GAINSCO Racing Back On Track; Rum Bum Racing Takes Fresh From Florida
200 Win
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- After a rough start to the Rolex 24 At Daytona
weekend, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing rebounded on Friday by getting
back on the 3.56-mile road course and recording the third fastest lap in
final practice session.
Jon Fogarty posted the No. 99 car's fastest lap of 124.822 mph, one
minute, 42.674 seconds.
The team worked into the early hours of Friday morning making repairs to
the No. 99 Chevrolet Riley after four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
Jimmie Johnson made heavy contact with a safety barrier during the
Thursday morning practice.
"The components on the car were going to be our backups and now we
don't have those spares so I have put the team in a really tight spot,"
Johnson said. "I know it was a racing situation on the track but bottom
line is I was behind the wheel and I feel terrible for it."
Despite the team's incredible repair effort, Johnson still feels guilty
about damaging the car.
"I feel better now that the car is repaired, very fast, comfortable
and all the things that we hope for," Johnson said. "But until we
finish the race and can honestly look back and say it didn't affect the
performance, then I'm going to have the guilt on my shoulders."
Teammate Jimmy Vasser was upbeat about the repairs, which were completed
around 4 a.m. on Friday morning.
"It was a great job by all of the guys on the GAINSCO team," Vasser
said. "The car is good enough for us to win the race and we just can't
beat ourselves. We just need to get it out there and keep it going."
Fresh From Florida 200: In their team debut, Rum Bum Racing captured the
checkered flag in the Fresh From Florida 200 Continental Tire Sports Car
Challenge race on Friday afternoon.
Gianluis Bacardi and Matt Plumb shared the wheel on the No. 13 BMW
M3 Coupe and earned a 0.107 second win over second place Fall-Line
Motorsports No. 48 BMW M3 Coupe of Charles Espenlaub and Charles Putman.
"I'm speechless," said Plumb. "I've been trying to think of what to say.
My proud moment was seeing Gian doing as well as he did in the race. All
the stars aligned for this day, and I'm very glad to be a part of it."
Compass360 Racing claimed the ST class win in the No. 74 Honda Civic SI
piloted by Lawson Aschenbach and David Thilenius.
Tickets for all Hershey's Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks events, including
the 48th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, are available online at
www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
-source: dis
