Bell Motorsports has announced that NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Christian Fittipaldi will join Terry Borcheller, Forest Barber and Andy Pilgrim in the No. 54 Chevrolet Doran JE-4 at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 29 - February 1.
It will be the second appearance with the team for Fittipaldi, who joinedBorcheller, Barber and Didier Theys in the No. 54 Chevy at last year's Rolex24. However, the Brazilian racer is hoping for a better finish this season.The Bell Motorsports Daytona Prototype arrived at last year's race freshfrom the manufacturer and completely untested, which resulted in its earlyexit and 39th-place finish.
"We are definitely better prepared this year," said Fittipaldi. "It's goingto be tough, because it's such a long race and the competition will befierce with a lot of good cars out there. But we have a good car, and Ithink if we are still running at the end, we should be in the top three."
Despite the poor start to the season last year, the team was able rally backto capture the first-ever North American Road Racing Championship. Aftersetting the quickest lap times during the recent pre-season testing held atDaytona International Speedway, the team enters this year's 24-hour classicas one of the favorites.
Fittipaldi currently races in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series for PettyEnterprises in the No. 44 Bugles Dodge, however he has an extensive roadracing background. Fittipaldi competed in Formula 1 for three seasons,earning four top-five and 16 top-10 finishes in 40 starts. He went on tocompete in CART with Newman/Haas Racing, picking up two victories and 18podium finishes.
Pilgrim also has an impressive road racing resume. He was one of theoriginal members of the Corvette Racing Team when it debuted in 1999 and hadfive class victories with the team. The Englishman also has two classvictories at the Rolex 24, winning in a Corvette in 2002 and Porsche in1997. At the 2001 Rolex 24 At Daytona, Pilgrim took second-place GTS honorsas part of the star-studded No. 3 Corvette team that included Dale Earnhardtand Dale Earnhardt Jr. in their only race together as teammates.
The Englishman, who raced with Bell Motorsports twice in 2003, helped securethe team's Daytona Prototype championship last season when he partnered withBorcheller in winning the VIR 400.
Borcheller and Barber return to the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Seriesafter a thrilling 2003 season in the No. 54 Chevy Doran that included sixoverall wins and the Daytona Prototypes driver championship for Borcheller.
"We return to the Rolex 24 with a championship-winning car, team, and driverlineup. Our Doran chassis is well sorted and reliable, as is our GM power.Bell Motorsports' superlative pit work and race strategy has been a keyfactor in several races, and we will be relying on that given the basiccompetitiveness of the chassis/engine combinations fielded. I believe wewill be as well prepared and well positioned as anyone can be to win thisrace," said car owner-driver Barber.
"I think (this driver lineup) is going to be great. Christian comes fromFormula 1 and had success there. Andy is probably the best endurance driveryou can find. Forest and I have proven that we can do well," saidBorcheller. "We all get along really well. Everyone is really low key. Itmakes for a great group."
Tickets to the Rolex 24 At Daytona are currently on sale and can bepurchased online at daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling386-253-RACE. Additional information on the Rolex Sports Car Series andRolex 24 At Daytona can be found at grandamerican.com.
