Lexus Powers Ganassi Teammates Into Series Points Lead at Grand American Six Hours of Watkins Glen

TORRANCE, Calif., June 13 -- Heavy rain, changing conditions and a major shunt couldn't keep Scott Pruett and Luis Diaz (#01 CompUSA Lexus- Riley) from their fourth consecutive Rolex Sports Car Series podium finish with a third in Sunday's Sahlen's 6 Hours of the Glen to carry the duo into a tie for the Rolex Sports Car Series points lead.

After leading a race-high 46 laps, things started to take a turn for the worse for Pruett and Diaz when heavy rains began to fall and Diaz slid off course while running second. The situation worsened when two more cars immediately followed Diaz off course-one making heavy contact with the #01 Lexus-Riley resulting in extensive damage to the right rear.

After pitting twice to rip away heavy body damage, change tires and swap drivers, Pruett re-entered the race in ninth position overall with a little over an hour remaining. With his car now lacking valuable downforce at the rear, Pruett still managed to carve through the field, making up six spots in the final hour to give the team a well-deserved third-place finish. The result gives the CompUSA team a pair of wins and two thirds in the last four races.

The pairing of Stefan Johansson and Cort Wagner in the #02 New Century Mortgage Lexus-Riley also proved to be strong throughout the six-hour race. After starting fourth, the duo took the lead late in the event, only to give up the lead when pitting with approximately 45 minutes remaining on the way to a fifth-place showing. The effort marked the team's second consecutive top- five finish after a season-best second place in the most recent event at Mont- Tremblant.

Things didn't go as well for the #77 Doran Racing Crown Royal Special Reserve Lexus-Doran of Matteo Bobbi and Fabrizio Gollin as the team's string of misfortune continued. After working their way into the top 10, hopes for a top finish were lost when Gollin hit a patch of oil left on the track. The Doran car slid off the track and into a gravel trap where they lost four laps before being towed into the pit lane on the way to 14th-place.

The DLGL Lexus-Riley effort of Chris Bingham, Hugo and Jacques Guenette rounded out the Lexus contingent with an 18th-place finish on Sunday.

   Drivers              Car                                  Start/Finish
   Pruett/Diaz          CompUSA Lexus Riley                      2/3
   Johansson/Wagner     New Century Mortgage Lexus Riley         4/5
   Bobbi/Gollin         Crown Royal Special Doran Riley        11/14
   Bingham/Guenette     DLGL Lexus Riley                       19/18