Team Sahlen is excited for the merger of Grand American and American LeMans starting in the 2014 Season. The announcement that came on September 5^th was a shocker to all at Team Sahlen,,,but a very pleasant surprise at that. 

“The press conference in Daytona Beach, Florida announcing the merger surprised the Motorsports world.  Now that we have had a few weeks to absorb the big announcement, we continue to be excited about the stability and long term growth that this merger will bring to Sports Car Racing.  With this being my 40^th year of Sports Car Racing, I have seen many phases during that span of time.  I have raced in SCCA, IMSA, USSRC and Grand American.   To see the accumulation of one singular Sports Car Series in North America will only build strength on the positives that both the Grand American ROLEX and American LeMans Series brings for the competitors and manufacturers” – Shared Joe Nonnamaker

Add Will Nonnamaker – “I think that the real winners in this merger are the Sports Car Racing fans across North America.  Now there is a unified championship, all attention and focus can be centerered on one series where the best of the best will be competing head to head.”

For the past 8 seasons Team Sahlen has competed in the Grand American ROLEX Series in the GT class.  During that span the team has been the largest entrant in the ROLEX series.  At that most recent Grand American event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Team Sahlen captured 1^st Place in the GT class.  Recently at the Watkins Glen II race weekend, Team Sahlen announced their plans to step up to the Daytona Prototype Class in 2013 with 2 BMW Rileys.

Speaking as both a Team Owner/Driver and Race Event Sponsor, Joe Sahlen shared his thoughts – “Everyone at Sahlen’s is very enthused about the merger.  With Team Sahlen stepping up to Daytona Prototypes, we feel we are poised to be at the apex of what will be the baseline for what will become the premier level of Sports Car Racing in North America, if not the world. Additionally, we are excited to be continuing or 10 years plus partnership as the Sponsor of the Sahlen’s 6 Hours of the Glen.  Already a part of the North American Sports Car Endurance Championship, this Endurance Championship now takes on even more significance with the addition of such prestigious long distance events that occur at Sebring and Road Atlanta.”

Prior to competing in the Grand American ROLEX Sports Car Series, Team Sahlen’s competed in the Continental Tire Series, winning the 2001 & 2002 ST Titles and 2003 & 2004 GS Titles.  Additionally, during a 25 year period the team captured 7 Driver’s Championships, 7 Team Championships, 8 Manufacturers Championships and 51 Victories.  Within this heritage though, due to the many varieties of Sports Car Series, Team Sahlen actually competed in 5 different versions of this Production Based Sports Car Endurance Racing.  From 1992-1999, this series was actually sanctioned by IMSA, the organization through which the American LeMans series is campaigned.

“The merger of Grand American and American LeMans will provide a system  of series and classes by which teams and drivers can focus upon as a ladder system through the ranks of Sports Car Endurance Racing.  The model of ST to DP is a perfect sequence of classes that provides for an increased level of speed, technology and competition at each level along the way.” – shared Wayne Nonnamaker, winner in Grand American’s ST, GS, SGS and GT classes.

The 2012 Team Sahlen campaign in the

GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is supported by:

 Mazda, Mazdaspeed, SimXperience, Alcon, Racetech, NGK, Cool Shirt, Racing Print Media, Mothers Polish, TheRaceSite.com, Western New York Flash, Grassroots Motorsports, ASC Industries, Iannetti Design Ideas, CM Racing, Quarter Master, BBS Wheels, MSI Racing Products, Endurance Karting and Akron Aeros