GT3 Cup: Series Millville race two notes

CARLISLE, EDUARDO BEAT THE HEAT IN NEW JERSEY

MILLVILLE, NEW JERSEY. June 27 It was déjà vu all over again in Round 6 of the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama, as polesitter Ross Smith spun in a first lap incident, opening the door for the rest of the field. But this time, it was #92 Darrell Carlisle (Kelly-Moss Racing) in the Platinum Cup class who held off the competition for the win in a caution-free race at the Mazda Festival of Speed Presented by VisitFlorida.com at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

On another hot and humid day, Carlisle survived a first turn bump and run between Smith, driving the #5 Maxwell Paper Racing Porsche 911 Cup Car, and Marco Cirone (#886th Gear Racing). Cirone wasn't able to get inside of Smith on the first corner, the two touched and Smith spun out. Amazingly, he came back up through the field once again, from 17th to a 6th place finish.

Carlisle had a perfect view of the first lap tussle.

"I thought I had a bad start, I didn't go when Ross went, but the 88 car went with him, came down on the inside and it ruined their day," Carlisle explained. "It was hard it's harder to be the chasee than the chaser! And the AASCO guys are incredibly competitive, so to be able to be nose to tail with them the entire way, I felt very fortunate.

"Kokie (Jorge Trejos, #55 AASCO Motorsports/Adidas) was right there the entire time, and behind him, he was getting pressure from his teammate, so the entire race was stressful. But it gives you so much confidence to come out here and do well."

Trejos had plenty of compliments for Carlisle's performance, and for the man in his own rear view mirror, his teammate and Saturday's Round 5 winner, Amadeo Quiros (#58, AASCO Motorsports/ Purdymotor).

"From the very beginning of the race, and throughout the weekend, we knew Darrell was fast," said Trejos. "He's a very good driver, he keeps a good line. I made a couple of attempts to pass, but I had to stay as close as I could to him and also watch my back, because Amadeo was catching me! But it was a clean race."

It was another win for #24 Carlos Eduardo (NGT Motorsports) in the Gold Cup class his fifth out of six races this season. But the heat didn't make it easy.

"I can't believe it," said Eduardo, "my first year racing, I'm amazed. It's a great car, I'm having fun!

"At Laguna, I felt beaten up, physically, so I've been training a lot and have better stamina now, but it was exhausting, the heat was overwhelming. But I feel okay." Page 2

The Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama features semi-professional drivers racing head to head in one of the world's most successful race cars, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. As a developmental series designed to prepare drivers and teams for professional careers in sports car racing, the multi-class structure of the series teaches drivers essential skills for an eventual career in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.

The series is broken into two classes, with the Platinum Cup Class featuring the more powerful 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car. The Gold Cup Class includes 2005 ½ - 2009 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars.

The Speed TV production of Rounds 5 and 6 of the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama is scheduled to air on Sunday, July 18th at 1:00am EDT . The season continues July 9 - 11, with Rounds 7 and 8 held in conjunction with the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park.

-source: imsa