Essex Racing/Quantum Autosports announce 2004 plans

CUMMINGS, Ga. (September 2, 2003) -- Essex Racing President Michael Gue announced today that his team will run the Quantum Autosports Daytona Prototype program in the 2004 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. Quantum Autosports drivers Joe and Justin Pruskowski will drive an Essex Multimatic Ford.

"Justin and I are really looking forward to competing in the premier Rolex Series class, having won the 2003 Rolex 24 At Daytona in the SRPII class. We couldn't have picked a better team to operate this program for us than Essex Racing. They proved that at the Rolex 24 this year," remarked Quantum Autosports driver/owner Joe Pruskowski.

"We are excited to have Joe and Justin on board," said Gue. "They impressed us at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. They will be worthy additions to the growing ranks of Daytona Prototype drivers."

Quantum Autosports will continue to use Speed Secrets (www.speed-secrets.com) for driver development services, as they have for the past three years. Ross Bentley will be the Pruskowskis' personal driver coach at all rounds of the championship. He will also join the father and son team as the third driver for the long races, such as Daytona and Watkins Glen.

"Joe and Justin have progressed faster over the past few years than almost any drivers I have seen or worked with. They have learned and done so much over the past two years. They are more than ready to compete in the Daytona Prototype championship in 2004," noted Bentley, whose Speed Secrets logos will be carried on the Quantum Autosports car.

The Pruskowskis have been preparing for the top level of sports car racing over the past two seasons by competing in some of the most competitive open-wheel series in the country: the Star Mazda and Fran-Am 2000 championships. Both Justin and Joe's first season of professional racing came in 2002. In that year, Joe won the Star Mazda Masters Championship for drivers over 45 years old, and finished sixth overall in the North American Pro Championship. Son Justin finish fourth overall in the championship and won the Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Driver awards.

The Multimatic Ford Daytona Prototype car has the distinction of earning the class win at the very first race for the Rolex Series' premier class - the 2003 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Designed and built at Multimatic's facilities in Markham, Ontario, Canada, it is powered by a Robert Yates-built Ford 5.0 liter V-8 engine and runs Goodyear tires.