31.10.2003 SCUDERIA OF WASHINGTON ENTER THREE CARS AS THEY BID TO GRAB MANUFACTURER'S TITLES AT DAYTONA

The Girard-Perregaux/Market Scan/Scuderia Ferrari of Washington Ferrari 360 GT qualified second among the GT racers for the Champions Weekend at the world famous Daytona International Speedway. The race, scheduled for just under three hours, starts at 1PM (EDT) Saturday, November 1.

Driver Cort Wagner was pleased with the qualifying result, stating "I'm happy with our starting position. Pole position is always nice, but we were conservative in qualifying. We're ready for the race."   

Wagner and co-driver Brent Martini are leading the GT driver championship coming into this final race of the 2003 season. "We really only have to finish the to win the championship," Wagner explained. "That would also win the GT Team Championship for Scuderia Ferrari of Washington."

There's one more championship at stake this weekend. Ferrari has never won a GT championship in North America, and the GP/Washington team is leading the GrandAm GT Manufacturers Championship by only one point. Team Manager Glenn Marquis has brought out some extra help for this weekend: another Ferrari 360 GT, dubbed "the Presidents' Car," will be driven by experienced racers Allie Ash (President of Ferrari of Washington) and Rusty West, President of Market Scan. A third Washington Ferrari will be raced by Nick Longhi and Emil Assentato with sponsorship from Derivative Marketing Associates and Tubi Style.

A strong 38 car field in Daytona has seen Bill Auberlen in the Doran Toyota grab overall pole position with a lap of 1:48.667. In GT pole went to the Rennwerks Motorsports Porsche GT3 shared by Johannes Van Overbeek, Lonnie Pechnik and Seth Neiman with a 1:54.292 best. The Wagner/Martini Scuderia of Washington Ferrari starts second in GT, 15th overall, eight tenths adrift of class pole with a 1:55.029.

The Nick Longhi/Emil Assentato Ferrari 360 Modena lines up 6th in GT and 22nd overall after setting a best lap of 1:58.937, while the third Scuderia of Washington car driven by Rusy West and Allie Ash is 11th in GT, 28th overall, with a qualifying lap of 2:01.171.