DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 4, 2009) - At least two dozen GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 teams are expected to get a head start on the 2010 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona when they participate in a two-day test, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 8-9, at Daytona International Speedway. The test will be the first for competitors on the 2010 Pirelli tires.
Already entered in the test are 24 teams, including 10 Daytona Prototypes and 14 GT cars. TRG has three cars entered in the test, with Team Sahlen, Michael Shank Racing and Spirit of Daytona Racing each set with two cars.
The test will mark the debut of the Action Express Racing entry, with Terry Borcheller and Joao Barbosa set to drive the No. 9 Porsche Riley. The team has a technical partnership with Brumos Racing, the defending winners of the Rolex 24, with David Donohue and Darren Law moving to the No. 59 Porsche Riley, where they will be joined by five-time Rolex 24 winner Hurley Haywood.
Buddy Rice and Antonio Garcia were also part of the winning lineup for the 2009 Rolex 24, but will co-drive the No. 90 Boy Scouts of America Porsche Coyote. Spirit of Daytona will have a second Porsche Coyote at the test, the No. 09 for Rolex 24 Driver Challenge presented by Sunoco winner Derek Johnston and Guy Cosmo. Johnston, the champion of the British Radical series, won a seat in a Daytona Prototype for the Rolex 24, and the team he will join for the race will be determined after the test.
Three-time Rolex 24 winner Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates will have two-time Daytona Prototype champion Scott Pruett in the No. 01 TELMEX Riley, which is expected to have BMW power at the test.
Other Daytona Prototypes entered include a two-car Ford Riley entry for Michael Shank Racing, the No. 6 for Mark Patterson, Ricky Taylor and Michael Valiante, and the No. 60 for Ozz Negri and John Pew; the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Ford Dallara for Brian Frisselle and 2005 Rolex 24 winners Wayne Taylor and Max Angelelli; the No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Lola of Nic Jonsson and Tracy Krohn; and the No. 77 Doran Racing Ford Dallara of Memo Gidley, Brad Jaeger and Michel Jourdain.
The test will mark the first appearance of perennial GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge powerhouse Turner Motorsport in the Rolex Series. Bill Auberlen is set to test the team's No. 94 BMW M6. Also testing a BMW M6 is Miracle Sealants Team PR1, with Max Hyatt and Thomas Merrill in the No. 32 entry.
GT championship contender Stevenson Motorsports will debut its No. 97 Camaro GT, with returning drivers Andrew Davis and Robin Liddell.
Four teams will test five Mazda RX-8s, including the No. 40 Dempsey Racing entry of Patrick Dempsey and Joe Foster. Emil Assentato, Nick Longhi, Jeff Segal and Sylvain Tremblay will test the No. 69 SpeedSource FXDD entry, and Jordan Taylor and Jade Buford are in the No. 30 Racers Edge Motorsports IDEMITSU Racing Oil Mazda. Team Sahlen will roll out its new Mazdas, the No. 42 for Will Nonnamaker and Joe Sahlen, and the No. 43 for Joe and Wayne Nonnamaker.
TRG leads a solid contingent of six Porsche GT3s with a three-car entry. Defending Rolex 24 GT winner Andy Lally is joined by Tim George Jr. and Spencer Pumpelly in the No. 67 Porsche GT3; Seth Neiman, Thomas Sadler, Mark Thomas and Johannes van Overbeek are in the No. 66; and Peter Bassett and David Fry in the No. 68.
Other teams fielding Porsches are Magnus Racing, with John Potter and Craig Stanton in the No. 44; ZMG, with Shane Lewis and Richard Zahn in the No. 17; and Guardian Angel Motorsports, with Bob Doyle, Tim Evans, Bruce Ledoux and David Quinlan in the No. 18.
Fans can view all the testing action with access to the Sprint FANZONE and garage with a track-tour only ticket from Daytona 500 Experience for $10. Fans who have already purchased a 2010 Rolex 24 ticket will receive free Sprint FANZONE/garage admission for the test. The Oldfield Grandstand will also be open free to race fans with access through the lobby of the Daytona 500 Experience.
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