Innovative MeshTechnology Makes the Fast Track - Petersen/ White Lightning, Firetide Announce ALMS Paddock Camera

LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 12, 2005 � Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing and Firetide, Inc., a leader in wireless mesh networking, today announced a joint partnership with the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Throughout the 2005 race season motorsports fans will have a unique, behind the scenes look into the sport. The “Petersen Motorsports Paddock Cam presented by Firetide” allows streaming video from the team's paddock/ preparation area, showing real-time images as the Petersen/ White Lightning technicians ready the No. 31 Westward Ho Casino/ MMPIE/ PAWS/ Michelin Porsche 911 GT3 RSR for competition in the GT2 class. Continuing its commitment as the racing series “For the Fans”, the ALMS will bring this coverage live to their official web site, www.americanlemans.com during event weekends. The Firetide web cam will go active on Friday, April 15 as the Petersen/ White Lightning crew prepares for the second-round of the ALMS season, the Grand Prix of Atlanta from Road Atlanta. It will remain until the final light is turned-off in the transporter on Sunday following the two-hour, 45-minute sports car race.The “Petersen Motorsports Paddock Cam presented by Firetide” will use a combination of the latest technologies from Firetide and Sony Electronics. The Firetide wireless mesh technology provides line of sight internet-connectivity and image transfer from the Sony, 360-degree, indoor-outdoor, full-color camera at the Westward Ho Casino/ MMPIE transporter. Through its unique mesh, or relay, network, the system operates across extended distances as long as it maintains a line of sight from one antenna to the next. The network easily expands to accommodate additional cameras. Future projects include the use of Firetide's mesh nodes and Sony's cameras to provide pit lane images and real-time, in-car, laps of ALMS tracks. Firetide has provided the team with the equipment, including several of their most advanced wireless mesh nodes and three of Sony's latest IP cameras, allowing alternative viewing angles for clear images. QuotesMichael Petersen, team owner: “We're all pretty excited about the web camera. People are going to be able to log-on and check out the guys hard at work and I think that is great for the sport. And, in the future, we're looking forward to having something set-up where people can watch us in the pits in real-time and who knows what else? We're proud to be working with Firetide and the ALMS on this and future projects. This partnership with Firetide will provide a lot of benefits to us, to Firetide, the ALMS and the fans.”Bo Larsson, CEO, Firetide: “The American Le Mans Series deployment is a typical example of how wireless networks are evolving. They needed a portable solution that is easily moved from race to race across the country. With the performance and flexibility of mesh technology, customers can now install video meshes in a variety of sporting environments to provide real-time viewing of the event. The press can use Wi-Fi meshes for instant communication of event coverage. Temporary networks such as these are becoming pervasive and new applications are continuing to emerge.”Scott Atherton, CEO, ALMS: “The 'behind the scenes' look that Petersen/White Lightning and Firetide is offering through the ALMS website reinforces once again the fact that the American Le Mans Series truly delivers on its commitment of being �For the Fans!' Our website has become a powerful tool for us, and fans recognize that it can be both entertaining and informative. Technology is such a vital ingredient of the American Le Mans Series. Our manufacturers and teams deploy state-of-the-art technology to put the most exciting and sophisticated race cars on our tracks every event. The Peterson/White Lightning Paddock Cam is a perfect match for us."Cory Smith, Director of Web Enabled Technologies, ALMS: “The American Le Mans Series is always looking for new ways to fulfill our promise of being �For the Fans'. Our partnership with Petersen/ White Lightning, Firetide and the new �Live Paddock Cam' is a great example of how we are constantly working to utilize new technologies, like mesh networking, to bring new and exciting content features to our fans and website visitors. We are extremely excited about the possibilities that the partnership with Petersen/ White Lightning and Firetide offer to the series � not only with the Paddock Cam but also in future, expanded offerings such as wireless internet access at the tracks as well as expanded live streaming video content offerings such as pit cams and live, in-car cameras.” BackgrounderAbout Petersen Motorsports/ White Lightning Racing Petersen/ White Lightning (Las Vegas, Nev.) is a collaboration of Michael Petersen and Dale White. The two began racing off-road trucks in the 1980s. Over time, the pair won a staggering four consecutive Baja 1000 and 500s, including three overall titles from 1995-'97, and over 50 race victories, 80 podiums and a number of SCORE, SNORE and SODA championships. Since making the switch to endurance sportscar racing in the late �90s, they have won the GT2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice (2003 and '04), the 2005 12 Hours of Sebring and the Road America 500 in the American Le Mans Series, the GT class at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Six Hours of Watkins Glen. The team runs a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR on Michelin tires in GT2 class with drivers J�rg Bergmeister (Langenfeld, Germany) and Patrick Long (Las Vegas, Nev.). About Firetide Firetide, Inc. is a privately held wireless mesh technology company that develops networking equipment to deploy high performance, scalable wireless mesh networks quickly, easily and affordably. Firetide's Instant Networking solution is ideal for building backbone infrastructure for Wi-Fi networks, video networks, and temporary networks in a variety of environments, such as Internet HotZones, airports, hotels, campus environments, or other locations where wiring is too difficult or expensive to install. Investors include Menlo Ventures, HMS Ventures, Hawaiian Electric Industries, and Mitsui & Co. Venture Partners. About the American Le Mans SeriesThe American Le Mans Series is a series of North American sports car races based on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's most famous endurance race. American Le Mans Series races feature four classes of race cars competing for class wins and the overall win, with the fields including many of the same drivers and cars that compete at Le Mans. The series holds events at many of North America's premier permanent road racing facilities. The series motto is "For the Fans" and all events feature driver autograph sessions, open paddocks, fan forums, tech talks and many other innovative activities designed to provide unprecedented access for fans. Well-known automotive brand names such as Aston Martin, Audi, Corvette, Dodge, Ferrari, Maserati, Panoz, Porsche and Saleen are represented on the series. The series, which has its headquarters in Braselton, Ga., was founded in 1999 by entrepreneur Don Panoz and is sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). For more, please visit www.petersenmotorsports.com. To learn more about Firetide and their Instant Mesh Networks, log-on to www.firetide.com. The “Petersen Motorsports Paddock Cam presented by Firetide” can be seen at www.americanlemans.com.