Puerto Rico: Local drivers up to speed

Castro getting up to speed as locals rock Puerto Rico Grand Prix./

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Wally Castro, a veteran racer by any standards, is making his mark known in his second career Motorock Trans-Am Tour for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup race this weekend at the Puerto Rico Grand Prix. In fact, Castro, driving the No. 3 Puerto Lottery, has been up to speed all weekend, timing in the top 10 in all three sessions, including qualifying held earlier today.

Castro has had an interesting time getting used to a new car, the Trans-Am Tour, and most of all, new tires. Castro, a regular in GTS competition in Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean, admitted it's taken him some time to get up to speed with BFGoodrich Tires' spec g-Force T/A radial. Castro usually competes on bias-ply tires from another manufacturer.

"Once the (BFGoodrich Tires) radial tire gets grip, it keeps that grip," said Castro. "With the bias-ply tires I usually run here in Puerto Rico, you have one or two hot laps and that's it. With the bias-ply tires, you will have quick times for two or three laps. After two laps with the BFGoodrich radial tires, it just gets more and more grip."

Castro said he has also fought slick track conditions. As with many new, temporary circuits, the early sessions were plagued by lack of grip.

"Our first practice, it was OK," said Castro. "We were just trying to get a feel for the car, the tire, and the differences between my car and this one. The second session was much better. We changed gearing, and we put on a new set of tires. Those new tires gripped very well. The car was slippery, but that was due to the condition of the track. It was covered in dust and sand. During the early laps, you would go loose and it was due to all of the dirt on the track.

"We're really looking for grip, and get more confident with the track."

Castro--along with fellow Puerto Rican drivers Jorge Diaz, Jr. (No. 8 Don Q Rum Jaguar XKR), Edison Lluch (No. 72 Don Q Rum Chevrolet Corvette), Felix Serralles (No. 88 Don Q Rum Jaguar XKR), Axel Rivera (No. 22 ICEE Ford Mustang), Juan Vento (No. 38 Interstate Batteries Oldsmobile Cutlass), and Dominican Republic hotshoe Luis Mendez (No. 03 Banreservas.Dom.Rep Chevrolet Camaro)--will take part in the Puerto Rico Grand Prix. The Puerto Rico Grand Prix, Round 11 and the season finale for the Motorock Trans-Am Tour for the BFGoodrich Tires Cup, is scheduled to start Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. AST. The race will air LIVE on SPEED Channel at 1 p.m. EST.

-ta-