Watkins Glen II: Friday news and notes

Qualifying strategies

The top Daytona Prototype teams didn't let the Bell Motorsports team's qualifying and driver strategy go unnoticed from the Paul Revere 250 where Forest Barber qualified the #54 Chevrolet Doran letting Terry Borcheller, the team's pro driver, handle the driving duties in the critical stages of the race.

Almost all the teams at Watkins Glen for the Bully Hill Vineyards 250 are employing the same strategy. Geoffrey Bodine will qualify the #8 BMW Picchio. Barber will start the #54 Chevrolet. Mike Borkowski will qualify in Brumos Racing's #58 Red Bull Porsche, while J.C. France will be the starting driver in the Brumos #59 Porsche.

The only DP teams putting in the "hot shoe" for the first stint will be the Cegwa Sport #3 Toyota FABCAR with Darius Grala, the Doran-Lista #27 Toyota with Didier Theys and the Speedsource #70 Multimatic Ford with Sylvain Tremblay.

Auberlen In New Toyota Daytona Prototype

Doran-Lista Racing announced earlier this week that 2002 Rolex Series GT champion Bill Auberlen would replace Fredy Lienhard in the team's new #27 Toyota-powered Doran JE4 Daytona Prototype this Friday. Lienhard was forced to skip the Bully Hill Vineyards 250 due to illness.

"I was very fortunate that Fredy let me do this. I feel bad for him. I hope he gets better," remarked Auberlen, who raced with Doran-Lista earlier this season. "This will be my first time in one of the Daytona Prototypes ever. Kevin (Doran) has built a beautiful car, and whatever Kevin does, you know it is prepared so well that it's just going to be a great experience."

Auberlen will partner with 2002 Rolex Series SRP champion Didier Theys in the #27 Toyota's debut race.

Borcheller The One To Beat

If you ask the drivers in the Daytona Prototypes class whom they consider their biggest threat, an overwhelming majority will reply Terry Borcheller. Although points leaders Mike Borkowski and David Donohue hold only a two-poi nt lead over their teammates J.C. France and Hurley Haywood, it is the driver of the Bell Motorsports #54 Chevy that they are keeping their eyes on.

"I really believe that this weekend is a critical weekend for the points. I don't know that the winner of this race will or will not win the championship, but I really believe this is a pivotal race," said Borcheller, who has won three races this season - more than any other driver. "We are in a stretch of the season where points are going to become very difficult. And because we are four points down and not leading, this is a pivotal race. We need to beat the Brumos cars here - both of them."

Newman Could Join Petty

Academy Award-winning actor Paul Newman was added to the driver lineup of the Gunnar Racing #6 Porsche GT1 this morning, joining NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and Gunnar Jeannette. Newman practiced with the team today, however it is still undecided if he will compete in the Bully Hill Vineyards 250. The #6 Porsche paint scheme features all eight of the Hole In The Wall camps, which were started by Newman.