(January 25, 2010) — The Miller Barrett Racing drivers and crew are ready for the team’s first Rolex 24 At Daytona. Bryce Miller of Summit, N.J., leads the strong driver contingent of Luke Hines of Sedge Green, England; Peter Ludwig of New Paltz, N.Y.; and Kevin Roush of Upland, Calif. They will share driving duty in the No. 48 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, carrying the colors of team sponsors Marquis Jet, IPC Systems and TOTAL Lubricants. The entry is also supported by driver sponsors Dietz & Watson Quality Meats, Grand Prix Racewear, JSI Shipping and Wheel Enhancement.
Team owners Paul Miller and Eric Barrett and the Braselton, Ga.-based crew have logged long hours preparing for the 24-hour race, set for Jan. 30 and 31 on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway infield road course in Daytona Beach, Fla. Bryce Miller – who scored a second-place GT finish in the 2008 Rolex 24 – was behind the wheel for a successful shakedown test last week.
“I am eager to begin Daytona week as lots of work has been performed on the car since our last test days [Jan. 8 to 10],” he said. “With so much performance still remaining to be found in the car, everyone is working around the clock to try and deliver a competitive result. But this also means the first practice session will be the start of the race for us. I know we will have improvements, but how quickly we can achieve them will certainly play some role in determining the team’s contention for the race.”
Kevin Roush and his co-drivers dominated the GT class for the first 18 hours of the Rolex 24 last year, until a mechanical problem zapped their lead. Roush’s goal for 2010 is clear:
“After leading a whole bunch of laps last year – over a hundred – I only want to lead one, the last lap. It’s the only one that anyone remembers and the only one that gets you that fantastic Rolex watch,” he said. “It is a race where great preparation and execution matter more than outright speed, and I feel Paul, Bryce and Eric having provided everything we need to have a very successful effort. With all the professionals we have, I’m optimistic and looking forward to us getting on track and doing the best we can.”
Peter Ludwig is competing in his third Rolex 24. It will be the first of three 24-hour races for him this year – he will also drive in the TOTAL 24 Hours of Spa and the 24h-Rennen Nürburgring.
“The combination of a dedicated single-car effort, absolute professional team and race-winning co-drivers makes for a great opportunity for us,” he said. “We all know what it will take to be there Sunday afternoon – we need to keep our noses clean, maintain a strong pace and trust that the excellent preparation of the car keeps us mechanically reliable and on track. Reliability and consistency are factors we can control; a little bit of luck and good pit strategy will be determining factors in who wins this event. I’m totally ready!”
Luke Hines is a Daytona rookie, but he has an excellent source for inside information – his father Martin won the Superkart World Endurance Championship at Daytona International Speedway in 1986. Hines will also tap the expertise of his co-drivers and crew.
“I am very excited about my first attempt at the Daytona Rolex 24-hour. I am with a very strong and professional team and I will give 110 per cent,” he said. “At the test days, we all got on well and I look forward to learning from their experience in this event. This is the highlight of my endurance career and I will savor every moment. My expectations are that this team will win!”
details
The Rolex 24 At Daytona is scheduled for Jan. 30 and 31 on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway infield road course in Daytona Beach, Fla. The race will start and end at 3:30 pm ET. It will be telecast live on SPEED on Jan. 30 from 3 pm to 10 pm and on Jan. 31 from 7 am to 4 pm ET. Live timing/scoring will be available at grand-am.com.
partners
Miller Barrett Racing competes with the support of three international sponsors. Marquis Jet is the recognized leader in private jet cards because it’s the only program that offers exclusive access to NetJets – the gold standard in private aviation – 25 hours at a time. IPC Information Systems is a leading provider of mission-critical communications solutions to financial services firms. TOTAL Lubricants is the world’s fourth-largest publicly traded integrated international oil and gas company.
