Mooresville, N.C. (01-26-2011) – As many NASCAR drivers are taking in their last moments of relaxation before the start of the racing season, Brendan Gaughan has joined the list of race car drivers anxious to start their 2011 season early. Gaughan will make his debut in the 2011 Grand-Am Rolex Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona. The rookie driver will be in veteran company taking turns behind the wheel of the No. 67 TRG/Sargent&Lundy/South Point Hotel & Casino Porsche. He plans to keep his fans in the loop by ‘tweeting’ about his first 24 Hour experience on his Twitter page (@Brendan62).
“I’m in racing because I love to race. I’ve raced off road, I’ve raced in NASCAR and I’ve raced at Daytona. I’ve never competed in the Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona. This will be a new experience and a great way to kick off the 2011 season,” said Gaughan, who’ll use social media to share his experience with his fans. “I love to tweet. Twitter fans are great and I plan on posting as many updates as I can…except when I’m in the car!”
The Las Vegas native has had the opportunity to test with the No. 67 entry for the Rolex 24, and with Germain Racing and the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Tundra team in recent days. Gaughan discusses the differences.
“For the 67 team the worst thing that happened was that the airline cancelled all of our flights,” Gaughan said. “It was a really successful test. Those guys have so much data to draw from and it is really fun. The comparison of data is different in Grand Am than in NASCAR, but Germain Racing has built volumes of testing and race data over the last seven seasons. We just completed our first test with the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Tundra and it confirmed what I already knew. The team is a great bunch of racers that have a unique and tireless commitment to winning races. I’m excited about Daytona! I’m excited about racing in my first 24 Hour event and getting back to my roots in the Camping World Truck Series.”
Gaughan is a rookie in the 24 hour event, but his team has collected several wins, and his co-drivers have helped his learning curve.
“I took our testing weekend like a road course driving school with the 67 car. I have my rolling into corner speeds the same as my co-drivers. I have my throttle pick up in the same place as them. The last, and crucial part, is the big ball part – how far can you take the car into the corner and match how deep the guys go into the braking zone. I don’t think I need to match that! I was able to run what I was told is going to be race pace. For me on this program I am happy with where I am at after the test. I’m not fantastic yet but my partners are,” said Gaughan with a smile.
Following the Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona, Gaughan will return to Daytona International Speedway to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season kick-off on Friday night, February 18th.
Germain Racing has earned two championship titles in the Truck Series. The Toyota team owns 22 victories and 9 pole awards in the series that continues to grow ratings on SPEED. For more information on Germain Racing, visit www.GermainRacing.com or follow the team on Twitter @GermainRacing.
Brendan Gaughan holds eight Truck Series victories to go along with his two K&N Pro Series West championship titles. Follow Gaughan at www.BrendanGaughan.com or on Twitter @Brendan62.
About South Point…The South Point (http://www.SouthPointCasino.com) is a 2,200-room resort in Las Vegas , Nevada providing affordable luxury while catering to visitors and locals alike. This casino destination features a world-class spa, bowling center, eight restaurants, showroom, equestrian arena, convention center, exhibit hall, bingo and all of the casino games that made Las Vegas famous. The South Point opened in December 2005.
