It’s 20 years ago that the inaugural European Le Mans Series ( ELMS) reached its exciting conclusion at Vallelunga, Italy, to end another successful season in motorsport for Polygon Marketing.

Polygon undertook all press and promotional activity for the ELMS organisers including managing driver press conferences, pre event promotions and coordinating live web feed- a relatively new concept in 2001. The events were all televised with several shown live in the USA which added to the pressures of each race.

For Polygon MD Martin Allerton, the season started in March in Florida at the Sebring-12 hours, as guest of Don Panos’s American Le Mans Series, overall organisers of the ELMS.

“It was important that we fully understood the American set-up before the Series kicked off in Europe,” explains Martin. “It proved to be a serious eye opener, the scope of the job was much greater than my initial understanding with live tv and live web updates an integral part of the race weekend. We were also responsible for driving 20,000 plus crowds to each race with a relatively modest budget. On my return to England, I immediately set about assembling the right team.  Hardworking and talented individuals, each a specialist in their own right and committed to ensure that the press, PR and promotion of ELMS was in line with the very best in international motorsport.

“Our efforts and achievements during the season were recognised by the organisers and competing teams, it was a very friendly race series and  proved to be memorable and highly rewarding in many different ways.”