The rumour floated at Sebring already and was confirmed this week by the American Le Mans Series: a new “Challenge Class” will be added to the grid of five American Le Mans Series races in 2009. In those races the Porsche 997 Cup car will be allowed to race!

Despite rumours about adding the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama cars to the Sebring grid that, fortunately, never happened but it was already clear that sooner or later IMSA would accept the GT3 Challenge Porsches into its feature American Le Mans Series races.

On Friday the American Le Mans Series announced the first race in which the new class can race will be the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park, the first non-street circuit race on the calendar in May. The Challenge Class will then also join the American Le Mans Series at Lime Rock Park, Mid-Ohio, Road America and Mosport. Petit Le Mans and the season finale will not have the Challenge Class.

“When the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) launched the GT3 Cup Series a few years ago, one of the primary goals was to develop future American Le Mans Series talent, and with this announcement today we take a big step forward in fulfillment of that goal,” said Series’ President and CEO Scott Atherton. “We believe this is a bold and innovative way to encourage the next generation of entrants for the classes that are eligible for Le Mans as well as for the teams involved in our development series. The addition of these teams and drivers will add new intrigue for the fans as well as the television audience as great new storylines emerge. It’s a win-win for all involved.”

Drivers eligible for the new category are professional drivers along with drivers that race at a professional level, but have other ways to finance their living, so called gentlemen drivers.