Nurburgring 24H: Marcos Racing preview

Team Shooting For Second Major International 24-Hour Race Win of 2010 This Weekend

NURBURG, Germany (May 13, 2010) - The Drink Florida Orange Juice!/SPEEDCOM Communications/Marcos Racing International BMW team will be shooting for its second consecutive major international 24-hour race victory with a stepped-up effort at this weekend's 38th annual Zurich 24 Hours of Nurburgring on the legendary Nordschleife circuit in Germany. The day-long race starts a 3 p.m. local time this Saturday (9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT) and concludes 24 hours later at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Team drivers Hal Prewitt, Toto Lassally and Cor Euser anchored a class-winning effort in January's 24 Hours of Dubai and will be joined this weekend by Euser's Dutch countryman Raymond Coronel in pursuit of a second-straight 24-hour race win. Prewitt, Lassally and Euser also finished sixth in class in last year's 24 Hours of Nurburgring but return with a potent and more powerful BMW 320d in pursuit of a victory in the competitive D1 (Diesel 1) class this year.

"We have had tremendous success with Marcos Racing International's BMW 120 diesels the last few years but the more powerful 320 diesel is a car capable of carrying us to a victory in the D1 class," said Lassally, who is SPEEDCOM's Chief Executive Officer in addition to being one of team's anchor drivers. "We want to thank Hal and Drink Florida Orange Juice! for taking the lead in making this all possible and Cor for putting together a great team under the Marcos Racing International banner. This is without question our best chance yet at a class victory."

Lassally debuted at "The Ring" in 2008 where he was part of a team that drove a Marcos Racing International BMW 120d to a fifth-place class podium finish. Attracting nearly 250 entries, the Nurburgring 24 Hours draws so many cars that several classes recognize and honor in victory lane the top-five finishers.

The SPEEDCOM/Marcos team made it to the top step in victory lane at Dubai in January where Prewitt, Lassally and Euser were joined by Jim Briody in the victory. Briody also joined this weekend's returning trio in the sixth-place finish at the Nurburgring last year, a race that also marked Prewitt's major international racing debut after some solid success in U.S. endurance and sprint race competition.

This year, Briody's spot has been filled by Coronel, who is the oldest of four brothers from the racing Coronel family from Holland. His well-known twin brothers Tom and Tim Coronel, and another brother Richard "Gip" Coronel, have all won numerous races and championships. Raymond Coronel has driven in Touring Car competition for the better part of the last three decades and currently competes in the Renault Migane World Series where he finished second two weeks ago at Spa in Belgium. His last 24-hour race was the 2009 Spa 24 Hours where he was part of a team that drove a Porsche to seventh overall and fourth in GT2.

Euser in turn is marking his 30th anniversary in motorsports this year and is competing this weekend in not only the Nurburgring race but also the Dutch Supercar Challenge on the Assen circuit back home in Holland. Euser is currently the Dutch Supercar championship leader and will be taking part in Thursday's opening practice and night sessions in Germany before competing at Assen on Friday and Saturday. He will rejoin his Drink Florida Orange Juice!/ SPEEDCOM/Marcos teammates at Nurburgring a few hours after the race starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Prewitt was born in Kansas but now lives in South Florida where he maintains a strong interest in the Florida orange juice industry. Including Florida citrus as part of a balanced diet is a powerful way to improve health and supply needed nutrients. Study after study has continued to prove the positive effects of citrus. From disease prevention, to building immunity and supplying a daily dose of nutrients, 100% Florida orange juice, grapefruit juice and fresh citrus are important keys to overall well being.

-source: marcos - saalgoodpr