Guy Cosmo Pre-Race Report for Road America
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: johnt@c2group.com Cosmo and Baker Team Up For American Le Mans Challenge at Road America Coming off a solid second-in-class performance at Mid-Ohio, Guy Cosmo and John Baker head to Road America. Driving the No. 47 Orbit Racing prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the ALMS Challenge class, Cosmo and Baker have their site's set on a win in The Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase set for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 16. No stranger to the track, Cosmo earned a Star Mazda pole and victory at Road America in 2002, enroute to winning that years championship. His last trip to the circuit was in 2005 driving the Mazda powered Courage LMP2 prototype. Guy went on that year to win the American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year title. On the other hand, this will be Baker's first time on the legendary 4-mile circuit. "Road America is one of North America's treasures," said Guy. "This is what sports car racing is all about. Natural rolling terrain with winding curves, long fast straights coming through woods... it really doesn't get much better than this. And let's not forget about the brats!" "We've got our work cutout for us this weekend," Guy continued. "We need to put all the pieces together. If we can grab another pole and turn in solid race performances, I'm confident we can win this thing. It looks like Team Snow is closing in on the championship, but that doesn't mean we aren't in it to win it. Running in the ALMS and on classic tracks like Lime Rock, Mid-Ohio and Road America is great experience for my teammate. Championship or not, we're out here to have fun and get some wins." Reflecting back on his 2005 Rookie of the Year title, Cosmo is still actively pursuing a full time seat in the American Le Mans Series. With his prototype experience as a definite plus, Cosmo is confident his background is of value and would fit in with any number of ALMS teams. "I'd really like to have an opportunity to race in a prototype or GT2 car," expressed Cosmo. "These four races participating in the American Le Mans Challenge have really wet my appetite. It's hard to be around the paddock and the equipment and not want to get back in it. There's really nothing else like it and I know I have the talent to help one of these teams get to victory lane. Hopefully, I can get an opportunity for the remainder of 2009 and find something full-time for 2010." Guy Cosmo is one of the most successful and versatile young racing drivers of his day. Guy is recognized as a first-class professional racer in the sports car road racing industry, having won the 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year award and positioning himself as a proven front-runner in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype category. Guy's success stems from supportive family, friends and fans that have helped him through race wins and championships from Kart Racing, Formula Ford, Formula 2000, Star Mazda and Toyota Atlantic, to his professional endeavors in the Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series. Road America is the fourth race that the Challenge class will participate with the American Le Mans Series regulars. Earlier this year, IMSA and the American Le Mans Series announced the formation of the Challenge class as an effort to promote the brightest and best of a new generation of sports car drivers. The Challenge class will compete with the American Le Mans Series for five races in 2009. To be eligible for selection by the sanctioning body (IMSA), drivers and teams must have had notable success for at least a year within GT3 level of racing. Teams may only field Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars from the Platinum class of the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama, which is supplying the spec tire for both its championship and the Challenge class. Certain technical regulations for the American Le Mans Series’ GT2 class will apply for Challenge entries, most notably rules governing refueling. Sporting regulations for the Challenge class also differ slightly from GT2. The number of crew members allowed over the wall during a pit stop is reduced, and only two members with only one wheel gun are allowed to change tires per stop. Teams also will have to make at least one stop to change all four tires at one point during the race. The distribution of points will follow the American Le Mans Series championship. In a two-hour, 45-minute “sprint” format, class winners receive 20 points, runners-up 16, third-place 13 and down the line to 1 point for 10th place. A Challenge entry is limited to three drivers per car; however all competitors who drive an entry during the season will share the points awarded to that entry throughout the season. To score points, an entry must complete 70 percent of the overall race winner’s distance. Drive time requirements from other Series classes apply - a two-hour maximum per competitor with each driver required to complete at least 10 laps. The Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase set for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 16 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. will air live on SPEED. American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub on americanlemans.com. You can find out more about Guy at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/guycosmo PHOTO CREDIT: John Thawley ~ Creative Communications Group ________________________________________________________ John Thawley ~ Creative Communications Group ~ 248.227.0110