Saturday, May 17, 2008

Sportscar preview: Grand-Am in Laguna Seca and ALMS in Salt Lake City


Sportscar Racing in America is back again with the Rolex Grand-Am Series racing in Laguna Seca and the American Le Mans Series in Salt Lake City.

Grand-Am: David Donahue took pole for RumBum.com 250 in his Brumos Porsche Daytona Prototype, the 99 Bob Stallings Gainsco with Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty behind the wheel will start outside pole.
But the big story is the return of Cristiano da Matta. Sidelined from racing after a collsion with a deer in a test at Road America in 2006, Christano will compete in his first race since the crash. Teamed with good friend Jimmy Vasser in a second Gainsco sponsred Bob Stallings Ponitac, Cristano will start 6th in the race. Nick Ham and the Speedsoruce Mazda team are on pole in the GT class. The race will be run later today, but will shown tommrow at noon eastern on Speed Channel.

Grand-Am Starting Lineup

ALMS: In Utah, another racing legend is making his return to racing. Gil de Ferran, in the 66 Panasonic Acura teamed with former Champ Car driver Simon Pagenaud, is making his first competive start since retring from Indycar racing 2003. The former Indy 500 winner is looking forward to the event. "Everyone has put in a lot of hours in creating this team and it is great for all involved to see the fruits of our labors become a reality. We have already completed a test at Miller Motorsports Park and we are as prepared as we could have hoped for, considering the short life span of the team", de Ferran said. "For me, the weekend will be very emotionally charged but after five years out of the seat, it has been a bit like putting on an old comfortable pair of shoes -- in a way this will be an exercise in trying to pretend that the last five years didn't happen."

The race will take place at 3 pm eastern on Speed.

De Ferran Motorsports Preview

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