Children’s Tumor Foundation, Magnus Racing to Partner at Rolex 24

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (January 16, 2014)- Continuing an association that dates back to the team’s first-ever victory at the 50th Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona, Magnus Racing and the Children’s Tumor Foundation will renew their partnership for this year’s 53rd running of the twice-around-the-clock classic.
 
“It’s a real honor to reunite with everyone at the Children’s Tumor Foundation,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “Our relationship dates back to 2012 and it’s remarkable what the Foundation does for NF families and the cause at-large. In all honesty, neurofibromatosis is something I hadn’t known much about prior to working with the Foundation, and it’s been a real eye-opening experience. We look forward to welcoming the families to our paddock and hope that the affiliation brings us the same luck as it did in 2012!”
 
The Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF), through their Racing4Research program, has been a long-time staple of the motorsport scene. Campaigning to raise both awareness and fund research into neurofibromatosis – known simply as NF - a common yet under-recognized genetic disorder that can cause tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body, Racing4Research has raised over $3.5 million in the last seven years.
 
In addition to the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America running the CTF colors, the team will welcome dozens of “NF Heroes” and their families, who will get an up-close opportunity to meet both the drivers and team.
 
“We’re looking forward to our return with Magnus,” stated Jill Beck, Racing4Research Director. “Beyond our great memories of seeing the team win in 2012, the team has proven itself over the years as one of the top teams in the series. Despite that, they’ve never lost their feel as a family that really enjoys what they do, and that reflects our organization as well. Beyond their on-track performance, the team is notorious for some of their other programs during the Daytona 24, and we’re excited to be a part of it.”
 
Most recently, Magnus Racing was awarded Microsoft Visual Studio’s “Team to Win” award at the end of the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season. Voted as the most popular team in the championship, Magnus Racing was awarded $10,000 for the honor, which they promptly donated to the Children's Tumor Foundation.
 
With the start of the race just over one week away, both the team and the Foundation are hard at work in preparation, including plans for one of the team’s most renowned interactive race features – details of which will be announced shortly.

Magnus Racing Confirms Rolex 24 Lineup

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (January 14, 2015)- Following a successful three-day test at the annual Roar Before the 24, Magnus Racing has confirmed that next weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona will involve not only full-season drivers John Potter and Andy Lally, but also Porsche veterans Marco Seefried and Martin Ragginger. Competing in the team’s 24-hour event, the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America will once again take part in the GT-Daytona (GTD) category of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
 
“I’m very confident about our lineup headed into the 24,” stated team principal and co-driver John Potter. “Marco has become a staple of the Magnus organization over the last 12 months and Martin is a proven veteran who will mix in really well with our group. There’s no doubt it will be a tough race, but we have a very experienced, patient group and everyone is focused on the same goal.”
 
Seefried, hailing from Germany, is no stranger to the Magnus organization. Debuting with the team during last year’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Marco immediately gelled with the team as demonstrated by their class victory. Six months later, Marco would return to the team for another endurance classic, Petit Le Mans, where the team once again took podium honors. Beyond his duties with Magnus, Seefried is also a full-time competitor in the highly-touted Blancpain GT series as well as a competitor in several endurance events around the world.
 
“It’s great to return to Magnus for Daytona,” stated Seefried. “It’s a great organization and a very warm family. So far we’ve had two podiums together in two races, so I’m hoping to continue that next weekend. The car is very competitive and they’ve proven they know how to win there so we’re all feeling very confident.”
 
Martin Ragginger, hailing from Austria, is new to Magnus but no stranger to Daytona. Debuting at the 24 in 2008, Martin has amassed countless miles at the circuit. Considered one of the most venerable Porsche drivers in the paddock, “Raggi” has taken victory at the 24 Hours of Dubai, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, and the FIA GT2 European Cup. Most notably, Martin is the recipient of the 2013 Porsche International Driver’s Cup, a distinction given to one driver a year by the marque.
 
“With Magnus we have a very good opportunity to win,” stated Ragginger. “The team has proven their ability to take top results at big events, and I have been very impressed with my experience so far. It’s very much a family at this organization, and I’m honored to be a part of it. We all want to win, and it’s clear everyone is focused on that.”
 
With the race only 10 days away, the team is hard at work in preparation for the event. With IMSA’s recent announcement to provide 24 hours of coverage over the various FOX networks and IMSA.com, fans should be able to catch all the action at any time in the day.
 
Additionally, Magnus Racing will be providing their own interactive experience, which will be announced in the coming days.

Magnus Racing Disappointed in BoP Adjustment for Reindeer Power

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (December 25, 2015)- Citing concerns over a lack of homologation efforts for the North Pole-produced “Santa” GT Sleigh.R, Magnus Racing is left with no choice but to make their grievances public over the lack of Balance-of-Performance adjustments issued by series officials of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
 
“It’s clear with the latest BoP adjustments that the series has pre-determined who they want to succeed,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “We understand that Santa Claus has quite a few toys to deliver, but he still has to play by the same rules that we all do.”
 
With a rumored entry coming from driver/owner Saint Nicholas, originally hailing from the Greek village Patara and now currently residing near the North Pole, the team has repeatedly requested clarification on where this vehicle will fit in the series’ structure. Despite efforts to balance a number of manufacturers all competing in the same space, including marques such as Porsche, Ferrari, and Audi, the latest round of performance changes have completely neglected the symbolic Northern European brand.
 
Running a sleigh that has yet to go through any wind tunnel tests, and a team of reindeer who have reportedly never been run on a dyno, the series continues to avoid any sort of performance measures on the vehicle.
 
“It’s completely unacceptable the way IMSA has behaved,” continued Potter. “We don’t even know how reindeerpower compares to horsepower, but the series seems uninterested in returning our calls… and don’t even get me started on aerodynamics. With a good tow, we’ll barely get above 170 at Daytona, yet this guy can get up to 1,800 miles per second. It’s just frustrating, they clearly want a new European manufacturer in the series and will do anything to make it happen, it’s unfair to the current teams.”
 
Knowing that officials would be unwilling to take their own initiative, Magnus team members took it upon themselves to submit large amounts of video evidence.
 
“We specifically handed (race director) Beaux Barfield hours of video proving our point,” stated Potter. “We showed him Miracle on 34th Street, the Santa Clause, Christmas with the Kranks, and even Ernest Saves  Christmas, but all he had to tell us was they won’t accept any outside footage… especially featuring Tim Allen.”
 
Despite the team’s failed efforts, they still applaud everyone within IMSA, as well as IMSA’s teams and fans, for a successful 2014 and continued health headed in to the New Year.

Flex-Box, Magnus Continue Partnership in 2015

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (December 23, 2014)- Continuing a relationship that originally began in 2011, Magnus Racing and Flex-Box will once again join forces for the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
 
“It’s great to have Flex-Box return with us for the 2015 season,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “Their logo is unmistakable on our cars, and over the years they’ve become a staple of the Magnus brand, so it’s great to see that continue. Since our first race together four years ago, we’ve seen the relationship continue to grow and I’m confident 2015 will be one of our best seasons yet. It’s also a great vote of confidence for our way of doing business. Magnus is a team that combines professionalism with a fun and familial atmosphere, and I think this resonates with the many Flex-Box guests who visit us over the year.”
 
Flex-Box, based out of Hong Kong, is a leading worldwide supplier of new and used shipping, storage, and reefer containers. The company manufactures and ships to customers all over the world, keeping a year-round inventory of containers in China, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America.

 
The organization has a long history with Magnus Racing starting at the 59th Mobil1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2011, and continuing at select events in 2012 followed by the entirety of the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Using the paddock as a means of VIP and guest entertainment, the Magnus Racing staff has hosted multitudes of Flex-Box guests to provide an intimate, comprehensive experience during a race weekend.
 
“Magnus has done an excellent job over the years in handling our guests, and we’re happy to return.” stated Henrik Nielsen, Managing Director of Flex-Box. “John Potter and everyone at Magnus Racing have always gone above and beyond to insure that everyone has a great experience, and I look forward to continuing that into 2015. We’ve enjoyed being in victory lane together, and this year we hope to join them in the fight for the championship.”
 
The familiar logo will return beginning with the upcoming Roar Before the 24 on January 9-11 that will kick off the second season of the TUDOR Championship.

Magnus Racing Confirms 2015 Return to TUDOR Championship and Porsche

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (November 26, 2014)- In what can only be described as the shock announcement of the century, Magnus Racing will continue its full-season participation in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, once again returning to the GT Daytona (GTD) category in a Porsche 911 GT America.
 
“We know it’s going to shock everyone, but we’re going to run the exact same program,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We’re actually very excited about it. Everyone at IMSA and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship has hopefully learned a lot from their debut season, and that will only help the coming year. This will be the final year of our category in its current form and we’re excited to see it out with Porsche and the GT America, which was developed specifically for this platform. Ever since Magnus was formed in 2010, it has been an exclusively Porsche team, and we’re proud of that affiliation.”
 
Following a 2014 season in which the team took victory at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the lone GTD win for a Porsche entry, Magnus enjoyed a very successful year that saw five podiums in eleven races en route to fifth place in both Team and Driver’s Championships.
 
An exclusively Porsche team since their debut at Daytona in 2010, Magnus and Porsche have seen a number of accolades together, including victories at Daytona and Sebring, the inaugural Brickyard Grand Prix, and taking the first-ever North American Endurance Championship in 2012.
 
“Magnus Racing has been a prominent Porsche Motorsport customer team for the past five years and has a long list of race wins and championships in both IMSA and GRAND-AM. Perhaps their greatest accomplishment, however, is their successful GT Daytona season this year when their class win at Sebring and four additional podium finishes were instrumental in helping Porsche earn the class manufacturer’s title.  This team, with car owner John Potter and GT veteran Andy Lally, has become known for its ‘never give up’ attitude, often moving up multiple places during the race for a win or podium finish.  We are honored that they have chosen to continue racing with our Porsche family,” said Jens Walther, president and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America.
 
Included in the program will be the return of Andy Lally to the driver pairing. Lally, who joined the team in 2012, currently holds four different Rolex 24 class victories along with three different titles in the former GRAND-AM series.
 
The 2014 season proved a success for the Georgia resident, taking not only his first victory at Sebring, but also adding more victories to his tally in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, as well as earning a top-10 finish in his lone NASCAR race of the season at Road America. Playing a role in all of Magnus Racing’s victories, Lally will continue a lead role in the team.
 
“It’s such an honor to continue with Magnus Racing,” stated Lally. “I’m extremely fortunate to have had the career I’ve had, and entering a fourth year with the team will only better our chances. The chemistry and dynamic within our group is unlike any other, and they prove that week in and week out. It’s going to be a tough season ahead of us, but I’m confident we can compete and we’re all hungry for a championship.”
 
With Potter and Lally confirmed for the season, the team’s additional driver lineups for the endurance rounds has yet to be confirmed and announcements are planned closer to the events.
 
While the series has enjoyed over six weeks of “off time” since the last round at Petit Le Mans, Magnus is still hard at work preparing for the upcoming season. There will be continued announcements over the coming weeks as the team locks down further details.