Paul Miller Racing ready to visit top step of Daytona podium |  |
- Paul Miller Racing ready to visit top step of Daytona podium
- Oryx Racing 15th on grid for 2012 Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona
- Andrew Davis / Brumos Racing secures GT pole for the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona
| Paul Miller Racing ready to visit top step of Daytona podium Posted: 27 Jan 2012 09:29 AM PST For Paul Miller Racing, the Rolex 24 at Daytona couldn’t start any better. Pole position would be great but 10th on grid is pretty nice looking at the race from afar. The no48 Chopard Porsche GT3 showed strong pace in the two practice sessions they participated in. During practice 3 a 1:49.653 was well within the top times. All four drivers of the No. 48 Chopard Porsche GT3 from Paul Miller Racing know the feeling of standing on the podium after 24 hours of racing at Daytona International Speedway. That’s why all four drivers – Bryce Miller, Sascha Maassen, Rob Bell and Mark Wilkins – are so hungry as they head to Daytona for this week’s world-renowned twice-around-the-clock enduro, which takes the green flag on Saturday, January 28 at 3:30 p.m. ET. They’ve all been tantalizingly close to victory, but none have taken home the top prize. Yet. Bryce Miller has finished second in the GT class twice in his five previous starts in the Daytona 24 Hours. He led 49 laps en route to a runner-up result for the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing team last year and led 26 laps in a second-place GT performance in 2008. He and the team will benefit from a full year of experience under their belts after running as an essentially new team in 2011. They should be encouraged by competitive, top-10 lap times in pre-event testing at Daytona earlier this month. “I am very excited for the 24-hour race this year,” said Miller. “We are coming off of a second-place finish at this event from last year and have had this entire past season to grow as a team. Consequently we’re bringing more cohesiveness, experience and intensity – all qualities that will play to our favor – in this year’s race. The newly issued shortened fuel windows places an emphasis on pit strategy and pit stops for this year’s event and our team is ready for these challenges. I am supremely confident in our driver lineup as well, and are honored to be in the presence of such professional talent.” Indeed, the GT class in the 2012 Daytona 24 hours features a whopping 46 cars and a who’s who of international racing talent. That isn’t lost on Maassen, who will make his 13th start in the Daytona 24 Hours this year. He looks to build on a previous best result of third, which came in the GT class in 2009, and he’s confident in the team’s ability to run up front this year. “This is going to be the toughest 24 Hours of Daytona that I can remember,” said Maassen. “There are a lot of good drivers, cars and teams in GT, so the challenge is there and we are ready to be part of it. I am proud to be part of one of the teams with a good chance to win this race. Thank you Paul Miller Racing!” Bell returns to Paul Miller Racing for the first time since playing a key role in the team’s runner-up performance last year. The two-time Le Mans Series champion acquitted himself well in his maiden Daytona race last year. But like his teammates, he’s looking for a little bit more this time around. “Our test went very well,” Bell said. “The new car felt great. We learned lots about it and all drivers felt at home straightaway. We also showed our pace was there or thereabouts. I’m looking forward to the race and going head to head with an amazing field of competitors. Reliability will be our strong point and with such great teammates I expect to be fighting for the win.” The lone newcomer to the team’s driver lineup is accomplished Canadian racer Mark Wilkins. But Wilkins is no stranger to the Daytona 24 Hours, as this will be his eighth time in the prestigious race. He has raced in the Daytona Prototype class for the last five years, but he returns to GT this year and enjoyed his best success in the 24 hours in a GT car with a third-place run in 2005, his debut race. “It’s almost time to go racing and after a successful test at the beginning of the month, I couldn’t be more excited to get back behind the wheel,” Wilkins said. “The No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Porsche GT3 ran great at the test and I know the crew has been working very hard to prep the perfect race car for this weekend. With lots of strong competition and this being the 50th running of the Rolex 24, everyone will be trying hard to win that watch and we will be no exception. This team knows how to race Daytona and I’m thrilled to get racing in pursuit of the top step of the podium.” Photo: © 2012 Corey Beaman - Paul Miller Racing Related posts: You're reading Paul Miller Racing ready to visit top step of Daytona podium originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.
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| Oryx Racing 15th on grid for 2012 Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona Posted: 27 Jan 2012 08:30 AM PST Not more than 4 weeks ago, Oryx Racing took delivery of their Audi R8 GRAND-AM. The R8 GRAND-AM does not come race ready out of the box and with little test data, the Oryx Racing crew put in a great performance. The team placed 15th in the strong and stacked GT field. “Overall we are very pleased with the result in qualifying” Team Principal and number 1 driver, Humaid al Masaood, commented. “We have had very little running since we took delivery of the car at the beginning of the month so there are a lot of variables we are working with, a new car, a new circuit, a banked section to that circuit and of course a new driver in the team, Saeed al Mehairi. I am delighted with the way the team have responded to some many simultaneous challenges and we have out qualified the other Audi R8 team, APR, so that is very satisfying.” “Its a long race and really qualifying does not have that much influence on the outcome, its just glory points” quipped Steven Kane. “As long as we keep out of trouble in the first few laps while the field sorts itself out we have as good a chance as anyone. I’m looking forward to getting the race underway and finding out where we really sit compared to the other GT cars” Oryx Racing on Facebook Photos: © 2012 Corey Beaman Related posts: You're reading Oryx Racing 15th on grid for 2012 Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.
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| Andrew Davis / Brumos Racing secures GT pole for the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona Posted: 27 Jan 2012 05:15 AM PST A strong performance by Andrew Davis secured pole for the no59 Brumos Racing Porsche GT3. A 1:49.342 would do it and top the no69 AIM Autosport/Team FXDD Ferrari 458 Italia with a very close 1:49.357. “It was an intense session,” said Davis, who was bumped from the provisional pole three times before regaining it for good with two minutes left. “I just pushed it as hard as I could from the first lap out.” Our good friend and Altanta local, Andy Lally, dropped the no44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 into third with a 1:49.388. The entry from Flying Lizard Motorsports landed in 4th with a 1:49.550. no62 Risi Competition Ferrari 458 was 5th. The two Audi R8′s are definitely feeling the new entry challenges. Oryx Racing Audi R8 Grand-Am hit a 1:50.312 for 15th and the APR Motorsport crew 22nd with a 1:50.749 Related posts: You're reading Andrew Davis / Brumos Racing secures GT pole for the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.
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