Rand Racing - Watkins Glen advance

short stuff

Rand Racing is hoping to repeat its strong performance at Watkins Glen 
International when it returns for the second Rolex Sports Car Series race 
this season at the historic New York track.  The team finished first and 
second in the SRPII class at Watkins Glen in June and, more important, 
notched third and fourth overall.

With eight wins in as many races to date, the rookie team is ready for 
another victory.  SRPII points leader Terry Borcheller of Phoenix will lead 
the charge, driving the No. 8 Rand Racing Nissan Lola with Anthony Lazzaro of 
Acworth, Ga.  The No. 7 Lola will be driven by Niclas Jönsson of Aliso Viejo, 
Calif., and Bill Rand of Plano, Tex.

The location is the same, but the Aug. 9 race will bear little resemblance to 
the June 23 event at Watkins Glen.  The race length this time will be 2.5 
hours, instead of six.  The race is scheduled for Friday evening, rather than 
Sunday afternoon.  And it will run on the 2.45-mile road course, rather than 
the 3.40-mile configuration used in June.

"It's a real challenging track, no matter which configuration you run," 
Lazzaro said.  "The short is faster because you're doing less distance, and 
it's a little bit more forgiving, but they're both really fun.  One cool 
thing about the short course is turn five - it's one big 180-degree turn 
that's really, really fast.  It takes strong neck muscles because the car 
creates so much downforce and so much grip.  It's very physical to drive."

Lazzaro has also raced a NASCAR Winston Cup car at Watkins Glen.  "The Cup 
cars are really quick around there - it's a very, very fast road-racing track 
for a Winston Cup car," he said.  "They have a lot of horsepower, so the 
biggest problem is getting them to stop.  With the Lola, you don't have near 
the horsepower so you don't have near the top speed, and you have tremendous 
braking and tremendous cornering ability."

Jönsson says less time and track for this race means more work.  "This race 
is going to be a little bit more intense because it's just half the distance 
and also it's a shorter track, so there will be 'way more traffic to deal 
with," he noted.  "But I think it will play in my own and my teammates' favor 
because we work traffic pretty well."

Jönsson is happy to be back racing with Bill Rand, who missed the last race.  
"I'm really looking forward to running with my team owner, Bill Rand," he 
said.  "I see a lot of talent and potential there - in the 24 hours at 
Daytona this year, he was running strong and very smart, and making wise 
moves.  That's really what determines a talented driver."

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Sylvia Proudfoot
403 287 3945
spur07@cs.com