No. 1, he wants to win races.
No. 2, he wants to make the world a better place by refining the energy-saving technology used to power his car.
"I absolutely believe we are onto something that has some social relevance," Pruitt said. "Down the road, I think there will be a number of commercial applications."
Said American Le Mans president Scott Atherton: "As concerns over oil, energy and climate change continue to play prominently in headlines around the world, here is an example of a practical, real-world advancement that will be tested and developed in the most extreme environment."
Pruitt's hybrid, developed in partnership with the British-based Zytek Group, includes an ethanol-fueled internal combustion engine and an electric engine powered by an experimental lithium-ion battery.
The hybrid competed in this weekend's Monterrey (Calif.) Sports Car Championships. It debuted two weeks ago in the Petit Le Mans in Atlanta, where it was running beyond expectations until a suspension failure caused a crash.
"We never saw the car before [the race]," Pruitt said. "It was flown into us. We unbolted it and qualified 17th. . . . We were going about 260 mph when something snapped and we hit the wall."
The $1.6 million car was severely damaged, but his team rebuilt it in time for the final race of the American Le Mans season in California.
"It was a huge task," Pruitt said, "because the parts for this car aren't found down at Napa. These are more like aerospace parts."
continued....
Pruitt's journey into the world of sports began at New Mexico Highlands. He quarterbacked a small-college national championship team and was a teammate of future NFL stars Don Woods and Carl Garrett, who became the 1969 Rookie of the Year in a close vote over O.J. Simpson.
Pruitt's involvement in auto racing started in 1975, when he bought stock in the original Long Beach Grand Prix.
"There was a certain cachet, a certain intrigue about Grand Prix racing and I wanted to be part of it," he explained.
Eventually, Pruitt said, "I had to drive. I was working in real estate, but I quit to go to driver's school. I thought I had the talent."
After driving open-wheel race cars for three years - and after the premature birth of a son in 1982 - Pruitt returned to real estate and ended up working for Adnan Khashoggi, who built the Triad Center and tried to purchase 50 percent of the Utah Jazz in 1984.
In that job, Pruitt met world-famous race car drivers Niki Lauda and John Watson.
"Those guys befriended me," said Pruitt, who was again bitten by the racing bug.
Over the years, Pruitt started driving again and finally became a car owner. Last spring, he was in Long Beach with two Ferraris he was running on the Rolex Grand Am Series when he heard the Zytek Group was looking for a partner for its Le Mans hybrid.
"It was so intriguing, I immediately went to the U.K.," Pruitt said. "And, when I saw the program, I couldn't say no to such a challenge."
Pruitt purchased exclusive rights to develop the car, which produces 800 horse power and will cost between $15 million and $20 million a year to race in the American Le Mans Series.
"It's like owning a pro sports franchise," said Pruitt, who believes his car will be a technological and competitive success.
"I know what winning a [championships] ring is all about, and I'd like another one."
source:sltrib
