Riegel-Stanton : Full throottle...24h Daytona...

Full throttle…24 Hours…Perfection….No Sleep.  Those are just of a few of the requirements for the competitors in this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway.  .  The #65

TRG entry is owned by Canadian businessman Ted Rozsa and Riegel-Stanton/Cystic Fibrosis Foundation/65 Roses/Magnus Racing/Marquis Jet/Resorts International/IPC/Total Lubricants/TRG Porsche Rolex GT Champion Craig Stanton.  A 2x Rolex 24 race winner, Stanton will lead the fierce line-up of drivers piloting the #65 Porsche GT3 997, including full-time teammate American John Potter and guest drivers Bryce Miller and German Marco Holzer.

“This race is the ultimate team challenge,” said Stanton.  “In order to win, everyone must be perfect, from the drivers to each and every crew member.  Perfection for 24 hours is the hard part.  If we have a hiccup, there will be 20 other cars out there benefiting from it, so there really is no room for mistakes.”

The drivers will rotate, each getting several “stints” behind the wheel with rest in-between.  The crew however, remains in position and ready for anything…from the fall of the green flag at 3:30 on Saturday until the checkers show 24 hours later.  Preparation is key, and the #65 crew will be prepared for anything and everything.  Racing for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation keeps their momentum strong, as for every lap completed; Ted Rosza and the Riegel/Stanton Racing team will donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.65rosesracing.com). 

“This will be my first time competing in a 24 hour race,” said American stand-out John Potter who will be driving in two races this weekend, he will also compete in the Koni Challenge event on Friday, driving the #41 Magnus Racing 966. 

“Physically, the race will be challenging, so I’ve spent months preparing for this race in the gym.  The crew spends endless hours preparing the car for an event like this; it’s our job to make sure we are physically ready and able to get the job done on the track.”

Live updates including driver and crew chats from the pits will be available throughout the race at www.theracersgroup.com.  Marc Manning, Chief Engineer for the five TRG (The Racers Group) entries at this weekend’s grueling round-the-clock challenge gave us some insight as to what it takes to compete in and win the legendary race:

Pitstops: The #65 crew will complete 22-30 pit stops over the 24 hour period.  The amount of stops depends on the weather and caution flags.  If Mother Nature lets loose, the team will complete an unscheduled pit stop for Pirelli rain tires, and then another when the track dries.  Caution flags are also another factor; they could be Manning’s best friend or worst enemy depending on their timing.

Fuel: The #65 Porsche will use approximately 480 gallons of fuel throughout the 24 hour race.

 Brakes:  Similar to a passenger car, the #65 Porsche will need a brake-change once over the 2400 mile race.  The TRG crew is much quicker than your local brake shop; they’ll complete the task less than two minutes!

 Shifts per Lap: The drivers may be the only crew members, who will get some rest during the round-the-clock challenge, but they’ll earn it, they are busy in the cockpit, shifting 27 times per lap!

Gearbox: Preparation is essential and every part on the race car must be built with longevity in mind.  Take the gearbox for example…it will endure 18,900 shifts over the 24 hour race.

Laps/Miles: Approximately 700 laps or 2400 are expected in the history books after the checkered flag falls on Sunday at 3:30 pm.  This number will also depend on weather and caution flags which will slow the pace.  2400 miles in 24 hours…imagine driving from Daytona Beach, Florida to Los Angeles in 24 Hours and you will have completed your road trip at race pace!

About Riegel/Stanton Racing: By combining a strong business foundation with one of sports-car racing's finest drivers, Riegel-Stanton offers an innovative new program for developing drivers. Riegel Autosport was founded in 2005 to carry on the spirit and commitment of Roland Riegel, a long-time Porsche Club racer in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  With the vision of building a successful professional sports car racing team and the commitment to using its profile to help the community, Riegel Autosport has actively supported the Canadian Alpine Ski Team and other organizations with fund raising events.

 About TRG: TRG was founded in 1993 and has been competing at the top level of motor racing ever since. The team has the most wins of any team in the Grand-Am Rolex Series with 25, including the 2005 and 2006 Rolex Series GT championship trophy to go along with wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

TRG is a manufacturer and distributor of high-performance racing parts. The group specializes in engine and chassis tuning as well as full service professional race car preparation. The company also provides electrical and mechanical engineering services, driver development and arrive-and-drive opportunities. TRG is based in Petaluma, Calif., near its home track of Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. The company's NASCAR operation is based in Mooresville and a new state-of-the-art facility is coming on-line at New Jersey Motorsports Park in late 2009.

 More information and a complete press kit can be found at www.theracersgroup.com.  
 

-  Katie Brannan, Sierra Specialized-