ACTION EXPRESS RACING SCORES TWO TOP FIVE FINISHES IN THE CONTINENTAL TIRE MONTEREY GRAND PRIX

MONTEREY, Calif. (May 3, 2015) – Action Express Racing exhibited championship mettle on a difficult weekend, scoring top-5 finishes for both the Mustang Sampling and Whelen/Team Fox Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototypes in the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix.

After starting the race from the fifth and seventh positions, defending series champion Christian Fittipaldi and teammate Eric Curran made early moves to third and fifth respectively. The moves would serve crucial to positioning the teams for top-5 finishes as the two hour and forty minute grand prix unfolded.

“We were able to get position on a few guys at the start,” said Fittipaldi. “Valiante made it three wide getting to Turn 1 and we had the inside line to follow him through. We made some slight contact trying to get second position, but fortunately didn’t do any damage to our car and settled into third for the first part of the race.”

Teammate Eric Curran in the No. 31 Whelen/Team Fox Corvette DP followed his teammate through the opening and came out seventh.

“We were struggling for speed a little bit this weekend,” said Curran. “Luckily the seas parted a bit going into the first turn and we were able to pick up a couple spots at a track that is difficult to pass on. From there it was about running smooth laps and fighting for every position possible.”

An early full course caution would alter strategy slightly, bringing both Action Express Racing Corvette DPs to the pits and the team opted to complete the mandatory driver change, putting João Barbosa in the Mustang Sampling Corvette DP and Dane Cameron in the Whelen/Team Fox Corvette DP.

When the race resumed the two cars worked lapped traffic with caution, keeping the championship picture in mind. After a quick full course caution, the race would run green to completion.

“We had a tough weekend for sure,” said Barbosa. “For some reason this has never been one of our stronger tracks, but we survived and scored a fourth place finish in our Mustang Sampling Corvette DP. We lost a little ground in the championship but four points is a small margin at this stage of the season.

“I’ve got confidence in the team because they never give up. Detroit has been a strong track for us and its important to run well in Chevrolet’s backyard, so that’s what we intend to do in a few weeks.”

Whelen/Team Fox Corvette driver Dane Cameron shared Barbosa’s sentiment on the weekend, but remained confident about the team’s potential down the stretch.

“Fifth is disappointing for sure,” said Cameron. “But when you finish fifth and you’re disappointed, it means you have a strong team that gives you competitive cars each week and you expect to win.

“We’re going to put this one in the review mirror and look for ways to be stronger when we get to Detroit. Everyone on the Whelen/Team Fox Corvette DP team worked hard all weekend and we have a lot to be excited about for the rest of the season.

Action Express Racing will head to the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic at Belle Isle in Detroit for the fifth event of the season. The Mustang Sampling Corvette DP sits second in the championship standings, while the Whelen/Team Fox Corvette DP is fifth.