersen White Lightning, it will be a little different not having the Casino on the side of our car next season". The team will be sticking with the familiar graphics in 2006, "there might be a few tweaks to it, just like we do every year, but the No 31 will be instantly recognizable to everyone" commented Tom Moore. What next for Petersen White Lightning We have been promised lot's of good news still to come from Petersen White Lightning, and it's no secret that the team are contemplating the Dakar in 2007. Porsche Sport would like to wish Petersen White Lightning all the best for 2006 and hope that you have as much success again this year, without the gremlin's.		INFORMATION: Home News Porsche Art Links Contact us Forum Merchandise Monthly Feature Porsche Power Petersen Motorsports White Lightning Racing has raced Porsche 911-based race cars in the American Lemans Series (ALMS) since the team entered the series in 1999. You will notice from the image above and to the left, that the car has not always carried the graphics that we know today. The General (Dale White) As a young boy Dale loved any type of racing and watched anything to do with the sport that came on TV, the Steve Mc Queen movie "Le Mans" made a big impression on Dale as a young boy. Dale started racing motorcycles at the age of eight. His first motocross was on a Honda 50cc mini bike but soon moved up to 80cc, 125 and 250cc, by the time Dale was at high school he was racing a 400cc. Dale practiced near to home in the desert but only ever raced in motocross. After watching the Mint 400 off-road race in Vegas Dale was impressed by the trucks and soon after Dale was on a chase crew for Factory Jeep racer Don Adams. Utilizing Porsche specialist Jorg Bergmeister (langenfeild, Germany) and American Porsche factory driver Patrick Long (Las Vegas, Nev) in 2005, the team won 50% of the ALMS races, earned podium finishes at nine out of ten events and finished second in there third appearance at Le Mans. Against all odds Le Mans 2005 Petersen White Lightning where hopping to take there third consecutive win at the 24 Hour race. But It would take two teams to beat the 2003 and 2004 GT class winners, Alex Job and Bam Motorsports teamed up for the 2005 event. To add to the battle the car spun off during Thursday night's qualifying damaging the front end. The team would not receive the car back from a local garage until late Friday. Against the odds the team worked until the early hours of Saturday, raced the full 24 hours the same day and came home 2nd, in all a outstanding result. The Crown Jewels of Motorsport With wins at the 24 Hours Le Mans and the 24 Hours at Daytona Petersen White Lightning earned their third victory in endurance sports car racings prestigious triple crown in 2005 with a win at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Fully Loaded Whats it like to drive the Petersen White Lightning car. Want to know ! click on the image above to find out. You can learn more about Petersen White Lightning by visiting there official web site on the link below.          Special thanks to Tom Moore