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USA: Gelles Racing Mosport notes

Gelles Racing BMW USA season ends with Herberts on podium Mosport, Ontario, September 6th, 2006. -- Gelles Racing Formula BMW USA second season ended last weekend when the last double header was held at the Mosport race track north of ...

Gelles Racing BMW USA season ends with Herberts on podium

Mosport, Ontario, September 6th, 2006. -- Gelles Racing Formula BMW USA second season ended last weekend when the last double header was held at the Mosport race track north of Toronto. Vancouver native Adrien Herberts lead the team with his second podium of the season, a third place in round 14 while Californian John Zartarian scored a fifth place in round 13. French Canadian Maxime Pelletier ran out of luck in the first round after qualifying 4th but made it up in the second with a 7th place that earned him third place in the Rookie standings behind Gelles teammate Colombian Sebastian Saavedra.

"Our drivers had to work in difficult conditions, agreed team principal Bob Gelles. They used all their testing and practice sessions to find the best setup only to qualify and race in the rain on Saturday. Adrien finishes his season like he started in Mid-Ohio with a fine podium. John ends his season in seventh overall in the standings by virtue of a seventh place on Sunday.

Both Sebastian and Maxime were fast enough to win the Rookie title but threw up their chances with rookie errors. Sebastian went off at Turn 2 in the last Friday practice and his Western Union car could not be fixed in time for qualifying. He still rocketed back from last place to 9th in round 13.

In the first race, Maxime was about to materialize a rookie win after qualifying 4th when he went off in the same Turn 2 a few laps from the checkered. On the next day, he finished in seventh. These ups and downs will account for experience when they take to the track next year. We were also pleased with Jamaican Joel Jackson earning a season high fifth place in BMW USA practice at Mosport.

We are just done with 2006 and it is still early to announce something for 2007 but we can ascertain we will have six cars on the grid next season and most of the seats are already filled. We learned a lot this season as a Team and will not stop working until we dominate BMW USA. We will start testing for newcomers in a few weeks."

Inaugurating a new racing compound

Bob Gelles was also excited to announce a new facility in Winchester, Virginia that will regroup some of Gelles racing equipment. "With our efforts joining three professional racing series in 2007, he adds, we had to look for a larger compound to host our expanding cars, our transporters and our crews. We will open a 30,000 square foot building shortly to put a roof on so many gears. We will see later what will happen with our shops in Front Royal and Indianapolis next season."

Last round in the Champ Car Atlantic series

Gelles Racing Champ Car Atlantic season is also nearing the end with the last round taking place in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin in two weeks. Robbie Pecorari will complete his rookie season at the helm of the #28 Western Union car while Colin Fleming will again race the #14 eSoles/King Taco machine. A further announcement could come shortly for a third car.

-credit: gelles racing

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