Mexico City: HBM NO. 4 car race report

EFR, Leitzinger Fifth in La Gran Final de la Serie Rolex Sports Car 4 BOSS Snowplow drivers, team finish third in points

Mexico City, Mexico (November 6, 2005) . The #4 BOSS Snowplow Racing Team closed the 2005 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series with a 5th-place in the La Gran Final de la Serie Rolex Sports Car. The historic event was the first-ever Rolex Series race at the Autodromo Hermanmos Rodriquez in Mexico City.

After two practice sessions on the 2.786-mile, 17-turn circuit on Friday, November 4th, qualifying was held to determine the starting grid for the 90- lap race. Elliott Forbes-Robinson was chosen to qualify the #4 BOSS Snowplow Pontiac Crawford and responded with a fast lap of 1:47.189 / 93.569 mph to earn the 10th position on the grid.

With the largest crowd to witness a Rolex Series race this season in attendance, the 28-car starting field took the green flag under bright, sunny skies. The early stages of the race would be a "feeling out" process by the teams as they sorted out their cars and planned their race strategy. EFR took advantage of his years of road racing experience to gradually move forward in the running order. When the BOSS Pontiac Crawford came to the pits on lap 40 for tires, fuel, and a driver change, EFR was running in the 7th-position.

Butch Leitzinger took the control of the #4 Howard-Boss Motorsports entry and returned to the race in the 12th position. Less than ten laps later, Leitzinger had advanced up to seventh. On lap 63, the veteran sports car ace worked his way into the top five. As the laps began to wind down, Leitzinger was closing in on the 4th-place #02 car. With less than two laps remaining, the question of fuel arose. However, the BOSS Snowplow crew assured him than there would be enough fuel to complete the event. Their calculations were correct and Leitzinger brought the BOSS Pontiac Crawford to the finish in the fifth position.

The fifth place finish enabled the drivers, EFR and Leitzinger, and the #4 Howard-Boss Motorsports team to finish the Rolex Sports Car Series season third in their respective point races. Last season, the BOSS Snowplow Team finished fourth in team and EFR and Leitzinger seventh in driver overall points.

"Our BOSS Pontiac Crawford was a little off early in the weekend," EFR stated. "But, the car really came around during the race and was actually pretty good the longer we ran. I knew what we had to do and this team did a good job of preparing our car for the long haul."

"This was my first time competing here on this course, and the entire event was really exciting," Leitzinger commented. "Elliott (EFR) did a great job, as he has done all year long, and put us in good position. This circuit is both fast and rough, but this is road racing and roads can be a little rough in places. To race for these fans was exciting and a big boost for our series too."

With the checkered flag in Mexico City, the 2005 Grand American Rolex Series came to a close. The #4 BOSS Snowplow team scored wins at Daytona in June and Mid-Ohio in August. EFR and Leitzinger also finished second three times and earned six podium finishes during the year. And, if not for unfortunate on-track incidents not of their making at Phoenix and Watkins Glen in September, the BOSS Snowplow Team from Howard-Boss Motorsports may have claimed the series top prize. Congratulations to everyone associated with this second-year team for a great season.

-hbm-