Krohn Racing / TRG Finishes Seventh and Ninth in Mexico City

Krohn Racing / TRG drivers Tracy Krohn and Nic Jönsson finished seventh, with teammates Jörg Bergmeister and Max Papis coming home in ninth, in the final round of the Grand American Rolex Series race held at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Tracy Krohn started the number 67 Krohn Racing / TRG / Pontiac Riley from his sixth row qualifying position and made steady work of his stint. The Texan ran consistent lap times, turning the wheel over to co-driver Jönsson on lap 46 in eleventh place. Jönsson proceeded to lay down fast times, in a caution free race, improving positions to bring the car home in seventh.

Jörg Bergmeister ran afoul of the Grand Am officials when he pulled out of line and passed before the start / finish line at the beginning of the race. The German took the lead into turn one from his second row starting position, only to be called in for a stop-and-go penalty for jumping the start. Bergmeister had to make up positions as he was sent to the back of the DP field. On lap 44 he turned the car over to Max Papis in tenth place. Papis returned to the fight and had the number 66 car as high as eighth place before he had to make an extra stop for a splash of fuel at the end of the race, sealing their ninth place finish.

Tracy Krohn, #67 Krohn Racing / TRG / Pontiac Riley: “We didn’t see a single yellow flag all race. I had a pretty good stint although I had a major push in the car. We had a trouble free race and the car performed well. Nic did a good job to improve our finish position at the end. I really like the track; it has a nice combination and fast and slow turns.”

Nic Jönsson, #67 Krohn Racing TRG / Pontiac Riley: “When I got in and we put the new tires on the car and it really came back to me. I had some contact a few times in the baseball stadium with the number eight car, but was able to put him behind me. It was the best it had been all weekend. I was able to run fast lap times pretty easy. We needed a yellow or two to reset the field and really do some racing.”

Max Papis, #66 Krohn Racing / TRG / Pontiac Riley: “It was a tough day. We fought the car all weekend. We made a lot of changes in the warm-up but it did not seem to help that much. The crew did a good job to try and improve the car as we were racing, but it was just a tough day. At the end I am not sure we were getting all the fuel from the tank and we had to stop for a splash, as a result we gave up a few positions.”

Jörg Bergmeister, #66 Krohn Racing / TRG / Pontiac Riley: “At the start I could not see the green flag so I went when everyone else accelerated and that did not sit well with the officials. The car had a lot of push, but with the stop-and-go penalty and no yellows to bunch up the field we couldn’t make the ground back up.”

Kevin Buckler, team co-owner: "The race was really peculiar without any caution laps. The DP field is so close that when you get behind you need the yellows to help you get back in the fight. The drivers ran a clean race and the crew did a great job preparing the cars, we were just a little off today.”

TRG Pontiac GTO.R Wins GT
Bunting and Lally Second in Controversial Championship Finish

Paul Edwards and Jan Magnussen drove their number 64 TRG / Pontiac GTO.R from the last row on the GT grid to victory today in the final round of the Grand American Rolex Series race held at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Paul Edwards started the car from the last row of the grid as his second place qualifying effort was negated due to the car failing technical inspection for a 1 / 10th millimeter too large air restrictor. The California resident was able to drive up to second before handing over to Magnussen. Jan then proceeded to chase down the leader and take the front position on lap 61 and drive away to the win.

Marc Bunting and Andy Lally were focused on beating the number 80 Porsche of Craig Stanton to make their claim for the GT championship. Bunting started the car, again from the back row as both GTO.Rs failed tech, and proceeded to run consistent laps before handing over to Lally on lap 53 in third place. Andy proceeded to make up a 19-second deficit to their championship foes, getting within two-seconds with just 25 laps remaining. Lally tried several moves to rattle Porsche pilot David Murry and finally went for it on the last lap. After Lally passed the Porsche in turn 11, Murry then launched his 996 off of the curb into the air at Lally’s GTO.R, hitting him in the rear in turn fourteen and getting by the stricken Pontiac to take the drivers’ championship.

The team had protested the move at the end of the race that decided the championship. Currently Bunting and Lally find themselves in second, one point back in the season ending standings. The team did manage to win the GT team championship.

Both drivers were fined $3,500.

Marc Bunting, #65 TRG / Pontiac GTO.R: “I had a good opening stint, the power steering was intermittent and that affected the handling of the car, but then it came back. There was some oil on the track at one point making things interesting but my time was uneventful. Andy did a great job and he put a good racing move on Murry and then he came back at us. Not the way we wanted to end the day or the championship.”

Andy Lally, #65 TRG / Pontiac GTO.R: “I went in and we had contact and I put the pass on him. I had about five car lengths on him going into the stadium turn and then he hit me from behind, it was a silly move. It is tough it that it went that way at the end. We were battling hard for the last 20 laps and then the ugly finish. Marc did a great job to keep us up there at the beginning, it turned out all wrong.”

Paul Edwards, #64TRG / Pontiac GTO.R: “Starting from the back was not that big of a deal, there the GT field was pretty sparse. The car was really good from turn four to turn 14 and then we would lose ground on the long straight. I turned the car over to Jan in second and he did the rest.”

Jan Magnussen, #64 TRG / Pontiac GTO.R: “Paul did a great job to make up the places from back of the grid. When I got the car we were in second and I set out do consistent laps and make up as much room in the twisty parts as possible. The car was really good through the esses and I was able to drive away.”

Kevin Buckler, TRG team owner: “I watched the replay and Andy nudged Murry and got by him, I thought it was a good racing move. Murry came back and launched his car at ours and hit us in the back. It was a great race until that move. I feel bad for Mark and Andy they had a good season and to end like this is disappointing.”