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After an up and down season in
2007 for the MCM team, 2008 is shaping up nicely with top caliber drivers and a
car very capable of turning some heads in the Rolex Grand American GT
class. The team was very strong at the
Daytona Test Days, and 24 hours, and picked up where they left off at the
Gainsco Grand Prix of Miami.
Having signed a dynamic driving
pair in Diego Alessi and Jan Seyffarth after Daytona, the team set its sights
on Miami with the sole goal of running at the front of the GT grid with their
#21 Pontiac GTO-R, and was a force all weekend long. Team Owner Matt Connolly was happy to say the
least: "It was good to run at the front again. There is nothing like
leading a Rolex race, and we showed that we have the drivers and equipment to
do it. Jan and Diego is an excellent driving pair who will be front
runners the entire season. We are looking forward to Mexico City to continue the trend".
The team had an uphill battle
during the weekend, having not been able to take part in the Official Rolex
Test Days at the Homestead-Miami Speedway with the rest of the competition, and
with two drivers that have never turned laps at the circuit to boot, they had a
lot of catching up to do with the rest of the GT grid. Alessi qualified the #21 Lucy Plast/BARBETTI/CAT-Sound
entry in 9th position, and started the race in strong fashion
picking off the competition early and often.
Diego quickly found himself in P3 and continued to make his move forward
in the ultra competitive field that saw a slew of yellow flags the entire race
and a lot of banging amongst the class leaders.
Diego went on to set the third
fastest GT lap time of the entire race, and would lead the GT field for six
laps before turning the wheel over to series newcomer Jan Sayffarth. Jan took full advantage of the time in the
car by turning consistently quick lap times during his stint, but each time he
found his groove another yellow would eliminate any momentum. Of the drive, Sayffarth states: “The MCM
GTO-R showed good speed all day, the race was good for us and with a little
more luck would have had a real shot at the Podium. It was good to have Diego and I run in the
Top 5 for much of the race, and I’m very much looking forward to Mexico City
now that I’m more familiar with the car and Rolex Grand Am Series”.
The team would like to thank
sponsors Lucy Plast S.P.A., CAT Sound, P1 Groupe, Dekra, Barbetti, Davide Cenci,
Black Flag Gear, ERREMME and Pacific Teaze for their continued support for the
2008 racing season.
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