Posted (02/05/2008) -
Team Sahlen entered the 2008 ROLEX 24 Hours of Daytona with a full season in 2007 under their belts with the HRPWorld.com Corvette.
The November and January test days went very well for Team Sahlen. After implementing several key development ideas, the package came together at the January tes sessions, with driver Wayne Nonnamaker posting a comfortable 1:52.18. This time was only a scant 1 second of the lead cars in each session.
With all the knowledge gained from Test Days, Team Sahlen began preparations to put a race car together that would last the duration of the twice around the clock event.
For the practice and qualifying sessions leading up to the race, Team Sahlen kept the laps on the HRPWorld.com Corvette to a minimum. Not pushing the car for a fast time, Wayne qualified the #43 comfortably in 31st spot out of 43 Grand Touring cars entered.
"The HRPWorld.com Corvette was running great. We had a set up that would be good in all conditions during the race. It's a long race, and just surviving turn one will be a challenge." - stated Wayne Nonnamaker
Wayne's words were well chosen, as no sooner did the GT class take the green flag to start the legendary event, than 3 GT class Porsches collided on the front straight, ending their race before it even started. Wayne carefully maneuvered himself through the melee and rolled on into the race.
Hour after hour, Team Sahlen kept a steady pace. Already by hour 9, the #43 had risen 13 spots to 18th. As the race wore into the night, the normal mechanical issues that all cars in the 24 hours expeience occurred.
"We had a slight transmission situation that stopped us for a short bit. We got back out on the track though and were still making good time." - states crew chief Mike Thomas
Then in the early morning hours, Joe Sahlen found himself with the errie sight of the rear bumper of a fellow competitors race car come flying at him.
"All of a sudden the rear bumper came flying off. I nearly missed it, but to no avail, that bumper found our car. And did it ever find us. It destroyed the front bumper, hood, right fender, rear deck and window." - States Joe Sahlen
The crew made hasty repairs to the body work, and the HRPWorld.com Corvette was sent on its way again on track.
Then just as the sun was rising, a freak incident caused the #43 to spin under yellow. Although a mild spin, the incident occurred where there was not tire walls on the infield, causing the rear suspension to be completely broken. So less than ΒΌ of the way to go in the race, and Team Sahlen was forced to retire.
"Everything was going according to plan. We were running a good pace. Now we have 12 more events during the season to continue forward. We are excited about our HRPWorld.com Corvette. Team Sahlen will be back to a two car effort with both #42 and #43 at Homestead." - states Joe
Nonnamaker
The Next event for Team Sahlen will be the ROLEX Grand American race at Homestead Speedway on March 29th. The race will be televised live on SPEED Channel.
The 2008 Team Sahlen ROLEX GT Campaign is support by HRPWorld.com, ZIP Products, HAWK Performance, Forgeline Wheels, Cool Shirt, TheRaceSite.com, TheRaceMarket.com, Grassroots Motorsports, Holliday Canopies, Alcon, CM Racing, Joe Gibbs Motor Oil, Genesis Technologies, and Corsa Performance.
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