Team spotlight on Flis Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 21, 2001) -- The 2000 season was a prosperous one for Flis Motorsports, but it paled in comparison to 2001. Flis Motorsports opened up the season plagued with trouble at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. By the end of the gruesome 24-hour race the #09 Camaro had little to no bodywork left on it, and yet them team pushed on and persevered for a second-place AGT finish. Only a few weeks later, brothers Todd and Troy Flis rolled out a brand new Corvette to replace their war torn Camaro. When the new #09 entry finally took to the track, it not only won the pole, but also captured the AGT victory at the Nextel 250. It was the first of seven wins for the team, who has scored more class wins in the series' two-year history than any other team. Although the Flis brothers were happy to clinch their second-straight AGT team owner championship earlier this month, their biggest source of pride came in drivers Doug Goad and Craig Conway tying atop the driver standings at co-champions.

THE BASICS
Series - Rolex Sports Car Series
Class - American GT
Car - #09 Corvette
Team Owners - Todd & Troy Flis
Hometown - Daytona Beach, Fla.
Drivers - Doug Goad & Craig Conway
Website - www.teamflis.com
2001 Poles - Five

2001 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Event AGT Finish Overall Finish
Rolex 24 At Daytona 2 33
Nextel 250 1 16
Sun Automotive 200 1 16
Six Hours of The Glen 1 9
Lime Rock Park Grand Prix 1 13
ConAgra Foods U.S. Road Racing Classic 1 10
Road America 500 2 21
Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières 1 3
Bully Hill Vineyards 250 3 12
Grand-Am Finale 1 10

IN THE WORDS OF TODD FLIS...

When did you become involved in racing?
I started racing go-karts in 1982.

How was Flis Motorsports created?
Flis Motorsports was created when my dad, my brother and I started SCCA racing in the late '80s.

How do you and Troy split the responsibilities of the team?
I handle the business aspect of it. Troy handles the technical aspect of it.

Do you have any superstitions?
None.

What are you thoughts on 2001 season?
Picture book season. Seven wins out of 10 races. No DNFs. Just a great, great team. It was just something that you'll never forget. It topped the 2000 season because we clinched the driver championship and the team championship.

What was your most memorable racing moment in 2001?
Probably the most memorable was at the Rolex with Doug hitting the SRPII car in the morning, because we actually had a realistic shot of winning the race. Seeing that and then coming back from that and from five other problems that we had and still finishing the race. It was pretty impressive.

How did you feel when you realized Doug Goad and Craig Conway were going to tie for driver championship?
I was absolutely ecstatic. I think was more excited than those guys were. We were just counting laps down. We had it figured out, and each lap we were just counting down. When Doug finally clinched, it was like the weight of the world off my shoulders.

How did it feel to win your second-straight AGT team owner championship?
I think it was a huge accomplishment to actually do it as smoothly as we did with no major hiccups internally within the team and everyone working so hard together. It's all based on the whole family effort here. Everyone gets along and works great together. It was just a real accomplishment for everybody to back it up. And I think it was something to prove that it wasn't a hoax when we just came in there last season. We've actually got a car that runs so competitively overall, not just AGT.

What are your plans for the 2002 season?
In 2002 we will be debuting a new car - the #90 car - which we will run at the Rolex. We believe at this point, we are about 80 percent confident, that we will see it all season long. I think there will be some involvement with some bigger name drivers, maybe for the Rolex at least. That's pretty exciting. Also, a totally new engine program for the whole team with the same chassis. We will probably start on a new chassis, depending on what the rules are going to look like for '03, maybe halfway through the season.

What goals have you set for yourself?
To make everybody on the team more successful. A lot of guys do it just to help out and do it for free. I want to make sure everybody doing it is well compensated for it. On my end of the deal, I need to get the sponsors involved and be able to get the income up so that everybody gets a paycheck and everybody is real happy.

What hobbies do you have outside of racing?
I really like to fish. I like to flat fish and jet ski. Personal watercraft stuff - I'm big into that. And of course spending time with my new daughter whose eight weeks old. That's my biggest hobby right now.

Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life?
Definitely my dad. He pretty much structured the whole family deal. It's really my dad and mom. It's why my brother and I are in the position that we're in now, is because of them.

The 2002 Rolex Sports Car Series season will kick off at Daytona International Speedway, Jan. 31 - Feb. 3, with the 40th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Tickets are on sale for the event and may be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 386-253-RACE (7223).

Additional information about the Rolex Sports Car Series is available online at www.grand-am.com.

-GrandAm-