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Potter and Keen earn first podium for Magnus Racing at Mid-Ohio

June 20, 2010 (Lexington, Ohio) – Two weeks after its most competitive outing yet in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman came good on its competitive promise at the EMCO Gears Classic at Mid Ohio.

When Leh Keen crossed the finish line in second place at the end of the two hour and thirty minute slugfest, he and John Potter, team owner and driver of Magnus Racing, became the first drivers to pilot a Porsche Cayman to a podium in GRAND-AM competition. Beginning the race in 16^th position, Potter advanced several positions before he was hit from behind and spun by another competitor, dropping him well down the order. Potter was able to point the car in the right direction and with assistance from a couple of yellow flags, had the car up to sixth position before handing it over to Leh Keen under yellow. A problem with the pit equipment meant a long stop that dropped the car to 15^th on the restart.

Just like at Watkins Glen two weeks ago, Keen scythed through the field, his progress stopping when he reached the fifth position. A late race caution bunched up the field and contributed to contact between the two leading cars with a lap and a half remaining, which promoted Keen to third. Keen simultaneously made a pass on the car ahead of him, putting the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman into second place at the checkered flag.

After Keen and Potter sprayed the champagne in victory circle, Potter jumped into the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 Cup that he shares with Craig Stanton for the afternoon’s Rolex Sports Car Series race. The race had barely begun when Potter was hit by a Daytona Prototype as he entered turn one, causing the Porsche to hit the retaining wall. The resulting damage caused the team to retire the car after only 12 laps, the first DNF for the team in the Rolex Sports Car Series this year.

“On one hand, I’m really happy about our result in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race with our Porsche Cayman,” said Potter at the end of the day. “The team had to work very hard at Watkins Glen, and in the two weeks after Watkins Glen to make the car race ready and it was really good today. I had a really fun first stint, even despite getting hit and spun. Getting hit seems to have been the theme of the day…”

The result in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge was Potter’s third podium in the class, as he carded a class win and a second in GS in the 2009 season. After the pace that Potter and Stanton had in the GT3 throughout practice, the team was hopeful of another strong run in the race.

“In the Rolex race, the Porsche was working really well and I was just trying to run clean laps and stay with the group aehad so I could give Craig a good car for the end,” said Potter. “But, there isn’t much you can do when the prototypes drive like you aren’t there.“

The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race will be broadcast next Saturday, at 1:00 PM ET, on SPEED Channel, while next on the calendar for Magnus Racing will be the Brumos Porsche 250, a GT-only race, on July 2-3 at Daytona International Speedway. That race will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel on Saturday July 3 at 11:00 AM ET.

Fans of Magnus Racing can see photo galleries from Watkins Glen on www.magnusracing.com, at facebook.com/magnusracing, and on twitter at twitter.com/magnusracing (@magnusracing).

More information about Magnus Racing can be found at www.magnusracing.com. Any organization interested in learning more about how to be involved with one of the most unique and visible teams in the Grand-American Rolex Sports Car Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.



Mid-Ohio Friday Recap

It's been said that the only thing that fixes a rough weekend at the track is a good weekend at the track. Well, you could say that we had a rough weekend two weeks ago at Watkins Glen, so we're looking for a good one here at Mid-Ohio in both the Rolex Sports Car Series and the CTSCC.

Both the GT3 and Cayman were fast out of the box in practice, and things went relatively well throughout the day - except for a trip into the gravel for Craig as he exited turn 11 during second practice. The crew got right to work on replacing the front bumper and splitter, as well as getting about 100lbs of gravel out of the car. Feeling guilty, Craig jumped in with the Shop-Vac to clean out the interior so John could have a nice clean seat to use in the Trueman / Akin practice session.

Afterwards, we had a relatively trouble free qualifying session where John qualified the Cayman in 16th in GS, and the GT3 14th in GT. The CTSCC race begins tomorrow at 1:00 PM ET, and the Rolex Sports Car Series race begins at 5:00 PM ET.

John Potter and Leh Keen on RaceFanRadio.com's Tech House & Speed

Magnus Racing drivers John Potter and Leh Keen were guests on Bill Wood's Tech House & Speed, which airs every Wednesday on RaceFanRadio.com.

If you missed it, the interviews are available in the Multimedia On Demand section of RaceFanRadio.com.

Watkins Glen - and LeMans - a shot in the arm for Magnus Racing's trip to Mid-Ohio

June 14, 2010 (Salt Lake City, Utah) – The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No.16 has quite a hectic summer schedule, and only two weeks after the series’ last event  at Watkins Glen – which was only one week after the races at Lime Rock – Magnus Racing will have its Porsches back on track at Mid Ohio.

This weekend’s EMCO Gears Classic presented by Keybank will see the team’s No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup back in action after its stirring performance at Watkins Glen, where it took pole position, set a new track record with Craig Stanton behind the wheel, and lead the GT class for most of the first three and a half hours. Additionally, the team’s No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche Cayman will contest the EMCO Gears Classic for the Continental Tie Sports Car Challenge, two weeks after it too led its race for the first time at Watkins Glen after John Potter and Leh Keen charged forward from their 15^th starting position.

Buoyed by the turn of pace that his rookie team’s cars showed at Watkins Glen, Team Owner Potter is enthused for this weekend’s pair of races.

“Watkins Glen was a great weekend for us – it gave the team a big boost and was really fun for us drivers to be right at the front and to showcase the level of talent we have on this crew,” he said. “Mid-Ohio isn’t Watkins Glen, and might not suit the Porsches as well, but we’re going to attack it the same way that we did two weeks ago. The whole team did a great job at Watkins Glen – like they have all season – and after racing at the front of the GRAND-AM field at Watkins Glen, everyone really wants to stay there!”

In the two weeks since Watkins Glen, Magnus Racing drivers have stayed busy as Jeroen Bleekemolen, who is drafted in by the team to drive the GT3 in the endurance events, and Leh Keen, who co-drives the Cayman with Potter, both competed at the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. Keen drove to a podium position with a 2^nd in GT2, while Bleekemolen finished 8^th in GT2 as well.  Keen has returned from France and will be back in the Cayman for this weekend’s race.

Potter and Stanton are currently tenth in the Rolex Sports Car Series GT class standings, while Potter is third in the Bob Akin Award standings for sportsman drivers in the GT class. Magnus Racing is tied for fifth in the GT-class Team Championship.

Friday will see practice and qualifying for both races, while Saturday’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race starts at 1:15 PM ET and the Rolex Sports Car Series race begins at 5:00 PM ET. The Rolex Sports Car Series race will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel, Saturday, June 19, beginning at 5:00 PM ET, while the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race will be broadcast a week later on SPEED Channel on Saturday, June 26, at 1:00pm ET.

Fans of Magnus Racing can keep up with the progress of the team at throughout the weekend at magnusracing.com, facebook.com/magnusracing, and twitter.com/magnusracing (@magnusracing).

More information about Magnus Racing can be found at www.magnusracing.com. Any organization interested in learning more about how to be involved with one of the most unique and visible teams in the Grand-American Rolex Sportscar Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.