San Jose resident ready to back up last year's accomplishments.
Jan 11, 2011
Daytona Beach, FL -
The 2011 GRAND-AM Rolex 24 at Daytona will once again see Max Hyatt pilot the #32 Autosport Designs Inc./ Corsa Car Care/ Dinan/ MOBOTIX/ PR1 Motorsports BMW M6 for Fresno, CA based PR1 Motorsports. While preparing to make his second appearance in the twice around the clock endurance classic, Hyatt took to the legendary Daytona International Speedway this past weekend in a GRAND-AM sanctioned test. Lapping the 3.56-mile, 12-turn speedway road course that uses a significant portion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Daytona 500 course, Hyatt recorded a 1:51.178 lap, with a 115.274 average mph. Hyatt's time was good enough for tenth in class for the session and was nearly a second faster than his quickest lap from the 2010 24-hour race.
"I tested the car for the team a few weeks ago to make sure that all of the systems were working correctly and that our initial chassis setup was ready for Daytona," Hyatt said. "When we unloaded the M6 in Florida, the car was quick right away and all of my co-drivers were able to get up to speed within their first few laps."
Being the only member of the four PR1 Motorsports driver lineup with experience in the car at Daytona, Hyatt is highly regarded amongst the team and was therefore used to test a series of new components and engineering experiments throughout the weekend.
"Daytona's NASCAR oval was recently repaved and it is a completely different animal from what we've experienced in the past," Hyatt explained. "It used to be extremely bumpy and it's glass smooth now. The infield portions of the track were not repaved though, so there are significant difference in track surfaces that we have to transition through four times every lap. On top of that challenge, there is an all-new tire supplier that we must acclimate to as quickly as possible. With so many variables, and with our competition getting quicker every year, it is vital that we push ourselves to utilize new technologies that will help us get an edge on the rest of the GT class."
"I have the highest respect for the PR1 Motorsports engineering team, so to have them put their trust in me to test and evaluate new components and strategies was quite an honor."
While Hyatt's co-drivers were learning the BMW's characteristics and familiarizing themselves with Daytona's unique oval/ road course layout, (or "Roval" as it is affectionately known) Hyatt's testing duties were rewarded when the team allowed him to begin simulating qualifying laps, which are typically much faster, and riskier than normal race-pace efforts.
"I was out on really old tires when we set one of the fastest time of the whole weekend," Hyatt continued. "So the decision was made to bolt on a new set of Continental slicks and make a mock qualifying effort. Even with traffic, which normally isn't as prominent in an actual qual' session, we were still able to put up some impressive sector times. Right now, our data shows that our hypothetical obtainable lap will be more than enough to get us to the front of the grid."
"When you combine that data with how well the whole team performed, I am very optimistic that we'll be able to run up front again this year. We definitely have what it takes."
GT Class qualifying for the 49th Rolex 24 at Daytona begins on Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 1:15pm PT with the 24-hour event beginning Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 12:30pm PT.
Max Hyatt Racing sponsor and partnership opportunities are immediately available. For more information, please contact JMH Racing Group LLC at 505.699.8385.
About GRAND-AM:
MEDIA REACH:
GRAND-AM Road Racing is covered throughout the U.S. on several mediums as well as throughout the world. Rolex Sports Car Series races are broadcasted live on SPEED while ESPN International provides full race coverage or recap shows on six of seven continents. Media in key markets, including those in or near New York City, Philadelphia, Montreal, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Miami, Cleveland, Columbus (Ohio), Birmingham (Ala.) and Salt Lake City, provide weekend and/or season-long coverage on races, and several markets provide season-long exposure on their local teams and drivers.
FAN BASE/ATTENDANCE:
The estimated at-track attendance for GRAND-AM events in 2009 exceeded 300,000. The GRAND-AM fan base is 68 percent male and 32 percent female. GRAND-AM fans are spread across all age groups, with 47 percent between the ages of 18-34 and 64 percent who are 18-44. GRAND-AM fans show a passion for motorsports through their love of cars.
GRAND-AM series information can be found at www.grand-am.com
About PR1 Motorsports:
In paddocks packed with excellent teams and quality drivers, PR1 Motorsports has established itself as one of the top driver development programs. Based in Fresno, CA, PR1 Motorsports occupies an expansive facility housing a stable of F2000 Zetec and professional sports cars. Team drivers enjoy the benefits of a completely professional program including engineering support, state-of-the art data acquisition, and a race winning experienced crew. PR1 Motorsports drivers, and partners, also enjoy first-class trackside hospitality and comprehensive marketing support.
PR1 Motorsports team information can be found at: www.PR1Motorsports.com
About Max Hyatt:
Born into a racing family and a lifetime racing enthusiast, Max was attending club race events before he could walk. After graduating Cum Laude from Santa Clara University with majors in economics and psychology, he began winning his way up the ranks to his earn his place on the PR1 Motorsports team as a serious contender in the popular American Le Mans Series and the famed Grand-Am Rolex series.
For more information, visit www.maxhyattracing.com
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