Pics
Home
 

News
< Back to News Home SPEED TV Announcers proclaim that Team Sahlen is the "Hardest Working Team in Grand American" at the ROLEX 24

Posted (02/07/2012) -

At this year’s ROLEX 24 Hours at Daytona, Team Sahlen received the greatest compliment they could receive from the SPEED TV Announcers.  During the broadcast, the Announcers proclaimed that Team Sahlen was the “Hardest Working Team in Grand American ROLEX series.

  

This is quite a statement to make. Especially when one takes into account all the great team that do compete in the ROLEX series.  The SPEED TV Announcers are an astute bunch, and it would be foolish to think that this group did not first do their research before making such a statement.  Part of their research most likely included digging up the scope that Team Sahlen was the leading entrant  in the 2011 ROLEX series with 32 entries.  But whatever the full details of their research, everyone at Team Sahlen was certainly honoured by the statement

 

 

“It was an incredible statement for them to make.  We heard about it during the race, but I didn’t believe it until I got home and heard in on replay.  I am so proud of this team.  They work so very hard to fight at the sharp edge of the ROLEX GT grid.” – shared Jay Chapman, Team Manager

 

 

Speaking of fighting it out at the sharp end of the Grid, Wayne Nonnamaker qualified the #42 Mazda RX-8 in an amazing 5th place out of 45 in the GT class. 

 

 

“I received an amazing tow from John Andretti in the Yellow Dragon RX-8, and I think that was the difference between us being 5th vs 15th spot.  IT was that competitive this year in GT.” – stated Wayne Nonnamaker

 

 

 

Added Catherine Crawford Wallace, Team Engineer - “I was pleasantly surprised at the pace the Sahlen Mazda showed in qualifying against the new makes and continued to demonstrate in the race. The team did a wonderful job in prepping the car as we had no mechanical issues save for having to change the brakes more often than expected. The drivers all kept it on the island and though we had a few love taps the car finished the race with no damage. The speed we showed is very encouraging going in to the rest of the season.”

 

 

As the race unfolded, Team Sahlen continued to work hard to fight at the top of the GT pack.  In fact at the 3 hour mark, strategic pit stops placed Will Nonnamaker at the front of the pack at the restart after a long yellow flag.

 

“We we on the lead lap, and choose to stay out, since we were still at ¾ tank.  Even though the rest of the pack restarted on fresh tires, it was a great move at that point in the race.  It was much smarter to be in front of everyone than to be back in the 40+ car GT pack.  At this particular restart cars were everywhere, dive bombing each other.  Watching the SPEED TV coverage at home, I saw even more of this craziness. I think this was the one point in the race that everyone forgot it was a 24 hour race.  No matter what, I am very happy to be able to say I led the ROLEX 24 Hours at Daytona.: - shared Will Nonnamaker

 

As the race wore on, a unique trend started to emerge, and this trend was completely the opposite of all previous ROLEX 24 Hours that Team Sahlen had been in.  1st off, there were very few wrecks and yellows.  This resulted in only 2 hours of the race being under caution.  The limited wrecks meant minimal attrition.  Additionally, with the few yellows, this typically would lead to mechanical breakdowns, but this year was not the case.

 

“Normally , if you have no trips to the garage, no unscheduled pit stops, and off track excursions, no body damage, plus your car keeps up the same pace, then you expect to get up on Sunday morning and find your car somewhere in the Top 10 in class.  But this year was not your normal 24, and in the end we netted 12th place, in what might have been our best  Rolex ever, despite not netting a Top 10.” – shared Joe Nonnamaker, Team Sahlen patriarch

In the end, Team Sahlen’s professional driver Dane Cameron summed it up best - “The 50th Rolex 24 was incredible on so many different levels. There were so many die hard fans out the weather was great and our Sahlen's Mazda ran absolutely flawlessly. Wayne did a phenomenal job in qualifying and we had good pace in the race, no unscheduled pit stops and had a strong finish to 12th out of an amazingly competitve field. The Rolex 24 is the toughest event we have all season and to have executed it as a team so well, gives everyone a lot of confidence heading into the sprint races. I am really excited to get to our next race at Barber even though its weeks away!”

At the conclusion to the event, Wayne Nonnamaker was awarded the Bob Akin Sportsman Award for the event.  This was Wayne’s 3 straight year in being the recipient of this prestigious award.

 

The next event for Team Sahlen in the Grand American ROLEX series will be the Barber Motorsports Park event on March 31st.  Team Sahlen will be entering all 3 Mazda RX-8s (#42, #43 & #49) in the event.

 

The 2012 Team Sahlen campaign in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is supported by Mazda, Mazdaspeed, 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 and Endurance Karting

Most Recent News Articles
** Team Sahlen's Joe Nonnamaker - Nelson Ledges 24 hours from 1980 to 2019
** Team Sahlen has a great day of Testing at Nelson Ledges Road Course
** Audi Mentor mentors Team Sahlen on new Audi R8 LMS GT3
** Team Sahlen excitedly announces their newest racer - the Audi R8 LMS GT3
** ECS Tuning welcomes new partnership with Team Sahlen
** All Fit Automotive helps Team Sahlen improve their Race Cars' Aerodynamics
** Team Sahlen secures Double OVERALL victory at the Sahlen's Champyard DOG at the Glen
** Team Sahlen secures photo finish 1st and 2nd Place at the Sahlen's Sports Car Springfest at the Glen
** Team Sahlen excited for Memorial Day weekend at the Watkins Glen International
** The Sahlen's Sports Car Springfest kicks off the racing season at Watkins Glen International
** Team Sahlen kicks off season at Watkins Glen International
 


Pics
Home

5441 Global Gateway
North Canton, Ohio 44720