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Mexico City: Riley-Matthews Motorsports race report

Riley-Matthews takes victory in Mexico City Matthews scores Trueman honors as team moves to second in championship standings Mexico City, MX (19 April 2008)-- Riley-Matthews Motorsports won a thrilling Mexico City 250 on Saturday as Jim Matthews ...

Riley-Matthews takes victory in Mexico City
Matthews scores Trueman honors as team moves to second in championship standings

Mexico City, MX (19 April 2008)-- Riley-Matthews Motorsports won a thrilling Mexico City 250 on Saturday as Jim Matthews and Marc Goossens co-drove the No. 91 Pontiac-powered Riley to the team's second Rolex Sports Car Series victory. The race result moves the team into second in the Rolex Series team championship standings, and earned Matthews the Mexico City Trueman Award medal during the post-race podium ceremonies.

The No. 91 started from fifteenth on the thirty-one car field with Matthews at the helm of the silver machine for the two hour and forty-five minute event. Matthews made good forward progress at the start and in the opening stages before turning the car over to Goossens. The Belgian kept the upward mobility going, clipping off positions before fighting for and then taking the lead on lap 71. Despite heavy pressure from three other Daytona Prototypes, Goossens never yielded and scored a .529-second victory.

"It was tough," said Goossens. "Once I got by Scott (Pruett), he kept putting pressure on me all the way. It was pretty tough keeping the lead. I had a lot of pressure the last third of the race. I couldn't relax for a second. The 01 car was all over me and then the 76 came up as well. Riley-Matthews Motorsports did a great job in the pits and with the strategy. The car was a little slow down the long straight, but we were able to make it up in the back section. I was able to control the race and get through the slower traffic and win."

Co-driver Matthews thoroughly enjoyed the closely contested race, from both sides of the cockpit.

"It was an excellent day today," enthused Matthews. "My qualifying wasn't what I hoped for, but Bill (Riley) really nailed the set up for the race today-I didn't make a single adjustment from inside the car, it was so good. Marc did a great job today, and it was a lot of fun for me because I got to drive, and then get out and watch a great race. It was a pretty fun day today."

After growing momentum through the 2007 Rolex season and closing out the year with a big win at Miller Motorsports Park, the 2008 Rolex Series season has seen the Riley Motorsports effort continue to pick up pace.

"This is the kind of day we all get up early and get to the shop for," said Riley-Matthews Motorsports President Bill Riley. "This was a great show for the fans as well with four cars fighting for the lead all the way to the finish. Jim and Marc did a great job and this is a big boost for us in the points. Pontiac was a big part of this win for us today and I have to thank all the team partners who work so hard to help us put as competitive a package on the track as we can. Hopefully we can make up even more ground in the championship next week at VIR."

The team will head Stateside for round four of the Rolex Series season at Virginia International Raceway on Sunday, April 27.

-credit: r/mm

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