Homestead-Miami: Justin Bell, Joseph Safina preview

Justin Bell and Joseph Safina to Drive Archangel SRPII at Homestead in Grand-Am

Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- What may be called a home field advantage, 1998 Le Mans GT2 class winner Justin Bell and Joseph Safina are paired to enter the Nextel 250 Grand-Am race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Saturday, March 2. Both drivers are South Florida residents. They will pilot the #22 711.Tv Lola Nissan SRPII car fielded by Archangel Motorsports. Safina hopes to duplicate his 2001 Ferrari 360 Challenge win at Homestead. For Justin, it's a welcome opportunity to revisit his endurance racing roots.

"I'm excited about returning to endurance racing," said Bell. "I really do love it. I'm looking forward to getting quality seat time in a competitive car early in the season. To win in the sprint format of Trans-Am, it is not too far apart from winning in endurance racing. As it is now, you have to be able to drive all out in both forms of racing, yet still be disciplined to manage the tires and equipment."

Bell's co-driver will be Joseph Safina, a ten-year veteran of professional racing. His extensive professional racing record includes three finishes in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, as well as several podiums and top-ten finishes. Safina is a South Florida resident and investment banker. Both Bell and Safina plan to compete in Grand-Am racing as preparation to contest Le Mans in a front-running prototype.

Safina Racing, Ltd. welcomes a new key marketing partner, 711.Tv. The international debit card service company considers sports car racing a perfect fit for their marketing program.

"711.Tv is scheduled to go public in London before the summer and we are excited about the relationship with Justin Bell and Joseph Safina," stated 711.Tv Chairman, Leem Hutchinson. "We hope to sponsor more events in the future. Sports car marketing is a great way to market our services on an international bases."

Justin Bell first inherited his passion for racing from his world champion father, Derek Bell. Justin has been making his own mark as a champion sports car driver. He has three podium finishes at Le Mans, including 3rd overall and a class win. He was the 1997 FIA GT2 Champion. In 2001, Bell competed in the BFGoodrich Trans-Am Series, winning both the Laguna Seca and Houston races. He was also named the AmeriSuites Rookie of the Year.

Born in London, Justin now calls Del Ray, FL his home and is part of the dynamic Florida business community. In January 2001, Bell launched The Justin Bell GT Motorsports Experience, a Chevrolet racecar driving school located at Moroso Motorsports Park in Palm Beach County, Florida. The Justin Bell GT Motorsports Experience offers sports car enthusiasts the experience of professional racecar driving in high-performance Corvettes and Camaros at competition speeds.

-sr-