Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas in the Ganassi Riley-BMW finished second in the Grand-Am Rolex Series Saturday night race at Kansas Speedway. Pruett mounted a dramatic late-race challenge to Jordan Taylor in the Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP, but he could not get by Taylor for the win. The margin of victory was just .568 seconds.
The Ganassi car’s strong second place finish marked a recovery from a huge setback early in the 2 ¾-hour race. Memo Rojas, who had started from the pole, was battling for the lead with Action Express Corvette DP racer Christian Fittipaldi when he made contact with Fittipaldi’s car. Rojas received a stop and go plus 60-second penalty for avoidable contact, and damaged the left front of the car. The team made repairs when Rojas pitted for the driver change. Pruett took over and came from well back in the pack on his stint to move the car into contention for the win.
Starworks’ #8 Riley-BMW, the winner at Road America, finished sixth in Kansas, Dane Cameron and Wayne Nonnamaker finished seventh in the #42 Team Sahlen Riley-BMW, and Will and Joe Nonnamaker finished tenth in the #43 Sahlen Riley-BMW. The second Starworks Riley-BMW, driven by Ryan Dalziel and Alex Popow, finished eleventh in class, 21 laps down, after a long pit stop to repair damage that resulted from Popow’s contact with the wall. The duo lost the series drivers' points lead to Jordan Taylor and his co-driver Max Angelelli.
Alessandro Balzan and Leh Keen won the GT class in the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458. The #94 Turner Motorsport M3 driven by Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana finished seventh, and the team’s #93 M3, driven by Billy Johnson and Michael Marsal, finished ninth.
Rolex Series competition resumes at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on September 8.—Brian S. Morgan
