Jeff Segal Brings season-best GT results record the Six Hours of The Glen

Three 2012 Victories Tops in Rolex Series for AIM Autosport Team FXDD No. 69 Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 27, 2012) – Jeff Segal, and co-driver Emil Assentato and the No. 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am team, will bring the best results record of the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season to Watkins Glen International this weekend for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, June 29 – July 1.

#69 Aim Autosport Team Fxdd Racing With Ferrari 458: Emil Assentato, Jeff Segal

Photo by: Jackie Buys

Segal and his teammates won a series-leading third 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Series GT race last Saturday at Road America to extend their class points lead for the fourth consecutive race. Segal and the No. 69 squad are also the first team in the Rolex Series this year – Daytona Prototype and GT combined – to earn three race victories.

“We're definitely getting the job done right now, particularly when you look at the results of the last few races,” Segal said. “While the on-track performance has been great, there is so much work that goes into it behind the scenes, and I think that is where our team is really excelling right now.”

Although the new Ferrari has been competitive all season, the No. 69 is rarely the fastest car on the track within the current GRAND-AM Road Racing rules structure. The winning Road America effort saw Segal only turn the sixth fastest overall GT race lap, but the AIM Autosport Team FXDD more than makes up for it with top preparation, planning and race strategy.

“The team has been great at preparing the car for the events, which allows us to start the weekend strong and spend all of our time refining the handling of the car instead of chasing bigger issues,” Segal said. “Our engineers have really nailed the setup for the past two races, and then they've also made some very bold strategy calls in the races to leapfrog us up to the front when we wouldn't have otherwise been there. All of this is critical to the success we've had lately, and for now it all seems to be working exactly as it should be. This is where a lot of the homework and preparation culminates in positive results, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this team this year.”

Segal’s previous wins this season came in March’s Grand Prix of Miami and one race later last month at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Segal and his teammates also have a pair of runner-up showings this season at Barber Motorsports Park and earlier this month at Mid-Ohio. The five podium appearances in the year’s first seven races are tied with the No. 01 TELMEX/Chip Ganassi Racing Daytona Prototype team for the most in the GRAND-AM Rolex Series in 2012.

Segal has many career “firsts” at Watkins Glen, including a breakout win in the 2008 Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen with Assentato.

“The Glen was where I had my first taste of a race track riding shotgun in a Ferrari when I was 10 years old and ever since I've loved coming back there,” Segal said. “The track is ultra-high speed, high commitment, and it has a flow to it that that makes it almost as fun to test as it is to race. I've got great Rolex Series memories at Watkins Glen as well, winning my first race there in 2008 and then again at the short track in 2009. I usually look forward to racing at The Glen more than any other race on the schedule, so I'm really excited for this weekend.”

Segal, Assentato and the No. 69 Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari head to Watkins Glen with a season-high 21-point lead in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT Championship standings. Segal and Assentato have 220 points to top the driver standings while the No. 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am leads the team championship with the same points total.

Source: Jeffery Segal media