Backstretch Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 23, 2009) - In a fierce battle during Friday’s season-opening Fresh From Florida 200 at Daytona International Speedway in the Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge, Bill Auberlen led 22 of the final 25 laps to give himself and Matt Bell the victory in the three-hour race.

Auberlen passed Ken Wilden on Lap 70, then fought off Hugh Plumb for a lap before the caution flag flew on Lap 72. That gave Auberlen his second GS victory in three races and Bell his first-ever GS triumph in his first career class start. The duo drove the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3.

Meanwhile in ST competition, Lawson Aschenbach took the lead from Kristian Skavnes on Lap 71, and kept him at bay just moments before the yellow flag flew for Steve Jenkins’ stalled car on the backstretch. Aschenbach took over from Pete Iannucci, who was making his first-ever auto race start after competing previously only in karting. The duo drove the No. 00 Georgian Bay Motorsports Chevrolet Cobalt.

Auberlen took over from Bell during the first pit stop and coming off the race’s fifth caution, he earned the lead on Lap 50. He held the lead for the next 18 laps - which included two four-lap caution periods - before the Ford Mustangs showed their power.

Plumb and Wilden both drove past Auberlen on Lap 68, putting the Fords up 1-2 and attempting to give the Mustangs their third GS victory at the track in five seasons. However, it wasn’t meant to be.

The Mustang pilots got together on Lap 70, and Wilden drove past into the lead. Auberlen subsequently passed Plumb and set his sights on Wilden. Then, the Ontario-native - who has finished on the podium in each of his five starts with Rehagen Racing - made a mistake coming out of the bus stop, giving Auberlen a chance.

Auberlen, who took the outright lead in overall KONI victories with 12, jumped to the top of the banking and pulled alongside Wilden’s No. 59 Rehagen Racing Ford Mustang GT. Plumb pulled up behind Auberlen and the two drafted past, with Auberlen taking the lead at the line. Just moments later, the final of eight caution periods ended any chance for the Mustangs - which had led every practice and qualifying session during January - to regain the point.

Plumb drove the No. 61 Horsepower Ranch Ford Mustang GT to second with Jack Roush Jr.; the pair shared the podium in the season finale at Virginia International Raceway last October but with different teams. Wilden joined polesitter Dean Martin, who led a race-high 23 laps, one more than Auberlen.

Fourth was Billy Johnson and Tony Buffomante - making only his third career KONI start - in the No. 18 Motorsport Technology Group Porsche 997, while No. 37 JBS Motorsports Trumansburg Shur Save Ford Mustang GT co-drivers Bret Seafuse and James Gue finished fifth despite a spin by contact early in the race.

Defending race winner Craig Stanton took sixth in the No. 83 BGB Motorsports Revo Technik/Performance Drink Porsche 997, driving with Tim George Jr.

In ST, five cars raced within a second of each other in the final 10 laps, but like the GS race, the final caution put an end to the battle. No driver led more than four laps during the final 14 laps, as Aschenbach traded the paint with second-place finisher Skavnes and third-place finisher Travis Walker.

Skavnes dived under the white line on Lap 69 to take the lead away from Walker, making his first start in KONI since last June at Mosport International Raceway. He led until lap 71, when Aschenbach made a move in the tri-oval that bolstered him into the lead and his third career KONI victory in four starts, all with Georgian Bay. Iannucci, meanwhile, spent much of his time in the top five driving the No. 00.

Skavnes and ST polesitter Andrew Aquilante finished second in the No. 111 Subaru Road Racing Team Subaru Legacy, while Walker and Matt Pritiko were third in the No. 76 Compass360 Racing Skunk2/CanadianRacers.com Honda Civic Si. Aquilante led the first 29 laps, a race-high, while Walker sat atop the standings for 14 circuits. Aschenbach led for 10 laps.

Fourth were No. 01 Georgian Bay Motorsports Chevrolet Cobalt drivers Ashley McCalmont and Kirk Spencer, while outside front row starter David Thilenius and rookie Bret Spaude took fifth.

The race had eight cautions for 31 laps - including four caution periods for 15 of the event’s opening 24 laps - and the race averaged 87.155 mph.

The next race on the KONI Sports Car Challenge circuit will be March 14-15, with split-class races making up the Grand-Am Fan Appreciation Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.

Fresh From Florida 200
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, FL

UNOFFICIAL

1- 96 GS 2 Auberlen / Bell Turner Motorsport / BMW M3 Coupe 74 2:01.046 33 87.155
2- 61 GS 3 Plumb / Roush Horsepower Ranch / Ford Mustang GT 74 2:00.771 51 87.149 ROUSH, Valvoline
3- 59 GS 4 Martin / Wilden Rehagen Racing / Ford Mustang GT 74 2:00.577 68 87.147 RehagenRacingProducts.com
4- 18 GS 5 Buffomante / Johnson Motorsport Technology Group / Porsche 997 74 2:01.025 66 87.143
5- 37 GS 6 Gue / Seafuse JBS Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT 74 2:01.096 66 87.115 Trumansburg Shursave
6- 83 GS 7 George Jr / Stanton / Tecce BGB Motorsports / Porsche Carrera 74 2:01.026 66 87.098 Revo Technik, Performance Drink
7- 97 GS 8 Gleason / Hand Turner Motorsport / BMW M3 Coupe 74 2:00.724 67 87.087
8- 39 GS 9 Ende / Pumpelly TRG / Porsche 997 74 2:01.100 68 87.082 The Digitrust Group, Adam’s Polishes, Fox River Coffee Racer’s Roast
9- 52 GS 10 Collyer / Mason Rehagen Racing / Ford Mustang GT 74 2:01.788 68 87.063 Columbus Truck & Equipment
10- 54 GS 11 Caddell / Click Hyper Sport/Jim Click Racing / Ford Mustang GT 74 2:01.542 68 87.054 Jim Click Racing, Valvoline
11- 80 GS 12 Herr / Willsey Kinetic Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe 74 2:01.880 41 87.049 Kinetic Motorsports
12- 38 GS 13 Longhi / Masessa BGB Motorsports / Porsche Carrera 74 2:03.118 69 87.028 Revo Technik, Performance Drink
13- 91 GS 14 Segal / Thornton Automatic Racing / BMW M3 Coupe 74 2:01.347 13 87.024 Imported Car Store, Land Air, Engine Studios, Rogue Engineering
14- 7 GS 15 Hickham Jr / Hickham Sr Hickham Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT 74 2:03.360 31 87.019 Hickham Motorsports
15- 78 GS 16 Davis / Smith Kinetic Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe 74 2:03.280 13 87.004 Kinetic Motorsports
16- 47 GS 17 Igdalsky / Mattioli JBS Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT 74 2:02.729 30 86.977 Pocono Raceway
17- 00 ST 1 Aschenbach Georgian Bay Motorsports / Chevrolet Cobalt SS 74 2:09.428 71 86.948 T.T.L
18- 111 ST 2 Aquilante / Skavnes Subaru Road Racing Team / Subaru Legacy 74 2:09.358 52 86.945 Subaru of America
19- 76 ST 3 Pritiko / Walker Compass360 Racing / Honda Civic SI 74 2:09.746 16 86.937 Skunk2, Canadianracers.com, C360R
20- 01 ST 4 McCalmont / Spencer Georgian Bay Motorsports / Chevrolet Cobalt SS 74 2:09.757 61 86.924 T.T.L
21- 27 ST 5 Spaude / Thilenius Bill Fenton Motorsports / Honda Civic SI 74 2:09.430 71 86.911
22- 171 ST 6 Baas / Hurley APR Motorsport / Volkswagen GTI 74 2:09.107 68 86.906 APR, BBS, Motul, Status
23- 29 ST 7 Beede / Cullen Bill Fenton Motorsports / Honda Civic SI 74 2:09.850 61 86.901
24- 95 ST 8 Salama / Turner Turner Motorsport / BMW 328i 74 2:09.681 12 86.895
25- 181 ST 9 Baas / Barrett APR Motorsport / Volkswagen GTI 74 2:10.010 67 86.890 APR, BBS. Motul, Status
26- 75 ST 10 Roach / Schwartzott Compass360 Racing / Honda Civic SI 74 2:10.827 13 86.876 Skunk2, K&N, C360R.com
27- 43 ST 11 Nonnamaker / Sahlen Team Sahlen/Phoenix Promotions / Mazda RX-8 74 2:11.325 51 86.763 Theracesite.com
28- 68 GS 18 Kozarov / Rossberg CA Sport / Ford Mustang GT 74 2:03.313 12 86.742 Bush Decor & Construction
29- 74 ST 12 Miller / Pobst Compass360 Racing / Honda Civic SI 74 2:09.426 61 86.627 034 Motorsport, Skunk2, C360R.com, Team Janica
30- 138 ST 13 Danyliw / Schmidt GS Motorsports / Chevrolet Cobalt SS 73 2:10.279 15 85.809 C&P Cross Border Law, Sun Sports Signs
31- 128 ST 14 Kennedy / London Next Generation Motorsports / BMW 330 73 2:12.302 53 85.586 Hawk Brakes, Marren Fuel Injection
32- 30 ST 15 Meyer / Wilson Meyer Motorsports / Mazda RX-8 72 2:10.695 49 84.780 Hawk, Yaw Power, Stewart Engines
33- 147 ST 16 Carbonell / White Freedom Autosport / Mazda MX-5 72 2:11.682 28 84.727 Freedom Autosport, Mazda
34- 07 GS 19 Grigsby Jr / Heath Cardiosport Racing / Porsche 997 72 2:03.300 28 84.616 Euro Motorworks, Porsche of Lexington, 35- Forgeline
36- 23 ST 17 Arnold / Schultz V-Pack Motorsport / BMW Z4 71 2:12.423 16 85.494 Trackmasters, AMI, Roland Contractors, Spirit Graphics Racing
37- 17 GS 20 Panzer / Snyder CMA Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT 71 2:02.134 57 83.516 Strategic Occupancy Solutions, ACKCO Inc. Consulting Group, Turner Law Firm
38- 42 28 GS 21 Boden / Jenkins Fall-Line Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe 70 2:01.464 61 87.282 HRE Wheels, Original BMW Parts, Dinan, Fall-Line
39- 43 127 ST 18 Taylor / Webb Next Generation Motorsports / BMW 330 70 2:16.362 40 82.260 Hawk Brakes, Marren Fuel Injection
40- 44 151 ST 19 Harding / Milarcik Pirate Motorsports / Mazda RX-8 69 2:16.752 62 81.224 Harding Park Cycle, Waltons Auto Parts, T&A Trucking, Galick Sheet Metal
41- 45 09 GS 22 Espenlaub / Putman Automatic Racing / BMW M3 Coupe 68 2:01.312 29 86.874 Imported Car Store, Land Air, Engine Studios, Rogue Engineering
42- 46 88 GS 23 Ellis / Wellon Ranger Sports Racing / Porsche 997 63 2:04.344 56 74.077 Hop A Jet Worldwide Jet Charters
43- 197 ST 20 Smalley / Toussaint RSR Motorsports / Mini Cooper S 61 2:12.489 35 82.775
44- 145 ST 21 Long / Whitis Freedom Autosport / Mazda MX-5 61 2:09.386 54 71.618 Freedom Autosport, Mazda
45- 02 ST 22 Davis / Smith Maxwell Paper Racing / Mazda RX-8 59 2:10.335 52 84.120 Maxwell Paper Co.
46- 77 GS 24 DiLeo / Sellers Maxwell Paper Racing / Porsche 997 58 2:01.881 52 85.482 Maxwell Paper Co.
47- 48 ST 23 Bovenberg / Lepper / Perez Team Cobalt California / Chevrolet Cobalt SS 56 2:14.111 28 65.802
48- 99 GS 25 Hillestad / Waddell Automatic Racing / BMW M3 Coupe 55 2:02.814 47 64.516 Imported Car Store, Land Air, Engine Studios, Rogue Engineering
49- 16 ST 24 Flint / Marquardt Meyer Motorsports / Mazda RX-8 54 2:20.791 11 68.049 Mazda, Hawk, Know Fear, Meyer Motorsports, Century 21
50- 198 ST 25 Burrows / Hopwood RSR Motorsports / Mini Cooper S 52 2:11.128 12 85.153
51- 57 GS 26 Bengoa / Ortiz Rehagen Racing / Ford Mustang GT 52 2:01.711 30 74.629
52- 5 GS 27 James / Nastasi Blackforest Motorsports / Dodge Challenger 48 2:05.835 13 82.986 TPN Printing
53- 24 ST 26 Burdette / Friedman V-Pack Motorsport / BMW 330 43 2:12.660 27 79.777 Trackmasters, AMI, Roland Contractors, Spirit Racing Graphics
54- 174 ST 27 Leroux / Leroux LRT Racing / Acura TSX 42 2:09.439 13 84.148 Mobil-1, Durex Condoms, Presidente Imported Beer
55- 55 ST 28 Foster / Skelton Hyper Sport / Mazda RX-8 38 2:16.424 13 62.949
56- 41 GS 28 Lally / Potter TRG / Porsche 997 37 2:05.417 15 85.752 Magnus Racing
57- 32 GS 29 Bocchino / Lamb Kinetic Motorsports / BMW M3 Coupe 36 2:03.561 25 79.021 Cybernation, Cobalt Friction
58- 60 GS 30 Canney / Plumb Horsepower Ranch / Ford Mustang GT 33 2:01.595 27 38.831 Sunset Hills Vineyard
59- 92 ST 29 Gilsinger / Schmitt HART / Honda Civic SI 20 2:12.461 15 79.486
60- 2 GS 31 Ackley / Turner CMA Motorsports / Ford Mustang GT 13 2:06.261 11 77.695 US Army, Turner Law Firm, ACKCO Inc. Consulting Group
61- 08 ST 30 Leverone / McHaffie Flatout Motorsports / Mazda MX-5 10 2:12.049 6 73.914 Flatout Motorsports
62- 58 GS 32 Gullatta / Reen Rehagen Racing / Ford Mustang GT 5 2:28.759 1 70.109
63- 196 ST 31 Buford / Trinkler RSR Motorsports / Mini Cooper S 5 2:37.235 5 67.916
64- 135 ST 32 Charbonneau / Vansteenburg Runwhatyabrung Racing / Dodge SRT4 2 2:52.466 1 41.874
* 114 ST 0 Cohen / Istook Istook’s Motorsports / Audi TT 0 0 0.000 Revo Technik

* - Withdrew