ROB FINLAY AND MICHAEL MCDOWELL LOOK TOWARDS PODIUM FINISH AT LIME ROCK PARK
Rob Finlay and Michael McDowell, drivers of the No.15 Playboy/Palms – sponsored Ford Mustang will be spending their Memorial Day Weekend competing in the annual Rolex Series GT Series Challenge in Lime Rock, CT.
The driving duo, coming off an impressive top-five finish in the Avondale Mazda Twin 200s at Phoenix International Raceway, look to challenge for a position atop the podium at this weekend’s 200-mile contest at Lime Rock Park.
“We had a strong finish at Phoenix,” said Rob Finlay. “The Playboy/Palms Ford Mustang ran strong all day and we were able to score our second top-five of the season and score some valuable points in the Grand Am Cup Series Team Point Standings.”
The Mooresville, NC- based team, credited with scoring the first podium finish for Playboy at this year’s season opener at Daytona International Speedway (finishing third), experienced some growing pains at Virginia International Speedway and Laguna Seca Raceway but found themselves back on track when they competed in McDowell’s hometown – Phoenix.
With temperatures approaching the 100 degree mark, Finlay and McDowell kept cool and crossed the finish line in fifth place scoring the team’s second top-five finish of the season. The strong run at Phoenix also moved the No.15 machine into fifth position in the team point standings.
“With the new weight adjustments to the competition I think we should be in good shape this weekend,” said McDowell. “With this being a Grand Am Cup race weekend only, Rob and I will be able to focus a lot more on the set up of the car.” (Finlay and McDowell both compete fulltime in the popular Daytona Prototype division of the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve.) “The last time I raced at lime Rock was in 2004 Star Mazda Series where I started from the pole and won the event. I hope to play on my track knowledge and get the Playboy/Palms Ford Mustang back on the podium.”
Practice for the Memorial Day classic is scheduled to begin on Friday, May 26 at 12:00 p.m. with qualifying taking place on Saturday, May 27. The green flag for the 200-mile/130-lap/2 ½ -hour time limit race is slated for a 10:05 a.m. start on Monday, May 29.
