2009 Grand-Am Rolex Series...........

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Grand-Am officials today announced the 2009 Grand-Am Rolex Series schedule........13 races, all combined Daytona Prototype/Grand Touring event weekends..................



2009 Grand-Am Rolex Series Schedule
~~Rd. 1, 47th Rolex 24 at Daytona, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.(24 hours), 24-25 Jan. 2009
~~Rd. 2, Grand Prix of Mexico, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriquez, Mexico City(1000kms or 6 hours), tba
~~Rd. 3, Bosch 250, Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Va.(250 miles), 26 April 2009
~~Rd. 4, New Jersey 250, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ(250 miles), 3 May 2009
~~Rd. 5, U.S. Sports Car Invitational, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Ca.(250 miles), 17 May 2009
~~Rd. 6, Sahlen's 6 Hours @ the Glen, Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY(6 hours--grand prix course), 6 June 2009
~~Rd. 7, EMCO Gears Classic, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio(250 miles), 20 June 2009
~~Rd. 8, Brumos Porsche 250, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.(250 miles), 3 July 2009
~~Rd. 9, Porsche 250 presented by Bradley Arant, Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala.(250 miles), 19 July 2009
~~Rd. 10, Crown Royal 200, Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY(200 miles--short course), 8 August 2009
~~Rd. 11, Montreal 250, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal(250 miles), 29 August 2009
~~Rd. 12, Discount Tire Sunchaser 250, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah(250 miles), 20 Sept. 2009
~~Rd. 13, Grand Prix of Miami, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Miami(250 miles), 10 Oct. 2009

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Daytona Test Days
note.......scheduled for 27-29 October; list subject to change


DAYTONA PROTOTYPES
~~#5 Penske Racing Porsche/Riley(Romain Dumas)
~~#09 Spirit of Daytona Porsche/Coyote(Guy Cosmo, Ricky Carmichael, Jason Pridmore, Scott Russell)
~~#11 AIM Autosport Ford/Riley(drivers tba)
~~#13 Beyer Racing Ford/Crawford(Jared Beyer, Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor)
~~#16 Crown Royal Cask No.16/Forsythe Racing Pontiac/Coyote(Alberto Costa, Christian Fittipaldi)
~~#45 Orbit Racing/InterMedia BMW/Riley(Leo Hindery, Kyle Petty, Darren Manning, Michael Riolo, Lawrence Stroll)
~~#55 LevelFive Motorsports BMW/Riley(Christophe Bouchut, Marc Goosens, Scott Tucker, Ed Zabinski)
~~#58 Brumos Porsche/Riley(Joao Barbosa, Hurley Haywood, J.C. France, Darren Law)
~~#59 Kendall Porsche/Riley(J.C. France, Hurley Haywood, Joao Barbosa)
~~#75 Krohn Racing Pontiac/Lola(Tracy Krohn, Eric van der Poele)
~~#76 Krohn Racing Pontiac/Lola(Nic Jonsson, Ricardo Zonta)

GRAND TOURING
~~#00 Georgian Bay Chevrolet Corvette C-6R(Eric Curran, Jamie Holtom)
~~#7 Orbit Racing Porsche 911 GT3(Hiram Cruz, Omar Rodriquez)
~~#14 Foametrix Porsche 911 GT3(Jack Baldwin, Claudio Burtin)
~~#17 Terra Firma CMI Porsche 911 GT3(Joe Evans, Gary Jensen, Ron Zitza)
~~#18 6th Gear Racing Porsche 911 GT3(Bruce Ledoux, David Quinlan)
~~#30 Racers' Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8(Dane Cameron, Doug Peterson, Jordan Taylor, Dion von Moltke)
~~#34 Orbit Racing Porsche 911 GT3(Lance Willsey)
~~#65 The Racer's Group Porsche 911 GT3(John Potter, Craig Stanton)
~~#66 The Racer's Group Porsche 911 GT3(Spencer Pumpelly)
~~#67 The Racer's Group Porsche 911 GT3(Steve Miller, Chris Pallis, Steve Zadig)
~~#86 Farnbacher Loles Porsche 911 GT3(Neil Alexander, Charles Wirkin, Ron Yarab, Jr.)
~~#87 Farnbacher Loles Porsche 911 GT3(Duncan Ende, Seth Ingram, Leh Keen, Bryce Miller)
~~#88 Farnbacher Loles Porsche 911 GT3(Daniel Graeff, Ed Pead)

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Hard to believe, but teams are already back at the track for January's Rolex 24 @ Daytona, beginning with a 3-day test at the "World Center of Racing", Daytona International Speedway...........here's a brief overview of what went down today.


~~(1)Krohn Racing Returns to Ford Power in 2009
Krohn Racing is testing at Daytona International Speedway with the same car and same drivers that ran with the team in 2008, with one big change. The team is returning to Ford engines, which it last ran in 2006, when Jorg Bergmeister captured the Daytona Prototype championship.

Nic Jonsson tested the lime green No. 75 Ford Lola on Monday, and is expected to be joined by Tracy Krohn and Ricardo Zonta on Tuesday. Jonsson and Zonta finished eighth in the 2008 Daytona Prototype championship, co-driving the No. 76 Krohn Racing Pontiac Lola.

"The decision to run Ford was made a couple of weeks ago, to go with a different powerplant for the '09 season, switching from Pontiac to Ford," Jonsson said. "I think we saw last year that the Ford powerplant was strong. We definitely struggled last year, not just with the car, but with the powerplant. We've done everything we can on our part to get the best engine at the back of our ProtoAuto Lola, and now it's up to us to get the car fine-tuned to where we can win some races next year and run for the championship."

While the 2008 season was spent developing the Lola chassis (after running the Riley in the Rolex 24), Jonsson does not expect the engine switch to pose a problem.

"This year was spent learning the ProtoAuto Lola chassis, I think we've made a lot of progress with the Lola chassis" Jonsson said. "We still have some to come. But I think the engine is a sorted item. John Maddox with Roush Yates Engines is doing a great job with that powerplant. We ran the powerplant in '06 when we won the championship the first year out with Krohn Racing, and I think it's going to prove itself to be the best and the right choice for us to go with."

Krohn will test the car for a half-day on Tuesday, with Jonsson and Zonta doing half a day Tuesday and a full day on Wednesday. Van de Poele will be at the next Daytona test, Nov. 11-12.


~~(2)AIM Autosport Tests Second Car with Farano, Asaro
AIM Autosport was the most improved team in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 Daytona Prototype paddock in 2008. Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle won two races and two pole positions while scoring 10 top-10 finishes and placing sixth in the final team standings in the No. 61 Exchange Traded Gold Ford Riley.

For 2009, the team is looking to add a second car for selected races, the No. 11 AIM Autosport Ford Riley for Canadians John Farano and Billy Asaro.

"This is an ex-Krohn car, chassis No. 11," said team manager Ian Willis. "We converted it to a Ford engine. John Farano is no stranger to Grand-Am - he raced a few times in a GT class Mustang - while Billy Asaro drove for us 10 years ago in Formula Ford, and went on to race as high as the British Formula 3 championship.

"Both John and Billy will be running in selected races, probably six in total this year, including the Rolex 24. Probably David Empringham will be the third driver in the Rolex 24, and we're talking to a few other people."

Both drivers were pleased with their initial outings in the new car, but the team will have some work to do before Tuesday morning, as Asaro was involved in an incident during the final half hour of testing. He hit the wall in Turn 3, and the car sustained some bodywork and mechanical damage.

"I love the Daytona Prototype," said Farano, who drove a Ford Mustang GT in three races in 2008. "I haven't had much seat time yet, but we'll get there. I think it's going to be great. I've known AIM for some time, and I wanted to drive this car to be part of the faster group."

Farano also raced in the Ferrari Challenge, winning a 2007 race at Mont-Tremblant in Quebec and finishing fourth in the championship. Asaro raced for AIM in Formula Fords in the late '90s, before moving to Europe, where he worked his way up to participating in British Formula 3 in 2003. He's been working in the family business since then.

"We tested the Daytona Prototype a couple of weeks ago at Shannonville in Ontario," Asaro said. "It was a really good test. We did competitive times, and the car is great. I know the AIM guys and we work well together. The guys are good."


~~(3)Cosmo, Motorcycle Legends Test Daytona Prototypes
Three motorcycle legends tested together for the first time Monday at Daytona International Speedway, preparing for a probable run in the 2009 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Ricky Carmichael, Scott Russell and Jason Pridmore are spending three days taking turns behind the wheel of the No. 09 Spirit of Daytona Porsche Coyote - and are enjoying every minute of the process.

"I'm pretty excited to come back," said Carmichael, a five-time winner of the Daytona Supercross By Honda. "Obviously, I'm not as nervous. There were some things I needed to improve on from the minimal laps I had last time (during Open House in September). I did a little bit better from last time, and I'm still trying to learn and get a good evaluation. It was much smoother today. When we apply a little more speed to it, we'll be ready to go."

Carmichael spent the season racing in the NASCAR Camping World East Series, and is preparing to run the next two years with Kevin Harvick Inc. in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

While Carmichael's only prior outing in Grand-Am was at Open House, Scott Russell has been a regular in the paddock throughout the season - helping with spotting while learning about four-wheel racing.

"I feel a lot more comfortable every time I come here and get in the car," said Russell, the first five-time winner of the Daytona 200 By Honda. "I've still got a lot to work on as far as lap times go, and getting smooth in the car. But it's coming around, and I'm enjoying it. I've improved a second and a half this time from the last test. I'm still quite a ways off, but that's a good sign if I can knock off a little more every time I get in."

Pridmore's lone test in a car was with Spirit of Daytona recently in Savannah, Ga. Monday's session was his first here in Nomex instead of leathers.

"This is so much different being on a bike around this place, and it's going to take a lot getting used to," said Pridmore, a two-time supersport 750 winner here. "The hardest thing for me is the idea of being strapped in and not being able to move around a lot. We've got a lot more freedom on the bike. Still, the lines and stuff aren't really that drastic. We're running the old Daytona course that we raced back in the day, and it felt like home again."

Joining the two-wheel legends at the test was Guy Cosmo, who was the Spirit of Daytona's regular driver in 2008.

"This is a real fun process," Cosmo said. "These guys are new to this kind of road racing, and they're new to racing on four wheels, but the interesting part to me is that they're champions, absolutely masters at their craft and what they do. So, their process of adapting to four wheels and this car and these tires is really impressive, because they're not rookies."

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~~(4)Racers Edge Motorsports Brings Four Drivers to Test
Jon Mirachi's No. 30 Mazda RX-8 has four drivers testing in this week's October Test Days, including two teenagers who have raced together in the car previously.

Dion von Moltke, a freshman at Florida International University, and Jordan Taylor, a high school senior from central Florida, competed at Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park together and finished 13th. They average about 17.5 years between them.

Another young driver, Dane Cameron, is also competing with Racers Edge this week. Cameron, who turned 20 last week, competed in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series this season and is a former Star Mazda champion with Atlantics experience.

Together, their ages don't add up to that of Doug Peterson, who at 58 years old rounds out the lineup. A native of Bonita Springs, Fla., Peterson began racing 10 years ago, and since has won in the SCCA Runoffs and competed in Star Mazda, Ferrari Challenge and World Challenge. He also has one prior Rolex 24 At Daytona star.

All four are hoping to compete in the Rolex 24 in January, which would be the first starts for von Moltke and Cameron in the 24-hour classic.

Mirachi will enter his third season in 2009 fielding cars, and next season will be the second for Racers Edge with a Mazda RX-8. The New Jersey native, who has moved his operation 30 minutes southwest of Daytona Beach in Deland, Fla., hopes to put together a two-car effort in next year's Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.

Through Monday's first five hours of testing, Mirachi is encouraged by his drivers' times. Taylor, also driving with Beyer Racing in a Daytona Prototype, got in the car for the first time just before 3 p.m.

"At this stage, working toward the Rolex 24, I'm very happy," Mirachi said. "One interesting thing is that, the three drivers we had out (first), all of them have been within two tenths of a second of each other, from fastest to slowest. So that's encouraging that everyone is that consistent."


~~(5)Automatic Racing Tests Bosch ABS System
Automatic Racing's No. 09 Imported Car Store/Land Air BMW M3, which finished third in the 2008 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Grand Sport (GS) point standings, tested a Bosch ABS system during Monday's test.

Jeff Segal, who drove all 10 races in which the No. 09 competed during the 2008 season, and Dave Russell combined to test the car for about an hour, or one fuel load, at the request of Bosch. It was the first time a KONI Challenge car had tested the system, which is a device in which many racecars in Europe use.

"We ran a tank of gas; that was the plan," Russell said. "It was solid; it worked well."


~~(6)Notables Make Appearance on First Day of Testing
Several drivers made rounds during Monday's test session. Shane Lewis and Bill Lester, who competed together for Southard Motorsports in 2008, walked the garage area, throughout the day. Michael Shank and driver Oswaldo Negri Jr. both spent Monday afternoon watching practice; Michael Shank Racing, Shank, Negri and the team's two Ford Rileys will be back to participate in the November Test Days in two weeks.

Ryan Dalziel, who competed in the season finale with Michael Shank Racing, was also walking through the garage area, as was James Gue, who finished second in the KONI Challenge Series point standings and former Daytona Prototype champion Terry Borcheller.

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The second day of testing at the "World Center of Racing" had some interesting highlights..........here's a brief sampling of the highlights:


~~(1)Former Overall Winner Bouchut Tests for Level 5 Motorsports
Christophe Bouchut picked the wrong year to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The Frenchman, competing in his first major American event, scored the overall victory in the 1995 enduro, joining Jurgen Lassig, Giovanni Lavaggi and Marco Werner in the Kremer Porsche K8 Spyder.

The Rolex 24 victory made Bouchut two-for-two in 24-hour competition. He won in his first 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving for Team Peugeot. Since then, he's won the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium twice (2001-2002), winning his first two attempts at that event. In his only race at Daytona since then, Bouchut finished third in the 1998 Rolex 24, co-driving with team Larbre.

Now, Bouchut returns to Daytona with Level 5 Motorsports, partnering with regular drivers Ed Zabinski and Scott Tucker in a brand-new No. 55 BMW Riley. Marc Goossens, Riley's factory driver, joined the team during the pre-season testing.

"It's great to be back here in the USA, especially in Daytona," Bouchut said. "It's a special track with the banking, and it's always nice, great weather. The DP car is really nice, and I believe the Grand-Am championship has a great future. I'm really happy to be back here."

Bouchut has 95 victories and 77 pole positions in his career. He is the only driver to capture the FIA GT title three times, and won the prestigious Porsche Cup four times. He has six titles in the French GT championship and one in the European Le Mans Series. Most recently, Bouchut won the 2008 French GGSA GT championship.

Level 5 ran selected Rolex Series races in 2008, with Zabinski and Tucker co-driving a Crawford-built Ferrari in GT competition. Rather than continue a development project, the team felt it could achieve better success in a proven car in the Daytona Prototypes.


~~(2)Taylor Trio Joins Beyer Motorsports at Test
Running in the Rolex 24 At Daytona with his two sons seemed like a distant dream for Wayne Taylor. Tuesday, after testing in the same car for the first time with both Ricky and Jordan, the two-time winner of the Rolex 24 feels it's a lot closer to becoming reality.

Wayne Taylor still has the priority of running the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Dallara team at the Rolex 24. A family team would be run independent of that. There are a lot of logistics to be overcome, but the test may prove that they are not insurmountable.

"It's anybody in racing's dream to have this opportunity," Wayne Taylor said. "Jeff (Beyer) made this possible. I always said I'd love to do it. I knew we needed to get through these three days, so I can get a better feel for the car and how it might work. The greatest thing is to help my sons with the understanding of the car and what goes on. It's not about the speed for me anymore. It's about trying to do this. If I can do a 24-hour with them, I could say I have done everything."

The only time all three Taylors raced together was in a 24-hour karting race in Ocala - where they won three years ago.

This past January, Ricky Taylor joined his dad in finishing fifth overall in the Rolex 24, while Jordan Taylor drove for a GT team. Since then, both sons have driven in selected Rolex Series races, with Jordan Taylor moving up to the Daytona Prototypes with Beyer Racing in the Brumos Porsche 250 here in July.

"Being here with Beyer Racing and the Ford Crawford is fantastic," Ricky Taylor said. "We've got a lot to learn, but we're maximizing these test days. I think we'll run well together if we get the chance. It will definitely be fun if we can get it to work out."

Jordan Taylor is doing extra duty this week, also testing the No. 30 Racers Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8.


~~(3)TRG Camp Showing Speed
Andy Lally and Spencer Pumpelly both recorded strong results in last season's Rolex 24 At Daytona; Lally second and Pumpelly third. And the pair were both fast in the first two days of Rolex Series testing.

Lally is expected to run a comparable schedule in 2009 to that of 2008, running select Rolex Series races while mostly focusing on ARCA and in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Pumpelly will run fulltime in 2009 with TRG in the Rolex GT and KONI Challenge GS Series.

"I'm really happy to be here this week, and thankful to run with Kevin and the rest of the team," Lally said. "It's good to be back in the car. We've tried some different things. We'll be back again next month, and hopefully, when the race gets here, we'll be in position to move up one spot from last year."

Added Pumpelly: "So far, the test has been great. There have been a lot of guys who have taken their first laps at Daytona this week with TRG. Kevin, Andy and I have done our best to teach them what we can and pass along what we've learned over the years. It's giving us a chance to harp back to our first experiences here at Daytona and relive those memories again. The team's been great. It's been a fun group to work with. So far, we've had a good two days."

Several other drivers were on hand for TRG, including Steve Miller and Chris Pallis, whose Team Seattle team has earned the assistance of TRG in prepping the car. Steve Zadig, Dan Watkins, Dave Quinlan and Bruce Ledoux will run together in the Rolex 24. The quartet's car will be prepared by TRG but run under Guardian Angel Motorsports.

TRG had four cars at Daytona for this test session, which is just a portion of what is expected to compete in the 2009 Rolex 24. Other drivers expected to run the Rolex 24 for TRG include RJ Valentine, Josemanuel Gutierrez, Tim George Jr., Duncan Ende, Scott Schroeder, John Potter, Craig Stanton and select Porsche factory drivers.

TRG team owner Kevin Buckler didn't spend the entire time sitting on the sidelines during the first two days of testing. Buckler was among the fastest drivers, setting a time close to last year's pole.

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~~(4)Georgian Bay Motorsports Tests Curran, Holtom in Corvette
While the temperatures reached just past the 60-degree mark, Eric Curran was happy to be in sunny Daytona Beach and escaping the 40-degree, cloudy skies in his Springfield, Mass., home.

He was even happier to be testing the No. 00 Georgian Bay Motorsports Corvette with teammate Jamie Holtom, who won the 2008 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Street Tuner (ST) championship with Curran's assistance.

Curran has competed in the Rolex 24 At Daytona before, and is hoping he and Holtom can appear together in the 2009 classic in the Corvette. Through a day-and-a-half of testing, Curran was pleased with the way the car was handling.

"We're working hard," Curran said. "We're making a lot of progress on the Georgian Bay Corvette. I did a number of laps in it yesterday (Monday), and we kind of had a few teething problems here and there that we got straightened out. Now that the basics are behind us, we're just really trying to get this car to work well. Jamie's done a good portion of the morning session, and we're getting quicker. We're probably a second quicker than we were yesterday, so we're going in the right direction."

Curran and Holtom have both said they hope to run a limited number of races in the Rolex Series GT class.

"It's really a complete unknown right now," Curran said. "We'd like to put together a half a dozen races for next year. It's the age-old problem of funding and trying to come up with a sponsor that can help get this car out there. But this is something that we've got to try and make happen, and I think Jamie and I can do a good job in this car."


~~(5)Notables Roaming Pit Lane, Garage Area on Second Day of Testing
Several drivers were in the garage area and behind the pit wall scoping the test out, or even seeking out a ride or audition for an upcoming test, the Rolex 24 or the 2009 Rolex Series season. Ryan Dalziel, Bill Lester and Shane Lewis were back for the second straight day in street clothes, while Cristiano da Matta, who returned to racing this season after a 2006 crash at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., was on hand with AIM Autosport. Da Matta competed in the season finale at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.

Bryan Sellers was also wandering the garage area, as were Hugh and Matt Plumb, winners of the KONI Challenge Grand Sport (GS) finale at Virginia International Raceway; Patrick Long, who competed in multiple Rolex Series races in 2008; and Jean-Francois Dumoulin, who won the 2007 Rolex 24 in the GT class.

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Testing concluded today at the "World Center of Racing" in the runup to the 2009 Rolex 24 at Daytona; here are the highlights................



~~(1)Penske Returns to Daytona with New Car, New Team
Penske Racing returned to Daytona International Speedway with a new car and a crew new to the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 for this week's October Test Days in preparation for the Rolex 24 At Daytona from Jan. 24-25.

Penske Racing returned to the Rolex 24 after a 35-year absence this past January, running a Pontiac Riley in conjunction with Wayne Taylor Racing. Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves and Kurt Busch teamed to finish third in the team's only Daytona Prototype race to date.

This week, the team unloaded a new Riley, powered by a Porsche flat-6 engine, in hopes of coming away with a victory in the 40th anniversary of its 1969 Daytona triumph. Romain Dumas, a four-time participant in the Rolex 24, was the team's lone driver throughout the three-day session. Patrick Long was at the test but did not drive.

"None of these guys worked on last year's 24-hour car," said John Erickson, general manager of Penske Racing's road racing team. "Last year we did all that with the IRL guys, and for this test, we're using guys who were with the ALMS car."

Penske Racing's involvement with the event now known as the Rolex 24 At Daytona dates back to the inaugural Daytona Continental in 1962, when team owner and founder Roger Penske raced a Cooper-Climax T-61 Monaco. The following year, Penske finished second overall behind Pedro Rodriguez. The 2009 Rolex 24 marks the 40th anniversary of Penske's victory in the event, with Mark Donohue and Chuck Parsons winning in 1969 in a Chevy-powered Lola T-70. Prior to January, it last raced here in 1973.

"The 24 Hour race at Daytona is very important," Dumas said. "I had the chance to win twice in the 24 hour races at Nurburgring (Germany, 2007, 2008) and Spa (Belgium, 2003, 2004) already in Europe, but this is the only 24-race in America. I hope to have a good result this year, for sure. It's the best team here and we are new, but we want to do well."

Dumas raced in the Rolex 24 four times, finishing on the GT podium on two occasions. He was part of the TRG team that finished 11th overall and third in GT last January, co-driving with Spencer Pumpelly, Tim George Jr., Bryan Sellers and Emmanuel Collard in the No. 67 Porsche GT3. He also finished 10th overall and third in GT in 2002, running a Porsche 996 for Freisinger Racing with Ni Amorim, Stephane Ortelli and Hans Fertl.

He also raced a Daytona Prototype in the Rolex 24 twice. In 2007, he finished 18th overall and 12th in class in Alex Job Racing's No. 23 Ruby Tuesday Porsche Crawford, and was part of the No. 59 Brumos Racing lineup in 2005.

"The Daytona Prototype is completely different from the P2 car," Dumas said. "Overall, it's quite nice. I'm surprised. It has less downforce and less grip, but we have good power and it's cool to drive. Concerning the chassis, it's our first test so we have to continue to work on it."


~~(2)Fittipaldi Joined by Italian Costa in Rolex Test
Forsythe Racing made its first foray in the Rolex Series this week, participating in the October Test Days. Young Italian Alberto Costa participated in the three-day session, joined by Cheever Racing veteran Christian Fittipaldi in the No. 16 Pontiac Coyote. Forsythe Racing race engineer Mike Pawlowski ran the test for team manager and technical director Tom Brown.

Coyote is restructuring for 2009, with team principal Eddie Cheever working with Forsythe and Spirit of Daytona Racing to build a development program for the new Daytona Prototype chassis.

"This is very nice," said Costa, who tested with Cheever a year ago but has yet to race in America. "I like this kind of car very much, the driving style is a little different from the formula cars but it's more exciting because the type of track is different with the banking, the car is bigger. I like it, but I have to improve, and I learn another kind of driving style."

The Rolex 24 will be a new form of racing for Costa, whose background is racing open-wheel formula cars in Europe, in races of 45 minutes or less. But he's looking forward to the challenge.

"I like this type of racing because the concentration is at the maximum level all the time," Costa said. "I think that the 24-hour will be even more difficult because you can't relax for only one minute.

Cheever is impressed with the 21-year-old Venetian.

"He's learning the type of car, which is the first thing, and he's confirming a lot of work being done with Christian," Cheever said. "As we continue to work, he will improve to go in that direction. He's very consistent. He's here again because he had a good test here last year, and we're trying to bring more Italian drivers and more Italian interest to the Rolex 24 At Daytona. He is a good choice."

Fittipaldi enjoyed his experience working with Costa at the test.

"He's very young and this is his first experience with these cars over here," Fittipaldi said. "He has a lot to learn, but he has the talent and I'm pretty sure he will be able to pick it up quickly."


~~(3)Brumos Racing Hard at Work at Daytona
One month after the end of the 2008 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 campaign, Brumos Racing is already hard at work, looking to continue the momentum it built through the latter half of the season and carry it over to the 2009 championship.

For that reason, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based team brought both of its Porsche Rileys to Daytona International Speedway to test, working all three days in the October Test Days.

The team's No. 58 Porsche Riley finished fourth in the Daytona Prototype team standings. After a slow start, David Donohue and Darren Law finished the year with 10 straight top-10 finishes, including three runner-up results and two thirds. Law came with a few hundred yards of winning at Montreal, running out of fuel in sight of the checkered flag.

The Brumos No. 59 leapfrogged past its teammate in the season finale to grab third in the final points. While they did not score a podium finish, Joao Barbosa and JC France placed fourth in five of the final seven races.

"We had quite a bit of top fours, but we couldn't really make the next step on the podium," Barbosa said. "With the consistency of the team and the results we showed the latter half of the season, we were able to reach the third position in the championship, which was the best podium we could get."

Barbosa split time in both cars, joined by Law in the No. 58. Donohue, on the mend from shoulder surgery, did not attend the test. Joining Barbosa and France in the No. 59 was Hurley Haywood, a five-time Rolex 24 winner who drives in the endurance races.

Both Brumos cars were near the top of the unofficial speed charts Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, the team concentrated on pit stops, getting a head start in that area for the 2009 Rolex 24.


~~(4)Farnbacher Loles Brings Three Cars to Test
Farnbacher Loles Racing veterans Bryce Miller, Leh Keen and Eric Lux were on hand during this week's October Test Days at Daytona International Speedway to drive the Nos. 86, 87 and 89, with several other drivers taking laps around the track during the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 test.

Miller, who has spent one-and-a-half seasons with Farnbacher Loles, spent time in the car all three days of the test. Keen drove the car on Monday and Tuesday, while Lux was in the car Monday before returning to Jacksonville, Fla., for college classes. Keen and Lux gave Farnbacher Loles its only Rolex Series GT victory in 2008, when they outlasted the inclement weather at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

A runner-up in last year's Rolex 24 At Daytona, Miller was excited to return to the car for the first time since the season finale at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. With temperatures in the high 50's and low 60's, which are temperatures usually encountered during the race, Miller said the weather was ideal in preparing for the race.

"It's very good," Miller said. "It came in very favorable conditions. Everything is working very well. It's very quality track time. At any given moment, the number of cars out there, it's not very crowded. There aren't a lot of cars out there, so there aren't any long lines, holdups, interruptions. Teams are using the time to their advantage. We're able to make a lot of changes and take the car back to the garages. We can focus, drive and enjoy it."

The cars ran without trouble until Wednesday morning, when Bryan Sellers lost control of the No. 89 Porsche GT3. The Centerville, Ohio, driver spun in Turn 5 but did not hit the wall. He limped back to the pits with a busted radiator and broken splitter. Sellers had done three laps in the car previous to the spin.

One driver who had never tested a Rolex Series car - or for that matter ever been to Daytona - was London, England, native Ed Pead, who got two hours of seat time Tuesday in the No. 89 machine. Pead is a veteran of the Porsche races in England and most recently drove in Asian Formula 3 competition. He was on hand to see if the Rolex Series was in his future plans.

Other drivers at the test were Daniel Graeff, Ron Yarab Jr., Jim Pace and Seth Ingram.


~~(5)Orbit Racing's Test Not Limited to Daytona Prototypes
Orbit Racing's Daytona Prototype program isn't the only program the team is keeping tabs on during the October Test Days for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 at Daytona International Speedway.

Two Porsche GT3s, the Nos. 7 and 34, were on hand for testing all three days at the track, with a host of drivers getting seat time. In the No. 7 were Omar Rodriguez and Hiram Cruz, while Lance Willsey, Pat Iannucci and Josh Hurley piloted the No. 34. Only Iannucci and Hurley, both in their early 20s, tested the No. 34 on Wednesday.

Iannucci, a student at Florida Atlantic University, is a former Stars of Karting standout whose only action outside karts was in a Porsche test at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He said he was "skipping a few steps" but quickly grew accustomed to the larger length of course and higher speeds as well as the move to a full-bodied car.

Hurley has competed in the Volkswagen TDI Cup, where he won the 2008 championship, and was a data engineer for Fountain Motorsports, which runs in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Street Tuner (ST) class. He also was a late bloomer in the sport, having started racing when he was 17 years old. He is now 23.

[mlittle]

Interest in one of the world's classic endurance races can bring about drivers from all corners of the world, including former Foyt Racing Indycar driver Darren Manning, who has competed in several Rolex 24 @ Daytona races over the years, including a 2nd-place overall finish in 2007 for SAMAX Racing(where he co-drove w/Milka Duno, Patrick Carpentier and Ryan Dalziel).......here's some of his thoughts on the Rolex 24.


~~On coming to the Rolex 24,

I always love coming here for the Rolex 24. It's always a great race, and all of the drivers that love to do it are here. The time of the year is perfect for every different championship to allow drivers to do it. It's perfect. I've been fortunate to drive in a couple of good cars, and I'm glad to be back with some of the guys that I've done it with before.

~~On how his runner-up finish stacked up to past 24's he has competed in,

We were up there, we were leading for a long time and finished only 30 seconds behind the Ganassi car. We thought we had it, but it will be a good chance to get one back on them. In 2004 or 2005 with Ganassi, we were leading with Casey Mears, Scott Dixon and myself through the night, and we had a fuel problem that dropped us back to sixth. So, sixth and a second - not too bad!

~~On how the test went for him, and whether he'll be in this year's 24,

"It's going to be interesting. The test is going very well, and it's good to be back in the car. I tested this time last year at end of ‘07 for SAMAX, so it's been awhile since I've been in the car, so I'm blowing the cobwebs off. These cars are fun to drive, and it's going alright.

~~On why the Rolex 24 is such a popular event with drivers from all disciplines,

That's why you see so many guys from the IRL, NASCAR, Champ Car, all the guys that come over to do the 24, it's because they can get into any car, up and down pit lane and have a chance of winning. It's perfect. That's what they've really tried to do with all the different cars out there, engine packages and things, and it's great. It gives the drivers and engineer a little bit of leeway on engineering the cars, but at the end of the day, everybody goes out and does the same sort of speed, so it's really good fun.

[mlittle]

Press release from SunTrust Racing.........................


ATLANTA (Nov. 3, 2008) - Brian Frisselle, the 24-year-old American who scored a pair of breakthrough Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 victories this past August, has joined the No. 10 SunTrust team of Wayne Taylor Racing as co-driver with Italian former series champion Max Angelelli for the 2009 season.

Frisselle, who was born in Southern California and resides in Aspen, Colo., recently wrapped up his second full season and fourth overall in the Rolex Series, co-driving with his brother Burt in 2005 and 2006 and the past two seasons with Mark Wilkins on the AIM Autosport Ford Riley team. He and Wilkins scored AIM's breakthrough back-to-back wins in August at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and the very next weekend after earning his first career pole position at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. Frisselle and Wilkins, who finished fifth in the season-ending point standings, scored a third-consecutive podium finish in late-August with a third-place effort at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., where Angelelli and the SunTrust team scored their lone victory of 2008.

"Brian is a winner, plain and simple, and with SunTrust Racing being all about winning championships, that makes Brian the perfect choice to join Max as co-driver in 2009," said Wayne Taylor, who co-drove to the 2005 Rolex Series title for SunTrust with Angelelli.

Angelelli's full-time co-driver in 2008 was Canadian Michael Valiante, with whom he teamed for the victory at Infineon, followed by back-to-back second-place finishes at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, and Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, to close the season. The SunTrust team finished sixth in the final standings, the first time outside the top-three in five Rolex Series seasons.

"Brian is a young guy but he's been racing Grand-Am for several years, now, and he is definitely the kind of driver who can help us win a championship," said Angelelli, whose 12 career Rolex Series wins ranks second on the all-time list. "Brian showed last year that he is a tough competitor and he is capable of winning races and qualifying on the pole. Wayne and I have always been interested in him and I am very happy that we have been able to make him a part of our team. We've known him and his family for a long time and I think he is going to be a natural fit for SunTrust and for this team."

Frisselle's career began to take shape as a championship contender in open-wheel's Skip Barber Western Championship series in 2002, then during his march through the 2003 Formula Dodge National Championship and Fran-Am 1600 Western Series, and the 2004 Star Mazda Series North American Championship and Formula BMW USA Championship ranks. His first taste of Rolex Series competition came in 2005 and 2006 as co-driver with his brother Burt in the No. 8 Synergy Racing Doran prototype. He moved to the No. 61 AIM Autosport team in 2007 and scored a pair of top-10 finishes for the brand new team before finishing with a season-best fifth-place run in the Miller Motorsports Park finale.

"I am unbelievably fired up about joining Max and Wayne and coming to the SunTrust team," said Frisselle, who's made 49 Rolex Series starts in all the past four seasons. "SunTrust has made its mark as a team of excellence since it joined the series back in 2004. They've pretty much been a contender for the championship every year they've competed. To be part of an organization like that, and to drive alongside Max Angelelli as his teammate, having Wayne Taylor as a team owner, and SunTrust as a sponsor, that's an opportunity of a lifetime. Wayne has always been a special mentor to me. Back when I was just getting started and there were times I was struggling, Wayne would come over and tell me to keep the faith and have confidence in myself. I'm looking forward to my role qualifying the SunTrust car and driving the first part of the races and handing the car over to Max for a strong finish. He's arguably the best finisher in all of Grand-Am, so if I just keep doing my job, we'll hopefully be contending for another championship. No matter what, it's a great opportunity, and I know it's going to be a lot of fun."

"For anyone who has watched the Rolex Series as closely as we have in recent years, it's no secret that Brian is one of the brightest young driving talents in all of sports car racing," said Krista Massey, Senior Vice President, Director of Sponsorships and Event Marketing, SunTrust Banks, Inc. "We are certainly proud to welcome him to our team and very much look forward to Brian and Max's fight in 2009 to bring the Rolex Series championship back to SunTrust."

The SunTrust team next takes to the track for testing Nov. 11-12, and again Jan. 2-4, at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 2009 season begins Jan. 24-25 with the traditional Rolex 24 At Daytona

[mlittle]

November Test Days
scheduled for 11-12 November 2008; list subject to change


DAYTONA PROTOTYPES
~~#4 Childress-Howard Motorsports Pontiac/Crawford(Rob Finlay, Andy Wallace)
~~#5 Penske Racing Porsche/Riley(Romain Dumas, Timo Bernhard)
~~#6 MSR/Flight Options Ford/Riley(John Pew)
~~#7 Penske Racing Porsche/Riley(Ryan Briscoe, Kurt Busch)
~~#09 Spirit of Daytona Porsche/Coyote(Guy Cosmo, Ricky Carmichael, Jason Pridmore, Scott Russell)
~~#10 SunTrust Pontiac/Dallara(Max Angelelli, Brian Frisselle, Wayne Taylor)
~~#12 Rock Valley Oil Pontiac/Riley(Justin Bell, Tonis Kasemets, Roger Schramm)
~~#13 Beyer Racing(Jared Beyer, Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor, Wayne Taylor)
~~#16 Forsythe Racing Pontiac/Coyote(Alberto Costa, Christian Fittipaldi)
~~#20 Rock Valley Oil Pontiac/Riley(Bill Lester, Roger Schramm)
~~#22 Gatorade/todayMD.com Porsche/Riley(Cristiano da Matta, Ryan Dalziel)
~~#45 Orbit Racing BMW/Riley(Leo Hindery, Darren Manning, Kyle Petty, Michael Riolo)
~~#51 AIM Autosport BMW/Riley(John Farano)
~~#58 Brumos Porsche/Riley(Darren Law)
~~#59 Kendall Porsche/Riley(Joao Barbosa, J.C. France)
~~#60 MSR/Flight Options Ford/Riley(Oswaldo Negri, Mark Patterson)
~~#61 AIM Autosport BMW/Riley(drivers tba)
~~#75 Krohn Racing Pontiac/Lola(Oliver Gavin, Tracy Krohn, Eric van der Poele)
~~#76 Krohn Racing Pontiac/Lola(Nic Jonsson, Darren Turner)
~~#77 Doran Racing Ford/Dallara(Memo Gidley, Brad Jaeger)

GRAND TOURING
~~#00 Georgian Bay Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette C-6R(Eric Curran, Jamie Holtom)
~~#07 Banner Engineering Pontiac GXP-R(Kelly Collins, Paul Edwards)
~~#14 Autometrics Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3(Jack Baldwin, Claudio Burtin, Cory Friedman, Mac McGehee)
~~#15 BlackForest Motorsports Ford Mustang(Ian James, Tom Nastasi)
~~#30 Racers Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8(Dane Cameron, Doug Peterson)
~~#32 PR1 Motorsports Pontiac GXP-R(Mike Forest, Thomas Merrill, Al Salvo)
~~#33 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3(Phillip Martien, B.J. Zacharias)
~~#36 Yellow Dragon Motorsports Mazda RX-8(drivers tba)
~~#40 HyperSport Racing Mazda RX-8(Patrick Dempsey, Charles Espenlaub, Joe Foster)
~~#57 BryanMark Financial Pontiac GXP-R(Andrew Davis, Robin Liddell)
~~#64 JLowe Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3(Jim Lowe, Jim Pace, Tim Sugden, Johannes van Overbeek)
~~#65 The Racer's Group Porsche 911 GT3(John Potter)
~~#66 The Racer's Group Porsche 911 GT3(Spencer Pumpelly)
~~#67 The Racer's Group Porsche 911 GT3(Tim George, Jr.)
~~#68 The Racer's Group Porsche 911 GT3(Andy Lally, Kevin Buckler, Spencer Pumpelly)
~~#69 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8(Emil Assentato, Nick Longhi, Jeff Segal)
~~#70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8(Nick Ham, David Haskell, Sylvain Tremblay)
~~#74 GTS/Mitchum Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3(Anthony Lazzaro, Bob Michaelian, Jim Michaelian, Joseph Safina, Derek Skea)
~~#86 Farnbacher Loles Porsche 911 GT3(Daneil Graef, Seth Ingram, Ron Yarab, Jr.)
~~#87 Farnbacher Loles Porsche 911 GT3(Dave Lacey, Bryce Miller)

[mlittle]

(from TU, 11 November 2008).....................
Grand-Am teams were hard at work on Veterans' Day as testing resumed in the run-up for late January's Rolex 24 @ Daytona..............

~~Wallace Happy With Childress-Howard Effort
Childress-Howard Motorsports tested at Daytona International Speedway for the first time on Tuesday, with Andy Wallace and Rob Finlay sharing time behind the wheel of the No. 4 Pontiac Crawford in preparation for the January 24-25 Rolex 24 At Daytona, the opening round of the 2009 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.

"I think it's come quite far," said Wallace of the effort, which had its lone outing in the Crown Royal 200 at Watkins Glen International in August. Wallace finished 19th, co-driving with Andy Lally.

"The car is very well balanced," Wallace added. "I'm very happy with the engine we've got in. This is a new one from Watkins Glen. We've had a little bit of problem getting the car started, which is a shame, but other than that, it feels really good. We've had a few people working very hard in Denver (North Carolina) since Watkins Glen, trying to improve every part of the car. I think we have. We're looking forward to doing the whole season, but it's a bit of a sting in the toe to have the Rolex 24 as the first race of the season. If it was halfway through the season, you'd know the car a lot better by then. With a new car, you've got to find out exactly what it likes." Wallace is sharing time with Rob Finlay in the updated Crawford.

"I've got a relationship with the Crawfords from a few years ago," Finlay said. "When this opportunity arose, it was a great fit. I've always wanted to get back into their chassis, and the team is first class. It's fantastic." Finlay is happy with the updated Crawford. "They are two completely different cars," Finlay said. "This one is really good, but it's completely different. We're going through our first day trying to get everything working together, but overall, I'm really pleased."

Wallace won the Rolex 24 with TWR Jaguar in 1990 and with Dyson Racing in 1997 and 1999. He's also come close several times - including 2001, when his Dyson entry broke with three and a half hours remaining while leading by 27 laps. In 2004, the Crawford team of Wallace, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke while leading with only 17 minutes remaining.

"I've got a few races I could have won, but a lot of people have got those," Wallace said. "Today, this Roles Series is very competitive. You can't go out on the track and get P-1 right away - you've got to work at it.

"It seems like just yesterday that the GTPs were here rushing around," Wallace added. "But the lap times of these Daytona Prototypes are not too far away from those lap times, and those cars had more horsepower, more ground effects, everything. The Daytona Prototypes are very fast and they're great to drive. It's special. When you walk around the paddock and see the depth of the teams, every year it gets better." Wallace was also pleased with the new Pirelli tires. "They're absolutely wonderful," Wallace said. "You can stand on it anywhere on the track and there's little wheelspin. They've done a real good job."

Now, Wallace is looking forward to drive for Richard Childress for the first time at Daytona. "It's a big thrill to be driving Mr. Childress' car," Wallace said. "He wants to get serious about sports car racing, and I've been the lucky recipient to get the car ready and ultimately try to win races. I think we'll be right up there where we need to be. I'm really, really happy to be back here. I miss not doing to the whole season, and I'm looking forward to this race."

~~Michael Shank Racing Not Changing Recipes
Last year, Michael Shank Racing ran the Rolex 24 At Daytona with a new package - an updated Riley chassis while switching to Ford engines. Don't look for many changes this year, especially on the No. 60 entry co-driven by Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson.

"We have the same recipe," Negri said. "The recipe of the cake was working pretty good, so we kept everything the same. That's good, because we can develop from what we had last year. Everything with the test is going great, as always. The team does a fantastic job. We have a real good car and it's very competitive. We're experimenting with the new Pirelli tires, which are really good. They're almost the same as the old ones. They give us a lot of confidence that we can do the same in 2009 - hopefully, be on the pole and finish right up there."

After finishing second overall in the 2006 Rolex 24, Negri won the pole for last year's race and joined Patterson, Justin Wilson and Graham Rahal for a sixth-place finish.

~~Jeff Ward to Test With Spirit of Daytona
Another motorcycle legend is testing to race in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Seven-time AMA motocross champion Jeff Ward is testing with the Spirit of Daytona team this week, joined by Scott Russell and Guy Cosmo. The Scottish-born Ward was inducted into the motorcycle hall of fame in 1999. This would be his second start in the Rolex 24. Ward, who now lives in Newport Beach, Calif., drove the Ford Keiler KII in the 1997 event, finishing 52nd in a World Sports Car co-driven by Owen Trinkler and Roberto Quinanilla.

The No. 09 Porsche Coyote is sporting new updated Coyote bodywork for the team, still carrying the black and gold colors raced by Cheever Racing this past season. The team is expecting delivery of a new Coyote in the very near future.

Ward retired from motocross after winning seven championships and 57 races. He went to the Indy Racing League, winning the 2002 race at Texas Motor Speedway, edging Al Unser Jr. in what was the closest finish in IRL history. Ward finished sixth in the standings in 1998, winning the pole at Phoenix International Raceway. He was the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year that season, finishing third. He also finished second in the 1999 Indy 500 and was fourth in open-wheel racing's most prestigious event in 2000.

His last open-wheel race was the 2005 Indianapolis 500. Ward then returned to two-wheeled competition in the new AMA Supermoto division, winning the championship in 2004 and 2006. He also was a two-time Supermoto winner in the X-Games, winning earlier this year at age 47.

[mlittle]

(from WE, 12 November 2008)
Teams and drivers concluded the second of three off-season tests in the runup to January's Rolex 24 @ Daytona........here's a few snippets of what transpired Wednesday.
part 1......part 2 on next post

~~Busch, Briscoe, Bernhard Test for Penske
Penske Racing brought a pair of brand-new Porsche-powered Riley Daytona Prototypes to the Grand-Am November Test Days at Daytona International Speedway, driven by NASCAR champion Kurt Busch, three-time 2008 IndyCar Series winner Ryan Briscoe, and Timo Bernhard.

Penske Racing finished third overall in the 2008 Rolex 24 At Daytona, driven by Busch, Briscoe and Helio Castroneves in a joint effort with Wayne Taylor Racing. For January, Penske Racing is going with the teams that have been a dominant force other series.

Romain Dumas tested a single Porsche Riley at Daytona during October Test Days. For November, Bernhard was joined by drivers from the respective Penske Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup and IndyCar Series teams.

"The first step in the Rolex 24 is to surround yourself with a good team, and the Penske team is very qualified," Busch said. "All the crew guys, all the team officials that make calls, it's exciting for me to be part of something this strong. I know I'm the weakest link and I've got the most homework to do."

This will be Busch's third attempt at the Rolex 24. Busch debuted in the event in 2005, finishing 27th in a Ford Multimatic co-driving with Scott Maxwell and Matt Kenseth.

"It's a treat to get in the sports cars," Busch said. "I'm learning more and more about the chassis manufacturers and the engines. It's a change of pace, obviously, but at the same time, it's an opportunity to gel with the Penske team. This year I have the opportunity to do it with Timo and Romain, and we're going to be competing with Helio (Castroneves) and Briscoe, where I was with those guys last year. It's a unique balance and chemistry change."

Briscoe said the preparation for the 2009 event is a major change from the 2008 Rolex 24 - Penske Racing's first time in the enduro since 1973.

"We've got more time to prepare this time around," Briscoe said. "Last year it was a late decision, and everything was put together very quickly. We had all the help and information from Wayne Taylor Racing, and they helped us get the car prepared. It was great to partner with Wayne Taylor Racing. This year, Penske Racing is getting serious about it and running it themselves."


~~Alegra Test Includes da Matta, Dalziel
Alegra Motorsports is testing the No. 22 Gatorade/TodayMD Porsche Riley for Cristiano da Matta, Ryan Dalziel, Chapman du Cote, Jean-Francois Dumoulin and Carlos de Quesada. The latter two were part of the winning GT effort in the 2007 Rolex 24, with the team running two events this past season in its new Daytona Prototype.

"Coming from GT, this team is actually very focused on the important things and they really want to do it," said da Matta, the 2002 Champ Car titlist. "It looks good, and it feels good to me. Obviously, it's not an easy situation to get something right now for next year, but I'm ready for the full season. If I get a chance, I'm going to take it."

De Quesada said he is close to announcing his plans for the 2009 Rolex 24.

"So far, it's going well," de Quesada said. "We're testing to see where we are at and trying to determine what our lineup will be for the Rolex 24. I feel by the race we'll be in good shape. Our plans are still a work in progress. We're secured for the Rolex 24 and for the remaining endurance events of the season. We're just trying to lock in the remaining events for the year."


~~Despite Cutback, Banner Racing Still Ready to Defend Title
Despite the economic struggles in the U.S., which is severely affecting car manufacturers, Banner Racing will still field the No. 07 Pontiac GXP.R for Kelly Collins and Paul Edwards during the 2009 Rolex Series GT season to defend its championship, team owner Leighton Reese said.

Reese will also act only as a team owner, giving driving a rest.

"Those guys are going to defend the championship," Reese said. "We think we've got a good package. We are only running one car at Banner Racing next year. I wouldn't say that I've retired; I'm just not driving now. We're just going to optimize and maximize on one car, and hopefully we can put our rivals down one more time. We're obviously expecting a fierce fight from the Mazda guys, the Porsche guys and the other Pontiacs."

Reese said Daytona is not the best track for the Pontiacs because "we just don't have the speed the other cars do." Still, he believes the Rolex 24 could be a springboard to the team's second straight title.

"We're not as slow as we thought we'd be," Reese said. "We're not running record times, but against the guys we're usually running against, we're doing okay. Daytona is always a struggle for the Pontiacs. So far, the new tires have worked out well for us, and right now, we're just trying to do some reliability testing. The only way we're going to win this race is to go the distance; we're not going to win it on speed."


part 2 on next post........

[mlittle]

part 2............


~~Davis, Stevenson Motorsports Getting Comfortable
Rolex Series GT runner-up Andrew Davis said this week's test has given his Stevenson Motorsports Pontiac GXP.R team a good opportunity to get accustomed and comfortable with several things, including the new Pirelli P Zero tires. Davis returns for his second season with the team, co-driving with Scotsman Robin Liddell. The pair finished nine points behind Kelly Collins and Paul Edwards in the 2008 GT point standings.

"Basically, we're trying to one, get comfortable on the new Pirelli tire, and also run through a lot of things that we want to improve on for next year, so we can make a good run at the championship," Davis said. "Right now, we're making good progress, and everybody's working really hard to make the changes. That's what testing is about. It's nice to be down here."

Running in different conditions - under sunny skies Tuesday and in the rain Wednesday - was favorable by Davis, who said in his eight previous Rolex 24 starts, the weather has never stayed the same throughout the entire 24 hours.


~~Cameron, Racers Edge Mazda Showing Consistent, Reliable
Open-wheel veteran and 20-year-old racer Dane Cameron returned to Daytona International Speedway this week to drive the No. 30 Racers Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8 with Doug Peterson, Dion von Moltke and Jordan Taylor.

Cameron, a veteran in the Star Mazda and Atlantic ranks, had never participated in any form of on-track competition at Daytona before last month's October Test Days, and is only running a GT car for the second time ever.

"It's a pretty impressive place," Cameron said of Daytona. "You don't really get a respect for how steep the banking is here until you get your first run on it. It's a pretty cool place."

Cameron, whose only Rolex Series start came in 2007 at Miller Motorsports Park in a Daytona Prototype owned by Chip Ganassi Racing, said all of his co-drivers have been close in times so far, therefore showing consistency in a car team owner Jon Mirachi will field for the second straight year.

Peterson is the only driver signed to run fulltime for Racers Edge in 2009. Cameron said he was close to signing a deal to run fulltime with Peterson, while von Moltke is expected to compete in the endurance races for the team.


~~Notes From the Paddock
-----Wednesday morning's test was held under heavy cloud cover, with several scattered showers and even brief periods of sunlight. The most serious Daytona Prototype incident came when Brian Frisselle lost a tire in the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley and spun on the banking. The incident damaged some bodywork, although Frisselle kept the spinning car off the wall.
-----John Farano spun in the No. 51 AIM Autosport Ford Riley, while Antonio Perez hit a curb and damaged the splitter on the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche Riley. Inaugural Daytona Prototype champion Terry Borcheller - still seeking a regular ride - helped test the No. 59 entry with JC France, Joao Barbosa, Darren Law and Perez. Five-time Rolex 24 winner Hurley Haywood was not at the test. David Donohue is here but is not driving, still recovering from shoulder surgery.
-----While Beyer Racing has done all of its racing and testing to date with a Crawford, it will be running a Pontiac Riley in the Rolex 24 on loan from Wayne Taylor Racing. The car finished fifth in the Rolex 24 and third in the Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen last year.
-----Among the drivers seeking an opportunity to race in the Rolex 24 is three-time overall winner Butch Leitzinger. January was only the third time he missed the race since 1988. Among the drivers not testing was Kyle Petty - in between NASCAR races in Phoenix and Miami - but he has a full-day's test scheduled for the near future in West Palm Beach, Fla.

[mlittle]

(from Grand-Am..........)
~~~Alegra Motorsports tested the No. 22 Gatorade/TodayMD Porsche Riley for Cristiano da Matta, Ryan Dalziel, Chapman Ducote, Jean-Francois Dumoulin and Carlos de Quesada during this past week's Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 test at Daytona International Speedway. The latter two were part of the winning GT effort in the 2007 Rolex 24, with the team running two events this past season in its new Daytona Prototype.

"Coming from GT, this team is actually very focused on the important things and they really want to do it," said da Matta, the 2002 Champ Car titlist. "It looks good, and it feels good to me. Obviously, it's not an easy situation to get something right now for next year, but I'm ready for the full season. If I get a chance, I'm going to take it."

De Quesada said he is close to announcing his plans for the 2009 Rolex 24. "So far, it's going well," de Quesada said. "We're testing to see where we are at and trying to determine what our lineup will be for the Rolex 24. I feel by the race we'll be in good shape. Our plans are still a work in progress. We're secured for the Rolex 24 and for the remaining endurance events of the season. We're just trying to lock in the remaining events for the year."

[mlittle]

(quoting from motorsport.com)........

Since its inception in 2003, the Daytona Prototype category of the Grand-Am Rolex
Sports Car Series has seen its share of competition. While today, many teams have opted for the Riley Technologies MkXX chassis, there has been a great diversity amongst the power plant of choice.

Lexus, Pontiac, Ford, Porsche, BMW and Infiniti all have approved engines for competition. Add a new nameplate to the list, as today, a production-based Honda engine has been given the green flag for DP competition, starting in 2009.

Occasional series competitor Margraf Racing, in conjunction with Comptech USA, has completed the approval process for a Honda-based V6 engine. The 3.9-liter power plant will be eligible to compete starting at the season-opening Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona on Jan. 24-25.

"It took a little longer than we had hoped, but it was worth the wait", team owner Bill Margraf said. "The Honda engine showed very well on the dyno. We are now seeking a long term partner to work with so we can get the engine package on the track."

Margraf has made a handful of starts in the DP category since 2004 with its Riley chassis. With the engine now approved, the California-based team aims to be back on the grid next year.

Computech USA's Honda engine joins the Lozano Brother's Porsche Cayenne-based V8 as independently developed power plants approved for the Rolex Series' DP category.

~~Current DP engines approved by Grand-Am........
(1)BMW S62 5.0L V8(built by Dinan Motorsports)
(2)Ford 5.0L V8(built by Roush-Yates Racing)
(3)Infiniti 4.35L V8(built by Nissan North America)
(4)Lexus 5.0L V8(built by Toyota Racing Development)
(5)Porsche 4.0L V6(a/k/a Flat-6; built by Porsche North America)
(6)Porsche Cayenne 5.0L V8(built by Porsche North America)
(7)Pontiac 5.0L V8(built by GM Road Racing; can be badged as either Chevrolet or Cadillac)
(8)Honda 3.9L V6(built by Comptech USA)