Guy Cosmo will head home to New York this weekend for the Grand American Road Racing Association’s Rolex Series Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International (SPEED, Live, 11 a. m. and 2:30 p. m. Saturday). He re-joins co-driver Memo Gidley in the #77 Doran Racing Kodak Daytona Prototype.
Always happy to be racing in New York, Guy reflects on his stellar run in 2006 driving the AMD Spirit of Daytona prototype with NASCAR legend, Bobby Labonte.
“I’ve really been itching to get back to Watkins Glen and finish what I started in the race last fall, ” said Cosmo. “Even though at the time the AMD car was a handful, it was just a blast bringing it to the front. I knew it couldn’t last… but I literally drove the wheels of the car. It was the perfect scenario where everything fell into place and I was left with one simple choice, drive as hard as I could and run up front as long as I could. It was like someone handed me a “get out of jail free” card. ”
“Hopefully, we’ll find ourselves in similar circumstances this weekend, ” continued Guy. “Only this time, I think we have the car to get it done. Kevin [Doran] and the Doran Racing team have a well sorted car and Memo [Gidley] and I both know our way around here pretty well. We’ve got a good car on a great track and six hours to get it done. We’re pretty upbeat. ”
The #77 Kodak Daytona Prototype is a DORAN JE4, designed and built by Doran Designs. Unveiled at the beginning of the 2003 Grand Am season, the DORAN JE4 won both the team and the driver championships in Grand American that year.
A DORAN JE4 also became the first Daytona Prototype to win the Rolex 24 overall when Bell Motorsports’ DORAN JE4 won that event in 2004 and the Doran-Lista DORAN JE4 finished second in the Daytona Prototype class in this prestigious event.
“I’ve said it before, ” remarked Cosmo, “the design and layout of the Doran JE4 chassis is the smartest DP chassis out there. It’s easy to understand why this car was so dominant when the Prototype class first came about. Kevin and his group, Doran Designs, have done a great job competing against some of the better-funded teams out there. I guarantee it will sit on the podium again, and I want to help Kevin and Memo put it there. ”
During the past few seasons, Cosmo has brought his talent and services to several of the top-tier prototype teams in the Grand American paddock. In 2006 Cosmo joined up with Finlay Motorsports filling in for an injured Memo Gidley in the #19 Playboy Uniden car. He was also instrumental in giving the Spirit of Daytona car it’s best run ever at Watkins Glen. And, of course there was the popular 2nd place finish garnered by Guy, Memo and Michael McDowell at Utah to close out the season.
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