Contact: Ed Triolo
Dick Barbour Racing
Director, Communications

Sascha Maassen Named By Dick Barbour To Drive At Le Mans

Castle Donington, Derby, UK (April 14, 2001) – The Dick Barbour Racing Team today announced the appointment of Sascha Maassen to co-drive with Eric van de Poele and Didier de Radiguès at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The trio will share the #5 Barbour Racing Reynard 01Q. Regarding the team's #57 Reynard at Le Mans, Barbour said he would soon announce the third driver to share the cockpit with last year's Le Mans LMP 675 champion, John Graham and Venezuelan star, Milka Duno.

Maassen drove for Dick Barbour Racing last year and helped the team to achieve the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT Championship. He scored five wins for the team in 2000 including the prestigious Petit Le Mans endurance classic and wound up second in driver points for the year behind the Barbour Racing Team's GT champion, Dirk Muller. Sascha has two Le Mans races under his belt, having run there last year as well as in 1998. At Le Mans last year he took the runner-up spot in GT.

"I am really happy to be back with Dick Barbour Racing," said Maassen. "Now it doesn't feel like I have been away. I feel like I'm still part of the family and I'm very glad to be doing Le Mans with partners like Eric and Didier. This is a team effort I am really looking forward to."

Likewise, Barbour stated how pleased he was to have the talented German driver back at Le Mans. "I'm more than delighted that Sascha agreed to join Eric and Didier in our #5 car at Le Mans. Sascha was one of my boys last year and his experience will really benefit our effort at Le Mans. It'll be a real pleasure to have him with us again."