Watkins Glen II: Lexus race report

PRUETT/ROJAS PUT LEXUS ON THE PODIUM AT WATKINS GLEN GRAND-AM

WATKINS GLEN, NY (August 10, 2007) -- After a strong early run from Memo Rojas, Scott Pruett then charged from eighth to finish third as the highest-finishing Lexus in Friday's Crown Royal 200 at Watkins Glen International, maintaining his series points lead in the process.

Rojas started the race in 14th-place in the #01 Telmex Lexus-Riley and climbed as high as sixth before falling back to eighth late in his stint. Pruett then climbed into the car and after a series of terrific laps exiting the pits, he eventually gained four positions as the pit stop sequence cycled through. He then gained one more position late in the race to earn the team's seventh podium finish of the season.

In addition to the #01, two more Lexus-powered teams also placed in the top-10 -- each having to fight back after spins in the last half of the event. The #60 Michael Shank Racing Lexus-Riley of Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson placed eighth, while the #19 Z-Line Design/Make-A-Wish Lexus Riley was 10th with Michael Valiante and Rob Finlay.

The Southard Motorsports' #3 PLP Lexus-Riley piloted by Shane Lewis and Randy Ruhlman also registered a strong result, climbing from the 19th position up to 12th. The day didn't go as well for a pair of top-10 qualifiers. Mark Wilkins and Burt Frisselle started the race in fourth, but eventually fell to a 14th-place finish after a late spin in the #61 Exchange Traded Gold Lexus-Riley. The #6 Playboy-liveried Lexus-Riley driven by John Pew and Ian James had qualified 10th, but struggled with battery problems on the way to an eventual 16th-place showing.

-credit: lexus