Aschenbach and Curran Take CKS Autosport Camaro GS.R to Victory Lane in GRAND-AM Debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 
INDIANAPOLIS – (July 27, 2012) – Lawson Aschenbach and Eric Curran gave Camaro its first victory of the season in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC) in the inaugural 2.5-hour Brickyard Sports Car Challenge. Driving the No. 01 CKS Autosport Camaro GS.R, the pair combined to lead a total of 25 laps in the 59-lap race. The win is the first in GRAND-AM Road Racing CTSCC for CKS Autosport team owner Kirk Spencer.
 
The duo took control of the race after a downpour forced a 25-minute red flag period for standing water on the track. After teams made changes from dry tires to rain tires and back, the No. 01 CKS Camaro emerged in the front of the field and never looked back.
 
“I don’t think it really sunk in until we crossed that checkered flag and kissed those bricks,” said Aschenbach. “An awful lot of history, all of the races and winners and everything that happens here really does mean something. I just have to say I’m really happy and thankful for everybody at Chevrolet and CKS Autosport.”
 
“This is excellent,” said Curran.  “This is our first win for this team.  Lawson and I got paired up over the wintertime and this is just great.  Chevrolet is behind us, supporting us, and we have had a bunch of podium finishes. But here at the top step of the podium and to do it here at Indy is very special for us and it’s a big deal.  It’s a big win for us today.”
 
“Congratulations to Lawson Aschenbach and Eric Curran on capturing the first Continental Tire win for CKS Autosports. It was a difficult race with the changing weather conditions, from dry to torrential rain, back to dry. The CKS team has great strategy, and delivered a convincing win.
 
“All five of our Camaro GS.R teams has a strong day that found them in the top-10 at the finish.”
 
Adding to Chevrolet’s success in the inaugural GRAND-AM CTSCC event on the 2.534-mile, 13-turn road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the second place finish by Jeff Bucknum and George Richardson in the No. 62 Mitchum Motorsports Camaro GS.R.
 
All five Camaro GS.R teams finished in the top-10 in today’s race. Finishing fourth was the No. 6 Mitchum Motorsports Camaro GS.R. The No. 00 CKS Autosport Camaro GS.R finished seventh and the No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GS.R took the checkered flag in eighth place.
 
In the three-hour Brickyard Grand Prix for the Rolex Sports Car Series, Ricky Taylor and Max Angelelli finished third to take the final podium position in the Series debut at the famed Speedway. Starting second, the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Corvette DP duo overcame weather challenges, again taking the track from dry, to wet and back to dry.
 
“It was very crazy,” said Angelelli. “It was very exciting for me as a driver inside, driving the car; it was beautiful because of so many changes.  I really enjoyed today here in Indy.  The rain, the sun and then back to rain I really enjoyed.  It was a positive race for our Chevy Corvette for our Corvette so I’m happy.”
 
“It was really good our SunTrust car was really good,” said Taylor. “To be the first Corvette on the debut at Indy is fantastic, but I just wanted a little bit more.  We are not in the championship right now and just in my mind I was thinking this is Indy, in a Corvette, on the 60th anniversary (of the Corvette) I’ve got to do something.  I tried and I just got on the water a little bit and just went off a bit.  We were going for it and I’m really happy to be on the podium at Indy.”
 
The No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP with Darren Law and Joao Barbosa handling the driving duties were in contention to with the North American Endurance Championship (NAEC) DP crown, but late race on-track contact relegated the team to a fifth-in-class finish.
 
“Our Corvette Daytona Prototype and Camaro GT.R teams in the Rolex Series also endured the ups and downs of weather,” Lutz concluded. “The race saw a lot of action on track.  Congratulations to the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Corvette team and drivers Ricky Taylor and Max Angelelli on a podium finish.
 
“The first time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for GRAND-AM gave fans some great racing.  Now the Chevrolet teams in Rolex will re-group and head back to Watkins Glen.”
 
In the GT class, the No. 31 Marsh Racing Corvette posted a seventh in-class finish. The No. 57 Stevenson Camaro GT.R was also in contention for the NAEC GT title, but contact with the wall during the heavy rainfall ended the team’s day early.
 
Team Chevy returns to action in the Rolex Sports Car Series on August 10-11 in the Watkins Glen International at Watkins Glen International Short Course, Watkins Glen, New York.  The next CTSCC event will be September 7-8 at Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, California.