Potter and Keen earn first podium for Magnus Racing at Mid-Ohio

June 20, 2010 (Lexington, Ohio) – Two weeks after its most competitive outing yet in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman came good on its competitive promise at the EMCO Gears Classic at Mid Ohio.

When Leh Keen crossed the finish line in second place at the end of the two hour and thirty minute slugfest, he and John Potter, team owner and driver of Magnus Racing, became the first drivers to pilot a Porsche Cayman to a podium in GRAND-AM competition. Beginning the race in 16^th position, Potter advanced several positions before he was hit from behind and spun by another competitor, dropping him well down the order. Potter was able to point the car in the right direction and with assistance from a couple of yellow flags, had the car up to sixth position before handing it over to Leh Keen under yellow. A problem with the pit equipment meant a long stop that dropped the car to 15^th on the restart.

Just like at Watkins Glen two weeks ago, Keen scythed through the field, his progress stopping when he reached the fifth position. A late race caution bunched up the field and contributed to contact between the two leading cars with a lap and a half remaining, which promoted Keen to third. Keen simultaneously made a pass on the car ahead of him, putting the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman into second place at the checkered flag.

After Keen and Potter sprayed the champagne in victory circle, Potter jumped into the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 Cup that he shares with Craig Stanton for the afternoon’s Rolex Sports Car Series race. The race had barely begun when Potter was hit by a Daytona Prototype as he entered turn one, causing the Porsche to hit the retaining wall. The resulting damage caused the team to retire the car after only 12 laps, the first DNF for the team in the Rolex Sports Car Series this year.

“On one hand, I’m really happy about our result in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race with our Porsche Cayman,” said Potter at the end of the day. “The team had to work very hard at Watkins Glen, and in the two weeks after Watkins Glen to make the car race ready and it was really good today. I had a really fun first stint, even despite getting hit and spun. Getting hit seems to have been the theme of the day…”

The result in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge was Potter’s third podium in the class, as he carded a class win and a second in GS in the 2009 season. After the pace that Potter and Stanton had in the GT3 throughout practice, the team was hopeful of another strong run in the race.

“In the Rolex race, the Porsche was working really well and I was just trying to run clean laps and stay with the group aehad so I could give Craig a good car for the end,” said Potter. “But, there isn’t much you can do when the prototypes drive like you aren’t there.“

The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race will be broadcast next Saturday, at 1:00 PM ET, on SPEED Channel, while next on the calendar for Magnus Racing will be the Brumos Porsche 250, a GT-only race, on July 2-3 at Daytona International Speedway. That race will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel on Saturday July 3 at 11:00 AM ET.

Fans of Magnus Racing can see photo galleries from Watkins Glen on www.magnusracing.com, at facebook.com/magnusracing, and on twitter at twitter.com/magnusracing (@magnusracing).

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 the Grand-American Rolex Sports Car Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.

Watkins Glen – and LeMans – a shot in the arm for Magnus Racing’s trip to Mid-Ohio

June 14, 2010 (Salt Lake City, Utah) – The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No.16 has quite a hectic summer schedule, and only two weeks after the series’ last event  at Watkins Glen – which was only one week after the races at Lime Rock – Magnus Racing will have its Porsches back on track at Mid Ohio.

This weekend’s EMCO Gears Classic presented by Keybank will see the team’s No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup back in action after its stirring performance at Watkins Glen, where it took pole position, set a new track record with Craig Stanton behind the wheel, and lead the GT class for most of the first three and a half hours. Additionally, the team’s No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman will contest the EMCO Gears Classic for the Continental Tie Sports Car Challenge, two weeks after it too led its race for the first time at Watkins Glen after John Potter and Leh Keen charged forward from their 15^th starting position.

Buoyed by the turn of pace that his rookie team’s cars showed at Watkins Glen, Team Owner Potter is enthused for this weekend’s pair of races.

“Watkins Glen was a great weekend for us – it gave the team a big boost and was really fun for us drivers to be right at the front and to showcase the level of talent we have on this crew,” he said. “Mid-Ohio isn’t Watkins Glen, and might not suit the Porsches as well, but we’re going to attack it the same way that we did two weeks ago. The whole team did a great job at Watkins Glen – like they have all season – and after racing at the front of the GRAND-AM field at Watkins Glen, everyone really wants to stay there!”

In the two weeks since Watkins Glen, Magnus Racing drivers have stayed busy as Jeroen Bleekemolen, who is drafted in by the team to drive the GT3 in the endurance events, and Leh Keen, who co-drives the Cayman with Potter, both competed at the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. Keen drove to a podium position with a 2^nd in GT2, while Bleekemolen finished 8^th in GT2 as well.  Keen has returned from France and will be back in the Cayman for this weekend’s race.

Potter and Stanton are currently tenth in the Rolex Sports Car Series GT class standings, while Potter is third in the Bob Akin Award standings for sportsman drivers in the GT class. Magnus Racing is tied for fifth in the GT-class Team Championship.

Friday will see practice and qualifying for both races, while Saturday’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race starts at 1:15 PM ET and the Rolex Sports Car Series race begins at 5:00 PM ET. The Rolex Sports Car Series race will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel, Saturday, June 19, beginning at 5:00 PM ET, while the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race will be broadcast a week later on SPEED Channel on Saturday, June 26, at 1:00pm ET.

Fans of Magnus Racing can keep up with the progress of the team at throughout the weekend at magnusracing.com, facebook.com/magnusracing, and twitter.com/magnusracing (@magnusracing).

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 the Grand-American Rolex Sportscar Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.



Magnus Racing experiences the highs and lows of racing in Watkins Glen

Craig Stanton leads the GT field at the start of the Sahlen's Six Hour of the GlenJune 5, 2010 (Watkins Glen, NY) – It was a rollercoaster ride for Magnus Racing on Saturday as the team’s Porsches competed in – and led – both GRAND-AM series races at Watkins Glen International.

On Friday, team owner John Potter saw his co-driver Craig Stanton put the No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup on pole for Saturday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, the fifth round of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 championship. He then qualified the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman, which had been rebuilt after a major crash in Thursday practice, fifteenth for the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race was first on the day for the team, and after John jumped up to ninth on the opening lap and raced to the front, Leh Keen took over at the first pitstop. Throughout the final hour and a half of the race, Keen put the potential of the Cayman on display as he raced forward until he was in second place, battling for the lead. The battle got heated, and the resulting contact cut the right rear tire on the Cayman, ending the team’s bid for a win. The car was classified as the 17^th finisher.

Stanton started the Sahlen’s Six Hour of the Glen for the team and immediately built a large margin over the rest of the GT field. Different pit sequences saw the car fall to fourth as John Potter took over the wheel, but Potter aptly demonstrated his ability behind the wheel as he ran with the leaders as rain fell on Watkins Glen three different times during his stint. He then turned the car over under caution to Dutch driver Jeroen Bleekemolen, who took the restart in second place and timed it to perfection to retake the GT class lead in turn one.

John Potter and Leh Keen put in the strongest appearance of the year in the team's Porsche Cayman, nearly winning the GS raceMuch as Stanton did earlier in the race, Bleekemolen began to drive the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup away from the rest of the GT field. With the race firmly in control, an electrical malfunction surfaced, and Bleekemolen was forced to pit under green to have the team replace a faulty alternator. The lengthy stop effectively removed the car from contention, and when the checkered fell the team crossed the finish line in eleventh position.

“You know, as much as I want to say that it was still a great weekend for us, it is really frustrating to not get that first win for our guys,” said Potter following the Sahlen’s Six Hour of the Glen. “We’ve had the talent in the Magnus Racing team to run at the front all year, and here we were able to put that talent on display and a part on the car failed and it cost us a win. It’s as simple as that. But now, all we can do is move on to the next race at Mid-Ohio.”

With five races of the Rolex Sports Car Series season now complete, Magnus Racing is tied for fifth in the GT team championship, while Stanton and Potter are tenth in the GT drivers championship. Potter is also third in the Bob Akin championship for sportsman drivers.

Next on the calendar for Magnus Racing will be the Emco Gears Classic presented by Keybank at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, June 18-19. The Continental Tie 150 from Watkins Glen will be broadcast June 13 at 1:00 PM ET on SPEED Channel. 

Fans of Magnus Racing can see photo galleries from Watkins Glen on www.magnusracing.com, at facebook.com/magnusracing, and on twitter at twitter.com/magnusracing (@magnusracing).

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 the Grand-American Rolex Sportscar Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.

Stanton captures first pole for Magnus Racing at the Glen

June 4, 2010 (Watkins Glen, NY) – Craig Stanton, from Long Beach, Calif., blitzed the 3.4-mile Watkins Glen International layout during the GRAND-AM Rolex Sportscar Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No.16 qualifying to take pole position for Saturday’s Sahlen’s Six Hour of the Glen in the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 Cup.

Stanton’s pole position was the first for Magnus Racing, the second of Stanton’s career, and the first one in 2010 for Porsche.

“I am so excited for my team, I almost don’t have any words,” said Stanton following the qualifying session. “This really shows the progression that Magnus Racing has undergone this season. These guys all come to us from different places but have come together as a team really quickly. They have busted their butts for us since Daytona, and this result really is for them and for all their hard work. We have a lot of team family and friends here with us this weekend, and we know we have lots of family and friends at home following the action, so I’m really excited to give them something to be happy about.”

For Potter, from Salt Lake City, Utah, the pole position is vindication of the program that he built over the winter after the end of the 2009 GRAND-AM season.

“It’s very exciting to say that Magnus Racing has scored its first pole position,” said Potter. “But mostly I’m thrilled for our guys. It’s their experience and skills that allow us to get great results like our first pole position.”

The No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 Cup had excelled throughout the day on the fast, flowing Watkins Glen layout. Stanton, Potter, and Jeroen Bleekemolen, the third Magnus Racing driver on this weekend, were able to keep their car in the top-three throughout all of the day’s sessions.

“We knew coming to Watkins Glen that we would do well, as this is a track that favors the Porsche,” said Stanton. “Its layout – with high speeds and lots of fast straightaways – suits the aerodynamics and balance of the Porsche, but I had it on the ragged edge to put that lap down. The car has felt phenomenal all day, and we also think we will have a car that will be good for all six hours tomorrow.”

In Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge qualifying, Potter drove the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman for the first time since it was involved in a heavy accident yesterday to a 15^th overall qualifying position. The Magnus Racing team had a large job to repair the car but, as they have done throughout the season, proved up to the task of getting the car ready-to-race.

The CTSCC race will begin Saturday at 10:15 AM ET, with the Rolex Sportscar Series race beginning at 2:00 PM ET. The GT race will air live in two segments on SPEED Channel, with the first segment beginning at 2:00 PM ET and ending at 4:00 PM ET, and the second beginning at 6:00 PM ET and ending at 8:30 PM ET. Qualifying for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen will stream live online at http://stream.speedtv.com, beginning at 3:35 PM ET and will run for both the Daytona Prototype and GT sessions.

Throughout the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, fans of Magnus Racing will be able to log on to the team’s website at magnusracing.com, and chat live with the team and drivers. Fans of Magnus Racing also stay updated with the team at facebook.com/magnusracing, and on twitter at twitter.com/magnusracing (@magnusracing).

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 the Grand-American Rolex Sportscar Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.

Jeroen Bleekemolen and Live Blog are back for Magnus Racing in Watkins Glen

June 3, 2010 (Salt Lake City, Utah) – The upcoming Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, the sixth stop on the 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Sportscar Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No.16 schedule, is the race that the Magnus Racing team has been waiting for.

It’s no small secret that with the current rules package and tire specifications the Porsche 911 GT3’s have struggled to match the pace of the other GT-class cars in GRAND-AM in 2010, especially in the shorter races. However, the Sahlen’s Six Hour of the Glen will play to the strengths of the Porsche platform – namely, its reliability and consistency over the course of an endurance race. At last year’s Sahlen’s Six Hour of the Glen, Magnus Racing drivers John Potter and Craig Stanton teamed up to have one of their strongest runs of the season, finishing fifth.

Adding to the firepower of the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 will be the Netherlands’ Jeroen Bleekemolen, who will rejoin the team for this weekend’s race. Bleekemolen also drove with the team at the Rolex 24 in Daytona, where his speed was noticed by not just by the team but throughout the GRAND-AM paddock. Bleekemolen recently co-drove the similar winning Porsche in the GT-C class at the American Le Mans six hour race in Monterey, California, and is a former class winner at the 24 Hours of LeMans as well as the 2009 Porsche Supercup champion.

Bleekemolen has a family connection to Watkins Glen, as his father Michael Bleekemolen contested the 1978 United States Grand Prix East at the track. Potter also has a connection to the facility, as his father was once told to never return to the track by a New York state officer after partying too much during the 1964 United States Grand Prix.

“I’m really glad to have Jeroen back with us for this weekend,” said Potter. “We have been able to make progress in the last couple of races, and we think the long race will suit the strengths of the Porsche. And having Jeroen back means we have a very quick driver who understands endurance racing and knows how to make the Porsche go fast. He gelled with the team right away at Daytona and we’re all happy to have him back.”

Stanton and Potter are currently eleventh in the Rolex Sportscar Series’ GT championship standings, while Potter is fourth in the Bob Akin Award standings for sportsman drivers in the GT class. Magnus Racing is also fifth in the GT Team Championship standings, just a few points outside of fourth place.

The GT race will air live in two segments on SPEED Channel, with the first segment beginning at 2:00 PM ET and ending at 4:00 PM ET, and the second beginning at 6:00 PM ET and ending at 8:30 PM ET. Qualifying for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen will stream live online at http://stream.speedtv.com, beginning at 3:35 PM ET and will run for both the Daytona Prototype and GT sessions.

Throughout the six hour race, fans of Magnus Racing will be able to log on to the team’s website at magnusracing.com, and chat live with the team and drivers as they contest the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. Fans of Magnus Racing also stay updated with the team at facebook.com/magnusracing, and on twitter at twitter.com/magnusracing (@magnusracing).

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 the Grand-American Rolex Sportscar Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.