Well, At Least We Didn’t Catch on Fire

Montreal, QC, Canada (August 20, 2012)- With a track configuration that could prove favorable to Porsches, confidence in the Magnus Racing no. 44 Porsche GT3 Cup was high headed in to this weekend’s Montreal 200 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

With only three rounds remaining in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Championship, the entire team came with only one focus: winning. However, after an unfortunate incident between the Magnus no. 44 and no. 43 Sahlen’s Mazda, a mid-race repair to the radiator would put the team several laps down, eventually soldiering on to take 11th.

Starting from the inside of the fourth row, Team Owner and Driver John Potter was off to a great start. Keeping his nose clean during the typically chaotic bottle-neck of the famed “Senna Esses,” Potter drove a terrific stint, not only showing great pace but coming out ahead after a fantastic battle with the no. 94 Turner BMW.

When an opportune caution period arrived around the 40-minute mark, the entire GT field came in to pit, with Potter handing a clean car over to co-driver Andy Lally. With a fresh set of tires and topped off fuel, it was time for Lally to make work of the field in front of him, which he promptly did.

Proving the competitiveness of the no. 44, Lally avoided the carnage of turn one, and immediately began his climb toward the top of the field. Starting his stint in fifth, Lally was up to third in a matter of laps after passing the no. 31 Corvette and capitalizing on a penalty handed to the no. 59 Porsche.

With the no. 43 Sahlen’s Mazda RX-8 of Dane Cameron as the only car between Lally and the leading no. 57 Stevenson Camaro, a heavy battle between the no. 44 and 43 would ensue, with Lally looking for every opportunity he could to pass.

Heading in to the tight hairpin of turn-10 on lap 28, Cameron would misjudge his braking in to the turn and run wide, giving Lally his opportunity to make a run at second. As the two headed down the long back straightaway, Lally would swing out to make a move, with Cameron making a counter-move to defend his position. As the two would dice, a slight brush between Lally’s front grill and Cameron’s rear exhaust would be just enough to puncture the Porsche's radiator, with Lally heading straight to the pits for repair.

While the broken radiator could have been enough to put the team out for the day, excellent preparation and teamwork by the Magnus Racing crew paid off, as the center radiator was completely replaced and in functioning form within seven minutes, costing the no. 44 a mere six laps. While putting the team out of contention to win the two hour race, a remarkable job by the crew proved just what kind of form the team is in this season.

With a fairly quiet race after that, Lally would essentially run in his own race, with the team eventually settling for 11th.

For Team Owner John Potter, there were many positives from the day.

“There really were a lot of positive things to take away from the day,” stated Potter. “Andy was making a strong run to the front before the incident, and I believe that’s proof of where we’re at as a competitive team right now. To follow that up with a seven minute radiator repair is all the more impressive, and a great testament to all of the guys for being so prepared.”

For Co-Driver Andy Lally, huge frustration summarizes what could have been a great result.

“No @#$%ing comment,” stated Lally.

With the championship now essentially out of the picture, Magnus Racing heads to the final two rounds of the Rolex Series with an eye on winning and keeping it fun. With the next round taking place in three weeks time at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the team will head to the West Coast for the first time all year.

The Continental Tire Sports Car Festival will take place on Sunday, September 9, with live coverage on SPEED at 3PM ET.

Magnus Racing Issues Pre-Race Press Release

August 15, 2012- Headed in to this weekend’s Montreal 200, the 11th round of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the only round outside of the United States, Magnus Racing has decided to once again issue a pre-race press release.

“We like to issue pre-race press releases before every event,” stated Magnus Racing Team Owner John Potter. “It challenges our PR team to find different ways to basically write the same thing every time. I’m personally ‘excited,’ ‘anxious,’ or simply ‘looking forward’ to racing in Canada this weekend. Since my quotes have been so dull, I think I’ll use the rest of the year to make things more exciting, maybe I’ll promote a winery, or take stabs at failed renters, heck I can do any number of things! ”

Indeed, with only three rounds remaining in the 2012 Rolex Sports Car Series schedule, it is becoming increasingly challenging to find different ways to comment on how hard the crew is working and how optimistic everyone is for this weekend’s race.

“Saturday’s race can best be described as ‘on the 18th’” stated co-driver Andy Lally. “The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is by far my favorite Canadian track that the series runs on all year.”

Running on the 2.7 mile, 15-turn temporary circuit located in Montreal’s Il Notre-Dame, the team has had to make quick work of the no. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 Cup to turn it around from last Saturday’s round in Watkins Glen.

“The guys have worked really hard to get the car ready,” stated Crew Chief John Bedell. “It definitely makes things a lot easier when our drivers don’t set any cockpits on fire before they get out.”

Featuring multiple crew members who live in or around the French-Canadian province, the team can confidently say it will finish somewhere in the top-12 this weekend. With a track that features a number of long straights followed by hard braking zones, the event is certain to last two hours.

“Montreal is a truly metropolitan city,” quipped Potter. “In fact, when walking to the subway to get to the track, both the children and the homeless people speak French! I’m impressed, that language is hard.”

Practice for The Montreal 200 begins tomorrow at 12:50PM, with the race taking place this Saturday, August 18, with coverage on SPEED at 7PM 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 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.

To learn more about Magnus Ridge Winery, visit their website at www.magnusridge.com.

Fourth for 44 During Fourth-to-Last Race

Watkins Glen, NY (August 13, 2012)- Still glowing in the aftermath of taking victory at both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the North American Endurance Championship, Magnus Racing came in to this weekend’s Continental Tire 200 full of confidence. After suffering a devastating cockpit fire at the same circuit just one month earlier, drivers John Potter, Andy Lally, and the entire Magnus Racing crew came in with one simple goal: winning. With a new sponsor in Magnus Ridge Winery, located just up the road from Watkins Glen International Raceway, the team had extra incentive to perform.

With the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT championship seeming out of reach, the entire crew of the no. 44 Magnus Ridge Winery Porsche 911 GT3 Cup knew that going for race wins would be the only way to fight for series top honors.

Starting from the fifth row, Team Owner and Driver John Potter took the green flag and survived a wild first lap. With the point leading no. 69 AIM Ferrari and no. 57 Stevenson Camaro making contact headed in to the first turn, the entire Rolex Series GT field would swerve in a number of directions to try and avoid contact. Managing to stay clean throughout the chaos, Potter would proceed with a trouble-free stint to open up the two-hour race.

Just past the 20-minute mark, however, a key moment in the race would unfold. When the no. 9 Daytona Prototype of Darren Law and no. 40 GT Mazda of Joe Foster made contact, a hard impact by Foster in to the Turn-11 outer barrier would bring out an extended caution period while track officials cleaned up the incident.

While many GT teams elected to pit for fuel and tires around the 25-minute mark under caution, engineer Lars Giersing made a critical decision not to pit during that time. By GRAND-AM rule a driver must drive a minimum of 30 minutes, meaning Giersing would elect to hold the no.44 out for two more laps while the cars circulated under caution, allowing Potter and Lally to switch and keep Lally in for the rest of the event. With the no. 44 pitting just as the field took the green flag, the loss of track position was exchanged for an advantageous pit strategy, as the Magnus no. 44 and no. 94 Turner BMW would be the only cars to circulate without having to perform an additional driver change.

With Lally running several fast laps, the Magnus Racing team was left to simply sit and wait to see how the strategy would unfold. As the race continued on, the strategy appeared to be working, as the no. 44 sat in fourth headed in to the final series of stops, with the top two cars needing to change drivers. With the hope that final driver changes might slow the leading cars, both the no. 94 Turner BMW and no. 44 Magnus Porsche seemed to be in the most favorable position to fight for the win, as neither had to change drivers during the last dash for tires and fuel.

Unfortunately, during the final round of pit stops, an unusual jam in one of the air guns caused a slight delay in the team’s stop, giving the no. 94 Turner BMW, no. 31 Whelen Corvette, and no. 59 Brumos Porsche enough time to complete their stops and stay ahead of the no. 44.

With one final caution closing up the field with a few laps remaining, Andy Lally would have one last spirited battle with the no. 59 Brumos Porsche of Leh Keen in hopes to achieve the final podium position. With Lally visibly faster in some sections of the circuit, the high speed nature of the Watkins Glen “short course” simply proved too difficult to complete a safe pass, and Keen was able to hold off Lally to take the final podium position.

Taking the checkered flag in fourth position, the Magnus Racing crew can take credit in a hard fought race, even if just missing the podium leaves a slightly bitter taste.

“Fourth is always a tough one to swallow,” stated Andy Lally, who grew up a few hours away in Northport, New York. “Lars made some bold calls to get us up front, and we came really close to having it work out. Bad luck on the second stop was definitely unfortunate, but at the same time you have to give the guys credit for fixing the issue so quickly. We could have lost a lot more positions, but the team did a great job to not lose too much time.”

For John Potter, the sentiment is similar.

“Any time we have a shot at the podium and miss it it’s definitely frustrating, but no one did anything wrong,” stated Potter. “We’ve never had an issue like that in the pits before, and the guys corrected it very quickly. Overall the team made some great calls and we almost had it, we’ll just carry this on to Montreal.”

With only three rounds remaining in the Rolex Series championship, the Magnus Racing team heads in to the final races with a strong focus on winning. With the high speed, hard braking nature of the Montreal circuit next, all attention is focused on the race in just six days’ time.

The Montreal 200 will take place on Saturday, August 18, with SPEED coverage taking place at 7PM 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 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.

To learn more about Magnus Ridge Winery, visit their website at www.magnusridge.com.

Magnus Racing, Magnus Ridge Winery to Partner at Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen, NY (August 9, 2012)- Just two weeks after being crowned as the inaugural North American Endurance Championship GT Champions, Magnus Racing has continued a season built on quality by partnering with a premium, boutique winery unmatched anywhere in sportscar racing.
 
Sharing a namesake, Magnus Racing is pleased to partner with Magnus Ridge Winery, literally located just a couple miles up State Route 14 from this weekend’s Continental Tire 200 at Watkins Glen International Raceway.
 
“Wineries and sportscar racing have a rich history together,” stated Magnus Racing Team Owner John Potter. “What separates Magnus Ridge Winery from so many others is their true attention to a quality product. After our race ended early during the six-hour last month, a few of the crew had a chance to sample some of the varietals, and it is definitely some of the best wine they’ve ever had in the paddock.”
 
With a number of varietals grown right in the finger lakes region of upstate New York, Magnus Ridge offers everything from a Chardonnay, to Riesling, Pinot Noir, and many more. More information can be found at www.magnusridge.com, or if visiting Watkins Glen this weekend, simply drive up the road to 6148 State Route 14 in nearby Rock Stream.
 
For Magnus Ridge Winery Owner Sandy Downey, the opportunity to team with this year’s most successful Porsche GT team is a welcome one.
 
“When linking our wine with a successful Porsche team in the Rolex Series, Magnus Racing seemed the perfect fit,” stated Downey. “Winning the two signature races of the series shows their attention to performance, but it is also an extremely fun and dedicated group, and we really appreciate the opportunity to work together.”
 
With four races remaining on the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series calendar, the entire team looks forward to this Saturday’s event. Running in concert with NASCAR on the famed “short course,” the no. 44 Porsche GT3 Cup is seeking redemption after visiting the track just six weeks ago, retiring 30-minutes in after an electrical short caused a massive cockpit fire.
With drivers Andy Lally and John Potter returning to Lally’s home track, the team is content to spend the rest of the season on just one focus: winning.
 
“With our win at Indy and the North American Endurance Championship, a lot of the pressure is off for the final races,” stated Lally, who grew up just a few hours away in Northport, New York. “We’re still fighting for the Rolex Series championship, but it’s definitely going to be difficult, so we’re just going to have to aim at winning every race from here on out.”
 
Practice for The Continental Tire 200 begins tomorrow, August 10, with live race coverage on SPEED at 6PM ET.

Champions. From Ashes to Bricks.

Indianapolis, IN (July 30, 2012)- Just four weeks after suffering a devastating blow to the team’s title hopes in a massive cockpit fire, Magnus Racing emerged from Friday’s GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as not only the inaugural winners of the Brickyard Grand Prix, but the first-ever winners of the GRAND-AM North American Endurance Championship.
 
“I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to say this is so overwhelming,” stated Magnus Racing Team Owner John Potter. “This team worked so hard to get the car ready after our fire at Watkins Glen. Literally every piece of the car had to be un-bolted and re-bolted to our second car to make it to our first test here three weeks ago, and since that time had to do a near full-rebuild to be ready for this race. It’s unbelievable how hard they worked, and it’s a perfect reward for such a great crew.”
 
For Andy Lally, the sentiment is the same.
 
“We just won Indy.” Stated the New York native. “After everything the guys went through the last four weeks, there was never a chance to sit back and think of how cool it would be to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. When we took the white flag, all of a sudden it became real what we’d done. It’s a huge credit to the guys, and a great tribute to John who did an amazing job of driving, and a perfect job of putting this team together.”
 
Before the green flag ever fell on the 2.5 mile “roval” (oval track with an infield road course), the real race for Magnus Racing began following the most recent round at Watkins Glen International Raceway. When driver John Potter pulled off the road due to an electrical fire just 30 minutes in, the driver and team were left helpless to watch the cockpit of the no. 44 Porsche GT3 Cup turn in to a massive inferno, leading to extensive damage to the car as well as championship position.
 
With only days to get the car prepared for a series-sanctioned test at Indianapolis after Watkins Glen, the crew pulled an amazing 136 combined man-hours in a 72-hour period to get the car ready. Proceeding to test the car at Indianapolis in 105 degree heat, the car would return to the team’s shop for a complete and thorough re-build, resulting in a very full two-weeks for the crew before they’d even arrived at the track for the race.
 
Running the inaugural Brickyard Grand Prix as a one-day show (practice, qualifying, and race), John Potter, residing in Salt Lake City, would take advantage of their one-hour of practice before the race to qualify the car on the seventh row.
 
With the field set and the race about to start, a classic Indiana downpour of rain would emerge just minutes before the race start. Known for his propensity in the wet as evidenced at Homestead this year, Potter would take the green flag to a very wet and wild start to the inaugural event. With several cars making contact, spinning, or simply running wide in the treacherous conditions, Potter never put a wheel wrong, the only real drama being a smoking left rear rain-tire as a result of rubbing against bodywork.
 
Switching to dry tires early in the stint, engineer Lars Giersing took a gamble with Potter’s ability on a drying track, with Potter handling the conditions perfectly. By time the no. 44 would pit again under caution, the car would be handed over to Andy Lally, the team in serious contention with a competitive field.
 
Slowly working through the field as the race wore on, the three-hour event would take a critical turn before the halfway point, as yet another chance downpour would force everyone back in to the pits for rain tires. Driving a determined wet stint, Lally would continue to drive without error, and as the track began to dry, Giersing would once again make a critical decision to pit for dry tires before the rest of the field.
 
While Lally’s initial laps on slick tires would prove difficult, the strategy began to take form as Lally set lap-times quicker than the rest of the field, and when a timely caution would come out with an hour and twenty minutes remaining, Magnus Racing would advance to the front of the field as the rest changed for slick tires as well.
 
When yet another caution would come out with just under an hour remaining, the no. 44 would make their last stop of the day, and as the field cycled through the car would remain at the front with no stops remaining. This would put driver Andy Lally in a position to do what he does best, out-drive the field in a straight fight to the end.
 
With the no. 59 Brumos Racing Porsche of Leh Keen and the no. 70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 of Jonathan Bomarito hot on the heels of the 44, a fantastic three-way battle would ensue for the final 30 minutes. Surviving two re-starts and maintaining the lead, an incident involving the no. 66 of Joerg Bergmeister with less than five minutes remaining would bring out one final caution period, and without enough time for the field to resume to green flag racing.
 
Safely taking the white and yellow flags combined, Lally would drive one of the longest laps of his career to take the first ever Rolex Series checkered flag at Indianapolis, the first ever GT car to ever cross the famous yard of bricks at the finish. In addition to the victory, the team would also take the crown as the first-ever winners of the GRAND-AM North American Endurance Championship, a special title handed out for the best points finisher in a combination of the season’s three marquis events: The Rolex 24 at Daytona, The Six Hours at the Glen, and The Brickyard Grand Prix.
 
For Andy Lally, it was a great team effort.
 
“Lars made some excellent, excellent calls today,” stated Lally, who drove his first laps at Indy last year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. “Great calls, perfect pit stops, and all in a car that had an unbelievable amount of man hours put in to it before it ever arrived. This is a great home for me here at Magnus, this truly is a one-of-a-kind team.”
 
For John Potter, his third-year team is definitely in its strongest form yet.
 
“It’s no secret that after Daytona, our season had gotten a bit frustrating,” stated Potter. “This team always kept their head down and focused on maximizing every result even when wins weren’t possible, and being crowned as the first ever North American Endurance Champions is a true testament to the complete quality of the team here.”
 
Beyond on-track results, Magnus Racing once again took fans directly in to their pit with their second ever pitside webcast. Broadcasting for 11-straight hours beginning with the first practice session in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the team enjoyed over 25,000 site visits during the day, with fans getting the chance to meet and interact not only with Magnus Racing personnel, but GRAND-AM Road Racing at large. Interestingly, their last broadcast was at Daytona, where they also won.
 
With the victory now behind everyone, the team now turns its attention to their next race in just two weeks time, with the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series competing on yet another NASCAR weekend, this one at the famed “short course” of Watkins Glen International Raceway. Live coverage can be seen on Saturday, August 11 at 6PM ET.