Ryan Dalziel and Enzo Potolicchio won the EMCO Gears Classic, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series' last race of the 2011 season, in the Daytona Prototype category.
The crossed the finish line in their No.8 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley ahead of series' champions Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas (No.1 TELMEX BMW/Riley), who only had to complete the minimum 30 minutes of racing needed to score points, in order clinch their title.
"It's been an incredible year for us," said Pruett. "We've had our ups and downs, but we've been focused as a team to get our car to the front as much as possible. All my championships are great. I never thought I'd still be winning championships at this point in my career."
Pole sitters Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty (No.99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Chevrolet/Riley) failed to make it two victories in as many races. Still, they round out the top 3.
In GT, Robin Liddell and Ronnie Bremer (No.57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro) did what Gurney and Fogarty couldn't. They won their second straight race.
Completing the GT podium, Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato (No.69 FXDD Mazada RX-8) came home second, and James Gue and Dane Cameron (No.41 Seattle Children's Hospital/Bass 2 Billfish Mazda RX-8) third.
In Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge action, Matt Plumb and Nick Longhi (No.13 Rum Bum Racing BMW M3) finished first in Grand Sport. Plumb made a late-race charge and passed Billy Johnson (No.61 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Boss 302R) for the lead with only three laps remaining.
Mark and Mathew Pombo (No.31 Mazda/Cybernation Mazda Speed 3) did the same in Street Tuner. The two brothers ended their first season of professional racing with a win, the first of their careers.
In the standings, Paul Dalla Lana captured the GS title and Nic Jönsson the ST. Boris Said, Dalla Lana's teammate dropped to 10th during the race, but fought hard to come home in sixth.
Race Results – EMCO Gears Classic, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
1.Dalziel/Potolicchio, DP, 97 laps
2.Pruett/Rojas, DP, 97 laps
3.Fogarty/Gurney, DP, 97 laps
4.Barbosa/Borcheller/France, DP, 97 laps
5.Donohue/Law, DP, 97 laps
6.Popow/Wilkins, DP, 97 laps
7.Blundell/Brown, DP, 97 laps
8.Negri/Pew, DP, 97 laps
9.Frisselle/Frisselle, DP, 97 laps
10.Edwards/Garcia, DP, 97 laps
…
11.Bremer/Lidell, GT, 96 laps
12.Assentato/Segal, GT, 96 laps
13.Cameron/Gue, GT, 96 laps
Race results – EMCO Gears Classic, Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
1.Longhi/Plumb, GS, 77 laps
2.Johnson/Roush Jr., GS, 77 laps
3.Espenlaub Putman, GS, 77 laps
4.Boden/Borcheller, GS, 77 laps
5.Carter/Plumb, GS, 77 laps
6.Dalla Lana/Said, GS, 77 laps
7.Atterbury/Stout, GS, 77 laps
8.Gue/Seafuse, GS, 77 laps
9.Buffomante/Gimple, GS, 77 laps
10.Foster/Maxwell, GS, 77 laps
…
21.(1) Pombo/Pombo, ST, 77 laps
27.(7) Galati/Jonsson, GS, 77 laps
The crossed the finish line in their No.8 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley ahead of series' champions Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas (No.1 TELMEX BMW/Riley), who only had to complete the minimum 30 minutes of racing needed to score points, in order clinch their title.
"It's been an incredible year for us," said Pruett. "We've had our ups and downs, but we've been focused as a team to get our car to the front as much as possible. All my championships are great. I never thought I'd still be winning championships at this point in my career."
Pole sitters Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty (No.99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Chevrolet/Riley) failed to make it two victories in as many races. Still, they round out the top 3.
In GT, Robin Liddell and Ronnie Bremer (No.57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro) did what Gurney and Fogarty couldn't. They won their second straight race.
Completing the GT podium, Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato (No.69 FXDD Mazada RX-8) came home second, and James Gue and Dane Cameron (No.41 Seattle Children's Hospital/Bass 2 Billfish Mazda RX-8) third.
In Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge action, Matt Plumb and Nick Longhi (No.13 Rum Bum Racing BMW M3) finished first in Grand Sport. Plumb made a late-race charge and passed Billy Johnson (No.61 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Boss 302R) for the lead with only three laps remaining.
Mark and Mathew Pombo (No.31 Mazda/Cybernation Mazda Speed 3) did the same in Street Tuner. The two brothers ended their first season of professional racing with a win, the first of their careers.
In the standings, Paul Dalla Lana captured the GS title and Nic Jönsson the ST. Boris Said, Dalla Lana's teammate dropped to 10th during the race, but fought hard to come home in sixth.
Race Results – EMCO Gears Classic, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
1.Dalziel/Potolicchio, DP, 97 laps
2.Pruett/Rojas, DP, 97 laps
3.Fogarty/Gurney, DP, 97 laps
4.Barbosa/Borcheller/France, DP, 97 laps
5.Donohue/Law, DP, 97 laps
6.Popow/Wilkins, DP, 97 laps
7.Blundell/Brown, DP, 97 laps
8.Negri/Pew, DP, 97 laps
9.Frisselle/Frisselle, DP, 97 laps
10.Edwards/Garcia, DP, 97 laps
…
11.Bremer/Lidell, GT, 96 laps
12.Assentato/Segal, GT, 96 laps
13.Cameron/Gue, GT, 96 laps
Race results – EMCO Gears Classic, Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
1.Longhi/Plumb, GS, 77 laps
2.Johnson/Roush Jr., GS, 77 laps
3.Espenlaub Putman, GS, 77 laps
4.Boden/Borcheller, GS, 77 laps
5.Carter/Plumb, GS, 77 laps
6.Dalla Lana/Said, GS, 77 laps
7.Atterbury/Stout, GS, 77 laps
8.Gue/Seafuse, GS, 77 laps
9.Buffomante/Gimple, GS, 77 laps
10.Foster/Maxwell, GS, 77 laps
…
21.(1) Pombo/Pombo, ST, 77 laps
27.(7) Galati/Jonsson, GS, 77 laps