Archives for the ‘Grand American Rolex’ Category

NASCAR Holdings Announces Plan to Acquire Grand-Am, NASCAR teams with EPA To Promote High Efficiency Vehicles To Fans

By Bram • Sep 4th, 2008 • Category: From The Backstretch, Grand American Rolex, NASCAR, News

News from the Backstretch

News from the Backstretch

Partnership Allows For Sharing Of Resources With NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 4, 2008) – NASCAR Holdings today announced an agreement to acquire the Grand-American Road Racing Association (Grand-Am). The future move will allow for resource sharing between Grand-Am and NASCAR while both organizations continue to operate independently. NASCAR Holdings is the legal operating entity that includes the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and many of its subsidiaries.

Grand-Am, one of the world’s most competitive road racing organizations, and NASCAR, the No. 1 spectator sport in the U.S., will combine marketing and communications efforts to include brand management, research, marketing and public relations.

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Negri, Patterson Win for MSR at Thunderbolt

By Bram • Aug 31st, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, Notes, Results

No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley driven by Oswaldo Negri Jr. and Mark Patterson (Grand-Am photo)

No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley driven by Oswaldo Negri Jr. and Mark Patterson (Grand-Am photo)

MILLVILLE, N.J. (August 31, 2008) — Oswaldo Negri Jr. held off Max Angelelli by .459 seconds Sunday to win the first professional feature race at New Jersey Motorsports Park, the Supercar Life 250, while Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas clinched the Daytona Prototype team championship with a ninth-place finish in a backup car.

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Grand-Am — Wilkins Thunders to Pole at New Jersey Motorsports Park

By Bram • Aug 30th, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, News, Notes, Results

Mark Wilkins takes the No. 61 AIM Autosport Ford Riley to the inaugural pole at the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway

Mark Wilkins takes the No. 61 AIM Motorsport Frod Riley to the inaugural pole at the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway

MILLVILLE, N.J. (Aug. 30, 2008) - Mark Wilkins saved his best for last Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), winning the pole for Sunday’s Supercar Life 250. The race takes the green flag at 1 p.m. ET (SPEED, live).

Wilkins tamed the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway layout with a lap of 1:11.761 (112.875 mph) late in the 15-minute session, good enough to capture his second pole position of the season. He won the pole at Daytona International Speedway in July the last time he qualified, while co-driver Brian Frisselle also won a pole at Watkins Glen International earlier this month.

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Grand-Am GT Team Focus — Farnbacher Loles Racing Fields Five for New Jersey

By Bram • Aug 27th, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, Notes, Your Series. Your Driver.

Farnbacher Loles Racing (Grand-Am photo)

Farnbacher Loles Racing (Grand-Am photo)

Farnbacher Loles Racing will support five Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars in the inaugural Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series race at Thunderbolt Raceway in Millville, N.J., this weekend. The entry is the team’s second-largest of the year, following a seven-car effort in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.

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SunTrust Pontiac Wins at Infineon

By Bram • Aug 23rd, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, News, Notes, Results

The No. 10 SunTrust Pontiac Daytona Prototype (DP) team and drivers Max Angelelli (L) and Michael Valiante celebrate winning the Armed Force 250 at Infineon Raceway (Courtesy Pontiac Racing)

The No. 10 SunTrust Pontiac Daytona Prototype (DP) team and drivers Max Angelelli (L) and Michael Valiante celebrate winning the Armed Force 250 at Infineon Raceway (Courtesy Pontiac Racing)

Sonoma, Calif., August 23, 2008 – The No. 10 SunTrust Pontiac Daytona Prototype (DP) driven by Michael Valiante and Max Angelelli won round 12 of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 at Infineon Raceway today. The No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney came home in second giving Pontiac a one-two finish.

The 2.47-mile, 12-turn Infineon road course proved to be the perfect location for the SunTrust team’s first win of the season. Michael Valiante started the race from pole position, which he inherited late last night when the original pole sitter was sent to the back following the post qualifying technical inspection. Valiante led every lap of his stint and then turned the car over to Angelelli. He reassumed the lead on lap 45 with a competitive pass on the leader and was never headed since then. The team lead every lap of the 102 circuit event except 22.

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Grand-Am Team Focus — Rum Bum Racing Ready to Harvest Points in Sonoma

By Bram • Aug 21st, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, News, Your Series. Your Driver.

No. 7 Rum Bum Racing BMW Riley team looks to Sonoma for Grand-Am points potential (Grand-Am photo)

No. 7 Rum Bum Racing BMW Riley team looks to Sonoma for Grand-Am points potential (Grand-Am photo)

HAWTHORNE, Calif. - The upcoming Infineon Raceway Daytona Prototypes-only event is already the 12th race of the season for Rum Bum Racing team co-drivers Gene Sigal and Matt Plumb. The Infineon race is the second race of the season in California and like Laguna Seca; it is considered a home race for Rum Bum Racing.

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Frisselle and Wilkins Bring AIM Second Victory

By Bram • Aug 8th, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, Notes, Results

No. 61 AIM Autosport Ford Riley enroute to their second consecutive Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 win in the Crown Royal 200 at Watkins Glen

No. 61 AIM Autosport Ford Riley enroute to their second consecutive Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 win in the Crown Royal 200 at Watkins Glen

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 8, 2008) - One week after scoring an improbable first victory in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16, AIM Autosport made victory number two look easy Friday night at Watkins Glen International.

Brian Frisselle and Mark Wilkins led 78 of the 82 laps to win the Crown Royal 200, Round 12 of the 2008 Rolex Series season showcasing the Daytona Prototypes.

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Riding First Win Momentum, AIM Autosport Takes Watkins Glen Grand-Am Pole

By Bram • Aug 7th, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, Notes, Results

Watkins Glen is the second pole position for the No. 61 AIM Autosport Exchange Traded Gold Ford Riley and Brian Frisselle, with Mark Wilkins qualifying fastest for the Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway in July. (Grand-Am photo)

Watkins Glen is the second pole position for the No. 61 AIM Autosport Exchange Traded Gold Ford Riley and Brian Frisselle, with Mark Wilkins qualifying fastest for the Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway in July. (Grand-Am photo)

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 7, 2008) — One week after scoring his first Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 victory, Brian Frisselle gained his first career pole position Thursday in qualifying for the Crown Royal 200, shattering the Watkins Glen International short course record in the process.

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Grand-Am Team Focus — Reigning Race and Rolex Series Champs Gurney and Fogarty Look for Repeat Glen Win

By Bram • Aug 6th, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, News, Notes, Your Series. Your Driver.

Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, and the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype (Grand-Am photo)

Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, and the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype (Grand-Am photo)

GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Ready for Late-Season Rally and a Return to Winning Ways in Friday’s Crown Royal 200 at The Glen

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 6, 2008) — Undeterred by an uncanny run of bad luck and equally determined to end the 2008 season on a high note, defending Crown Royal 200 race winners and reigning Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Champions GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing, and drivers Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, return to Watkins Glen International this Friday ready to mount a late-season rally in the final four races of the year.

The Crown Royal 200 sprint is scheduled for 82 laps with a two-hour time limit and joins last week’s Montreal 200 as one of the two shortest races of the season. The green flag is scheduled to drop at 6:30 p.m. ET and the race, which will be run on 8-8-08, is appropriately schedule to air on SPEED in same-day coverage at 8 p.m. ET.

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Last Lap Pass Fuels Closest Rolex Series Finish at Montreal, First Win for AIM

By Bram • Aug 1st, 2008 • Category: Grand American Rolex, News, Results

Grand-Am photoMONTREAL, Quebec, Canada (Aug. 1, 2008) - Close finishes continue to be a common occurrence in the 2008 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 season, and Friday’s Montreal 200 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve became the closest in series history.

Canadian Mark Wilkins, a native of Toronto, passed another Toronto-born driver Darren Law and Spanish driver Antonio Garcia on the final of 69 laps when Law ran out of fuel on the main straightaway. It was the first career victory for Wilkins and co-driver Brian Frisselle, whose margin of victory - 0.064 seconds - was the closest in series history. It also marked the third straight race where the top two drivers were separated by less than a second at the checkered flag.

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