GRAND-AM: Rolex 24 GT Preview

GRAND-AM

GRAND-AM: Rolex 24 GT Preview

SPEED.com takes a look at the 45-car GT class starting field for this weekend’s 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona...

John Dagys | Posted January 24, 2012 Chicago, IL

More than 45 car are expected to take the green flag in the GT class alone for this weekend's 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona. (Photo: John Dagys)

While the Rolex 24 at Daytona has always seen some of the world’s best sports car teams and drivers contest the around-the-clock marathon, the ante has been upped this year, with everyone in quest of capturing top honors in the 50th anniversary of the endurance classic.

Proof of that is in the numbers, quite literally, as 45 cars are expected to take the green flag Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, Live! SPEED) in the GT category alone. With eight manufacturers represented, including the North American debut of two highly anticipated new models, the production-based ranks could arguably be the race to watch this year.

SPEED.com breaks down this year’s field and the likely drivers and teams that will be going for Rolex watches in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season-opener.

THE CONTENDERS:

TRG and its fleet of Porsches will again be contenders for the class win. (Photo: Brian Cleary/GRAND-AM)

TRG: Kevin Buckler’s armada of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars are always factors for the win and 2012 will be no different. The defending class winners return with five bullets, including two that undoubtedly will be fighting for the top step of the podium.

TRG’s No. 64 entry of Dominik Farnbacher, Allan Simonsen, Porsche factory driver Patrick Pilet and Ben Keating will be fast, but perhaps not as quick as its No. 67 machine of reigning class winners Spencer Pumpelly, Wolf Henzler, Steve Bertheau and Porsche rocket men Jeroen Bleekemolen and Marc Goossens. Finding a stronger lineup, minus gentleman driver Betheau, is a tough task.

Risi Competizione: Making its return to Daytona for the first time in nearly a decade, Risi leads the Prancing Horse brigade with a pair of new Ferrari F458 Italia Grand Ams. Quickest at the Roar Before the 24, the Houston-based team will be hard to beat with the likes of Gianmaria Bruni, Giancarlo Fisichella, Rafa Matos, Olivier Beretta, Andrea Bertolini and Toni Vilander at the wheel.

It’s undoubtedly the strongest of the four teams campaigning the mid-engined supercar, which would be looking for a debut victory in Rolex Series competition following GRAND-AM’s big push to introduce GT3-based machinery to the GT grid.

SpeedSource: While the two-time Rolex 24 class winners have scaled back to a single Mazda RX-8 program, the refocused effort could result in an even better chance of victory. Team owner Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito, who will return for a full-season attack, are joined by open-wheel star James Hinchcliffe and sports car ace Marino Franchitti.

The latter two, both Mazda alums, don’t boast the same level of GT experience, primary with the tube-framed RX-8, but should get quickly up to speed in the rotary powered beast. It’s undoubtedly the strongest Mazda of the seven entered here this year.

Turner Motorsport: Following a successful 2011 Rolex Series season, which included two wins, Turner returns to Daytona as a legitimate contender for the class win with a pair of well-proven BMW M3s. With an influx of BMW factory drivers, including reigning ALMS GT co-champion Dirk Muller and fellow countrymen Dirk Werner and Jorg Muller, as well as Bill Auberlen, if things go right, this team will be front runners.

Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana are listed to drive both cars, with Michael Marsal and the two Mullers (no relation) in the No. 93 Bimmer. Werner, Boris Said and Billy Johnson lead the driving force in the No. 94 machine.

Stevenson Motorsports: Entering two Camaro GT.Rs, Stevenson has turned its Pratt & Miller built Prep 2 machines into legitimate contenders for the win, after years of being at an aerodynamic disadvantage on the Daytona high banks.

The North Carolina-based team’s No. 57 entry of Robin Liddell, John Edwards and Ronnie Bremer will likely be fighting for the win, with its No. 75 machine, entered for GRAND-AM’s North American Endurance Championship, more or less a dark horse for a podium finish.

Turner Motorsport will have two strong BMWs that will likely challenge for the win. (Photo: John Dagys)

Brumos Racing: The perennial favorite for the win, the defending Rolex Series GT champions returns with the unchanged lineup of Leh Keen, Andrew Davis, Porsche factory star Marc Lieb and endurance racing legend Hurley Haywood, who will be making his record 40th and final Rolex 24 start.

No doubt, seeing the No. 59 Porsche in victory lane would be a cinderella story, especially in the race’s 50th anniversary.

Flying Lizard Motorsports: After claiming the overall pole with a leased Daytona Prototype last year, the ALMS regulars return its GT roots, with as much of a chance of victory as the other leading contenders.

Run in partnership with Wright Motorsports, the Flying Lizard Porsche boasts the impressive lineup of factory stars Jorg Bergmeister, Patrick Long and Audi ace on-loan, Mike Rockenfeller, as well as team principal Seth Neiman.

While having yet to win the 24, the Lizards earned a runner-up finish here in 2010, in partnership with TRG. Bergmeister, Long and Rockenfeller are all former winners of the race, "Rocky" having won overall with Action Express in 2010.

Autohaus Motorsports: Runners-up in the 2011 Rolex Series GT championship, Autohaus, like Stevenson, could have a legitimate shot at victory thanks to its ever-improving Camaro GT.R package.

The potent driver pairing of Paul Edwards, who moves back to his roots after a season in DP, and Jordan Taylor will be tough to beat in the season-long races. Adding in Corvette driver Tommy Milner and Hong Kong-based Matthew Marsh to the roster, this is likely to be a podium capable, and even potentially winning effort.

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John Dagys

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