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Fontana: Synergy Racing preview

Three Synergy Drivers Looking Forward to Hometown Race at California Speedway FONTANA, Calif. (March 29, 2005) -- Three drivers in the Synergy Racing line-up for this weekend's Grand American 400 event at California Speedway will enjoy the benefit ...

Three Synergy Drivers Looking Forward to Hometown Race at California Speedway

FONTANA, Calif. (March 29, 2005) -- Three drivers in the Synergy Racing line-up for this weekend's Grand American 400 event at California Speedway will enjoy the benefit of racing close to home.

Laguna Beach's Brent Martini and Newport Beach's Kelly Collins will partner in Synergy's No. 81 Porsche 997 during Saturday's Grand-Am Cup race. Additionally, Long Beach's Craig Stanton will be at the wheel of the team's No. 80 Porsche GT3 Cup for Sunday's main event.

"I'm always excited when we can bring the show to my hometown," said Stanton, who will share driving duties with David Murry, of Atlanta, Ga., in the No. 80 Porsche. "With my friends and family there are a lot of people in town that follow my progress. They always love to come out and watch the Grand American Rolex Series race."

While Collins and Martini will also have large groups of friends and family at California Speedway this weekend, they do not feel it is necessarily a hometown advantage. "It's really a disadvantage to me," remarked Collins. "Preparing for the race takes enough concentration, but then you also feel like you have to accommodate everyone, which is impossible.

"It's great having the support of your friends and family, but it can sometimes be a distraction. I just tell them they are on their own at the racetrack, because I have to focus on racing when I'm here. This is my job."

"Sometimes its easier when you are away racing, because you have less distractions and can focus purely on racing," added Martini. "When we race at home, there are lots of people to take care of, making sure they have accommodations, good seats and are included in what we're doing. Plus, there is always a little added pressure to perform well in front of your hometown."

Racing close to home is convenient for the Southern Californian drivers, however most have not spent any more time on California Speedway's 2.82-mile road course than their east coast competitors.

"I really only go out there when Grand American has races there," admitted Collins. "Among the rovals (ovals with road courses) though, I consider California Speedway my favorite. It's challenging and it has some nice turns. I like it much more than Daytona or Homestead."

"California Speedway has a lot of different turns and passing zones, which makes it unique from tracks like Homestead or Phoenix," said Martini. "It has a lot of variety to it, and you need a well balanced car to do well there. It's a more sophisticated track than most rovals."

The three Southern Californian drivers will take to their hometown track on Thursday for a promoter's test day. Official racing activities will get underway on Friday with practice for both the Rolex Sports Car Series and Grand-Am Cup Series. Qualifying for both series will take place on Saturday, with the 200-mile, 71-lap Grand-Am Cup race getting underway at 2:45 p.m. PST. The green flag will fall on the Grand American 400 featuring the Rolex Series on Sunday at 1 p.m. PDT.

For additional information on the Grand American 400 event weekend, including ticket information, visit www.californiaspeedway.com. Live timing and scoring of all on-track activities is available throughout the weekend on www.grandamerican.com.

About Synergy Racing
Team owners Cole Scrogham and Danny and Steve Marshall introduced Synergy Racing in December 2004. Based at Virginia International Raceway, Synergy Racing is an evolution of G&W Motorsports, which had catered to Porsche racing since 1996 and became the most successful team in the Rolex Sports Car Series with four championships, 15 class wins and more than 50 podium finishes. The team underwent a major transformation that included a name and logo change, as well as a complete restructuring into a customer-based championship racing business, which concentrates on the needs of the customer rather than the desires of the team. For more information on Synergy Racing, visit www.synergyracing.com.

-sr-

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