Baldwin-Tafel Announces Stellar Daytona Driver Line-Up

 Baldwin-Tafel Announces Stellar Daytona Driver Line-Up

 

CUMMING, Ga., January 24, 2005 - Baldwin-Tafel Racing will begin its
first full season of Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series competition
in 2005 with one of the strongest driver lineups in the 43rd Annual
Rolex 24 At Daytona. Joining owner/ drivers Jack Baldwin (Marietta, Ga.)
and Jim Tafel (Alpharetta, Ga.) will be 2004 Rolex 24 GT class winner
Robin Liddell (Northampton, England), 2004 Grand-Am Cup champion Craig
Stanton (Long Beach, Calif.) and three year Rolex Series veteran Andrew
Davis (Bogart, Ga.). The list of champion drivers piloting the No. 73
Mesco Building Solutions Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entry at Daytona
International Speedway (DIS) is among the most experienced and
successful lineups entered for this season's opening round of the 2005
Rolex Series Grand Touring (GT) championship. 

 

Baldwin, who joined with Tafel to create Baldwin-Tafel Racing in
mid-2004, is a four-time road racing national champion. His success
behind the wheel includes wins in nearly every type of racing car
ranging from open wheel formula cars to sedans and prototypes. In his
career, Baldwin has earned 30 victories in major sports car racing, 87
podium finishes and nearly 250 race starts. Included in the tally are
two Grand American prototype (SRP) victories at Phoenix and Mid-Ohio.
Among the two-time IROC competitor's successes are two IMSA GTU ('84,
'85) titles and the 1992 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Trans-Am
championship in the famous Hot Wheels Camaro. Baldwin has also proven
his ability in endurance races with a Rolex 24 victory in 1984 (GTU
class) and two wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring- '84 (GTU) and '97 (GT-1
class). Tafel, making his rookie appearance as a driver at the Rolex 24,
has competed in six races during his young career. In that time he has
earned two top-ten finishes in SGS class and a career high second in a
12 hour SCCA race. 

 

Robin Liddell, born in Scotland, won last year's GT class of the Rolex
24 in a Porsche and is the 2001 European Le Mans Series GT champion. He
has race victories in the British Touring Car Championship and has
podium finishes in the FIA GT Championship. Craig Stanton, who has
competed at Daytona since 1999, dominated the 2004 Grand-Am Cup
championship with six GS class victories. He also won the Rolex Series
SGS class at Homestead-Miami. Despite being the youngest of the driving
squad, Andrew Davis set the fastest SGS class qualifying lap at the '04
Rolex 24 driving a 911 Cup entry. He made his first Rolex 24 start in
2001 following two Southeast regional championships in SCCA Formula
Continental ('98, '99) and Sports 2000 ('97). 

 

Further strengthening what many are considering the top contender for
the GT title at Daytona, is the addition of team manager/ engineer Tony
Dowe of Dacula, Ga. Dowe, one of the most successful and sought-after
minds in motorsports, has overseen the development of the team with
Baldwin and Tafel. His direct duties include the preparation and race
strategy for the No. 73 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car. Dowe has led many
of the most successful racing programs in motorsports history including
championship efforts for TWR Group, Carl Haas, Chaparral Cars/ Jim Hall
Racing, Panoz Motorsports and Dick Barbour Racing. 


Quotes: 

Jack Baldwin, owner/driver: "I'm very pleased with the lineup that we
have brought on board. Jim and I wanted to put together the very best
team with the best drivers that we could. We're happy to have last
year's GT winner in Robin Liddell as well as Craig Stanton, the reigning
Grand-Am Cup champion. Andrew Davis is a young and very talented driver
that we are very excited to have with us. And Tony Dowe tops everything
off because he is brilliant. We're each going to do our part to make
this race a successful debut for Baldwin-Tafel. From an owner's
standpoint, we have worked really hard to put the right team together.
If we have just a little bit of luck to go along with the hard work, our
chances will be good. We are working hard to get off to a good
beginning."

 

Jim Tafel, owner/driver: "This has been an incredible journey over the
last year. I'm fortunate that we can go to Daytona for the 24 Hour race
and know that I wouldn't change a thing. I feel we have the greatest
driver lineup I could ever ask for. When you know you have the right
people that can get the job done you increase your attraction for
others. The result is that the very best want to be a part of what you
are doing. The whole team is working in unison. I have such a good
feeling of unity from the crew members. I just hope to continue to build
this program to be a first class operation."

 

Andrew Davis, driver: "This is a great opportunity. I've worked with
Jack for the last few years and I was just thrilled when they gave me a
call to do this. I had the opportunity to work with Tony Dowe in 2003
and to get to work with him again is great. He is the master.
Baldwin-Tafel Racing has put all the pieces together to make it work. We
have a great lineup of pro drivers, the shop is phenomenal, the car is
amazing. They are doing things the right way. I hope to be a part of the
starting off of what I think will be a very successful 2005 for the
team. I am very grateful to both Jack and Jim to be a part of this."

 

Robin Liddell, driver: "I am really looking forward to joining the
Baldwin-Tafel team at Daytona. I am very keen to defend my 2004 success
where we won the GT class and finished second overall. I have worked
with Tony Dowe once before and he has been a major influence on my
joining the team. In addition, I know Craig Stanton quite well, having
raced against him in 2003."

 

Craig Stanton, driver: "I couldn't have asked for a better team to
join-up with at Daytona. Baldwin-Tafel is a new team but that is hard to
see when you look at what they have assembled here. Their Porsche is put
together as well as any I have ever seen and Tony is a legend in this
business. To get to race with Jim, Jack, Robin and Andrew is a pretty
big honor and I think we have a great shot at winning this race. None of
us wants to be the weak link in the driver's seat and I don't think any
of us will be. I am very, very excited about this year's race."