Daytona 24: Petty, Newman to team in Daytona Prototype

Petty, Newman To Team in Daytona Prototyp sponsored by Disney/Pixar's Cars Movie.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 27, 2004) -- NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Kyle Petty and Academy Award-winner Paul Newman will team with Michael Brockman and Gunnar Jeannette for the 42nd Anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 31-February 1. The foursome will share driving duties in the Gunnar Racing No. 45 Porsche Fabcar Daytona Prototype, which will be sponsored by Disney presents a Pixar film Cars.

"We are very excited to have an all-star lineup in the car and great a sponsor like Disney/Pixar's Cars on the car for this year's Rolex 24," said team owner Kevin Jeannette.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona will be the second time Newman and Petty have teamed in a Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series race, as the two partnered with 21-year-old Gunnar Jeannette last summer for an eighth-place finish overall at Watkins Glen International.

Newman, who has competed in Rolex 24 four times already, will be one of the voices in Disney/Pixar's Cars, schedule for a holiday release in 2005. The animated film from the makers of box office hits Toy Story (1995), Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Finding Nemo (2003), has been described by the studio as a high-octane adventure about a collection of classic automobiles-turned-'toons revving things up on historic Route 66."

This year's Rolex 24 will be the ninth start in North America's most grueling sports car race for Brockman, the fifth appearance for Petty and fourth for Jeannette.

"There are so many people that have helped us put this effort together, and we really want to bring home a victory for them," said Kevin Jeannette. In addition to Disney/Pixar's Cars, Porsche has been a great supporter of ours both this year and in season's past. It would be great if we could put our No. 45 Porsche Daytona Prototype in Victory Lane as a welcoming present to new Porsche Motorsports North America President Uwe Brettel and a farewell gift to retiring-President Alwin Springer."

The 42nd Anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be held January 29 - February 1. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 386-253-RACE. SPEED Channel will also broadcast more than 15 hours of live coverage of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

For more information on the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series and the Rolex 24 At Daytona, visit www.grandamerican.com.

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