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GRAND-AM
GRAND-AM: Pagenaud Excited For Rolex 24 Debut With Sahlen
"It's very interesting to get into a top team because you know you can get good results. But it's also interesting to have a team face such a great challenge," Pagenaud tells SPEED.com...
Former ALMS LMP champion Simon Pagenaud will make his GRAND-AM Rolex Series debut next month at Daytona, driving Team Sahlen's Riley-BMW. (Photo: John Dagys)
Thursday's announcement linking one of the world's top open-wheel and sports car stars with a new-for-2013 Daytona Prototype team may have come out of the blue, but for Simon Pagenaud, who will make his GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series debut next month, all of the pieces fell into place for the rapid Frenchman to join Team Sahlen for January's Rolex 24 at Daytona.
"It's a funny story because it came just as I was thinking about doing the [Rolex] 24 and was starting to look at options," Pagenaud told SPEED.com. "I hadn't talked to anyone yet or called anyone and then I got an email while I was in France from the team.
"We chatted on the phone quickly and they explained to me the challenge to finance a new team that was in GT before. They explained to me that they just got the car and hadn't tested yet and they were going to beef up the team. So I was thinking, 'Why not?'"
Pagenaud, fresh off claiming rookie-of-the-year honors in the IZOD IndyCar Series, will join team regulars Dane Cameron and Wayne Nonnamaker in the Ohio-based team's No. 42 Riley-BMW.
It will undoubtedly be a new learning experience for all involved, as the longtime GT team, typically having previously achieved modest results, often with gentlemen driver lineups, will make its DP debut in the Rolex Series season-opener.
"It's an interesting challenge and obviously always very interesting to get into a top team because you know you can get good results. But it's also interesting to have a team face such a great challenge," Pagenaud said. "Those guys seemed pretty willing to have me on board. Everything was very decent with what they had to offer and I said, 'OK, let's go do it.' I have no contact in Daytona Prototypes; I need to make myself known and I felt that is a great opportunity."
While often considered one of the "underdog" teams in the Rolex Series paddock, Team Sahlen has made considerable gains over the last two seasons, including a long-awaited first GT class victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this year, in the team's second-to-last race with their venerable Mazda RX-8s.
Cameron, a fellow former Atlantic standout, along with the ever-improving Nonnamaker will make for a solid lineup, according to Pagenaud who recently completed a test with the team's two full-season drivers.
"Dane really impressed me," Pagenaud said. "He's a tremendous driver with great feedback. He drives very, very well. I'm actually happy about that because I'm learning from him as well. Us two together, and of course, Wayne Nonnamaker, he actually did a very good job at the test. I think we can be quite competitive.
"Obviously we don't know about reliability yet; we don't know it. It will be such a tough and long race. We'll see. But on the performance side of things, we'll have good drivers. It should be a pretty good combination."
And if there wasn't enough incentive to cheer on the Sahlen's Riley-BMW next month, Pagenaud has already made one promise that would see the him don the team's traditional headwear, should they achieve a storybook result.
"I agreed to wear the hot dog hat if we're on the podium," he said.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
"It's a funny story because it came just as I was thinking about doing the [Rolex] 24 and was starting to look at options," Pagenaud told SPEED.com. "I hadn't talked to anyone yet or called anyone and then I got an email while I was in France from the team.
"We chatted on the phone quickly and they explained to me the challenge to finance a new team that was in GT before. They explained to me that they just got the car and hadn't tested yet and they were going to beef up the team. So I was thinking, 'Why not?'"
Pagenaud, fresh off claiming rookie-of-the-year honors in the IZOD IndyCar Series, will join team regulars Dane Cameron and Wayne Nonnamaker in the Ohio-based team's No. 42 Riley-BMW.
It will undoubtedly be a new learning experience for all involved, as the longtime GT team, typically having previously achieved modest results, often with gentlemen driver lineups, will make its DP debut in the Rolex Series season-opener.
"It's an interesting challenge and obviously always very interesting to get into a top team because you know you can get good results. But it's also interesting to have a team face such a great challenge," Pagenaud said. "Those guys seemed pretty willing to have me on board. Everything was very decent with what they had to offer and I said, 'OK, let's go do it.' I have no contact in Daytona Prototypes; I need to make myself known and I felt that is a great opportunity."
While often considered one of the "underdog" teams in the Rolex Series paddock, Team Sahlen has made considerable gains over the last two seasons, including a long-awaited first GT class victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this year, in the team's second-to-last race with their venerable Mazda RX-8s.
Cameron, a fellow former Atlantic standout, along with the ever-improving Nonnamaker will make for a solid lineup, according to Pagenaud who recently completed a test with the team's two full-season drivers.
"Dane really impressed me," Pagenaud said. "He's a tremendous driver with great feedback. He drives very, very well. I'm actually happy about that because I'm learning from him as well. Us two together, and of course, Wayne Nonnamaker, he actually did a very good job at the test. I think we can be quite competitive.
"Obviously we don't know about reliability yet; we don't know it. It will be such a tough and long race. We'll see. But on the performance side of things, we'll have good drivers. It should be a pretty good combination."
And if there wasn't enough incentive to cheer on the Sahlen's Riley-BMW next month, Pagenaud has already made one promise that would see the him don the team's traditional headwear, should they achieve a storybook result.
"I agreed to wear the hot dog hat if we're on the podium," he said.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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