SAMAX - Mexico preview

SAMAX Motorsport has a mix of veteran and rookie drivers in its lineup for
the southern round of the 2006 Rolex Sports Car Series, set for March 4 on
the 2.5-mile Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course in Mexico City. 

 

Tuttle Team Racing by SAMAX driver Brian Tuttle of West Palm Beach Fla.,
returns to Mexico with two new track assets – the 2005 race-winning
BMW-powered Riley Mk XI, now carrying Tuttle's No. 7, and a former Formula
One World Championship test driver to share race duty: Jonathan Cochet of
Saint-Germain-du-Corbéis, France, will join Tuttle for 10 races this season.
Tuttle has his eye on the Jim Trueman Award, presented to the top sportsman
driver in the Rolex Series Daytona Prototype class.

 

"We're very excited about the BMW package in Mexico because it performed so
well last year, and I'm excited to have Jonathan as my co-driver," Tuttle
said. "We tested a lot of guys last year and they were all very comparable.
Jonathan is very, very fast and the crew has a great relationship with him.
We hope to do well in points for both the championship and the Trueman
Award. We're ready to rock and roll!"

 

Two experienced Canadians will share the No. 71 SAMAX/Doncaster Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Dave Lacey and Greg Wilkins, both of Toronto, will
continue the partnership that has taken them to three wins and 12 podiums
together. Doncaster Racing principal John Lacey believes chemistry is the
key.

 

"They are long-time partners who have enjoyed a lot of success. Their styles
complement each other. They're both reasonably competitive, but they're good
friends," he said. "Part of the success of a team is having good chemistry.
Over the years, we've built good chemistry as Doncaster, and we're really
enjoying our time at SAMAX. We're looking forward to not only Mexico City,
but the rest of the season."

 

Rounding out the international driving squad are Robert Bell of Northampton,
England, and Martin Jensen of Smørum, Denmark, driving the No. 17 SAMAX
Porsche. The Mexico race is the first Rolex Series start for both, but
Jensen will be in familiar territory. He raced with some of the SAMAX crew
members in 2005 and also traveled from Denmark to meet with team owner Peter
Baron during the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.

 

"Normally, I don't go to watch races because I get irritated that I'm not in
there myself, so I'm sure Mexico will be a big relief for me to get in the
car," he said. "I'm very much looking forward to the race, especially with
Peter. He's got a good team and all the people working with him are top of
the line. They're some of the best I've met in motorsport."

 

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Sylvia Proudfoot
HYPERLINK "mailto:sylvia@spurcom.ca"sylvia@spurcom.ca
403 287 3945