Looking for luck north of the border
The AIM Autosport Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley makes the trip up Highway 401 to Montreal this week for the next round of the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and they are hoping for a bit of a home field advantage. This is the only Canadian date in the series and the Woodbridge, Ontario-based team is looking forward to the support of the crowd and also to build on their performance here last year.
Coming off a heartbreaker in Birmingham, Alabama just over a week ago, everyone on the team is nonetheless feeling pretty good as the No. 61 Ford Riley was working very well under race conditions. Now with a fresh Roush-Yates engine and a lot of new data, drivers and crew are ready to attack the track in Montreal.
"We did well here in '07 qualifying fifth and finishing seventh" noted team principal Ian Willis. "Our car has been fast all season. After Barber, we have some new ideas on setup plus Mark and Brian have come on strong. Taking all of that into the Montreal race makes everyone at AIM feel like we have a shot at the win. We came so close at Barber, a track where we struggled, but Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is just the right kind of track for the Ford Riley and the guys really enjoy it there."
Racing in Montreal always has a bit of a party atmosphere and this weekend is no exception. The circuit, which usually hosts the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix, will play host to the Rolex Sports Car Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series. There are a number of off-track events scheduled including a street party on Rue Peel Wednesday afternoon where the Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley will be on display with Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle stopping by to meet race fans and sign autographs.
"Montreal is a bit of a party come race weekend" commented Mark Wilkins, "but first and foremost, Brian and I have a job to do on Friday afternoon. We are hoping that after the race we will have plenty of reason to celebrate."
The Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 is on track at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, with practice on Thursday, July 31 starting at 11:30 a.m. ET. The race is scheduled at 4:15 p.m. ET Friday August 1 and will be broadcast on SPEED TV, at 8:00 p.m. ET (tape delay).
AIM Autosport Facts:
Established in 1995, AIM Autosport has a mandate to identify, train and manage emerging motorsport talent. AIM has provided many young drivers with a solid foundation on which to build a career in professional racing.
The success of the AIM driver development programs has been achieved through the dedication of our employees and the ongoing support of our commercial and technical partners. Away from the track, AIM Autosport serves the needs of the racing community with a purpose-built preparation shop situated in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario.
AIM fields the Exchange Traded Gold #61 Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype in the Rolex Grand Am series with drivers Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle. The team also competes in the Star Madza Championship presented by Goodyear with John Edwards at the wheel of the #7 Formula Mazda.
Chris Jameson, Photo Caitlin Fell
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