The latest news from around the world courtesy of Press Snoop Lynne Huntting...
PONTIAC TO RUN GTO.R WITH TRG • SUN TRUST CHANGES LOOK • VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF ROLEX SERIES
Strolling through the crowded pits and paddock at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Saturday midday was slow-going because of so much foot traffic in the Grand American Rolex Series garage area. The place was bustling and the fans were eating it up. A long table had been setup with upwards of 75 chairs for the Driver Autograph session. This weekend is the US Sports Car Invitational.
The weather was a bit cooler Saturday with a cloud cover developing and a breeze picking up.
GM Racing announced Friday that TRG, formerly known as The Racer's Group, will be the factory team to run the new Pontiac GTO. race cars in the Rolex Series GT class. The drivers will be MARC BUNTING and ANDY LALLY in one car, and PAUL EDWARDS and JAN MAGNUSSEN in the other. At least one of the two cars will debut at the July Rolex Series race at
Daytona Beach. The car, designed by LYN BISHOP, will sport the splashy new TRG blue and silver graphics.
The GTO.R has the new 2005 GTO 6.0 litre LS2 engine. GM Racing engineers had to reduce the power to comply with Rolex Series regulations. Pontiac won the Daytona Prototype Engine Manufacturer Championship last season and is jumping in with both feet this season with 11 of the 24 Daytona Prototypes this weekend. This year Grand American. Next year, Indy Racing League? That was one rumour I picked up in the pit lane.
Edwards and Magnussen have been testing the GTO.R. Lally and Bunting, who won the GT Championship for TRG last season and are currently leading the GT points, have had less time in the car. If both cars run, all four will race. If only one car is race ready, then it will probably be driven by Edwards and Magnussen, while Bunting and Lally continue to run their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.
