Krohn Racing: 2010 Rolex 24 Race Report - 6 Hours
Krohn Racing – 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona Saturday Race Report – 6 Hour The 48th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona started under caution due to rainy conditions. Ricardo Zonta was at the wheel of the No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Proto-Auto Lola in the ninth position on the grid. On Lap 5, the track went green. Zonta climbed through the positions and lead the race for eight laps, until he came in for a pit stop, including a change to slick tires as the track started drying out. A brief spin on cold tires after he returned to the track dropped him a couple position, which he quickly earned back. He turned over the wheel of the popular green Prototype machine to Nic Jönsson at the three-hour mark in the fourth position. Nic did two stints, driving for about one hour and 45 minutes and staying in the Top 6 until called in under caution at 8:15 p.m. Krohn Racing owner/driver Tracy Krohn took over the driving chores for the next hour and five minutes, running as high a second place. Eight cautions in the first six hours kept race officials busy and drivers and teams on their toes to make the right calls on pit stops. Ricardo Zonta, starting driver of the No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Proto-Auto Lola: “The beginning was very, very wet. It was very difficult to drive and to see the line. I think we had a good car and I drove safely, especially in the beginning. I didn’t want to take any risk or make any mistake. When it started to dry up I felt we still had more tires left than the others, so we kept the same speed without having to change the tires from the wets. We went to the first position and it was a good speed for racing and keeping the pace. When I called for dry tires I think it was the right choice. The only problem is we always know the dry tires, especially under cold conditions, take too long to warm the tires. As soon as I arrive in corner 3, the right hander, I touched the grass and went straight to the barrier. I was so slow I was nearly in neutral and the car was not getting any grip at that time. I think the job could have been perfect if we didn’t make this mistake. We learn a little bit with these tires. After that, I pushed very hard to catch the other guys again. I gave the car to Nic in fourth position. “ Nic Jönsson, driver of the No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Proto-Auto Lola: “It is very, very difficult conditions even though it’s dried out now. There’s just one line out there really. If you get in a little too deep somewhere, or if you’re trying to overtake a GT car going into one or the “busstop�?? or something, or get off the line, it is very tricky. You have to be very patient and bite your tongue and try not to get by people too fast because it’s just going to come back and bite you. I was just kind of getting into the rhythm out there. It’s so early in the race to take any chances. I think we have the car, performance-wise, to be able to run out front it looks like. We just have to get through the night now and hopefully the conditions will get a little better during the night. Either it should be better or pouring down rain. These half-way conditions have been difficult and hard on everybody. It is difficult to make sure everybody stays on the track and you don’t hit anybody. I hope the car will stay together during the night and hopefully we can be here tomorrow for the win.�?? TRACY W. KROHN, owner/driver of the No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Proto-Auto Lola: “There was only one line so it was pretty treacherous if you got a little bit wide. You’d pay the price every time. But the track is actually okay. You’ve just got to stay really, really inside on every line. The car was very well balanced. I liked the way the car felt. I was being very cautious because there were guys spinning around and they were all over the track. Every once in a while we’d get a little bit of rain in NASCAR 1 and 2. So it was just real variable conditions but it was a lot of fun!�?? For more information, go to www.grand-am.com or www.krohnracing.net. # # # 01.30.2009 If you wish to be removed from the list, please reply to this release and type “REMOVE�?? in all caps in the subject heading. Thank you. + + + Barbara J. Burns for Krohn Racing Burns Group Unlimited 833 Piedmont Avenue Suite B Atlanta, GA 30308 Ph: 404.873.0772 Cell: 770.329.7134 burnsgroup@aol.com