Grand-Am - Wins Final Race of the Season

The Sunchaser 1000 was a race for the ages as Riley-Matthews Motorsports recorded their first career Rolex Series win. Jim Matthews, Marc Goossens and Ryan Hunter-Reay’s tenacity in the #91 Riley-Matthews Motorsports / Pontiac / Riley throughout the 1000k marathon was one for the history books, climbing 18 spots from their 19th place starting position to the top step of the podium.

Hunter-Reay captured the SunTrust “Hard Charger Award” for the driving clinic he put on once he was handed the #91 Daytona Prototype in the 14th position at the three-hour mark of the race. He drove a double stint, advancing the car up through the field to 2nd position before handing the car back to co-driver Marc Goossens for the final laps. Hunter-Reay set the teams fastest race lap on lap 83 with a 2:42.069 around the 4.486-mile, 24-turn track. His lap time was faster than all of the top-ten finishers, with the exception of the Lexus powered Ganassi Riley. Hunter-Reay earned another milestone for the team as it was the first time the team recorded a race fast time better than the Champion Gainsco Pontiac of Jon Fogarty/Alex Gurney and the SunTrust Pontiac of Max Angelelli and Jan Magnussen.

Hunter-Reay assumed driving duties from Goossens on lap 57 and promptly demoted two cars in his first two laps and set the teams fastest race lap to that point. ‘RHR’ then set off after ChampCar’s most recent race winner, Justin Wilson some 9.3 seconds up the road. Five laps later, he was on the Brit’s gearbox and the following lap Ryan was around and off after Ganassi’s Michael Valiante some 21 seconds ahead.  RHR was closing the gap at more than 1.5 seconds a lap when the yellow, which the team had been hoping for, flew for the stalled car of Joey Hand.  

When the green flag flew on lap 77 Hunter-Reay was quickly around the Southard Motorsports #3 of Eric Lux, and the following lap saw Alex Job Racing’s #23 Jorg Bergmeister fall to the charging Floridian. From there, Hunter-Reay set sail after Krohn Racings #75 Nic Jonsson who he passed the following lap and promptly gapped by more than a second per lap as he chased down and passed the AIM Autosport Lexus # 61 of Mark Wilkins. Next up, the #01car of Chip Ganassi Racing with Salvador Duran at the wheel some 6.5 seconds in front however, time was running out in the young Americans stint. RHR continued his charge by posting the team’s fastest race time of 2:42.069 and whittled the gap to only 3 seconds before he was forced to pit for tires, fuel and a driver change. Hunter-Reay relinquished his 2nd place position as he handed the car over to Goossens.

Hunter-Reay’s efforts were justly rewarded. During the final laps, co-driver Goossens circulated in 4th position until the three leading cars, and Championship contenders, all suffered punctured tires and elevated the #91 car to 1st place. Goossens did an excellent job of holding off a charging Tomas Enge through two re-starts to take the win.     

“I knew I had a huge hill to climb when I got in the car in 14th place,” said Hunter-Reay, the IRL Rookie of the Year. “I set the fastest race lap for our car to that point in the race on my second lap and started picking off positions. When the full course caution came out, I knew we had a real shot at winning this thing. I couldn’t wait to go green and get to work. I set off on one of the biggest tears of my career going from the back to the front of the field in a short time. The team put a great car under me and I squeezed every last bit of speed out of it. I handed the car off to Marc in P2 and  darn proud of my run.”

"I don't know any other way to put it; this is a good way to end the season," said team co-owner Matthews. "This win is a long time coming. Marc and Ryan drove a great race and as a team we were able to get our first win in the last race. We never put a wheel wrong and we didn't have any bad luck. The car never missed a beat; the Riley guys really had us hooked up. This is a nice way to go into the 2008 season."

Hunter-Reay joined the team for the fourth time this season. Initially, RHR was drafted in to partner with reigning NASCAR Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson for the Rolex 24 Hour Race at Daytona. Through the season, he also competed in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen and the Emco Gears Classic at Mid-Ohio for the team. 

"This is why I race, days like these. It feels so great to be back on top," said Hunter-Reay. "Having the opportunity to start from the very back of the field and picking them all off at a place like Miller Motorsports Park is about as much fun as I can have in one day. I want to do it all over again. From the first practice session of the weekend to the last lap of the race this team gave us a great car and I’m proud that I was able to contribute to Riley-Matthews Motorsports efforts in winning their first race."

RAHAL LETTERMAN RACING'S RYAN HUNTER-REAY SETS LEAGUE RECORD IN TAKING INDYCAR ROOKIE HONORS

 Bucking the growing trend, Ryan Hunter-Reay (#17 Ethanol Dallara/Honda/Firestone) put potential NASCAR options on hold to join Rahal Letterman Racing in the IndyCar Series in 2007, and immediately showed why he was one of the most-coveted free agents in open-wheel racing. The Floridian scored back-to-back top-seven finishes to start his career and ended the 2007 with another at the final race of the season in Chicago to cement the Bombardier Learjet Rookie-of-the-Year award.

Hunter-Reay received the award and a check for $50,000 at the IndyCar Series Championship Celebration in Indianapolis. Hunter-Reay became the first IndyCar driver since 2001 to finish seventh or better in his first two series starts, beginning with a seventh-place run in his Mid-Ohio debut. He qualified in the top 10 in each of his three road-course starts and led series rookie in best qualifying result (fifth, Belle Isle) and finish (sixth, Michigan). He also set a series record by winning the honors in just six starts - the fewest ever by a series ROY.

“I am very proud to have won this award. A couple of months ago when we were putting this deal together, I never expected to be taking this honor,” said Hunter-Reay in his speech to the IndyCar banquet crowd. “I think we showed what this team and I are capable of and I hope to continue moving to the front next year. This has been a total team effort in winning this award and I hope earning this trophy helps people recognize what a good team this is.”

But swapping a planned stock-car trip to New York for an open-wheel ride in Central Ohio was only half the deal for Hunter-Reay. The driver of the #17 Team Ethanol machine carries the responsibility of promoting Ethanol renewable fuel, something the American-born driver took to eagerly.

“I am proud to be part of the Ethanol movement and I feel very strongly about being in a position to bring the Ethanol message to the public,” Hunter-Reay said. “Getting the opportunity to meet many of the people involved with Ethanol this year has been a great experience for me and I have learned a lot about what each of us can do for our country through the Ethanol movement.”

Hunter-Reay made a number of appearances on behalf of Ethanol after joining Rahal Letterman Racing, ranging from golf outings with vendors to meeting politicians at the opening of one of the largest Ethanol plants in the U.S. Ryan also demonstrated the benefits of Ethanol first-hand, participating in pump tours where he literally pumped Ethanol into cars for customers.

“Ryan stepped in admirably with less than half the season remaining and quickly made an impact both on and off the track,” said Tom Slunecka, Executive Director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. “He is a compelling spokesperson for the industry, and we look forward to his continued success in the future. A driver for the Team Ethanol car carries significant responsibilities both on and off the track. Ryan Hunter-Reay has carried himself with skill, class and dignity throughout his short season. The Ethanol industry salutes him for capturing Rookie of the Year honors.”