Daytona Prototype Momentum Continues Into Next Season

The incredible growth that the Daytona Prototype class has demonstrated in the 2004 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series will continue through the coming off season and straightinto next year's championship based on recent reports from the top chassisconstructors in the series.

Principals from Crawford Race Cars (Crawford DP03), Doran Designs (DoranJE4), Fabcar Engineering Inc. (Fabcar FDSC/03/04), Multimatic Motorsports(Multimatic) and Riley Technologies (Riley MKXI) will all be busy in theshort two-month span between this year's season-ending Lexus Grand AmericanChampions Weekend at California Speedway, October 29 - 31, and traditionalpre-season Daytona Test Days at Daytona International Speedway, January 7-9,2005.

Combined, these five Daytona Prototype constructors are producing nearly 10new chassis, refurbishing several existing race cars and taking final 2004orders for a limited time.  Most constructors have indicated that any neworders must be received by the California finale or no later than November 1in order to have the finished race cars delivered to customers in time forDaytona Test Days.

Crawford Race Cars is currently building four additional DP03s (Chassis#006 - #009) including one Ford-powered chassis for Mike Gue and EssexRacing that is slated for a mid-November delivery.  The run also includesanother Pontiac-powered chassis that will be campaigned by Michael BaughmanRacing.  The final engine fitments for the remaining pair of Crawfords underconstruction are being finalized.

Doran Designs is currently building a pair of new JE4s and has thecapability to produce two additional race cars if orders are in by the endof the month.  Of the two chassis in production, one is targeted to replacethe Doran team's No. 27 Doran-Lista Racing entry while the second race carhas been purchased by an outside team.  Doran's current No. 27 - Doran JE4 chassis #001 that Didier Theys and Jan Magnussen drove to victory in theSahlen's 200 at The Glen - has been sold to Oliver Kuttner who plans alimited 2005 schedule.

Fabcar Engineering has a new FDSC 04 in production and the chassis ispotentially slated for a Pontiac engine.  The Fabcar group is also revampingits existing No. 22 Toyota Fabcar to accept a Porsche engine and that willmake a total of four Porsche-powered Fabcars on the Daytona Prototypecircuit next year.

Multimatic Motorsports returned to Rolex Series competition with its newestDaytona Prototype at the VIR 400 presented by SunTrust earlier this monthwhere Scott Maxwell led several laps early in the race.  The team iscontinuing to develop its Daytona Prototype chassis in addition tofinalizing a factory program for 2005.

Riley Technologies is currently producing MKXI chassis #11 and #12, with onerace car set to replace the team's existing No. 10 SunTrust Riley and theother having been sold to a customer.  The current No. 10 race car - whichis Riley MKXI chassis #03 - is for sale.  Riley can also produce up to twomore race cars for customers if orders are received by the end of the month.Additionally, Margraf Racing took delivery of its new Riley Pontiac -chassis #09 - last month and is completing its second shakedown test thisweek.

In addition to Crawford, Doran, Fabcar, Multimatic and Riley, ChaseCompetition Engineering (Chase CCE-001) and Picchio SpA (Picchio DP2)complete the list of approved Daytona Prototype constructors.  Bothmanufacturers had race cars in the recent VIR 400 presented by SunTrust andare expected to compete in the Rolex Sports Car Series next year and beyond.

Grand American Road Racing Association, which sanctions the Rolex Sports CarSeries and the Grand-Am Cup Series, is one of the fastest growingmotorsports organizations in the United States.  Established in 1999, GrandAmerican's stated goal is to bring stability to professional sports car roadracing in North America. The 12-race 2004 Rolex Series schedule and the10-race Grand-Am Cup calendar deliver professional sports car racing to manykey markets throughout North America in addition to being televised in theUnited States and Canada on SPEED Channel and distributed globally throughESPN International. With title sponsorship support from Rolex Watch USA, theRolex Sports Car Series showcases emerging and legendary drivers from aroundthe globe and thoroughbred racing machines from the industry's leadingconstructors and the world's top automobile manufacturers. Learn more aboutGrand American at grandamerican.com.