# '06 race season begins at Daytona



## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

*'06 race season begins at Daytona*
By D.C. WILLIAMS 
Correspondent 
January 05, 2006








DAYTONA BEACH -- Let the man-made thunder begin.

Starting at 9 a.m. today with Rolex Series and Grand-Am Cup testing on Daytona International Speedway's 3.56-mile road course, the 2006 automobile race season begins in earnest at one of the world's most-recognized motorsports venues.

With testing and racing running nearly non-stop through the Feb. 19 Daytona 500, more than 120 sportscar teams hit the pavement through Saturday during the Speedway's oldest annually scheduled group test. A two-day break will precede Nextel Cup testing, which begins Tuesday, Jan. 9.

The Rolex Series' Daytona Prototype and Grand Touring classes on hand alone account for a respective 33 and 42 cars -- totaling 13 cars more than the 62 fielded for the 2005 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

With an average of seven-members per team backing them, more than 100 drivers from nearly every motorsports arena will be here for the test.

"For most race car drivers, the best test he can face is not how fast he might go as much as what he does when racing against another fast driver," 2005 Rolex 24 At Daytona winning co-driver Wayne Taylor of Altamonte Springs said as the teams set up Wednesday at DIS.

"In the Rolex 24 they not only get to test themselves against those whom they regularly race, but against the best from many other racing series, too.

"Though more than 50 championship-winning drivers contested last year, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if even more show up this year."

Taylor's 2005 Rolex 24 teammates, Emanuel Collard and full-season co-driver Max Angelelli, will again be a part of the No. 10 SunTrust Pontiac-Riley DP team.Joining them this year is Ryan Briscoe, who in 2005 was a part of Chip Ganassi Racing's Indy Racing League team and a Toyota Formula One team test driver before that.

Resurgent in its effort this year is Porsche -- for which only Brumos Racing's Nos. 58 and 59 cars have borne the standard previously -- which will also power the No. 7 Doran of Synergy Racing and the No. 23 Crawford of Tavares-based Alex Job Racing.

"It's a blast to drive," driver Burt Friselle said of his Doran. "In three seasons this is the third power plant I've had in a DP and it's the best so far."

Longtime Porsche favorite son and five-time Rolex 24 winner Hurley Haywood -- again teamed for 2006 in the No. 59 Porsche-Fabcar with Daytona's J.C. France -- welcomes the increased presence.

"I think a lot of teams realize the Porsche program is a good one," Haywood said. "Porsche also probably realizes it'll have a better chance to win with more cars out there."

Though the Spirit of Daytona's Pontiac Crawford won't be at this week's test -- choosing instead to ready it for the race itself -- the team will debut its new Crane Cams-sponsored Pontiac GTO Grand-Am Cup car.

[email protected]

SCHEDULE

Today-Saturday: Grand Am Rolex 24 At Daytona

Jan. 9-11: Nextel Cup (odd owner's points)

Jan. 13-15: Trucks

Jan. 16-18: Nextel Cup (even owner's points)

Jan. 20-22: Busch Series


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## Jeffs386 (Nov 1, 2005)

next few weeks should be very interesting for sure


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

*Press release from GTODaytona*

GTODaytona,

Welcome to GTOforum and feel free to post all press releases,



> This is a press release about the Spirit of Daytona Grand-Am Cup GTO. Thursday the GTO turned some of the fastest laps times of the Grand-Am Cup practice session at the Daytona International Speedwayn the GS Series.
> 
> Spirit of Daytona Heats up Grand-Am Cup Practice Sessions in GTO
> 
> ...


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