Who Will Wear the Hamster Suit?
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 01:04PM 
Magnus Racing and Kinetic Motorsports Wager for Andy Lally’s “100th”
Miami, Fl (April 24, 2012)- At the most recent round of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge at Barber Motorsports Park, Andy Lally came one step closer to the surreal; taking his 99th podium in GRAND-AM competition.
Heading in to this weekend’s Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Lally is in a strong position to step on the podium for a historic 100th time.
The only question is, who will do it?
Competing in two different categories, running the no. 10 Infinity Audio Forte Koup in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge followed by the no. 44 Flex-Box Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 Cup in the Rolex Sports Car Series, Andy Lally will be competing with two teams in a strong position to deliver the result.
How competitive are these two teams?
Competitive enough to put a stake on it.
With both teams full of confidence that they can bring their cars home in the top three, Magnus Racing and Kinetic Motorsports have agreed to a unique challenge; whoever wins will force the other team in to the famed Kia “hamster suit” on the grid for the next race.
Should Kinetic be the first to take the podium, Magnus Racing Team Manager Shannon Davis will adorn the furry suit on the grid at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and if Magnus accomplishes the goal we will see Kinetic’s own Nic Jonsson perform a similar feat at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
With the first race of the weekend occurring with Kinetic on Saturday, April 28, the Georgia-based team certainly has the upper hand. Having been on the podium in every race in 2012, the reigning Continental Tire ST Champions are poised for history.
“The ST field is getting stronger with each race in 2012, so it’s harder for us to obtain that podium for Andy," stated Jonsson. "If Magnus is the lucky team, then so be it – I will wear the suit with pride”.
Jonsson is no stranger to dressing up in weird garb as even Lally himself has observed when changing in the Kinetic team hauler.
“Nic has so much body hair, that if he didn’t shave it twice a day (as normal), he would look like the hamster anyway” stated Lally.
Should the challenge carry over to the Rolex Series race on Sunday, April 29, Magnus Racing is prepared to do their part. Having achieved their first ever Rolex GT podium at the Homestead circuit just one year ago, the reigning Rolex 24 at Daytona GT Champions are ready to hand Lally his historic 100th.
“Kinetic Motorsports is a great team, and we look forward to the challenge,” stated Magnus Racing Team Owner John Potter. “For Andy to have achieved 99 podiums in his career is simply incredible, and we look forward to not only delivering his 100th, but endless more. We’re also very fortunate to put the contract clauses that we did with Shannon, as now I don’t have to worry about dressing like that personally.”
For Team Manager Shannon Davis, who once lived with Andy Lally and has remained one of his closest friends, mixed feelings are certainly in place.
“It would be great to see Andy do it this weekend,” stated Davis. “So many of us have watched Andy through several of his career milestones, and to be part of such a historic feat would be incredible. Celebrating it in a hamster suit, well maybe not so much, but it’s in my contract so what can I do…”
Kinetic Motorsports will take the first shot in The Kia 200, taking place on Saturday, April 28 at 2:45PM ET. Coverage will be featured on SPEED on Saturday, May 12, at 12PM ET.
Magnus Racing will take their chance during Sunday’s Grand Prix of Miami, which will be covered live on SPEED at 1PM ET.
Magnus Racing will continue to provide updates and coverage throughout the week via their Facebook (facebook.com/RacingMagnus) and Twitter (@MagnusRacing), as well as via magnusracing.com. You can also follow Andy Lally on Twitter (@AndyLally).
More information about Magnus Racing can be found at www.magnusracing.com. Any organization interested in learning more about how to be involved with one of the most unique and visible teams in sports car racing can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.