Ferrari
is back in Grand-Am, and the sports car industry is
taking notice. Joining the Rolex Series in 2012 with a
model built specifically for Grand-Am competition – the
new Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am – Ferrari, after a less
than competitive debut showing in the Rolex 24 at
Daytona, has now won two consecutive races to take the
lead in the GT class championship standings.
Back-to-back victories at
Homestead-Miami Speedway and New Jersey Motorsports Park
put Ferrari atop the Rolex Series GT manufacturer’s
championship with 4 rounds completed. The latter victory
broke a tie to move the Italian automobile manufacturer
into the championship lead over Porsche, 128-123, with
Mazda third at 117.
This news brought a
smile to racing legend and former Ferrari factory driver
Mario Andretti. “Hearing about success for Ferrari
always makes me happy,” said Andretti, whose laurels
include a victory in the 1972 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
“Ferrari is so magical … the name resonates around the
world. When Ferrari scores, I think everybody is happy.
I certainly have a soft spot for them. I love when
Ferrari is successful.”
Ferrari has enjoyed
past success in Grand-Am, winning the Rolex Series GT
manufacturer’s championship in 2003. Ferrari driver Cort
Wagner shared back-to-back GT titles, co-driving with
Bill Auberlen in 2002 and Brent Martini in 2003.
"To have the Ferrari
brand successful again in the Rolex Series has both
present and future implications," said Mark Raffauf,
Grand-Am’s managing director of racing operations.
"Ferrari racing – and winning – shines a spotlight on
the Rolex Series both in North America and Europe. It
helps the current competitive environment, and it bodes
well for the environment in coming years.
“Right now, it’s
really nice to see how competitive GT has become with
the mix of our traditional cars as well as the inclusion
of the new European cars such as Ferrari. GT racing
these days is spectacular in Grand-Am."
Jeff Segal and Emil
Assentato of AIM Autosport Team FXDD won their second
straight GT race in Sunday’s Global Barter 250 presented
by Susan G. Komen for the Cure at New Jersey, co-driving
the No. 69 Ferrari. The pair leads Magnus Racing’s Andy
Lally and John Potter by eight points in the driver
standings, 125-117 – the same margin for AIM over Magnus
in the GT team championship.
“It’s been truly
gratifying to be part of the whole experience since we
started with Ferrari,” Segal said. “Seeing everything
come together as quickly as it has – and as well as it
has – is just incredible. There are many people in Italy
who have worked hard to make this project a reality.”
Segal, whose family
once owned a Ferrari dealership in Philadelphia, became
the youngest winner in the Grand-Am sanctioned Ferrari
Challenge series when he won at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in
2003 at the age of 17.
“I've been linked with
the Ferrari brand since I was a kid,” Segal said.
“Ferrari is a company with a huge international standing
and huge brand awareness. Everyone around the world
knows who and what Ferrari is. But as a company, it's
quite small. It's really a family feel.”
