Magnus Racing Returns At Mid-Ohio

The Party Barge is Back as Magnus Racing returns to the ALMS for Mid-Ohio Sportscar Challenge

Having been absent from the American Le Mans Series’ GT-C class since the second round in Long Beach, California, Magnus Racing and drivers John Potter and Craig Stanton will return for next weekend’s Mid-Ohio Sportscar Challenge.

In two races this year, Potter and Stanton established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the all Porsche GT-C class. Teamed with Matthew Marsh, the Magnus Racing Porsche qualified second in GT-C and ran in the lead during the first half of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring before Potter was taken out by a prototype past the eight hour mark.

#77 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: John Potter, Craig Stanton

Photo by: Darren Pierson

At Long Beach, the Magnus Racing Porsche – with its unmistakable Roscoe’s Chicken ‘n Waffles livery – contended for the lead early before falling to fourth. A battle with in the closing stages saw Stanton, racing in his hometown, take the final spot on the podium as the no. 68 TRG Porsche defended his position all the way into the wall of the back straightaway.

Potter is eager to mix it up in the GT-C class again after the no.77 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – which was nicknamed the ‘Party Barge’ at Sebring – showed it had class winning speed at both Sebring and Long Beach. Incidentally, Potter earned the first podium for Magnus Racing at Mid-Ohio, in the 2010 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at the track.

“We jumped into GT-C at Petit Le Mans last year, and clearly we didn’t have the speed to win in that first weekend although we did manage to finish third,” said Potter. “So it was very gratifying to be on the pace at Sebring and be leading the field – until the Rebellion car knocked us off track and sent us back to the trailer to repair two broken radiators. At Long Beach our strategy didn’t work out with the lack of yellows, but we were still a little bit off of the leaders. We have experience at Mid-Ohio and I have high hopes for the race.”

As always, Potter will be joined by Stanton, who is as optimistic as ever for a strong finish in his Magnus Racing Porsche.

“You know, our GT-C car has been really good but we are still looking for that first win,” he said. “I think we will have a great shot at it in Mid-Ohio. John has been doing a great job driving and the guys have been hitting the setup of our Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. With four classes it makes things a little bit different than what we are used to but that will just make the racing more exciting.”

By: magnus racing