Grand-Am
FABCAR tests Daytona Prototype at Putnam Park
Sports car history made at Putnam Park. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 17, 2002) -- History was made Tuesday when the Brumos Racing Porsche-powered FABCAR Daytona Prototype took to the track at Putnam Park, just outside of Indianapolis. Although the ...
Edited: Oct 19, 2002, 2:03 AM
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Sports car history made at Putnam Park.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 17, 2002) -- History was made Tuesday when the Brumos Racing Porsche-powered FABCAR Daytona Prototype took to the track at Putnam Park, just outside of Indianapolis. Although the car was still missing its bodywork, drivers Hurley Haywood, J.C. France and Scott Goodyear were able to give the car a good initial shakedown, putting in more than 120 miles between them.
The test was the first time a Daytona Prototype coupe has turned a wheel on a racetrack, marking a historical milestone for the new sports car classification. The Daytona Prototypes are replacing the aging WRC-style roadsters as the featured class in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series next year.
The bodywork, which is being fabricated by Crawford Composites in Denver, N.C., from FABCAR designs, is expected to be delivered later this month. FABCAR owner Dave Klym hopes to take the car out to Putnam Park with the bodywork prior to Grand American's invitational test session at Daytona International Speedway in early November.
"We decided to take Chassis 001 to Putnam Park to perform some initial testing," Klym said. "It was primarily a systems check, but we learned some things about driver setup on the seat, steering and shifter positioning. That will save us time when we get to Daytona that we can use to work on getting the car up to full speed."
The car was fitted with an EMCO GA46-C transaxle, a unit that was designed by EMCO Gears expressly for the Daytona Prototype class. "The new EMCO gearbox worked very well," Klym added. "All three drivers commented on how well it shifted."
Klym noted the test was virtually problem free with excellent performance from the Porsche 3.6 liter six-cylinder engine, Pankl drive components and a Woodward power steering rack.
Brumos Racing will field a two-car effort next season, beginning with the Rolex 24 At Daytona in February. Haywood will be lead driver in one car, with David Donohue heading the driver team in the second car.
FABCAR currently has four cars in production and is one of at least five constructors expected to field cars for the February endurance racing classic.
Notable observers at the track were International Speedway Corporation Chairman and CEO Jim France, International Speedway Corporation board member John Cooper and Grand American Director of Competition Dave Watson. "Everybody was grinning ear to ear when that car went out on the track," Watson noted. "I think there's going to be some people jumping through hoops trying to get cars ready for the Rolex 24 once they hear about this."
Additional information about the Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototypes, including photos, renderings and rules, is available online at www.grand-am.com.
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