HERTA SWITCHES GEARS HE WILL RACE IN AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES IN 2002.

Byline: Tim Haddock Staff Writer

After an eight-year career in the CART FedEx Series, Valencia resident Bryan Herta is switching to endurance racing and will compete on the American Le Mans Series in 2002.

Herta, who won two races on the CART Series, both at Laguna Seca in Monterey, will compete for the Panoz Motor Sports team in the 10-race American Le Mans Series, which starts March 16 with the 50th anniversary of the 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway in Florida.

His team also will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June in France, which is not a points race in the American Le Mans Series.

``Without a doubt, Le Mans is one of the biggest races in the world and an event that every driver wants to do,'' Herta said. ``It was something that I have always wanted to do and I never knew when the opportunity would present itself. To have the chance to do it in a front-running car like Panoz is a great opportunity.''

Herta was recently released from his contract with Forsythe Championship Racing on the CART Series. The Panoz Motor Sports team made the announcement Monday that Herta would be one of its drivers.

``I finally had the ability to look around,'' Herta said. ``I tested with the (Panoz) team at Road Atlanta and I really enjoyed the car and the team.''

The American Le Mans Series competes on road and temporary street courses in the United States, Canada and an invitational race in Malaysia at the end of the season in November. Races are broadcast on CBS, NBC and Speed Channel. Speed Channel will televise flag-to-flag coverage of the 12 Hours of Sebring.

There are four classes of cars - LMP-1, LMP 675, Grand Touring Sport and Grand Touring - that compete in the American Le Mans Series. Herta will be competing in the LMP-1, the fastest of the classes.

``I am really delighted to welcome such a recognized and accomplished road-course expert like Bryan Herta to our team,'' owner Don Panoz said. ``Bryan is a proven performer and his record both in Champ cars and in the junior formulas is outstanding and he should make a very handy addition to the team and it is also fantastic to welcome such a high-profile name to our championship.''

In addition to winning to CART Series races at Laguna Seca, Herta also won seven poles, four coming at the Monterey road course. Before beginning his CART career, he won the Indy Lights championship in 1993 and was the Barber Saab Pro Series champ in 1991.

The American Le Mans Series will visit Laguna Seca, as well as Mid-Ohio and Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin, regular stops on the CART series.

Terry Borcheller also was announced as one of Herta's teammates and co-driver on the Panoz LMP-1 team.

``When I first got the chance to try the car it was a bit overwhelming,'' said Borcheller, the 2001 American Le Mans Series GTS champ. ``But once I got out on the track, the car was very comfortable.''

The Panoz team spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday testing the LMP-1 car at Sebring. Panoz team drivers David Brabham from Australia and Danish driver Jan Magnussen also participated in the test.

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Valencia's Bryan Herta will compete in the American Le Mans Series this year after spending eight seasons with CART.