Phoenix: Krohn Racing/TRG preview

Krohn Racing/TRG Hopes to Shine Under the Lights in Phoenix

Petaluma, California -- Krohn Racing/TRG is looking to really shine under the lights at Phoenix International Raceway in round eleven of the Grand American Rolex Series Daytona Prototype race to be run this Saturday evening.

The Phoenix event will see the GT and the Daytona Prototypes run solo events on consecutive evenings. The tight layout of the 1.51-mile and 11-turn track will see 21 Daytona Prototypes battle for top honors without the added drama of GT traffic.

Tracy Krohn, co-owner and driver of the number 67/Krohn Racing/TRG/Pontiac Riley will not participate this weekend due to damage that his company and employees endured following Hurricane Katrina. Max Papis will move over from the number 66 car to partner Nic Jonsson for the Saturday night race. Papis is the current Phoenix DP qualifying lap record holder with a time of 56.005 seconds.

Jorg Bergmeister is looking forward to taking on the desert circuit for the first time. "The heat will play a role during the weekend," said Bergmeister. "With temperatures expected to reach in excess of 105-degrees, I am sure it will affect the tires and the drivers. I have yet to race at Phoenix, it is a short layout and the infield looks pretty busy. I think that the separation of the DPs and the GTs will cause less caution flags, but we will have to see. Christian and I are still looking for a win, I hope we can be as competitive as we have been in the last five races."

Christian Fittipaldi will partner Bergmeister in this weekend's race. The Brazilian has some experience at Phoenix. "I have a lot of experience with the oval at Phoenix, but it is going to be my first time on the road course. I just have to remember to turn left a little harder into one. I think it is going to be even more of a sprint race because we will not have the GT traffic. Almost all of the cars are going to be running the same lap times. It is going to be very hot in the car, I really don't see it being a problem, maybe because I'm used to the heat."

Max Papis will join Nic Jonsson behind the wheel of the number 67/Krohn Racing/TRG/

Pontiac Riley. The two will be looking to give the number 67 car another victory to go with one from Watkins Glen in June.

"We are going to miss Tracy, but I respect his decision and my heart goes out to all of those affected by the disaster," said Papis. "I will be in Richmond for the IROC race Thursday night and will head to Phoenix for the race on Friday. I have every faith in Nic to set-up the car for the race and I am looking forward to a successful weekend with the number 67 car. Phoenix is a fast track, things happen there very quickly. We will be doing about 55-second lap times, so you have to be ready for anything."

"I am disappointed that Tracy won't be able to run," explained Jonsson. "Tracy and I have been competitive and he is the engine that runs this team -- but he has bigger responsibilities at the moment. I think we will use it as motivation to win for Tracy. Max and I drove together at Daytona in 2001 and we were running for the victory. I am looking forward to driving with him again. Running separate from the GT cars will make it a much more competitive race. There will be no slower cars to interrupt the action. There should also be fewer cautions, but very close racing."

"We will miss Tracy, but we all understand that he has greater responsibilities to attend to than racing," said team co-owner Kevin Buckler. "We have been so close to our second win with the DP cars. Both cars have led a lot of laps, we just need to put it all together.JThe 66 car has been a fixture at the front of the field the second half of the season. Phoenix will be a great event under the lights and the DP and GT cars having their own events."

In the Daytona Prototype drivers points battle, Bergmeister is currently in fourth; Jonsson is in ninth with Tracy Krohn holding down eleventh position after ten races.

Round eleven of the Grand American Rolex Series will be run at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday, September 9th for GT and Saturday, September 10th at 7:00 p.m. for the Daytona Prototypes. The races will be televised on the Speed Channel at on Friday starting at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday for the DPs starting at 7:00 p.m. EST.

-kr/trg-