NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES

THE GRAND AMERICAN Road Racing Association Daytona Prototypes are heading into the sixth season in 2008 as the featured class of the Rolex Sports Car Series.

Daytona Prototypes are sleek, full-bodied race cars that match auto manufacturers in the evolution of prototype sports cars, featuring powerplants that are offered to the public.

Engines for the Daytona Prototypes will be approved in two categories. Normally aspirated production 6- or 8-cylinder, 245 CID powerplants are open to modification. The second category, for V8 engines up to 305 CID, will have tightly controlled specifications and must be run as produced. The Lexus entries, which fall in the latter category, feature 5.0-liter, V8 engines that produce 500 hp at 7000 rpm.

LEXUS IN GRAND AMERICAN ROAD RACING

Lexus-powered entries have won 17 races and 22 pole positions in 54 events over the past four seasons in which the manufacturer has served as an engine supplier for the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. Last season, Lexus won its second consecutive Rolex 24 at Daytona – the most prestigious race in American sports car racing. In addition, the manufacturer has powered Chip Ganassi Racing to a pair of Rolex Series Team Championships (2004 and 2006), while Scott Pruett and Max Papis co-drove to the 2004 Driver’s Championship. Over the past four seasons, Lexus-powered driver Scott Pruett has finished in the top-two in the Driver’s Championship.

Began: 2004

First Win: 2004 – Scott Pruett/Max Papis, Mont-Tremblant
First Pole Position: 2004 – Scott Pruett, Rolex 24 at Daytona

Notable:

2007 Rolex 24 at Daytona Champions
2006 Daytona Prototype Manufacturer’s Champion
2006 Team Championship – Chip Ganassi Racing
2006 Rolex 24 at Daytona Champions
2004 Driver’s Championship – Scott Pruett/Max Papis
2004 Team Championship – Chip Ganassi Racing

2008 TEAMS

Chip Ganassi Racing
Southard Racing

2008 DRIVERS

Scott Pruett, Chip Ganassi Racing
Memo Rojas, Chip Ganassi Racing
Shane Lewis, Southard Racing
Bill Lester, Southard Racing

LEXUS DAYTONA PROTOTYPE WINS

2007 - Scott Pruett/Memo Rojas, Iowa
2007 - Scott Pruett/Juan Montoya/Salvador Duran, Daytona (24 Hours)
2006 - Oswaldo Negri/Mark Patterson, Salt Lake City (9 Hours)
2006 - Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz, Sonoma
2006 - Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz, Watkins Glen
2006 - Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz, Phoenix
2006 - Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz, Long Beach
2006 - Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz, Mexico City
2006 - Scott Dixon/Dan Wheldon/Casey Mears, Daytona (24 Hours)
2005 - Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz, Virginia
2005 - Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz, Laguna Seca
2005 - Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz, California
2004 - Scott Pruett/Max Papis, California
2004 - Didier Theys/Jan Magnussen, Watkins Glen
2004 - Scott Pruett/Max Papis, Mid-Ohio
2004 - Scott Pruett/Max Papis, Watkins Glen (6 Hours)
2004 - Scott Pruett/Max Papis, Mont-Tremblant

BACKGROUND

Lexus won the most prestigious event in sports car racing, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, for the second consecutive year in 2007. The manufacturer also powered both Chip Ganassi Racing and Scott Pruett to runner-up finishes in the Team and Driver’s Championships. In addition, all six teams that used Lexus power in 2007 had at least one top-five finish.

Lexus also was a part of three record-breaking feats in 2007. Long-time Toyota and Lexus driver Scott Pruett became the all-time leader in Rolex Series victories with 14 when he was triumphant at Iowa – with all 14 wins coming with Lexus power. Pruett also set a new standard for most Rolex 24 victories with seven when he co-drove to victory with Juan Montoya and Salvador Duran. Chip Ganassi Racing became the series all-time leader in team wins with 15 when Pruett and Memo Rojas were victorious at Iowa.

Lexus entered Grand-Am competition in 2004 by powering Pruett and Max Papis to the Rolex Sports Car Series Driver’s Championship and Chip Ganassi Racing to the 2004 team title on the strength of four victories.

Lexus-powered prototypes won three races in 2005, and carried the combination of Pruett and Luis Diaz to series runner-up honors. In addition, Lexus placed second out of six manufacturers involved in the championship, despite having just two full-time entries for the season.

In 2006, Lexus won its first-ever Manufacturer’s Championship after registering seven victories on the way to capturing the Daytona Prototype crown. Among the triumphs was Lexus’ first-ever win in the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona. In addition to the Manufacturer’s Championship, Lexus also helped propel Chip Ganassi Racing to its second Daytona Prototype Team championship.

Overall, Lexus-powered entries have won 17 races and 21 pole positions in 54 Rolex Series events over the past four seasons.

The Lexus Daytona Prototype V8 powerplant is a 5.0-liter, race-modified version of the production engine utilized in the LS, GS and SC models. The 32-valve, DOHC, fuel-injected powerplant features an aluminum block and cylinder heads while producing 500 hp at 7000 rpm. The Lexus Daytona Prototype V8 is developed and assembled by TRD, U.S.A., Inc. in Costa Mesa, Calif.