Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. The name, “Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona”, is appropriate for one race last weekend. But the entire set of race days at Daytona is more aptly described, “the beginning of Speed Weeks at Daytona”. It is fitting the first race at Speed Weeks is the Grand Am Cup race on Friday. The teams, people, cars, racing, and overall enjoyment through Grand Am Cup rivals the Rolex Sports Car Series. Well, at least to Jacob & me it does.

The pair of races was excellent to watch this year. The Grand Am Cup was very competitive and a joy to watch. Congratulations to the HART Honda for their win in the ST class. Rolex series racing is so competitive these days. The Alex job Porsche Crawford may have had the field covered on lap times, but endurance racing is so much more. This type of endurance racing where time behind the wall and in the garage must be kept to a minimum, shows the quality of the crews. Here is the #02 car being directed to get to their garage in the evening, and their subsequent return shortly thereafter.

This year’s rendition of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona event was our third. After only two previous visits, compared to the other fans who are at their eleventh or more 24 Hours, we felt we had a pretty good idea of what to expect and what to look for. Those plans went haywire Thursday morning when we arrived. There was a 10-15 delay getting through the tunnel and into the infield, because of traffic! The place was filling up on Thursday! Our parking space for Thursday was further away from the garage than it was last year on Saturday. Obviously, we had to plan for more people and larger crowds! For example, the International Horseshoe stands, for the Grand Am Cup race, were full.

One of our key advantages this year was the use of text messaging on our cell phones. Jacob & I were able to split up and keep in regular contact throughout the weekend. When the #64 Pontiac GTO-R wrecked and headed for the garage, I was able to let Jake know where it was headed and where I was in case he wanted to see it as well. But he was at the Porsche paddock and busy at the moment!

The increase in fans made parts of the weekend even better, but I must admit, disappointed us in a few others. With age has come some wisdom. I no longer need to drink alcohol to excess and fall victim to its results. And sometimes it’s fun to watch the tribulations of others. But when their behavior results in some of the actions we saw this weekend, I can just as well go without. Fortunately, I was able to retreat back into the pits away from the public.

The only negative out of the way, onto the fun that is a race weekend. Marcus Motorsports! Thanks Steve and everyone for the hospitality and access you and the team gave to Jacob. Be sure to take real good care of those doors on your new Porsche 997’s. And please pass along to the drivers who let Jake climb into their seats and talk ‘Porsche’ with him that was one of the highlights of our trip. That was about the second thing we did when we got to the racetrack, setting the tone for what would turn out to be another great weekend.

Spending time in the Grand Am Cup garage is so cool. I can’t believe so many fans miss out on the opportunity to spend time there. The NRG Motorsports guys (Nick and everyone), the Z4 BMW’s, the Minis, the Nissan, and so on are all so open to the fans.

This GA Cup venue gives us access to many of the Rolex drivers without the pressure. They’re very accessible around their GA Cup cars, and that is very important to us. The BGB Motorsports team, with Craig Stanton & Mark Plummer is now, of course, one of our favorites. It was heartbreaking to watch Mark & Craig run up through the field like that, only to run out of fuel at the end! At least for the rest of the year, they’ll know the mileage their new Porsche gets!

The amount of effort the Grand Am Cup teams put into their efforts is substantial. With the exception of one missing Canadian and his BMW’s it was fun to see everyone there.

The numbers of fans attending the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona combined with the huge significance of the race, means the teams have to limit fan access. Compared to the other races we attend such as V.I.R. and Barber Motorsports Park, it is much more difficult to get the quality time with drivers, owners and crew. But whenever they do have a moment in time, they are still very giving. The reference point of the Grand American Road Racing Association from it’s Motorola Cup days to now has changed dramatically. Those of us that have been here for several years are having to deal with some of the loss of access to everything. But others coming from outside the series, such as NASCAR and the open wheel series, are delighted by the access they did have last weekend. But let’s face it; what a great problem to have – more and more fans watching the series!

While I didn’t get to talk to everyone I wished I could have, there were still many great people there to race or enjoy the weekend. Some highlights (and yes, I will, again, I promise, forget someone or something so please don’t be mad if I leave someone out):

• Crawford Race Cars; Jan, Max, Katie, Trudie, Andy (Scriven, not Wallace), Andy (yes, that one too), Butch and the team. Jacob still wears his CRC gear proudly, as a part of your family. The food and drink lets him make it through these race events. Thanks.
• SunTrust Racing; can you believe someone would turn down an opportunity to crew for you? But it makes me feel great as a Dad when Jacob says he would rather spend the weekend with me enjoying everything, and not having to be tied down to one team. Now, go out and build yourselves a couple Grand Am Cup cars, and you might be able to get him onto the team! Your friendship and support is wonderful. Our hearts broke with yours when the wreck occurred. But thank goodness Emmanuel is okay. It will be a long season anyways and this sure didn’t help. With Max in the car, remember, anything is possible. Next time though, try to stick with the smaller creatures and not BMWs!
• Spirit of Daytona Racing with Bobby Labonte; it will be a pleasure to be associated with you as the season progresses. Bobby is a wonderful person and will compliment everyone at SoDwBL very nicely. Is GA Cup going to let the GTO go on a diet now that the Mustangs have quit their sandbagging and showed themselves?
• Johnny O’Connell; well, besides the fact that Chevrolet’s not in GA, it was nice to meet you several times in January. Thanks for signing the photo with Jacob – that’s a cool one. (-Ed: Dan had a photo of Johnny and Jacob here...but I can't find it!)
• Terry Borcheller; same thing. Two years ago you had Jacob in the #54 just prior to the start of the 24 Hours, he hasn’t forgotten (neither have I). Now it’s neat to have the photo of you together. Keep the faith! (-Ed: Dan had a photo of Terry and Jacob here...but I can't find it!)
• GTO-R teams; Thanks for the time & the access. And the swag. I wish I had a dollar for every time some fan asked me where they could get the shirt or sweater too, that’s how good it looks! Your guys signed the #65 photo for me and it will have a nice frame around it soon
• Rick Goolsby, Christine, Brandon & Gwen; How do you make a race weekend into a race event? Spend some time with these people too, they are a critical part of the success that is GARRA!

• GARRA – your people run a great event, every single time. From the staff to the officials, everyone is so great and so accommodating. I’m proud to say I’m even associated with your racing series, even if only as a fan.
• Daytona International Speedway – what an improvement in the attitude, assistance, and professionalism of your staff. Every single time I saw, met, talked to, or walked by a DIS employee, I was always greeted with a friendly comment and an offer to help. Twice I had a DIS person tell me they didn’t know the answer to my question, but if I could wait a second, they would go get someone who could answer my question. They would not allow me to leave the situation unsatisfied. By the way, could someone check again with security and see if someone turned in a Pontiac key. It has a single house key on the ring too.
• Lots of other people who said Hi or stopped to talk for a while, making for a great time; I started typing names here, and decided not to. It seems like a who’s who of Grand American Road Racing. Ah, you know who you are!

Four days at this prestigious event, over 150 race teams, and we only had one, just one, run-in with a team that caused us any consternation. And it was understandable, in the heat of the battle, that a couple team members went a little too far with their territorial claim, in our opinion. It wasn’t so much what, as it was the way they did it. But they were new to the series probably quite fed up with fans at the moment. The good news is I hope to start a dialogue with the team and crew so we can become their fans in the future, as they do expect to be around for the longer term.

For Jacob & me, the following moments highlighted another great racing weekend (again, taking from the Craig Stanton requirement that special events in our life need a little extra focus); (notice I’m not numbering these, they are all special in their own ways and don’t deserve to be in a ranking);

• Marcus Motorsports – Remembering the BMW photo autographs from VIR several years ago to following your return to GARRA. Welcome back. Big time. But to then invite Jacob into the cars like that, unbelievable. All I wanted to do was say Hi again!
• Rick, Brandon & Christina – Thanks for the pace car lap. I really didn’t need to go, but what, was I supposed to turn down the opportunity? Brandon, Jacob is now willing to take pace car laps with you, it doesn’t have to be Rick. Rick, you’re still his first choice!
• The Grand Am Cup race - You guys put on one GREAT show. Rolex Series racing. It’s is so much fun to be a part of it
• And finally, the Cognoscenti! It was so great to see all of you there. But, I’m confused. Which one of you was X?

The Grand American Road Racing Association is experiencing such growth in terms of teams and cars, it is inevitable the fans will soon follow. The 2006 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona proved to me the series is not only successful, and not only going to be around for a long time, it’s going to be successful for a long time. Several significant individuals within the series have repeatedly stated we felt we were involved at the beginning of what is to become a very popular road racing series in the Americas. We said again this weekend that we were presented with more evidence of this fact.

IN ROGER WE TRUST
Sput & Jacob

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