MICHAEL VALIANTE AND ROB FINLAY HOPE TO PLAY OFF THE TEAM’S MOMENTUM HEADING INTO LONG BEACH

For one action packed weekend a year, the streets of Long Beach are converted to one of the most challenging street circuits in North America.  This year proves to be even more exciting as the Grand American Rolex Series takes to the 1.968-mile temporary street circuit for the first time in history.

Finlay Motorsports set to take their first laps around the circuit on Friday, April 7th, may be new to Long Beach but several team members have raced there before.   Michael Valiante, driver of the No. 5 Make-A-Wish/Z-Line Designs Ford-powered Crawford Daytona Prototype will be making his fourth career Long Beach start this weekend.  Valiante competed at Long Beach for Lynx Racing which Steve Cameron, the Finlay Motorsports driver coach and team manager, operated at the time.  In Valiante’s three prior Long Beach starts, he managed to finish in the top-five, scoring one win, a third place and fourth place finish.

“I am really looking forward to Long Beach because that is where I took my first Atlantic victory,” said Valiante.  I enjoy the track, the fans and the city and it should be a great event for us.”

Valiante’s teammate, Rob Finlay, will be making his Long Beach debut this weekend and hopes to score another top-five finish for the Mooresville, North Carolina based team.

“I’m really looking forward to racing around the streets of Long Beach,” said Finlay.  We had a really good run at Homestead by finishing fifth and we’re hoping to keep that momentum going this weekend.”

 Practice for the inaugural Rolex Grand Prix of Long Beach is scheduled to begin on Friday, April 7th at 8:00 a.m., with qualifying following at 3:55 p.m.  The green flag for the Grand prix of Long Beach will drop at 4:00 p.m. for the scheduled 90 minute timed race. Speed Channel will broadcast the race tape delayed at 9:00 p.m. ET.  Be sure to check your local listings