Sunday Group Management

Riley Targets 11th victory as 50th Rolex 24 Ushers In New DP Era

Riley Targets 11th victory as 50th Rolex 24 Ushers In New DP Era

Wins in Rolex GT and Continental Tire Challenge Also in Play for Riley

Media Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
media
www.rileytech.com

25 January, 2012-The 50th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will have the full focus of the racing world this weekend as more than 20 teams, 50 cars, and 200 drivers descend on the World Center of Racing to kick off the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season.

From all corners of the globe, some of the biggest names in the automotive world–brands like Porsche, Ferrari, Audi, and Corvette, will take the green flag in pursuit of permanently etching their name in glory in a landmark running of the prestigious event.

With ten overall wins and numerous class victories, there is one name that is synonymous with winning at Daytona–Riley.

With the exception of Porsche, Bill and Bob Riley-designed machines have taken more Rolex 24 At Daytona victories than any other brand in the long history of the great event as teams like SunTrust, Ganassi, Brumos, and Dyson Racing have all used Riley designs as their ticket to victory lane. The 2012 Rolex 24 not only looks back by celebrating the legacy and history commensurate with 50 years of competition in the twice around the clock classic, but it also looks forward.

The event is the first to see the latest generation Daytona Prototypes in competition as the “DPG3” machines usher in a new era. And once again, Riley will look to extend an incredible legacy of success at Daytona. Starting with a breakthrough win in 1996 with the Olds-powered R&S MK III, Riley-penned machines have found success in the grueling race, time after time.

When the Daytona Prototype era dawned, the success only intensified as the Riley MKXI took pole on its 2004 debut, and won the race the following year. Since then, Riley has been back to victory lane an amazing six times at Daytona, and will look to secure an unprecedented ninth consecutive pole position this weekend.

The wins have come in an era of incredible competition, with the margin of victory for the last three years less than one minute–combined. The 2011 event saw the top four cars finishing the race separated by just under four seconds after 24 hours of racing.

While a lot of the attention has understandably focused on the exciting new DPG3 machines, Riley Technologies will not just be competing for overall glory this weekend. The Riley Technologies-designed GT chassis has two wins to its credit already (2008, 2010), and will see another strong roster of teams using the Riley design again this year.

Seven of the Riley GT-based Mazda RX-8 machines are entered, and the Riley effort will be further boosted by the two-car Turner Motorsport team, which uses the RIley GT design as the basis for the team’s BMW M3.

And it will not just be the big race where Riley could add to the win tally, as the Daytona weekend will also mark the opening race of the 2012 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge championship. The Riley-built Chevrolet Camaro broke through to become a race winner in the category in 2011, and will look to do so again on racing’s biggest stage this weekend.

“The Rolex 24 is a race unlike any other in the world, and we are proud of the success that our customers have enjoyed through the years,” said Bob Riley. “We are very excited to be a part of the 50th running of this event, and of course we would like nothing better than to see our customers do well this weekend. The new DP is creating a lot of excitement and the GT class should be an incredible battle as well so this should be a race for the ages.”

For additional information:
www.rileytech.com

About Riley Technologies:
Riley Technologies has an extended legacy of success, developing competitive on-track products for the Rolex Sports Car Series, the American LeMans Series, the USAC Gold Crown Series, and the Japanese GT Championship Series.

About Siemens:
Riley Tech has long relied on Siemens PLM Software to help design and develop their race-winning machines. NX software, Siemens PLM Software’s digital product development solution which includes computer-aided design, -manufacturing and -engineering (CAD/CAM/CAE) applications, is the preferred development software. NX Software was cited as a driving force behind Riley taking a sixth straight Daytona Prototype Manufacturers championship in 2009 before kicking the 2010 season off with a win at Daytona International.

For more information or questions, please contact: Bill Riley, (704) 663-6319 *302
For additional information: www.rileytech.com
###

Riley Technologies 2012 Rolex 24 At Daytona Entry List
No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
BMW/Riley; Telmex, Target 
Joey Hand, Sacramento, Calif.
Scott Pruett, Auburn, Calif.
Graham Rahal, New Albany, Ohio
Memo Rojas, Mexico City, Mexico

No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
BMW/Riley; Telmex Target 
Scott Dixon, Indianapolis, Ind.
Dario Franchitti, Nashville, Tenn.
Jamie McMurray, Mooresville, N.C.
Juan Pablo Montoya, Miami, Fla.

No. 2 Starworks Motorsport
Ford/Riley; Motorola
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Boca Raton, Fla.
Tony Kanaan,
Miguel Potolicchio,
Maurizio Scala,
EJ Viso,

No. 6 Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian
Ford/Riley
Jorge Goncalvez, Los Teques, Venezuela
Michael McDowell, Charlotte, N.C.
Felipe Nasr, Brasilia, Brazil
Gustavo Yacaman, Indianapolis, Ind.

No. 8 Starworks Motorsport
Ford/Riley; Motorola 
Ryan Dalziel, Orlando, Fla.
Lucas Luhr, Monte Carlo, Monaco
Allan McNish, Monte Carlo, Monaco
Alex Popow, Lecheria, Venezuela
Enzo Potolicchio, Caracas, Venezuela

No. 50 50+Predator/Alegra
BMW/Riley
Byron Defoor, Ooltewah, Tenn.
Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Sherrills Ford, NC
Brian Johnson, Sarasota, Fla.
Jim Pace, Ridgeland, Miss.
Carlos de Quesada, Coral Gables, Fla.

No. 60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian
Ford/Riley; Liveon.com 
AJ Allmendinger, Huntersville, N.C.
Ozz Negri, Miami, Fla.
John Pew, North Palm Beach, Fla.
Justin Wilson, Longmont, Colo.

GT
No. 36 Yellow Dragon Motorsports
Mazda RX-8; Window World, PMFirst.com, Mazdaspeed
Jarett Andretti,
John Andretti, Indianapolis, Ind.
Taylor Hacquard, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Anders Krohn, Stavanger, Norway

No. 40 Dempsey Racing
Mazda RX-8; Visit Florida 
Patrick Dempsey, Beverly Hills, Calif.
Charles Espenlaub, Lutz, Fla.
Joe Foster, Atlanta, Ga.
Tom Long, Raleigh, N.C.

No. 41 Dempsey Racing
Mazda RX-8; FishingCapital.com, Bass2BillFish, Team Seattle
Ian James, Paradise Valley, Ariz.
Don Kitch Jr, Bellevue, Wash.
Scott Maxwell, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dan Rogers, Anchorage, Alaska

No. 42 Team Sahlen
Mazda RX-8; theracesite.com
Dane Cameron, Sonoma, Calif.
Joe Nonnamaker, North Canton, Ohio
Wayne Nonnamaker, North Canton, Ohio
Will Nonnamaker, North Canton, Ohio
Joe Sahlen, Elma, N.Y.

No. 43 Team Sahlen
Mazda RX-8; theracesite.com
Joe Nonnamaker, North Canton, Ohio

No. 49 Team Sahlen
Mazda RX-8; Western New York Flash 
Joe Sahlen, Elma, N.Y.

No. 70 SpeedSource
Mazda RX-8; Mazda, Mazdaspeed, ModSpace, Castrol 
Jonathan Bomarito, Monterey, Calif.
Marino Franchitti, Edinburgh, Scotland
James Hinchcliffe, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Sylvain Tremblay, Parkland, Fla.

No. 93 Turner Motorsport
BMW M3
Bill Auberlen, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Paul Dalla Lana, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Michael Marsal, Bedford, N.Y.
Dirk Muller,
Jorg Muller,

No. 94 Turner Motorsport
BMW M3 
Bill Auberlen, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Paul Dalla Lana, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Billy Johnson, San Clemente, Calif.
Boris Said, Carlsbad, Calif.
Dirk Werner, Kissenbruck, Germany

CONTINENTAL TIRE SPORTS CAR CHALLENGE
BMW Performance 200

No. 00 CKS Autosport
Camaro GS.R 
Ashley McCalmont, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
Brett Sandberg, Allendale, N.J

No. 01 CKS Autosport
Camaro GS.R 
Lawson Aschenbach, Darnestown, Md.
Eric Curran, Holyoke, Mass.

No. 6 Mitchum Motorsports
Tim Bell, Los Altos, Calif.
Aaron Steele,
Camaro GS.R

No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports
Camaro GS.R 
Matt Bell, Los Altos, Calif.
John Edwards, Cincinnati, Ohio

No. 62 Mitchum Motorsports
Camaro GS.R 
Joey Atterbury, Seattle, Wash.
Gunter Schaldach, Aspen, Colo.

Daytona50throlexriley.pdf

Frisselle Racing Sets Sights on Rolex 24 At Daytona

Frisselle Racing Sets Sights on Rolex 24 At Daytona

Wednesday’s Boggy Creek Visit Kicks off Big Weekend at Daytona

www.frisselleracing.com
www.twitter.com/frisselleracing

Daytona Beach, FL (24 January 2012) – When you’ve got a long way to go, it is good to have some familiar company with you.

This year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, which marks the 50th Anniversary of the huge GRAND-AM season opener, will see two very familiar faces team up as Burt and Brian Frisselle return to Doran Racing to kick off the 2012 season at Daytona International Speedway. The two young racers will share driving duties with Jim Lowe and IndyCar star Paul Tracy in the No. 77 Combos/Circle K Ford-Dallara.

The Frisselles will look to pick up where they left off last year, as they last joined forces as co-drivers in the 2011 GRAND-AM season-finale at Mid-Ohio, netting fourth on the starting grid with the No. 77 Doran Racing Ford.

The 2012 Rolex 24 marks the brothers’ fourth time sharing the driving duties in the twice-around-the-clock classic. They will look to improve on their best combined finish of fifth, when they co-drove with Mark Wilkins and David Empringham in the No. 61 AIM Autosport Daytona Prototype in 2007.

In addition to being fully familiar with one another and having similar driving styles, the Frisselle brothers will also look to combine the experience and natural talent of co-drivers Lowe and Tracy to take the No. 77 Combos/Circle K machine to the front.

“It’s great to be back at Daytona with Doran Racing,” said Brian. “We had some tough luck with the No. 77 last year so hopefully we can have a little bit better luck in this race. This is an exciting driver line up to be a part of. I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Burt again and to have Jim (Lowe) and Paul (Tracy) on board as well. It’s going to be such a huge event and I can’t wait to get out there and see what we can do this year.”

The driving roster for the No. 77 Combos/Circle K entry indeed boasts speed and experience. Lowe has contested six Rolex 24 events, including making a run to the GT Class podium in the 2007 race with a third place finish. Tracy will look to balance his trademark speed and aggression with the patience needed to bring the car home some 24 hours later. The Canadian star has experience doing just that, with four Rolex 24 race starts to his credit and best finish of 10th with Michael Shank Racing in 2007.

The 2012 Rolex 24 grid will be a large one, with over 45 GT entries expected to join the fray of 14 DP entries. With so much traffic expected, patience and clean laps will play a key role to having the car to compete when the race heats up in the final stages.

“It’s incredible to be a part of the 50th running of this event and it’s extra special to be sharing the experience with my brother,” added Burt. “We had a successful test a few weeks back and the Doran guys have been working really hard to give us the best car possible, so we’re excited to get going this weekend. I think, with the new third generation DP car and having all this GT traffic, this could be the most unpredictable race yet. You never know what is going to happen in these 24 hour races–anything can happen. But having this driver line-up and racing for a guy like Kevin Doran, who has won the race before, calling the shots could be huge for us.”

Last year’s Rolex 24 saw Burt compete for Action Express Racing and finish ninth while Brian’s Doran Racing entry faced an unfortunate setback when contact took the No. 77 out of contention. Brian’s personal best Rolex 24 result came in 2009 when he finished fourth while driving for SunTrust Racing.

Burt has two fifth place finishes to his credit-sharing one with Brian in 2007 and then matching that effort again with AIM Autosport in the 2010 event.

The 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona kicks off with practice and qualifying on Thursday, January 26. The Rolex 24 At Daytona starts at 3:30 PM (ET) on Saturday, January 28. SPEED will carry live coverage of the event with SPEED channel broadcasting the opening and closing seven hours of the race.

In addition, overnight coverage will be streamed live on www.speedtv.com. Live timing and scoring can also be found at www.grand-am.com.

Frisselle Racing, Rolex 24 At Daytona:

2005 No. 8 Synergy Racing DP – Start: 19 Finish: 17

2006 No. 8 Synergy Racing DP – Start: 11 Finish: 25

2007 No. 61 AIM Autosport DP – Start: 17 Finish: 5

2008 Burt Frisselle: No. 47 Doran Racing DP – Start: 2 Finish 9
Brian Frisselle: No. 61 AIM Autosport DP – Start: 5 Finish: 19

2009 Burt Frisselle: No. 61 AIM Autosport DP – Start: 12 Finish: 14
Brian Frisselle: No. 10 SunTrust Racing DP – Start: 5 Finish: 4

2010 Burt Frisselle: No. 61 AIM Autosport DP – Start: 2 Finish: 5
Brian Frisselle: No. 6 Michael Shank Racing DP – Start: 3 Finish: 7

2011 Burt Frisselle: No. 5 Action Express Racing DP – Start: 13 Finish: 9
Brian Frisselle: No. 77 Doran Racing DP – Start: 7 Finish: 17

-30-

Marsal Doing the Double at Daytona

Marsal Doing the Double at Daytona

Continental Tire Challenge Opener with Said before Sophomore Rolex 24 GT Class Outing

Daytona Beach, FL (24 January 2012) – Just like an ambitious student doubling up on classes, young BMW driver Michael Marsal is doubling up on his race roster this weekend as the Turner Motorsport pilot is set for a big start to the 2012 racing season.

The young Turner Motorsport pilot will not only look to get a strong start to his 2012 season in his Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge championship campaign, but he will also be part of the huge 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona event as part of an all-star roster of drivers.

Marsal, who is set to run a full-season Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge effort in the No. 97 Turner Motorsport BMW GS with co-driver Boris Said, was once again tabbed by Turner to run the No. 93 BMW GT machine in the 24-hour endurance classic as part of a two-car GT Class assault by Turner.

The Rolex 24 marks Marsal’s second start in the prestigious race, having made his debut in the race last year driving the No. 30 Racers Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8.

The race was a long learning lesson for Marsal, who adjusted quickly to his first exposure to the top Rolex Series competition, racing alongside prototypes and becoming accustomed to the strains that such a long race puts on the mind, body and race car. Banking a 20th place finish in the race, Marsal grew that experience base later in the season when Turner asked him to drive the No. 93 Rolex Series GT class entry in three events, netting a season-best 10th in brutal conditions at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Marsal and Said will look for a solid showing in the 2.5-hour BMW Performance 200 event which kicks off the weekend’s race action on Friday. With BMW sponsoring the opening round of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the duo will have even more ambition to bring their No. 97 BMW to the front.

Turner Motorsport completed a successful test at the traditional ‘Roar Before The 24’ earlier this month with Marsal laying down some quick laps in the GS car as well as gaining valuable seat time in the GT machine.

“I’m very excited to be back at Daytona for the 50th Anniversary Rolex 24,” said Marsal. “It’s just going to be huge. I felt really comfortable with the GS (CT Challenge) M3 and I hope we can open the year with a strong finish for Boris and I. The Turner Motorsport guys have been working non-stop since the test, and I’ve been in the gym every day, just doing everything possible to be ready. The Rolex race will be busy for sure with all the traffic, but if we just stay clean and run quick, consistent lap times I think that is the main target-hit our marks and stay out of trouble and hope to be there in the morning to go racing.”

The weekend opens with practice and qualifying on Thursday, January 26. The BMW Performance 200 is set to begin at 1:30 PM (ET) on Friday with the Rolex 24 At Daytona to start at 3:30 PM (ET) on Saturday.

SPEED will carry live coverage of the event with SPEED channel broadcasting the opening and closing seven hours of the race. The overnight hours will be streamed live on www.speedtv.com.

Additionally Turner Motorsport will be live and on line here: Live Stream (live video from the pits) http://www.turnermotorsport.com/live.

Live timing and scoring for both events can be found at www.grand-am.com.

Marsal12PreviewDay.pdf

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media
http://www.sundaymanagement.com
317.908.2975 (m)


Based in Indianapolis, Sunday Group Management is a leading motorsports management and communications consulting firm.

Sunday Group Management works with clients in a variety of motorsports categories, including NASCAR Sprint Cup driver AJ Allmendinger, Riley Technologies, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series organization Michael Shank Racing, Continental Tire, and several teams and drivers in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition.

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, http://sundaygroupblog.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, or twitter.com/Sundaygroup

New Season, New Opportunity For Burrows and Hopwood

New Season, New Opportunity For Burrows and Hopwood

Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
media
(317) 908-2975-Mobile

Daytona Beach, FL (24 January 2012)– When the 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge championship kicks off with the BMW Performance 200 on Friday at Daytona International Speedway (SPEED, February 4, 12:00 PM ET), Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood will be experiencing a little something new, and a little something familiar.

As the first race of the season, the Daytona race weekend is traditionally one that marks a new chapter for the field as drivers join new teams, drive new cars, and try to get comfortable in their new surroundings. That will be the case for Burrows and Hopwood as the championship duo are set for an all-new racing program starting at Daytona.

The duo, who together scored a GRAND-AM Championship in their rookie season and went on to take wins and countless podiums in over 50 starts as co-drivers, will instead be setting their helmets on different racks this year in pit lane as both will have new co-drivers starting at Daytona.

Burrows will team with promising young up-and-comer Andrew Novich in the No. 74 Dr. Kimberly Henry / Speed Secrets Honda Civic Si entry, with Hopwood sharing the driving duties with experienced pilot Bo Roach in the No. 77 Joe Marina Honda/Luna-C Racing Honda entry.

While the weekend will mark new cars and new teammates for the two, the event should still feel like more of a homecoming as the duo return to Compass360 Racing (C360R).

“Having Trevor and Adam back with us is something that we’ve worked a long time to have happen, and we could not be more excited about getting the year off to a strong start at Daytona,” offered C360R Team Principal Karl Thomson, whose squad has emerged as a top organization in the highly competitive Street Tuner class, finishing as champions or runners-up every year since 2007.

“Adam and Trev have a lot of experience as co-drivers and this will be a new experience for them, but they are pros and I know they are going to both be a big asset for our team. We’ve seen that ST is extremely competitive, and the presence of some factory-backed teams only underscores how hard everyone is working and competing in this class. We are encouraged by the performance we’ve seen so far in the 2012 Civic Si and we hope to keep learning and come out of the weekend with some solid points to kick off the year.”

The drive to a championship for the two came aboard a rear-wheel drive BMW for Turner Motorsport, but Burrows and Hopwood made the move to front wheel drive with C360R a winning one in 2008. Ever since, the two have been sought after for their developmental capabilities, speed, hard work, and professional demeanor.

“We had a very productive test (Roar Before the 24) and I’m excited to be heading back down to Daytona to kick the season off in earnest,” said Burrows. “Andrew (Novich) did a fantastic job, and I’m really looking forward to having him as my co-driver. It’s a little bit different not to be co-driving with Trev of course, but it’s great he’s teaming with Bo (Roach) and we are both excited to be back, driving for (C360R Technical Director) Ray Lee and Karl.”

The Daytona weekend has been one of mixed fortunes for Burrows and Hopwood, with just two 2 top-10 finishes (2007, 2008) to date.

“I wasn’t down for the test, so I am really itching to get on the plane and get going,” said Hopwood. “I’m like a kid in a candy store–my Patriots are in the Super Bowl, and now I’m heading to Daytona to race for C360R. I couldn’t be more excited.”

SPEED will broadcast the race February 4th at 12:00 PM ET.

PR inquiries about Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood should be directed to Matt Cleary at Sunday Group Management; 317.908.2975 (mobile) or media@ sundaymanagement.com

For additional information:
@a_burrows
@trevorhopwood
@sundaygroup

www.trevorhopwood.com
www.adamburrowsmotorsport.com
www.sundaymanagement.com

###

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media
www.sundaymanagement.com
317.908.2975 (m)


Based in Indianapolis, Sunday Group Management is a leading motorsports management and communications consulting firm.

Sunday Group Management works with clients in a variety of motorsports categories, including NASCAR Sprint Cup driver AJ Allmendinger, Riley Technologies, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series organization Michael Shank Racing, Continental Tire, and several teams and drivers in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition.

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, http://sundaygroupblog.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, or twitter.com/Sundaygroup

Bhop12preDaytona.pdf

17 January, 2012 19:25

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Boris Said Joins Michael Marsal at Turner Motorsport for 2012 GRAND-AM Campaign

Boris Said Joins Michael Marsal at Turner Motorsport for 2012 GRAND-AM Campaign

12 January 2012 – Michael Marsal will return for his third consecutive season with Turner Motorsport in a run for the 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge championship with the No. 97 BMW M3 GS Class machine.

Marsal, who made his first year of pro competition look like an easy step up when he finished a close second in the 2010 GRAND-AM Driver Championship for Turner, will be joined by veteran Boris Said in the BMW M3 as the duo targets a run at the 2012 championship, which will kick off at Daytona International Speedway on January 27.

In two seasons with Turner Motorsport, Marsal has shown both performance and consistency, netting two victories (VIR and Lime Rock Park, 2010) and eight top-fives while his No. 97 BMW M3 has also completed 97.5% of all race laps. Combined with Said’s impressive record, which has seen him earn 10 wins and 17 podiums in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, the pair are well prepared to take on the highly-competitive 2012 championship.

BMW won the 2010 and 2011 GRAND-AM Manufacturer Championship in the category, and Turner Motorsport would like nothing better to once again see the Roundel atop the championship list at the end of the season.

“I’m very excited to be teaming up with Boris this year,” said Marsal, who has also been tabbed by Turner for Rolex Series duties in the 24 alongside fellow BMW pilots Dirk Mueller, Joerg Mueller and Dirk Werner. “The Turner Motorsport guys always have a great car and I’m excited to see what we can do. Boris has been great to work with and I’m learning a lot with him as my co-driver. I feel so comfortable racing the GS car now with a few seasons under my belt. We had a really good test at Daytona and now I’m eager to get back down there in a few weeks for the big 50th Anniversary Rolex 24. It’s going to be a huge weekend.”

The Turner Motorsport drivers recently spent time testing at Daytona International Speedway during the “Roar Before the 24” test in preparation for the GRAND-AM 200 event later this month. Marsal and Said worked through a range of set-ups on the BMW machine and were right up to speed in the No. 97 – running in the top-10 throughout most of the three-day test.

“I haven’t run a full season with Turner since 2006, when we won the championship,” offered Said, who practices what he preaches, having recently become a BMW dealer. “Joey (Hand’s) good fortune was my good fortune–by him getting a DTM ride, that opened up a spot for me here at Turner to race with Mike (Marsal). He’s up to the job and has been making a ton of progress, so I’m really happy to be running with him. I think we are going to have a lot of fun this year. The pressure is on me–Joey is one of the best sports car drivers in the world, so I have some big shoes to fill!”

Not only does Said have some shoes to fill, but he also has a history of success that he’ll look to extend.

“It’s great to have Boris back with us in GS–the last full season he drove for us, we won a championship!” offered team owner Will Turner.

The 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge championship season kicks off with the GRAND-AM 200 event in Daytona on January 27.

###

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media
http://www.sundaymanagement.com
317.908.2975 (m)


Based in Indianapolis, Sunday Group Management is a leading motorsports management and communications consulting firm.

Sunday Group Management works with clients in a variety of motorsports categories, including NASCAR Sprint Cup driver AJ Allmendinger, Riley Technologies, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series organization Michael Shank Racing, Continental Tire, and several teams and drivers in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition.

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, http://sundaygroupblog.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, or twitter.com/Sundaygroup

Rum Bum Starts 2012 On the Right Foot at Daytona

Rum Bum Starts 2012 On the Right Foot at Daytona

You can follow Rum Bum Racing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RumBumRacing

Daytona Beach, FL (9 January 2011) – Rum Bum Racing returned to action at the “World Center of Racing” for a three day test as the team prepares for the GRAND-AM 200 at the famous Daytona International Speedway which kicks off the 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge championship in just a few short weeks.

As the Rum Bum squad continued to develop the No. 13 BMW M3, drivers Matt Plumb and Nick Longhi wasted no time getting right up to speed as the duo posted the sixth quickest time of the first session among a field of 34 cars. But winning the practice sessions was not the goal, as the team continues to develop the potent BMW M3 with an eye on a strong run in the 2012 championship.

Having won the previous two GRAND-AM 200 events, Rum Bum Racing has proven to be the team to beat around the 3.56-mile speedway road course and with even more entries expected for the 2.5-hour event, the competition will be the toughest yet – making the testing all the more crucial.

The team also knows that a strong run in the championship takes more than mere speed, as every lap counts through the long race season. With the Joe Varde-led crew preparing the car, the M3 once again delivered rock-solid reliability during the test at Daytona, giving the team every lap on offer through every practice session over the weekend to continue to work on unlocking all the potential in the machine.

“The guys are going to sleep well after this test, because we were working them very hard this weekend,” said Rum Bum Racing driver Matt Plumb. “We had a laundry list of things we wanted to try with the car, and we got through everything on our list. So, it was hugely productive for us and I’m really happy with the car, it’s better than it’s ever been. This is exactly the kind of weekend we were looking to have, lots of laps and lots of learning more about the car and what it likes so we are very pleased. We just can’t wait to get back here in a few weeks and start the season off with a strong race.”

The GRAND-AM 200 event is set to begin January 27 at 1:30 PM.

RUMBUMreadyfor12.pdf

Marsal Gears up for 2012 with Testing at Daytona

Marsal Gears up for 2012 with Testing at Daytona

Daytona Beach, Fl. (8 January 2012) – Michael Marsal completed a busy three days of testing in both the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge with Turner Motorsport at the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway.

The testing was key preparation for Marsal, who will serve double duty during the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona event as the 2012 GRAND-AM season opens on January 26-29.

Marsal, who raced the No. 93 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 in three GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series events last year, picked up right where he left off as he joined a talented driver line-up of BMW factory drivers Dirk Mueller, Joerg Mueller and Dirk Werner and the team worked on various set-ups to find the quickest way around the track with the Turner machine running in the top-10 of over 40 entries throughout most of the sessions.

In addition to his laps in the GT car, Marsal also tested the familiar No. 97 Turner Motorsport BMW GS as he returns to the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge event for the third consecutive year. Joined by veteran Boris Said at the test, the duo worked to find max speed in the BMW – posting the seventh quickest time in the very first session out and remaining in the top-10 throughout the rest of the test as the team readied for the 2.5-hour GRAND-AM 200 event.

“We had a very productive few days,” said Marsal. “It felt great to be back in the GS car, and I felt really comfortable in the car and our pace was good. I still need to find a bit more speed in the GT but I’m learning from the best of the best with my new co-drivers so I think we’ll be good to go in a few weeks. The Turner guys will be hard at work over the next few weeks making all the final preparations. I’m really excited to get back down here for the 50th Rolex 24. It’s going to be a huge event and I’m really looking forward to being a part of it.”

The GRAND-AM 200 is set to begin on January 27 at 1:30 PM with the 24 hour event to follow on January 28 at 3:30 PM.

MMtestroar2012.pdf

Riley Technologies DPG3 Makes Official Debut at Daytona

Riley Technologies DPG3 Makes Official Debut at Daytona

Media Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
media
908-2975

Photos courtesy John Dagys

Daytona Beach, FL (7 January 2012)— A new chapter in Riley Technologies history opened on Friday as the firm’s latest new offering hit the track for its first official GRAND-AM session at the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway.

Riley Technologies DPG3 MKXXVI will make its competition debut in the 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 28. The design will look to extend the remarkable run of Riley Technologies success as GRAND-AM enters a new era. 2011 marked Riley’s eighth consecutive Manufacturer Championship, and Riley’s DP designs have 84 wins to their credit, including seven consecutive Rolex 24 At Daytona victories.

The first Riley Technologies DP design, the MKXI, debuted at Daytona in 2004 with a pole position in the hands of Telmex Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Pruett, with SunTrust Racing bringing the first Rolex 24 At Daytona win for the car in 2005.

2008 saw Riley introduce the MKXII, which was the first significant revision of the original design after GRAND-AM permitted the constructors to bring new products to the track. That machine once again took pole on debut with Ozz Negri setting a new track record in his Michael Shank Racing machine, with the Telmex Chip Ganassi Racing squad scoring the win with drivers Dario Franchitti, Juan Montoya, Scott Pruett, and Memo Rojas.

The new GRAND-AM regulations will see the third generation (DPG3) of Daytona Prototype machinery take to the track as the World Center of Racing celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Both Telmex Chip Ganassi entries, the Michael Shank Racing’s No. 60 entry and Starworks Motorsport’s No. 8 entries will both contest the race utilizing the Riley “Standard” bodywork, while the No. 99 GAINSCO Racing entry will wear Corvette bodywork on the new Riley chassis.

“It has been a busy time for us, getting all the cars built, delivered, tested, and in the wind tunnel for GRAND-AM,” said Riley Technologies Vice President Bill Riley. “ Sometimes you run into issues with a brand new car, but I’m really happy with how smoothly things have gone so far. Right out of the box this car has been good. The Michael Shank Racing guys put a lot of work into getting the first car on track and the coordination with all our teams has been excellent. Hopefully we can have a productive three days here and be ready to win when we come back at the end of the month.”

Notes:

++ Riley Technologies had 9 GRAND-AM Rolex Series race wins in 2011 overall, with three GT Class victories
++ RIley Technologies has 84 overall GRAND-AM race victories since 2004 (DP MKXXI First Win: Phoenix, April, 2004-SunTrust Racing)

For more information or questions, please contact: Bill Riley, (704) 663-6319 *302

For additional information:
www.rileytech.com

About Riley Technologies:
Riley Technologies has an extended legacy of success, developing competitive on-track products for the Rolex Sports Car Series, the American LeMans Series, the USAC Gold Crown Series, and the Japanese GT Championship Series.

About Siemens:
Riley Tech has long relied on Siemens PLM Software to help design and develop their race-winning machines. NX software, Siemens PLM Software’s digital product development solution which includes computer-aided design, -manufacturing and -engineering (CAD/CAM/CAE) applications, is the preferred development software. NX Software was cited as a driving force behind Riley taking a sixth straight Daytona Prototype Manufacturers championship in 2009 before kicking the 2010 season off with a win at Daytona International.

For more information or questions, please contact: Bill Riley, (704) 663-6319 *302

For additional information: www.rileytech.com
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Riley-DPG3-2012.pdf

RUM BUM RACING READY FOR 2012

RUM BUM RACING READY FOR 2012

You can follow Rum Bum Racing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RumBumRacing

Daytona Beach, Fl. (6 January 2012) – Rum Bum Racing will kick off the 2012 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season at Daytona International Speedway this weekend with three days of testing as the Florida-based team enters its third year of competition in the Grand Sport class with drivers Matt Plumb and Nick Longhi in the No. 13 BMW M3.

Following an impressive sophomore season last year in which the Rum Bum squad amassed seven top-fives – highlighted by three wins, the team continues its quest for the championship in 2012 having placed third in the 2011 standings just 14 points shy of the title.

The No. 13 BMW has proven to be quick around the 3.56-mile circuit with the Rum Bum Racing machine having dominated in its two years of participation in the 2.5-hour event held at the “World Center of Racing”. When the team made its Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge debut at Daytona in 2010, the No. 13 BMW drove to victory in just its first time out. Rum Bum Racing followed up that effort last year when Nick Longhi scored the team’s first-ever pole at the Daytona event and then along with Plumb, went on to take a return trip to victory lane.

Rum Bum Racing will utilize the three Daytona test days this weekend to provide important data and continue to improve the team’s set-up in preparation for the season-opening race at the end of the month.

“We’ve had a great couple of races here over the past two years and we now have a big target on our backs,” said Plumb. “We want to be as productive as we can during this test because we need to keep pushing. Luis Bacardi has put a great group together and we want to keep building on what we have accomplished so far. The competition in this series is fierce, but I’m confident that we have everything in place to perform well and start the season off right with a strong run, hopefully return to victory lane!”

Testing opens on January 6 with the GRAND-AM 200 event set to take place January 26-27.

RUMBUMreadyfor12.pdf