6/14	5:42 am PST	"LE MANS 97 FAST FACTS"
FAST FACTS LE MANS 1997: 1997 marks the 65th running of this classic race, which began in 1923. Circuit length: 13.6 kilometers, approximately 8.45 miles. Porsche holds the record with 14 overall wins by factory and customer teams. Ferrari is second with 9 overall wins. One Year Ago: Porsche's factory team of Stuck/Boutsen/Wollek won the GT1 class by completing 353 laps in 24 hours with an average speed of 199.947 km/h (124.24 mph). The overall winner, a WSC Joest Porsche, achieved one more lap. Roock Racing's 911 GT2 captured first place in its class to complete Porsche's sweep of Le Mans. PORSCHE 911 GT1: A mere 234 days after its conception in preliminary, Porsche's 911 GT1 rolled onto the Weissach test track for the first time on March 14, 1996. Three months later, it made its premier at Le Mans with a double-class win and 2-3 overall finish. The 911 GT1's six-cylinger boxer engine lies mid-ship just before the rear axle. This position allows for the best possible weight distribution and an ideal aerodynamic structuring of the underbody with a large diffuser in the rear section. Beneath its carbon outer panelling, the front section is nearly identical to a production Porsche. The roll cage is welded in as a supporting chassis element. Aluminum, water-cooled engine and six-speed gearbox are fixed in a subframe. Two KKK turbochargers, limited by air restrictors, produce 600 bhp at 7200 rpm. Maximum torque is 690 Nm (440 ft-lbs) at 5500 rpm. Maximum speed: Approximately 320 kph (200 mph). Zero to 100 kph (62 mph): Approximately 3 seconds. Weight: 1,050 kg (2313 pounds).