Team Spotlight on G&W Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 8, 2002) -- Cole Scrogham has been one of the most successful team owners in the Rolex Sports Car Series since its inaugural 2000 season. His G&W Motorsports team has won three team owner championships and seen its drivers capture two driver championships in only two years. After being successful in the GT ranks for the first two years, Scrogham is excited about the team's move into the SportsRacing Prototype II class with its new BMW-powered Picchio, as well as the team's plans to campaign two Porsches in Grand-Am Cup in 2002.

THE BASICS
Series - Rolex Sports Car Series & Grand-Am Cup Street Stock Series
Class - SportsRacing Prototype II & Grand Sport I
Car - BMW Picchio & Porsche Cup
Garage Location - Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Va.
Website - http://motorsports.gandw.com

TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
· Three team owner championships, including two GT titles ('00 & '01) and one GTS title ('01)
· Two GT driver championships (Mike Fitzgerald, '00 and Darren Law, '01)
· Six GT class victories in Rolex Series competition
· 16 class podium finishes in Rolex Series competition

IN THE WORDS OF COLE SCROGHAM...
When did you become involved in racing?
Since I was born, I guess. I've always been involved in racing or cars in general. I've got a picture from the old days. I'm standing on the bumper of a '59 Porsche 356A in my diapers looking in the engine bay, so its been a long time.

How was G&W Motorsports created?
G&W Motorsports was created in the late 60's by my father and uncle, Gary and Weldon Scrogham, who stayed in business for a very short period of time, but the name stuck. My father, Weldon, still runs the Sales and Service facility in Waynesboro, and I run the Motorsports facility at VIR and the rest is history.

Do you have any superstitions?
None

What are your thoughts on the 2001 season?
The 2001 season was a lot more difficult for us than the 2000 season. Just having to deal with more issues. Being the guy on top, you're the one everybody's trying to knock off. Everybody's shooting for you. The results were pretty spectacular, but it was a much harder season to deal with.

What was your most memorable racing moment in 2001?
In 2001, that would be the win at the Six Hours of The Glen, with David Murry, Matt Drendel, and Darren Law. The other car with Cort Wagner and Steve Marshall, the 07 car in GTS, finishing second.

How did you feel when you realized you would sweep the team owner, driver and manufacturer championships in the GT class again this year?
I'll tell you, we didn't really feel that until the race was pretty much over because we knew we were in a position where we had to finish eighth to secure that. Until three laps from the end of the race, that wasn't a given. So it all came down to the closing seconds of that race.

How does it feel to have three team owner championships to your credit after only two seasons?
That means I get a freebee next year! I just can't say enough about the guys on the team and the drivers. The person that really carried us to that has been Darren Law. In my opinion, right now he's really the best in the business. He's my greatest asset.

What are your plans for the 2002 season?
In 2002, we'll be running the SRPII car, which is going to take most of our attention this year without a doubt. It's a new car, a new chassis, a new engine combination, and no development whatsoever. To me this is going to be a developing year for that car, to develop it into a competitive SRPII entry, as well as perhaps a base for the new Daytona Sports Car.

After running GT cars for so long, what do you think will be different about the new SRPII car?
It should be easier to work on and easier to deal with. It's a purpose-built race car so we're not trying to fix all the problems inherit in a production-based race car. I think all-around it's going to be a better car from the start.

Are you looking forward to running the Grand-Am Cup series fulltime next season?
Absolutely. We dallied in that before, and I think that is without a doubt the best preparatory series that I've ever seen. Since Porsche has come out with a new Cup car and given us a platform that we can be competitive with, we certainly want to take advantage of it. It keeps us sharp in our pit stops, it keeps our drivers sharp in endurance racing format with driver changes, etc. It prepares us to run at the front of a group, which is where we want to ultimately be in the Rolex Series too.

How did Price Cobb come to join G&W Motorsports?
Oh boy, I've known Price for years. We've always talked, and I value his opinion. We share notes. When the opportunity came up where he did not want to be involved in a total team ownership position that he was in Indy Car and in Atlantic, I thought that we'd be the perfect opportunity to be able to share some of our experiences and resources and pair up. It's really going to propel us toward 2003. We are just really looking forward to some good things here.

What goals have you set for yourself?
Basically, the goals of G&W Motorsports are to help people that want to be involved with us achieve their dreams in motorsports. We are going to continue to operate as a business using that same goal. We're not class specific. We're not mark specific. We're just totally oriented toward that one goal.

What hobbies do you have outside of racing?
Very few, other than playing with my kids. Weightlifting, I guess is a hobby. Not much time outside of that.

Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life?
My father, especially with regard to business and in relationship with Porsche cars, and just in general.

The 2002 Rolex Sports Car Series season will kick off at Daytona International Speedway, Jan. 31 - Feb. 3, with the 40th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Tickets are on sale for the event and may be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 386-253-RACE (7223). The Rolex 24 At Daytona will be broadcast on Speedvision.

Additional information about the Rolex Sports Car Series is available online at www.grand-am.com.

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For more information: Grand-Am Public Relations
Christie Hyde (386) 681-4182
email: CHyde@grand-am.com