Audi R10 TDI at Road Atlanta

This weekends "Petit Le Mans" debuts the "Green Challenge"
The American Le Mans Series heads to Road Atlanta this weekend, with the Audi R10 TDI looking to score its third consecutive victory.

The 1000-mile "Little Le Mans" was introduced in 1998, with Audi making its first appearance at Road Atlanta in 2000. Audi has won the race every year since, with six Audi R8 wins, followed by wins the last two years in the R10 TDI.

Audi has recorded 20 wins with the R10 TDI, 16 of them in the American Le Mans Series.

"I was immediately impressed when I drove the car for the first time," remembers Lucas Luhr, who won the Drivers’ Championship with Marco Werner with two races remaining in the 2008 ALMS LMP1 class.

"It’s absolutely fascinating just how the TDI engine pushes."

Included in this weekends race, competitors will be taking part for the first time in the "Green Challenge", a special classification that takes into consideration fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

TDI launches for America
In addition, Audi has announced the launch of their TDI technology for the American market with the availability of the 2009 Q7 3.0 TDI.

In October, the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI will take part in the Audi Mileage Marathon, a two week trek across the United States to showcase their efficient diesel technology.

The Mileage Marathon will be made up of 13 stages, starting in New York and finishing up in Los Angeles. The 4,800 mile trek starts October 5 and concludes on the 20th, with 184 drivers representing North America, Europe and Asia.

This is an excellent example of proven racing technology making its way into the every day car. Will this help American car buyers accept diesel more readily? Only time will tell. Diesel hasn't exactly taken off here as it has in the rest of the world.

Steve Haas has an excellent article on the Mota Blog regarding diesels, its unexpected competition, the hybrid, and its chances of being accepted now after past failures. It's a good read and makes you think, just how green do I want to be?