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TORRANCE, Calif. (Feb. 27, 2007) – After registering a second consecutive Rolex 24 Hours victory, Lexus will now be looking toward a second straight Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series victory in Mexico City this Saturday, March 2.

A year ago, it was Scott Pruett and Luis Diaz driving to a dominating victory at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. After winning the pole, the pair went on to lead all 100 laps – marking the first time in Daytona Prototype history that a car led wire-to-wire. This year, Pruett returns in the defending race champion #01 Telmex Lexus-Riley, but he will be joined by Mexico City’s Memo Rojas, who will be making his hometown debut.

“This is a huge event and I’m really excited about racing in Mexico City,” said Rojas. “I was born there, but I’ve never raced there. I only did the one season of car racing in Mexico – and we didn’t race in Mexico City. It will be really fun to see the crowd. They are very excited about auto racing.”

After placing first and third the past two seasons at Mexico City, the Ganassi entry must be considered one of the pre-race favorites. Yet, the #01 isn’t the only Lexus-powered prototype to enjoy success in Mexico.

Michael Shank Racing earned a third at last season’s foray south of the border. Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson return behind the wheel of the #60 Flight Options Lexus-Riley after placing ninth at the Rolex 24, with Ian James and Henri Zogaib sharing the #6 Michael Shank Racing Lexus-Riley.

While the Ganassi and Shank squads have each been on the podium in Mexico, AIM Autosport will be making its circuit debut on the track in just its third Rolex Series event. The team’s #61 Exchange Traded Gold Lexus-Riley was the surprise success of the Rolex 24 with a fifth-place finish in their first-ever 24-hour event. Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle will campaign the car. Frisselle qualified on the front row in Mexico City last season.

Rounding out the five-car Lexus-powered contingent is the Southard Racing #3 Preformed Line Products Lexus-Riley driven by Shane Lewis and Randy Ruhlman. The team earned a pair of podium finishes last season.

At the season-opening Rolex 24, Lexus-powered Daytona Prototypes led a race-high and overwhelming 505 of the 668 laps run at Daytona, with the winning #01 Lexus, driven by Pruett, Juan Montoya and Salvador Duran, never having fallen out of the top-three after the third hour. With the victory at Daytona, Lexus-powered entries have won 16 races in 41 Rolex Series events since entering the series in 2004.

This Saturday’s Mexico City round, which will run in conjunction with the NASCAR Busch Series, will be televised live on SPEED beginning at 4 p.m. (EST).

Lexus Daytona Prototype Performance Index

Race, Started/Finished #01 #02 #3 #6 #60 #61

Daytona 24 12/1 8/21 24/28 10/16 22/9 17/5

Mexico

Miami

Virginia

Laguna

Watkins Glen 6-Hour

Mid-Ohio

Daytona

Iowa

Barber

Montreal

Watkins Glen

Sears Point

Salt Lake City


2007 Lexus Daytona Prototype Laps Led

#01 - 468

#6 - 29

#02 - 7

Credit: Lexus Motorsports

Lexmex

I hope they kick some butt like last year. I know (the few) Lexus owners down here will be supporting them 100%. I have had the privilege on a special track day to drive a few times around this beautiful course (though not in my RX) and it is a great place to watch a race.

MR_F1

I want tickets

Lexmex

They were pricey last year and I don't even see any available at ticketmaster (even though I can't go).

Well as a consolation MR_F1, next time we have drag racing at the Hermanos Rodriguez, you can come along free. Now that is a blast and last time I got on TV Azteca with my RX300 whipping some slow off the line competitors.

MR_F1

Hey thanks a lot. I'll defnitely take you up on that. If I do get to go this weekend i will be sure to get pics.

what about A1GP at the end of the month?

Lexmex

Yeah, that's a possibility.

I might be able to go on Saturday to watch Lexus race in the afternoon, all depends on how much I can get done in time on Saturday. Does appear now they do have tickets available on Ticketmaster.

MR_F1

Yeah, tickets or on ticketmaster. They only have 3 day tickets now though, and although the price is good, i'm wondering if it makes sence to buy a weekend ticket to go saturday alone. I'm not much of a NASCAR fan, so its highly unlikely that i'll go sunday.

Lexmex

I think I can get to Saturday's race if you want, let me know via PM. Yeah, the ticket thing sucks.