Chevy Racing–Two Podium Finishes for Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototypes

Two Podium Finishes for Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototypes
at Road America
Chevrolet solidifies lead in Rolex Series’ DP engine manufacturer championship
 
ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. (Aug. 10, 2013) – Action Express Racing’s two Corvette Daytona Prototypes (DP) placed second and third at Road America in Saturday’s VisitFlorida.com Sports Car 250, the ninth round of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa were runner-ups in the No. 5 Corvette DP, and teammates Brian Frisselle and Burt Frisselle were third in the No. 9 Corvette DP.
 
The finish enabled Chevrolet to maintain its lead in the engine manufacturer championship in the DP class. The No. 5 Action Express entry was one of three Chevrolet-powered entries to lead during the two-hour, 45-minute race.
 
GAINSCO/Bob Stallings’ Racing’s pairing of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney closed to within four points of the DP driver’s championship and stand second. The No. 99 Corvette DP squad remained third in the team standings with three rounds left in the season.
 
“Today was another exciting day of Rolex Sports Car Series racing at Road America,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Congratulations to the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP driven by Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa, and the No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP driven by Brian and Burt Frisselle on their podium finishes. Their efforts along with the other Corvette DP teams helped Chevrolet gain valuable points in the Rolex Series DP engine manufacturer standings.”
 
In GT, the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports’ Camaro GT.R of Robin Liddell and John Edwards placed eighth in a tough GT fight. Liddell and Edwards maintained their second-place position in the class’ driver’s championship with Stevenson Motorsports second in the team standings. Chevrolet is third in the GT manufacturers’ race.
 
Saturday’s Rolex Series race was the first half of a historic sports car doubleheader at Road America that also features the American Le Mans Series. The Rolex Series and ALMS will merge for 2014 to create United SportsCar Racing and a single, premier North American sports car racing championship.
“It is fantastic to see so many road racing fans here at Road America to watch the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series this weekend,” Campbell said. “Attendance is up as the fans staked their favorite place around the four-mile track. You can feel the excitement of the fans as they get a preview of road racing in 2014 and the United SportsCar Racing series.”
 
The next round of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is the SFP Grand Prix on Saturday, Aug. 17 from Kansas Speedway.
 
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER POST RACE QUOTES:
 
JOAO BARBOSA, NO. 5 ACTION EXPRESS CORVETTE DP – FINISHED 2ND: “It all comes down to execution. Action Express did a tremendous job coming back from a little hiccup. They gave us a great car; the Corvette (Daytona Prototype) drove awesome today. We didn’t have the fastest car today. But that is why we keep telling is we have to execute, and we have to be consistent. We have to bring podiums and we have to bring points. This was a great points day, and I am really proud of all the Action Express people for a second and third place today. I am happy for Brian and Burt Frisselle on their third place finish today, they did a tremendous job. That’s a big statement to the team.”
 
CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, NO. 5 ACTION EXPRESS RACING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED 2ND: “Unfortunately I flat-spotted the tire and we had to come in a little bit early, but still at that point we were in the race. We enough fuel to do the same amount of stops as all of the other guys. When it recycled, I was running P2. We were in the race. On my first stop, for some reason, the fuel didn’t come in the car, so I had to stop about six laps earlier than what we were planning. That definitely messed us up. But the yellows helped us today. It goes both ways; today we got helped by the yellow flags, but the same way he have been hindered in the past, at the end of the day, luck evens out. We’ll just keep on trying. Today was a good points day for us. We are solid in the championship and we are going to continue trying our very best.”
 
BRIAN FRISSELLE, NO. 9 ACTION EXPRESS RACING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED 3RD: “The difference today was things kind of broke our way there at the end with the yellow. We’ve had some bad breaks, but this team has just been awesome all year. The No. 5 and the 9 both, the Action Express guys have been rocking. The Corvette Coyotes have been rocking. We finally got some track position at the end and were able to use it.”
 
BURT FRISSELLE, NO. 5 ACTION EXPRESS RACING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED 3RD: “I definitely threw a curve ball at Elton (Sawyer, team manager) and Brian when I flat-spotted that tire with at minutes into the race. Elton took that curve ball, and hit is out of the park getting Brian the track position he needed. Brian drove a brilliant last stint, so I feel lucky to have gotten away a little error. These guys gave us such a good car underneath us. That Coyote Corvette was a joy to drive”