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GRAND-AM
GRAND-AM: Rolex 24 Notebook
John Dagys breaks down some of the storylines ahead of this weekend’s 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona...
Corvette DPs have been given a slight performance boost following BMW's 1-2-3 sweep in qualifying Thursday. (Photo: John Dagys)
CORVETTE DPs GET LAST MINUTE BREAK — The story of the week at Daytona so far has been Balance of Performance, particularly in the Daytona Prototype ranks. The latest change came Friday morning, when GRAND-AM handed the Corvette DPs a slightly larger air restrictor following a Riley-BMW sweep of the top three qualifying positions.
Corvette DP teams have gained approximately 4 to 5 horsepower from the adjustment, which sees its mandated air restrictor increase from 1.85 to 1.90 inches, resulting in an approximate 2.7 percent increase in size. The 5.0 liter V8 powerplant ran without an air restrictor prior to this weekend.
"We feel that the change was warranted based on what we saw yesterday," said GRAND-AM Managing Director of Communications, Herb Branham. "Basically, we're just lessening the restrictions from what they were when we came in here.
"It's all a work-in-progress and about balancing performance, trying to make it a good race and looking at data, seeing where we need to make changes. That's what we're doing."
In addition to the initial restrictor placed on the GM powerplant, adjustments were also made to the RPM limits prior to this weekend. The Corvette DP gained 100 rpms, while Ford-powered teams lost 300 rpms from last year. The BMW engine remained unchanged from the end of 2012.
What will the changes have in store for the race? It’s unclear at the moment, but it appears at least some of the initial displeasure in the paddock, particularly from the Chevrolet camp, has subsided, prior to tomorrow’s Rolex Sports Car Series season-opener.
NEGRI EXPECTED TO DRIVE — Only days after getting his cast off his foot, Ozz Negri was back behind the wheel of Michael Shank Racing’s Riley-Ford Thursday evening. The Brazilian turned a handful of laps in the defending race-winning entry and is expected to at least drive one stint in the race.
"It feels good,” Negri said. “Once you're in the car, you don't really remember your foot. But as soon as soon as you get out of the car, [you can feel it]. But I shouldn't complain about anything. I took the cast off on Sunday and I'm now in the car. And I have enough range of movement.
"The idea for right now is to do one stint at the beginning of the race. Depending on how it is, we'll see if I will do another one or maybe a little bit more."
Reinforcing the team’s lineup of Negri, Pew, A.J. Allmendinger and Justin Wilson is V8 Supercars-turned NASCAR star Marcos Ambrose, who was drafted in earlier this month following Negri’s leg injury sustained while training out of the car last month.
8STAR AIMING FOR SECOND DP — The newest team in the GRAND-AM paddock is already looking to expand, as 8Star Motorsports has laid out plans to field a second Corvette DP later this season.
Team owner Enzo Potolicchio told SPEED.com that he placed a deposit on another Coyote-Chevrolet chassis earlier this month. The Venezuelan, who is fielding an all-star entry of Stephane Sarrazin, Anthony Davidson, Nic Minassian and Pedro Lamy this weekend, expects to have the second car delivered by April, possibly in time for the fourth round of the season at Road Atlanta.
“We need to build a customer program because we have a lot of up-front infrastructure and management costs,” Potolicchio explained. “We’re building a team the right way, from the ground up, and need a second car for sure to make it a successful program.
“We’re interesting in trying different customers for the year and find a solid program about 2014. There are already a couple of people interested, especially after our strong showing at the Roar.”
NEWS AND NOTES FROM PADDOCK
*** Thirteen of the 18 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars in GT are running the new 4.0-liter Flat 6 powerplant this weekend. Teams opting for the 3.8-liter model will run without a restrictor, while the new-generation engine receives a 63.5 mm restrictor, in the same placement as the GTC car restrictor.
*** Turner Motorsport will only have one of its BMW M3s at the start, following a heavy accident in final practice by factory driver Andy Priaulx, who reported brake failure on the Prep 2-built car. Priaulx and co-drivers Maxime Martin, Michael Marsal and Gunter Schaldach may appear in the team’s No. 94 car in the race.
*** Richard Westbrook has been keeping close guard of his phone this weekend, as the Spirit of Daytona driver’s wife, Jessica, is expecting their first child. Already overdue by more than a week, ‘Westy’ is hoping for a mad dash to the airport Sunday afternoon, and a speedy flight back to England, in hopes of being there for the birth of their baby girl.
*** Originally entered in the No. 69 AIM Autosport Ferrari, Guy Cosmo was forced to pull out of this weekend’s event after having to undergo emergency surgery to stop a nose bleed. Anthony Lazzaro, Emil Assentato, Nick Longhi and Mark Wilkins will handle driving duties this weekend.
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
Corvette DP teams have gained approximately 4 to 5 horsepower from the adjustment, which sees its mandated air restrictor increase from 1.85 to 1.90 inches, resulting in an approximate 2.7 percent increase in size. The 5.0 liter V8 powerplant ran without an air restrictor prior to this weekend.
"We feel that the change was warranted based on what we saw yesterday," said GRAND-AM Managing Director of Communications, Herb Branham. "Basically, we're just lessening the restrictions from what they were when we came in here.
"It's all a work-in-progress and about balancing performance, trying to make it a good race and looking at data, seeing where we need to make changes. That's what we're doing."
In addition to the initial restrictor placed on the GM powerplant, adjustments were also made to the RPM limits prior to this weekend. The Corvette DP gained 100 rpms, while Ford-powered teams lost 300 rpms from last year. The BMW engine remained unchanged from the end of 2012.
What will the changes have in store for the race? It’s unclear at the moment, but it appears at least some of the initial displeasure in the paddock, particularly from the Chevrolet camp, has subsided, prior to tomorrow’s Rolex Sports Car Series season-opener.
NEGRI EXPECTED TO DRIVE — Only days after getting his cast off his foot, Ozz Negri was back behind the wheel of Michael Shank Racing’s Riley-Ford Thursday evening. The Brazilian turned a handful of laps in the defending race-winning entry and is expected to at least drive one stint in the race.
"It feels good,” Negri said. “Once you're in the car, you don't really remember your foot. But as soon as soon as you get out of the car, [you can feel it]. But I shouldn't complain about anything. I took the cast off on Sunday and I'm now in the car. And I have enough range of movement.
"The idea for right now is to do one stint at the beginning of the race. Depending on how it is, we'll see if I will do another one or maybe a little bit more."
Reinforcing the team’s lineup of Negri, Pew, A.J. Allmendinger and Justin Wilson is V8 Supercars-turned NASCAR star Marcos Ambrose, who was drafted in earlier this month following Negri’s leg injury sustained while training out of the car last month.
8STAR AIMING FOR SECOND DP — The newest team in the GRAND-AM paddock is already looking to expand, as 8Star Motorsports has laid out plans to field a second Corvette DP later this season.
Team owner Enzo Potolicchio told SPEED.com that he placed a deposit on another Coyote-Chevrolet chassis earlier this month. The Venezuelan, who is fielding an all-star entry of Stephane Sarrazin, Anthony Davidson, Nic Minassian and Pedro Lamy this weekend, expects to have the second car delivered by April, possibly in time for the fourth round of the season at Road Atlanta.
“We need to build a customer program because we have a lot of up-front infrastructure and management costs,” Potolicchio explained. “We’re building a team the right way, from the ground up, and need a second car for sure to make it a successful program.
“We’re interesting in trying different customers for the year and find a solid program about 2014. There are already a couple of people interested, especially after our strong showing at the Roar.”
NEWS AND NOTES FROM PADDOCK
*** Thirteen of the 18 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars in GT are running the new 4.0-liter Flat 6 powerplant this weekend. Teams opting for the 3.8-liter model will run without a restrictor, while the new-generation engine receives a 63.5 mm restrictor, in the same placement as the GTC car restrictor.
*** Turner Motorsport will only have one of its BMW M3s at the start, following a heavy accident in final practice by factory driver Andy Priaulx, who reported brake failure on the Prep 2-built car. Priaulx and co-drivers Maxime Martin, Michael Marsal and Gunter Schaldach may appear in the team’s No. 94 car in the race.
*** Richard Westbrook has been keeping close guard of his phone this weekend, as the Spirit of Daytona driver’s wife, Jessica, is expecting their first child. Already overdue by more than a week, ‘Westy’ is hoping for a mad dash to the airport Sunday afternoon, and a speedy flight back to England, in hopes of being there for the birth of their baby girl.
*** Originally entered in the No. 69 AIM Autosport Ferrari, Guy Cosmo was forced to pull out of this weekend’s event after having to undergo emergency surgery to stop a nose bleed. Anthony Lazzaro, Emil Assentato, Nick Longhi and Mark Wilkins will handle driving duties this weekend.
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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