Taylor, Tremblay Pleased With Opening Session
--GRAND-AM Rolex Series competitors were pleased with the opening day of testing at Virginia International Raceway. After morning fog, the sun broke through and temperatures climbed into the 80s.
The lone incident of the day saw Tom Nastasi spin at the exit of the Oak Tree turn and impact the barrier with the new No. 11 TPN Racing/Blackforest Ford Mustang. The car was able to return after repairs to the right-rear corner.
"I was pleasantly surprised," said SunTrust Racing team owner Wayne Taylor. "I certainly like the enthusiasm of everyone with Continental Tire, especially with their all of their ideas of marketing and promoting the series. That's what we need, and they are doing a good job."
Sylvain Tremblay, owner/driver of the No. 68 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8, was also pleased with the opening session. "We learned a lot," Tremblay said. "We made a good plan, and like all good plans, we have more planning to do. We got some answers, but more questions came up. I'm glad we're going to be here another day."
Pew Tries Out Paddle Shifter, New Side Plates
--Michael Shank Racing is trying out two of the changes that will be in effect for 2010 DP competition. The team has paddle shifters installed on the No. 60 Crown Royal XR Ford/Riley, and experimented with two versions of the rear-wing side plates that will be used next year. Teams having a Pro-Am driver are allowed to use the new shifters.
From a driver's standpoint, it's great," Pew said of the paddle shifters. "We're lucky to try it out. I think it's going to be a good thing. The car is really fun to drive. There are a few teething problems, but that's normal. I think it will be a good team for the thing. I think the guys will like this. My wife has a go-kart with a paddle shifter, and I've been driving that, and I've got it on my simulator. Ozz (co-driver Negri) likes it too."
Pew then used the side plates during the final Trueman-Akin session of the day. Pew - the 2010 Jim Trueman Award winner - is also experimenting with a new look at the test. After wearing a beard "since my college days," Pew showed up at VIR clean shaven. Team owner Michael Shank also has a new look - he's grown a beard during the off season.
Garcia Learning New Chevrolet
--Learning the new Continental Tire is not the main objective for Antonio Garcia and Spirit of Daytona Racing. This is their first test with new ECR Chevrolet power in the No. 90 Coyote.
"We need to figure out who to make the new engine suit this car," Garcia said. "We're still learning how it develops power and durability. That affects the setup of the car, as well. I'm making changes to my driving style to profit from what this engine can give us. I think we will have a real strong package for next year, but we've still got a long way to go."
Garcia also was impressed with the (different compounds) Continental Tire will use next season. "It's a lot easier on the out lap," he said. "I don't think running on cold tires will be a problem next year."
Kaiser Pleased With Opening Session
--Ross Kaiser, winner of the 2011 Sunoco Daytona Challenge, took his first laps in the U.S. on Tuesday morning in Doran Racing's No. 77 McDonald's Ford/Dallara. "It was great," said Kaiser, the British Radical champion who outscored drivers in four U.K. series to win a funded ride in the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
"I spent the time getting acclimated to the car and the circuit, learning the parameters of the car around me. We drive on the right side in the U.K., so I'm learning left-side drive; the last left-side drive car I raced was a Ferrari in 2006. I'm pleased that there's a lot of grip in the fast corners, so I was braking later during the session. Now, we're working on picking up time this afternoon."
Neiman to Test With Action Express
Seth Neiman, driver and team principal for Flying Lizard Motorsports in the American Le Mans Series, is at VIR to drive a Daytona Prototype for the first time. He and Darren Law - his regular co-driver in the ALMS - will share the No. 58 Porsche/Riley, powered by a Porsche flat-six engine. This is the same car that Law co-drove to victory in the 2008 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
"Darren has been my co-driver in the No. 44 Porsche since 2007, and he's always told me the DPs were fun to drive," Neiman said. "This test is a great opportunity to have some fun before we got down to serious work preparing for next season. We have no plans yet for the Rolex 24, but we are considering it."
Neiman has raced in the Rolex 24 on three occasions, twice making it to the thrilling yet heartbreaking second step on the GT podium.
"In 2004 we were about three laps from winning overall," Neiman said. Neiman, Johannes van Overbeek, Peter Cunningham and Mike Rockenfeller were part of the Flying Lizard effort, which saw Rockenfeller make a dramatic late-race charge against Johnny Mowlem which came up only a few seconds short. Robin Liddell was part of that year's winning Orbit Racing Porsche team.
This past year, Flying Lizard teamed with TRG to finish second in GT behind SpeedSource at the Rolex 24, Van Overbeek, Jorg Bergmeister and Patrick Long joined Neiman in the No. 67 Porsche. This is Neiman's first time at VIR since late 2003, when he tested a Rennwerks Porsche. His only race here was several years before that in a Skip Barber event on the South Course.
