Grand Prix of Miami won by Pruett, Rojas

Published 8:51 pm Saturday, March 29, 2008

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas extended their points lead in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series on Saturday, winning their second straight race by taking the Grand Prix of Miami.

The duo combined to lead 51 laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the No. 01 Lexus Riley Daytona Prototype, including 41 for Pruett, to win the 99-lap race by 1.645 seconds for the Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates team.

“Everything was good today. We could run inside, outside high, low, really anywhere on the track,” said Pruett, who earned his record-extending 16th Daytona Prototype victory. “This was truly one of the best cars I’ve ever had.”

Defending Grand Prix of Miami co-winner Bill Auberlen finished second in the No. 23 Porsche Crawford with teammate Joey Hand. Hand led 14 laps before losing the lead to Pruett on lap 78.

Pruett and Rojas teamed with Dario Franchitti and Juan Pablo Montoya to give Ganassi a win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January.

Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson in the No. 60 Ford Riley took third in the Daytona Prototype field.

Five Daytona Prototypes led overall and nine Daytona Prototype cars finished on the lead lap.

In GT, the No. 07 Pontiac GXP.R of Kelly Collins and Paul Edwards won from the pole and led 51 laps to take the class win.

Nine cautions slowed the race’s pace to 82.246 mph.

Grand Am Rolex Sports Car-GAINSCO Grand Prix of Miami results

Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Homestead, Fla.

Lap length: 2.3 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (01) Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas; DP; TELMEX Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates; Lexus Riley; 99; 1.645.

2. (23) Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand; DP; Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team; Porsche Crawford; 99.

3. (60) Mark Patterson, Oswaldo Negri; DP; Michael Shank Racing; Ford Riley; 99.

4. (91) Jim Matthews, Marc Goossens; DP; Bob Stallings/ Riley-Matthews; Pontiac Riley; 99.

5. (7) Matt Plumb, Gene Sigal.; DP; Sigalsport; BMW Riley; 99.

6. (99) Jon Fogarty, Alex Gurney; DP; GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing; Pontiac Riley; 99.

7. (59) JC France, Joao Barbosa; DP; Brumos Porsche/ Kendall; Porsche Riley; 99.

8. (61) Brian Frisselle, Mark Wilkins; DP; AIM Autosport; Ford Riley; 99.

9. (3) Shane Lewis, Bill Lester; DP; Southard Motorsports; Lexus Riley; 99.

10. (07) Paul Edwards, Kelly Collins.; GT; Banner Racing; Pontiac GXP.R; 99.

11. (67) Tim George Jr., Spencer Pumpelly; GT; TRG; Porsche GT3; 99.

12. (06) Jan Magnussen; Leighton Reese.; GT; Banner Racing; Pontiac GXP.R; 99.

13. (87) Dominik Farnbacher, Dirk Werner; GT; Farnbacher Loles Racing; Porsche GT3; 99.

14. (70) Sylvain Tremblay, Nick Ham; GT; SpeedSource; Mazda RX-8; 99.

15. (72) Lawson Aschenbach, Tim Lewis Jr..; GT; Autohaus Motorsports; Pontiac GXP.R; 99.

16. (50) John Farano, David Empringham; GT; Blackforest Motorsports; Mustang; 99.

17. (69) Emil Assentato, Jeff Segal; GT; SpeedSource; Mazda RX-8; 99.

18. (68) RJ Valentine, Bryan Sellers; GT; TRG; Porsche GT3; 99.

19. (15) Tom Nastasi, Jean-Francois Dumoulin; GT; Blackforest Motorsports; Mustang Cobra GT; 99.

20. (2) Henri Zogaib, Ryan Dalziel; DP; SAMAX; BMW Riley; 98.

21. (76) Nic Jonsson, Ricardo Zonta; DP; Krohn Racing; Pontiac Lola; 98.

22. (75) Tracy Krohn, Eric van de Poele; DP; Krohn Racing; Pontiac Lola; 98.

23. (21) Diego Alessi, Jan Seyffarth; GT; Matt Connolly Motorsports; Pontiac GTO.R; 98.

24. (86) Eric Lux, Leh Keen; GT; Farnbacher Loles Racing; Porsche GT3; 98.

25. (09) Guy Cosmo, Marc-Antoine Camirand; DP; Spirit of Daytona Racing; Porsche Coyote; 97.

26. (66) Bryce Miller, Ted Ballou; GT; TRG; Porsche GT3; 97.

27. (40) Joe Foster, Patrick Dempsey; GT; Hyper Sport; Mazda RX-8; 97.

28. (29) Roberto Garcia, Scooter Gabel; GT; Alegra Motorsports; Porsche GT3; 97.

29. (32) Mike Forest, Thomas Merrill; GT; PR1 Motorsports; Pontiac GXP.R; 96.

30. (10) Michael Valiante, Max Angelelli; DP; SunTrust Racing; Pontiac Dallara; 96.

31. (74) Derek Skea, Joe Safina, Anthony Lazzaro; Safina Racing with Mitchum Motorsports; Porsche GT3; 96.

32. (88) Dave Lacey, Patrick Long; GT; Farnbacher Loles Racing; Porsche GT3; 94.

33. (26) Jerome Jacalone, Joe Jacalone; GT; Gotham Competition; Porsche GT3; 94.

34. (43) Joe Nonnamaker, Wayne Nonnamaker; GT; Team Sahlen; Corvette; 90.

35. (16) Antonio Garcia, Matteo Bobbi; DP; Cheever Racing; Pontiac Coyote; 89.

36. (6) John Pew, Ian James; DP; Michael Shank Racing; Ford Riley; 89.

37. (77) Memo Gidley, Brad Jaeger; DP; Doran Racing; Ford Dallara; 87.

38. (80) Steve Johnson, Jan Heylen; GT; Synergy Racing; Porsche GT3; 81.

39. (9) Brian Tuttle, Doug Smith; DP; Tuttle Team Racing; Pontiac Riley; 80.

40. (42) Joe Sahlen, Will Nonnamaker; GT; Team Sahlen; Corvette; 71.

41. (55) Scott Tucker, Ed Zabinski; GT; Level 5 Motorsports; Ferrari F430 CH; 59.

42. (58) Darren Law, David Donohue; DP; Brumos Porsche; Porsche Riley; 59.

43. (57) Robin Liddell, Andrew Davis; GT; Stevenson Motorsports; Pontiac GXP.R; 56.

44. (22) Carlos de Quesada, Craig Stanton; GT; Alegra Motorsports; Porsche GT3; 55.

45. (30) Robert Thorne; GT; Racers Edge Motorsports; Mazda RX-8; 44.

Race Statstics

Time of Race: 2 hour, 46 minutes, .684 seconds.

Margin of Victory: 1.645 seconds.

Winner’s Average Speed: 82.246 mph.

Caution Flags: Nine for 40 laps.

Lead Changes: Seven among six drivers.

Lap Leaders: D.Donahue 1-11; M.Rojas 12-21; M.Valiante 22-41; J.Fogarty 42-44; S.Pruett 45-63; J.Hand 64-77; S.Pruett 78-99.