Third Time A Charm For Shane Lewis At Le Mans

LE MANS, France, June 5, 2003 � American Shane Lewis returns to the hallowed ground of the Circuit Du 24 Heures in Le Mans, France, June 14-15, to complete some unfinished business. The Jupiter, Florida resident will be making his third start in the world's most prestigious sports car race, his first since 2000. He is hoping that the old adage: �the third times a charm' will hold true for his number 95 ACEMCO AUTOMOTIVE Ferrari 360 GT Modena. Lewis will co-drive the silver and red machine prepared by ACEMCO Motorsports and entered by RISI Competizione with two of sports car racing's standout drivers; fellow American Butch Leitzinger, of State College, Pennsylvania and Warfield, England's Johnny Mowlem. “My first two experiences at Le Mans were great,” reflected Lewis from ACEMCO AUTOMOTIVE hospitality inside the circuit. “But, I have to tell you that this place [Le Mans] is about experience. Everything about it from the layout of the track, to the process of where to go and what to do when you get here, where you stay to where and when to eat is unique to this track, this event and this city. You can't really appreciate that until you have been here a few times. It's like buying a new car; you have to drive it awhile before it feels like it's yours. I feel more and more confident each time I come back here because I feel more relaxed. Now, I feel as much at home here as I do at Sears Point (Infineon Raceway) or Road Atlanta. I've always enjoyed the track but now I have had time to enjoy the environment and the energy that surrounds the city and event.”Lewis first drove in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1999 as an LMP 900 factory driver for French-owned Riley & Scott Europe. His second start came in 2000 as lead driver for the Aspen Knolls Porsche in GT class. In 2003, Lewis returns with what he feels may be the best driver line-up in the race. “To drive a Ferrari at Le Mans is a dream come true. ACEMCO Motorsports has worked to make this one of the best GT cars I have driven. Yokohama has built a tire that we feel will have consistently strong performance over the course of the race. Jeff [Giangrande, ACEMCO Motorsports team owner] has given us some great pieces to work with and has put together a driver line-up that I am proud to be part of. Butch and Johnny are two of the best sports car drivers in the world. We all see the big picture; what it takes to run well at an endurance event; when to be fast, when to be smart. We all got along well at the test [May 4] and were within a tick of one-another on the track. I'm thrilled to be back at Le Mans with this team. I'm looking forward to seeing if the third time really is a charm.”Shane Lewis is the 1998 Professional Sports Car Racing Rising Star award winner and is a multiple race winner in IMSA, SCCA Pro and Grand-Am sanctioned events. He has raced in six 24 Hours of Daytona, six 12 Hours of Sebring and four Petit Le Mans. Lewis, a regular top-five finisher in ALMS competition, has earned ALMS podium finishes at Silverstone, the Nurburgring and Portland and is one of the few drivers with experience in the four major classes of international sports car racing (LM P 900, LM P 675, LM GTS and LM GT). In 2003, Lewis is a fulltime driver for ACEMCO Motorsports in the ALMS and lead driver for the Nuzzo Motorsports Mini Cooper S in Grand-Am Cup.For more on Shane Lewis please see www.ShaneLewis.com. ### Contact: Tom Moore, Shane Lewis Racing: tom@darkhorsecom.com