Montreal Experience: The Rolex Grand American series will make their debut at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this week, but the GAINSCO drivers are very familiar with the famed circuit. Jon Fogarty is the only driver competing at Montreal this weekend in the Grand Am series who has previously won at this racetrack. Fogarty won the Toyota Atlantic race at Circuit Gilles Villenueve in 2004. Teammate Alex Gurney competed here in the Toyota Atlantic Series is in 2002.
Setting the Bar: The GAINSCO team has started on the front row at every race this season. In addition, they’ve captured the pole position at the last seven consecutive races. Gurney has two poles this year (Rolex 24 and Watkins Glen), while Fogarty will be going for his fifth straight pole and fifth of the season (Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Daytona, Iowa and Barber).
Lap Leaders: The GAINSCO Boys have led 400 of the 731 laps raced since the U. S. Sports Car Invitational at Laguna Seca in May (55%). They have led every race this year, except at round three in Miami. With seven pole positions and five victories, their average starting position is first and their average finishing position this season is fifth.
Pit Crew: The GAINSCO/Bob Stallings crew is being featured in a 1 hour television special called “The Pit Crew. ” The show will air in Canada early next year. The GAINSCO crew has been exceptional with perfect pitstops all season.
Alex Gurney on Montreal: “The championship is drawing to a close and we feel that we are in a great position. Having won five of the 10 races so far, we feel as a team that we deserve this championship and we are going to make every effort to make sure we get it. We still have some points to make up on the 01 car but we are closing very quickly. I’m really excited to be coming to Montreal. I last raced there in the Atlantic car in 2002 and it’s a track that I love. Jon also knows the circuit very well having won there in 2004, so we think this will be an advantage that neither of us has to learn the place. It is a difficult track, setup wise, to figure out. It has some quick corners, some long straights, several chicanes with big curbs, and some very big brake zones so it is difficult to get the aero configuration right. I know that we will have a great car as we have had all season. We’re excited to get back to racing after a week off. We’re ready to go. ”
Jon Fogarty on Montreal: “To win the championship we need to finish beyond strong, we need to dominate. There are four races and I believe we can win all of them, and that is what we intend to do. AG and I have talked about Montreal ever since we first learned it would be on the calendar. There are other drivers in DP who have raced the circuit, but I am guessing no team has as much combined experience - from drivers to engineer. It is a difficult track but one I enjoy and I have had good results in my two visits, a second and a win. It will be a compacted schedule and logistically it is going to be hard on the crew. But our guys are the best and as usual Alex and I are excited unleash the 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance car on a new circuit. ”
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