Homestead: Starworks Motorsport preview

STARWORKS MOTORSPORT READY TO RACE AT HOME WITH NEW "DREAM TEAM" AND 2 DINAN-BMW RILEYS!

Re-launched in January 2010 by Rolex Series veteran Peter Baron, Starworks Motorsport Daytona prototype team is set to enter the upcoming Grand Prix of Miami with two cars and a new drivers' line up.

The Grand Prix of Miami is Starworks Motorsport's home race since the team is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, only half an hour away from the racetrack. Starworks Motorsport raced in last month's Rolex 24 At Daytona but the team is seeing this upcoming race as the true start of the 2010 Rolex Series season.

"Not only is this a home race for the team, it's a home race for our main sponsor, Xtreme Indoor Karting. It's also the main launch of the team" announced team owner Peter Baron. "This program came together only days before the Daytona January test. We all had the attitude 'let's do the best we can for the 24 with limited time we have'. We all felt our season would officially begin at the Homestead event. I think everyone on the team feels this is the start of the season for us. I'm proud of all the efforts each member of the team, has put in. After Homestead 2009, I had one car, one transporter, and one crew, and Bill Lester and Ryan Dalziel working with me to put together a program. There were times over the past 5 months that working at Starbucks looked like a much better opportunity. But to show up with two Dinan-BMW Rileys with updated bodywork, with great sponsors, crew, and drivers still seems like a bit of a dream. I'm happy we will get to do it in front of all the right people. With all this going on, there is no lack of motivation from anyone on the team".

Starworks Motorsport has hired a strong drivers' line-up for the 2010 season. Former NASCAR driver, Bill Lester, one of the most accomplished African American drivers in the world and a Rolex Series veteran, will co-drive the # 7 Starworks Motorsport Dinan-BMW Riley with Ian James. James has competed in the Rolex Series in GT and DP classes since 2001 and is one of the few drivers to have won in all four of the current Grand-Am categories.

Rolex Series race winner and 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona champion, Ryan Dalziel, will co-drive the #8 Starworks Motorsport Dinan-BMW Riley with a promising Rolex Series Rookie of the year contender, Mike Forest.

Baron, whose team is the last BMW powered team to have won a Rolex Series DP race, has assembled a "dream team" since the Rolex 24 with a roster that includes some of the most talented engineering staff and technicians in endurance racing. Race-winning team principal Baron is leading the Starworks Motorsport team with one of his key hires, Bill Riley, from Riley Technologies as the team's race engineer. In addition, Simon Morley, former Michael Schumacher F1 chief mechanic, joined as team manager, bringing with him the experience of winning championships in both Formula One and Indy Car.

"Post Daytona we had a car with immense damage. The only piece of bodywork that was not destroyed on the car was the right door" stated Baron. "The car had to be stripped of every nut and bolt, including the floor. It had to go back to Riley for some work on the jig, and to receive a new floor. We did not see this car until the Friday afternoon 5 days before it had to go in the trailer to Homestead. That would not be so bad if is wasn't for the fact that we received our second car, which last ran in 2008 and needed a complete ground-up rebuild, only 2 weeks before the event. Needless to say, Simon Morley and the guys have worked non-stop to make this happen. I'm quite proud of the quality and quantity of work the crew turned out, while keeping in good spirits" commented Peter Baron.

On the corporate sponsor side, Starworks Motorsport is sponsored by Corsa Car care, Xtreme Indoor Karting, IPO Solutions, Braman Motorcars, North American Electronic Display, Dynacor Media, Creative Carrot Studios and Guarneros Racing Wear.

"Our goal for the season is simple; win as many races as possible. We are not worried about championship points, or playing it safe. We are going to judge our season by the amount of hardware we added to the trophy cabinet. We want to be a threat to win every time out, and we feel we have all the necessary engineers, crew, drivers and equipment to do so" stated Peter Baron.

-source: starworks motorsport