GRAND AM - Rolex Series Hits the Big Apple for New York International Auto Show

NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 6, 2007) – The Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve will have a strong presence at the New York International Auto Show this weekend, with a major television appearance kicking off the festivities.

Canadian Mark Wilkins will drive the No. 61 Exchange Traded Gold/AIM Autosport Lexus Riley on the streets of New York alongside East Hills, N.Y.-resident Tom Papadopoulos in the Doncaster Racing No. 17 MineStar/Tim Horton’s Porsche GT3 as part of the show’s official opening ceremonies, and the cars are scheduled to appear on the national FOX & Friends Weekend show airing on FOX News Channel from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 7. Political and show dignitaries will wave green flags to start the race cars, signaling the official opening of the 2007 show.

The AIM Autosport and Doncaster Racing machines will also be part of the Grand-Am display throughout the weekend. The display in the auto show's Heritage & Horsepower exhibit presented by the LeMay Museum is in the special exhibits hall on level one of the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The heritage vehicles include a 1912 Standard Electric, a 1931 Chrysler CG Imperial LeBaron and a 1940 Buick Supermodel 59 Estate "Woody" Wagon. The horsepower is represented by the AIM and Doncaster Rolex Series race cars and the No. 4 Panther Racing IRL IndyCar Series car. Representatives from Watkins Glen International and Lime Rock Park are assisting with the promotion.

"The LeMay Museum organizers and our Grand-Am teams, AIM Autosport and Doncaster Racing, have been invaluable in providing this unprecedented exposure for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve," Grand-Am President Roger Edmondson said. "We made a commitment in the off-season to undertake more of these types of consumer promotions and the New York International Auto Show experience could prove to be one of the highlights of the season."

AIM co-owner Ian Willis said the show is an excellent venue for the team's gold-backed car.

"Having the No. 61 Exchange Traded Gold Daytona Prototype race up the street to officially open the show is an amazing honor. Our primary sponsor Exchange Traded Gold is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, just a few miles from the auto show, and this exciting opening matches our sponsor's innovative approach to investing in gold," Willis said. "We want to thank Grand-Am and the LeMay Museum for giving us the opportunity to be part of one of the most important automotive events in the world."

In addition to Exchange Traded Gold, other sponsors of the No. 61 Aim entry include Barrick Gold Corporation, RBC Financial Group and Telus' Mike Network. John Lacey, Doncaster Racing partner, noted the show's importance for the Porsche team sponsors, as well.

"Doncaster Racing has enjoyed sponsorship support from Tim Horton’s and Caterpillar [MineStar's parent company] for a number of years and both companies have material business interests in New York," Lacey said.

The Rolex Series includes three races in the New York area this season: the Grand-Am GT Classic at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut on May 28, the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International in New York on June 9 and the Crown Royal 200 at the Glen on Aug. 10.