Potter and Stanton survive the heat to finish eighth in New Jersey

July 25, 2011 (Millville, NJ) – John Potter, Craig Stanton, and the new look Magnus Racing Porsche showed up ready for battle and very hydrated for Sunday’s American Red Cross 250 at New Jersey Motorsports Park.  With a the third day of action at New Jersey providing some respite –temperatures remained in the 90’s, but the humidity level only approached 67 – cockpit conditions would still approach 140 degrees for both drivers in the two hour and forty-five minute race.

A recent change in GRAND-AM regulations meant the Magnus Racing team opted to have Stanton start the race. After qualifying eighth, Stanton jumped ahead of the no. 59 Brumos Porsche at the start of the race and picked up two more positions by working past the no. 07 and no.57 Camaros.  

While pitstops began for the GT class, Stanton was able to extend his fuel window but a yellow flag caution period bunched the field up, allowing Stanton to run as high as second. However, a miscommunication between Stanton and his crew meant that Stanton came in the pits one lap after the GT pit stop window opened and just as the race returned to green flag conditions. Second at the time of the stop, the Magnus Racing Porsche with Potter at the wheel would reemerge in eighth position.

Having lost much track position and with no full course yellows, Potter would battle throughout his one hour and seven minute stint with the no. 88 Camaro and the no.  94 BMW. When he turned the car over to Stanton with thirty minutes remaining, the Magnus Racing Porsche was still in eighth position.

Stanton ran a trouble-free final stint to bring the car home in eighth position – in the same position where he took the green flag two hours and forty-five minutes earlier.

“This must be what my thanksgiving Turkey feels like,” said Potter afterwards. “I had some concern about how I would feel because of the high heat and because there was the possibility of being in the car quite a bit longer than I usually am. Craig gave me some of his rocket fuel, but it was very hot throughout the entire stint. Missing the stop like that really hurt us, and we didn’t get a yellow until it was too late. It’s frustrating but we actually made up some ground in the championship.”

Stanton, who nearly passed out at the end of last year’s race at New Jersey Motorsports Park, was happy to not have a repeat of that but wasn’t thrilled about the missed opportunity to gain points.

“Our grey Magnus Racing Porsche was so good at the start,” said Stanton. “We were going forward and making up spots and getting great fuel mileage. I was happy to get out of the car after the first hour because it was super hot in the car, but I was able to get some fluids in me and recover for the end. But we were the first car a lap down and didn’t really have to defend our position, so I just cruised home and stayed out of trouble in my second stint.”

Potter and Stanton’s finish dropped them to sixth in the GT points standings, but the two actually made up ground to the GT points leaders Andrew Davis and Leh Keen as the Magnus Racing pair are now eighteen points behind the leaders and only six points behind third-placed Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito.

The next Rolex Series race will be August 12-13 at Watkins Glen International, on the short course in the traditional date shared with the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The Watkins Glen 200 will be shown live on SPEED Channel Saturday August 13 at 6:00 PM ET.

 However, the team will return to American Le Mans competition on August 5-6 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge, bringing its Party Barge back to action for the first time since the IMSA GT3 Challenge race at the Montreal Grand Prix. The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge will be shown live on ESPN3.com – but if you can’t see that, you can see highlights on ESPN2 on August 7 at 10:00 PM ET.

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.

Magnus Racing unveils its Karting Invitational which features cash prizes, and no rules…

July 20, 2011 (Salt Lake City, Utah) – Magnus Racing is proud to add a new chapter to the team’s illustrious history as it will host its first annual Magnus Racing Karting Invitational this Friday, July 23, at F1 New Jersey, part of the New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Drivers from throughout GRAND-AM have been invited to lock horns in equally-prepared arrive-and-drive karts on the 1.1-mile F1 New Jersey kart circuit. In order to keep things interesting and to ensure at least some drivers are not at 100% for Saturday’s American Red Cross 250, Magnus Racing will award cold hard cash*to the top three finishers in the Magnus Racing Karting Challenge. First place will win $1000, with second earning $500 and third place taking home $250.

To ensure some order, Magnus Racing is currently negotiating with GRAND-AM Competition Director Mark Raffauf to run the driver’s meeting.

 “Hey let’s be honest – for some drivers, they may earn more money at the Magnus Racing Karting Invitational than they can over an entire season,” said John Potter, owner of Magnus Racing, creator of Magnus Racing East, and promoter of the Magnus Racing Karting Invitational. “We have created a unique race that could rival anything on the GRAND-AM schedule as it takes away the driver’s ability blame their cars. So I’m looking forward to the new excuses that all the drivers will come up with at the Magnus Racing Karting Invitational.”

Currently scheduled to appear are GT drivers Craig Stanton, Andrew Davis, Leh Keen, Eric Curren, Emil Assentato, and John Edwards, Daytona Prototype drivers Oswaldo Negri, Henri Richard and Matt Bell, and team owner Mike Shank with more drivers being added as they remember how little there is to do in New Jersey on a Friday evening. For extra fun, SPEED Channel reporters and broadcast announcers have all been invited to take part in the race as well.

The Magnus Racing Karting Invitational begins on Friday, July 23 at 4:30 PM. Fans of Magnus Racing can follow the team throughout the weekend on Facebook (facebook.com/magnusracing) and twitter (@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-AM Rolex Sports Car Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.

*Actual cash this time. We mean it.

Magnus Racing Slips into Camouflage to Storm the Jersey Shore

July 18, 2011 (Salt Lake City, Utah) – It will be a new look Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup that rolls off the transporter in Milleville, New Jersey for the American Red Cross 250 at New Jersey Motorsports Park next weekend.

For the first time, the team will do away with its traditional white and green graphics for grayscale for the weekend. Team owner John Potter explained the decision.

“We need a turnaround, and maybe the green isn’t working out for us,” said Potter. When I started Magnus Racing, I selected green because no one else had a green car. Only later did I find out that green is apparently bad luck - so we are testing that theory this weekend. Plus, on the rare occasions I watch IndyCar and NASCAR races, cars in grayscale graphics tend to finish in second. I would really like another podium finish this year since our guys have worked so hard all season and we are in the hunt for the GT class championship.”

John Potter (l) and Craig Stanton

At last year’s GRAND-AM race at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Potter and Stanton enjoyed a strong run to finish sixth after the cool suit and helmet blower failed during Stanton’s stint at the wheel of the Magnus Racing Porsche.  In the high heat and humidity of New Jersey, the failures left the Fittest Man in Motorsports baking in the 145 degree cockpit of the Magnus Racing Porsche for almost two hours. Despite a pit-lane speed penalty, Stanton moved from ninth to sixth over the final hour with the aid of a lightning-quick pitstop by the Magnus Racing crew in the final hour.

The high heat this weekend, as well as fuel mileage strategy that has become a key factor in GT class as of late, will no doubt be factors in the American Red Cross 250 this weekend.

“I’m excited for the new look of our Porsche,” said Stanton. “We’ve been just a little bit off our game and maybe this helps us get rid of our bad luck and get back to the front. If it means the prototypes and GT cars can’t see us that would be great too, since New Jersey tends to have very physical races and lots of contact. It’s going to be hot again but bring it on – I’m ready.”

Potter and Stanton currently sit fifth (or eighth) in the Rolex Sports Car Series GT class standings at 200 points, 22 points behind leaders (and Magnus Racing alumni) Andrew Davis and Leh Keen.  Potter is also third in the Bob Akin Award standings for Pro-Am drivers in the GT class.

The American Red Cross 250 at New Jersey Motorsports Park will be shown live on SPEED Channel at 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, July 24. Fans of Magnus Racing can follow the team throughout the weekend on Facebook (facebook.com/magnusracing) and twitter (@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-AM Rolex Sports Car Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.

Magnus Racing duo earn seventh top-ten of 2011 Rolex Series season

July 10, 2011 (Salinas, CA) – Magnus Racing drivers John Potter and Craig Stanton scored another top-ten position on Saturday at the Continental Tire Sports Car Festival  powered by Mazda at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca when the no.44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup crossed the line in seventh position.

After qualifying in tenth, Potter enjoyed a trouble-free opening stint before turning the car over to co-driver Craig Stanton just before the 45 minute pitstop window closed. Aiming to stretch his fuel load as long as possible, Stanton was in fuel conservation mode but was able to move the Magnus Racing Porsche as high as the sixth position. The competitive nature of the GT field was obvious as third through ninth position ran in a train throughout a large portion of the second hour.

One by one, the GT field came into the pits but Stanton was able to stay out, leading two laps before his team brought him into the pits. Reemerging in 8^th position, the team’s fuel advantage was negated when the no. 23 Daytona Prototype dug a hole for itself in turn five and brought out an extended yellow flag period. On the ensuing restart, Stanton spun in turn two as he attempted to make up positions but was able to continue, losing only one position.

A separate incident brought out another full-course yellow and set up a ten-minute sprint to the finish. Stanton was able to make up two positions to cross the finish line in seventh place, salvaging a decent points position on the day.

“It was a bittersweet kind of race,” said Potter afterwards. “We had a great strategy and a better car than the result showed. But in the second half of the race the yellows didn’t help our strategy and we had an unfortunate spin at the end cost us a couple of positions. We had a podium car but it just wasn’t to be today.”

Stanton was frustrated with his late race off course excursion as he attempted to battle forward in the Magnus Racing Porsche. He then departed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on his bicycle to watch his wife, Joy, compete in a rowing competition in Oakland.

“I was trying to make something happen on that final yellow, and it just didn’t work out,” said Stanton. “We had some lapped cars in front of us and I just got it wrong heading into turn two on that restart.  I think we were in a really good position with fuel mileage but we kind of lost our advantage with those last yellows. The guys gave us a great car that should have been on the podium.”

Potter and Stanton currently sit fifth (or eighth) in the GT class points standings at 200 points, 22 points behind leaders Andrew Davis and Leh Keen – two of Magnus Racing’s alumni.

The next Rolex Sports Car Series race is in two weeks when despite bankruptcy, fist-pumping, and cultural pillars like The Situation, the series will return to New Jersey and the New Jersey Motorsports Park. The American Red Cross 250 will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel on Saturday, July 24, at 1:00 PM ET.

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.

Magnus Racing carries momentum to Monterey

July 5, 2011 (Salt Lake City, Utah) – Coming off a strong finish at Road America, where Magnus Racing’s John Potter and Craig Stanton narrowly missed getting their Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup back on the podium, the two are headed to a Northern California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with their eyes squarely on the prize – their first GT class victory of the year.

The duo currently sits fourth in the GT class points standings, fifteen points behind points leaders Bill Lester and Jordan Taylor in the Autohaus Motorsports Chevy Camaro. Potter and Stanton’s finish at Road America helped them to close the points gap, and was their fifth top-five and sixth top-10 finish of the 2011 season. This will be Magnus Racing’s first trip to Northern California, as the track was not a part of the Rolex Series schedule in 2010, and both are looking forward to jumping back in the championship battle.

“In terms of how competitive we expect to be, it’s a little bit of an unknown,” said Potter. “Certainly, with some of the slower corners, it should suit the V8 cars like the Camaros, Corvette’s, and BMWs well. The Porsches should do well in some of the faster sections and we should be able to make our tires and brakes last a bit longer. Thankfully the Porsche is pretty good everywhere we go and I know the guys will give us the strategy we need to win. I will also finally get a picture of my car coming down the corkscrew, which I can show off to my Mom.”

Stanton, who knows the mountain biking trails in the area almost as well as he knows the circuit itself, is looking forward to the trip up the coast from his Southern California home.

“For starters, it’s only about four hours from my house,” said Stanton. “Second, I can bring my bike and ride like a hundred miles on Sunday after the race. And third, I love the track! It’s a great track to race on and it’s so cool that after we got to race at Road America, we get to go to Laguna Seca. I don’t know if we can match the excitement level of Road America but we’ll be making things exciting in our Magnus Racing Porsche.”

The Continental Tire Sports Car Festival Powered by Mazda at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA will go green on Saturday, July 9 at 5:30 PM ET and will be shown tape-delayed on SPEED Channel on Sunday, July 10, at 4:00 PM ET. Fans of Magnus Racing can follow the team throughout the weekend on Facebook (facebook.com/magnusracing) and twitter (@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.