NAEC titles on line in Brickyard Grand Prix

INDIANAPOLIS (June 25, 2013) – Action Express Racing, Stevenson Motorsports and BGB Motorsports lead their respective GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series classes in the North American Endurance Championship (NAEC) presented by VISITFLORIDA.com going into Friday’s Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The three-hour race serves as the third and final round of the unique “championship within a championship.”

The NAEC encompasses the three longest races in the Rolex Series, held at three of the most historic racing facilities in the world. It opened at Daytona International Speedway in January with the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and moved to Watkins Glen International for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen on June 30.

NAEC championship-winning teams and drivers will be crowned on the Victory Podium following Friday’s race on the 2.605-mile road circuit.

In the team championship battle, Action Express Racing, winner at the Glen, holds a four-point lead in the Daytona Prototype category over Daytona-winning Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (32-28). Third with 24 points is 8Star Motorsports, followed by Wayne Taylor Racing (23).

Action Express drivers Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi are running 1-2 in the DP driver championship. Barbosa has 31 points – three more than his teammate – with Daytona winners Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas third with 25 points.

“It’s going to be a tough race ... it’s a very tough track,” Barbosa said. “Hopefully we can lock up the championship for Action Express. Obviously, it would mean a lot for me personally and for the team. It’s going to be extremely hard but we just have to do what we’ve been doing the last few races. Hopefully it will work out.”

The Brickyard Grand Prix winners get 20 points, with 16 for second, 12 for third and eight for the remaining finishing positions for all classes.

In the GT team standings, Stevenson Motorsports holds a two-point lead over AIM Autosport Team FXDD with Ferrari (28-26), with Audi Sport Customer Racing third (22). John Edwards and Robin Liddell lead the driver points over Emil Assentato and Anthony Lazzaro (28-26), followed by Bill Auberlen (24).

BGB Motorsports leads the GX class team standings with 29 points, one more than SpeedSource. Dr. Jim Norman holds an eight-point lead over Joel Miller and Tristan Nunez (36-28).

Starworks Motorsport and driver Alex Popow were the inaugural NAEC DP champions, while Magnus Racing and drivers John Potter and Andy Lally won in GT. Both teams are fifth in their respective classes entering the 2013 finale.

GRAND-AM