Lowe’s Fernandez Racing To Start Eighth At Sebring

“Time-wise, we are not very happy. When we tested here, we were very fast and now we can’t get close to those times. We started out the week with some diff [differential] issues and brake issues which we fixed and now the car is good through the corners, but we are losing speed on the straight. We don’t know what we are missing on the setup but we can’t repeat the times that we did here before. We have really been chasing the car since Day One. It is a little frustrating in that respect. I know speed is not that important in a 12-hour race but it would make a nice comfort zone to know you have a car capable to be able to fight for the win if you are in that position. Right now, we haven’t found it. We are not giving up. This is part of the learning process. We have a very reliable car and we have a great team. If we do what we did in the Acura 12-hour [simulation] race and with a little bit of luck, I think we can win this thing. The car feels good. We just need to find what we are missing on the setup and make sure it gets to the end of the race.

“This is a fantastic series and I am very excited to drive this car with Luis and David. It is nice to see so many fans around the race track, and the atmosphere is great. We are happy to be here in the American Le Mans Series with Lowe’s and Acura, and hope to be a part of this family for a long time. ”

Adrian Fernandez Fast Facts… is a veteran of a 12-year career at the top levels of open-wheel competition, winning in both Champ Car (CART) and IndyCar Series competition with a career record that includes 194 starts, 11 wins and 25 podiums… debuted in sports car competition in 2006, winning the Mid-Ohio Rolex Sports Car Series race and claiming four additional top-five finishes… began competing in select NASCAR Busch Series events in 2005, driving for Team Lowe’s Racing and Hendrick Motorsports and most recently finished ninth in the Busch race at Mexico City on March 4… finished fifth in the IndyCar Series championship in his inaugural season in 2004 with three wins and six top-five finishes… missed the 2000 Champ Car championship crown by only 10 points, finishing second in the series… has garnered numerous awards over the years including “Athlete of the Year in Mexico”… named one of Mexico’s 300 most influential people by a national magazine in 2006… 43 years old from Mexico City…resides in Scottsdale, Ariz., with wife Catalina.

Luis Diaz - #15 Lowe’s Acura Lola:

“It has been exciting for me to learn about this series and I feel that I am ready heading into our first race weekend. This series is really totally different than what I have been used to in terms of the rules, and passing traffic is totally different with the difference in speeds in each category. It is a very competitive series, but I like challenges so I am excited. Looking ahead to the race, qualifying is not that important. You need to be there with one hour to go. We know we have a strong car and that is the most important thing about this race – to have a strong car. I know we are going to be there at the end. If we are smart and we race like we know, we are going to have a good result. ”

Luis Diaz Fast Facts… debuted in sports car competition in 2004 and has claimed eight wins over the past three years as well as Rolex Sports Car Series Team Championship honors in 2006 and a second-place result in the driver championship co-driving with Scott Pruett… was named “Driver of the Year” in Mexico in 2006… won the Mexico Formula 3 championship in 1998… earned Rookie of the Year honors in the Mexican Indy Lights Pan-American Championship, Mexico Formula 3 Championship and Formula Reynard Series Mexico… U. S. open-wheel success includes a fourth-place finish in the 2002 Atlantic championship… began racing gokarts at the age of 12, winning several national championships… 29 years old from Mexico City… resides in Toluca, Mexico, with wife Carolina… nickname is “Chapulín” (Cha-poo-leen) which means grasshopper.

David Martinez - #15 Lowe’s Acura Lola:

“We have had a pretty good week despite a few ups and downs but it’s good that the few problems we had happened during practice. We’ve really had a very reliable car all this week so we are looking forward to hopefully a problem-free and mistake-free race. I feel very comfortable in the car. I have only done about 20 laps so far this week but Adrian and Luis are doing a great job on the handling of the car and I feel quite comfortable at the speed I am running. ”

David Martinez Fast Facts… finished fifth in Atlantic Series competition the past two years… was the only driver to complete every lap of Atlantic competition in 2006… made his Champ Car debut in Mexico City last November, claiming the best qualifying effort by a debut driver in 2006 Champ Car competition with a ninthplace start en route to a strong run to finish ninth… raced in Europe in 2004 in the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup… won the 2003 Mexican Formula Renault Championship… finished fourth in the 2003 Barber Pro Series Championship… was the 1999 Mexican Formula 3 Rookie of the Year… began his career in karting in 1991… 25 year old from Monterrey, Mexico.

Tom Anderson, Co-Owner/Managing Director:

“Qualifying is not critical for track position during an endurance event so obviously our total focus is on the race, and we feel we have a little bit more to gain with the chassis. Based on our 12-hour simulation race here and the changing track conditions during that race, we are looking for that compromise to where we are reasonably good in all conditions. If we hit that mark close, I think we will have a good result. The Lowe’s Acura Lola has been quite reliable in winter testing and during our simulation race. The mechanics are doing a great job. If we keep doing what we have been doing and with a few gains, I think we will have a great result come Saturday night. ”

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