Capture Daytona Prototype Championship With Third Straight Victory
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Wins Seventh DP Team Championship
Max Angelelli and Jordan Taylor ended the 2013 Rolex Sports Car Series season with an exclamation point, winning Saturday’s GRAND-AM Championship Weekend Presented by BMW at Lime Rock Park by 13 points to clinch the Daytona Prototype (DP) championship with their third consecutive victory.
At the Kansas Speedway race in August, Taylor held off Scott Pruett throughout the final half-hour to win the race in the No. 10 Velocity Worldwide Corvette DP to take the lead in the standings. In the most recent race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Taylor led the final 29 laps to extend that lead. Saturday, the 22-year-old Floridian led the final 69 laps, winning by five seconds over Gustavo Yacaman with Pruett taking third.
Pruett and Memo Rojas of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates’ No. 01 Telcel/TELMEX BMW/Riley finished the season 14 points ahead of GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing’s Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney, drivers of the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP to round out the top three in points.
It was the final race in the 14-year history of the Rolex Series, which is merging with the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and will debut as the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship beginning with the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Angelelli won the 2005 DP title co-driving with car owner Wayne Taylor. It was his fourth consecutive victory at Lime Rock Park, having won the three prior DP races with Taylor’s oldest son, Ricky. Saturday, Angelelli took his 26th career DP victory while helping Jordan become the youngest champion in DP history.
“It all came down to the team,” Jordan Taylor said. “Every time we won a race came down to the line, they got us out of the pits with great track position. All we had to do was keep everyone behind us.”
Yacaman finished the race second in the Michael Shank Racing’s No. 6 Aero/Tuvacol Ford/Riley started by Justin Wilson, followed by Pruett and Rojas, who were seeking their fourth straight championship.
“This is bittersweet,” Pruett said. “GRAND-AM’s been home for us for the last 10 years, and you hate to see it end – even though there’s a new beginning ahead. I enjoyed the last 10 years and everything we’ve achieved. At least no one can break our records.”
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates won its seventh DP team championship in 10 years and fourth in a row, finishing six points ahead of Wayne Taylor Racing.
The final official GRAND-AM function will be Monday’s Rolex Series Awards at Gotham Hall in New York City.
