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GRAND-AM: Mid-Ohio Notebook
News and notes from the season-ending GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race of the season...
John Dagys  |  Posted September 16, 2011   Lexington, OH
Catch up on the latest news and notes from the Mid-Ohio paddock. (Photo: John Dagys)
2012 SCHEDULE TALK — GRAND-AM President Tom Bledsoe confirmed to SPEED.com that the 2012 Rolex Sports Car Series schedule will be released by late October. With NASCAR yet to announce schedules for the Sprint Cup or Nationwide Series, Bledsoe explained they’re unable to finalize dates for many races until the shared events are confirmed.

Only two events - the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona on Jan. 28-29 and the series’ first visit to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26-27, are officially confirmed for the 12-race season thus far. Bledsoe said he’s currently in negotiations with 16 track promoters, meaning it’s likely some current events on the 2011 calendar will not be back.

While it’s unclear which ones those may be, Bledsoe’s hopeful of a return to Montreal, with or possibly without the Nationwide Series, and gives 50/50 odds of a second street race, rumored to be St. Petersburg, of getting the green light as well.

HISTORY MAKING WEEKEND FOR MAZDA? — Mazda could be making a bit of history this weekend, as it seeks three major sportscar racing titles, that all could be wrapped up tomorrow.

The Japanese manufacturer currently holds a slim one-point lead in the Rolex Series GT manufacturers standings, while enjoying a 17-point margin in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge ST class title race. Mazda is also atop the American Le Mans Series LMP1 manufacturers’ championship, with the possibility of clinching that title also on Saturday.

According to racing historian Janos Wimpffen, no auto manufacturer has earned three major championships in the same year.

“To win any professional championship is a huge accomplishment. To be in a position to win three, in the same season, is simply amazing,” said John Doonan, Mazda Motorsports director. “My only problem is the fact that I cannot watch all three races in person!”

Doonan was on hand at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca today but will be taking a red-eye flight tonight to make it to Mid-Ohio on Saturday to potentially be part of history in the making.

LG MOTORSPORTS RETURNS TO GT — After a one-year absence, LG Motorsports dusted off its Corvette and will do battle in the GT class in tomorrow’s EMCO Gears Classic. The Prep 1 Corvette, equipped with a brand-new CRD-tuned LS3 powerplant, will be driven by Robert Stout and late addition Jeff Bucknum, who replaces team owner Lou Gigliotti at the wheel.

“I’ve been racing for 40 years and I’ve had a lot of fun,” Gigliotti said. “We won a lot of stuff and I’m getting old - I’m 61 - so what are you going to do? I always wanted to be an owner and put some really good fast drivers with good funding. I don’t want to do this one-off stuff. It would be great if we could get some money and two really good drivers for next year.”

While Gigliotti hasn’t ruled out a possible full-season return for the team next year, although only under the right circumstances, he’s targeted the Rolex Series’ debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next July as a goal of his, to possibly race with his son, Louis.

Stout and Bucknum will roll off seventh tomorrow following a solid qualifying for the small Texas-based squad.

PHOTOS: Mid-Ohio Friday Gallery



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