2012 Grand Am Series (Rolex)

[twomanymontes]

Saturday is the final race of the season! I'll be at a car show so I'm taping it to watch later.

[twomanymontes]

There are several reasons why the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will be split into separate races for GS and ST classes when Lime Rock Park closes out the 2012 schedule on Sept. 28-29.

From the fan's perspective, there's less confusion as to who is racing whom. The Championship Weekend marks the first time CTSCC will close its season in this manner, giving the championship contenders the opportunity to strategize only against class rivals.

Then there's the track itself. At 1.5 miles in length and without significant run-off areas, it's the road course version of a "bull ring."

Putting 60 cars with differing performance potentials on the circuit isn't the best idea; especially with driver and team championships being decided in both GS and ST.

"With such a competitive series, everybody's already racing for the next foot," said Jeff Smallwood, Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series manager. "With the extremely tight points battles, there's going to be an even greater fight for real estate."

There will be full-course cautions – hopefully fewer of them, said Smallwood – and fans will see different pit procedures. In combined class races, GS cars pit first followed by ST teams a lap later, giving the latter several minutes to consider strategy. That won't be the case at Lime Rock where any car will be able to stop once pit road is opened.

"That should add a bit of excitement," said Smallwood.

Bill Auberlen, who will share the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 Coupe with Don Salama, said, tongue in cheek, that he'll miss having ST traffic on course.

"I love having ST out there; I use them as 'picks,'" said Auberlen. "No, you really have to split the field to ensure good, clean racing."

Auberlen, winner of a record 13 Continental Tire Challenge races and Rolex Sports Car Series GT driving partner Paul Dalla Lana, finished second in GS a year ago. He won at Lime Rock in 2006-07.

"We've struggled this year and had bad luck," said Auberlen, whose best 2012 finish is a fourth place at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "For sure we're not going to win the championship so we're going (there) to win the race. For us, it's wide open."

Lime Rock's Championship Weekend couldn't come at a better time for ST leaders Tom Long, co-driver Derek Whitis and Freedom Autosport's No. 25 Mazda MX-5 organization. In-race carnage at this month's Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca turned the ST standings on their head. When the dust settled, Long, Whitis and Freedom emerged with an 11-point lead.

The two are the defending winners at Lime Rock, New York native Long's home track, where he grew up watching his father compete in club racing.
"I've got a lot of great memories," said Long, who agreed that splitting GS and ST classes is a good idea – particularly with cornering speeds being the same for both groups.

"It's certainly a bull ring with almost all right hand corners and it's very difficult to pass," he said. "The GS cars don't have that much (cornering speed) differential. They'd be the ones looking in their mirrors."

[twomanymontes]

Ferrari is ramping up its presence in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series' GT class for both the short and long haul.

Three of manufacturer's 458 Italias took the green flag in the recent Continental Tire Sports Car Festival at Monterey, Calif.'s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Two – including the Monterey GT pole winner – will compete in Lime Rock Park's Championship Weekend.

Ferrari drivers Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato wrapped up the GT driver titles in Monterey aboard the No. 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari. But the GT engine manufacturer championship remains up for grabs in the 2012 season finale and Ferrari wants it as well.

"Ferrari's goal always is to win championships," said Giacomo Mattioli, owner of Scuderia Corsa as well as Ferrari dealerships in Beverly Hills, Calif. and Northern California's Silicon Valley. Scuderia Corsa's No. 63 won Monterey's GT pole with Italy's Alessandro Balzan behind the wheel and finished fourth.

It again will be driven by Balzan, joined at Lime Rock by Johannes van Overbeek. Overbeek comes to the finale courtesy of Scott Sharp's Extreme Speed Motorsports.

"I really want to thank Scott for giving him to us," said Mattioli. "He's a very quick and reliable driver."

Scuderia Corsa's longer term outlook is next year's Rolex 24 At Daytona as well as the 2013 GRAND-AM season. Mattioli plans to field two cars at Daytona, one of which will run the full GT schedule.

Mattioli believes success in the GT category will lead to more Ferrari Italia owners considering GRAND-AM competition. GRAND-AM also sanctions the Ferrari Challenge, an Italia marque series competing alongside major racing events throughout the United States and Canada.

He's also enthusiastic about the recently announced merger of GRAND-AM and the American Le Mans Series.

"We're committed; we're excited," said Mattioli. "We really look forward to 2014 since the U.S. is the most important market to Ferrari."

[twomanymontes]

Lime Rock Park truly is one – a park, that is.

There are no grandstands or high-rise suite seating. Fans are able to spread blankets, set out a picnic lunch and uncork a cold bottle of white wine while the cars whiz past.

The 1.5-mile up and downhill circuit remains much the way it was when completed in the spring of 1957. The asphalt has been replaced but to the same exact measurements used by engineer, racing pioneer and onetime Mercedes-Benz factory driver John Fitch and his colleagues.

Lime Rock is the oldest, continuously operating road course in America – about six months longer than Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, Calif., site of the most recent GRAND-AM event weekend.

The Skip Barber organization purchased the track in 1985.

Virtually every kind of race car has been driven in competition at Lime Rock. Its early Formula Libre events were precursor to modern-day Formula 1, which migrated to upstate New York's Watkins Glen International and could return to a New Jersey through-the-streets course in the near future.

No artificial course – especially one with curbs and manhole covers – matches the ambience of Lime Rock, regardless of the kind of cars or the caliber of competing drivers.

Indianapolis 500 champion Rodger Ward made racing history at Lime Rock in 1959 winning a Formula Libre race in a USAC Offy-powered midget. Ward led a pair of Maseratis driven by Chuck Daigh and Rodriguez. Fitch was fourth in a Cooper Monaco.

GRAND-AM's forebear, the IMSA Camel GT, was a popular Lime Rock attraction in the 1970s and 1980s. Peter Gregg won five times with Al Holbert one victory behind.

Other key races at the track included the SCCA's Trans-Am. Mark Donohue won twice for Roger Penske in 1968 and 1971.

SPEED commentator Dorsey Schroeder also won three Lime Rock Trans-Am races in addition to two Firestone Firehawk events.

Scott Pruett might win the Daytona Prototype season finale on Sept. 29 but it won't be his first Lime Rock victory. Pruett won the track's Trans-Am race in 1988.

Other familiar Lime Rock winners include Butch Leitzinger and James Weaver, who won a trio of GRAND-AM races in 2000-01. Leitzinger also won three NASCAR Busch North events (now the K&N Pro Series East).

[twomanymontes]

Well, I missed the race. The d**n VCR didn't work.
Ricky Taylor and Max Angelli win in the prototype class!
But the Ganassi Team of Pruett and Rojas took the Championship for the 3rd year in a row!!!

LAKEVILLE, Conn. (September 29, 2012) – Max Angelelli and Ricky Taylor scored their third consecutive Lime Rock Park race victory and Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas wrapped up their third consecutive Daytona Prototype championship in Saturday’s Rolex Series season finale in the GRAND-AM Championship Weekend at Lime Rock Park presented by BMW.

Angelelli and Taylor combined to lead a race-high 92 laps in the No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP, including the last 50 with Taylor at the wheel. The second-generation racer held off a late charge from Antonio Garcia, crossing the stripe 0.334 seconds ahead to score his and Angelelli’s third victory of the season.

“We really transformed the car after qualifying,” said Taylor. “I was sitting there at the beginning of the race hoping for a podium, to be honest. As soon as I saw Max on that restart at the beginning, and he was flying, at that point, I knew we had a car that could possibly win the race.”

Second place went to Garcia and polesitter Richard Westbrook in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP, with Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty third in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP.

The championship battle, meanwhile, went to Pruett and Rojas with a seventh-place result in the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley. The teammates entered the race needing to finish ninth or better to clinch the DP driver championship, which they did by 12 points, 379-367, over Ryan Dalziel, who finished sixth. It was the fourth title for Rojas and a record-extending fifth DP championship for Pruett.

“It’s great to be champions,” Pruett said. “I just couldn’t be happier for TELMEX and BMW and the whole Ganassi organization. It’s just been an incredibly difficult and challenging season. We’ve had to really dig deep with all the experience on the team, knowing we didn’t have the fastest car many times during this whole year but scrapped to get every point that we could in order to try and put ourselves in good position for the championship.”

The No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates team picked up their sixth Daytona Prototype team championship. Chevrolet won the DP manufacturer championship in the first year of competition for the Corvette DP, and Riley earned the DP constructor championship.

While the GT team and driver championships were wrapped up at the previous round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca three weeks ago, the battle for the Lime Rock race victory came down to the final minutes.

One day after coming up just short in his bid to win the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner championship, Andy Lally suffered another heartbreak. With less than two minutes remaining, Lally surrendered the GT lead to Robin Liddell heading into Turn 1 and then Lally’s No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 slowed dramatically, entering the pits at the conclusion of the lap.

Once in front, Liddell pulled away to bring the No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R home to its second consecutive Lime Rock race victory. It was the second Lime Rock victory for both Liddell and co-driver John Edwards, who earned the 2010 GT class victory. Liddell won last year alongside Jan Magnussen.

Dion von Moltke and Jim Norman ended the first season for the new Audi Rolex Series program on a high note, taking second in the No. 51 APR Tuned/Motul/Parathyroid.com/PR Newswire/South African Airways Audi R8 GRAND-AM. Alessandro Balzan and Johannes van Overbeek finished third in the No. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458, securing the GT manufacturer championship for the legendary Italian nameplate.

[85t5mcss]

I only saw the last 15 minutes or so. I really thought Lally was gonna win GT but just didn't have the fuel. And Taylor really had to hold off Garcia for the win, couple close calls of losing the lead but he managed. Check Speed's website for the re-air and tape that one.

[twomanymontes]

Ganassi Organization, Pruett, Rojas Raise The Championship Bar Another Notch Higher

Victories at Road America and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal among eight podium finishes were sufficient to raise the bar – again – in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series for the Ganassi organization.


Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and drivers Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas didn't exactly steamroll the competition in 2012. There were plenty of wins to go around – and the No. 01 BMW/Riley got just two of them.

But those victories at Road America and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal among eight podium finishes were sufficient to raise the bar – again – in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. The Ganassi organization claimed its sixth Daytona Prototype championship while Pruett and Rojas won titles five and four, respectively.

The battle for the championship went down to the GRAND-AM Championship Weekend presented by BMW at Lime Rock Park finale in which a seventh-place finish was enough to give Ganassi, Pruett and Rojas the title by a 379-367 count over Starworks Motorsport and Ryan Dalziel.

"Racing and winning never get old – even though I do," said Pruett, 52, who extended his DP victory record to 38. The Montreal victory was particularly sweet marking the 150th win for the Ganassi organization that competes in GRAND-AM, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the IZOD IndyCar Series.

The Pruett-Rojas tandem has been nearly unstoppable since winning its first title together in 2008. Since the following season's near miss, the team has won three consecutive championships.

Chevrolet won the 2012 DP engine manufacturers' championship by a 424-389 point margin over arch-rival Ford. Riley won the chassis builders' title by a 427-400 point count over Coyote.

Ferrari returned to GRAND-AM GT competition in a big way sweeping team, driver and manufacturer titles. The No. 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD with Ferrari organization, based in Canada, won in its GT debut with 2010 GT champions Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato.

AIM, co-owned by Ian Willis and Andrew Bordin, previously competed in the Daytona Prototype winning twice.

Segal and Assentato wrapped up the driver championship a race early at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The only remaining suspense at Lime Rock was whether Ferrari would capture the manufacturers' title. Scuderia Corsa's No. 63 458 Italia driven by Alessandro Balzan and Johannes van Overbeek finished third to give Ferrari a seven-point edge over Chevrolet.

[twomanymontes]

MALVERN, Pa.: David Donohue – the 2009 Rolex 24 At Daytona champion and a four-time race winner in Daytona Prototype competition – will be leaving Action Express Racing.

Donohue finished the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season fourth in DP and was the second-highest Corvette Daytona Prototype driver. This season marked Donohue’s tenth consecutive season driving in the top level of the Rolex Series. In 2009, he won the Rolex 24 at Daytona with Darren Law, Buddy Rice and Antonio Garcia. That victory came on the 40th anniversary of his father’s 24 hour win in 1969.

“2012 has been one of my most challenging seasons,” said Donohue. “While it is very rewarding to have finished fourth in a field of some of the best in this business, I believe it has come time for me to leave the team that I have driven with for the last ten seasons. My father only drove for one team during his entire career so this is a difficult decision, but ultimately it is the best for me.

"I want to thank all of my teammates, both drivers and crew, for their hard work and tireless dedication. It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with so many fine people.”

For the first four races of the season Donohue anchored Action Express Racing's effort along with Darren Law in the No. 5 Action Express DP. Four different co-drivers shared the car with Donohue in the next nine races with a second place finish at Belle Isle Park marking the season’s best finish.

[twomanymontes]

GRAND-AM Announces 2013 Schedules; Adds Austin, Kansas, Road Atlanta Events

Combination GRAND-AM/ALMS Event Set For Road America






DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 28, 2012) – GRAND-AM Road Racing announced the most dynamic schedules in its history today, highlighted by three new events and a unique combined weekend with the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.

Both the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge schedules will feature inaugural races at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Tex.; Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga.; and Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. In addition, GRAND-AM will partner with the American Le Mans Series on a combination weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.; the two organizations are in the process of merging and will operate as one, new sports car entity beginning with the 2014 season.

“Last year we raced for the first time at Indianapolis and Detroit, and GRAND-AM will continue to break new ground in 2013,” said Ed Bennett, GRAND-AM president and CEO. “We’re excited about going to historic Road Atlanta – plus the new road courses at Austin and Kansas City – for the first time. And with the combined event at Road America, sports car fans will get a glimpse of the future.”

GRAND-AM’s flagship race – the 51st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona – opens the 2013 schedule Jan. 26-27 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Rolex 24 also opens the second annual North American Endurance Championship presented by VISITFLORIDA.com, a special three-race Rolex Series competition that includes the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International on June 30 and the Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26. GRAND-AM will again lead off IMS’ “Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard” that also will include the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

GRAND-AM’s first races at the new Circuit of the Americas facility will be March 2. The Road Atlanta event is set for April 20, while the debut on the new 2.36-mile Kansas Speedway circuit will be Aug. 17.

The combined GRAND-AM/ALMS weekend at Road America will be Aug. 10-11, with GRAND-AM competition the first day. GRAND-AM will join the IZOD IndyCar Series at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. on April 6 and at Detroit Belle Isle on June 1.

Other returning events include Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio on June 15; Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. on Sept. 8; and Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. on Sept. 27-28.

The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will expand to 11 events in 2012. On nine of those weekends, the CTSCC will run on the same day as the Rolex Series, with the exceptions being Daytona (CTSCC on Jan. 25) and Watkins Glen (June 29). Also, the CTSCC will have two days of competition at Lime Rock, with the Street Tuner class on Sept. 27 and the Grand Sport class race joining the Rolex Series race on Sept. 28.


2013 GRAND-AM Rolex Series Schedule
Jan. 26-27 Daytona International Speedway
March 2 Circuit of the Americas
April 6 Barber Motorsports Park
April 20 Road Atlanta
June 1 Detroit Belle Isle
June 15 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
June 30 Watkins Glen International
July 26 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Aug. 10 * Road America
Aug. 17 Kansas Speedway
Sept. 8 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Sept. 28 Lime Rock Park
*Combination event with American Le Mans Series



2013 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Schedule
Jan. 25 Daytona International Speedway
March 2 Circuit of the Americas
April 6 Barber Motorsports Park
April 20 Road Atlanta
June 15 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
June 29 Watkins Glen International
July 26 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Aug. 10 * Road America
Aug. 17 Kansas Speedway
Sept. 8 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Sept. 27-28 Lime Rock Park
*Combination event with American Le Mans Series

[85t5mcss]

Oohhhh, can't wait til Road America. Both series with separate cars will be good watching.

[twomanymontes]

I can't wait till next season!!! Sahlen's running DP, Mixed series race, new drivers. it will be an exciting year!!

[85t5mcss]

I have got to watch the mixed series race. Should be exciting to see what happens Nd what they learn from it and apply to 2014. I WILL be at IMS in 2013.

[twomanymontes]

Audi Steps Up For The Rolex 24 At Daytona

After Ferrari and Porsche teams announced ambitious plans for the upcoming Rolex 24 At Daytona, Audi announces it is also stepping up its presence.

Audi joins Ferrari and Porsche with ambitious plans for the upcoming Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Wednesday evening, Audi announced it was stepping up its presence for GRAND-AM Road Racing's flagship event at Daytona International Speedway with four Audi R8s fielded by three customer teams – including factory drivers in three of the cars.

APR Motorsport returns with a pair of R8s, the No. 52 to be driven by factory drivers Marc Basseng, Rene Rast and Frank Stippler and the No. 51 led by APR regular and former Rolex 24 winner Ian Baas.

Alex Job Racing will campaign the No. 24 WeatherTech Audi R8 with Audi drivers Filipe Albuquerque, Oliver Javis and Edoardo Mortara, as well as Dion von Moltke, who drove the APR Audi R8 in the 2012 season.

"When Alex Job gives you an offer to drive for him, you can't turn him down," von Moltke said. "He has an amazing team. I was fortunate to join him twice in the Battery Tender Porsche, and it was a dream come true. I won the class for the first time in the 12 Hours of Sebring – and it was Alex Job's eighth class victory at Sebring. Amazing!

"He has a real driver-friendly environment. Alex is extremely competitive and wants to win, and that drives us. My teammates are all world-class drivers, and it will be amazing just to see my name listed with them above the door. I will focus on doing my job – I know we have a team that can win."

Alex Job is excited to race the Audi R8 at Daytona.

"I've watched the way Audi works over the past 12 years, and they do everything to a very high standard," Job said. "Combine our seasoned crew with a strong driver line-up and the R8 GRAND-AM, and I believe that is a very strong endurance package."

Rum Bum Racing will make its Rolex Series debut with the No. 13 Audi R8, with factory pilots Frank Biela, Christopher Haase and FIA GT1 World Champion Markus Winkelhock joining team regular Matt Plumb.

"Audi Sport Customer Racing was kind enough to allow me to take a few laps at this week's test at Daytona, and the car was spectacular," said Plumb, a five-time winner for Rum Bum Racing in 2012 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition.

Plumb and Rum Bum Racing team manager Joe Varde have observed several tests of the new Audi, gathering information for a possible move to the Rolex Series. Tuesday's test at Daytona – when Plumb got behind the wheel of the No. 52 team car for the first time – was the final step in that process.

"Audi has been great in helping Joe Varde and the guys in every step of the process," Plumb said. "Audi's Brad Kettler and Sascha Pilz are not letting us go into this without having all the information we need. They're doing everything they can to ensure our success."

The Rolex 24 news was only one of the announcements at Wednesday's Audi Auto Sport Finale in Ingolstadt, Germany. Audi also announced it will enter at least one R18 e-tron Quattro in the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 16.

Audi will be seeking its 11th victory in 14 years in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón season opener.

[twomanymontes]

Junqueira, Drisi Complete Team Sahlen Lineup for Rolex 24

New Look, New Lineup For Team Sahlen.




DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Team Sahlen completed its lineup for the 2013 Rolex 24 At Daytona with the addition of open-wheel star Bruno Junqueira and endurance racing veteran Tomy Drissi.

The pair will join Simon Pagenaud, Joe Sahlen, Joe Nonnamaker, Will Nonnamaker and Wayne Nonnamaker in the Ohio-based debut in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype ranks, running a pair of BMW-powered Rileys.

Junqueira and Drissi are coming off a strong run in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, winning at Mosport Park. Junqueira went on to finish third in the Prototype Challenge driver championship.

Junqueira won seven races and captured 10 poles in major open-wheel competition, finishing second in the championship three times from 2002 through 2004. He won the pole for the 2002 Indianapolis 500, and finished fifth in the classic in 2001 (with Chip Ganassi Racing) and 2004 (Newman/Haas Racing). He was the 1997 South America F3 Champion, then followed that up with the 2000 Formula 3000 Championship.

“This will be Team Sahlen’s first time in the Daytona Prototype class, and I hope to be able to make a contribution to their efforts to compete against the very best in sports car racing as we take on this twice around the clock event,” said Junqueira, who finished 11th in his lone DP race in the 2009 Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. “Racing alongside fellow open wheel veterans Simon Pagenaud and Dane Cameron will provide a very stable platform that we can work towards having both entries up front in the race. Also, I have raced with Tomy in the past and we always get along quite well. It should be fun times indeed.”

This event will mark a return for Drissi to the Team Sahlen camp, having driven with the team in two Rolex Series GT races in 2005.

“I remember our adventures together way back in 2005 with their Porsches,” Drissi said. “ It’s my ideal of a perfect race team; a professional group with the right amount of family atmosphere thrown in to make it fun. The Rolex24 At Daytona is one of the premier endurance events in the world, and to be able compete in this event within the Daytona Prototype class with a chance to win overall is a dream come true.”

Drissi’s resume includes a wide range of motorsports experiences. This has included Grand American ROLEX & Continental Tire Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series, SCCA World Challenge, ALMS and vintage competition. During the 2011 and 2102 seasons he placed his focus in the American LeMans Series presented byTequila Patrón,. This resulted in 3 victories (inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Mosport Park), as well as seven podiums in 15 races. Drissi is most commonly associated with the SCCA Trans-Am Series, making a splash with 1999 Rookie of the Year honors, then following that up a decade later with the 2009 driver’s championship.

“We are looking forward to the addition of Tomy and Bruno to our already strong driver lineup,” said Sahlen’s Team Manager Jay Chapman. “Tomy has proven to be very adaptable over his career in wide variety of machinery. Bruno has proven in the past to not only be fast, but very knowledgeable in how to manage a long endurance event, such as the Rolex 24. The focus by the whole crew has been to make a real splash in our introduction to the Daytona Prototype Class. We have been working doubly hard to reach this point, and now having Tomy and Bruno as the final two additions to our driver lineup will give more impetus to that quest.”

[twomanymontes]

Two-Time Winners Pruett, Montoya Reunited For 51st Rolex 24

Sellers Tapped To Replace Haywood In No. 59 Brumos Porsche






DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2012) – The first two times that Scott Pruett and Juan Pablo Montoya co-drove in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, they drove to victory in the legendary endurance test. After winning in 2007 and 2008, the two finished second in the 2009 classic but have competed in different cars for the past three years.

For the 2013 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series opener on Jan. 26-27 at Daytona International Speedway, the two drivers will be reunited in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target BMW/Riley fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. They will be joined by Memo Rojas and Charlie Kimball. Rojas is a two-time Rolex 24 winner and four-time GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series champion, while Kimball – a two-year regular for Chip Ganassi Racing’s IndyCar team – will be making his Rolex 24 debut.

The team will again field the No. 02 Target/TELMEX BMW/Riley, for IndyCar champions and former Rolex 24 winners Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular, 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 winner Jamie McMurray, and 2011 Rolex 24 winner and current DTM regular Joey Hand.

Pruett – coming off his fifth career and third consecutive Rolex Series championship – will be looking to join Hurley Haywood as the lone five-time overall winners of the Rolex 24.

Haywood, meanwhile, will not be competing in the Rolex 24 for only the second time since 1971. The six-time Rolex 24 class winner will be honored as Grand Marshal for the 51st running of the event. Haywood finished third in the 2012 50th Anniversary Rolex 24, joined by 2011 Rolex Series GT champions Andrew Davis and Leh Keen plus Porsche factory driver Marc Lieb.

Bryan Sellers, a regular in both the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, will take Haywood’s slot in the rotation.

“It’s surreal, listening to all of Hurley’s stories, and how many times he’s won this race,” Sellers said during his first test with the team on Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway. “That really puts things in perspective. I just hope to do my job and add something to a nice program.”

BTE Sport will make its DP debut at the Rolex 24 with the No. 27 DAC Aviation/Pentagon 2000 Ford/Riley for Emmanuel Anassis, Anthony Massari and Doug Peterson.

Park Place Motorsports has filled out the lineups for its two-car effort. Former Rolex 24 GT winners Patrick Long and Spencer Pumpelly join Patrick Lindsey, Jason Hart and Daniel Graeff in the No. 73 Porsche, while Chuck Cole, Grant Phipps, Mike Vess and Alex Whitman will co-drive the No. 72 Vess Energy Services Porsche.
The next official on-track activity for both the GRAND-AM Rolex Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will be the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 4-6. Live SPEED coverage of the 51st Rolex 24 begins at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 26.

[twomanymontes]

Audi's Presence To Be Felt At Rolex 24 At Daytona

An Audi R8 will serve as the official pace car of the event where five Audi R8 cars will battle with Porsche, Ferrari, BMW and Chevy in what’s shaping up to be an incredibly deep GT field.

Audi will make its presence felt at this month’s 51st Rolex 24 At Daytona, even before the fall of the green flag for the twice-around-the-clock sports car classic.

An Audi R8 will serve as official pace car of the event as the manufacturer begins its second season as an official automotive partner of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.

GRAND-AM President and CEO Ed Bennett noted that Audi’s involvement in GRAND-AM continues to evolve and expand.

“That’s indicative of what’s happening overall in North American sports car racing with the ongoing merger of GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron,” he said. “Audi is a premium brand, legendary both on and off the race track. Having an Audi R8 pace the Rolex 24 field will be a proud moment in the history of the event.”

After the Audi pace car clears the track, five Audi R8 teams will do battle with Porsche, Ferrari, BMW & Chevy in what’s shaping up to be an incredibly deep GT field.

”We are excited to have a larger presence at Daytona through the R8 pace car as well as through our R8 customer racing teams,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America. “The R8 has enjoyed great success on race tracks around the world and we hope to bring some of that success to Daytona. The R8 represents the pinnacle of performance to our brand and we look forward to our continued partnership with GRAND-AM.”

The Audi R8 pace car is fitted with the production V10 engine generating 525 horsepower and will have an exclusive pace car livery along with warning lights to provide support throughout the twenty-hour race. The R8 pace car and the R8 GRAND-AM share many of the same components including the engine and the Audi space frame with aluminum construction.

The engine has been extensively tested both by Audi engineers and on race tracks around the world in various climates and driving situations. Its durability is remarkable as the service intervals in the R8 GRAND-AM are only required at approximately every 10,000 race miles.

Five R8 GRAND-AM race vehicles will contest the Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona including an entry by Rum Bum Racing, winner of the 2012 Grand Sport championship in the Continental Tire Series. “The entire group from Audi Sport Customer Racing is confidence-inspiring,” said Rum Bum Racing driver Matt Plumb. A combined factory effort with customer race teams will also include Alex Job Racing and APR Motorsport.

Audi plans hospitality for guests and a car corral for Audi owners during the Jan. 26-27 Rolex 24 weekend.

[twomanymontes]

Team Sahlen Fast Out Of The Box

The longtime GRAND-AM Road Racing team grabbed the second best clocking on the overall time sheets in its first official outing with its BMW/Riley.



As the echoes of last weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24 died away, the biggest surprise of the three days of testing was the progress made by the neophyte Daytona Prototype effort of Team Sahlen. The longtime GRAND-AM Road Racing team grabbed the second best clocking on the overall time sheets in its first official outing with its BMW/Riley co-driven by Dane Cameron, Wayne Nonnamaker, Simon Pagenaud and Bruno Junqueira.

Team Sahlen competed in the GT class in 2012, winning at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and previously was successful in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

Sahlen’s No. 42, with Cameron behind the wheel, posted a lap of 1 minute 42.101 seconds/125.523 mph, just 0.043 second off Michael Valiante’s 142.058/125.576 in the No. 6 Ford/Riley that topped the 17-car Daytona Prototype field.

Teams now have less than three weeks to digest testing results and make last-minute adjustments before returning to Daytona International Speedway for their season opening race. The 51st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be held Jan. 26-27. The Continental Tire GRAND-AM 250 is set for Jan. 25.

Fifty-five Rolex series teams were on-track during the Roar while 55 Continental Tire GS and ST cars recorded lap times during the test.

From Team Sahlen’s perspective, it was nice to see all the hard work has paid off.

“But we know that this was only the test,” said Will Nonnamaker, Team Sahlen’s sporting director. “No one hands out trophies for test times.”

Nonnamaker credits the veteran Cameron, along with lead engineer Catherine Crawford, for bringing the freshman DP outfit into a contending role. Both have significant DP experience. The team used the second half of the past season as a “test bed” for its Daytona Prototype campaign and tested its new cars at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Daytona in the waning days of 2012.

“All of this testing cramped into a short period of time resulted in our lap times at the Roar,” said Nonnamaker. The organization will field at second entry at Daytona, the No. 43 which will be co-driven by Tomy Drissi, Joe Nonnamaker and Joe Sahlen. Nonnamaker expects that car to gain speed when they return for the race.

“The benchmark for Daytona Prototypes is Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates,” said Nonnamaker of the five-time Rolex 24 At Daytona winner. “And how they get there is being near the front at the end of the race. Thus we are working hard back at the shop to make sure we have built a reliable Daytona Prototype.”

[twomanymontes]

Aston Martins Impress at Roar Before The Rolex 24

Two of the team's Vantages occupied the top two spots on the time sheets – with three in the top 10 - when the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge’s portion of the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test was complete last Sunday.

Aston Martin and Multimatic Motorsports are off and running in 2013, and how.

Two of the team’s Vantages occupied the top two spots on the time sheets – with three in the top 10 - when the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge’s portion of the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test was complete last Sunday.

“We put nine drivers through two cars in basically two days because Friday was wet and nothing really could be learned,” said Multimatic team principal and Vice President of Engineering Larry Holt. “No crashes and all drivers were competitive.

“Very impressive.”

Very impressive indeed.

Multimatic is no newcomer to Continental Tire Challenge. The Canadian team’s participation dates to 2002 winning eight races and two Grand Sport championships. The organization – which scored a fourth place overall in its Daytona Prototype debut in the 2003 Rolex 24 – had campaigned Ford Mustangs before switching to the Aston Martin in 2012.

Last year’s results were mixed – three podium finishes including a second at Barber Motorsports Park by Joe Foster and Scott Maxwell in Multimatic’s No. 55 Vantage.

“This should be a strong season for us,” said Holt. “We think we are on top of the issues we encountered (last season).”

The team has taken delivery of new equipment and additional personnel have been added to undertake a four-car operation. English engineers and mechanics will come from Aston Martin’s facilities in the UK.

Multimatic will also work with TRG, which is set to debut a Rolex Series GT car in the season’s second event at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Tex.

“The synergy will be positive and there will be cooperation and sharing between the organizations,” said Holt.

Maxwell returns in the No. 55 and will be paired with Jade Buford. Tonis Kasemets and Michael Marsal will co-drive the No. 71 with John Farano and David Empringham aboard the No. 15. Nick Mancuso and Frank Montecalvo fill out the roster in the No. 16. Farano and Empringham had the top Roar lap with Buford and Maxwell second.

“I’m very impressed with the new guys that have come in,” said Holt. “This is the strongest lineup Multimatic has ever had.”

“Getting used to this new car has not been as challenging as I thought it might be,” said Marsal of the switch to the Aston Martin from the BMW he drove last season. “It’s really been a smooth transition. It’s definitely a different driving style, but after we did the tests at Road Atlanta and Circuit of the Americas - which is a fantastic track - I came up to speed pretty quickly.”

Holt, however, isn’t ready to start any premature GRAND-AM 200 trophy celebrations.

“We expect a lot of the other guys to go faster,” he said. “The series looks as strong as it has ever been.”