Kevin Doran's Rolex 24 Success Expands to Winning Car
Manufacturer for W4
LEBANON, Ohio, Feb. 17 - In his 20 years participating in the Rdex 24 at
Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Kevin Doran has been in victory lane as 8
crew chief (1386 and 1987), a team member (1989), a team manager (1998 and
2002) and a car owner (1 998 and 2002). On Feb. 1 he added one more winning role
to his resume: that of the winning car manufacturer. A DORAN JE4 that he designed
and built through one of his companies, Doran Designs, won the race overall when
the Bell Motorsports DORAN JE4 Prsntiac took the checkered flag. What's more,
another DORAN JE4 for which Doran is the owner and team manager, the Doran-
Lista DORAN JE4 Lexus, finished second in the Daytona Prototype class, the top
class of the Grand American Road Racing Association.
A third DORAN JE4 entered by Michael Shank Racing made its maiden event
in this year's Rolex 24 and finished fourlh in class. A fourth DORAN JE4 owned by
GBW Motorsports is scheduled to debut at the next race, which will be held Feb. 28
at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.
The car count should continue to grow because it's crystal-clear that the
DORAN JE4 is the mast successful chassis to date in the Daytona Prototype class.
Even though it was outnumbered three to one or two to one at most of the races last
year, the marque still finished just 16 points behind Fabcar in the 2003 manufacturer
standings. And it was a DORAN JE4 that took the division's top driver (Terry
Eorcheller) and the top team (Bell Motorsports) to their respective championships last
year.
Daytona Prototype team owners who want to do well in future Rolex 24s
should also note that a DORAN JE4 has won every race held at Daytona since the
m-o-r-e
-l30RABJ ENTERPRISES, INC-
2050 McKinley Blvd., Lebanon, .OM45036 (513) 336-0819
www.doranracing.com
MAKING WORKSPACE WORK '
Kevin Dcrran/Rolex 24 Accomplishm+nts/Page 2 of 3
class's inception except for the inaugural event last year, and the chassis has finished
first and second in the top class in the last two races held there.
Kevin Doran's unqualified success as a car manufacturer isn't surprising to
anyone who knows him. Even before he started his own companies, h e had some
13 poles and 23 victories in IMSA working as crew chief for the late AI Holbert Since
he formed his own companies, Doran Racing's percentage of top-10 finishes is ovar
30 percent; its percentage of top-five finishes is over 80 percent and its winning per-
cegltage is some 25 percent.
Doran-Lista Racing's lead driver, Didier Theys, won the driver's championship
in 2002 in Grand American's top class that year, while Doran-Lista Racing finished
second in the team standings for the third consecutive year
In addition, the Doran Racing-prepared MOM0 Ferrari team was the first and
only team in US. history to win the 24 Hours at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and
the Watkins Glen Six-Hour race in the same year (1938).
The DORAN JE4 isn't the only car that Kevin Doran ha5 designed a ~ d built;
his Sports 2000 car won a SCCA national championship in 1995 and is still going
strong today.
Kevin Doran's Rolex 24 highlights:
19B6: Winning crew chief of Lowenbrau Special Pcwssche 962 driven by AI Halbert,
Derek Bell and AI Unser JF.
1887: Winning crew chief of Lowenbrau Special Porssche 962 team with drivers AI
Halbert, Derek Bell, Chip Robinson and AI Unser Jr.
1989: Team member of the winning two-cat Jim Busby Porssche 962 entry; the car
driven by Bob Wollek, Derek Bell and John Andretti won, while Mario and Michael
Andvetti drove the other one.
1996: Car owner and team manager af the MOM0 Ferrari which won the pole and
finished second overall; drivers were Gianpiero Mrscstti, Bob Wollek, Oidier Theys
and Max Papis.
1998: Winning car owner and team manager of the MOM0 Ferrari; drivers were
Gianpiero Moretti, Arie Ltqendyk, Mauro Ealdi and Didier Theys. (Qualified second.)
1999: Finished third as an entrant with a Ferrari driven by Max Papis, Stefan
Johansscm, Jimmy Vasser and Jim Matthews.
2002: Winning car owner and team manager with the Doran-Lista Dallara Judd.
Drivers were Didier Theys, Fredy Lienhard Sr., Mauro Baldi and Max Papis. (Also
won the pole.)
2003: DORAN JE4 makes its debut as a Bell Motorsports entry; drivers are Terry
Eorchellsr, who would go on to win the drivers' championship in it that year; Forest
Barber, Didier Theys and Christian Fittipaldi. Car qualifies sixth but does not finish
due to engine problems.
2004: Winning car manufacturer with his DORAN JE4s; finished first overall (Bell
Motorsports; drivers; Terry Borcheller, Forest Barber, Andy Pilgrim and Christian
Fittipaldi) and second in the Daytona Prototype class and fourth overall (Doran-Lista
Racing; drivers: Didier Theys, Fredy Lienhard Sr., Jan Lammers and Marc
Goossens). Car owner and team manager of the latter team too.
Doran Enterprises, Doran Racing and Doran Designs ara located at 2050
McKinley Blvd., Lebanon, Ohio 45036; tel.: (513) 336-0819.Its Web site is located
at www.doranracing.ccrm.
