As a team that has participated in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 since the series' inception in 1999, Spirit of Daytona Racing has competed in many races at many different tracks through the years. Despite that depth of experience, 2010 is proving to be a pivotal year with an unusual number of "firsts" for such a well-established team. Returning to racing following a short break in the season's action, the Spirit of Daytona team will be joined by their fellow DP competitors in experiencing a first, as the series breaks new ground in a historic location. Since its creation in 1957, Lime Rock Park has built a strong racing heritage, but this year marks the first time the track has hosted a Rolex Series DP competition.
Buddy Rice and Antonio Garcia are both experienced drivers with enviable resumes, but this season with the Spirit of Daytona team marks their first year as full-time Rolex Series drivers. As a result, both will be making their career debut at some of the tracks visited by the series in 2010. Lime Rock is one such location, with neither Rice nor Garcia having previous competition experience at the Lakeville, Connecticut location.
The Memorial Day Classic at Lime Rock will be a unique competition in many ways aside from the obvious challenges presented in an inaugural competition. The Lime Rock track is much shorter than the typical road course visited by the series. As a result, strategy and timing of pit stops are particularly critical to avoid going down a lap on a course that makes passing very difficult. The race will combine GT and DP classes, so managing the resulting traffic will also be key to staying competitive. Many anticipate some aggressive moves as drivers try to avoid tightly bunched traffic, which could translate to numerous yellow flags. As the holiday race is a one-day event for the Rolex Series teams, the schedule offers little practice time for fine-tuning the car's setup. This puts greater emphasis than ever on getting everything in order before the car comes off the truck.
Another factor weighing on the team's mind is the back-to-back race weekends, with the Six Hour Watkins Glen race scheduled just five days following the Lime Rock event. The leading race is one that is predicted to see a high rate of attrition, so drivers must exercise caution to avoid problems. With little time between events to make repairs, a badly damaged car could negatively impact the outcome in both races. Despite the number of challenges ahead, the Spirit of Daytona team is confident - both of their #90 Porsche V-8 Coyote and their chances for a strong finish at Lime Rock.
Team Manager and owner Troy Flis is well aware of the unique challenges, saying, “We have our work cut out for us at Lime Rock, but that is also true for all of our competitors. We understand the importance of qualifying in a good position for this race and our team has been working hard to deliver a strong car. Buddy and Antonio are talented and versatile – the track may be new to us, but they will adapt to any circumstance they encounter. Lime Rock is sure to be an exciting race for the fans and Spirit of Daytona would like nothing better than to be part of the very first DP podium at such a historic place.”
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