09.08.2003 SCUDERIA FERRARI OF WASHINGTON TAKE FIFTH GT WIN OF THE SEASON AT WATKINS GLEN 250
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Terry Borcheller and Forest Barber picked up their fourth Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series victory of the season on Friday night, winning the Bully Hill Vineyards 250 at the 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International. Barber's risky decision to start the rain-dampened race on slick tires instead of treaded rain tires proved critical in the Bell Motorsports No. 54 Chevy Doran JE4's win in round nine of the 12-race series. Ferrari of Washington drivers Cort Wagner and Brent Martini took their fifth GT class win of the season, as well a $4,000 bonus in the Acxiom Grand Touring Challenge. Although the drivers of the No. 33 Ferrari 360 GT had an early battle with points rivals Marcus Motorsports, a halfshaft problem sent the No. 69 BMW M3 behind the wall for repairs. The Stevenson Motorsports/Auto Assets No. 39 Porsche GT3 RS led briefly before slipping to second place in class. Brent Martini commented after the race, “We always love coming to Watkins Glen because it has so much history. We were here for the Six Hour and we came up just a couple seconds short. Cort, I and the whole GP team, Ferrari of Washington, are delighted to get back here and get a first place. With all the tricky conditions it’s just nice to have the car home in one piece. To get back to the podium, and first place is just an extra bonus for us.” Wagner agreed: "We
got our first big win last year at Watkins Glen, and started our record
winning streak here. The track is great, and the weather tonight just made
it more of a challenge. The Washington crew put an incredible car together,
and I can't thank them enough. Glenn (Marquis, team manager) called a perfect
strategy, and everything just clicked."
The Scuderia Ferrari of Washington
360 Modena had previously started from GT pole and eighth overall. Cort
Wagner's 1:13.786 best time in qualifying, was a second clear of the Marcus
Motorsports BMW M3 of Brian Cummingham and Hugh Plumb, while the third
starting GT car, the Auto Assets Porsche GT3 RS of Dave White and Steve
Southard, was over three and a half seconds adrift.
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