
SAMAX - Rolex 24 GT drivers
SAMAX Motorsport will field two GT cars in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona,
with driver lineups that combine the best of experience, youth and
speed.
The race will be the first in North America for UPS Porsche Junior
Team drivers Lance David Arnold and Jan Seyffarth of Germany. They're
new to the Rolex 24, but they'll be at home behind the wheel of the
No. 17 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. They have already completed a full
season driving the Porsche 997-based car in the Porsche Carrera Cup
Deutschland.
Veterans Johnny Mowlem of London, England, and David Shep of Caledon,
Ont., will share their track knowledge with the young pair. Mowlem
has earned a GT class win, two overall podiums and three GT podiums
in six Rolex 24 races. Shep joined his Doncaster Racing/SAMAX co-drivers
on the GT podium at last year's Rolex 24 - his third podium in three
series on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway infield road
course.
Bryan Sellers of Sacramento, Calif., returns to SAMAX after an impressive
debut in 2005. In his first sports-car start, he put the team's Porsche
on the GT class pole for the Rolex Sports Car Series race at Homestead
(Fla.) Miami Speedway.
As previously announced, SAMAX will also prepare the No. 71 Doncaster
Racing/SAMAX Porsche for drivers Dave Lacey of Toronto, Brent Martini
of Laguna Beach, Calif., and father and son Greg and Mark Wilkins of
Toronto. Doncaster Racing is aiming for the top, after class podium
finishes at the Rolex 24 in 2004 and 2005. (Doncaster announcement
follows)
"It's a dream two-car lineup," SAMAX owner Peter Baron said. "One
car is pure experience, with podiums at the last two Rolex 24, going
for their third. The other car is built on pure speed with the objective
to win, and it has the lineup to do it. We've also been doing our homework
on the new Porsche since it was announced. Clearly, these two cars
have the talent and the machinery to meet the objective of coming home
drenched in champagne."
Mowlem is equally psyched. "I'm absolutely delighted to finally get
to drive for Peter Baron and SAMAX," he said. "They have already proven
themselves as a top team in not just the GT but also the DP division,
and I'm very excited at going back to Daytona to try and win myself
another Rolex, especially with such good teammates. It has always been
a happy hunting ground for me and I'm hoping that 2006 will be no different!"
Shep is also ready to win a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Daytona Cosmograph
watch, awarded to Rolex 24 class winners.
"There were various opportunities, but the only one that made sense
was to go back with the team that we had so much success with
last year. I'm pleased Peter invited me back," he said. "The GT race
is lining up to be a real who's who of road-racing. It's going to be
a little bit more difficult, but I think the people Peter has assembled
will certainly be up to the task."
The Rolex 24 At Daytona is set for Jan. 28 and 29 on the 3.56-mile
Daytona International Speedway infield road course in Daytona Beach,
Fla. SAMAX will prepare for the race during the Rolex 24 open test
Jan. 5 to 7.
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