After becoming the first drivers to earn multiple 2004 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series overall victories with their second-straight triumph at Watkins Glen, the No. 01 CompUSA Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley driving tandem of Scott Pruett and Max Papis head into Thursday night's Paul Revere 250 presented by Brumos Porsche at DaytonaInternational Speedway (SPEED Channel, July 4, Noon ET) looking to become the first co-drivers to earn three-straight overall Rolex Series wins since 2003.
Pruett and Papis claimed the Daytona Prototype co-points lead followingtheir maiden victory in the 6 Heures du Circuit Mont-Tremblant in May andextended their points advantage to 14 points over No. 10 SunTrust RacingPontiac Riley co-drivers Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor (151-137) followingthe Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen. They overcame a two-lap deficit torepair a sticking throttle in the first hour to get the "W" at The Glen.Should Papis and Pruett make it thee-in-a-row Thursday, they will be thefirst to score the consecutive race hat trick since No. 54 Kodak-BellMotorsports Pontiac Doran co-pilots Terry Borcheller and Forest Barber tookback-to-back-to-back victories at Mid-Ohio, Daytona and Watkins Glen in2003.
To extend their winning streak, however, the Ganassi teammates will have toovercome a stout challenge from several competitors. Chief among thechallengers should be Angelelli and Taylor, who have been lightning-quickall year and won the series' last 250-mile race at Phoenix in April. Alsonot to be overlooked are Borcheller and Barber, who have won each of thepast three Rolex Series races at the "World Center of Racing," dating to thePaul Revere 250 last year.
Thursday's race will feature a "special guest star," as NASCAR NEXTEL Cupchampion Tony Stewart will join Andy Wallace in the No. 20 CITGO-Howard-BossMotorsports Pontiac Crawford as they look to avenge a disappointing end tothe Rolex 24 At Daytona in February. After leading the race into the finalhalf hour, Stewart encountered a mechanical failure that robbed theHoward-Boss teammates of the victory, and both drivers plan to erase thosepainful memories in the Paul Revere 250.
Others to watch include the No. 2 CITGO-Howard-Boss Motorsports PontiacCrawford which won in Miami in February and will be shared by VenezuelanMilka Duno and Dutchman Jan Lammers; the No. 81 Rx.com/G&W Motorsports BMWDoran of Kelly Collins and Cort Wagner, who currently stand in a sixth-placetie in the point standings and will be joined by Brent Martini as theycelebrate G&W Motorsports' 100th Rolex Series entry; and the No. 27Doran-Lista Racing Lexus Doran with driver Didier Theys, who stands 10th inthe Daytona Prototype points race and was an overall winner in the 2002Rolex 24 At Daytona.
In the GT category, class points leader Boris Said is moving to the No. 22Prototype Technology Group BMW M3 and will be joined in the No. 22 by JoeyHand, while Said's former co-driver, Bill Auberlen, will remain in the No.21 PTG BMW M3 with Justin Marks as his co-driver. Auberlen currently trailsSaid in the GT point standings by three points (154-151) heading into thehalfway point of the 2004 Rolex Sports Car Series season.
Both Said and Auberlen will be looking to extend their respective winningstreaks to five consecutive races. Obviously, at least one of those driverswill see his streak come to an end this weekend there is a good possibilitythat neither driver will extend his streak based on the competition. Thereare several Porsche GT3 RS machines that could keep the BMWs out of victorylane, including the No. 44 Orbit Racing machine of Mike Fitzgerald and Jayand Joe Policastro, the No. 66 The Racer's Group Porsche of Ian James, RJValentine and Chris Gleason, and the No. 67 The Racer's Group Porsche of2003 overall Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Kevin Buckler and Liz Halliday. Saidand Auberlen will also have to watch out for the No. 30 Risi CompetizioneFerrari 360GT of Ralf Kelleners and Anthony Lazzaro, which finished secondin the GT class at Watkins Glen.
Fresh from their first class victory of the season, which also enabled themto take over the Super Grand Sport (SGS) points lead, No. 38 TPC RacingPorsche GT3 Cup co-drivers Marc Bunting and Andy Lally will be looking tomake it two-in-a-row in the Paul Revere 250. They will undoubtedly facestiff competition from erstwhile SGS points leaders Randy Pobst and MichaelLevitas in the No. 36 TPC Racing Porsche GT3 Cup, who are looking toovercome a disappointing 12th place class finish at Watkins Glen after a runof four straight top-two SGS finishes and now find themselves trailing theirTPC Racing teammates by six points (159-153) in the class standings.
Rolex Series activities at the Paul Revere 250 get underway at 2 p.m. ET onWednesday, as the Rolex Series machines get their first look at the3.56-mile circuit in a one hour and 15 minute practice session. After a15-minute break, the Rolex Series cars are back on track for a secondpractice from 3:30-5 p.m., which will be followed by GT and SGS qualifyingfrom 6-6:15 p.m. and Daytona Prototype qualifying from 6:20-6:35 p.m.Wednesday concludes with a final, one-hour practice session beginning at 8p.m.
After a full day of NASCAR Busch Series and NEXTEL Cup activities, the PaulRevere 250 presented by Brumos Porsche, Round 6 of the 12-race 2004 GrandAmerican Rolex Sports Car Series, is Thursday's featured attraction. Therace is scheduled to take the green flag approximately 10 minutes afterNEXTEL Cup qualifying, at roughly 11 p.m. ET.
The Paul Revere 250 will be 70 laps in length, but is subject to a two hourand 45 minute time limit. SPEED Channel will provide tape-delayed televisioncoverage at Noon ET on Sunday, July 4, and live timing & scoring informationwill be available for every session on the official web site of the GrandAmerican Road Racing Association, grandamerican.com.
