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Matt Connolly Motorsports is
proud to announce that the team has reached agreement with driver Diego Alessi
for the balance of the 2008 Rolex Grand American season to head up the driving
lineup in the #21 MCM Pontiac GTO-R.
Alessi hails from Rome, Italy, and has a vast sports car racing
background. In 2007 he campaigned in the
ultra competitive FIA GT3 Championship, finishing 3rd in the series
championship driving the Aston Martin DBRS9 and finished the season strong by
winning the final round in Dubai.
Of Alessi, Team Owner Matt
Connolly states: “Finally, we have a full season driver whose talent behind the
wheel is unsurpassed. Our goal was to
have Diego on board for the 2007 season after he tested our BMW M3 and was by
far our quickest driver at the Daytona test, but it wasn’t meant to be.” Connolly continues, “Every time he has been
in our GTO-R, he has placed us in front of all the Pontiacs and at the front of
the GT field. We will continue to give
him a superior car so he can show the world exactly what Diego Alessi and the
MCM team is capable of!”
Alessi got his first chance at
the MCM Pontiac GTO-R at the January Grand American Test Days setting a best
time of 1:51.774 to lead all Pontiacs.
At the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona, Alessi continued where he left off at
the test by qualifying the car in 5th Diego ran as high as 4th class
position during the race. Alessi states,
“I very much would like to thank Matt Connolly, the MCM team and P1 Groupe for
this opportunity. I look forward to
driving for MCM in the Rolex Grand American Series. I have been searching for an opportunity such
as this for some time.” Of racing in
North America Diego continues: “Despite the fact that I am unfamiliar with most
of the North American circuits, they are the classic circuits I enjoy the most
and am certain together we’ll have a successful season”. class position even after
being held up on his fast lap, but still setting a 1:51.450.
The team would also like to
welcome on board new team sponsors in Lucy Plast S.P.A. and Black Flag
Gear. Lucy Plast is an industry leader
throughout Europe in the field of material recycling to be used for various
applications, and has been operating a quality process and protecting the
environment since 1977. Black Flag Gear
is a new race inspired clothing line inspired by the razor-sharp edge that
drivers walk every day.
The team is in negotiations now
to finalize a lineup that will keep the #21 entry at the front of the Rolex GT
grid for the balance of the racing season as the team has very serious
aspirations of competing regularly for race wins and the opportunity at the
teams first Rolex GT Championship. With
Alessi on board, the team took a major step forward towards realizing their
goal.
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