The Thursday Report

Today was the first official day of on-track activity at the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. With one of the most competitive GT fields in the history of the event, it was an eventful day of a neck and neck competition, leading to an incredibly close top three finish in GT qualifying. The energy in the atmosphere was palpable as the day started off warm and only got hotter. The weatherman will tell you that it was a warm front moving in that will lead to an eventual thunderstorm. We at Daytona International Speedway know that the real storm is from within the track.

The first practice session ended with the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 Cup car finishing less than a second off the top times, yet in such a closely matched field, the team found themselves barely cracking the top-10. The No. 4 eBay Motors/Children’s Tumor Foundation/Racing4Research Porsche GT3 Cup would find themselves in a similar position, just a few places behind.

With the day’s fortunes improving, and the last opportunity to get on track before qualifying, the second practice ended with a Magnus at the top of the charts, Andy Lally having set a lap time of 1:49.7 to take top honors, leaving the no. 44 team brimming with confidence heading in to qualifying.

During an intense qualifying session, Andy Lally proved, yet again, he is a beast behind the wheel (seriously there’s a pool going around about whether or not he has gasoline running through his veins). From the middle of the pack he shot up to the leading position on the board and fought an epic battle with Brumos Racing’s Porsche GT3 and AIM Autosport’s Ferrari. We finished strong with a number three spot only tenths of a second away from the top. Ultimately everyone was satisfied with third, however it was a tough pill to swallow, with Lally having been at the top of the charts for half the session before Brumos Racing’s Andrew Davis pipped him with only minutes to spare.

The team went out in the two-hour night session to see what kind of trouble we could cause once the sun went down. As it turned out, the men in gray shine even in moonlight, as the no. 44 finished in the number five slot. In a class as competitive as this one that wasn’t a bad place to be, as the top five finished so close together they could smell the sweat off of each others’ brows.

We finished the day not only knowing that the cars are fast, but that the team is mentally prepared for this race; and that we have the best crew any team can ask for.

Developed by the Children’s Tumor Foundation, the Racing4Research (R4R) program utilizes competitive, professional auto racing as a vehicle to increase awareness of neurofibromatosis and raise funds for research through corporate sponsorship, personal donations, and individual fundraising by NF Heroes: children and adults from around the country who live with neurofibromatosis. NF affects one in every 3,000 children, more than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease combined, and can lead to a wide variety of complications, including blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities and excruciating and disabling pain. The Racing4Research program offers children and families living with the disorder a uniquely empowering weekend, and has raised over $1.5 million dollars since its inception five years ago. Donations can be made at www.racing4research.org.

Ustream, Inc. is the leader in live and interactive video streaming. The interactive platform connects broadcasters and viewers of unlimited size through innovative technology including co-hosting video features, IRC chat, Facebook, and Twitter. Ustream’s free and premium solutions allow any broadcaster to create their own customizable channel with robust social and notification features to enhance visibility and virality across multiple platforms. In addition to activating the embeddable features on external websites, users are able to broadcast and view content while interacting in real-time directly from mobile phone devices, tablets, streaming players, smart TVs, and more. The company attracts millions of users ranging from music artists, celebrities, politicians, athletes, corporate executives, animal enthusiasts, and gamers which has contributed to Ustream’s Guinness World Record for the “Most Content Ingested by An Online Video Service”. For more information about Ustream, visit www.ustream.com and follow us on our socials: Twitter (@Ustream); Facebook facebook.com/Ustream).

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.

Welcome Andy Lally!

Manus Racing- "Welcoming" Andy Lally from Magnus Racing on Vimeo.

Magnus Racing- Daytona 24 Preview

Magnus Racing- Daytona Preview from Magnus Racing on Vimeo.

Magnus Racing Prepped and Ready for Historic 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona

Salt Lake City, UT (January 23, 2012)- As the last bolts were checked and final graphics applied, the Magnus Racing haulers containing both entries for this year’s historic 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona are headed to the beautiful shores of Daytona Beach, Florida, in preparation for North America’s most important sportscar event of the year.

Running two cars in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series for the first time in team history, Magnus Racing has already established a great reputation at Daytona. Finishing fifth in their debut event in 2010, and following it up last year just one position short of a podium, the team heads to the 50th running with two cars capable of achieving top results.

“We were very fortunate to have a solid, damage-free test two weeks ago,” stated John Potter, Team Owner and Driver of the no. 44. “As a result, during these last couple of weeks we’ve been able to just focus on prepping and getting the cars perfect for the race. The guys have worked hard these past few days getting ready, and I feel very confident headed in to the weekend.”

In what is widely regarded as the most competitive GT field in the history of the event, the Magnus Racing no. 44 Porsche GT3 Cup showed great promise during the Roar Before the 24 test held earlier this month. Consistently challenging in the top-five on the time sheets, the combination of season-long teammates John Potter and Andy Lally, combined with Porsche specialists Richard Lietz and Reneé Rast, proved formidable.

For Andy Lally, in pursuit of his fourth Rolex 24 victory, cautious optimism is the dominant theme.

“This is a very, very strong team but we have to stay focused,” stated Lally. “During the test, it’s very tough to truly know what everyone is capable of. There’s easily 15 cars that could win this thing. Luckily, we’re right in the thick of it, so we’re just going to have to play a very smart and patient race. Luckily we’ve got a fantastic team and great group of teammates to get us there.”

Not to be out-done, the Magnus Racing No. 4 eBay Motors/Children’s Tumor Foundation/Racing4Research Porsche GT3 Cup heads to the event equally confident in a strong race. Following a relatively trouble-free test, the combination of Ryan Eversley, Justin Bell, Daniel Graeff, and Ron Yarab proved equally capable, with the team also setting lap times within the top-10.

Racing for more than just a watch, the team is using this effort as a means to raise donations and awareness for children suffering from neurofibromatosis. NF affects one in every 3,000 children, more than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease combined, and can lead to a wide variety of complications, including blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities and excruciating and disabling pain.

Beyond charity, the no. 4 car will also be a constant source of attention as team driver Justin Bell, also known for his on-screen exploits on SPEED as well as eBay’s “The World’s Fastest Car Show,” will act as SPEED’s in-race reporter, in which he’ll literally provide on-air insight and commentary while driving the no. 4.

For Daniel Graeff, who has been with the CTF program for four years, the 50th Rolex promises to be the best event yet.

“The team has really put together a terrific program,” stated Graeff. “ On the track, the performance of the team has simply been fantastic. We have a car very capable of top results. For our program of course, there’s more at stake than just results, and with Magnus we’ve found a team also capable of helping draw a lot of attention and support to our program.”

Indeed, beyond the presence of over 100 children and families who will appear trackside as “NF heroes” for the foundation, as well as Justin Bell’s in race reporting, Magnus Racing and CTF, in participation with Ustream and eBay Motors, will also present a live, 24-hour interactive Ustream webcast throughout the entirety of the race. Hosted by CTF’s Jill Beck and Sean Heckman of The Media Barons, Magnus Racing’s “Live at Daytona!” can be viewed on magnusracing.com or racing4research.org. The team encourages everyone to log in, watch, and chat live with the drivers, personnel, and other notables throughout the race.

“The Ustream webcast adds an extra element of interactivity for our fans,” stated Jill Beck of The Children’s Tumor Foundation. “We were involved in a very similar program last year and it really added great value, and we’re thrilled to work with the same producing group who’ve brought the service to Magnus Racing.”

Between contending for victory, live on-air commentary on SPEED, and even producing a full-time, interactive Ustream webcast, Magnus Racing is headed in to a very busy week.

“It’s going to be a busy few days, but it’s the biggest event of the season,” stated Potter. “We open the season with our marque event, and for the 50th running we wanted to make sure Magnus Racing’s presence was known.”

Magnus Racing’s “Live from Daytona!” will be at every practice and qualifying session starting on Thursday, January 26 at 10AM ET, with of course the big event beginning Saturday, January 28, at 3:30PM ET.

For more information, be sure to visit www.magnusracing.com, as well as check in all week via Facebook and Twitter (@magnusracing) to take part in an on-going series of contests and giveaways.

Developed by the Children’s Tumor Foundation, the Racing4Research (R4R) program utilizes competitive, professional auto racing as a vehicle to increase awareness of neurofibromatosis and raise funds for research through corporate sponsorship, personal donations, and individual fundraising by NF Heroes: children and adults from around the country who live with neurofibromatosis. NF affects one in every 3,000 children, more than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease combined, and can lead to a wide variety of complications, including blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities and excruciating and disabling pain. The Racing4Research program offers children and families living with the disorder a uniquely empowering weekend, and has raised over $1.5 million dollars since its inception five years ago. Donations can be made at www.racing4research.org.

Ustream, Inc. is the leader in live and interactive video streaming. The interactive platform connects broadcasters and viewers of unlimited size through innovative technology including co-hosting video features, IRC chat, Facebook, and Twitter. Ustream’s free and premium solutions allow any broadcaster to create their own customizable channel with robust social and notification features to enhance visibility and virality across multiple platforms. In addition to activating the embeddable features on external websites, users are able to broadcast and view content while interacting in real-time directly from mobile phone devices, tablets, streaming players, smart TVs, and more. The company attracts millions of users ranging from music artists, celebrities, politicians, athletes, corporate executives, animal enthusiasts, and gamers which has contributed to Ustream’s Guinness World Record for the “Most Content Ingested by An Online Video Service”. For more information about Ustream, visit www.ustream.com and follow us on our socials: Twitter (@Ustream); Facebook facebook.com/Ustream).

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.

A Lap with Ryan- Daytona

A Lap with Ryan- Daytona from Magnus Racing on Vimeo.