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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">GRAND AMERICAN ROAD RACING ASSOCIATION</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">02/11/2003</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Borcheller, Bell Motorsports Take First-Ever Daytona Prototype Championships</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Cracking Race Rounds Off Season</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/chevdaychar03.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"><B>Borcheller, Bell Motorsports Take First-Ever Daytona Prototype Championships with Daytona Victory</B><BR> <BR> Bell Motorsports captured the North American Road Racing Championship and Terry Borcheller took the first-ever Daytona Prototypes driver championship with the No.54 Chevrolet Doran JE4's victory today in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series 250-mile finale, part of the Grand American Champions Weekend presented by Brumos Porsche at Daytona International Speedway.<BR> <BR> Several teams took turns at the front of the field during today's race. Bill Auberlen started the No.27 Toyota Doran JE4 of Doran-Lista Racing on the pole and held the lead for the early part of the race. A pit stop by the Toyota allowed the Brumos Racing No. 59 Porsche FABCAR of Hurley Haywood and JC France a stint at the front.<BR> <BR> After retaking the lead, another pit stop by the Doran-Lista team put the other Brumos Racing entry, the No. 58 Red Bull Porsche, in front. However, David Donohue was unable to hold off Justin Bell in the Derhaag Racing No. 40 Corvette, who took the overall lead on lap 38.<BR> <BR> Another GTS entry, the Sky Blue Racing/GardenIron.com No. 29 Mustang of Eric Curran and Stu Hayner, took over at the front of the field on lap 53 when Bell brought the Corvette into the pits. But, the Mustang's time in the lead was short, as Borcheller moved into the lead for the first time one lap later.<BR> <BR> A third GTS entry, the Heritage Motorsports No.48 Mustang of Dave Machavern, Tommy Riggins and Joao Barbosa, claimed the lead for a single lap before disaster befell the team. Barbosa was at the wheel of the Mustang when he cut its right front tire, taking most of the cars front and side bodywork with it. The incident put the Heritage team out of the race, but it still took the GTS team championship, and drivers Machavern and Riggins tied for the drivers' title.<BR> <BR> Once Borcheller retook the lead after the Mustang's trouble, there was no looking back, and he cruised to a 13.998 second victory.<BR> <BR> The battle for second place was more heated, as Donohue in the Red Bull Porsche and Theys in the Doran-Lista Toyota raced side-by-side, banging into each other several times during the final laps of the race. Theys was able to finally come out on top of the battle, and the No.27 Toyota took home second-place honours, while the Red Bull machine finished third.<BR> <BR> When the Heritage team went out of the race, the No.29 Mustang moved into the lead in the GTS class, as well as second place overall. With a substantial lead over the No.40 Corvette,it looked as though the Sky Blue Racing/GardenIron.com entry would take the class win, but on the final lap of the race, Hayner ran out of gas on the Daytona's backstretch, giving the final GTS win to Derhaag Racing's Simon Gregg and Bell, who finished fifth overall.<BR> <BR> The No.29 Mustang was able to hold on to second-place honours in the class, while the Re/Max Racing No.05 Corvette of Rick Carelli and John Metcalf finished third.<BR> <BR> Scuderia Ferrari of Washington entered today's race with a substantial lead in the GT class. While it would take very little for drivers Brent Martini and Cort Wagner to clinch the driver's championship, as well as the team title, the manufacturer's championship was still up for grabs as only one point separated Porsche and Ferrari. Because of the close battle, Ferrari of Washington brought in three Ferraris for the race, hoping that at least one would finish above the highest-finishing Porsche.<BR> <BR> The Flying Lizard Racing No. 83 Porsche GT3 RS of Johannes Van Overbeek, Lonnie Pechnick and Seth Neiman,led the charge for Porsche, starting the day on the GT pole. The No.83 Porsche and No. 33 Ferrari battle for the lead throughout the race, but when the chequered flew it was the prancing horse out in front, giving Ferrari its first ever North American GT manufacturer championship.<BR> <BR> The Flying Lizard Porsche finished second, while the Rolex 24-winning No.66 Porsche GT3 RS of The Racer's Group's Kevin Buckler and Chris Gleason finished third.<BR> <BR> <B>Rolex Series Driver Quotes</B><BR> <BR> <B>Terry Borcheller (Bell Motorsports No. 54 Chevrolet Doran JE4)</B><BR> <I>On winning the race and the championship</I><BR> I did not anticipate winning the race today. I just wanted to stay behind the highest position Brumos car, but at the same time I didn't want to focus on that. I wanted to focus on the way we've been racing all year because that's what has worked for us. A little bit more conservative than normal, but that was the plan. I'm surprised (that we won) because I did drive conservatively.<BR> <BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>