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GRAND-AM: Young Guns Join MSR For Daytona
GRAND-AM race winner Michael McDowell to be joined by open-wheel stars Jorge Goncalvez, Gustavo Yacaman, and Felipe Nasr...
Media Release  |  Posted January 07, 2012  
Michael Shank Racing's No. 6 Riley-Ford driver lineup was announced Saturday at Daytona. (Photo: John Dagys)
Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian is pleased to announce a second Daytona Prototype entry for the 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona. The team has signed four young chargers to pilot the No. 6 Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian Ford-powered Riley entry as the group aims for a podium return in the fabled endurance challenge.

The entry will see some familiar faces as well as some new ones as the Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian No. 6 Riley returns to action. NASCAR pilot and GRAND-AM race winner Michael McDowell will be joined by three young fast drivers making their Rolex Sports Car Series race debut as Jorge Goncalvez (Venezuela), Gustavo Yacaman (Colombia), and Felipe Nasr (Brazil) are set to make their first start in the endurance classic.

McDowell’s GRAND-AM experience stretches back to 2004, as the Phoenix native broke through for his first Daytona Prototype victory one year later in Mexico City. While his motorsports career has seen him show speed in everything from open-wheel to NASCAR Sprint Cup, his Rolex 24 participation remains constant with four top-10 results in five Rolex 24 starts. The outing is the first time for him to race with a Riley chassis since he took one to victory lane in Mexico City.

Goncalvez made his Daytona Prototype debut in October when he joined Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian to test the No. 23 Ford-Riley. He was quickly up to speed and immediately set a strong pace as he took his first laps in the Daytona Prototype at Barber Motorsports Park. The young Venezuelan has progressed through the open-wheel ranks and most recently scored four top-fives and nine top-10s on his way to placing fifth in the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights Championship.

Yacaman has also climbed the open-wheel racing ladder and has competed in the Firestone Indy Lights ranks for the past three years. 2011 saw Yacaman finish fourth in the championship to complete a stellar season in which he scored five podiums - highlighted with a breakthrough win at the inaugural race through the streets of Baltimore.

Nasr joins the squad having impressed in testing as he carries the mantle for the Sunoco Daytona Challenge. Working with mentor Ozz Negri, the British Formula 3 Champion topped the time charts in his Daytona Prototype debut in December. That impressive pace continued through the opening days of the Roar Before the 24 as the team confirmed the star of the future for the Rolex 24 roster.

“We are very excited about the line-ups we have with both cars,” said Team Owner Mike Shank. “Last year, we ran three cars and all three finished the race in the top-10, and one was just short of being on the podium. We learned a lot, and we want to put everything into a two-car effort. The guys have impressed me in testing, and if we can stay out of trouble and on the right side of the pit wall, I thank we might surprise some folks with how strong this car could be.”
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