NEWS

Grand Am: Rolex 24 Report

The 50th Anniversary for sports car racing at the famous Daytona International Speedway saw the new Corvette Daytona Prototypes (DP) fighting for the lead, when the green flag flew at 3:30 local time. At  the six hour mark, the #90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette was in the lead. Corvette Racing factory driver Oliver Gavin lead over the #99 GAINSCO Corvette DP. This was one of eight DP cars that swapped the lead in the first six hours.


Gavin and co-drivers Antonio Garcia, Richard Westbrook and Jan Magnussen ran up front until driveline issues caused a long stop for repairs, loosing 14 laps to the lead DPs. The SunTrust Corvette was out early with mechanical problems. As night fell the GAINCO Corvette began experiencing problems including a broken radiator and mechanical problems that pushed them well down in the order.  Early in the morning the Spirit of Daytona Corvette visited the pits for a long repair to the Corvette's driveline.  The car was repaired and continues to rain competitive laps. 


Mid way through the race Corvettes were fifth and ninth. Victory for the new Corvette will probably have to wait for this beautiful new Grand Am entry.  However all remaining 4 Corvette DPs were brought across the line after 24 hours. The No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype overcame a number of difficulties – including not being able to make a qualifying run and having to pit after just one lap of the race – to turn in the top performance for Chevrolet in the 50th Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.


“That was probably one of the toughest 24 Hours I have done,” Darren Law said following a fifth-place finish in the famed endurance race at Daytona International Speedway. “We had a lot of adversity. We had some engine issues prior to the race, (and) we had to miss qualifying. The first, probably, eight hours of the race, we had an electrical misfire, which really cut the motor back, and we struggled.

“But the guys worked really hard – Action Express, Chevrolet, Corvette – they all did a great job. I’m proud of the car. I’m proud of the team. … A top-five is a good start to the season, and we are happy to finish it.”

The Corvette Daytona Prototype was unveiled in November.

“There is so much potential in this car,” said Law, who shared driving duties with David Donohue and Christian Fittipaldi. “We literally got this car delivered to us the first of December, so we barely had any time on it. For us to be in the top five and run as well as we did, we see a lot of potential.”

The No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing entry had the distinction of being the first Corvette Daytona Prototype to lead a lap when Alex Gurney drove to the front late in the first hour.

“We’re pretty happy,” Gurney said following his first stint. “At the very beginning of the race, you’re always focused on not hitting anything and making sure no one does anything crazy on the start, and (I) was happy about that. … I didn’t have any close calls. A good start for the new Corvette.” Gurney’s father, Dan, won the inaugural series race at Daytona in 1962. The GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Corvette DP, also driven by Jon Fogarty and Memo Gidley, did lead 19 laps but experienced a number of issues and finished 13th in the Daytona Prototype (DP) class.


The No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP – driven by Antonio Garcia, Richard Westbrook, Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen – ended up in eighth place.


The No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP – driven by Terry Borcheller, JC France, Joao Barbosa and Max Papis – went to the garage at about the 14-hour mark to address a number of issues, and finished ninth.


The No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP started on the outside of the front row, courtesy of Max Angelelli’s qualifying effort, but experienced suspected valve train failure after just 14 laps.

“It’s really disappointing, but at the same time this is what happens in this game,” owner Wayne Taylor said. “We’ve never had an engine problem in all the time we’ve run the Chevrolet engine program, so this is the first time. There was truly nothing we were worried about.”


Ricky Taylor, one of the team’s four drivers and Wayne Taylor’s son, never even got the opportunity to get in the car, which was pulled after 14 laps.


“It’s such a big build up for [the Rolex 24] and it is the 50th anniversary,” Ricky Taylor said. “With our new car, there is a lot of excitement. The guys gave done so much work at the shop, (they) put in numerous 12- to-18-hour days. It is really tough. Now we have over a month until our next race. I know we’ll come back at Barber (Motorsports Park) and redeem ourselves.”


Ryan Briscoe also was scheduled to drive the No. 10.

Darren Law, co-driver with David Donohue and Christian Fittipaldi,  No. 5 Action Express Racing:

“You know what, that was probably one of the toughest 24 Hour I have done. We had a lot of adversity. We had some engine issues prior to the race; we had to miss qualifying. The first probably eight hours of the race, we had an electrical misfire, which really cut the motor back and we struggled. But, the guys worked really hard – Action Express, Chevrolet, Corvette – they all did a great job. I’m proud of the car. I’m proud of the team. You know, I mean, we didn’t get the win, that was what we really wanted. But the other thing I am very proud of is that we were the very first Chevrolet out of all the group out there. A top-five is a good start to the season and we are happy to finish it.”



Do you see a lot of promise for the future with the new Corvette DP?

“Yes, for sure. There is so much potential in this car. We literally got this car delivered to us the first of December so we barely had any time on it. For us to be in the top-five and run as well as we did; we see a lot of potential.”


Your organization had to make huge changes to go into this season?

“Yes. I would say we’ve got the most adversity out of all the Corvette teams because we shifted chassis, engines and bodywork. Most the guys are just switching over bodywork. We still have a lot to learn, but we are competitive with everybody so we are happy with that.”

Corvette will next compete in Grand-Am Road Racing when the season kicks into full-swing with the second event set for March 30-31, 2012 at Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala.