Orbit Racing - Daytona test Saturday

quick start

Orbit Racing started the annual three-day test for the Rolex 24 at Daytona at 
the top, posting the quickest GT class times in alll three practice sessions 
on Saturday.  Johnny Mowlem of England was quickest in the morning session, 
covering the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course in one minute 
56.062 seconds in the No. 44 Classic Industries Porsche 911 GT3 RS.  Mike 
Fitzgerald of Fountain Hills, Ariz., led the way in the the second session 
(1:56.476) and Mowlem replied in the third session (1:55.599).

Joe Policastro drove last in the final session.  He and his son Jay will 
share driving duty in the Porsche for the 2004 season.  Joe said the car is 
already better than it was in 2003.

"I think the crew have a few more kinks they can take out of it, but  it's 
much better than we had it at the last race - we can drive it a little bit 
harder," he said.  "I think we'll see it in getting our [lap] times down, but more 
important, getting the car to do what we want it to do.  Johnny and Robin and 
Mike have really tuned this in great!  It's the best this car has ever 
handled, and we've got some more to do."

first look

Robin Liddell drove his first laps at Daytona on Saturday, experiencing the 
track's 33-degree banking for the first time.

"It's good fun!" he enthused.  "When you get up on the banking the first 
time, it's actually quite spooky.  The banking is quite steep; it's different and 
it's got its own character.  When you get out there, the angle you're sitting 
at in terms of what you can see out of the windscreen is totally different.  
You can't imagine what that's like until you're in it."

Rolex race

Johnny Mowlem has enjoyed success at Daytona, with a second-place GT finish 
in 1999 and an overall second in 2003.  But he's still chasing the coveted 
Daytona hardware - a Rolex watch, presented only to class winners in the annual 
24-hour endurance race.

"I want to win a watch!" he exclaimed.  "I told Rodger [team owner Hawley], I 
don't really care if we finish 10th overall, if we win GT."