Gripping Ride
Krohn Racing/TRG driver Nic Jönsson posted the fourth-fastest time during the Friday afternoon practice session for Sunday's Rolex Sports Car Series race at Laguna Seca Raceway. Jönsson covered the 2.238-mile road course in one minute 26.162 seconds in the No. 67 Pontiac-powered Riley Mk XI he drives with Tracy Krohn.

The pair warmed up on the track on Thursday, turning laps in a Lincoln Town Car rental vehicle. Krohn said it was beneficial to learn the track, but he prefers the race car!

"We started off driving in the rain and I thought that was low grip. It was really a battle," he said. "Once the [dry] afternoon came around, it felt like a lot of grip. Then I got in the Pontiac-Riley and it felt like even more grip. It just continues to get better for me. The conditions today have been very good and the car has gotten better with every session."

Off-course
Jörg Bergmeister and Max Papis were less fortunate than their teammates on Friday. Bergmeister was working on car setup in the No. 66 Pontiac-Riley when he went off-course in a gravel bed at turn four. The excursion caused damage to the car's nose, radiator and carbon-fiber components, but the Krohn/TRG crew will be able to repair the car for practice and qualifying on Saturday.

"I had understeer, then I picked up an oversteer," Bergmeister explained. "I still had [control of] the car, but I had to run wide a little in the gravel. As soon as I hit the gravel, the car stopped immediately. It was my mistake. I'm sorry for the guys that they have to work more now. It was bad timing."

Pontiac Power
GM Racing announced it has selected TRG to run the first two Pontiac GTO.R race cars, which will be on track for the June 30 Rolex Sports Car Series race at Daytona International Speedway. TRG drivers Marc Bunting and Andy Lally will drive one of the cars; Pontiac factory drivers Jan Magnussen and Paul Edwards will be in the other.

Lally is looking forward to racing with Pontiac: "I'm really happy because of how enthusiastic they feel about everything. I know they're putting 110 per cent into this and I like working with people who are putting the same blood, sweat and tears into it like I am. The Pontiac name and how successful they've been in Grand Am is hopefully a sign of what's to come with the GTO program. To be part of that is to be part of history."

Football And Racing
TRG has two football stars on track this weekend. Steve Johnson, who played for the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys, joins team owner Kevin Buckler in the No. 88 Auto Gallery/TRG Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Dan Pastorini, former Houston Oilers quarterback, is driving the No. 63 Porsche with Dave Masters.

Johnson noted the qualities that contribute to performance in both football and racing. "The similarities in football and racing are that they both require preparation, both mental and physical; determination; the will to compete and the desire to be the best. All of these attributes are primarily intrinsic and cannot be taught. However, if these exist, coupled with practice, one could become very tough to beat."

Block And Tackle
Dave Masters and Dan Pastorini had a tough day on track Friday, both frustrated by contact with other cars in heavy traffic.

"So far, it's a lot like football blocking and tackling, because that's what we 've done!" Masters said. "But it's a great historic track. It's fun to be on this track, although it's a little slippery right now. There are a lot of cars out there so it's kind of dicey, but it's manageable."