Chevre, Castro Getting up to Speed as locals Rock Puerto Rico Grand Prix

Oct. 25, 2003

CASTRO GETTING UP TO SPEED AS LOCALS ROCK PUERTO RICO GRAND PRIX

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico ‹ Wally Castro, a veteran racer by any standards, is
making his mark known in his second career Motorock Trans-Am Tour for the
BFGoodrich Tires Cup race this weekend at the Puerto Rico Grand Prix. In
fact, Castro, driving the No. 3 Puerto Lottery, has been up to speed all
weekend, timing in the top 10 in all three sessions, including qualifying
held earlier today.

Castro has had an interesting time getting used to a new car, the Trans-Am
Tour, and most of all, new tires. Castro, a regular in GTS competition in
Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean, admitted itıs taken him some time
to get up to speed with BFGoodrich Tiresı spec g-Force T/A radial. Castro
usually competes on bias-ply tires from another manufacturer.

³Once the (BFGoodrich Tires) radial tire gets grip, it keeps that grip,²
said Castro. ³With the bias-ply tires I usually run here in Puerto Rico, you
have one or two hot laps and thatıs it. With the bias-ply tires, you will
have quick times for two or three laps. After two laps with the BFGoodrich
radial tires, it just gets more and more grip.²

Castro said he has also fought slick track conditions. As with many new,
temporary circuits, the early sessions were plagued by lack of grip.

³Our first practice, it was OK,² said Castro. ³We were just trying to get a
feel for the car, the tire, and the differences between my car and this one.
The second session was much better. We changed gearing, and we put on a new
set of tires. Those new tires gripped very well. The car was slippery, but
that was due to the condition of the track. It was covered in dust and sand.
During the early laps, you would go loose and it was due to all of the dirt
on the track.

³Weıre really looking for grip, and get more confident with the track.²

Castro‹along with fellow Puerto Rican drivers Jorge Diaz, Jr. (No. 8 Don Q
Rum Jaguar XKR), Edison Lluch (No. 72 Don Q Rum Chevrolet Corvette), Felix
Serralles (No. 88 Don Q Rum Jaguar XKR), Axel Rivera (No. 22 ICEE Ford
Mustang), Juan Vento (No. 38 Interstate Batteries Oldsmobile Cutlass), and
Dominican Republic hotshoe Luis Mendez (No. 03 Banreservas.Dom.Rep Chevrolet
Camaro)‹will take part in the Puerto Rico Grand Prix. The Puerto Rico Grand
Prix, Round 11 and the season finale for the Motorock Trans-Am Tour for the
BFGoodrich Tires Cup, is scheduled to start Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. AST.
The race will air LIVE on PEE Channel at 1 p.m. EST.