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AIM & Doncaster - Daytona preview |
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Tuesday, 03 July 2007 |
AIM Autosport is celebrating an anniversary this week – one year since the Canadian team's first Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series race. The team returns to Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., with a few changes to the No. 61 Lexus-powered Riley Mk XI. The most visible is the addition of a powerful squad of sponsors, including Exchange Traded Gold, Barrick Gold Corporation, RBC Financial Group and Telus' Mike Network.
The team's target has also changed, from securing a race finish to
topping the field. After finishing fifth in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in
January, the AIM crew know it's possible. Burt Frisselle of Lynchburg,
Va. – who alternates races with his brother Brian – and Mark Wilkins of
Toronto will lead the charge in the July 4 race on the 3.56-mile
Daytona track.
"One year ago we were focused on the logistics of doing a 2 ¾-hour race
with pit stops, not on the ultimate performance of the car. Up until
this race last year, we had never done anything more than a 45-minute
sprint race. It was a test of the team and infrastructure more than a
test of the car," co-owner Ian Willis explained. "This year we come
back with seven races under our belt including the 24, so now the focus
is on track performance and results. A year ago, we were happy with a
finish. Now our sights are set on the podium!"
bogies at Boggy
The AIM drivers will make a special stop on July 4, visiting the
children at Camp Boggy Creek in Eustis, Fla. The camp provides a rare
opportunity for children who have chronic or life-threatening illnesses
to enjoy a normal camp experience. Brian and Burt Frisselle host an
annual golf tournament to help raise funds for Boggy Creek, and the
race community has responded this year with about 40 golfers and full
course sponsorship for the tournament.
"Here, finally these kids have a place that they can come and feel
normal. Brian and I want to help raise money and help raise awareness
in a group of people who are privileged to go racing," Burt Frisselle
said. "We do a lot of hospital visits. A lot of times, we leave a
little bit depressed or down because it's always hard to see kids in
hospital. But we leave Boggy Creek in such good spirits because instead
of seeing kids sick in bed, we're seeing them out shooting bow and
arrows, swimming in the pool, making crafts and just having a blast."
race geometry
Doncaster Racing will be packing more performance this week. The team
had an updated engine in its No. 17 MineStar / Tim Hortons Porsche 911
GT3 Cup car for the Rolex 24 in January, but didn't receive the 2007
suspension package in time for the race. It's now on the car and
producing results. Dave Lacey and Greg Wilkins of Toronto will be
behind the wheel at Daytona, hoping to strengthen the team's
sixth-place standing in series GT points.
"We noticed differences in times at the Rolex with the engine alone,
but once we got a chance to have better geometry on the car, we've gone
faster at every track this year. The average is almost three seconds
[per lap]," race engineer Jim Malicki noted. "The changes from last
year to this year have been good; we're not standing still. Our
gentlemen drivers are taking this seriously, as the points show. We're
right there with the rest of the pros."
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