GAINSCO Returns To Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez With Mexican Flair

GAINSCO Returns To Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez With Mexican Flair

Feb 28, 2007

In Appreciation of the Fans of Mexico City: The fans of Mexico City are famous for their energy, enthusiasm and knowledge of Grand Am Racing. GAINSCO Auto Insurance and Bob Stallings Racing appreciate the support! In fact, more that 80% of GAINSCO’s auto insurance customers are Hispanic, many with Mexican heritage. So in an effort to show the team’s appreciation, the #99 GAINSCO car driven by Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty will feature a special red, white and green paint scheme in honor of their Mexican fans this weekend.

Off to a Strong Start: The GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing team kicked off the 2007 season up front when Alex Gurney shattered the Daytona International Speedway track record and scored the pole position for the historic Rolex 24 Hour Race.

The Elevation Effect: Mexico City sits at a much higher elevation than the rest of the circuits on the Grand Am schedule. In fact, at 7,400 feet, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is approximately 3,000 feet higher than Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City, which has the second highest elevation. Because of the elevation, every Daytona Prototype will have about 30% less horsepower. The top speed for a Daytona Prototype in Mexico City will be 167 mph which will occur on the front straight.

Bob Stallings, Car Owner: “We are so excited to return to Mexico City. Of all of the places we race, Mexico City has the best atmosphere with the most faithful fans. Hispanics make up 85% of the customer base for our sponsor GAINSCO Auto Insurance, and many of those customers have Mexican heritage. So this is our way of saying thank you and we honor you. We’re going to give you a great show at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez next weekend. Watch for the RED, WHITE and GREEN GAINSCO car because we are definitely in the hunt for our first victory and would love to celebrate that win with all of the fans of Mexico City! ”

Alex Gurney: “We’re ready to start fresh in Mexico. I really love the track there; the esses that continually pick up speed and the Peraltada are some fantastic corners there. Last year, we were pretty much always in the top-two throughout the practices so we know we’ve got a quick car and we’ve made some pretty big improvements since then. I think we can go into the race with a lot of confidence. I’m so excited about the special car we are running this weekend in honor of the fans of Mexico City. The support and energy they have for our sport is awesome and I hope we can score our first win for them this weekend! ”

Jon Fogarty: “I’ve never raced in Mexico City before. Truthfully, it is a little stressful having to come to an unfamiliar track in such a competitive series- especially when it’s an abbreviated schedule, without many sets of tires, and having to qualify! I’ve gathered as much info as I can, but video is scarce for our particular track configuration. So I am excited to run a new circuit – I’m always excited to go racing- but it’s a nervous excited if you know what I mean. The goal is to win, as always. But it’s a long year and we have to steadily climb back up in the points- and you can’t do that in just one race- so steady as she goes- right to the front! I hope everyone in Mexico likes the car we are running for them and I hope it brings a little luck too! ”