For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: 317-201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
 
 
 
 
 
Gleason Joins Defending GT Winners
For This Weekend's Rolex 24
 
JOHNSTOWN, Pa., Jan. 22 - Chris Gleason will not only compete in this 
weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, the Johnstown, Pa.-based driver 
has a great ride.
 
Gleason, who has been racing at the professional level for years in some of 
the most prestigious endurance sports car events in the world while making his 
living as chief executive officer and chairman of Gleason Financial, has been 
chosen to join the defending Rolex 24 GT winners, Alegra Motorsports. He will 
drive one of two Porsche GT3 Cup cars that are being fielded by the Coral 
Gables, Fla.-based team.
 
Gleason and his Porsche's co-drivers will campaign one of 42 GT entries this 
year in a total field of 67. It's the largest GT field ever in the 46-year 
history of this race, breaking last year's record of 41 GT entries.  Gleason will 
be in car number 29.
 
The Rolex 24 is one of the most prestigious endurance sports car races in 
North America.  It traditionally kicks off Speed Weeks at Daytona Beach, Fla., 
which culminates in the Daytona 500 in February. It attracts not only many top 
endurance sports car drivers but also top drivers from other forms of racing, 
like Indy 500 winners Dario Franchitti, Dan Wheldon, Helio Castroneves and 
NASCAR stars like Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Juan Pablo Montoya.
 
Last year the Alegra Motorsports/Fiorano Racing Porsche GT3 No. 22 won the GT 
class by a margin of only 7.072 seconds, leading for just 48 of the 626 laps 
it completed in the course of the 24 hours.
 
Although the race is very grueling, Gleason thrives on the challenge.  He's 
competed in this event many times, as well as at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. (His 
best finish at Le Mans was fourth in the very fast LMP2 class.)  Gleason was 
sixth in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2003.  He's driven for many top 
endurance sports car teams, including Kevin Buckler's TRG Group, PTG 
Motorsports and Turner Motorsports.  Most recently he's posted 10 podium finishes in 
22 races with the latter team.
 
"The Rolex 24 is one of my favorite races, and I'm looking forward to being a 
part of Carlos de Quesada's team for it this year," Gleason said.  "We will 
try to drive a smart race.  Our first goal is always to finish.  The old saying 
'To finish first, first you must finish' is never truer than it is at the 
Rolex 24. It's a long race and anything can happen, but we'll try our best."
 
The race, held on Daytona's 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course, will be shown on 
FOX (1 p.m. Eastern on Saturday) and SPEED (2:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday and 
6 a.m. Eastern on Sunday). Live timing and scoring and commentary will be 
available on the series' Web site at grand-am.com.  Other information is available 
at gleasoninc.com, alegramotorsports.com and restartcommunications.com.