Jack Baldwin set for Miami

MIAMI (April 4, 2000) – Jack Baldwin and George Robinson are hoping that the reliability of the Riley and Scott chassis, paired with the power of the V-10 Judd engine, will be the keys to victory in the May 5-7 Grand American Road Racing Association 250-mile feature at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"Based on the teams that are coming, it’s going to be a pretty darn competitive race," said Baldwin, a former IMSA GTU and SCCA Trans-Am champion, and GTU class winner in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. "The Riley and Scott Mark III is an excellent race car. We’re putting our best engine, the V-10 Judd derived from Formula One racing, into the Mark III, and we think it’s going to be a good package."

Baldwin joins owner-driver Robinson in the Informix Software/74 Ranch Resort-sponsored car, which will be competing in the 250-mile race, 109 laps on the 2.3-mile modified road circuit.

The inaugural Grand-Am also includes a 150-mile race for the GT classes, and a three-hour Motorola Cup race on Saturday. Fan-friendly prices start at $5, with children 12 and under admitted free with a paying adult.

Baldwin explained that the team fielded a Chevrolet-powered Riley and Scott for the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona, and raced a Judd-powered Reynard in the 12 Hours of Sebring.

"Our Reynard is not quite competitive yet, but by putting the new Judd V-10 in our proven Mark III we’re hoping to be competitive with the Dyson Fords and the Ferraris," Baldwin said.

"We had problems with the half-shafts at Daytona, but our highpoint was we finished the race," added Baldwin. "The Mark III is getting totally upgraded for this race, with Formula One-quality parts for the car. We don’t foresee having any problems like that in the future."

Baldwin and Robinson have one Homestead-Miami Speedway race under their belts, racing an Olds Aurora to a third place GT-1 finish in the 1998 United States Road Racing Championship event. Baldwin was also a frequent competitor in the former IMSA Grands Prix through the streets of Bayside Miami, winning the 1985 GTU race in a Mazda RX-7 and the 1986 IMSA GTO race in a Camaro.

Tickets for the debut of the Grand American Road Racing Association begin at $5 for an unreserved Friday grandstand seat and $10 for Saturday. Sunday grandstand seats cost $15, with weekend paddock passes $20. Weekend grandstand/paddock tickets cost $40 if purchased by April 28. Children 12 and under are free in both the grandstand and paddock when accompanied by a paid adult.