SCC: Watkins Glen: Mike Canney preview

Canney and Plumb Look Ahead to Watkins Glen; Bringing Mosport Momentum Upstate

Watkins Glen, NY (3 July, 2008)--Momentum can be everything in racing, and after taking a podium result at Mosport in June, Mike Canney and Hugh Plumb are hoping to build some championship momentum this weekend in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge race at Watkins Glen for round four of the 2008 season.

The two enter the upstate New York event tied for third in the driver championship standings, with the No. 60 Sunset Hills Vineyard Ford Mustang FR500C entry campaigned by Rehagan Racing ranking second in the team championship order.

After leading at the season-opening race at Daytona but seeing race strategy keeping the two from converting that pace into a podium, Canney and Plumb had a tough weekend at Lime Rock Park before rebounding to take second at Mosport.

The two spend significant time with crew chief Quinn Conda, working to find ways to bring even more speed and competitiveness to the hotly contested KONI Challenge Series, and are hoping that the homework they've done pays off this weekend at Watkins Glen. And it isn't just homework that is going to be helpful, as Canny also returns to the track where he first stood on Koni Challenge podium, having finished 3rd last year with co-driver Kenny Wilden in his very first visit to the track in a Ford Mustang last season.

"We also got the chance to test this spring during the long break between Daytona and Lime Rock and it went really well, so we are very pleased with the performance we are getting from the Mustang. It's a fantastic track, and a blast to drive in the Mustang. It's also set in a beautiful part of the country so hopefully it will be a great weekend all around."

Plumb is also no stranger to the post-race ceremonies at the Glen, taking podiums in both Rolex Sports Car Series and KONI Challenge competition.

"The Glen is just a classic track and while it might be the Porsches that are favored with the top end power they have, we still think we should have a competitive weekend," said Plumb. "Mike did a great job at Mosport and when we tested at the Glen in the spring, his times just kept improving so we're really optimistic about this race. It's another big field, so staying out of trouble early is going to be key to bringing a good result out of the weekend. It was great to be up on the podium at Mosport, but we just need to go one better for a win."

The Mosport podium, combined with another podium finish at the June Sprints in Canney's GT-1 Corvette at Road America, has the Virginia-based racer eager to get the action started on Friday as the KONI Challenge Series teams with the IndyCar event.

"I'm excited that we are doing well as a new team, we are going to give it our best to keep that momentum up this weekend," said Canney. "This series is so competitive, with a lot of very skilled drivers and well prepared teams, that everything has to go right for you to make it up on the podium. Hopefully we've hit on something and can make some ground up in this championship fight."

-credit: www.mcanney.com