Rolex Series

[85t5mcss]

Fell asleep. Watched the Mazda burn up, not much after that.

[twomanymontes]

Leh Keen and Andrew Davis won the championship in the #59 Brumos Porche.


Monday evening, Leh Keen will accept his second GT championship at the Rolex Champions Banquet presented by SunTrust at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Tuesday, he's looking forward to the start of his summer.

"I missed the summer this year because I was so busy," Keen said. "But it's still warm in Charleston, S.C., so I'll be hanging out at the beach, getting in some surfing and mountain biking, before it gets too cool. I'm looking forward to relaxing. That's my number one priority for the off season."

Keen found little time for relaxation last weekend at Mid-Ohio. Brumos Racing entered the Rolex Series season trailing by three points in the championship. To compound matters the No. 59 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup failed to qualify due to a fuel feed issue. As a result, co-driver Andrew Davis would be starting from the back of the field for the season-ending EMCO Gears Classic presented by KeyBank.

Fortunately, Brumos traced the problem to a faulty crank sensor, and the car ran fine in the race. Jonathan Bomarito led the race – and the championship – when the caution waved with 50 minutes remaining. With the help of the Brumos' crew, Keen beat Bomarito out of the pits, and went on to fourth – one position ahead of Bomarito and four positions ahead of Jordan Taylor. That gave the title to Keen and Davis, two points ahead of Autohaus Motorsports drivers Taylor and Bill Lester, and four points ahead of SpeedSource teammates Bomarito and Sylvain Tremblay.

Suddenly, Keen couldn't wait to get to Vegas.

"Almost too good to be true, really awesome," said Keen, who won the championship for Farnbacher Loles back in 2009.

"This one was definitely more spectacular, how tight and close it was and the way it ended," he said. "It was harder, too. I feel like I contributed a little bit more to this one. This one is more special to me, for sure. And the fact that it was with Brumos. At the beginning of the year, Hurley Haywood sat us down and told us we were going to race to win races and championships. Back then, I was just hoping for podiums. But Brumos has won plenty of races and championships, and just to be able to contribute to their success and add another championship to their history is pretty special to me."

And he will also get to celebrate at the Bellagio.

"Last year, I was at the banquet but missing the fact that I wasn't the champion," Keen said. "I was wishing that I was up there in the first position and getting to do all the fun stuff like I did when I won the championship in 2009 in Hollywood (Florida). Now it's especially exciting to do it in Vegas – and at the Bellagio."

Keen will be taking breaks from his "summer" vacation to race at the Petit Le Mans, doing some coaching, PR for Brumos, and taking a few days with Jeff Segal to visit friends in Germany – where they will drive at the Nurburgring.

He's also looking forward to returning to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for Rennsport IV in early October.

"That's going to be the coolest thing," he said. "I'll be driving the Porsche that Hurley drove to win the 1991 Supercar championship, and I'm really pumped about that. It's also a turbo, and it's going to be great to be back where Andrew and I won earlier this year and to represent Brumos. I'm a big Porsche fan and my father's a Porsche-only kind of guy. So that's definitely as sweet as it gets.

"It's also a no-pressure weekend," Keen added. "Last weekend at Mid-Ohio was nothing but maximum pressure."

[twomanymontes]

Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas won the DP Championship.

Sadly Nothing has been posted yet

[85t5mcss]

Sad indeed. Maybe something under protest.

[twomanymontes]

Don't know. I watched the race and after the minimum 30 minutes of racing, the 01 teanm was declared the champions.

[twomanymontes]

Well, Everyone knows that Team Sahlen is sponsored by Sahlen's Hot Dogs here in Western NY. They are the ones that gave me the tickets to see the race at Watkins Glenn this year. So I have been following them in the GT class. I just found out they now have a new Driver for next year.

Team Sahlen is proud to announce that Dane Cameron will be joining their 3 car Mazda RX-8 campaign in the 2012 Grand American ROLEX Series.



Dane joins Team Sahlen after a successful 2011 campaign, where he drove for Dempsey Racing’s #41 Mazda RX-8. Dane secured 6th Top 5 finishes enroute to 7th in the Driver’s Championship. This included concluding the last 2 events with dual 3rd place finishes.



“I am really excited to be joining Team Sahlen's for the 2012 season. They really came on strong during the last part of 2011 and I think we can carry that momentum into the current season. Team Sahlen's has been piece by piece been putting together an organization that can win the Rolex GT Championship and I am very honored to be the final piece as we push for the first GT Championship for Wayne and myself. This will be the third full season for Team Sahlen's with the Mazda RX-8 GT car as well as my third so I think both of us are ready for an all out attack for the championship.”



Dane will be teamed up with Wayne Nonnamaker in the #42 Mazda RX-8



“Dane and I co-drove together before in 2009 in a Mazda RX-8 for Racer’s Edge Motorsports. We got along great that weekend. Our driving styles and off track personalities are very similar. And as a bonus we are almost the same size, which will make driver changes very quick.” Shares Wayne Nonnamaker, the 2011 Bob Akin Sportsman Award GT Class Winner.



Added Joe Nonnamaker - “It’s very exciting to have Dane with us for 2012. For 201, we were able to have MAZDASPEED Development Driver John Edwards with us for the 2nd half of the season. Now we have the opportunity to continue this trend by having another successful MAZDASPEED Development Driver in Dane Cameron with us. Dane certainly proved himself in 2011, as not only one of the top Mazda drivers, but one of the top GT drivers.”



“We had a vision for Team Sahlen at the end of 2009 to contend for the Driver’s Championship. 2010 was set to be a growing year, getting everything in place, during our 1st season in the RX-8s. Then for 2011, we desired to be a front line team, contending for podiums, and threatening for victories. This was accomplished this season. Now, hopefully everything is in position to now contend for the Driver’s Championship in 2012. This is no easy task, as this is everyone’s goal. Having Dane on board is the final piece to that puzzle in our pursuit of this quest.” – shared Joe Sahlen



Dane Cameron CV:

Dane Cameron is undoubtedly one of the most talented young American drivers on the racing scene today, arriving at this stage of his career by quickly distinguishing himself on every rung of the road racing ladder.


It began in 2000 with an extremely successful karting career that, over four years, included a second place finish in the Canadian National Karting Championships, a first place finish in the 2003 Jim Russell Karting 80cc Junior Shifter Championship, a scholarship to the Jim Russell Racing School and a finalist spot in the 2004 Red Bull Driver Search.



Dane continued his winning ways into 2005, when he was named SCCA Formula Jim Russell Series Champion and Rookie of the Year. As a Team USA Scholarship driver, the following year he won the 2006 Palmer Audi Winter Championship in Europe, earned honors as the 2006 F2000 Rookie of the Year and finished second in the championship.


In 2007, Dane blew the doors off the Star Mazda Championship, where he was not only named Rookie of the Year, but also Series Champion, the second driver in the Star Mazda’s 18-year history to become champion in his first season. This earned Dane a full season in the Formula Atlantic Championship Series for 2008 where he earned one pole, two podium and six top 5 finishes.



This is just the beginning for Dane Cameron. In eight short years, he has become one of the most talked-about drivers in sports car racing. And if you’ve ever seen him on the track, you can tell; he’s just getting started…



Dane Cameron Highlights:



2011 Grand-AM GT Series:
Third Place, NJMP. Third Place Montreal. One Pole and Six top 5 finishes



2011 American LeMans:
First Place Sebring 12 Hour LMPC Class, Genoa Racing. Pole winner, fast lap, and most laps led.

2010 Grand-Am DP Series: Two Rolex Daytona Prototype starts with Beyer Racing and Starworks. Scored two wins and two poles in the Formula Car Challenge Series.

2009 Grand-Am GT:
Racers Edge #30,One podium (3rd place) and two top 5 finishes.

2008 Formula Atlantic Series:
Genoa Racing #19, one pole, two podiums, six top fives finishes and one quickest race lap.

2007 Star Mazda Champion:
Three wins, six poles, five podium finishes and two top five finishes. Rookie of the Year, only the second rookie to win the championship.

Daytona Prototype co-driver with Michael Valiante in the Sunchaser 1000 for Chip Ganassi Racing.



2006 Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy: Four wins and two 2nd place finishes in six races.


2006 Cooper Tires FF2000 Championship: Rookie of the year/runner up champion, two victories, six 2nd place and one 3rd place finishes.

[twomanymontes]

Next year new manufacturers enter the series, Audi and Ferrari are already getting ready.



The Audi R8 will make its Rolex Series debut in the 50th Rolex 24 At Daytona.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Audi has announced its commitment to build a version of its successful R8 LMS race car for the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, adding another major manufacturer to its highly competitive production-based GT class.

GRAND-AM has worked with Audi on the project since August 2009, making several visits to Germany to meet with the manufacturer. The car is expected to begin testing in the fall, with its competition debut expected at the 50th anniversary running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 28-29, 2012.

The announcement follows the successful first test of the Ferrari F458 as GRAND-AM seeks to bring new cars and manufacturers into the Rolex Series' GT class while bringing passionate fans to the tracks and continuing to enhance the standard of competition.

"This is another important step forward for the Rolex Series and the GT class," said GRAND-AM Vice President of Competition Dave Spitzer. "We know there is incredible support for Audi among our race fans, and we look forward to hearing and seeing the beautiful R8 racing with the rest of our GT class.

"With Audi, we have developed a template for modifying GT cars to our performance level that can be applied elsewhere to further enhance the variety on our grid."

The Rolex Series Audi R8 will use the 5.0-liter V10 engine and Audi's production-based aluminum chassis. Engine power and aerodynamic performance will be modified slightly to match current Rolex Series GT performance levels. Work is underway to test the engine on GRAND-AM's dyno. Cars may be delivered to customers this fall.

"We are proud to join the Rolex Series in 2012 with the R8," said Romolo Liebchen, Audi Project Manager Customer Sports GT. "We know the GRAND-AM team will provide a great platform for GT racing for years to come. We look forward to meeting many new customers."

Liebchen is expected to attend the Rolex Series' season-ending race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in September to meet with GRAND-AM officials, teams and prospective customers.

Teams will have the opportunity to test the new Audi at open tests at Daytona International Speedway in November and December. The 2012 Rolex Series season opens with the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona test in early January, leading up to the 50th Rolex 24 on Jan. 28-29.

[85t5mcss]

Nice. Man, I gotta go to Indy

[twomanymontes]

Dude! You have too! I can't wait for Watkins Glenn next year! Really hoping they have a few more teams next year.

Also kind of curious if Michael Waltrip Racing will have the Ferarri team thereas well.

[twomanymontes]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Stevenson Motorsports team manager Mike Johnson confirmed to SPEED.com?s John Dagys that rising star John Edwards will join the team fulltime in 2012, co-driving the No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro with Robin Liddell in the Rolex Series in addition to returning to the team?s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge effort.

Edwards joined Team Sahlen midway through the 2011 season, finishing second at Road America and New Jersey Motorsports Park with Wayne Nonnamaker in the No. 42 TheRaceSite.com Mazda RX-8. Edwards ran with SpeedSource in his 2010 rookie season, winning at Lime Rock, one of four podium finishes with Adam Christodoulou.

Edwards and Matt Bell co-drove the No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro in the 2010 Continental Tire Sports Car Championship, finishing seventh in the final standings with victories at Road America and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in addition to finishing second at Watkins Glen International.

Stevenson Motorsports finished the 2011 Rolex Series GT season with back-to-back victories for Liddell and Ronnie Bremer at Montreal and Mid-Ohio. Liddell also co-drove with Jan Magnussen to victory at Lime Rock Park on Memorial Day.

[twomanymontes]

Ganassi, Brumos Championships Among Top Stories of 2011
Oct. 4, 2011


Ganassi Racing celebrates its victory in the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas returned Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates to the Daytona Prototype championship, while Brumos Racing marked its return to GT competition with another title among the highlights of the 2011 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.

The TELMEX BMW/Riley won five of the 12 races - including the Rolex 24 - to lead Chip Ganassi Racing to its fifth DP team championship in eight years; Brumos Racing returned to its historic GT roots and captured its first championship since 1994; Bill Lester became the first African-American to win in GRAND-AM competition; Ricky Taylor became the first Rolex Series driver to lead every race in a season; Turner Motorsports won two races in one day at Homestead-Miami Speedway; and GAINSCO had a "worst to first" turnaround..

Off the track, GRAND-AM announced it would be competing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time, joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series in the first Super Weekend at the Brickyard; GRAND-AM announced the DPG3, the newest evolution of the Daytona Prototype; and Ferrari and Audi announced they were building cars especially for Rolex Series competition.

Seven different teams won in the GT division and five in the DP ranks, with nine of the races decided by a margin of victory of less than five seconds.

In chronological order, here are a few of the highlights from 2011:

Ganassi Slams Them Again: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates scored its fourth Rolex 24 At Daytona victory in six years, kicking off a successful defense of its Daytona Prototype championship. Termed the "Chip Slam," the Rolex 24 victory followed Ganassi victories in the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 to give the team an unprecedented sweep of the four major events over a 12-month span. Lead drivers Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas opened the season with three consecutive victories and led all the way to defend the championship - the fourth for Pruett and third for Rojas.
Auberlen, Dalla Lana Double Up: Turner Motorsport's drivers Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana followed up their GT victory in the Grand Prix of Miami by winning that evening's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Dalla Lana became a first-time winner in both series, and went on to capture the Grand Sport championship.
Lester Makes History: Bill Lester became the first African American to win in GRAND-AM competition, joining Jordan Taylor in capturing the GT class at Virginia International Raceway in April. It was the first victory for both drivers and Autohaus Motorsports. The team was in contention for the GT championship until the final lap of the season, losing by two points.
Action Express Claims The Bounty: After seeing Pruett and Rojas tally six straight victories dating back to 2010, GRAND-AM posted a $25,000 "Bounty" for the first team to stop the Ganassi duo. Action Express Racing drivers JC France, Terry Borcheller and Joao Barbosa stepped up to take the checkered flag .270 seconds ahead of Pruett at VIR, winning the bonus.
Taylor Leads Every Race: Ricky Taylor led all 12 races - including six in a row - to extend his record streak to 17 races. He joined SunTrust Racing teammate Max Angelelli in winning three races and finishing second in the DP championship. He also won six consecutive pole positions, one shy of the series record.
Historic Stop Set For 2012: Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced that GRAND-AM's Rolex Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge would participate in the 2012 Super Weekend at the Brickyard. Teams from both series held a successful Continental Tire test at the iconic speedway in early September.
Worst To First For GAINSCO: Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney scored no points after being eliminated early in the August race at Watkins Glen International. The two-time DP champs rebounded the following weekend with a dominating victory at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing.
Ferrari Flawless At Daytona: A Ferrari F458 Italia specifically designed by the factory for GRAND-AM competition completed a flawless two-day test at Daytona International Speedway in July - opening the door for fulltime Ferrari participation in 2012. In September, Audi announced it would build a special R8 to also join GT competition next season.
First Glimpse At Future Of DP: GRAND-AM unveiled the first image of the Riley DPG3 in September. Featuring a smaller greenhouse and more dramatic styling, the third-generation DP will debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Brumos Back Home In GT: Returning to its historical GT roots after seven years in DP, Brumos Racing scored two victories and had drivers Andrew Davis and Leh Keen trailed by three points in the championship entering the season-ending race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. They finished fourth in the finale to win the championship by two points, giving the Jacksonville, Fla., team its 14th title - and first since Hurley Haywood won the 1994 North American GT Endurance Championship in a No. 59 Porsche.
A number of exciting additional announcements are expected over the off season, including additional versions of the DPG3 and the complete 2012 schedule.

The next activity for the Rolex Series will be testing at Barber Motorsports Park on Oct. 17-18, followed by sessions at Daytona in November and December. The 2012 season officially gets underway with Jan. 5-8 "Roar Before the Rolex 24" Test Days at Daytona International Speedway, leading up to the 50th anniversary running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Jan. 28-29.

[twomanymontes]

Well, the Ferrari's willbe out in force next season!!

Jeff Segal will be racing back to his roots in the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series in the all-new AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari 458 Italia GT Grand Am that he will co-drive with teammate Emil Assentato in an all-out assault on the GT class driver, team and manufacturer championships.

Segal and Assentato co-drove to the 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Series GT Championship and will be looking for their second set of GT class titles in three years in 2012 in their first season with both the new AIM Autosport Team FXDD collaboration and at the wheel of a Ferrari. Segal also captured the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS class championship in 2007, GRAND-AM's youngest ever driver champion at the time.

For Segal, 26, the return to the legendary “Prancing Horse” marque takes him back to where his racing career began as an emerging talent nearly a decade ago. Segal began his overall career as a race-winning teenager in Ferrari Challenge competition and made some of his earliest GRAND-AM Rolex Series GT starts in 2003 in Ferrari race cars.

“I am definitely excited about returning to the Ferrari family with our racing effort for 2012,” Segal said. “In many ways it feels like a return home. I have a lot of history and experience with the brand over the years, and it seems fitting that I'm going to be fortunate enough to play an important role in bringing Ferrari back to GRAND-AM competition this year.”

Segal was the first active GRAND-AM Rolex Series GT driver to test the Ferrari 458 Italia this past summer at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He left that test determined to put a program together based on the Ferrari for the full 2012 season.

“The moment that Ferrari announced their intention to return to the Rolex Series for the 50th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of,” Segal said. “It has been a project that was a long time in the making for a lot of people involved. Ferrari has worked hard with GRAND-AM to adapt the 458 Italia to the Rolex Series GT class, and without the cooperation of those two entities, this opportunity could not happen.”

Part of Segal’s intense preparation has taken him to Italy in recent months to meet with key project personnel from Ferrari race car constructor Michelotto. He and long time teammate Nick Longhi visited Michelotto headquarters earlier this month to work with project engineers on the early design plans for their new Ferrari 458 Italia GT Grand Am race car. Segal left for yet another visit to Europe Wednesday afternoon where he will join some of his new associates from AIM Autosport Team FXDD in Maranello, Italy, next week in preparation for the Ferrari 458 Italia’s first shakedown run. Besides the anticipation of the maiden run for the new Ferrari race car, Segal is also eager to begin working with the established AIM Autosport team.

“Ian Willis and the entire organization at AIM Autosport have always been an impressive team when they competed in the Daytona Prototype class over the past several seasons,” Segal said. “It was clear to see that they were always able to produce big results even when they were outgunned by bigger teams with more resources. They've got a careful, methodical, precision engineering philosophy that I think will really pay dividends as we work to develop the Ferrari to the GRAND-AM rules package. Everyone on the team seems to be relishing the opportunity to compete at the front of the GT class in 2012, and they seem especially excited to represent a brand as iconic as Ferrari.”

AIM Autosport Team FXDD will make its on-track debut in its new car at Fiorano – the official Ferrari test track near Maranello – this Tuesday, November 1. The team’s official GRAND-AM Rolex Series debut is scheduled for December’s final test of the year at Daytona International Speedway. AIM Autosport Team FXDD’s debut race will be the 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 26 - 29, in addition to running the entire 2012 season schedule. The full driver lineup for the Rolex 24 at Daytona will be announced in the coming weeks.

[twomanymontes]

Krohn: Reliability Alone No Longer Good Enough to Win Rolex 24 At Daytona



Traditionally, having a strong and reliable car was the goal of a team coming to the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Having a very fast car was not as important.

Since the development of the Daytona Prototype, that’s no longer the case. That’s why Tracy Krohn and his team spent two days testing at Daytona International Speedway this week.

“We have a reliable car, and that’s what we had here last January,” Krohn said. “Everything ran perfectly. We had perfect pit stops, everything on the car worked, and we didn’t even get on the podium.

“Can you believe that?”

Co-driving with Nic Jonsson, Ricardo Zonta and Nicolas Minassian, Krohn finished sixth overall in the No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford/Lola – only one lap behind winners Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, Graham Rahal and Joey Hand in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target BMW/Riley.

“Everything is running perfectly, but the car’s got to go faster,” Krohn said.

The Rolex 24 was the team’s only GRAND-AM race in 2011, but Jonsson isn’t concerned about the layoff.

“Our guys have worked on this car for the last four years,” said Jonsson, who joined Krohn at the test. “So it’s not a completely new animal. We’ve had no reliability issues with the Lola. We’ve been somewhat competitive in the race conditions but the ultimate pace is not there.”

Jonsson was pleased with the progress of the test, but was still looking for another half second a lap.

“The car has been consistent throughout the whole run,” he said. “We’re looking to sacrifice a little bit of our performance in the corners and try to add some straightaway speed. That’s why we’re testing, trying a few bits and pieces to reach that goal.”

“I’m glad to be back,” said Krohn, whose team has seven Daytona Prototype victories. “We’re learning some stuff at this test. Hopefully, good things will come.”

[twomanymontes]

Shelby Blackstock got his first taste of racing in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in 2011, running a limited schedule. For 2012, the son of country music artist and actress Reba McEntire will step up to run the complete schedule with a major team.



Blackstock and Jade Buford are set to run together in a Roush Performance Ford Mustang Boss 302R in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition. Roush Performance finished second in the 2012 Grand Sport championship. Jack Roush Jr. and Billy Johnson won three races among eight podium finishes, and will return in the team’s No. 61 Ford Mustang.

“It’s an honor to be in Roush Performance’s secondary car,” Blackstock said. “This is a powerhouse team, and as a driver, you really can’t ask for more than that."

Blackstock and Buford got to test together with Roush Performance in the recent GRAND-AM two-day session at Barber Motorsports Park.

“The No. 61 Roush Performance Mustang is an amazing car all around,” Blackstock said. “This is Jack’s primary car, and it’s an honor to drive it.”

Blackstock has a personal goal for 2012.

“I ran in four races this past season to maintain my rookie status, and I’m looking to run for MESCO Building for the Future Rookie of the Year in 2012,” he said.

Blackstock drove for Jim Click Racing in four Grand Sport races last season, with his best finish 11th at Road America.

Blackstock and Buford live about 30 minutes apart in the Nashville, Tenn., area, and began talking about driving together near the end of the past season.

“He’s a good driver and I think we’d work well together, so we pulled the trigger on it,” Blackstock said.

Buford ran the complete GS schedule for Kinetic Motorsports, with his best finish sixth at Virginia International Raceway among three top-10 finishes. This was his third full season in the series, with his best finish a fourth in ST at Barber in 2009. He also has Rolex Series experience, finishing third in GT with Jordan Taylor for Racers Edge Motorsports at Mid-Ohio in 2010.

“Everything went very smoothly at the test,” Buford said. “I’m looking forward to having a good season in 2012.”

[twomanymontes]

Curran and Said to Return to Marsh Racing Corvette for 2012
Oct. 20, 2011

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Marsh Racing has shown steady improvement in its two seasons racing in the Rolex Series GT class. The Old Lyme, Conn.-based team won two poles in its 2009 rookie season, and broke through last year with its first victory at Road America.

The team looks to continue to improve in 2012. Car owner Ted Marsh expects both of his lead drivers – Eric Curran and Boris Said – to return in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette.

“We’re looking forward to next year,” Marsh said at this week’s test at Barber Motorsports Park. “I’m looking forward to racing at Indianapolis, and Detroit is going to be very interesting. We were very happy to win a race last year. We kind of lucked into it – but we’ll take it. A win’s a win.”

Said missed the event at Road America due to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule conflict. Veteran racer/GM engineer John Heinricy filled in and drove the opening shift in the victory.

While General Motors’ main effort in GT is on the Chevrolet Camaros that combined to win four races, the Corvette played a major role in helping Chevrolet edge Mazda by two points to win the manufacturer’s championship.

“They’ve been very helpful to us,” Marsh said. “A lot of people think they’re 100-percent after the Camaros, because that’s where their focus is, but they still like having a Corvette in there. We did help them win the championship by winning that race, and they appreciate that. They are giving us some support, enough that it’s good.”

The team rolled out a new No. 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette for the second race at Watkins Glen in August. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series guest driver Joey Logano unofficially put the new car on the pole for that event. However, he crashed on the following circuit, costing the team the pole while badly damaging the car that was purpose-built for Rolex Series competition. Marsh went back to the team’s old car – which was adapted to GRAND-AM specifications after racing in the World Challenge – and won the pole at Montreal.

The team used that older car in the Barber test. Marsh said that the car damaged at Watkins Glen is being rebuilt and will be ready for 2012, and the team might have another surprise for next season.

“We plan to dismantle this car,” Marsh said. “We’re in the process of building another new car. Then we will have two real good cars.”

The team will again sit out the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.

“We can’t really do that with a Prep 1 car like we have,” Marsh said. “It’s not going to last. We have enough trouble making six hours. Now we’re working to find Eric and Boris rides in good GM cars for the Rolex 24.”

[85t5mcss]

Can't wait.

[twomanymontes]

I thought this is pretty cool!


'B+' wasn't the grade Al Carter and Hugh Plumb earned in 2011 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge when they shared the No. 45 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 sponsored by The B+ Foundation.



It could have been. The pair scored four top-fives and six top-10s in Grand Sport competition – including a third at Homestead-Miami Speedway – won the pole at Virginia International Raceway and placed 13th in the final standings.

But no, B+ – pronounced "B Positive" – is the name of the foundation promoting awareness of childhood cancer that the team promoted throughout the season.

Happy with the results from 2011, Carter is looking to an even better showing next season, on and off the race track.

"The season went very well, with the exception of a little bit of bad luck at times that you come to expect in racing," Carter said at the recent GRAND-AM test at Barber Motorsports Park. "We were consistently good qualifiers, ran up front and led races. We didn't always get the finish we deserved, though."

As one example, Carter and Plumb were leading at New Jersey Motorsport Park with 20 minutes remaining and lost an alternator – resulting in a 15th-place finish.

"We've really built on our base for 2012," Carter said. "The whole team is intact coming back at Fall-Line, and we expect to shake away all the gremlins and be a contender to run up front all season. Hugh and I are looking for good things."

Off the track, the team visited hospitals at every event. Prior to the season finale at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the team invited Dr. Mary Lou Schmidt to the event and presented a $50,000 check to start The B+ Foundation Childhood Cancer Clinical Trials.

"That was well over our expectations, and I'm really proud of the B+ run that we had," Carter said. "We made a lot of new friends, really brought a lot of awareness to the B+ Foundation, while turning The B+ Foundation into race fans."

Carter said that program will continue to grow and expand in 2012.

"We're excited to have them back to continue that," Carter said. "The program was so successful that they're happy to be back with us. We're hoping to be able to do even more activities to build on the awareness of what the foundation does across the country."

The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation honors the memory of Andrew McDonough. Andrew's mom, dad and sister founded The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation.

The B+ Foundation provides financial assistance to families of children with cancer, and has awarded over $600,000 to hundreds of families from around the country in their time of greatest need. The B+ Foundation also sponsors research to find cures for childhood cancers and advancements in chemotherapy.

[twomanymontes]

Looks like the new schedule is out. And Watkins Glenn is in late June which works out better for me!


13-Race 2012 Schedule Features New North American Endurance Championship
Nov. 9, 2011

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GRAND-AM has announced its new, thirteen race schedule for the 2012 season which will include its first visits to Detroit on June 2 and to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27, along with the return to many of North America’s premier road racing circuits.

“This is without doubt the strongest schedule in GRAND-AM history,” said GRAND-AM President Tom Bledsoe. “Highlights are everywhere you look … new races, new places – and a new three-race championship. We’re going to make a lot of sports car history in 2012.”

Teams in both the Daytona Prototype and production-based GT classes will also compete in the North American Endurance Championship. The inaugural championship will feature the 50th anniversary running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 28-29, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International on June 29-July 1 and the Rolex Series’ three-hour debut race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27. Point structure and purse for the championship will be announced in the near future. Awards for the championship will be presented at dusk on the Victory Podium at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, following the historic race on the 2.605-mile road course.

The Rolex Series will combine with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series twice – on Indianapolis’ historic tripleheader weekend (July 26-29) and at Watkins Glen International’s second event of the season – and with the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Road America and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Two Rolex Series events will be in companion with IndyCar, at Detroit and Barber.

Following the season-opening events at Daytona and Barber, the Rolex Series moves to Homestead-Miami Speedway, followed by a visit to New Jersey Motorsports Park. Following the Detroit Belle Isle race, the series returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. In addition, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s event shifts to September.

The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will run in conjunction with the Rolex Series at 10 of the 13 weekends, including Indianapolis.

Potential season-ending events for both series are still to be announced.

(Note: Dates listed below are for event weekend, excluding the Daytona, Indianapolis and Detroit Belle Isle races. Remaining specific race days for each series will be announced in the near future.)

GRAND-AM Rolex Series 2012 Schedule of Events
Jan. 28-29 Daytona International Speedway
Mar 30-April 1 Barber Motorsports Park
April 27-29 Homestead-Miami Speedway
May 11-13 New Jersey Motorsports Park
June 2 Detroit Belle Isle
June 8-10 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
June 22-24 Road America
June 29-July 1 Watkins Glen International
July 27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Aug 10-12 Watkins Glen International
August 17-19 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Sept. 7-9 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Sept. 28-30 TBA

GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge 2012 Schedule of Events
Jan. 27 Daytona International Speedway
Mar 30-April 1 Barber Motorsports Park
April 27-29 Homestead-Miami Speedway
May 11-13 New Jersey Motorsports Park
June 8-10 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
June 22-24 Road America
June 29-July 1 Watkins Glen International
July 27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sept. 7-9 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Sept. 28-30 TBA

[twomanymontes]

Corvette Daytona Prototype Tests on Track One Day After Unveiling
Nov. 17, 2011




The new Corvette Daytona Prototype made its track debut on Wednesday, November 16, one day after its introduction. The No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP, driven by Antonio Garcia and Oliver Gavin, ran a total of 66 laps over four sessions at Daytona International Speedway.

“Basically, they were trouble-free development laps to learn about the car,” said Jim Lutz, GRAND-AM Road Racing Program Manager for GM Racing. “Nothing unusual happened.”

All of the Corvette Daytona Prototype teams -- No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing; No. 10 SunTrust Racing; No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing; and the No.’s 5 and 9 Action Express Racing –- were present at the test to see what the car can do.

“Everybody thinks it is the best-looking car,” Lutz said.

Chevrolet unveiled its 2012 Rolex GRAND-AM Road Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype at Daytona International Speedway a day earlier.

“Racing and performance are the founding principles of Chevrolet, and bringing the Corvette Daytona Prototype to GRAND-AM is a tremendous opportunity,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The opportunity for innovation is what makes the Daytona Prototype Class such a good fit for Chevrolet. Sports cars and endurance racing are outstanding platforms for manufacturers like us to test and learn. The design of this race car incorporates iconic Corvette styling cues and will be immediately recognized by sports car enthusiasts and fans of GRAND-AM Road Racing.”

Changes in the DP class for 2012 allowed for OEM-branded cars.

“GRAND-AM’s new Daytona Prototype concept is aimed at allowing manufacturers to showcase their brand in an exciting, cutting-edge fashion,” said GRAND-AM President Tom Bledsoe. “Chevrolet, with its new Corvette DP, has done just that.”

Four teams will campaign the Corvette Daytona Prototype in 2012: No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing; No. 10 SunTrust Racing; No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing; and the No.’s 5 and 9 Action Express Racing teams.

“The 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype was developed by a multi-faceted effort involving Chevrolet, Corvette Designers, Pratt & Miller and GRAND-AM, and Chevrolet also worked closely with chassis builders Riley, Coyote and Dallara,” said Mark Kent, GM Racing Director.

The Corvette Daytona Prototype will make its competitive debut in the 50th anniversary of the GRAND-AM Road Racing Series Rolex 24 at Daytona next January 26-29, 2012.

In 2001, a Corvette driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon was the overall winner in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Another Corvette finished fourth that year, with Dale Earnhardt Sr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Andy Pilgrim and Kelly Collins.

A little video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FyXE7SpMAE&feature=player_embedded

[twomanymontes]

Viper Returns to Rolex Series with Racers Edge Motorsports in 2012

Absent for several years from Rolex Series competition, the Dodge Viper will return to the series as part of a new direction for GT veteran Racers Edge Motorsports.

After fielding Mazdas and Pontiacs in the Rolex Series since 2007, the DeLand, Fla.-based team is developing cars for Dodge Motorsports in both GRAND-AM series for 2012 competition.

"We have been working closely with GRAND-AM officials and our suppliers to develop a Viper spec engine that meets all of GRAND-AM's requirements," said David Bailey, Senior Manager, SRT Motorsports Engineering. "We are very excited to see the Viper and Racers Edge competing in the Rolex Series next year."

Racers Edge Motorsports is preparing a pair of Viper Competition Coupes for the Rolex Series. Doug Peterson and Jan Heylen will co-drive the No. 87 3Dimensional.com/Dodge Motorsports Viper, powered by a Viper V-10 engine. The No. 85 will serve primarily as a test car.

"We are pleased that Racers Edge has chosen to race the Dodge Viper in the GRAND-AM Rolex Series for 2012," said Beth Paretta, Director of SRT Marketing. "The field is more diverse and competitive than ever and the Viper, with its racing pedigree will be an exciting addition. We look forward to seeing Racers Edge on the podium in 2012."

Peterson and Heylen will also co-drive the No. 87 Dodge Challenger SRT8 in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Racers Edge will field two cars in 2012 Grand Sport competition, including the No. 86 for the father-son team of Rod and D.J. Randall.

"It is great to be heading up this new program," said team owner Jon Mirachi. "The Viper Competition Coupe is an incredible machine and will make a great Rolex GT weapon for us to compete with for the championship. The Challenger SRT8 program is also fantastic and we can't wait to hit the track with that famous Hemi power."

"Building two new cars from scratch in just a few months has been an enormous undertaking," Mirachi continued. "We're pushing our own staff to the limit, but with our technical partners – 3 Dimensional Services Group and the engineers from SRT Motorsports Engineering – we were able to complete the task and build a couple of really high quality race cars. We are really looking forward to 2012."

The last Dodge Viper to race in the Rolex Series was in the 2002 Rolex 24, with an American Viper Racing entry finishing 13th in GTS. Viper won one of its two starts in 2001, with Eric Messley and Ritch Marziale winning the GTS class at Phoenix. The Oreca Dodge team won the inaugural GRAND-AM event, the 2000 Rolex 24, with a lineup of Karl Wendlinger, Olivier Beretta and Dominique Dupuy. Vipers took three of the top five overall positions in that event, with Rolex Series regular David Donohue part of the third-place lineup.

[twomanymontes]

'Red Dragon' Corvette First DP Entry for 50th Rolex 24


An artist's rendering of a Brian Cleary photo has the popular 'Red Dragon' Corvette ready to sprout wings at Daytona.


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Never mind that the new GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Daytona Prototype has yet to turn a wheel on the racetrack. Stallings filed the first Daytona Prototype entry for the 2012 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona, and will field a No. 99 Corvette DP for Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty.

The "Red Dragon" No. 99 Riley has been one of the most popular Rolex Series cars since its debut in 2005, and was raced to 15 victories and the 2007 and 2009 DP championships by Gurney and Fogarty.

There will be a new 'Red Dragon' for 2012, and an artist's rendering of the first Corvette DP in GAINSCO red has the newest version looking like it's ready to take flight on the front straight at Daytona International Speedway.

Gurney will be a sentimental favorite for the milestone event, as he looks to score his first victory in the American classic on the 50th anniversary of his father’s victory in the inaugural event. Dan Gurney won the 1962 race – then known as the Daytona Continental – in a dramatic finish, rolling under the checkered flag after his engine expired in the final minute.

The team has yet to announce its third driver for the Rolex 24, although it will not be five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and seven-time Rolex 24 competitor Jimmie Johnson. The team is expected to continue its lineage of using American drivers for its No. 99 in the near future.

[twomanymontes]

The 2012 Season is getting close! I can't wait. New Cars, new teams,and some new drivers. Should be a lot of fun this year!

[85t5mcss]

Feels like Christmas did when I was young. Can't wait.

[twomanymontes]

The Rolex 24 kicks off the 2012 season on SPEED with a one-hour pre-race show at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Jan. 28 before rolling into the first seven-and-a-half hours of the race. (3:30-11 p.m.) Live coverage resumes at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29. A new component will enhance the Rolex 24 telecast: live video from the overnight portion of the race on SPEED.com through a number of camera streams and a running leaderboard.

Oh man! I'm not going to get much sleep that weekend!!!! Keith, I hope you can text me coverage while I'm at church again, LOL!

[85t5mcss]

Sweet! I am OFF work that weekend. Nachos will be ready.