Frisselle Sibling Rivalry Takes a Different Turn for 2008
(Daytona Beach, FL) 11 January 2008 – From a Porsche-powered Doran Daytona Prototype to a Pontiac GTO GT class entry to a Lexus-motivated Riley, Burt and Brian Frisselle have shared a lot of fast race cars the last few years, but as the 2008 Rolex Sports Car season gets underway, the two brothers enter the season as competitors, rather than co-drivers, for the first time in their young careers.
AIM Autosport has signed Brian Frisselle to a full season co-driving with Mark Wilkins in the No. 61 Exchange Traded Gold Riley, which will now employ Ford power. After sharing the driving duties in that car with Brian last year, Burt will open up the 2008 Rolex season in a familiar place as Mike Shank has once again brought the Colorado youngster in for the season-opening endurance challenge.
While the two brothers relished their time together as co-drivers, it's no surprise that these two highly competitive siblings are now looking forward to doing battle on the track.
"It's a little bit weird not to be sharing a car with my brother this year, but I think we are both in really good, competitive situations, and I think it's going to be fun to see where we end up in the results," said Brian. "It'd be great to share a podium with him, just so long as I'm looking down at him from the top!"
Burt and Brian scored their best career Rolex 24 At Daytona result together in 2007, and with both AIM Autosport and Michael Shank Racing setting remarkably quick times in testing, they are both hoping to move that career best result further up the charts this year.
"That's definitely something that is making this transition a lot easier, the fact that we are both in cars that really have legitimate shots at a victory," said Burt. "Obviously I hope that sometime down the road we get the chance to share a car again, but we both know that we have great opportunities this year and we want to make the most of them."
While he enjoyed sharing the driving duties with his brother Burt last year, Brian anticipates that this season should generate even stronger results.
"Burt and I have similar driving styles and communicate really well together, but I think that this year having a consistent communication with Mark (Wilkins) and Ian (Willis, AIM Autosport team principal) is going to pay off," said Brian. "Knowing we have a shot with this car not just in the first race, but also all season long and in the championship, we're all very motivated about this season."
Even though the two brothers get along remarkably well, there is no question that a burning desire to compete exists with both of them.
"I know that whenever I am missing racing with my little brother, I can just check in and see how he's doing," said Burt. "In my rear view mirror."
About Michael Shank Racing
Based in Columbus, Ohio, Michael Shank Racing (MSR) was formed in 1989 when Michael Shank first began driving racing cars professionally. Shank retired from the cockpit in 1997 to focus his efforts on running the team, which quickly found success in the Champ Car Toyota Atlantic Championship. With several race wins under his belt, Shank was named as Team Owner of the Year twice in four years. MSR joined the Rolex ranks in 2004. MSR scored a debut Rolex Series win in 2006 and fans selected the victory as the 2007 Rolex “Moment of the Year”.
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Press Notes:
About AIM Autosport
Established in 1995, AIM Autosport operates multi-car teams competing in the Formula BMWUSA Championship and the Star Mazda Series. The company has a mandate to identify, train and manage emerging motorsport talent. AIM has provided many young drivers with a solid foundation on which to build a career in professional racing. The success of the AIM driver development programs has been achieved through the dedication of our employees and the ongoing support of our commercial and technical partners.
Away from the track, AIM Autosport serves the needs of the racing community with a purpose-built preparation shop situated in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario.
Chassis brings resume of success to AIM Autosport:
AIM Autosport's Riley chassis was purchased from Chip Ganassi Racing and comes to the team with an impressive legacy of success, having won the Rolex Sports Car Series Championship in 2004.
AIM Autosport Alumni:
AIM has a long history of bringing drivers up through the ranks, and the alumni list reads like a who's who in the sport: www.aimautosport.com/drivers/Alumni/Alumni.htm
Performance-Oriented:
Performance Drink, the "Official Performance Drink" of Grand Am has signed on as an associate partner for the 2007 season, and will be utilizing the relationship to develop and demonstrate the high-performance capabilities of the drink. The drivers in the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be participating in a unique program that will closely monitor their bodies' performances throughout the enduro. More details to follow.
For additional information
www.aimautosport.com
www.michaelshankracing.com
