Hills! Hamsters! It’s Ohio!

Salt Lake City, UT (June 7, 2012)- Making good on the wager they made in April, Magnus Racing will be greeted by one furry friend on the grid for this weekend’s EMCO Gears Classic, the sixth round of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series taking place at the historic Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. For a change though, that hairy beast won’t be Crew Chief John Bedell, but instead an unnamed member of the Kinetic Motorsports team, who will adorn the famous Kia “hamster suit.”

Prior to the third round of the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Magnus Racing- a full-time entrant in the Rolex Sports Car Series, and Kinetic Motorsports- a full-time entrant in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, were both vying to bring shared driver Andy Lally his 100th career GRAND-AM series podium. Deciding to make a wager of it, both teams agreed to challenge the other to be first. The stakes? The loser would have to wear a Kia branded (whom which Kinetic competes for) “hamster suit” at the next shared event. If Magnus lost, it would be Team Manager Shannon Davis doing the deed. If Kinetic, it would be series co-driver (and reigning series champion) Nic Jonsson.

As luck would have it during the fourth round at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Kinetic lost.

Unfortunately for Magnus Racing, Nic Jonsson will be unavailable to make the appearance personally this coming Saturday. Kinetic Motorsports cites the reasoning as a schedule conflict, as Jonsson does immediately have to get to the airport in anticipation of his flight to France for next weekend’s 24 Hours of LeMans. Magnus Racing is skeptical at best.

Nic Jonsson was available for comment at the below link:
Nic Jonsson Apologizes

Whatever the case, Magnus will still be greeted on the grid this Saturday by an unnamed team member of Kinetic, whom we’re secretly hoping is Kinetic Team owner Russell Smith. Smith, who is known for his fake English accent, was once a dancer for The Pet Shop Boys so it shouldn’t be much of a stretch.

“We’re looking forward to our opening grid festivities,” stated Magnus Racing Team Owner John Potter. “It’s a shame Nic seems to have a ‘conflict,’ Very disappointed that the hairy, hamster-sized Swedish driver cannot be there, but we are happy to settle this wager by parading the Brit on the grid instead - I think the Brits still eat those things don’t they?”

Oh yeah, there’s a race too.

When it comes to the scenic, 2.2 mile 13-turn road course nestled near Mansfield, Ohio, Magnus Racing comes in with mixed fortunes and results. In 2010, the team achieved their first ever GRAND-AM series podium with a second place in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, but suffered a disappointing result last year in the Rolex Series finale when an inconsistent pit procedure by GRAND-AM cost the team a possible win.

Headed in to this weekend, the team is after results.

“This is such a stacked field, it’s tough to say how the race will unfold,” stated co-driver Andy Lally, who took a commanding come-from-behind victory at the circuit in 2007. “There’s so many twists and elevation changes, we’re going to really have to do our best to manage the tires and keep from sliding. If we can play the strategy right, anything is possible.”

In the thick of a tight championship fight, co-driver John Potter is well aware of the balance between points and results.

“The points are so tight this year, you can’t afford a mistake. At the same time, the best way to earn points is to put the car up front, and we’re really looking to improve on the last few races.”

At nearly the halfway point in the season, it’s anyone’s guess what lies ahead.

Official practice for the EMCO Gears Classic begins this Friday, June 8, with the race being broadcast LIVE on SPEED on Saturday, June 9, at 4:30PM ET.

FOR THOSE IN THE OHIO AREA, MAGNUS RACING WILL ONCE AGAIN OFFER FREE TEAM TOURS AT12PM ON FRIDAY, AND 2PM ON SATURDAY.

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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 www.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.