A great start to the weekend for AIM Autosport in VIR
Exchange Traded Gold #61 to start from the
front row
(Danville, VA) 26 April 2008 – A very strong run in this afternoon’s 15-minute qualifying would yield another good start for the AIM Autosport crew, ending the session set to run from the inside of row two on Sunday. The team would later find out that Brian Frisselle will now start the race on the front row - the second front row start in successions for the Exchange Traded Gold #61 Ford Riley.
With a limited amount of track time to work on setup, drivers Brian Frisselle and Mark Wilkins along with engineers Ian Willis and Jim Milacki would have to make some quick decisions to get the balance just right for the 3.27 mile track at Virginia International Raceway. By the end of the morning session, the car was performing well for both drivers and times would continue to drop. Brian was out first with Mark taking the seat to test some the aggregate changes in the car. Brian would take the last part of the extended session to post some very quick laps, breaking into the 1:43’s.
Brian had earlier commented, “I really like the track at VIR. It is fast and flowing. We had a good result here last year and I have had a lot of time on this circuit. We fell pretty good about our chances in the race.”
Mark offered, “Last year was good and we have a lot of confidence coming in. The car is fast and we have a very good crew behind us.”
During the short afternoon practice ahead of qualifying, both drivers would once again take a turn at the wheel to fine tune the setup. Brian was quick out of the gate and posted the session’s fastest time. The #61 would end the session P1. A good place to be mentally for Brian, going into the 15-minute qualifying session.
Qualifying on the long VIR circuit allowed Brian to gets some clear track for a good run. He would go P1 mid way through the session, eventually falling back to P3 when the 01 car put in a very fast final lap.
"It would have been great to get our first series pole but I could not get the time to beat Memo. We have a great car though and a good starting position for the race. The Exchange Traded Gold #61 Ford Riley is fast and good on old tires so I'm really excited for this race"
Later in the day, the 01 was penalized for a technical infraction moving he #61 to the front row. Brian’s time is just 2/10ths off the eventual polesitter.
"Any time you can be in the top five in this series is good so you have to be pleased with a top three and what is now a front row start. The team has done a fantastic job and the car was quick right off the trailer. We did make a lot of changes this morning but they took us in the right direction. Ian (Willis) and Jim (Malacki) made the right calls to get us to this position and we are pleased with all the hard work of the AIM Autosport crew."
Team Manager Ian Willis commented, “The guys did a fantastic job today. We had a lot of things to work through in the morning session and both Brian and Mark gave us good feedback to get the car set up for a great start tomorrow.” He Continued, “We have not been out of the top five in qualifying so far this season, and now with our second front row start, everyone on the AIM Autosport crew is feeling pretty good about our chances on Sunday.
The race commences at 1:00 pm and is scheduled to run 250 miles (77 laps) with a two hour and forty five minutes time limit. The race will be broadcast on SPEED TV on May 3rd.
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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
