2011 Grand-Am Rolex Series

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Road America--News & Notes

Post by mlittle » Sat Jun 25, 2011 3:10 pm

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(1)TALK ABOUT 2012 SCHEDULE — One of the hot topics in the GRAND-AM paddock has been the shape of the 2012 Rolex Sports Car Series schedule. While news of a round at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway was broken this week by SPEED.com’s Robin Miller, could there be other additions to the 2012 calendar?

While nothing has been officially confirmed, it appears there could be a few street circuits added to the mix next year. St. Petersburg and Long Beach have been mentioned as possibilities, although it’s unclear how Long Beach would happen given race organizers are in the middle of a five-year contract with the ALMS.

We understand that if new races were to happen, it could come at the expense of existing events. The Rolex Series has held as many as 14 rounds in previous seasons, although the current economic struggles indicate that 12 may be a good number to remain at.

(2)BALANCE OF PERFORMANCE ADJUSTMENTS — GRAND-AM has made a number of performance adjustments ahead of Saturday’s Rolex Sports Car Series 250 Driven by VISITFLORIDA.com. Ford-powered Daytona Prototypes have been given 200 additional rpm (7200-7400 rpm), while a brace of GT contenders have seen weight and restrictor changes since the last round at Watkins Glen.

The Prep 2 BMW M3 has received a 100 rpm boost (6800 to 6900 rpm), while the Camaro GT.Rs will carry 26 lbs of additional ballast (2782-2808 lb), as well as using a smaller GRAND-AM-supplied air inlet restrictor. Marsh Racing’s Prep 1 Corvette has also been subjected to the restrictor change and will be 25 lbs heavier (2600 to 2625 lb) as well.

(3)THREE CARS, FOUR DRIVERS — That’s the approach the GT pole-sitting Team Sahlen team will be taking on Saturday with its brace of Mazda RX-8s. Wayne Nonnamaker, who gave the family-run team its first Rolex Series pole on Friday, will complete the opening stint in the No. 42 Mazda before handing over to Mazdaspeed development driver John Edwards, who is making his first start with the team on Saturday.

Once he’s out of the No. 42 car, Wayne will then hop in the No. 43 Mazda, relieving father Joe Nonnamaker, who will then get in the No. 49 car following an opening double-stint by son Will Nonnamaker. Sound complicated? It could be, especially if all three cars end up on different strategies!

(4)HEINRICY SUBS FOR SAID — Veteran road racer and former Corvette engineer John Heinricy is subbing for Boris Said in the No. 31 Marsh Racing Corvette this weekend. Said, who is on NASCAR Sprint Cup Series duty at Infineon Raceway, is expected to rejoin season-long co-driver Eric Curran at next month’s round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

(5)NEW CAR FOR STARWORKS — Following a heavy crash in practice at Watkins Glen, which resulted in the write-off of the No. 2 Riley-Ford, Starworks arrived at Road America with a new chassis. Car owner Enzo Potolicchio purchased one of the ex-Penske Racing Riley-Porsches that will do battle this weekend with he and fellow Venezuelan Alex Popow behind the wheel. The team has elected to keep the 4.0-liter flat-six Porsche powerplant in the back of the Riley for the next three races, according to team owner Peter Baron. After that, they’ll reevaluate the situation. Starworks’ No. 8 entry of Ryan Dalziel and Mike Forest will continue to utilize Ford power.

(6)BARBOSA’S NEW HOME — Fresh off a podium finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Joao Barbosa hasn't had much time to celebrate his success in the twice-around-the-clock classic. That's because the Action Express Racing driver spent the past week moving from his native Portugal to Ormond Beach, Fla., ahead of this weekend's Rolex Series round at Road America.

Barbosa, along with his wife and two children, age 5 and 7, settled into their new home in Florida last Thursday. So far, the family is enjoying their new surroundings and new chapter in their lives. “I’m really happy with this big change in our lives,” Barbosa said. “Everything is going according to plan. I haven’t spent much time there yet. I’m going to go back on Sunday and spend a few more days before I head to Imola [for Intercontinental Le Mans Cup race]. Then we have Laguna, so these next couple of months are going to be rough. But on the other hand, if I was still living in Portugal, I’d be spending less time with my family.”

(7)DEMPSEY IN RUSSIA — While Patrick Dempsey will be missing his first Rolex Sports Car Series race of the season, the multi-talented actor/racer has a good enough excuse. Dempsey and a host of other stars from the upcoming Transformers: Dark of the Moon are at the 33rd Moscow International Film Festival, where the $200 million blockbuster is being premiered.

Dempsey’s regular ‘fill in’, Charles Espenlaub, will team with Joe Foster in the No. 40 Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 on Saturday, with the globe-trotting Dempsey planning to be back in action at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca next month.
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Post by mlittle » Tue Jun 28, 2011 2:37 pm

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-----Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas ended a three-race losing streak Saturday, winning the Rolex Sports Car Series 250 Driven by VISITFLORIDA.COM, GRAND-AM's return to historic Road America. It was the fourth victory of the season for the drivers of the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

Pruett took the checkered flag 11.738 seconds ahead of Alex Gurney, who shared the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Chevrolet/Riley with Jon Fogarty. Pruett led the final 20 of 46 circuits on the 4.048-mile circuit for his 36th career Rolex Series victory.

Max Angelelli survived a last-lap battle with Ryan Dalziel to finish third - ending a two-race winning streak for the No. 10 SunTrust Chevrolet/Riley started on the pole by Ricky Taylor. Dalziel and Mike Forest held on for fourth in the No. 8 Grout Shield Ford/Riley, followed by John Pew and Ozz Negri in the No. 60 Crown Royal XR Ford/Riley.

The GT battle saw three different leaders on the final lap. Eric Curran prevailed in the wild last-lap battle, giving Marsh Racing its first Rolex Series GT victory in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette started by John Heinricy.

Jordan Taylor took the white flag in the GT lead, but ran out of fuel in the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro started by Bill Lester. That gave the GT lead to Spencer Pumpelly - who shared the No. 67 TRG Porsche with Steven Bertheau - but he also ran low on fuel. Curran - who had been pressuring Pumpelly - took over the lead, and managed to hold off John Edwards in the No. 42 Team Sahlen's Mazda RX-8 started from the pole by Wayne Nonnamaker.

Pumpelly managed to hold on for third, followed by the No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 of Craig Stanton and John Potter, Taylor managed to place fifth in the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro. Taylor and co-driver Bill Lester extended their lead in the standings to four points over sixth-place finishers Leh Keen and Andrew Davis, drivers of the No. 59 Brumos Porsche GT3.

The race featured a 51-minute caution resulting from an accident five laps into the race involving Gunter Schaldach and Joe Foster. Schaldach lost the brakes in the No. 07 The Cool TV/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Camaro, ran into the back of Joe Foster's No. 40 Visit Florida/Modspace Mazda RX-8, went through the gravel trap in Turn 1 and catapulted the catch fence. He walked away uninjured. Foster also spun through the gravel and tagged the tire barrier. He was awake and alert, and later transported to Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis., where he was released after evaluation.
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Post by mlittle » Sat Jul 02, 2011 2:34 pm

Current Grand-Am Rolex Standings



~~~DAYTONA PROTOTYPE CLASS
DP Drivers' Standings(top-10+)
t-1st}[1]Scott Pruett, 228 pts(4 wins)
t-1st}[2]Memo Rojas, 228 pts(4 wins)
t-3rd}[3]Max Angelelli, 204 pts(2 wins)
t-3rd}[4]Ricky Taylor, 204 pts(2 wins)
t-5th}[5]Joao Barbosa, 188 pts(1 win)
t-5th}[6]Terry Borcheller, 188 pts(1 win)
t-5th}[7]J.C. France, 188 pts(1 win)
t-8th}[8]Darren Law, 187 pts
t-8th}[9]David Donohue, 187 pts
t-10th}[10]Alex Gurney, 185 pts
t-10th}[11]Jon Fogarty, 185 pts
DP Engine Standings
1st} BMW, 228 pts(4 wins)
2nd} Chevrolet, 218 pts(2 wins)
3rd} Porsche, 200 pts(1 win)
4th} Ford, 197 pts
DP Chassis Standings
1st} Riley Tech., 239 pts(5 wins)
2nd} Dallara, 205 pts(2 wins)
3rd} Coyote, 148 pts
4th} Lola, 25 pts

~~~GRAND TOURING CLASS
GT Drivers' Standings(top-10)
t-1st}[1]Bill Lester, 191 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[2]Jordan Taylor, 191 pts(1 win)
t-3rd}[3]Andrew Davis, 187 pts(1 win)
t-3rd}[4]Leh Keen, 187 pts(1 win)
t-5th}[5]Bill Auberlen, 184 pts(2 wins)
t-5th}[6]Paul Dalla Lana, 184 pts(2 wins)
t-7th}[7]Craig Stanton, 176 pts
t-7th}[8]John Potter, 176 pts
t-9th}[9]Emil Assentato, 171 pts
t-9th}[10]Jeff Segal, 171 pts
GT Manufacturers' Standings
1st} Chevrolet, 213 pts(3 wins)
2nd} Porsche, 212 pts(2 wins)
3rd} Mazda, 210 pts
4th} BMW, 182 pts(2 wins)
5th} Ford, 30 pts
6th} Ferrari, 16 pts
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Grand-Am To Race at IMS in 2012

Post by mlittle » Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:46 pm

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---DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 6, 2011) - GRAND-AM Road Racing has added a long-anticipated Indianapolis Motor Speedway date to its 2012 schedules for both the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 and the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, with races set for Friday, July 27 on IMS' road course.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is giving its popular Brickyard 400 weekend an innovative and exciting makeover starting next season and GRAND-AM will play a huge role, in what will be called the "Super Weekend at the Brickyard," on July 26-29.

In addition to GRAND-AM's two series, there will be a third series making its IMS debut - the NASCAR Nationwide Series on July 28. The weekend's marquee event, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Brickyard 400 on July 29, will have ample support to say the least.

"GRAND-AM is an organization on the move and this announcement personifies that fact," said GRAND-AM President Tom Bledsoe. "This is a great, great day for GRAND-AM and for sports car racing in North America. "We have been negotiating with our good friends at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for awhile to make this happen, while also working in concert with our parent organization, NASCAR, to put together the most attractive event possible. GRAND-AM has the finest sports car racing in North America, and we're proud that we'll be able to showcase the racing at Indy."

It will be the first time in IMS history that races will take place on the 2.5-mile oval and 2.605-mile, 13-turn Grand Prix road course during the same weekend. The detailed one-day schedule for GRAND-AM has yet to be finalized, including the respective lengths of the two races. "The Super Weekend at the Brickyard will offer non-stop excitement for every auto racing fan with the addition of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing," said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and CEO. "There will be competitive, fender-rubbing action from many different types of machinery for four days, featuring established stars and rising talents, on both the IMS oval and road course. This will be an unforgettable event and the start of a great new racing tradition at the Speedway."

For many GRAND-AM drivers, such as reigning and three-time Rolex Series Daytona Prototype champion Scott Pruett of the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates organization, this new event affords a racing return to the Brickyard. Two years ago, GRAND-AM tested at IMS, fueling speculation about a possible future event.

Pruett has raced in the Indianapolis 500 four times, with a best finish of 10th back in 1989. After a move from open-wheel to NASCAR, he ran the Brickyard 400 twice, finishing 10th in 2000. "This is huge for the sport, for our team and it's huge for me personally," said Pruett. "When we had the opportunity to go and test at Indy in 2009, it was incredible to go back. After racing Indy Cars and NASCAR stock cars at Indianapolis, now to get the opportunity to go there with GRAND-AM ...it's one of those absolute pinnacles of racing."

Rolex Series regular David Donohue's father, the legendary Mark Donohue, won the Indianapolis 500 in 1972. David raced at IMS in the Porsche Supercup series in 2001, finishing eighth in two races. "Indianapolis Motor Speedway is such an iconic race track," Donohue said. "It's one of those places where there's an electricity when you step on the grounds. Going to race there with GRAND-AM is a long-time dream, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to realize that dream."
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Post by mlittle » Sat Jul 09, 2011 5:42 am

Laguna Seca Practice Session #1(DP-GT top-5)
DP-1} #10 SunTrust Chevrolet/Dallara, 1:21.294 sec
DP-2} #01 Telmex BMW/Riley, 1:21.554 sec
DP-3} #99 Gainsco Chevrolet/Riley, 1:21.599 sec
DP-4} #90 Spirit of Daytona Chevrolet/Coyote, 1:21.692 sec
DP-5} #77 Office Depot Ford/Dallara, 1:21.771 sec

GT-1} #59 Brumos Porsche 911 GT3, 1:29.726 sec
GT-2} #88 Autohaus Camaro GT-R, 1:30.052 sec
GT-3} #70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8, 1:30.118 sec
GT-4} #42 Sahlen's Mazda RX-8, 1:30.233 sec
GT-5} #69 FXDD Mazda RX-8, 1:30.354 sec
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Post by mlittle » Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:23 am

Laguna Seca Practice Session Class Leaders

Practice Session 2
DP--#9 Action Express Porsche/Riley, 1:22.194 sec
GT--#42 Sahlen's Mazda RX-8, 1:30.323 sec

Practice Session 3
DP--#23 Intersil-MSR Ford/Riley, 1:22.477 sec
GT--#42 Sahlen's Mazda RX-8, 1:31.281 sec

Trueman-Akin Practice
DP--#60 Crown Royal XR Ford/Riley, 1:21.687 sec
GT--#59 Brumos Porsche 911 GT3, 1:29,515 sec
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Qualifying News, Laguna Seca

Post by mlittle » Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:26 am

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For the 4th time in a row, SunTrust Racing's Ricky Taylor(r) will lead the field to the green.......

----MONTEREY, Calif. - Another race, another pole for rising Daytona Prototype star Ricky Taylor. The 21-year-old second-generation driver tamed the tricky 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Friday by running a lap of 1:20.429 (100.173) in the No. 10 SunTrust Chevrolet/Riley he shares with Max Angelelli to capture his fourth consecutive pole position in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.

Taylor will be joined on the front row for Saturday's Continental Tire Sports Car Festival Powered by Mazda by Jon Fogarty, who ran a lap of 1:20.866 (99.631 mph) in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Chevrolet Riley co-driven by Alex Gurney. The two-hour, 45-minute race takes the green flag at 2:30 p.m. PT on Saturday (SPEED, Sunday July 10, 4 p.m. ET).

"This car is so good that it makes me look so good in front of everybody," said Taylor, who captured his sixth career DP pole. "But no matter how good the car is, I'm out there pushing 100-percent every single lap. Our engineering staff has been trying some fresh, new ideas, and I'm loving it."

Fogarty and Gurney won the most recent Rolex Series race at Mazda Raceway in 2009 - when Fogarty qualified second. DP point leader Memo Rojas was third fastest in the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley co-driven by Scott Pruett.

Andrew Davis gave Brumos Racing its first Rolex Series GT pole by running a lap of 1:29.679 (89.84 mph) in the No. 59 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. It was his second career pole, and first since he led qualifying at Barber Motorsports Park in 2006. "I've been very, very close to winning a pole for the past three years, it's great to win one," Davis said. "I've missed the pole a few times by as much as I got it today, so I'm glad one fell our way."

Wayne Nonnamaker, surprise GT pole winner for the recent race at Road America, ran his final lap of the 15-minute session in 1:29.693 (89.826 mph) to secure the outside front row berth in the No. 42 Team Sahlen Mazda RX-8 co-driven by John Edwards.
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Post by mlittle » Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:11 pm

(from SA, 9 July 2011)
---Alex Gurney took advantage of a rare miscue by Scott Pruett, beating him out of the pits on their final stops on Lap 80 after Pruett slightly overshot his pit. Gurney then held off the Daytona Prototype championship leader for the final 28 circuits, winning by 0.431 seconds.

Gurney and Jon Fogarty broke a 10-race winless streak in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Chevrolet/Riley of the season, dating back to last year's event at New Jersey Motorsports Park when Gurney passed Pruett heading to the white flag. Gurney and Fogarty also won the most recent Rolex Series race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2009, their second DP championship season.

Ricky Taylor captured his fourth consecutive pole position in the No. 10 SunTrust Chevrolet/Dallara and combined with Max Angelelli to lead a race-high 57 laps. Angelelli took third from Starworks Motorsport driver Ryan Dalziel in the closing laps for the second consecutive event.

Leh Keen and Andrew Davis captured their second GT victory of the season in the No. 59 Brumos Porsche GT3 Cup, taking the lead in the championship in the process.

Bill Lester and Jordan Taylor entered the event with a four-point lead. Taylor lost a lap on a pit stop when the team attempted to fix the brake lights on the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. Keen and Davis now lead the championship by 10 points (222-212).

SpeedSource took the remaining GT podium positions. Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato took second in the No. 69 FXDD Mazda RX-8, followed by Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito in the No. 70 Castrol Edge Mazda RX-8
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Post by mlittle » Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:27 pm

Current Grand-Am Rolex Standings



~~~DAYTONA PROTOTYPE CLASS
DP Drivers' Standings(top-10+)
t-1st}[1]Scott Pruett, 260 pts(4 wins)
t-1st}[2]Memo Rojas, 260 pts(4 wins)
t-3rd}[3]Max Angelelli, 234 pts(2 wins)
t-3rd}[4]Ricky Taylor, 234 pts(2 wins)
t-5th}[5]Alex Gurney, 220 pts(1 win)
t-5th}[6]Jon Fogarty, 220 pts(1 win)
t-7th}[7]Darren Law, 212 pts
t-7th}[8]David Donohue, 212 pts
t-9th}[9]Joao Barbosa, 211 pts(1 win)
t-9th}[10]Terry Borcheller, 211 pts(1 win)
t-9th}[11]J.C. France, 211 pts(1 win)
DP Engine Standings
1st} BMW, 260 pts(4 wins)
2nd} Chevrolet, 253 pts(3 wins)
t-3rd}[3]Porsche, 225 pts(1 win)
t-3rd}[4]Ford, 225 pts
DP Chassis Standings
1st} Riley Tech., 274 pts(6 wins)
2nd} Dallara, 235 pts(2 wins)
3rd} Coyote, 169 pts
4th} Lola, 25 pts

~~~GRAND TOURING CLASS
GT Drivers Standings(top-10+)
t-1st}[1]Andrew Davis, 222 pts(2 wins)
t-1st}[2]Leh Keen, 222 pts(2 wins)
t-3rd}[3]Jordan Taylor, 212 pts(1 win)
t-2rd}[4]Bill Lester, 212 pts(1 win)
5th} Paul Dalla Lana, 207 pts(2 wins)
t-6th}[6]Emil Assentato, 203 pts
t-6th}[7]Jeff Segal, 203 pts
t-8th}[8]Craig Stanton, 200 pts
t-8th}[9]John Potter, 200 pts
t-10th}[10]Jonathan Bomarito, 194 pts
t-10th}[11]Sylvain Tremblay, 194 pts
GT Manufacturers Standings
1st} Porsche, 247 pts(3 wins)
2nd} Mazda, 242 pts
3rd} Chevrolet, 241 pts(3 wins)
4th} BMW, 205 pts(2 wins)
5th} Ford, 30 pts
6th} Ferrari, 16 pts
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Post by mlittle » Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:46 am

(from SU, 24 July 2011)

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---Scott Pruett put another check on his victory list Sunday, taking advantage of sizzling conditions to post his first career victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park - one of only two circuits that the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series visits where he had never won.

Pruett and Rojas took their fifth triumph of the season in the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley, taking another step toward a second consecutive Daytona Prototype championship in front of the largest crowd for a GRAND-AM event in the four years the series raced at the circuit.
Max Angelelli passed Alex Gurney in the closing laps to take second in the No. 10 SunTrust Chevrolet/Dallara started from the pole by Ricky Taylor. Gurney held on to finish third in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Chevrolet/Riley co-driven by Jon Fogarty.

In a change from the TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates strategy for the sprint races on the Rolex Series schedule, Pruett both started and finished the event, with Rojas driving the middle hour. Pruett rebounded from a drive-through penalty early in the race when he spun out Taylor while battling for the lead. Taylor led the opening 36 circuits before the contact.

Pruett took the lead for the first time with less than one hour remaining when Angelelli pitted on lap 99. He led the final 19 circuits to score his 36th DP victory, sharing 23 of them with Rojas.

In the production-based GT class, Mazda scored a podium sweep led by Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito in the No. 70 Mazdaspeed/Castrol Edge Mazda RX-8. Unlike last year - when SpeedSource cars took the top three positions, three different teams finished on the GT podium as the marquee took its first victory of the season.

Bomarito took the checkered flag .685 seconds ahead of John Edwards, who won the pole in the No. 42 TheRaceSite.com Mazda RX-8 he shared with Wayne Nonnamaker. James Gue and Dane Cameron took third in the No. 41 Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8.

Jordan Taylor and Bill Lester finished fourth in the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, narrowing the gap in the point standings to one point behind Brumos Racing teammates Andrew Davis and Leh Keen with three races remaining. The championship-leading No. 59 Porsche GT3 was never a factor, going several laps down in the early going with a thrown alternator belt.
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Post by mlittle » Fri Aug 12, 2011 5:28 pm

Current Grand-Am Rolex Standings



~~~DAYTONA PROTOTYPE CLASS
DP Drivers' Standings(top-10+)
t-1st}[1]Scott Pruett, 295 pts(5 wins)
t-1st}[2]Memo Rojas, 295 pts(5 wins)
t-3rd}[3]Max Angelelli, 266 pts(2 wins)
t-3rd}[4]Ricky Taylor, 266 pts(2 wins)
t-5th}[5]Alex Gurney, 250 pts(1 win)
t-5th}[6]Jon Fogarty, 250 pts(1 win)
t-7th}[7]Joao Barbosa, 237 pts(1 win)
t-7th}[8]J.C. France, 237 pts(1 win)
t-7th}[9]Terry Borcheller, 237 pts(1 win)
t-7th}[10]Darren Law, 237 pts
t-7th}[11]David Donohue, 237 pts
DP Engine Standings
1st} BMW, 295 pts(5 wins)
2nd} Chevrolet, 285 pts(3 wins)
3rd} Ford, 253 pts
4th} Porsche, 251 pts(1 win)
DP Chassis Standings
1st} Riley Tech., 309 pts(7 wins)
2nd} Dallara, 267 pts(2 wins)
3rd} Coyote, 193 pts
4th} Lola, 25 pts

~~~GRAND TOURING CLASS
GT Drivers' Standings(top-10+)
t-1st}[1]Andrew Davis, 241 pts(2 wins)
t-1st}[2]Leh Keen, 241 pts(2 wins)
t-3rd}[3]Jordan Taylor, 240 pts(1 win)
t-3rd}[4]Bill Lester, 240 pts(1 win)
t-5th}[5]Jonathan Bomarito, 229 pts(1 win)
t-5th}[6]Sylvain Tremblay, 229 pts(1 win)
t-7th}[7]Emil Assentato, 228 pts
t-7th}[8]Jeff Segal, 228 pts
9th} Paul Dalla Lana, 225 pts(2 wins)
t-10th}[10]Craig Stanton, 223 pts
t-10th}[11]John Potter, 223 pts
GT Manufacturers Standings
1st} Mazda, 277 pts(1 win)
2nd} Porsche, 270 pts(3 wins)
3rd} Chevrolet, 269 pts(3 wins)
4th} BMW, 226 pts(2 wins)
5th} Ford, 30 pts
6th} Ferrari, 16 pts
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Another Track, Another Pole For SunTrust....

Post by mlittle » Sat Aug 13, 2011 5:19 pm

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----Ricky Taylor inched closer to the GRAND-AM record books Friday, earning his sixth consecutive Rolex Series pole position. In what appeared to be one of his toughest challenges yet, the second-generation driver jumped to the top of the time sheets, then lost the top spot to the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Riley-Chevrolet of Jon Fogarty.

However, Taylor then threw down a blazing 1:06.459 lap time in his SunTrust Racing Dallara-Chevrolet. It was enough to edge out Fogarty and fend off a late challenge from the No. 01 Telmex Chip Ganassi Racing Riley-BMW of Memo Rojas for the top spot for Saturday's Canadian Tire 200 at Watkins Glen.

“I knew the car would be improved as I drove this morning and Max made some changes,” Taylor said. “We went out there and the only different variable was the NASCAR rubber. That qualifying was like ten crashes in one lap! I didn’t hit anything, but it was pretty wild. I can’t say enough about our Chevy power and our SunTrust team.”

Taylor and co-driver Max Angelelli will be searching for their third victory of the season in efforts of remaining in the title chase. The duo trail championship leaders Rojas and Scott Pruett by 29 points heading into tomorrow's two-hour sprint. Rojas' 1:06.220 put the Telmex Riley-BMW second on the grid, ahead of Fogarty, who dropped to third by the checkered flag.

The No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Coyote-Chevrolet of Paul Edwards completed the top-five in Daytona Prototype, 0.695 seconds slower than Taylor's pole-sitting lap.

The 15-minute GT class qualifying session proved to be one of the most drama-filled this year, with two stoppages and a NASCAR star losing the pole as a result. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano, on his Rolex Series debut, put the No. 31 Marsh Racing Corvette on the top of the time sheets with a 1:14.112 lap time. Moments later, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver was hard into the Turn 5 barriers and his qualifying run over.

What's more, GRAND-AM rules state that any driver bringing out a black flag (stoppage) loses their quickest time. It therefore handed the top spot to Stevenson Motorsports' Robin Liddell, who explained the series of events from his point of view. "I did figure with it being a short track and a lot of traffic, I wanted to get out there and nail a lap as soon as possible," Liddell said. "I went out and my first timed lap was a wee bit conservative but it was good enough for pole at that point of time... Then obviously the black flag came out [for the No. 30 Mazda] and we all came back in.

"When I left the pits, I got myself a good gap but there was a slow Porsche ahead of me. So on my first timed lap, I caught him at the Carousel and he was quite a bit slower. I lost quite a lot of time around there. By the end of that lap, we got pipped by Logano. But on his next lap... we got another black flag and it [involved Logano], so he got his best lap docked. It was actually a pole by default, but hey, we'll take it!"

Liddell's 1:14.179 lap time in his No. 57 Camaro GT.R, set on his first flying lap, was good enough for the pole, the team's fourth of the season.

Logano, meanwhile, ended the session in second, thanks to a 1:14.541 time turned prior to his provisional pole-sitting lap. However, it may not make much of a difference, as it's unclear if the Teddy Marsh-led crew will be able to repair the Corvette in time for the race.

Marsh Racing's misfortunes could promote the championship-leading No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Andrew Davis and Leh Keen to the front row. The New Jersey-winning No. 70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 of Sylvain Tremblay was fourth quickest in class, while the sister machine of Emil Assentato rounded out the top-five.
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Post by mlittle » Sat Aug 13, 2011 5:24 pm

Watkins Glen II Practice Session Class Leaders
DP-1: #99 Gainsco Chevrolet/Riley, 1:06.899 sec
GT-1: #42 Sahlen's Mazda RX-8, 1:13.927 sec

DP-2: #77 Office Depot Ford/Dallara, 1:06.887 sec
GT-2: #57 Stevenson Automotive Camaro GT-R, 1:13.218 sec

DP-3: #61 GAMMA-88 BMW/Riley, 1:07.047 sec
GT-3: #42 Sahlen's Mazda RX-8, 1:14.377 sec

DP-4: #01 Telmex BMW/Riley, 1:06.431 sec
GT-4: #88 Autohaus Camaro GT-R, 1:13.013 sec
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SunTrust Wins At The Glen.....

Post by mlittle » Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:34 pm

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(from SA 13 August 2011)
---Max Angelelli managed to hold off numerous attempts by Scott Pruett to win Saturday's Canadian Tire 200 at Watkins Glen International in the fastest race average speed in the history of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.

Ricky Taylor led the opening 33 laps in the No. 10 SunTrust Chevrolet/Dallara before turning the car over to Angelelli, who went on to lead 44 of the final 45 laps, averaging 122.308 mph on the Watkins Glen 2.45-mile short course. It was their third victory of the season and second at Watkins Glen, coming off June's Sahlen's Six Hours on the 3.4-mile course.

Angelelli took the checkered flag 2.517 seconds ahead of Pruett, cutting the lead in the Daytona Prototype points to 26 points (327-301) over No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley drivers Pruett and Memo Rojas with only two races remaining. Ryan Dalziel and Alex Popow finished third in the No. 8 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley.

Bill Lester and Jordan Taylor regained the lead in the production-based GT championship standings with a second place finish in the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. Andrew Davis and Leh Keen entered the race with a one-point lead, but finished seventh in the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and are now seven points behind (272-265).
Spencer Pumpelly and Steven Bertheau managed to coax just enough fuel out of TRG's No. 67 Sargent & Lundy Porsche 911 GT3 to take the GT victory in a thrilling finish. Pumpelly led the final six circuits as the lead changed hands five times in the final hour, taking the checkered flag 2.12 seconds ahead of Taylor. Craig Stanton and John Potter took third in the No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3.

The race was slowed by one caution flag, coming early in the race when Jon Fogarty clipped a lapped car in Turn 11 only nine laps into the race. Fogarty and Alex Gurney, drivers of the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Chevrolet/Riley, fell from third to sixth in the DP standings.
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Post by mlittle » Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:46 pm

Current Grand-Am Rolex Standings




~~DAYTONA PROTOTYPE CLASS
DP Drivers' Standings(top-10)
t-1st}[1]Scott Pruett, 327 pts(5 wins)
t-1st}[2]Memo Rojas, 327 pts(5 wins)
t-3rd}[3]Max Angelelli, 301 pts(3 wins)
t-3rd}[4]Ricky Taylor, 301 pts(3 wins)
t-5th}[5]Darren Law, 262 pts
t-5th}[6]David Donohue, 262 pts
t-7th}[7]Joao Barbosa, 261 pts(1 win)
t-7th}[8]J.C. France, 261 pts(1 win)
t-9th}[9]Oswaldo Negri, 254 pts
t-9th}[10]John Pew, 254 pts
DP Engine Standings
1st} BMW, 327 pts(5 wins)
2nd} Chevrolet, 320 pts(4 wins)
3rd} Ford, 283 pts
4th} Porsche, 276 pts(1 win)
DP Chassis Standings
1st} Riley Tech., 341 pts(7 wins)
2nd} Dallara, 302 pts(3 wins)
3rd} Coyote, 214 pts
4th} Lola, 25 pts

~~GRAND TOURING CLASS
GT Drivers' Standings(top-10+)
t-1st}[1]Bill Lester, 272 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[2]Jordan Taylor, 272 pts(1 win)
t-3rd}[3]Andrew Davis, 265 pts(2 wins)
t-3rd}[4]Leh Keen, 265 pts(2 wins)
t-5th}[5]Jonathan Bomarito, 257 pts(1 win)
t-5th}[6]Sylvain Tremblay, 257 pts(1 win)
t-7th}[7]Craig Stanton, 253 pts
t-7th}[8]John Potter, 253 pts
9th} Paul Dalla Lana, 251 pts(2 wins)
t-10th}[10]Emil Assentato, 249 pts
t-10th}[11]Jeff Segal, 249 pts
GT Manufacturers' Standings
t-1st}[1]Porsche, 305 pts(4 wins)
t-1st}[2]Mazda, 305 pts(1 win)
3rd} Chevrolet, 301 pts(3 wins)
4th} BMW, 252 pts(2 wins)
5th} Ford, 49 pts
6th} Ferrari, 12 pts
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