Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
SPEEDtv.com
05/06/2008 - 03:15 PM
Detroit, MI
Setup II winner Chris Prey. (Photo: Pontiac) ยป More Photos
Banner Racing will field Setup II winner Chris Prey in round five of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 to be run at Laguna Seca Raceway May 17. Prey was the winner of the $100,000 grand prize and has been awarded an even bigger prize by Pontiac, GM Racing and Banner Racing, the opportunity to make his pro racing debut behind the wheel of the No. 06 Banner Racing Pontiac GXP.R.
Prey (pronounced pry) showed his stuff taking on the 23 other contestants on Setup II in front of the SPEED Channel TV audience. Behind the wheel of his No. 55 Pontiac Solstice GXP Prey won three of the eight races and together with crewman Dale Prey (Dad) took home the check for $100k and the opportunity test a Pontiac race car.
“I am very humbled that Leighton has the confidence in me to run the race with no testing,” Prey said. “I am looking forward to showing what I can do behind the wheel of the GXP.R. I have raced at Laguna in the Skip Barber National Championship series three years ago. I finished in the top 10.”
“When Kelly (Collins, Banner driver) and I were on the set of Setup, there were four really good drivers,” Reese said. “Skill and luck came together and Prey won. There were a number of restarts and he got to the front. He also did it clean with no damage on his car. I didn’t have a co-driver for Laguna so the opportunity arose to get him in the car. It will be an awesome conclusion for the show. All eyes will be on this guy at Laguna. He will have to get used the car, we are going to throw him to the wolves. He will have good coaching and great equipment, we will see what he can do.”
The potent Pontiac GXP.R has posted wins this season with Stevenson Motorsports winning the last
“I am really looking forward to driving the Banner Pontiac. I absorbed a lot when Ron Fellows drove the car in Mexico City. It was his first time in the car. I listened to his feedback and the way he communicated what the car was doing to the crew and the engineers. I have been really trying to study what the car was doing and the communication between drivers and crew. I am ready to get in and feel the car myself, work with Leighton to get the car setup as best we can for the race. The GXP.R should really shine at this type of track. It is a great opportunity to show my stuff in great equipment.”
Prey enjoyed the overall Setup experience, although he had the added drama of switching cars from the No. 20 Reliable Transport Solstice to the No. 55 Royale Purple half-way through the show.
“I watched the shows from last year. Like everyone else I thought I could do better. I filled out the application and forgot about it. Seven months later they called me and I went to California with my Dad. There were a few different twists and things. Making it to the end was the most important element. I had the quickest car every time out. I had the speed card that I could play. The producer had me starting at the back of the field most of the time. For the most part I looked forward to coming through the pack. I was building my race craft in those situations. A lot of drama with other drivers and the producer and other things that went on I never let it upset the way I was approaching the racing. I had a win taken away. It just motivated me even more.”
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