Starworks Motorsport Bosch Engineering 250 Recap

May 23, 2011 - PRLog -- Starworks Motorsport came into the race weekend at the scenic Virginia International Raceway (VIR) with strong momentum following their last outing where both team entries would finish with Top-10 results including a podium finish for the #8 squad. The team had always run well at VIR and was expecting similar results, but Mother Nature had other ideas.

Strong rains pounded the area during the days leading up to the race, limiting the teams’ abilities to dial in their Ford powered Riley Daytona Prototypes, and for the drivers of the #2 entry who are both new to the series, circuits and cars, the elements would create an uphill battle to make up ground on the competition. The team would weather the storm well and both teams would qualify within the Top-10 to start the race.

For Mike Forest and Ryan Dalziel, in the newly wrapped #8 Miracle Grout Shield/Jetset Magazine/Dynacor Media Group Starworks machine, the weekend had a consistent start by running sixth or better in every practice leading up to the qualifying where Forest would place the car ninth for the start of the Bosch Engineering 250. At the start Forest was quickly moving through the pack, climbing his way to fourth overall by the end of the first lap of the race. In heavy rain conditions at the start, Forest had virtually zero visibility from the spray coming of the cars just ahead to make out the braking zone, much less the track surface ahead. The car would slide off course on lap two, making contact with the tires and ending their day far too soon for a team poised to push the competition for overall honors on the day. States Dalziel; “It's always disappointing not to finish a race but we learned a lot at VIR with our cars handling and I know that going forward we will continue to show that Starworks Motorsport and the #8 is a contender for victories every race.”

Series newcomers Enzo Potoliccio and Alex Popow have been making steady progress on the season, becoming more comfortable with their #2 Duncan/Avior Airlines/Candal Taxand/Mindporte Prototype each time out. The pairing would qualify the car in eighth position and run consistent on the day to equal their best finish of the season, bringing their car across the finish line in seventh position. “It was a hard race because we had never driven this car in the wet” Popow continues; “This was a another step in the learning curve for Enzo and I, we were happy we were able to keep the car on the track under wet conditions, and get a solid finish. I would like to thank our sponsors Duncan, Avior Airlines, Candal Taxand, and Mindeporte.”

On the season the #2 team is currently in seventh place in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Team Points standings, followed closely by their team mates in the #8 in eighth place. Popow and Potoliccio are also second and third respectfully in the Jim Trueman Award standings on the season.

Additional information may be obtained at www.starworksmotorsport.com, www.mikeforestracing.com, www.ryanDalziel.com or www.p1groupe.com.

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