PORSCHE UPDATES RS SPYDER.(Competition)

Porsche unveiled the next evolution of its RS Spyder LMP2 car at the Paris motor show, and it's a fairly mild evolution of the car that has won five times in the American Le Mans Series this season.

The monocoque and bodywork are still carbon fiber and Kevlar, delivering a dry weight of 1705 pounds. The 3.4-liter V8 is again restricted by inlet size to 480 hp. The difference from the 2006 car rests primarily in the aerodynamics, says Hartmut Kristen, director of Porsche Motorsport. The package generates more downforce without increasing drag. As important, the aero devices were developed to be adjusted more rapidly on the fly. Porsche also improved parts such as spindles and the gearbox to allow quicker replacement in race conditions.

Despite the changes, Kristen says, there will be no Porsche factory entry at Le Mans. Penske will remain the works team in ALMS, and the 2007 RS Spyder will be offered to qualified customers in North America and Europe.

Penske, IRL and ALMS boost Detroit

Roger Penske is trying to create more magic for Motown. He will not bring the National Football League's Super Bowl back to Detroit-a project he undertook and delivered almost single-handedly in 2006-but will resurrect something with which he is far more familiar, big-time motor racing. Penske announced he will stage a race on Detroit's Belle Isle, one of the largest city parks in the United States.

The Indy Racing League will lead the Labor Day weekend bash. Making the proposition sweeter is the ALMS undercard: Not only will fans see cars such as Corvettes, Porsches and Audis compete, the city should benefit from its automotive corporate interests as well.

The track, a little more than two miles long, will be roughly the same version last used in 2001 when CART raced on Belle Isle. The street course will undergo improvements to the asphalt surface as well as to the paddock area.