TEAM POINTS: No. 01 TELMEX Lexus-Riley, 116 points (2nd, -11) DRIVER POINTS: Scott Pruett, 116 points (3rd, -11); Memo Rojas, 91 points (4th, -36); Rob Finlay, 75 points (13th, -52); Michael Valiante, 75 points (13th, -52).
EXHAUST NOTES: CGRFS hopes to find strength in numbers as they recently expanded to a two-car program for the rest of the 2007 season. A two-car CGRFS team has proven to be successful, most notably in posting back-to-back wins at the illustrious 24 Hours at Daytona. The No. 19 got off to a solid start in its debut with CGRFS, running in the top-10 for most of the timed 2.5 hour sprint at Virginia International Raceway April 29th, but a last-lap flat tire forced an unscheduled pit stop. The No. 01 found some misfortune as well with a spin that forced the Lexus-Riley to the back of the pack, posting an eighth place finish at VIR. Both CGRFS DP teams are ready to get back on track at MRLS to prove they are solid contenders for the Rolex Series title.
MRLS HISTORY AND MORE: In just two career appearances, the TELMEX No. 01 has captured a win and a top-10 finish in 2005 and 2006, respectively. The No. 19 made its first appearance at MRLS in 2006 and finished a solid eighth. To date, the No. 01 team boasts 14 wins in 44 career Grand American starts, an astounding winning percentage of 32%. The team’s last pole position in the 2006 Utah finale (Pruett) marked the No. 01 car’s 20th in 44 career Rolex Series starts– a pole-winning percentage of 46%. CGRFS continues to be the most successful team in Daytona Prototype history– holding records in wins (14), poles (19) and podium finishes (31).
MRLS REWIND: Last season at MRLS, the No. 01 car made contact with the No. 5 early in the race on Lap 41, forcing them back to the 25th spot. The TELMEX team fought their way back to finish in the top-10 in a caution-filled race, where only 88 laps out of a scheduled 112 were completed and 35 were under the yellow flag. The No. 19 DP of Finlay and Valiante started in the top-10 in their first appearance at MRLS as teammates and they notched an impressive eighth place finish as they managed to avoid much of the trouble many other DP’s faced on the track.
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