RICHARD ANTINUCCI TO MAKE GT DEBUT IN AUDI SPORT ITALIA-ENTERED R8 LMS AT VALLELUNGA, ITALY

San Diego-based driver Richard Antinucci has signed to race an R8 LMS Audi in the two forthcoming rounds of the 2010 Italian GT series, Italy's Audi importer announced today. He will partner driver Gian Luca Giraudi in the cockpit of the italian outfit #51 car, whilst Portugal's Filipe Albuquerque and Marco Bonanomi are confirmed in the team's other line-up behind the wheel of car #53. Antinucci, who has taken part to selected rounds of the 2009 Izod IndyCar Series, has been picked as the replacement for 3-time Le Mans winner Dindo Capello — who has a schedule clash due to his driving duties with Ingolstadt's factory sportscar squad. The 29-year-old driver will be entered for the Valleunga, on Sunday, May 9th, and Magione events by Audi Sport Italia. "15 years ago I nearly managed to ink a deal with Tony Kanaan to have him drive one of my A4's." said team owner Emilio Radaelli. "At the 11th hour Tony opted out to move to Indy Lights instead and he wound up with a host of crowns and wins in the US. This time around, due to Dindo's committments, I definitely could not miss the chance to sign an up-and-coming driver as good as Richard is, and moreover now in the future I'll be able to boast that in my team line-up — besides F-1 drivers, Le Mans winners and African rallying champions — we once had a guy with a US Open Wheel background."

RICHARD'S TAKE
"Although I've been sitting in single-seaters most of my career, I've never regarded sportscars and GTs lightly, quite the opposite. When in the past I had a chance — a couple of times as yet — to drive Daytona Prototypes I jumped on it. Now I'm delighted to try my hands on a new class, and moreover my debut with a brand such as Audi — which has a mythical glow in sportscars — will take place in the town where I was born: Rome. Therefore I could not ask for more. It does me great honor to represent the ultra-successful Audi Sport Italia Team. They've raced and won with many successful Le Mans champs — for instance Rinaldo Capello and Emanuele Pirro. A big thanks to all the guys at the team, especially team-owner Emilio Radaelli, for believeing in me enough to make this happen! I now want to repay that faith with solid work and results."

The Rome, Italy-born driver finished the 2008 Firestone Indy Lights season as runner-up to Raphael Matos, who's then moved up to the major open-wheel series joining series Luczo Dragon team. Team 3G will be on track with Richard Antinucci driving the #98 Curb/Agajanian/Team 3G entry in the Camping World Grand Prix at Watkins Glen on July 3-5. The Camping World IndyCar race at Watkins Glen will be broadcast live on ABC at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.