Revell 2010-first half year releases

These three slot cars will be released by Revell in the first half of 2010.

85-4829 Lola T-70 MKII #98 Parnelli Jones
85-4836 Ford Fairlane #29 Dick Hutcherson
85-4838 McLaren M6A #5 Dennis Hulme

NSR Sunoco Porsche 917

Updated with new pix of the cars:



These news NSR Porsche 917K's in Sunoco colors can be won! If you enter organize or enter a local NSR National Qualifier race in the US or Canada. NSR has made only 140 of these special cars. They're serial numbered and clubs having an NSR qualifier will be able to purchase 3 of these cars are a discounted price. They will be award also to the top 3 finishers at the NSR National Final race at Great Traditions in Philly in March 2010. If you'd like to host an NSR race you can contact Great Traditions to set up a regional race by calling (267)250-1735.

New Distributor for Avant Slot

Scaleracing LLC is now distributing Avant Slot in North America. See this link to see the details and available inventory. See the price list at this link.

Need a racing fix? Check out LeMans radio

Well, I'm already going through feeling the lack of racing on TV. If you're in the same boat, check out LeMans Radio for a "fix".

http://radiolemans.com/
The latest MP3 to listen to.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas.....Feliz Navidad, Frohe Weihnachten!

Those that might be offended by a woman's bare breast should not click on this video... just a head's up for those that might be offended.

Flying Lizard Motorsport to race Daytona 24!!!

December 24, 2009 - Sonoma, California - Flying Lizard Motorsports announced today that The Racer's Group (TRG) will enter a TRG/Flying Lizard Porsche in GT at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the season-opener for the Grand-Am Road Racing Series. In the ShoreTel-sponsored No. 66 Porsche GT3 Cup Car, Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long will join Johannes van Overbeek and Seth Neiman for the 24-hour endurance race to be held on January 30-31, 2009.

Bergmeister has won three times at the Rolex 24: in GT in 2009 (with Patrick Long), in GT and overall in 2003, and in GT in 2002, all with TRG. He was also the Grand-Am Daytona Prototype champion in 2006 (with Krohn Racing). Bergmeister and Long are Porsche factory drivers and will be co-drivers in the Flying Lizard No. 45 Porsche for the 2010 ALMS season. With Flying Lizard, the duo won the 2009 ALMS GT2 drivers' championship. van Overbeek, who drove with the Lizards from 2004-2009 in the ALMS, has competed seven times at the Rolex 24. Notably, in 2007 he finished third with TRG, in 2004 took the pole and second in GT (and third overall) with Seth Neiman and Mike Rockenfeller in the Flying Lizard No. 74 Porsche and finished third in GT and overall in 2003.

All four drivers will participate in the test January 8-10 at Daytona. The No. 66 will be managed by TRG, with some Lizards at the helm including Thomas Blam (chief strategist in the ALMS), Craig Watkins (chief engineer) and Tommy Sadler (crew chief and co-technical director).

Seth Neiman commented, "I've always loved the 24 Hours of Daytona, but given our other commitments, it just hasn't been practical to run here. Working with our Porsche cousins at TRG we have an opportunity to field a very strong entry. TRG has had consistent success in Grand-Am and I'm confident that they will deliver a solid program. Joerg, Patrick and Johannes have a lot of combined experience here and of course, have shown that they excel in long races. And having Thomas, Craig and Tommy there will bring the familiarity of the Lizard team to the effort."

News used with permission from Flying Lizard Motor Sport.

New Sloting Plus wheels-"Gold Artic"

From Sloting Plus:
Here are our new Artic GOLD wheel anodized in gold colour as his name say it !
Always in Al-Mg alloy and with M2,5 screw ...
References are :
SLPL 46015 Artic GOLD wheel 15 x 8 mm
SLPL 46016 Artic GOLD wheel 15,9 x 8,5 mm
SLPL 46017 Artic GOLD wheel 16,9 x 8,5 mm

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Sloting Plus !

Schumacher returns to F1!!!!!!

http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/12/10303.html
See this link to read the interview where Michael Schumacher answers questions about his return to Formula 1 competing for the newly-formed Mercedes GP team.

From the interview:
Q: Michael, welcome back to Formula One. Your signature on the contract has hardly dried - can you say something about the content of your contract?
Michael Schumacher: Yep, the deal was done only hours ago. Regarding the driving, the time frame is three years. There was never any intention to do a one-off. There will be an option after that to be brand ambassador for Mercedes, which would make sense in a way.

New Slot It parts... tons of them.

Many, many new Slot It parts.

CS10t-60, McLaren F1 GTR chassis EVO 6 (ver.2)


CS12t-60, Audi R8C Reloaded chassis EVO 6 (ver.2)


CS14t-60, Nissan R390 GT1 chassis EVO 6 (ver.2)


CH60, Anglewinder 0,5mm Offset Motor Mount EVO 6
Please refer to the technical description.


CS15il, Mazda 787B Lexan cockpit


MN09c, Flat6-20k close can – Front shaft length: 7,3mm
The standard Flat6 now comes in closed can format, to avoid magnetic
traction as much as possible. We have listened to popular request from
racers. This is the motor used in the Spanish Slot.it series.


PA43-Pl, Plastic Ø16,5x8 light wheels, dark gray (4x), 0.76g
The Slot.it plastic wheels are known for being perfectly round. These
wheels, 16.5 mm in diameter, are no exception with a concentric
better than 0.05mm.


PA47, Set of spacers for hubs and bushings 0,1/0,25mm
PA47 provides 34 spacers and two spacing tools in one single set. The
spacers come in two different thickness: 0.10 and 0.25mm. A marking on
the set indicates the thickness of the parts.
The 'large' spacers match the dimension of the Slot.it hubs, while the
'small' spacers are designed to match the side wall of the Slot.it's
spherical bushing.
The bone shaped tool is a measuring device (for 0.10mm and 0.25mm of
space) enabling the users to leave the correct amount of play while
assembling the axles.


PT29, F22 compound, slick F1, 20x12 tires (4x) for PA20
The F22 compound is a favorite among racers. Now available in F1 size,
a perfect match for Slot.it's F1 rims.



CH46, Ferrari F40 updated cockpit
For all F40 with 1st generation cockpit.


CH55, Medium springs for CH47 (8x)
The EVO6 motor mount and the spring suspensions are a perfect couple -
CH55a are the springs which are already mounted in the CH47 spring
suspension kit. CH55b is the stiffer version.
Note that there is an error in the code: CH55 is CH55B. So:
CH55a, Soft springs for CH47 (8x)

CH55b, Medium springs for CH47 (8x)


CH56, Spherical bushings (6x)
New code which will replace the CH14 (2x spherical bushing). Packing
more bushings we have reduced the price and saved a lot of packaging.


MN11h-1, Flat6 R-22k open can – Front shaft length: 7,3mm
This is the shorter shaft length of the MN11h motor. Why did we reduce
the shaft length? Because when used in inline fashion (to replace for
example a Boxer motor), the long shaft would interfere with the bottom
of the crown's slot. The shorter shaft motor, which will become the only
available length, can be used in angled and inline motor mounts.

PT30, F15 compound, slick, 20x11,4 tires (4x) for GT
PT31, F22 compound, slick, 20x11,4 tires (4x) for GT
New, larger version of the F15 and F22 compound tyres.

CH51, Metric screw 2,2x8mm, brass, small head (10x)
CH52, Metric screw 2,2x8mm, brass, big head (10x)
CH53, Metric screw 2,2x5,3mm, brass, small head (10x)
CH54, Metric screw 2,2x5,3mm, brass, big head (10x)
These metric screws come with different head size and length, to
perfectly tune the amount of plat between body, chassis and motor mount.

Slot MiniAuto 63

SLOT MINIAUTO 63 – JANUARY

Slot MiniAuto magazine in January highlights on his Cover the new Williams FW07 of FlySlot Cars. The new 1992's Monaco G.P. Scalextric set and an unprecedented collection of all the Alpine A442 / 3, which ran at Le Mans, are also actors on the cover, and Spain's victory in the Xlot NWC. In the interview, Le Mans Miniatures reveals, exclusively for SMA, all his catalog for this 2010. Along with this magazine is given a free CD with all the official Fly Car Model Historic reference. Inside, you can also read the track test of the Ninco Megane Trophy, Nissan GT-R GT500 of Carrera and the Alfa Romeo Giulia WGEA from AutoArt.


SLOT MINIAUTO 63 – ENERO

La revista Slot MiniAuto del mes de enero destaca en su portada el nuevo Williams FW07 de FlySlot Cars. El nuevo set G.P. de Mónaco del 1992 de Superslot y una inédita colección de todos los Alpine A442/3 que corrieron en Le Mans, son también protagonistas de la portada, así como el triunfo de España en la NWC. En la entrevista, Le Mans Miniatures nos desvela en exclusiva todo su catálogo del 2010.
Junto a esta revista se entrega gratuitamente un CD con todo el Histórico de referencias oficial de Fly Car Model.
En el interior se pueden leer también las pruebas del Megane Trophy de Ninco, Nissan GT-R GT500 de Carrera y del Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm de AutoArt.


(Más información en www.revistasprofesionales.com)

Radio Shack Motors for 1/43 and small 1/32

These three Radio Shack motors are the same size as the SCX 1/43 motor (a Scalextric standard FC-130 motor is shown for size comparison). The small Radio Shack motors will fit in 1/43 cars, and may be used in very small 1/32 cars, including narrow F1 racers from the mid 1960's with full drivers. The FF-030 size is the same in cross section as the familiar F-050 "slim can" motors made for BWA, Scalextric, etc. Shaft is 1.5mm diameter. An oilite bearing is fitted on the metal can end, while the other end of the shaft appears to run in a plastic bearing molded in the end bell.

The three "Rat Shack" motors are in packages labeled 6 volt, 7.5 volt, and 9 volt. Performance specs on the packaging indicate the following:
6v motor 17,000 RPM +/- 15%, 8 gcm minimum stall torque
7.5v motor 20,000 RPM +/-12%, 21 gcm min. stall torque
9v motor 24,000 RPM +/- 12%, 26 gcm min. stall torque

RPM tests with a tachometer showed all motors revving within their stated variability band, at their given voltage:
6v motor: 16,283 RPM at 6v
7.5v motor: 20,458 RPM at 7.5v
9v motor: 23,558 RPM at 9v

Torque was assessed at a uniform 4.07 volts, showing they all have about the same torque:
6v motor: 15.7 gcm at stall at 4.07v
7.5v motor: 14.3 gcm at stall at 4.07v
9v motor: 16.4 gcm at stall at 4.07v

When converted to their rated voltage, we find that all exceed their rated torque:
6v motor: 23 gcm at 6v (8 gram minimum stated on the package)
7.5v motor: 26 gcm at 7.5v (21 gcm minimum)
9v motor: 36 gcm at 9v (26 gcm minimum)

And finally, the moment of truth. What will they do on 12 volts, a more or less standard voltage for slot cars? Torque was extrapolated upward from the 4.07 test voltage, and RPM was directly read when the motors were given a full 12v:
6v motor: 29,326 RPM/12v, 46 gcm stall torque/12v
7.5v motor: 31,674 RPM/12v, 42 gcm stall torque/12v
9v motor: 29,849 RPM/12v, 48 gcm stall torque/12v

It appears that all three motors are the same, given the natural performance variation of very small DC motors of this type. Even though they are labeled at three different performance levels, and three different voltages, I could not detect any meaningful, significant differences between the motors.

The SCX Compact 1/43 motor is rated 22,000 RPM/12v, 33 gcm torque/12v. No tests of the SCX Compact have been conducted, but it looks like the Radio Shack motors may make your little slot cars go faster.

New Slot It chassis design-EVO6

The EVO6 Slot.It Chassis

Slot.it announces the EVO6 evolution of anglewinder chassis and motor mounts - a milestone and a step forward for the company. The familiar 4 screws design of any Slot.it motor mount has evolved in a 6 screws design – where two extra screws have been added midway between the front and rear existing posts. The EVO6 parts maintain compatibility with all existing chassis and motor mounts as well: EVO6 motor mount can be used on old chassis, where it will behave like a standard 4 screws Slot.it motor mount and the new 6-screws chassis is as well compatible with the old motor mounts. The EVO6 advantage of course is only available if both parts are of the EVO6 type.

All RTR GT cars from Slot.it (Audi, McLaren, Nissan) from now on will come standard with the EVO6 chassis, but still with the standard inline motor mount as always. An exception will be the RAW series, which will be extended to other GT models as well, which will be assembled with the new EVO6 motor mount and chassis. Note that for a limited time, the new cars (Audi R8C n.9 and F1GTR Gulf) will come with a standard EVO1 chassis assembled in the car and an extra EVO6 chassis under the base. As these two model cars were already assembled when the EVO6 chassis became available, we've decided that it was a nicer gesture to provide new cars with state of the art chassis rather than delivering cars with old chassis and at the same time announcing such a radical improvement.

Available now:

• CH60 - EVO6 AW motor mount, 0.5mm offset, flex.
• CS12T-60 - Audi R8C EVO6 chassis
• CS14T-60 - Nissan R390 (Short and Long Tail) EVO6 chassis
• CS10T-60 - McLaren F1GTR EVO6 chassis

From a Slot It press release:
Q: what is it?
A: The familiar 4 screws design of any Slot.it motor mount has evolved in a 6 screws design –
where two extra screws have been added midway between the front and rear existing posts.

Q: when was it first designed?
A: Already in 2005, when Slot.it filed and obtained a patent in Italy and Spain for its angled motor mount, before anyone else came to the market with a similar system, the EVO6 design was filed for protection as well. Eventually, all the necessary tooling modifications were made, and extensive testing gave excellent results.

Q: So what is the reason for this evolution?
A: By looking at the part from above, it can be seen that the position of the rear axle is between the new set of screws, and the old rear one. The motor mount can then be attached to the main chassis with 4 or 6 screws. With 4 screws only, there are two options: use the front and rear screws, which is just like a standard motor mount, or move the screws forward, to the mid position, thus leaving the back end of the motor mount floating. In this configuration, the behaviour of the car is radically different from the standard setup, as the motor mount can flex under the various forces that act on the car: depending on the grip and setup of the car, it might work very well or hop might happen, which is not unexpected. However, the EVO6 uniqueness is that suspension can replace the rear screws: this gives the racer an absolutely precise control on the amount of flex of the motor mount, something previously unavailable to slot racers. The increase in traction and smoothness is absolutely remarkable. For racers who like to use the Lexan interiors, an even better option is to use 2 sets of suspensions: one in front (lexan interiors leave plenty of space), very soft and with short run, and one in the rear, whose amount of run and stiffness can be fine tuned at will. We are launching stiffer springs at the same time. Further, when the car is travelling straight, the suspensions keep the proper alignment and riding height of the motor mount and main chassis, which is better and more predictable than standard loosen screws.

Q: How does it affect lap times?
A: This is a question with many answers, as a lot depends on setup, driver, track type. Our tests in a club Ninco track of approximately 10” all other things being equal, show a lap time improvement varying between 0.1” and 0.3” (average on stints of 50 laps). Your mileage might vary.

Q: What models will come with EVO6 chassis?
A: Right now, Audi, McLaren, Nissan. The Ferrari F40 will not be made EVO6 ready. Regarding Gr.C, we are currently studying each model to see what is needed to make it EVO6 ready. In any case, wherever possible, all future chassis will be EVO6 ready.

Q: are the RTR cars going to change?
A: whenever possible every new chassis will be EVO6 ready, but the box stock motor mount will remain as it is. An exception of course are the RAW models which will come with EVO6 motor mount and chassis. McLaren and Nissan RAW models are being planned.

Q: are the new EVO6 chassis compatible with the old motor mounts?
A: Yes, 100% compatible. Of course the two extra screws being absent, there will be no change in the performance of the standard motor mount.

Q: is the new EVO6 motor mount compatible with the old chassis?
A: Yes, as long as the two extra screw posts do not interfere with the body. Of course the two extra screws being absent, there will be no change in the performance.

Q: the new EVO6 motor mount is a 0.5 offset. Is Slot.it going to issue the 0.0 and 1.0 versions as well?
A: Nothing has been decided yet. Technically, it is possible.

Q: are these chassis going to be used in the European Championship?
A: Certainly not in 2010. For 2011, we'll see but it is not a priority.

Sideways DP/SCX Peugeot 908HDi

Arriving in the US tomorrow, the Sideways Telmex/Target Daytona Prototype.



Arrived in the US already. This car will only be available in the North American market in SCX-Digital.

NEPA Slot Cars-BRM 6 Hour Enduro

Follow this link to Slot Car Illustrated to read the account of this race... a really great read BTW!!!

From the race report:
"The NEPA Slot Car Club hosted a Six Hour Race for BRM Cars on December 12, 2009 at NEPA Model Raceway. The cars were to be any 1/24th scale BRM car using any combination of BRM parts and running on Indy Grip 3101 tires only. There were four teams entered:

Team Coke: Tom Pintchuck
Dave Kennedy
Coca-Cola Porsche 962C No. 5

Team Monster: Eric Skurka
P. J. Golden
Mike Grabko
Monster Energy Drink Special Porsche 962C

NJ Slot 132: Rob Holt
Don Warmby
Toyota 88C No. 36 "Black Edition"

KAOS: Chuck Perez
Dean Kirkpatrick
Tom Gunshannon
Miller High Life Porsche 962C No. 14

The race was 6 hours duration, broken into half hour segments and the drivers could share the driving time any way they saw fit so long as all drivers got as equal a share of the time as possible. All vehicle maintenance and repair had to be performed under "green flag" conditions only.

The green flag dropped at 2:03 pm for the first heat and the pace was immediately fast and furious. At the end of the first half hour, Dean had KAOS in the lead with 280 laps, Coke was second with 274, and Monster and NJ Slot 132 were tied for third at 268. Despite their unfamiliarity with the track and limited practice time, NJ Slot 132 set fastest lap with a time of 6.070 seconds. "

Read the complete story at this link.

Morgan TV... I kid you not!

This is totally cool! Morgan TV! Yes... Morgan TV!

New Porsche 911's in 1/24 by Scaleauto

Criccrac.com is showing the new Scaleauto Porsche's for sale, the new GT3 Cup 911 (997) Penthouse livery.



The Cup car adds to this release which is shown (here previously) and shown on Criccrac.com for sale as well.


And a cool body kit shown here:
http://www.criccrac.com/fichaprod2.php?id=10744

NSR Special Edition 917

These news NSR Porsche 917K's in Sunoco colors can be won! If you enter organize or enter a local NSR National Qualifier race in the US or Canada. NSR has made only 140 of these special cars. They're serial numbered and clubs having an NSR qualifier will be able to purchase 3 of these cars are a discounted price. They will be award also to the top 3 finishers at the NSR National Final race at Great Traditions in Philly in March 2010. If you'd like to host an NSR race you can contact Great Traditions to set up a regional race by calling (267)250-1735.

Grand Am Daytona testing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2009) - Two dozen GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 teams came away from a two-day test at Daytona International Speedway impressed with the Pirelli tires they will be using in 2010 competition. Their season begins with the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31.

A primary reason for the two-day session was to allow Rolex Series competitors the opportunity to have their first test with the 2010 Pirelli tire. Many competitors said they were pleased, overall.

"Perfect!" said Max Angelelli, driver of the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Ford Dallara.

"The tires are great!" said Bill Auberlen, testing the No. 94 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 for the first time. "We ran entire stints, and a stint-and-a-half, and we virtually lose no lap time. I think Pirelli knew what they wanted to do, and they achieved it. Everyone's all smiles."

"I'm really surprised; we've got a gain here," said Mike Shank, owner of the Nos. 6 and 60 Michael Shank Racing Ford Rileys. "We've got a tire here that we can double stint - minimally - at night."

Shank also feels the tires will be a plus in the upcoming Rolex Series sprint races.

"In the sprint races, when we only have to add fuel, we'll be able to keep a set of tires on the car," Shank said.

Shank's cars were among the leaders throughout both two-day sessions, which ran virtually incident free.After finishing second in the 2006 Rolex 24, winning the pole in 2008 and consistently running near the top, coming close is no longer good enough.

"It owes us," he said. "We're going to get it. We're going to get it."

Reminded that his cars have been fast throughout the two-day test, Shank said, "That's getting a little bit old. We want to translate this into something good this year. We've proven that we can go fast in the practice and test sessions at least a hundred times."

Shank said his program is not totally set for 2010, but he was happy to have AJ Allmendinger testing in the car in preparation for the Rolex 24, as well as Mark Patterson and John Pew. He was also happy with another addition to his lineup for this test - Ricky Taylor.

"Ricky has been the surprise of this test for me," Shank said. "He is doing really well. He's not that far off of Michael (Valiante), and Michael is trying real hard. I was pleasantly surprised with Ricky, and besides, he fits in great with the other guys."

Ozz Negri, however, wasn't surprised with his new teammate.

"Ricky is not a surprise for me," Negri said. "I know he's a good driver, and I know there is a huge potential."

While the Shank cars were among the quickest on Wednesday - along with Scott Pruett in the No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates BMW Riley, Angelelli and Brumos Porsche Riley driver David Donohue - Negri said speed was not the goal on the second day of the session.

"The car is very quick," Negri said. "Today we were working on race setup and our endurance, working on things like our brake package."

Times at the test were unofficial and not recorded.



Allmendinger Happy With Offseason Work

After winding up a strenuous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule at Homestead-Miami Speedway less than three weeks ago, AJ Allmendinger was happy to be back in a race car Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway.

"I hate the offseason," Allmendinger said. "I want to be racing."

Allmendinger tested in the No. 60 Ford Riley, joined by Negri and Pew. Valiante, Taylor and Patterson tested the team's No. 6 entry.

"I never got to do the December test here before, and I'm real excited about it," Allmendinger said. "I love being part of Mike Shank Racing. This will be my fifth year doing it, and I'm real excited. We always have a car that can go out there and win. I just love driving for Mike. He's a great guy and he's a lot of fun being around, and that's why I show up every year. I was going to be out here anyway doing the PRI show's go-kart race Thursday in Orlando, and Mike called me and asked if I wanted to test here on Wednesday. I said, 'Heck yes.'

"I love GRAND-AM, I love the series and I love driving the Daytona Prototypes," Allmendinger continued. "They're a lot of fun. It's definitely a lot different. It takes about 8-10 laps to get back into form and know where to brake. But I enjoy it, and being able to do the December test will make it a lot easier coming back in January. This will help me a lot. I'll be able to come back in January, jump right back in the car and it will be like I was in it all year."

Allmendinger's best Rolex 24 finish was second in 2006, when he co-drove with Negri, Patterson and Justin Wilson.

"We know how prestigious this race is," Allmendinger said. "I'm real excited to be with Ford on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series side, and running here gives me the chance to keep building on that relationship. Now, all we need is to get a little luck on our side. We'll have two cars right up in the top three or four, and now we need to pray to the racing gods for a little luck."



Haywood: 2010 Will Be His Last Rolex 24

Hurley Haywood came up about five seconds shy of winning his sixth Rolex 24 At Daytona this past January, and ended the 2009 campaign in Gatorade Victory Lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

So he's carrying plenty of momentum into the 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona - which he confirmed Wednesday will be his last drive in the event he's won a record five times.

"I'm certainly going to try my very best," Haywood said. "We're going to have a strong car and a strong driver lineup. Winning would be a nice way to close my career, believe me. I've already stated this is going to be my last Rolex 24. It would be a great way to cap a great career."

Haywood will team with 2009 Rolex 24 winners Darren Law and David Donohue in the Rolex 24, sharing the No. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche Riley. The team has a technical alliance with the new No. 9 Action Express Racing Porsche Riley of Joao Barbosa and Terry Borcheller.



Johnston Pleased With First Daytona Test

Englishman Derek Johnston has been waiting to drive at Daytona International Speedway since he learned he won the inaugural Rolex 24 Driver Challenge presented by Sunoco. He won a funded drive in the Rolex 24 and testing after tallying the highest point total in four British racing championships.

"It was absolutely brilliant to go out there for the first time yesterday," said Johnston, the British Radical Series champion. "I was a little nervous at first and was a little slow on the first lap, but I gradually gained confidence and picked it up."

Johnston tested in the No. 09 Spirit of Daytona Porsche Coyote, along with driver/coach Guy Cosmo and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Paul Menard. The team is also fielding a brand-new No. 90 Porsche Coyote for 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice, Antonio Garcia and Menard. Rice and Garcia were part of the winning lineup in the 2009 Rolex 24.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought," Johnston said. "What made it really good was I already had an understanding of knowing what the car would do from my test last month at Virginia, so I didn't have to start from scratch."

It was the first time in a Daytona Prototype for Menard, who won two Rolex Series GT races for Spirit of Daytona in a Corvette in 2002.

"I've got a lot to learn about the braking in the Daytona Prototype," Menard said. "It seems all the speed is made up in how hard you attack the corner, how hard you can push the brake power. The car stopped really well and has good power. It's real quick from what I'm used to. It's a learning curve, but a lot of fun."



Jonsson Happy with Ford Lola

Nic Jönsson was the lone driver for Krohn Racing Ford Lola at the test, and he was pleased with the progress on the car. The car was badly damaged in a flip after a cut tire a month ago, with team owner Tracy Krohn escaping unhurt.

"I don't know if the Lola's quick enough to be on the pole here, but I think we definitely have the car to be running up front as far as speed and consistency once we get going," Jönsson said. "Hopefully we'll have the same team back and will get another crack at it. I just hope it stays together in one piece."

While he didn't test the car, Krohn Racing driver Eric van de Poele was on hand to offer support.



Lally Says TRG Will Need Strong Package For Repeat

Andy Lally was one of five drivers to win the 2009 Rolex 24 in the Rolex Series GT class. He said Wednesday he and his co-drivers of TRG's No. 67 Porsche GT3 will have a strong package for the 2010 race, but realize they can't take their fellow competitors for granted.

"We're about the same pace as we were last year, but our competition and the other makes have stepped up, so we're going to have something a little bit stronger and hopefully make it comfortable to drive," Lally said.

Lally will race the Rolex 24 with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Bobby Labonte, Spencer Pumpelly and Tim George Jr. TRG also campaigned its Nos. 66 and 68 Porsche GT3s, and is providing technical assistance to Guardian Angel Motorsports for the second consecutive season.

"I think we had a pretty good car and think we found a pretty good setup for our cars for the Rolex 24," Lally said. "We took our winning combination and just made some minor tweaks and improvements. I think we have a pretty good baseline."



Nonnamakers Happy With Performance

Will Nonnamaker said he feels Team Sahlen is right where it wants to be after testing its new Mazda RX-8 during this week's test. The team had run a Corvette the past three seasons.

Nonnamaker, who along with younger brother Wayne Nonnamaker and team owner Joe Sahlen, were among the fastest on the charts Tuesday, and continued to progress on Wednesday.

"It's better than we can ever imagine it was going to be," Will Nonnamaker said. "We got these cars from SpeedSource, and this has just been a fantastic car. Our goal this year to help Mazda win the manufacturer's championship, so hopefully we can play a big part in winning it this year."



PR1 Motorsports Proving BMW M6 Fast

Thomas Merrill and Max Hyatt, one of the youngest driver pairings in the Rolex Series paddock, participated in the No. 32 Miracle Sealants Team PR1 BMW M6 over the two days, with the assistance of 2008 Rolex Series GT co-champion Paul Edwards.

The team introduced the BMW M6 during the second half of the 2009 season, constructing the car from what was a Pontiac GXP.R. Hyatt finished fourth in the car at Miller Motorsports Park, the team's best finish with the M6.

Merrill, who has competed with PR1 five times over the past two seasons, remarked he was excited about what the team learned this week.

"It's been exciting switching to the new car and learning a lot," Merrill said. "It's a great car. It's the first time we've had it at Daytona, and we're doing pretty well so far. We're trying to get into a comfort zone and find a way to stay there."



Magnus Racing: New Team With Old Feel

Magnus Racing may be a new team, but several crewmembers - and its main two drivers - have worked together in the past. Craig Stanton and John Potter made up the driver lineup for this week's test, and two other drivers will be announced for the Rolex 24 in the near future. Potter said the team's main reason for coming this week was to prep for the 2010 season.

"We've spent a lot of time on the track, and we've also played a lot with setups," Potter said. "We're a new team and most people have worked together. Overall, it's a good binding experience. We've had a lot of fun and made some good progress with the car."

Potter said the team is focused on a full 2010 slate in the No. 44 Porsche GT3.



SpeedSource Team Happy About New Car's Performance"The car is perfect," Nick Longhi said about the Mazda RX-8 following Wednesday's practice session at Daytona.

The new No. 69 Mazda RX-8 rolled off the truck and onto the track for the first time Tuesday and all five drivers that toured the track said they felt happy with the car's performance. Former race winner Sylvain Tremblay shared the No. 69 with its regular co-drivers, Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato, as well as veteran and part-time team racer Longhi.

Joining them for the test was Anthony Lazzaro, a two-time Rolex 24 At Daytona class winner who was competing in a Mazda for the first time. Like the others, Lazzaro was pleased with the car's performance.

"For me, it's a good opportunity to come back to Daytona with a car and team that has proven it could win the race, and with a car that dominated the end of 2009, with friends" Lazzaro said. "SpeedSource has built a great car, nice and easy to drive, and it's a perfect car to win the Rolex 24. We look forward to getting a good result."

SpeedSource hopes to make an announcement on the full Rolex 24 driver lineup soon.



Dempsey Racing Makes Strides At Test

Joe Foster and Dempsey Racing will return to the Rolex Series in 2010. Foster, who normally teams with Patrick Dempsey, turned several laps during the two days with James Gue and Don Kitch. Dempsey's schedule kept him from participating in the test.

This will be the third full season in which Dempsey and Foster will campaign the car. Foster expects to make an announcement on the team's plans for 2010 later in the month. This week, his concentration centered on making the No. 40 Mazda RX-8 a better race car.

"We built this car completely from scratch, had a few teething problems with it, but in the big picture we're fine," Foster said. "We're getting a new car in January, which is similar to the chassis we brought this week. Everything is going fine."



Another Team, ZMG, Made First On-Track Appearance

ZMG was another team that made its Rolex Series GT debut Tuesday, joining Turner Motorsport and Magnus Racing as first-time squads, with Shane Lewis and Richard Zahn.

Lewis has been coaching Zahn for about a year. The team has only had the car for about a month, Lewis said, and the test was most specifically to earn seat time and run laps.

"We're not here to set any track records," Lewis said. "This is Rich's first time at Daytona. I went out there and set up the car for him to drive, and he's been out there just rocking out laps and learning. Our goal is to get him those laps and get ready for the Rolex 24."

The Rolex Series teams - joined by their GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Series counterparts - return to Daytona International Speedway Jan. 8-10 for the Roar Before the Rolex 24. The 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona takes the green flag at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30 (SPEED, live).

Ninco December releases