| GarySheehan | 10-28-2004 12:54 AM |
PR: Gary Sheehan Bolsters Team Lexus For Season Finale
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[URL=http://www.teamlexus.com][IMG]http://www.teamsmr.com/images/watkins_0011.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday October 27, 2004
[CENTER]LEXUS GRAND AMERICAN CHAMPIONS WEEK AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY
[U][B]GARY SHEEHAN BOLSTERS TEAM LEXUS FOR SEASON FINALE[/B][/U][/CENTER]
[B]Fontana, CA [/B] � Driver Gary Sheehan of Martinez, CA will join Team Lexus for the exciting Grand-Am Cup season finale this week at Fontana�s California Speedway. He will drive the #0 Team Lexus IS300 ST-class racecar, along with teammate Andy Brumbaugh. The #0 car will be in a team points-scoring role; currently Team Lexus is in the running for a top-three finish in the Manufacturer�s Championship. The hopeful pair of drivers will join the two other Team Lexus IS300 entries on-track, all sharing the goal of securing a Team Lexus victory in this the final race of the 2004 Grand-Am Cup season. It should prove to be an exciting one to watch, as no less than five Grand-Am Cup Championship Titles have come down to the wire, and will be decided in this race.
Sheehan comments, �I�m very excited to have this opportunity with Team Lexus. To join them for the season finale is very much an honor and a challenge, and I intend to give everything in helping them achieve a very strong end to a great season. They have run so well this year; it�s going to be a pleasure to be part of such a fine team. Also, I enjoy racing at California Speedway, so I have high hopes for a solid result.�
Team owner and driver Chuck Goldsborough adds, �It�s great to have him with us for this final race. I have always been impressed with Gary, by not only his driving ability, but also his positive attitude. We don�t make room for a lot of drivers, but we make room for a guy like Gary Sheehan.�
Sheehan is a former USTCC driver (2001 �2003) and multiple race-winner. He made his Grand-Am Cup debut earlier this season, where he qualified on the front row, and set the current Grand-Am Cup GS-class lap record at the Mont-Tremblant circuit in Quebec, Canada, (set during the race).
The #0 Lexus IS300 in race trim is a 3.0-liter inline six (with VVT-I), rear-wheel-drive, making approximately 235whp. Transmission is Getrag six-speed manual, top speed is over 150 mph, racing weight is 2750 lbs. More details on the car are available at [url]www.teamlexus.com[/url]
The Grand-Am Cup is the premier production car-based endurance racing series in North America. The field is made up of two classes: Sport Touring (ST) and Grand Sport (GS).
The Grand-Am Lexus 250 Season Finale starts at 2:00 pm pacific time on Saturday October 29, 2004, and is a 250-mile, 89 lap, 3 hour race, on the 2.8 mile road course, (21 turns plus banked oval sections). Qualifying is earlier on Saturday 29th, at 11:15 am. The Grand-Am Cup action kicks off with two practice sessions on Friday and a third morning practice session Saturday morning prior to qualifying. Spectators will be treated to a full weekend of Grand-Am Cup and Rolex Series action, (Daytona Prototypes and GT-class cars) during the weekend. Come out and show your support for Team Lexus and Gary!
For tickets and directions: California Speedway Fontana, CA.
The Grand-Am Cup race will be broadcast by Speed Channel on November 7th at 5:00 pm (ET). The Rolex Series Lexus 400 Race will be broadcast live on Speed Channel, Sunday October 31st at 4:00 pm (ET)
To follow live event timing, (practice, qualifying, and race), or for more information regarding the race schedule and Grand-Am, visit the Grand American Road Racing website at [url]www.grand-am.com[/url]
Team Lexus sponsors include Red Line Oil, Baltimore Peterbilt, Sparco, BBS Wheels, Borla Performance Industries
StopTech� Brakes is the official supplier of brake technologies to Team Lexus. [url]www.stoptech.com[/url]
For more information on Team Lexus, visit [url]www.teamlexus.com[/url]
Team Lexus contact: Melissa Lockhart [email][email�protected][/email]
For more information on teamSMR, visit [url]www.teamsmr.com[/url]. To schedule an interview or photography, contact Thom Wilder at 949-275-5585 [email][email�protected][/email]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday October 27, 2004
[CENTER]LEXUS GRAND AMERICAN CHAMPIONS WEEK AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY
[U][B]GARY SHEEHAN BOLSTERS TEAM LEXUS FOR SEASON FINALE[/B][/U][/CENTER]
[B]Fontana, CA [/B] � Driver Gary Sheehan of Martinez, CA will join Team Lexus for the exciting Grand-Am Cup season finale this week at Fontana�s California Speedway. He will drive the #0 Team Lexus IS300 ST-class racecar, along with teammate Andy Brumbaugh. The #0 car will be in a team points-scoring role; currently Team Lexus is in the running for a top-three finish in the Manufacturer�s Championship. The hopeful pair of drivers will join the two other Team Lexus IS300 entries on-track, all sharing the goal of securing a Team Lexus victory in this the final race of the 2004 Grand-Am Cup season. It should prove to be an exciting one to watch, as no less than five Grand-Am Cup Championship Titles have come down to the wire, and will be decided in this race.
Sheehan comments, �I�m very excited to have this opportunity with Team Lexus. To join them for the season finale is very much an honor and a challenge, and I intend to give everything in helping them achieve a very strong end to a great season. They have run so well this year; it�s going to be a pleasure to be part of such a fine team. Also, I enjoy racing at California Speedway, so I have high hopes for a solid result.�
Team owner and driver Chuck Goldsborough adds, �It�s great to have him with us for this final race. I have always been impressed with Gary, by not only his driving ability, but also his positive attitude. We don�t make room for a lot of drivers, but we make room for a guy like Gary Sheehan.�
Sheehan is a former USTCC driver (2001 �2003) and multiple race-winner. He made his Grand-Am Cup debut earlier this season, where he qualified on the front row, and set the current Grand-Am Cup GS-class lap record at the Mont-Tremblant circuit in Quebec, Canada, (set during the race).
The #0 Lexus IS300 in race trim is a 3.0-liter inline six (with VVT-I), rear-wheel-drive, making approximately 235whp. Transmission is Getrag six-speed manual, top speed is over 150 mph, racing weight is 2750 lbs. More details on the car are available at [url]www.teamlexus.com[/url]
The Grand-Am Cup is the premier production car-based endurance racing series in North America. The field is made up of two classes: Sport Touring (ST) and Grand Sport (GS).
The Grand-Am Lexus 250 Season Finale starts at 2:00 pm pacific time on Saturday October 29, 2004, and is a 250-mile, 89 lap, 3 hour race, on the 2.8 mile road course, (21 turns plus banked oval sections). Qualifying is earlier on Saturday 29th, at 11:15 am. The Grand-Am Cup action kicks off with two practice sessions on Friday and a third morning practice session Saturday morning prior to qualifying. Spectators will be treated to a full weekend of Grand-Am Cup and Rolex Series action, (Daytona Prototypes and GT-class cars) during the weekend. Come out and show your support for Team Lexus and Gary!
For tickets and directions: California Speedway Fontana, CA.
The Grand-Am Cup race will be broadcast by Speed Channel on November 7th at 5:00 pm (ET). The Rolex Series Lexus 400 Race will be broadcast live on Speed Channel, Sunday October 31st at 4:00 pm (ET)
To follow live event timing, (practice, qualifying, and race), or for more information regarding the race schedule and Grand-Am, visit the Grand American Road Racing website at [url]www.grand-am.com[/url]
Team Lexus sponsors include Red Line Oil, Baltimore Peterbilt, Sparco, BBS Wheels, Borla Performance Industries
StopTech� Brakes is the official supplier of brake technologies to Team Lexus. [url]www.stoptech.com[/url]
For more information on Team Lexus, visit [url]www.teamlexus.com[/url]
Team Lexus contact: Melissa Lockhart [email][email�protected][/email]
For more information on teamSMR, visit [url]www.teamsmr.com[/url]. To schedule an interview or photography, contact Thom Wilder at 949-275-5585 [email][email�protected][/email]
| TV3WRX | 10-28-2004 01:17 AM |
Nice gig to end the season with. Good luck out there! :)
| BriDrive | 10-28-2004 09:57 AM |
Congrats Gary......
Pretty nice accolades to have someone say that...("We don�t make room for a lot of drivers, but we make room for a guy like Gary Sheehan")
Seems everytime you disappear from NASIOC for awhile, you turn up again in your driver's suit...that's a good thing.
Good Luck! BriDrive
Pretty nice accolades to have someone say that...("We don�t make room for a lot of drivers, but we make room for a guy like Gary Sheehan")
Seems everytime you disappear from NASIOC for awhile, you turn up again in your driver's suit...that's a good thing.
Good Luck! BriDrive
| MattDell | 10-28-2004 11:04 AM |
Congrats! I always thought that'd be a fun car to drive.
-Matt
-Matt
| Craig W | 10-28-2004 01:22 PM |
Alright Gary! Way to go! Good luck!
| Apex Rex | 10-28-2004 01:55 PM |
Way to go Gary!! It must be awesome to even have a chance to race, much less be someone called into race to help Team Lexus win the manufacturers championship!
| Butt Dyno | 10-28-2004 02:01 PM |
That doesn't have AWD! :lol: Congrats, the TiVo will be watching.
Is that the Supra TT transmission?
john
Is that the Supra TT transmission?
john
| ratt_finkel | 10-28-2004 02:10 PM |
Very cool Gary! Good luck and have fun!
| RaceComp Engineering | 10-28-2004 02:49 PM |
Congrats Gary, you're awesome-------
Myles Williams
Myles Williams
| CMJ | 10-28-2004 03:00 PM |
Good luck!
| MattGC8 | 10-28-2004 06:16 PM |
Good luck Gary! I want to see some more in-car video, only this time with the Turner bimmers in the rearview!!! :D
| mw1029h | 10-29-2004 04:23 AM |
Best of luck Mr Sheehan, I hope things work out better for you and Lexus than it did for my other favorite driver Olivier Beretta and Cadillac. I tried to get the day off and was denied which sucks big time, I 'll have to wait for the race to air. If anyone on the west coast has the date and air time please post it thanks ,I'm sure it will be on speedTV :D
| TV3WRX | 10-29-2004 02:54 PM |
The Grand Am Cup race airs November 7, but live timing is on for today's practice sessions, (first one is at 1pm pacific time), and also for qualifying and the race tomorrow. Go to the grand-am link in the original post.
Rumor has it that Gary may now be paired in the car with Anthony Lazarro (!!!) of ALMS fame (normally drives the Risi Ferrari 360). The team owner will make the final decision on pairings after practice times are in, but for now it looks like they will be together in the #0 car. :)
Rumor has it that Gary may now be paired in the car with Anthony Lazarro (!!!) of ALMS fame (normally drives the Risi Ferrari 360). The team owner will make the final decision on pairings after practice times are in, but for now it looks like they will be together in the #0 car. :)
| TV3WRX | 10-29-2004 06:04 PM |
No, Lazarro is driving with Lally afterall, Gary is with Andy Brumbaugh. Gary's car did not go out for the first practice session, some kind of technical problem, not motor related. He expects to be out in the next session at 3:40.
| TV3WRX | 10-30-2004 09:09 AM |
Update: They got out for the second practice, but are not yet well-sorted. The car setup is "oversteery", and there is an ABS/electronics issue they are working on as well. ("Oversteery" is something he is having to adapt to again, it's been a while since he last felt THAT!) Neither Brumbaugh or Gary were able to put up laps on pace with the frontrunners in the session, and they hope to be quicker in this morning's session at 9 before qualifying. Realistically I think they are trying to get the car qualified somewhere in mid-pack, and then try to shoot for the top 10 during the race.
Gary said by phone that the high-speed banked portion is pretty wild: At near top speed (150?) the cars really want to move themselves up the banking, and you do have to "drive it" to hold it down. I thought that was pretty interesting. He said it was very surprising....and faaaast.
I'm going to drive out there today for the race, so no updates possible.
Gary said by phone that the high-speed banked portion is pretty wild: At near top speed (150?) the cars really want to move themselves up the banking, and you do have to "drive it" to hold it down. I thought that was pretty interesting. He said it was very surprising....and faaaast.
I'm going to drive out there today for the race, so no updates possible.
| mw1029h | 10-31-2004 03:19 AM |
:cool: keep us posted
| zzyzx | 10-31-2004 11:20 AM |
According to the live timing,, 8th in ST / 20th overall. Sounds like decent results to me.
- Steve
- Steve
| TV3WRX | 10-31-2004 04:39 PM |
It was a great result despite a problem plagued weekend for the team; they had many issues with car setup, not to mention a hp and aero disadvantage on the big straightaway. Despite a terrible start position from near the back, Gary and Andy hung in there with the car, drove very consistent laps, steadily moved up through the field, avoided incidents (there were a few), and finished 8th in class. (They had one unplanned stop that cost them maybe 2 or 3 places.) I think they were very happy with that, all things considered, as it was the highest (and only) finishing car in the three-car team. So they sort-of saved the day.
The other #4 Lexus retired early with mechanical problems. The #3 (driven by Lazarro and Lally) was doing well and up in the top ten when they crashed out (tangled with the Turner Motorsport BMW).
I think Gary was exhausted and somewhat frustrated after his 1.5 hour stint, but happy that his lap times were within a second of Lazarro in the #3, who of course is a very very fast and accomplished driver. So, all in all a really good result. :)
The other #4 Lexus retired early with mechanical problems. The #3 (driven by Lazarro and Lally) was doing well and up in the top ten when they crashed out (tangled with the Turner Motorsport BMW).
I think Gary was exhausted and somewhat frustrated after his 1.5 hour stint, but happy that his lap times were within a second of Lazarro in the #3, who of course is a very very fast and accomplished driver. So, all in all a really good result. :)
| TV3WRX | 10-31-2004 05:06 PM |
Found this cool pic on the Grand-Am site: [URL=http://www.grand-am.com/CONTENT/Photos/Gallery/2004/04calCUPRACE800-13.jpg]http://www.grand-am.com/CONTENT/Photos/Gallery/2004/04calCUPRACE800-13.jpg[/URL]
| Ride Operator | 10-31-2004 06:54 PM |
Above link:
[IMG]http://www.grand-am.com/CONTENT/Photos/Gallery/2004/04calCUPRACE800-13.jpg[/IMG]
Another from theracesite.com:
[IMG]http://www.ppiclients.com/albums/568_17.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.grand-am.com/CONTENT/Photos/Gallery/2004/04calCUPRACE800-13.jpg[/IMG]
Another from theracesite.com:
[IMG]http://www.ppiclients.com/albums/568_17.jpg[/IMG]
| GarySheehan | 11-01-2004 12:43 AM |
TV3WRX - Thanks for all the updates!
Yeah, it was a tough weekend. Andy Brumbaugh and I never got the car to our liking and it was a handfull to drive. But surviving the carnage and turning consistent laps brought us in with a top 10 finish. Andy and I were shooting for higher, but the handling issues held us both back.
During Saturday morning practice, oversteer caught me out and I ended up stuffing the car into a tire barrier after only 2 hot laps. The damage turned out to be all cosmetic, but the incident took a lot of practice time away from us. By the time qualifying came around, the car looked new again due to the hard work of the Team Lexus guys.
We had decided that I would qualify and start the race. I went out to qualify and got down to a 1:56.2 on my 2nd hot lap, which was 1.5 seconds faster than my previous fastes (we'd had VERY little practice time). Ray, our crew chief, radioed to me that if I could drop 0.4 seconds I'd pick up 5 positions. I thought that would be fairly easy because I was just getting warmed up. During that next lap we were black flagged for something dragging on the car. So that aborted any faster laps being set. We never did find anything dragging on the car. We think they got the car number wrong and black flagged us in error.
One issue I had pretty early on in the race was the engine cutting out on the banking of the oval. Once the cornering G's got to a certain point the engine would shut off. As the car coasted and slowed down it would fire right back up. I was brought in for fuel the second time that happened and the problem went away.
Another issue we had was the drink bottle. Team Lexus puts two of those cylindrical coolers in the car filled with ice water, each with it's own drink tube. When I went to get into the car for the start of the race, my seat was full of water! Someone had filled the tanks and one of the two hoses fell into the seat and syphoned the water out. The water was literally 3 inches deep in my seat! We got most of it out, but I still had to sit in an ice-water-laden seat. I asked them to refill that tank of water and one of the crew checked it and said it was still pretty full.
About 10 laps into the race I went for the drink bottle and sucked down a whole lot of nothing. Apparently the hose wasn't reinserted far enough down in the tank for me to get water. No big deal, because there was a second tank. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't find the damned tube to that tank until lap 46. Which was about an hour and a half into my stint! I was pretty dehydrated by that time but they kept me in for another 15 minutes.
Andy got a car that wasn't 100% and was able to move us up another couple of positions. Neither of us was thrilled with 8th place, but considering everything that went down, we are pretty happy with it.
As TV3WRX said, Anthony Lazarro was driving with Team Lexus for the first time this weekend as well. Anthony has driven just about everything and is the 1999 Toyota Atlantic champion. He's quite a bit more experienced than I am with Motec in-car data and worked with me to analyze our laps. It was cool to be working with someone that has a ton of experience, but was essentially in the same position I was in learning a car that was new to us. It was also a bit of a confidence boost to be within 0.4 seconds of his best laptime.
Andy Lally, Ian James, Chuck Goldsborough and my co-driver Andy Brumbaugh were also great to work with. Everyone was very friendly, laid-back and ready to answer questions. They are a cool bunch of drivers!
Although it was a tough weekend for us, it was a great learning experience.
Racing season is pretty much over, but I'm getting ready for the EuroTuner Time Attack at Buttonwillow Raceway on November 9th. It looks like I'll be driving two cars on serious steroids: an East Coast Subaru STi and a West Coast RHD Nissan Skyline. Should be fun!
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
[url]www.teamSMR.com[/url]
Yeah, it was a tough weekend. Andy Brumbaugh and I never got the car to our liking and it was a handfull to drive. But surviving the carnage and turning consistent laps brought us in with a top 10 finish. Andy and I were shooting for higher, but the handling issues held us both back.
During Saturday morning practice, oversteer caught me out and I ended up stuffing the car into a tire barrier after only 2 hot laps. The damage turned out to be all cosmetic, but the incident took a lot of practice time away from us. By the time qualifying came around, the car looked new again due to the hard work of the Team Lexus guys.
We had decided that I would qualify and start the race. I went out to qualify and got down to a 1:56.2 on my 2nd hot lap, which was 1.5 seconds faster than my previous fastes (we'd had VERY little practice time). Ray, our crew chief, radioed to me that if I could drop 0.4 seconds I'd pick up 5 positions. I thought that would be fairly easy because I was just getting warmed up. During that next lap we were black flagged for something dragging on the car. So that aborted any faster laps being set. We never did find anything dragging on the car. We think they got the car number wrong and black flagged us in error.
One issue I had pretty early on in the race was the engine cutting out on the banking of the oval. Once the cornering G's got to a certain point the engine would shut off. As the car coasted and slowed down it would fire right back up. I was brought in for fuel the second time that happened and the problem went away.
Another issue we had was the drink bottle. Team Lexus puts two of those cylindrical coolers in the car filled with ice water, each with it's own drink tube. When I went to get into the car for the start of the race, my seat was full of water! Someone had filled the tanks and one of the two hoses fell into the seat and syphoned the water out. The water was literally 3 inches deep in my seat! We got most of it out, but I still had to sit in an ice-water-laden seat. I asked them to refill that tank of water and one of the crew checked it and said it was still pretty full.
About 10 laps into the race I went for the drink bottle and sucked down a whole lot of nothing. Apparently the hose wasn't reinserted far enough down in the tank for me to get water. No big deal, because there was a second tank. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't find the damned tube to that tank until lap 46. Which was about an hour and a half into my stint! I was pretty dehydrated by that time but they kept me in for another 15 minutes.
Andy got a car that wasn't 100% and was able to move us up another couple of positions. Neither of us was thrilled with 8th place, but considering everything that went down, we are pretty happy with it.
As TV3WRX said, Anthony Lazarro was driving with Team Lexus for the first time this weekend as well. Anthony has driven just about everything and is the 1999 Toyota Atlantic champion. He's quite a bit more experienced than I am with Motec in-car data and worked with me to analyze our laps. It was cool to be working with someone that has a ton of experience, but was essentially in the same position I was in learning a car that was new to us. It was also a bit of a confidence boost to be within 0.4 seconds of his best laptime.
Andy Lally, Ian James, Chuck Goldsborough and my co-driver Andy Brumbaugh were also great to work with. Everyone was very friendly, laid-back and ready to answer questions. They are a cool bunch of drivers!
Although it was a tough weekend for us, it was a great learning experience.
Racing season is pretty much over, but I'm getting ready for the EuroTuner Time Attack at Buttonwillow Raceway on November 9th. It looks like I'll be driving two cars on serious steroids: an East Coast Subaru STi and a West Coast RHD Nissan Skyline. Should be fun!
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
[url]www.teamSMR.com[/url]
| Arnie | 11-01-2004 02:50 AM |
Great to hear Gary! A general congrats on a really interesting season, filled with lots of variety. We're all really proud to see you working your way up so successfully through the racing ranks while all the while staying in touch with us.
Way to go!
Way to go!
| TV3WRX | 11-01-2004 09:59 AM |
Gary, for the time attack event, is the Nissan Skyline by any chance the JGTCC Skyline RHD race car that was sitting on display in the paddock area at the track this weekend? If so....wow. I think that car is 1900lbs, 500 hp, brake discs the size of manhole covers....good golly!
| Mushashi | 11-01-2004 08:04 PM |
Team owner and driver Chuck Goldsborough adds, �It�s great to have him with us for this final race. I have always been impressed with Gary, by not only his driving ability, but also his positive attitude. We don�t make room for a lot of drivers, but we make room for a guy like Gary Sheehan.� -It really shows.
"EuroTuner Time Attack at Buttonwillow Raceway on November 9th"
Best of luck Gary, we'll be watching!
"EuroTuner Time Attack at Buttonwillow Raceway on November 9th"
Best of luck Gary, we'll be watching!
| johnfelstead | 11-01-2004 10:55 PM |
sounds like a really challenging weekend Gary. Well done in building your driving career so successfully this last 2 years, thats a hell of an acheivement!
| pio!pio! | 11-02-2004 06:13 AM |
If the car you drive in the time attack qualifies for the tuner challenge at the JGTC weekend at Cali Speedway will you be there?
| M | 11-04-2004 09:24 PM |
I'm more than happy to answer questions anyone has about the Team Lexus cars... Just so you know, that masterful piece of electrical engineering is a Motec, moton is primarily a damper manufacturer.
In keeping with the PR theme of this thread, the crew was very impressed with gary. He's a great guy.
In keeping with the PR theme of this thread, the crew was very impressed with gary. He's a great guy.
| GarySheehan | 11-05-2004 12:03 AM |
[QUOTE=M]I'm more than happy to answer questions anyone has about the Team Lexus cars... Just so you know, that masterful piece of electrical engineering is a Motec, moton is primarily a damper manufacturer.
In keeping with the PR theme of this thread, the crew was very impressed with gary. He's a great guy.[/QUOTE]
No way! Mikey, is that you?!
FYI...of course it's Motec. That's what two hours of jetlag and one wiseass car chief can do to someone's ability to think clearly.
;)
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
[url]www.teamSMR.com[/url]
In keeping with the PR theme of this thread, the crew was very impressed with gary. He's a great guy.[/QUOTE]
No way! Mikey, is that you?!
FYI...of course it's Motec. That's what two hours of jetlag and one wiseass car chief can do to someone's ability to think clearly.
;)
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
[url]www.teamSMR.com[/url]
| M | 11-05-2004 08:48 PM |
[QUOTE=GarySheehan]No way! Mikey, is that you?!
FYI...of course it's Motec. That's what two hours of jetlag and one wiseass car chief can do to someone's ability to think clearly.
;)
[/QUOTE]
haha you make me blush. give me a pm sometime with your email adress. big changes at this shop this weekend.
FYI...of course it's Motec. That's what two hours of jetlag and one wiseass car chief can do to someone's ability to think clearly.
;)
[/QUOTE]
haha you make me blush. give me a pm sometime with your email adress. big changes at this shop this weekend.
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