Krohn Racing Daytona Test Days review 06.01.2009: The Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Test Days on January 3-5 at Daytona International Speedway featured nearly 50 cars testing for the upcoming 47th Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona, scheduled for January 24-25, 2009.

The Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Test Days on January 3-5 at Daytona International Speedway featured nearly 50 cars testing for the upcoming 47th Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona, scheduled for January 24-25, 2009.
 
The two-car Krohn Racing team (the No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Lola of team owner/driver Tracy Krohn, Eric van de Poele and Oliver Gavin and the No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Lola of Nic Jönsson,  Ricardo Zonta and Darren Turner) were regularly in the Top Five in every session.
 
The No. 75 entry finished with a best combined session time of 1:42.373, set by Oliver Gavin, the 13th fastest overall. The No. 76 entry posted a combined session best time of 1:41.967, set by Ricardo Zonta, the fifth fastest overall.

 
TRACY W. KROHN, Team Owner/Driver No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Lola:
“It was productive throughout the whole weekend. Although it was hotter than it has been all weekend in the final session, the car was clearly the best it had been. We made some changes. Both cars were working on different things, which is also an advantage. Both cars had basically the same set-up and both were pretty quick and have a very good race pace with full tanks and everything else.

The car was pretty good. I’ve got to tell you that it’s a little bit of a different driving style for me, but still very good. It’s a bit of a change for me but I overcame it pretty quick. I thought the track was very slippery in the last session but I still went faster than I had all weekend. I’m very impressed with the car. The car feels real solid. It feels like something we can race.”

 
ERIC VAN DE POELE, Driver, No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Lola:
“I think the test was fantastic. I’m very happy. We spent three days where we explored many things and we finished the last session with a very good car. We met our goal and we are really ready this time. Compared to last year, of course, it is a big difference.

 I can only look forward to being at the race because I think even though I know it is going to be very hard to be on the podium, I am sure that we can have a very good result. I am looking forward to drive with Oliver and Tracy and it is a pleasure to be with the team. I cannot wait.”

 
OLIVER GAVIN, Driver, No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Lola:
“Overall, I’m very happy with the way the test event has gone. We steadily made progress with the car. Swapping information backwards and forwards between the 75 and the 76 car has been very, very helpful. We’ve been working hard – all three of us, Tracy, Eric and myself, to come up with something we all like. Just in the last session I think we finally hit the sweet spot.

 It was the fastest that Tracy has gone all weekend, the fastest I’ve gone and we were pretty much in the running right at the front. We ended up 6th in the final session on Monday but there is about one and one-half tenths of a second between sixth place and second place. With that in mind for a 24-hour race, you know you’ve got a car in which you can complete and you can win.

That’s what we are all looking for and this car has come on with great strides since last year when we first tested this car here. It  is a testament to the team and what Krohn Racing has done and with all the hard work of David Brown, Jeff Hazell, Simon, on the engineering side of the 75 car. It is really paying off. It feels to me that we are

the best prepared and the most ready for the 24-hour race that I’ve ever experienced.”
 

NIC JONSSON, Driver, No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Lola:
“I think we had a very good test the past three days in trying all kinds of different set-ups on the car -- from qualifying set-ups to race set-ups, full tanks, low tanks, all different things for hot conditions, cold conditions and so forth.

 I think overall we come away from here with a positive attitude going into the race in a couple of weeks. All in all, I think the guys have done a fantastic job preparing the cars for us. I think we have a very good, solid package to come back here in a couple of weeks and an extremely good one.”

 
RICARDO ZONTA, Driver No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Lola:
“We took the car in a good direction. The balance of the car works better. We improved our laps times a lot and fixed the balance for the new tires. Also the new engine gave a very good performance on top speed and with its ability in the corners. So, it was a good week of work for us.”
 

DARREN TURNER, Driver, No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Lola:
“The test was a very encouraging program with no reliability problems with the car. I think we’ve got a good race pace and that all three drivers are very happy with the car. I believe we can look forward to the race. Although we may not necessarily be the fastest car, we have a good and consistent car for the race.”
 

JEFF HAZELL, Proto-Auto Lola:
“I believe this is the best three-day test we’ve ever had. We covered everything we wanted to cover, had extra reliability, and the car was always on the pace.. It was an outstanding test.”

 
MARTIN BIRRANE, Lola Group Executive Chairman:
“We are really pleased with where this car is going. It’s crawled it’s way up the grid during the year and got a pole in the last race of last season. I think we’ve got a very good car here. If we were in the Top Five all the time in these three Test Days, that bodes well because we have a good race car. Testing and qualifying isn’t really our best place, but I think we have a good car for the 24 hours.”
 
The 47th Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona is scheduled for January 24-25, 2009 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. For more information, please see www.grand-am.com or www.krohnracing.net.
 

- Barbara J. Burns -  photos Krohn Racing