PIR Race Advance

AJ's Fine Foods 250 ROLEX Sports Car Series Runs This Weekend
Four-race Weekend Includes Western U.S.  Debut of New Daytona Prototype Race Cars

(PHOENIX) - ROLEX Sports Car Series racing returns to Arizona with this weekend's running of the AJ's Fine Foods 250, the featured event of the two-day, two race event at Phoenix International Raceway. 

Four road racing series will practice and qualify on Friday, May 2, followed by the first race of the United Auto 200 Grand-Am Cup Street Stock Series, starting at 6:00 p.m.  This 200-mile road race features race cars that are actual production cars, modified for performance and safety.  

On Saturday the Fran-Am formula cars race first, followed by a second Grand-Am Cup 200-miler runs Saturday afternoon.  The AJ's Fine Foods 250 ROLEX Sports Car Series race is Saturday evening, when race teams in four different classes will take the green flag at 6:00 p.m. on May 3. All races are held on Phoenix International Raceway's 1.51-mile, 11-turn road course. 

The AJ's Fine Foods 250 will debut the new Daytona Prototype race cars in outside of Florida.  The closed cockpit, mid-engine coupes are powered by production-based racing engines from Ford, Toyota, Porsche,  BMW, Chevrolet and other manufacturers.  They can achieve speeds approaching 200 mph but are primarily designed for optimum acceleration, handling, and braking on road race courses. 

American road racing legend Hurley Haywood and co-driver J.C. France are favorites to win Saturday's AJ's Fine Foods 250 in their Brumos Racing Porsche-powered FABCAR.  Haywood is a five-time winner of the ROLEX 24 at Daytona and the most successful American endurance racer in history.    

Looking forward to Phoenix, Haywood said, "We race into the dark on the shortest and slowest race track we visit this season. Eleven turns in just a mile and a half; only about a minute per lap. There's not much time to relax. Phoenix is very physical and we spend a lot of time driving into the setting sun.  But at least we race into the night."

Heywood and France currently lead the Daytona Prototype point standings.  Other favorites include Phoenix racers Terry Borcheller and Darren Law. Law is second in the DP point standings in the G&W Motorsports BMW Picchio; Borcheller is tied for seventh, driving the Bell Racing Chevy- Doran. 

On which cars would be strong in Saturday's race, Law said, "Brumos has been good, they ran good in both previous races.  The Ford might do well, the Doran has been quick as well, but not as reliable."

Borcheller, who races the Chevy Doran, agreed.  "The car has not been finished until just recently. We got it in time for Daytona and Homestead, but we had cooling problems. It's like any new car; we just didn't have time to work out all the bugs. But the Major League Conditioning Doran Chevy will be ready for Phoenix. We sat on the outside pole for the last race in an undeveloped car and now I think we're ready for a win."

Law believes his team is capable as well.  "We've tested here a couple of times in March, and we've been fast," said Law. "I've won here in Phoenix, I consider PIR my home track, so yes; we definitely have a shot at the win." 

Tickets for both days of racing are available at the track and at PIR's downtown ticket office, at the Arizona Center, 3rd Street and Van Buren; online, at www.phoenixraceway.com, and by phone, at 602-252-2227.