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Sears Point: Leighton Reese preview

Leighton Reese heading west to Infineon Raceway hoping change his luck in the SPEED World Challenge GT Series July 13, 2004 -- Eden Prairie Minnesota Leighton Reese, of Minnetonka, MN, is heading to the west coast and California dreaming as ...

Edited: Jul 14, 2004, 2:26 AM

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Leighton Reese heading west to Infineon Raceway hoping change his luck in the SPEED World Challenge GT Series

July 13, 2004 -- Eden Prairie Minnesota

Leighton Reese, of Minnetonka, MN, is heading to the west coast and California dreaming as Leighton and his Banner Engineering Chevrolet Corvette will be contesting round 4 of the SPEED World Challenge GT Series at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma California this Sunday the 18th of July at 8:55 AM.

The first three World Challenge races on the east coast haven't been kind to Reese as various problems and an all too close encounter with another car have seriously diminished his results.

"We have had minimal luck due in part to our inexperience in the SPEED World Challenge Series," Reese said of the first three events of 2004. "I think that we've demonstrated that we have the capability to run up front."

Leighton Reese feels that his car is much better prepared for round 4 saying, "The car scaled up really well and the numbers are right where we want them to be so hopefully that is a good omen. Before the last race at Mid-Ohio the chassis was fighting us the whole weekend."

Reese is hoping that he and his Banner Engineering Corvette can have a trouble free race saying, "I would guess right now a top five finish would be a great accomplishment for us, but realistically we probably should be happy with any kind of finish."

Reese isn't counting on his recent experience at Infineon Raceway get him into the top 5 as the facility has seen several changes since he last visited the track formerly known as Sears Point several years ago in the Trans-Am Series.

"The last time I raced at Infineon was along time ago and I finished 6th or 7th," Reese recalled. "But we used the short NASCAR configuration at that time and we will be using the long course this weekend. They have also changed the radius of several turns and improved most of the runoff areas so it will all be pretty new to me."

"The Infineon track isn't really a power track it is more a drivers and chassis track," Reese explained. "It is a rhythm track and you can over drive it and that will only slow you down. Infineon Raceway definitely favors a driver who has experience there."

Leighton Reese and # 6 black and yellow Banner Engineering Chevrolet Corvette will take on the factory supported efforts from Cadillac and Audi as well a healthy group of independently supported Corvettes, Vipers, Porsches and BMWs as Round 4 of the SPEED World Challenge GT Series will begin on Sunday July 18th at 8:55 AM Pacific Time. The race can be seen at 1:00 PM Eastern Time on the SPEED Network on tape delay.

-jb-

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