Where do you see the growth of the series?
"Remarkably, we have had consistent increases in spectator turnouts even during a period when many other sports were suffering in that category. Our new television/digital package gives us an unprecedented opportunity to broaden our fan base not just to race fans, but to auto enthusiasts and sports fans in general. That's one aspect of where our future growth will come from.
"I think another catalyst for growth will be the fact that the technical rules have been redefined for the prototype category. When new rules are announced, there is always a bit of a lag between when the rules come into play and when the content appears on the track. We have the earliest examples of new LMP cars appearing now, but more importantly we have a lot more in the pipeline. You couple that with our new TV and digital platform and I like our positioning and prospects for growth."
What about growth in the schedule and venues?
"We are always looking at strategic growth opportunities for the series. We have no complaints about how we are scheduled right now or where we are racing. However, there are parts of the country that we'd like to get back to. We think it is important for us to impact the central and southwest regions and we have opportunities under development there. We think a race in the northwest is also important. Aside from that, our agreement with the ACO provides us with the opportunity to conduct events throughout all of the Americas, including, Central and South America. The opportunity to expand the series beyond North America is strategically on our radar screen and there are some very interesting possibilities."
If you had one message for the fan, what would it be?
"First and foremost, I'd say thank you. We have some of the most loyal and passionate fans in all of motorsport – perhaps sports in general. I would also encourage them to continue doing what they're doing, because they're following us in ever-increasing numbers both at our events and on TV. I meet a lot of fans at events every season, I always thank them for coming and I say, ‘Come back next year and bring friends.' Apparently, they've been listening, because the growth is well documented. I would also tell them that the best is yet to come."
Who is the person you most admire in this sport and why?
"That's a double-edge sword – got to be careful with this one! I'm a big fan of [ALMS founder] Don Panoz, that's for sure. I admire Don, not only for his motorsports accomplishments, but also for what he's achieved in virtually every business with which he has been involved. He's done some amazing things.
"If the question is specific to someone in motorsports, for me, hands down that would be Roger Penske. I had the pleasure of working within the Penske organization for several years and was able to witness firsthand how things operate there. I can tell you the rumors and urban legends about work ethic and the number of hours worked in a day are all true. There are very few people who live up to the hype but Roger does. He lives by the motto “effort equals results” and leads by example."