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Alex Job Racing Daytona 24H hour 6 report

Alex Job Racing press release

#23 Alex Job Racing Porsche GT3: Emmanuel Collard, Marco Holzer, Butch Leitzinger, Cooper MacNeil

#23 Alex Job Racing Porsche GT3: Emmanuel Collard, Marco Holzer, Butch Leitzinger, Cooper MacNeil

Eric Gilbert

Alex Job Racing Fourth and 15th at the Six Hour Mark in Daytona

#23 Alex Job Racing Porsche GT3: Emmanuel Collard, Marco Holzer, Butch Leitzinger, Cooper MacNeil
#23 Alex Job Racing Porsche GT3: Emmanuel Collard, Marco Holzer, Butch Leitzinger, Cooper MacNeil

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla, (Jan. 27, 2012), Alex Job Racing (AJR) started the 50th Anniversary GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Rolex 24 At Daytona looking to be the rabbit in the ultra-competitive 46 car GT field running at Daytona International Speedway.

German Porsche factory driver, Marco Holzer, was the rabbit, driving the No. 23 WeatherTech/Alex Job Racing Porsche to the front, leading GT by lap 29 after starting sixth. On lap 23 Holzer pitted turning the car over to Emmanuel Collard. The Frenchman proceeded to run in the lead until a fuel stop under yellow shuffled him back to eighth. Butch Leitzinger followed Collard and once again took the overall GT lead. Cooper MacNeil is taking the No. 23 WeatherTech Porsche into the seventh hour.

"My first stint was fantastic," Holzer said. "We qualified sixth and that was not so good. I was pushing and got the lead. Now were being cool and relaxed and taking no risks. There are so many GT cars and fast DP cars, we are making no mistakes and not taking risks. We are looking towards two hours to the end, and then we will push again."

"I struggled a little on my second fuel run," Collard said. "I was in a lot of traffic. It is quite difficult with the DPs and the slower GTs. You have to really be careful with these guys. The car is OK. We are a little slower on the straights. The rest of the track is good. The car handles well and is running strong."

"My first stint was very hectic," Leitzinger said. "They are as thick as thieves on the track. You have to fight for every inch of tarmac. The cars that are a lap or two laps down are not out of it, so they are fighting for every inch of road as well. It is as thick as I have ever seen it here. I think we are in for a long 24 hours."

#24 Alex Job Racing Porsche GT3: Michael Avenatti, Bob Faieta, Fred Poordad, Bill Sweedler, Cort Wagner
#24 Alex Job Racing Porsche GT3: Michael Avenatti, Bob Faieta, Fred Poordad, Bill Sweedler, Cort Wagner

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

Cort Wagner had the opening stint in the No. 24 McKenna Porsche/Battery Tender/ Kensington/Koss Stereophones/Alex Job Racing GT3 Cup car. Wagner was able to bring the No. 24 from the 23rd position up to 11th before handing over to Bill Sweedler. Sweedler drove the 23 to fourth place, a good run for the seasoned sports car driver. Following Sweedler was Fred Poordad, making his first start at The World Center of Racing. He got shuffled back after pit stops and was able to run strong in the top 15. Bob Faieta is taking the car into hour seven and Mike Avenatti is waiting in the wings.

"I was running my own pace, driving our own race out there," Wagner said. "I was taking care of the car and taking care of the tires for an hour-and-a-half. I had one anxious moment on the lap before I came in. The ebay car shoved off another Porsche, and I thought he was going to shoot across the track and take me out. It was pretty close, just one of those Daytona moments."

Bill Sweedler took over the 24 and made a run to the front, at one point running as high as fourth.

"The Battery Tender, AJR, McKenna Porsche car is top notch," Sweedler said. "It was a fun first run, dicing it up in the lead pack. I came into the pits and then left. The car wouldn't re-fire, and it sputtered and I lost a few spots. There is a lot of time left and a lot more is going to happen. We are just focused on making it to the morning right now."

"I thought my first run went pretty well," Poordad said. "It took me a few laps to get comfortable in the car. Once I got in the groove things started to come easier. On my second fuel run the track was more greasy and dirty. We are in contention. I had a moment with a Mazda that I thought was going to end it for both of us. He got a little loose in NASCAR Turn Two and then again in Turn One."

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