New Century-Aasco Porsche Closes Out '05 Rolex Season wtih Tough Virginia Round

New Century-Aasco Porsche Closes Out '05 Rolex Season with Tough Virginia
Round

 

ALTON, Vir., October 9, 2005 - Pat Flanagan (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) and
Patrick Long (Las Vegas, Nev.) entered their sixth and final Grand American
Rolex Sports Car Series Grand Touring (GT) class event of 2005 today with
high hopes. However, they leave Virginia International Raceway (VIR) with a
frustrating 23rd-place finish in GT class, 47th overall, after the No. 26
New Century Mortgage/ Aasco Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup was forced off
the track on the sixth lap of the 400 kilometer/ 250 mile VIR 400. It will
rank as the worst finish for the car this season after a high of fourth in
their 2005 Rolex Series debut at California Speedway.

 

Despite being the first appearance of either driver at VIR, the weekend got
off to a magnificent start as the Dennis Aase-entered Porsche paced the GT
field in early practice. However, rain would force the cancellation of
qualifications eliminating the benefit of the team and Porsche factory
driver Long. The grid would be set based on team points. Having not run the
full season, the Aasco Porsche started 38th in the 48 car field. Flanagan
got a strong start moving as high as 17th in the first five laps before. On
the sixth lap, while leaving room for other competitors, Flanagan was forced
off the track in the "Esses". Once off the racing surface, the slick tires
hit the rain soaked grass and the Porsche immediately gained speed on the
wet surface. The car went into a clump of trees and was abandoned for the
remainder of the race unable to be driven out. Flanagan was unhurt in the
incident.  

 

In total, Flanagan and Long ran six Rolex GT series races together for New
Century and Aasco Motorsports and one Daytona Prototype (DP) event together
for Essex Racing. They earned two top-10 finishes in GT and a ninth in the
sole DP start. 

 

Quotes:

Patrick Long: "Unfortunately, we didn't get to the end but that's racing. It
was a wet-dry beginning on slick tires. It was very challenging conditions
and Pat was doing a great job. He was running hard through the 'Esses' and
got pushed a little wide trying to give guys room. He went off into the
grass, that was wet, and that accelerated him into the trees. It was a tough
way to end what was a very fun and successful year. Unfortunately, we just
couldn't end it on the podium. I am extremely grateful to Pat and Dennis for
such a great program and New Century for supporting the effort. I'm looking
forward to getting back in with this team and group of guys soon."

 

For more, please visit www.AascoMotorsports.com. 

To learn more about New Century Mortgage, please log on to
www.NewCentury.com. 

 

### 

Digital images and complete team and driver bios available upon request.

Editors, please do not publish any contact information other than web sites.
Thank you.

 

contact: Tom Moore, Aasco Motorsports 

615-778-1614 (office), 615-509-5000 (cell), tom@darkhorsecom.com