Terry Borcheller - '05 and Daytona test preview
Terry Borcheller will contest two championships in 2005, bolstered by the continuity of two teams and his primary sponsor, K&N Performance Filters. The Gainesville, Ga., driver, will be looking for his seventh professional racing championship in eight years, driving the No. 54 Bell Motorsports/Feeds the Need Racing Doran JE4 in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series and the No. 63 ACEMCO Saleen S7R in the American Le Mans Series. more than a sponsor Borcheller has signed for his fourth season representing K&N Performance Filters and he is working hard to finalize agreements with his other 2004 sponsors Infinity2 Nutrition, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Alpinestars and Bell Helmets. "It's great to be back with K&N for the fourth year," he said. "I'm very excited with the relationship that has developed there, not only as a sponsor but also as a company, and the friendship I have with the people there. It's a great involvement for me and and just an awesome opportunity. I'm very happy to have them back for 2005." Rolex return Borcheller has won more Grand American races than any other driver, with 25 Rolex Series victories en route to three championships and 12 Grand-Am Cup wins. He hopes to add more honors this year, driving the Bell Motorsports/FTN car owned by Forest Barber of Fort Worth, Texas. "It's good to be back with the Bell Motorsports/FTN team because I've worked so long with Jim [Bell], I'm comfortable there and I think that as a team we're going to be very focused on making the car better. We've already started that process over the winter - the car will be a lot lighter, it will have suspension updates from Doran and we've gone to the Bosch [engine] management system. We're just working really hard to be competitive," Borcheller noted. Daytona start Bell Motorsports / FTN and Borcheller hope to start the season with a repeat of their victory in the 2004 Rolex 24 At Daytona in Daytona Beach, Fla. Borcheller will share driving duty in this year's race with Christian Fittipaldi of Key Biscayne, Fla., Ralf Kelleners of Germany, and Paul Tracy of Las Vegas, Nev. "I've been racing at Daytona since 1979," Borcheller noted. "It's a good feeling to go back and know, as you're walking through the paddock, that you're the defending winner. It's such a prestigous race and it's such a difficult race to win. There are so many elements that go into winning the race and we were able to put it all together last year. That's such a great feeling; I know I'll never forget it." The team will take to the 3.56-mile infield road course at Daytona International Speedway for testing Jan. 7 to 9, and will return for the race on Feb. 5 and 6. ACEMCO and ALMS Borcheller is looking forward to a new American Le Mans season with the ACEMCO Motorsports team, competing in the newly named GT1 class. "There are a lot of changes happening within the team," he explained. "The biggest change for us as a team is that we've got Michelins [tires], and I'm really looking forward to testing the car and running the car with those tires. The new [Corvette] C6 is very competitive. That's always a concern, when you're going up against the factory, but at least we'll have longevity through a stint from a tire standpoint and our tires should be faster than last year." numbers Borcheller has won six professional championships in the past seven years. Since 1991, he has won 57 races in 237 races in seven series at 20 tracks. His tally includes 41 wins from 2000 to 2004. details The Rolex 24 At Daytona test is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 7 through Sunday, Jan. 9 on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway infield road course in Daytona Beach, Fla.