VIR: Frisselle Racing preview

Frisselles ready for Synergy Racing's home event

(Alton, VA) 19 April 2006--The 2006 Rolex Sports Car Series schedule will see the teams compete all across America-from Long Beach in California to Watkins Glen in upstate New York, and each of these fourteen race weekends means a new hotel, a new set of restaurants, and a whole new environment for the teams and drivers to adjust to.

But, this weekend, Synergy Racing will have no problem at all feeling at home-because they are. Based just outside of the gates of out of the Raceplex at Virginia International Raceway, the Rolex Sports Car Series' most successful team is ready to go for the VIR 400, with Burt and Brian Frisselle teaming in the Lucas Oil/Synergy Racing Porsche-powered Doran for round five of the 2006 Rolex Sports Car Series.

The effort just to make the race has been significant, though, as after a crash during round four's Grand American Crown Royal Challenge at Long Beach meant that the Doran needed significant repairs to be ready for the VIR 400, as the Synergy Racing squad rallied to get the car back in racing shape

"For the team, it's a special thing to be able to race and still go home to their own bed every night," said Brian. "Obviously they have been putting in some extra hours to get the car ready for this weekend after the crash, so being so close to home is going to be even better for them this weekend! It is also a big motivator for us to be racing at VIR, because there are so many family members and friends of the team who will be here for the race that we'll want to make sure we bring them a great result."

Even if the race weren't a home event for the team, the track itself is reason enough to be excited about the upcoming race weekend.

"The track is pretty unbelievable-except for Long Beach's hairpin corner, the Oak Tree corner is one of the slowest we take all season, but from there, you are flat out down the hill and then back up, just an awesome set of corners there," said Burt. "We are lucky that the Rolex Series races at tracks like these because as a driver, it is just one of the best roller-coaster natural terrain tracks in the entire country, so I just can't wait to get going on Thursday."

Synergy Racing has gravitated back to its keen knowledge and history with the famed Porsche brand and is utilizing the Porsche powerplant in Daytona Prototype competition, along with campaigning the GT Championship with a pair of Porsche 997s. The VIR race weekend will also see a third Synergy Racing GT entry, as local favorites Steve and Danny Marshall will partner in the No. 87 for the weekend. Synergy is rounding out the all Porsche powered stable with the No. 81 GS Cup entry of Brent Martini and Porsche factory driver Patrick Long competing on Saturday.

The powerplant not only provides strong power-enough so that the series has mandated that the team carry additional weight- but it also helps the handling of the Doran chassis thanks in part to how low to the ground the flat-six engine sits. This will help pay dividends not only on the long stretches of full-throttle running at VIR, but also on the tight twisty sections as well. The team is hoping for a better showing than last year, as the car ran in the top ten through the middle stages of the race, but was later slowed by problems with the gearbox, which ultimately ended the day.

-www.frisselleracing.com