Daytona III: Rand Racing race report

double championship

Rand Racing was a champion after the first lap of Sunday's Rolex Sports Car Series race at Daytona International Speedway. That lap was enough to clinch the SRPII-class team title and the class driver championship for Terry Borcheller. The team went on to finish first and second in class in the three-hour race on the 3.56-mile infield road course.

Ralf Kelleners started the No. 7 Nissan Lola from the class pole position ahead of Terry Borcheller in the No. 8 Lola. He opened up a two-lap lead as Borcheller was hampered by an early penalty and a faulty oil-pressure gauge. Borcheller pitted after 40 minutes with a vibration caused by a broken rear air jack, and Anthony Lazzaro took over. Kelleners pitted just past the one-hour mark and Nic Jonsson took the wheel. He maintained the class lead until just after the second hour, when his car was hit by an AGT-class car, resulting in a long pitstop to replace a broken left-front steering arm. Lazzaro took the class lead and held it to the finish, leaving Jonsson and Kelleners to settle for second.

The team finished the season with a perfect record in SRPII competition, with 10 wins, 10 poles and 10 fast laps in as many races, starting with last year's series finale at Daytona. Lazzaro has driven eight races for the team and won every time. The four drivers credited their success to the experienced Risi Competizione crew who prepared the cars for them.

Terry Borcheller "I am very grateful for an awesome team - Risi and his guys are special. I'm very thankful for awesome co-drivers throughout the year - Anthony, Ralf and Nic, just top rate all the way across. How can you not win a championship with that program?"

Anthony Lazzaro "I've been extremely lucky driving this car, and sometimes you'd rather be lucky than good! Everyone who's driven for the team is a quality driver and I'm real pleased to drive with such professionals. I'm the only one to have been fortunate enough to have won every race, starting with this one a year ago. I've had a lot of luck on my side, but at the same time, these guys have prepared perfect cars for me every time. The reliability has been 100 per cent."

Niclas Jonsson "It's great that the team won the championship. Thanks to Mr. Risi and Rand, who put the cars in competition for us. The team has done such a great job all year long and the same thing today; the car was handling beautifully throughout the whole stint. Unfortunately, Ralf and I had some back luck and I was hit by one of the AGT cars. I hope to come back next year and win more races."

Ralf Kelleners "It was good up to the last hour! I had fun, I was pushing hard, everything was fine. I thought we were going to have a major problem as soon as the tires were used, but that didn't happen. We were leading because we had a good package. It's a perfect team. The Risi team has often proven that they can prepare and run the most sophisticated cars. I think they again showed this year that they are capable of winning at high levels."

-rr/sp-