For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
Andersen Racing's
Daly Dominates on Saturday
In Star Mazda Action at NJMP
MILLVILLE, Va., June 13 - Despite a full-course caution that wiped out his
3.963-second lead, Andersen Racing's Conor Daly led all 28 laps of
Saturday's Star Mazda race at New Jersey Motorsports Park's Thunderbolt Raceway to
post his first series victory.
One of his teammates, Mikael Grenier of Stoneham, Quebec, vaulted from
eighth to third on the start to give the Palmetto, Fla.-based team two of the
three podium positions in round four of the series, which is presented by
Goodyear.
Daly, 17, of Noblesville, Ind., started on the pole, but he was passed by
Adam Christodoulou, who started and finished second, on the initial standing
start. Daly got him back in Turn 3 of that first lap and then never looked
back with his No. 22, which is sponsored by MAZDASPEED Motorsports, Indeck,
Cytomax, College Network, Merchant Services, Allied Interior Products and
Lafarge North America.
Daly had a 1.292 second lead over Christodoulou at the checkered after 40
minutes of competition on the 2.25-mile road course.
Daly said his car was perfect, which was the same adjective Grenier used to
describe his No. 17, which is sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts, CAA-Quebec, HS
Telecom, Desharnais Pneus et Mécanique, 66graphx, VSM Racing, Allied
Interior Products and Lafarge North America.
Although the top three remained the same on the lap chart throughout the
race, things changed dramatically for those behind them as soon as the 26-car
field entered Turn 1 on the initial lap. Four or five cars went off course
as racing room ran out. Unfortunately one of them was Andersen Racing's
Richard Kent of Clifton Reynes, England in the No. 33 sponsored by Traka, Allied
Interior Products and Lafarge North America. He dropped from fourth to 11th
at that point and played catch-up the rest of the day. He climbed back up
to seventh by lap 19 only to encounter problems again in Turn 1 on a restart
on lap 23 while battling Michael Furfari and Peter Dempsey. He only lost one
spot that time, however, and finished eighth.
Andersen Racing's Brazilian Star Mazda driver, Denis Navarro of Sao Paulo,
advanced from tenth to seventh on the initial start with his No. 21, which
is sponsored by Navarro Medicines Distribution, Allied Interior Products,
Lafarge North America and Shock Doctor. He spun in the dirt that was kicked
onto the track in Turn 1 on the second lap, however, and dropped to last place.
He had some handling issues after the spin and ended up 19th in the final
rundown for his first race ever in the Garden State.
All but two of the 28 laps were run under green. The full-course yellow
during laps 21 and 22 was for a dramatic accident in Turn 4 in which Rusty
Mitchell's car became airborne after contact with Michael Guasch's machine.
Luckily both escaped injury.
Saturday's race was the first half of a Star Mazda doubleheader here this
weekend. Both are part of the second annual Mazda Formula X event. After the
race Daly said he thinks he has a car that could do it again tomorrow.
Grenier, however, said he thinks he has a car that could beat Daly's, so
Sunday's race at 2 p.m. should be very interesting. Qualifying will be held from
9:20 a.m. to 10 a.m. and it will be critical, as a good starting spot here is
very important.
With the victory Daly rises to fourth place in the point standings,
trailing only Christodoulou, Dempsey and Joel Miller. Kent is eighth, Grenier is
tenth and Navarro is 14th. Andersen Racing is second in the team point
standings with 107 points to JDC Motorsports' 124 as Andersen Racing tries to
defend its 2008 team championship.
Saturday's race was broadcast live on HDNet, which will also carry
tomorrow's race live during a telecast from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time. HDNet is
available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECT TV, DISH Network,
Insight, Mediacom, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies.
The series is also in action next weekend, as round six is slated for
Saturday, June 20 at the Milwaukee Mile.
Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and Lafarge
North America. It is the official development team of Rahal Letterman
Racing. In addition to Star Mazda, it fields cars in karting, Formula BMW
Americas and Firestone Indy Lights.
The team's Web site is located at andersenracingteam.com. Information on
the team's 1-mile road course test track at its headquarters can be found
online at andersenracepark.com.
Driver post-race quotes follow:
Conor Daly: "I definitely feel good. It was a great race. It probably
wasn't as exciting as people like, but I enjoyed it.
"The car was perfect; it was so consistent. I was able to open up a gap at
the beginning of the race and after the restart as well.
"My car was creeping on the standing start and I didn't get a good start,
and Adam got by. He was ahead of me in Turn 1 and Turn 2 on the first lap,
but I got him in Turn 3.
"On the first couple of laps the track was slick. Off-line there were dirt
and rocks. Off-line it was sketchy, but on-line it wasn't too bad.
"Adam has the experience and he's a good driver. I knew that if there was
an opportunity to pass me he would, so I had to focus on opening up a gap on
him while keeping my tires cool.
"When the yellow came out it was kind of frustrating, but I anticipated
that there would be a full-course caution and I got a good restart. At one
point sweat got in my eye and I couldn't see out of my right eye, but on the
full-course yellow I was able to rub it off.
"On the restart, if Adam would have tried something it would have been a
really ballsy move because you're flat out on the straightaway before you head
into Turn 1. I just focused on doing the best I could on the restart and
it worked out. My car was really good in clean air.
"I really have to thank everyone at Andersen Racing and my sponsors; the
car was perfect."
Mikael Grenier: "It is my first podium position in the series, and I'm
quite happy about it. We had a bad qualification but the race was good.
"I had a pretty good start and took third right way. I was as fast as Adam
was, but I couldn't get him.
"We tried something in qualifying that didn't work, but the car was perfect
for the race."
Richard Kent: "I got off the line very well and got into third at the
start, but then I went wide and went off course in Turn 1.
"I came back up to seventh. Then on the restart I was inside of Furfari and
then Dempsey tried to make it three wide. There was dirt all over the
track; I ran wide and went off course again, but I just lost one position.
"Despite that, the car was pretty good. We have some balance issues to
work on before qualifying tomorrow, but we have time to work on it."
Denis Navarro: "On the start I went from tenth to seventh, but on the next
lap there was dirt on the track in Turn 1 and I spun and dropped to last
place. I came back to 19th. The car was OK. We have some handling issues
we're going to work on, but it was OK."
About Allied Building Products Corp.:
Allied Building Products Corp., headquartered in East Rutherford, N.J., is
one of the largest roofing and siding distributors in the United States.
Founded in 1950 with five employees and two trucks, today it is a $1.8 billion
building material distribution company with over 3,500 employees, more than
200 branches in 30 states, well over one million square feet of office and
warehouse space, and an inventory of approximately 85,000 products, from
residential roofing and siding to doors, windows, waterproofing, manufactured
stone, interior products and commercial roofing systems. For more information
see alliedbuilding.com.
About the Lafarge Group:
The Lafarge Group is the world leader in building materials, with
top-ranking positions in all of its businesses: cement, aggregates and concrete, and
gypsum. With 83,000 employees in 78 countries, the Group posted sales of
19.0 billion Euros in 2008.
Lafarge North America Inc. ("Lafarge North America" or "Lafarge"), a
Lafarge Group company, is the largest diversified supplier of construction
materials in the United States and Canada.
In 2009 and for the fifth year in a row, the Lafarge Group was listed in
the "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World." With the
world's leading building materials research facility, the Lafarge Group places
innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction
and architectural creativity.
For more information about Lafarge North America, go to lafarge-na.com or
contact Louise Muth, director of external communications, at (703) 480-3707.
About Andersen Racing:
Andersen Racing strives to provide the best and most comprehensive training
possible for future open-wheel superstars while giving its marketing
partners media exposure and hospitality opportunities at some of the most
prestigious events in North America. It provides a unique, four-step program
utilizing multiple entries in four different platforms: karting, Formula BMW
Americas, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights (televised on VERSUS). In 2008 it
fielded multiple entries in 42 races in 18 states and provinces at some of
the best facilities on the continent, including the famed Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.
Andersen Racing won the team championship for 2008 for both the F2000
Championship Series presented by Hoosier Racing Tire and the Star Mazda
Championship presented by Goodyear. Two of its drivers finished first and second in
the F2000 driver point standings, while another was sixth. Three of its Star
Mazda drivers placed third, fifth and sixth in that series' driver
standings. RLR/Andersen Racing finished sixth in the 2008 Firestone Indy Lights team
standings, while one of its drivers placed fifth in that series' driver
point standings.
Andersen Racing's principals, brothers Dan and John Andersen, have
extensive experience in series administration as well as team management. They've
worked with many of today's top open-wheel stars, including several Indy 500
winners.
Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and Lafarge
North America. It is the official development team of Rahal Letterman
Racing. The team is headquartered at Andersen RacePark, an 18-acre facility in
Palmetto, Fla. that includes a 1-mile road course test track. For more
information see andersenracingteam.com and andersenracepark.com.