Photos of the new Pacific Mobile Sideways DP.
Showing posts with label Daytona Prototype. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daytona Prototype. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A pair of Sideways DP's for sale
I little plug for a pair of cars I'm selling... a rare pair of Sideways DP's for sale on SCI.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
New Sideways Dallara, Autosport Pacific info
This model will be available very early in June. Please mind photos are still relevant to a preproduction sample.
We have also been forced to release SW11 cars before long awaited SW10 Riley MkXX AIM Autosport PACIFIC due very difficult tampo printing setup for that model. SW10 will be therefore available at beginning of July.
At the same time we will also introduce in price list a new chassis for Dallara DP (stock code - MK01A EVO ) ready to accept new 6 screws Slot.It motor mounts but overall injected in new material which, after testing performed, showed an important increase of handling and performance.
The EVO chassis will be also available for Riley MkXX (stock code MK01 EVO) at same time of release of SW10.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
McDonald's arrival soon!
Finally arriving soon (within the next week or so) the Sideways McDonald's Dallara!
Monday, March 21, 2011
New Sideways Dallara Coming!
The McDonald's Doran Racing Dallara is expected to arrive late March in North America.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
New Fly Riley/bodies coming
Flyslot will soon be offering Riley Bodies according to this latest news.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Flying Lizard Motorsport to enter Daytona 24
November 23, 2010 – Sonoma, California – Flying Lizard Motorsports announced today their entry for the team's fourth Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 29-30 in Daytona Beach, Florida. For the first time, the team will run a Porsche-powered Riley Daytona Prototype. The Flying Lizard No. 45 DP is powered by a Porsche Motorsport- prepared, 911-based flat-6 engine. The chassis, previously run by Brumos Racing, won the race overall in 2009. Flying Lizard is working closely with Riley Technologies and the Action Express team to prepare the car and wishes to thank Jim France for his support of this effort. The team will run the car at the official series test at Homestead, December 1-2. The driver lineup will be announced later this year.
The team's history at Daytona has been bittersweet, with many close finishes. In 2004, the No. 74 Flying Lizard Porsche GT3 Cup was second in GT and third overall, in 2005 the No. 75 Porsche finished thirteenth, and in 2009 (with TRG), the No. 67 Porsche finished second in GT.
"The Daytona 24 is such a great race," said Flying Lizard team principal Seth Neiman. "We've always enjoyed competing here and are looking forward to the new experience of running a DP. I really want to thank Porsche Motorsport for their engine support and Bill Riley for his help as we come up the learning curve in this class. One of our main areas of focus this year is the significant endurance races and this is a great place to start. After the race, we'll head back to our American Le Mans Series program to get ready for the season opener at Sebring in March."
News used with permission of Flying Lizard Motorsport. Pre-season Test Oct. 2010 photo -- © 2010 Brian Cleary
The team's history at Daytona has been bittersweet, with many close finishes. In 2004, the No. 74 Flying Lizard Porsche GT3 Cup was second in GT and third overall, in 2005 the No. 75 Porsche finished thirteenth, and in 2009 (with TRG), the No. 67 Porsche finished second in GT.
"The Daytona 24 is such a great race," said Flying Lizard team principal Seth Neiman. "We've always enjoyed competing here and are looking forward to the new experience of running a DP. I really want to thank Porsche Motorsport for their engine support and Bill Riley for his help as we come up the learning curve in this class. One of our main areas of focus this year is the significant endurance races and this is a great place to start. After the race, we'll head back to our American Le Mans Series program to get ready for the season opener at Sebring in March."
News used with permission of Flying Lizard Motorsport. Pre-season Test Oct. 2010 photo -- © 2010 Brian Cleary
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Fly News!!!!!! New Daytona Prototypes
Some news from Flyslot! New Daytona Prototypes and a new DP mold! Also Sunred bodies will be available!
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
New Sideways Doran Racing Dallara
Sideways SW09 Dallara DP Doran Racing will arrive in North America in about 2 months.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Grand Am Lime Rock coverage
Morning practice is over and the race will begin in a few hours. Here's a link to a gallery of photos from morning practice I just shot. More photos later today.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Grand Am Rolex-Lime Rock practice
LAKEVILLE, Conn. - The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototypes made their long-awaited first appearance at Lime Rock Park on Tuesday, taking part in an unofficial test in preparation for the Memorial Day classic.
A total of 19 cars - including 11 Daytona Prototypes - tackled changing weather conditions throughout the six-hour session. The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 will race here on Monday, May 31, at 2 p.m. ET (SPEED, live), featuring both the Daytona Prototypes and production-based GT cars.
Competitors gave favorable reviews to the new 1.5-mile layout, using the optional uphill with the classic West Bend.
Daytona Prototype teams participating included two cars from both Michael Shank Racing and Starworks Motorsports, along with single cars from TELMEX Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing, Brumos Racing, Action Express Racing, SunTrust Racing, AIM Autosport and Krohn Racing.
GT teams included three Mazdas from SpeedSource plus the Dempsey Racing/Team Seattle Mazda, Racers Edge Mazda, Magnus Porsche, Turner BMW and Whelen Corvette.
By the end of the day and on a dry track, Daytona Prototype drivers were turning laps in the 49-second range. Drivers in the GT class, which last visited Lime Rock in 2008 on the old course, clocked in at 53 seconds.
"A lap goes so quick here," said Rojas, testing the championship-leading TELMEX BMW Riley with Joey Hand. "The biggest thing I remember is that you have to stay on top of things the entire time. There isn't a lot of time to do things here."
David Donohue is happy to see the Daytona Prototypes becoming part of the Memorial Day Weekend habit.
"Lime Rock was one of the tracks I grew up on and a place my father (Mark Donohue) was really good at," said Donohue, sharing the No. 59 Brumos.com Porsche Riley with Darren Law. "I'm definitely looking forward to coming back on Memorial Day and being part of that tradition."
The only incident of the day occurred late in the session, when Nick Longhi spun the No. 69 FXDD Mazda RX-8 into the guardrail on the back straightaway. Longhi was uninjured. The team currently leads the GT team championship by three points (118-115).
The Memorial Day weekend will also feature a Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race on Saturday, May 29. The Rolex Series events will be compressed into a single day, with practice at 9 a.m. and qualifying at 11:55 a.m.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Mazda still dominates competition
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 24, 2010) - Teams fielding Camaro, Corvette, Porsche and BMW race cars are looking to snap Mazda's two-race winning streak in the Porsche 250 on April 10 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., Round 3 of the 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.
The race will take the green flag at 1:36 p.m. ET, with live SPEED coverage beginning
at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Andrew Davis and Robin Liddell won the 2009 Porsche 250 in a Pontiac GXP.R. Stevenson Motorsports is fielding a pair of Camaros for 2010, the No. 57 for Davis and Liddell and the No. 97 for Jan Magnussen and Gunter Schaldach.Three teams will field Corvettes. Banner Racing has the No. 07 Mobil 1 Corvette for 2008 GT co-champion Paul Edwards and motorcycle legend Scott Russell. Lou Gigliotti's LG Motorsports debuted the No. 28 Corvette for 2008 co-champion Kelly Collins and Eric Lux in the recent race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, while Marsh Racing makes its GRAND-AM debut at Barber with the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette for Eric Curran and Sonny Whelen. Collins and Edwards teamed to win GT honors in the 2007 Porsche 250 in the No. 07 Banner Racing Pontiac GXP.R.
Three Porsches are entered in the event. John Potter and Craig Stanton share the No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3, Shane Lewis and Richard Zahn co-drive the No. 46 Autohaus Motorsports entry while Luke Hines and Bryce Miller compete in the No. 48 Miller Barrett Racing GT3.
Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana are entered in the lone BMW, the No. 94 Turner Motorsport M6 that made its debut in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. The team had a strong showing in the Grand Prix of Miami, leading four laps and finishing fifth.
The four marques will be taking on Mazda, which has four teams fielding eight cars and won the GT class in both races this season. SpeedSource owner Sylvain Tremblay and new regular co-driver Jonathan Bomarito, joined by Nick Ham and David Haskell, won the season opening Rolex 24 in the No. 70 Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8, while Emil Assentato and Jeff Segal captured GT honors in the team's No. 69 FXDD Mazda at Homestead. SpeedSource also fields the No. 68 of rising stars John Edwards and Adam Christodoulou.
Dempsey Racing has expanded to two Mazdas this season. Racer/actor Patrick Dempsey and Joe Foster return in the No. 40, joined by defending GT champion Leh Keen and James Gue in the No. 41 - who scored Dempsey Racing's first podium finish by placing third at Homestead. Team Sahlen has a pair of Mazdas, with Joe Sahlen joining Joe Nonnamaker and his two sons, Will and Wayne Nonnamaker. Returning with one car is Racers Edge Motorsports, fielding the No. 30 for Todd Lamb and Jordan Taylor.Practice for the Porsche 250 begins at 2:55 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 8, with qualifying Friday at 11:40 a.m.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Grand Am TV ratings press release
A press release from Grand Am
----------------------------------
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - GRAND-AM Road Racing got its 2010 Rolex Sports
Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 and Continental Tire Sports Car
Challenge seasons off to another outstanding start last month at Daytona International
Speedway, reaching millions of viewers through expanded television offerings centered
around the respective season openers
Anchoring the Rolex Series television coverage was SPEED's extended live telecast
of the 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona. This year, SPEED featured 16 hours of live coverage,
including a thrilling final eight-and-a-half hours of racing on Sunday, Jan. 31.
Sunday's Rolex 24 coverage was the second highest-rated motorsports program of
that weekend, with over half a million viewers tuning in for the final hour of the
race. In total, 2010 Rolex 24 viewership was up 22 percent over 2006, which was
the last year that all Rolex 24 coverage aired exclusively on SPEED.
Undoubtedly helping grow the Rolex 24 audience were repeated showings of "GRAND-AM:
24 Hours at Daytona" on both the FX network as well as SPEED. The one-hour special
focused on introducing the cars and many of the personalities who participate in
the Rolex Series as well as superstars from other forms of motorsports that annually
participate in the Rolex 24. The special drew 531,000 viewers for its Jan. 23 airing
on FX and drew nearly 500,000 more in five telecasts on SPEED.
The Rolex 24 was also featured in the HBO Series "24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona,"
which wrapped up last week. Johnson's participation in the Rolex 24 with the GAINSCO/Bob
Stallings Racing team was chronicled in great detail during the second episode of
the four-part series, airing for the first of multiple times on Feb. 2 and reaching
a total audience well in excess of one million viewers.
The SPEED telecast of the 2010 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season-opening
Fresh From Florida 200 was also a strong performer when it aired on Saturday, Feb.
13. SPEED television coverage of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge has increased
by one event over the 2009 season, with eight races scheduled to air this year.
The Daytona season opener saw 75 cars participate and the series is poised for another
entry list of 70-plus for the upcoming Homestead 200 on March 6 at Homestead-Miami
Speedway.
"We are certainly encouraged by a solid start to the 2010 season for both of our
series in terms of television coverage," said Kevin Hindson, GRAND-AM Vice President,
Marketing and Communications. "While viewership numbers have increased - which is
always a good thing - the different programs that were available also did an outstanding
job of introducing our sport to new audiences and educating potential new fans on
what we have to offer. All of the programs were very well presented and put GRAND-AM
in a positive light, and we hope viewers of those programs will come back and watch
us throughout the year. We are also working on additional season-long programming
which will air on new channels for GRAND-AM Road Racing."
Next up for the GRAND-AM Rolex Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
is the Grand Prix of Miami weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 6. Tickets
are currently available through RaceTickets.com. SPEED will offer live coverage
of the Grand Prix of Miami for the Rolex Series at 5 p.m. ET Saturday, March 6 and
will show the Homestead 200 for the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge at 1 p.m.
ET Saturday, March 13.
----------------------------------
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - GRAND-AM Road Racing got its 2010 Rolex Sports
Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 and Continental Tire Sports Car
Challenge seasons off to another outstanding start last month at Daytona International
Speedway, reaching millions of viewers through expanded television offerings centered
around the respective season openers
Anchoring the Rolex Series television coverage was SPEED's extended live telecast
of the 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona. This year, SPEED featured 16 hours of live coverage,
including a thrilling final eight-and-a-half hours of racing on Sunday, Jan. 31.
Sunday's Rolex 24 coverage was the second highest-rated motorsports program of
that weekend, with over half a million viewers tuning in for the final hour of the
race. In total, 2010 Rolex 24 viewership was up 22 percent over 2006, which was
the last year that all Rolex 24 coverage aired exclusively on SPEED.
Undoubtedly helping grow the Rolex 24 audience were repeated showings of "GRAND-AM:
24 Hours at Daytona" on both the FX network as well as SPEED. The one-hour special
focused on introducing the cars and many of the personalities who participate in
the Rolex Series as well as superstars from other forms of motorsports that annually
participate in the Rolex 24. The special drew 531,000 viewers for its Jan. 23 airing
on FX and drew nearly 500,000 more in five telecasts on SPEED.
The Rolex 24 was also featured in the HBO Series "24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona,"
which wrapped up last week. Johnson's participation in the Rolex 24 with the GAINSCO/Bob
Stallings Racing team was chronicled in great detail during the second episode of
the four-part series, airing for the first of multiple times on Feb. 2 and reaching
a total audience well in excess of one million viewers.
The SPEED telecast of the 2010 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season-opening
Fresh From Florida 200 was also a strong performer when it aired on Saturday, Feb.
13. SPEED television coverage of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge has increased
by one event over the 2009 season, with eight races scheduled to air this year.
The Daytona season opener saw 75 cars participate and the series is poised for another
entry list of 70-plus for the upcoming Homestead 200 on March 6 at Homestead-Miami
Speedway.
"We are certainly encouraged by a solid start to the 2010 season for both of our
series in terms of television coverage," said Kevin Hindson, GRAND-AM Vice President,
Marketing and Communications. "While viewership numbers have increased - which is
always a good thing - the different programs that were available also did an outstanding
job of introducing our sport to new audiences and educating potential new fans on
what we have to offer. All of the programs were very well presented and put GRAND-AM
in a positive light, and we hope viewers of those programs will come back and watch
us throughout the year. We are also working on additional season-long programming
which will air on new channels for GRAND-AM Road Racing."
Next up for the GRAND-AM Rolex Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
is the Grand Prix of Miami weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 6. Tickets
are currently available through RaceTickets.com. SPEED will offer live coverage
of the Grand Prix of Miami for the Rolex Series at 5 p.m. ET Saturday, March 6 and
will show the Homestead 200 for the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge at 1 p.m.
ET Saturday, March 13.
Suntrust Dallara from Sideways
SW08 - Dallara DP - Wayne Taylor Racing - Laguna Seca GrandAm 2009 -
Angelelli/Frisselle/Taylor
All photos by AMAZINGSLOT
Angelelli/Frisselle/Taylor
All photos by AMAZINGSLOT
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Daytona 24 first 6 hour video clip
A video from Grand Am showing highlights from the first 6 hours of the Daytona 24 Hours.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Gearing up for Daytona 24!
Competitors in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 geared up for the Jan. 30-31 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona by unofficially besting track records in both the Daytona Prototype and GT classes in a three-day test.
The Roar Before The Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway saw Max Angelelli eclipse the track record with a lap of 1:40.466 (127.566 mph) in the No. 10 SunTrust Ford Dallara, while Leh Keen led GT competitors with a lap of 1:49.214 (117.348 mph) in the No. 41 Dempsey Racing/Team Seattle Mazda RX-8.
The official track records will be on the line in Rolex 24 At Daytona qualifying at 3:45 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 28, which will set the top 20 positions in each class for the race. Final qualifying will be held at 11 a.m. ET Friday. The 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona takes the green flag at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Defending Rolex 24 winner David Donohue set the track record in 2009 qualifying with a lap of 1:40.540 (127.472 mph). Sylvain Tremblay broke the GT mark last year by running 1:49.455 (117.100 mph) on his final lap of the 15-minute qualifying session.
Angelelli said winning the pole was not a priority for the SunTrust Racing team. The team won the 2005 event with Wayne Taylor and Emmanuel Collard co-driving with Angelelli. For 2010, "Max the Ax" will drive with Pedro Lamy, plus car owner Wayne Taylor and his son Ricky Taylor.
"I want to win the race - we want to win the race," Angelelli said. "That's the only thing that counts. We were very happy with this test. We were very happy with the car. Everything was perfect."
Second in Daytona Prototype testing was IZOD IndyCar Series star Scott Dixon in the No. 02 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley, 1:40.588 (127.411 mph); followed by Michael Valiante with a lap of 1:41.182 (126.663 mph) in the No. 6 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley; Scott Pruett in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley, 1:40.986 (126.909 mph); and Christophe Bouchut in the No. 55 Level 5 Motorsports/Supercar Life Racing BMW Riley, 1:41.121 (126.739 mph).
Martin Ragginger was second in GT with a lap of 1:49.627 (116.906 mph) in Alex Job Racing's No. 23 Foametix/Battery Tender Porsche GT3. He was followed by Spencer Pumpelly, 1:49.700 (116.828 mph) in the No. 71 TRG Porsche GT3; Jorg Bergmeister in the No. 67 TRG/Flying Lizard Motorsport Porsche GT3, 1:49.730 (116.796 mph); and Tremblay in SpeedSource's No. 70 Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8, 1:49.770 (116.753 mph).
Practice for the Rolex 24 begins at 10 a.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 28. Friday's schedule includes the Fresh From Florida 200 for the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. SPEED's live coverage of the Rolex 24 will begin at 3 p.m. ET Saturday and last until 10 p.m., and will resume at 7 a.m. ET Sunday until 4 p.m.
News used with permission from Grand-Am.com.
The Roar Before The Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway saw Max Angelelli eclipse the track record with a lap of 1:40.466 (127.566 mph) in the No. 10 SunTrust Ford Dallara, while Leh Keen led GT competitors with a lap of 1:49.214 (117.348 mph) in the No. 41 Dempsey Racing/Team Seattle Mazda RX-8.
The official track records will be on the line in Rolex 24 At Daytona qualifying at 3:45 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 28, which will set the top 20 positions in each class for the race. Final qualifying will be held at 11 a.m. ET Friday. The 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona takes the green flag at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Defending Rolex 24 winner David Donohue set the track record in 2009 qualifying with a lap of 1:40.540 (127.472 mph). Sylvain Tremblay broke the GT mark last year by running 1:49.455 (117.100 mph) on his final lap of the 15-minute qualifying session.
Angelelli said winning the pole was not a priority for the SunTrust Racing team. The team won the 2005 event with Wayne Taylor and Emmanuel Collard co-driving with Angelelli. For 2010, "Max the Ax" will drive with Pedro Lamy, plus car owner Wayne Taylor and his son Ricky Taylor.
"I want to win the race - we want to win the race," Angelelli said. "That's the only thing that counts. We were very happy with this test. We were very happy with the car. Everything was perfect."
Second in Daytona Prototype testing was IZOD IndyCar Series star Scott Dixon in the No. 02 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley, 1:40.588 (127.411 mph); followed by Michael Valiante with a lap of 1:41.182 (126.663 mph) in the No. 6 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley; Scott Pruett in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley, 1:40.986 (126.909 mph); and Christophe Bouchut in the No. 55 Level 5 Motorsports/Supercar Life Racing BMW Riley, 1:41.121 (126.739 mph).
Martin Ragginger was second in GT with a lap of 1:49.627 (116.906 mph) in Alex Job Racing's No. 23 Foametix/Battery Tender Porsche GT3. He was followed by Spencer Pumpelly, 1:49.700 (116.828 mph) in the No. 71 TRG Porsche GT3; Jorg Bergmeister in the No. 67 TRG/Flying Lizard Motorsport Porsche GT3, 1:49.730 (116.796 mph); and Tremblay in SpeedSource's No. 70 Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8, 1:49.770 (116.753 mph).
Practice for the Rolex 24 begins at 10 a.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 28. Friday's schedule includes the Fresh From Florida 200 for the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. SPEED's live coverage of the Rolex 24 will begin at 3 p.m. ET Saturday and last until 10 p.m., and will resume at 7 a.m. ET Sunday until 4 p.m.
News used with permission from Grand-Am.com.
Friday, January 08, 2010
Sideways Dallara-SunTrust
The Dallara SunTrust Daytona Prototype is coming in mid/late February. Shown here is a photo of the prototype (not finished model) of the SW08 Sideways Dallara.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
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.
Arrived in the US already. This car will only be available in the North American market in SCX-Digital.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
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).
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).
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