Turn 10 Studios, the makers of the acclaimed Xbox 360 racing franchise “Forza Motorsport”, and the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) have announced the upcoming start of the “Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge”: a season-long online racing series in “Forza Motorsport 4” that brings racing fans closer than ever to the intensity and cutting edge technology found in the real 2013 ALMS season.

The Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge will begin on 16^th March to coincide with the ALMS season opener—the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring. Each month of the ALMS season, “Forza Motorsport 4” will showcase a new car and track combination that will challenge players to test their racing skills against players from around the world.  Points will be awarded to the top finishers at the close of each month and players will be able to check out the standings via a leaderboard found on the official ALMS website (www.alms.com). At the end of the Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge season, the “Forza Motorsport 4” player with the highest total number of points will win the inaugural Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge trophy.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios on the Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge,” said Scott Atherton, president of the American Le Mans Series. “Just like the real drivers in the American Le Mans Series, the winner of the Forza ALMS Challenge will need to possess unparalleled skill and determination while driving some of the most powerful and technologically advanced race cars in the world on a lineup of tracks that will test the limits of their skill lap after lap.”

“The Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge is an excellent example of Turn 10’s dedication to its passionate fan base of racing fans and car lovers,” said Alan Hartman, studio manager for Turn 10 Studios. “This season-long event represents the highest level of competition for the world’s elite Forza drivers, as well as a chance for Forza players of every skill level to see how they compare against their friends and rivals all over the world.”

The Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge will give fans a chance to not only experience the featured cars and tracks but also to learn about the teams, drivers, and manufacturers involved. In March’s Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge event, players will be racing the 2013 #93 SRT Viper GTS-R at famed Sebring International Speedway. The #93 Viper GTS-R is available as part of the September Pennzoil Car Pack for Forza Motorsport 4 and will be driven by Tommy Kendall, Kuno Wittmer, and Jonathan Bomarito at this year’s 12 Hours of Sebring.

“We’re immensely proud of the racing legacy that we’ve created with the Viper and there’s no better way to celebrate our first full season back in the ALMS than by also kicking off the Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge,” said Beth Paretta, director of marketing and operations for SRT. “Harnessing the GTS-R’s ferocious power on Sebring, with its challenging turns and constantly changing surface types, will prove to be a fantastic challenge for any driver.” For more information on the Forza Motorsport ALMS Challenge, go tohttp://www.forzamotorsport.net.

An Entirely New Car Experience: The “Forza Motorsport 4 Game of the Year Edition” is available now in retail stores (£29.99 U.S. ERP), and includes the 2013 #93 SRT Viper GTS-R along with 20 other cars available previously only as downloadable content. The game is rated PEGI 3+.