from Early Problems at the Rolex 24 At DaytonaNo. 73 Park Place Motorsports/Racing4Research Porsche GT3 with Patrick Long, Daniel Graeff, Spencer Pumpelly, Patrick Lindsey and Jason Hart Recovers To Finish 16th after a String of Endurance Race IssuesPark Place Motorsports and the Childrens Tumor Foundation (CTF) Racing4Research (R4R) program, with drivers Patrick Long, Daniel Graeff, Spencer Pumpelly, Patrick Lindsey and Jason Hart, turned in a resilient performance worthy of the young NF Heroes they were racing to support at this weekends Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 2627.
After running as high as second in the opening minutes of the day-long race, the team quickly slipped into a race of mixed fortunes that saw the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports/Racing4Research Porsche GT3 team encounter virtually every type of hardship the Rolex 24 At Daytona can throw at a team and drivers.
Between a wheel issue on a pit stop, a three minute stop-and-hold penalty for an improper wave-around and heavy contact in Daytonas Bus Stop, the No. 73 was dealt a deck of cards that would ordinarily be difficult to overcome. Still, on every occasion, the team bounced back and made repairs to keep the car running and see the checkered flag in an eventual 16th place in the 34-car GT class.
This years Rolex 24 with Park Place Motorsports and the Childrens Tumor Foundation Racing4Research program kind of exemplified to the families that are supporting us, in the way we raced, Hart said. We were up against enormous racing opposition, and the theme throughout the entire time was always never quit. We ran race strategy, in order to get laps back, until the end. We were 23 laps back but it didnt matter to us. We were going to do everything we could to get that finish and every lap we could get back, every spot we could attain.
Im bummed because we had the car to win if we didnt have the adversity that we had, Hart added. We fought for everything we had. That to me, means something because we dont have to go through what the families do in their fight with NF. The fight they go through, they never give up and we never give up. It felt like a small win and thats my big takeaway.
The only inspiration the No. 73 squad needed to stay the course during the rough Rolex 24 literally surrounded them all weekend. The Childrens Tumor Foundation is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by Neurofibromatosis (NF), a common yet under-recognized genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. Neurofibromatosis can lead to blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer and excruciating and disabling pain.Found in one of every 3,000 children born, NF is a more common disorder than many more widely known illnesses, including cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The CTF/R4R program raises funds and awareness for the fight against NF through a busy and diverse racing program that is annually anchored by a Rolex 24 program. A highlight is the on-site presence and support of a large group of courageous youngsters and their families who have been nicknamed NF Heroes for their tireless efforts in fighting the disorder. Dozens of these resilient young people and their families attended this weekends race and in turn gave their team the will to succeed and survive that they call on every day. Donations to CTF Racing4Research can be made directly at www.Racing4Research.org.
Its the resiliency of this team and drivers who all dug deep to give us this finish, said Graeff, who has been a part of all six CTF/R4R Rolex 24 At Daytona driving efforts. The most important aspect of it is that I had more than one child with NF come up to me and say, Thanks for not quitting. So thats what it comes down to, and ultimately the reward. Yes, I want to win this race, and I want a watch, but Ill take hearing that any day.
There were positives from a pace standpoint too, particularly during Longs and Pumpellys stints in the car. Long often ran triple stints and turned in some of the races fastest laps. From 30th place, after Longs first unscheduled pit stop, the car climbed to as high as 14th.
If people didnt notice what Park Place Motorsports is yet, theyre going to, said Long, Porsches only American factory driver. We have to look at what we did, and not what could have been. Getting to the finish for CTF and the NF Heroes was one of our two objectives, but for the other one, it was not our day.
When the sun was out and everyone had to make their tires live, no one would deny we were as good as anybody, Long added. I cant say the best because I didnt see everyones lap times, but I know we were close to the guys who battled at the end. We had a little more grip on the forward drive, and thats a testament to John Horton and the engineering side.
There were many firsts this race for the No. 73. It marked Lindsey and Harts first Rolex 24 start, the first for the new Park Place Motorsports team and first for PPM in partnership with the Childrens Tumor Foundation and Racing4Research. From that standpoint, the race was a success.
It was certainly a new experience for us, Lindsey said. Its a new team in name, but with a lot of experience. Luckily we had that, because we had a lot of bad things happen. But like our NF Heroes, we cant give up, and we cant lose hope. We went on and fought really hard. We have always shown our speed but we didnt have the finish we wanted.
Park Place Motorsports second car, the No. 72 Park Place Motorsports/Vess Energy Services Porsche GT3, driven by Mike Vess, JF Dumoulin, Grant Phipps, Chuck Cole and Mike Skeen, also features the CTF logo and recorded a top-15 finish, 14th place in the 34-car entry. The pair of CTF/R4R GT3s crossed the finish line in tandem for what appeared to be the only staged photo finish of the race.
About Children's Tumor Foundation/Racing4Research: Developed by the Childrens Tumor Foundation, the Racing4Research (R4R) program utilizes competitive, professional auto racing as a vehicle to increase awareness of neurofibromatosis and raise funds for research through corporate sponsorship, personal donations, and individual fundraising by NF Heroes: children and adults from around the country who live with neurofibromatosis. NF affects one in every 3,000 children, more than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntingtons disease combined, and can lead to a wide variety of complications, including blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities and excruciating and disabling pain. The Racing4Research program offers children and families living with the disorder a uniquely empowering weekend, and has raised over $2 million dollars since its inception six years ago. Donations can be made at www.racing4research.org.
About Park Place Motorsports: Park Place Motorsports is an extension of Dallas-based Park Place Dealerships, which represents upscale manufacturers Porsche, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Lexus, Bentley, Maserati, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Volvo and Smart. Park Place Motorsports augments the unparalleled attention its dealerships provide by offering customers a premium level of support in relation to their motorsports activities. Services include maintenance and repair, driver and racecar support, and parts engineering and distribution. These offerings are authentically promoted by Park Place Motorsports flagship GT team in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.
