GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing's Wet and Wild Victory in EMCO Gears Mid-Ohio Classic on Ballot for Rolex Moment of the YearCome-From-Behind Win One of Eight Moments That Could Win Monday in Las Vegas
The incredible comeback victory by GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing and drivers Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty in the EMCO Gears Classic at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this past June is one of eight highlights of the 2008 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series season that is on the ballot for the Rolex Moment of the Year. The annual honor is presented at each year's season-end Rolex Series Awards Banquet, which will be held this Monday night at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The winning moment will be determined through an online ballot and GAINSCO fans can now vote directly for the Mid-Ohio GAINSCO victory at http://www.grand-am.com/rolex/news/vote.cfm. Voting is open through Noon on Monday, September 22, and the winner will be announced near the conclusion of the Rolex Series Award Banquet at the Bellagio later that evening. GAINSCO's win is third on the ballot order and is titled "Mid-Ohio Daytona Prototype – GAINSCO's record rebound nets a wet and wild win." The video recap of the Mid-Ohio moment can be found elsewhere on www.grand-am.com.
Despite so many dominating performances in its 2007 Rolex Series Championship season, this year's Mid-Ohio win could easily rank as the GAINSCO team's most impressive victory. A total team effort from the drop of the green flag, GAINSCO and its drivers never gave up in incredibly wet and wild conditions. Fogarty was running second when a torrential downpour early in the race saw him spin - along with several other competitors - in ultra-slippery conditions. The No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Pontiac Riley fell to a distant 23rd overall in the running order, but Fogarty and Gurney - aided by some good race strategy from the pits - charged back for the win. No other team fell that far down in a race's running order - including the Rolex 24 At Daytona - and came back to score an overall win in 2008. A review is currently underway that may also confirm the win as the biggest comeback in Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype history.
The 2008 Rolex Series season concludes this weekend with the SunRichGourmet.com 1000 at Miller Motorsports Park. The race can be seen live on SPEED at 1 p.m. ET this Saturday, September 22.
