Fontana: Horizon Motorsports race report

End of Season
Beginning of a New

Rock Hill, South Carolina 11-5-2004 Fontana results were very good, 7th in GT class and 20th overall. Charles Espenlaub, Tim McKenzie and Frank DelVecchio did a great job in shoeing the car to a solid finish. Comparative times offered the Horizon Motorsports car was where it should be.

Horizon Motorsports did well considering only having run five Grand American Rolex GT races with its "generic chassis" in its development program. Starting at mid season after a 90 day thrash to build the first chassis, typical teething problems didn't allow the car to finish in its first three races but it proved in those outings to clearly be in the hunt.

One needs to consider that Horizon's small operation and minimal funding provided very good results with lead driver Charles Espenlaub finishing 14th out of 58 in the drivers points, the car finishing 6th in the manufacturers points and Horizon Motorsports finished 9th out of 32 in the team points. Not to bad!

Currently Horizon has two additional chassis under construction with improvements learned from the "mule" car. These improvements will offer the car to be more consistent under varying weather and track conditions as well as improved braking and driver ergonomics.

Horizon has two programs in the for 2005. First, a one car program for the famous Rolex 24 Hour race. With two drivers signed Horizon expects to fill two additional positions and possibly three. Second, Horizon plans on running the balance of the 2005 season with two cars. Commitments to this effort are firm for one car and forming for the second car. Both programs and other cars will be fully supported with at track parts service support and technical assistance.

With the new Grand American rules for the GT class and their initiatives for parity, there will be excitement and Horizon certainly expects to be in the mix.

- www.horizon-motorsports.com