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Sahlen Makes the Buffalo News
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Posted (06/14/2005) - Sahlen Combines Roles of Sponsor, Driver Elma executive backs Sports Car Grand Prix at Watkins Glen By: Larry Ott To this area's business community, Joe Sahlen is the president of the Buffalo-based Sahlen Packing Co. To those in the sports car racing community, he is a fan, sponsor and driver. He will wear all three of these racing hats for this weekend's Sahlen's Sports Car Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International. Sahlen, of Elma, will sponsor the annual sports car racing extravaganza at the Glen for the third consecutive year. Highlighting the weekend will be Sunday's running of the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen featuring the Daytona Prototypes and the GT cars, both of which are part of the Grand American Rolex Sports Cars Series. The series is owned by International Speedway Corporation (ISC). ISC also owns NASCAR. Jim France oversees the series. "When the Grand American series was formed by ISC a few years ago, they brought stability to the world of sports car racing," Sahlen said. "In the past, someone would start a sports car series and it would get rolling along and then pretty soon the higher profile, big dollar teams would get involved and dominate that series. The cost of racing would escalate substantially. "Soon people would run out of money or lose interest and the series would fade away. The sport would have its peaks and valleys. "ISC has come in with this series and standardized the rules and allowed teams to only buy approved chassis and engines to keep the cost down. It has increased competition. They basically used the same blueprint that they utilized to make NASCAR so successful and it's working. "More cars are joining the series. Three years ago, when I first got involved with sponsoring this event at the Glen, there were only five Prototypes in the Six Hour event. This Sunday about 22 to 23 cars should be in competition with about 15 having a legitimate chance for the victory." In the six-hour contest, the GT cars will run on the Glen's famed road course simultaneously with the Daytona Prototypes. About 45 cars in all will be on the track. The growth of the series had made sponsorship of events a more lucrative business venture for Sahlen and others. "The potential to reach more people with the message of our product is better now, and I believe the series has even a brighter future," Sahlen said. Along with his sponsorship role, Sahlen also is a driver, enjoying his rookie season in the Grand American Cup Series that will perform in the Chemung Canal Trust 200 Saturday afternoon. Sahlen will be piloting a production-based Porsche 996 with teammate Will Nonnamaker co-driving. Sahlen was busy testing last week. "I've been a sports car fan for many years," Sahlen said. "My wife, Anita, and I have been going to the Glen for over 30 years. Many people thought that since I was involved with sponsorship in the sport that I should try driving. I deferred for about a year and then once I got up enough confidence, I attended a test session this past January in Daytona and I became a driver. "I tested the Porsche and we tested one of our GT cars on Monday and Tuesday at Mid-Ohio (Lexington, Ohio). That is a 2.4-mile course, and I was hitting speeds of about 140 mph on the backstretch there. At the Glen I think I will get up to about 150 down the longer backstretch. The Prototypes at the Glen this Sunday will be doing about 170 to 175." "While all motorsports driving has its skills, sports car racing combines them all. I love the acceleration, breaking, cornering and the balance that you need in sports car racing. I also like the variety of the left and right turns and curves and esses." Sahlen also is looking forward to "the Boot Bash," to be held at |
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