Otto Father and Son Control HSR Opener - Otto Motorsports Earns Two-Wins, Two Top-10s at Sebring

SEBRING, Fla., March 5, 2006 - Otto Motorsports took two race wins and two
other top-ten finishes in the season-opening Historic Sports Car Racing
Series (HSR) Sebring Endurance Challenge at Sebring International Raceway
this weekend. The only father-son team in the Historic Stock Car Division
for Late Model Stock Cars (internally known as Group Eight) controlled the
class throughout the weekend. Wayne Otto (Watchung, NJ.) won both the
non-points paying Qualifying race on Saturday, March 4, and the 30-minute
feature event today for the Group Eight. Otto's Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which
nearly broke the track record for the class, came across the line just
seconds ahead of his father, Edgar Otto, Jr. (Boca Raton, Fla.) in both
events. The elder Otto, who, at age 76, is in a self-proclaimed race against
Father Time, took fifth-place in the qualifying race on the 3.7-mile Sebring
circuit and sixth in today's race. 

 

"Not too bad all-in-all," remarked Otto. "More to come in Atlanta. In road
racing, because of the way you qualify, it is usually pretty much
follow-the-leader, so it was fun passing other cars. On balance, I would
say, race-wise I did well, and time-wise I kind of held my own. I think I
acquitted myself reasonably well. But, I think I need to take some driving
lessons from my kid now." 

 

While Wayne dominated the class in both the races, Edgar Otto had a more
exciting race day in his No. 17 UrAssist "Freedom to Go" Chevrolet Monte
Carlo. Starting fifth in the former Matt Kenseth Busch Grand National car,
he was forced off track when another car spun in front of him. Falling
through the ranks, the owner of Otto Motorsports had to fight his way back
through the field. He moved up to sixth at the checkered flag solidifying
the strong first weekend of the season for the Boca Raton-based operation. 

 

"If Father Time won was inconclusive," continued Edgar Otto. "In today's
race, on the first lap, second turn, a car spun in front of me and I had to
leave the track to get around him. I re-passed four cars but, because I
never had a clear track I couldn't really turn a fast time. My best time was
a 2:16.4 [two minutes, 16.4-seconds] on Sunday and 2:15 on Saturday. So, the
times were better than last fall in qualifying but not as good as the 2:14 I
turned in the race then. The last guy I passed, coming-off the last turn, I
took him by a half-a-car. So, it was fun racing. He went in too hard and
gave me just enough room to get under him. That is always a very satisfying
pass especially for an old man. The battle continues with Father Time. I
can't wait to rejoin it at Atlanta. I want to go faster."

 

The event was Edgar Otto's 23rd appearance in an HSR stock car at Sebring
and one of his strongest to date. Despite being the oldest competitor in the
class, Otto again showed his mettle behind the wheel despite it being his
first race since November of 2005. The team will now travel to Road Atlanta
in Braselton, Ga. for the second race of their HSR season. The Classic
Motorsports Walter Mitty Challenge Presented by Mazda, like Sebring a
premier event on the schedule, will be held April 27-30th on the 2.56-mile
road course in suburban Atlanta. 

 

To learn the latest on Otto Motorsports, please visit
www.OttoMotorsports.com <http://www.ottomotorsports.com/> . 

For more on the HSR, please visit www.HSRRace.com <http://www.hsrrace.com/> 

For ticket information, please visit www.SebringRaceway.com
<http://www.sebringraceway.com/>