Virginia (VIR): SpeedSource preview

Sunrise, FL -- This weekend, SpeedSource will go for three class wins and two overall wins. They will return to the Virginia International Raceway (VIR) Full Course for the first time since last July when the team scored a win in the Grand Sport II class. SpeedSource will be taking six Porsches to the 3.27 mile, 17 turn course. In hopes of repeating their success at the track from last year, SpeedSource has continued to find new ways to develop their team and cars.

"David Haskell, our Technical Director, has invested some time in shock dyno work," explained team owner and 2001 GSII Champion Sylvain Tremblay. "We have also added Marcus Hasselgrove from Champion Racing to bolster our engineering efforts. Hasslegrove is a developmental engineer, and will be helping us develop the two Super Cup (GSI) cars for this one race."

Grand Sports I (GSI)

In Grand Sports I the driver lineup has had many miles around the Virginia track. Selby Wellman will start the #70 Workscape / SpeedSource / Champion Porsche / Fikse Wheels Porsche GT3 Cup for Tremblay to finish. Paul Mears will start the #66 Mears Motor Coach / SpeedSource / Champion Porsche / Fikse Wheels Porsche GT3 Cup and will have 2001 GSII Rising Star David Haskell as his finisher.

"Selby and Paul have both tested recently at Virginia and have done extremely well at the track," commented Haskell. "This should be one of our best outings."

Grand Sports II (GSII)

The driver lineup in the Grand Sports II will see Keith Alexander back in the #65 Mears Motor Coach / SpeedSource / Champion Porsche / Fikse Wheels Porsche 911 with David Shep. This will be Alexander's first race with the team since Watkins Glen.

For John Sturm, the final four races of the year will decide his fate in the season long Championship. Sturm, with co-driver Tremblay, sit tied for fifth in the GSII Driver's Championship. With five top five finishes in six races, the two sit only 24 points out of first with a very legitimate shot of winning the Championship. For Sturm, the achievement would be a capstone to an amazing rookie season in the professional ranks. For Tremblay, it would allow him to defend the GSII Championship he won last year.

Sports Touring I (STI)

Stan Winokur will be returning to the SpeedSource lineup at Virginia. The prior race at Mid Ohio was a late addition to the Grand Am Cup schedule and because of that, Winokur had to miss the race due to previous commitments. Winokur returns to the #67 Network for Medical Research and Communication/ Champion Porsche/ Fikse Wheels Porsche Boxster, sharing the driving duties with his regular co-driver, David Haskell.

The SpeedSource 1-2 punch in STI will be completed by the #68 Papa John's Pizza / Giantbank.com / Onboard Media / Champion / Fikse Porsche Boxster. Team regular Scott Schlesinger will be joined by Tremblay.

Both the Sports Touring race and the Grand Sports race will be a 250 mile / 3 hour (whichever comes first) race. The Sports Touring race starts at 1:45 PM on Saturday and the Grand Sports race will start at 5:00 PM on Saturday. Fans can follow the live timing at www.grandamcup.com.

-ss/wn-