Dallara Automobili Spa will become a supplier of Daytona Prototypes cars to race in the 2008 Grand-Am series. The new project which has been the focus of intensive R&D and aerodynamic studies at the companies HQ in Parma Italy since March this year has come about because of the a strong desire for the company to be involved in an open, challenging series where constructors have technical freedom and an opportunity to demonstrate their competitiveness every weekend against rival constructors.

Dallara has purchased a Grand-Am constructors license from Doran Enterprises and as per Grand-Am regulations is designing a totally new body as permitted for all constructors to compete in the 2008 season. The agreement between the two companies also means that Doran will be the official Dallara spare part distributor and the approved repair center for Daytona Prototypes and run a race team using the new Dallara bodied chassis in 2008. Doran Enterprises has a successful history of working with Dallara having previously raced using the Ferrari 333 and won the Daytona 24 Hours in 2002 with a Dallara Sportscar in LMP1.

A key factor in the evolution of the Dallara Daytona Prototype programme has been the signing of Dallaras development team, Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR). Wayne Taylor himself has been crucial to the instigation of the project and will play a key role in the development of the cars in the future. WTR lead driver Max Angelelli has a long and successful relationship with Dallara having won the Italian Formula 3 Championship in 1992 with a Dallara. The new Dallara bodied chassis will hit the track in the second round of the 2008 championship. Dallara will manufacture a limited amount of cars for the first season and follow a development programme aimed at being in a position to attract and supply further teams in 2009.

Gian Paolo Dallara - President Dallara Automobili: We are delighted to be coming to the very competitive Grand-Am Rolex Series, said Dr. Gian Paolo Dallara, president of Dallara Automobili Spa. We undertook this project because of the strong desire of our company to be involved in an open, challenging series where constructors have technical freedom and an opportunity to demonstrate their competitiveness every weekend against rival constructors. We look forward to working with Doran  Enterprises and with Wayne Taylor Racing and the SunTrust team in the ongoing evolution of the Dallara Daytona Prototype chassis.
 

Kevin Doran - Team Owner of Doran Racing: Doran Enterprises is excited to begin the next phase of Grand American Daytona Prototype racing by transferring our Daytona Prototype constructors license to Dallara Automobili. With the Daytona Prototype class growing so quickly and becoming extremely competitive, it will require a company with Dallaras experience and resources to continue the winning tradition we have started in Daytona Prototypes. I am looking forward to achieving many successes with the Dallara Daytona Prototype.

Wayne Taylor  Team Owner/Driver WTR: Even though the SunTrust Racing program has enjoyed a highly successful four-year run with the Riley chassis since it came into the series in 2004, its clear that the series has evolved to the point where we felt the need to venture into new territory in our efforts to remain perennial championship contenders. Certainly, with the success we've had, this has been a very difficult decision, Taylor continued. But we are very excited to be part of the Dallara Daytona Prototype program. Dallara, after all, has a long history of championships in all forms of motorsports, and we hope to play a part in its successful future in the Rolex Series, as well. Thanks to the full support of our sponsor SunTrust, we can keep ourselves on the leading technological edge and remain a threat to win Rolex Series races each and every weekend. Plus, its a thrill to be able to expand the series global reach beyond the North American chassis marketplace. This truly helps elevate the Rolex Series on the world motorsports stage.

Roger Edmonson  President, Grand-Am Road Racing: This is a great announcement in more ways than one. SunTrust and Wayne Taylor Racing have been standard bearers of excellence in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series since they began with us in 2005 and now they continue as one of the premier teams of our newest chassis supplier, Dallara.  I think it is safe to assume that the combination of SunTrust, Wayne Taylor Racing, Dallara and Pontiac will continue their race- and championship-winning ways. We are also very happy that the new Dallara relationship will also allow Doran Enterprises, one of our founding Daytona Prototype chassis constructors, to continue in Grand-Am Rolex Series competition.