SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (April 29, 2015) – After a difficult start to their 2015 campaign in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Magnus Racing will return to one of their most historically successful circuits, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during this weekend’s Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda. With the two longest events of the season behind, and the team’s GTD category beginning the first sprint race of the year, the team is eager to get their championship effort back on track.
 
“It’s always tough to come back after having two difficult races in a row, especially at events that we’ve had success at,” stated team owner and co-driver John Potter. “Luckily the team seems motivated and eager to get back to racing. We’ve spent a lot of time preparing for this weekend, we had a very successful test, and Laguna Seca is a great venue for us. Hopefully this will be the point in the year where our fortunes turn around.”
 
As a 2.238 mile, 11-turn permanent road course featuring some of the most significant elevation changes in the championship, the historic circuit has traditionally proved strong for the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America. Since 2012, the team has managed a podium finish at every event, including winning in 2013 and taking a spectacular podium in the closing meters of last year’s race when the leader ran out of fuel.
 
Following an 11th place finish at the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona, and a failure to finish during the most recent Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, co-driver Andy Lally is eager to get back to action.
 
“The break has been a good opportunity for the team to re-group and concentrate on what’s ahead,” stated Lally. “I know I’ve said it repeatedly, but we have some of the best in the business on this team, and after our most recent test I think we’re in great shape. It’s a good venue for us and one we’ve done well at, I think we’re as prepared as we can be.”
 
Continuing the team’s commitment to fan interaction, the team will also welcome the return of their heralded Team Pit Tours, as well as announcing two scheduled “Periscope” garage and Q&A sessions. Periscope, a new live streaming app developed by Twitter, is a means to provide fans a live opportunity to look into the pits and interact directly. The team will provide Periscope sessions this Friday at 2:30PM PST and Saturday at 7PM PST, pending a strong enough data connection. For those at Laguna Seca, the team will be offering free team tours on Saturday at 12PM and Sunday at 9:40AM.   
 
The Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday at 4PM ET, and the team will provide continued updates via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram throughout the weekend.

MONTEREY, Calif. (May 4, 2015)- Headed into Sunday’s Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda, Magnus Racing had just one goal: continue their streak of podiums (cross out) top-six finishes alive at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Having finished third in 2012, winning in 2013, and third again during last year’s event, the team would come away satisfied having finished sixth during Sunday’s third round of the GTD class for the TUDOR United Sportscar Championship.
 
“We took away a lot of positive elements from today’s race,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We obviously would have liked to finish higher, but with the way our season has been going, a solid finish is a move in the right direction. We know the speed is there as we showed throughout practice, so we’re definitely headed in the right direction. I’m fairly happy with my stint, Andy did a great job to bring the car home, and all in all I’d say we can at least leave the event knowing there’s a good amount of momentum moving forward.”
 
With Potter qualifying the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America in fifth, his first qualifying performance since 2013, the team was optimistic for a strong finish. When the green flag fell the Utah resident did his best to avoid incident successfully navigating the traditionally chaotic start and settling into his own pace. As the field would see a variety of maneuvers and overtakes, John would maintain a grip on the lead pack, battling to stay in the top five but never putting his machine at risk.
 
With the race requiring John to do a minimum of 60 minutes in the car, an early caution period would see the team elect to bring him in for tires and fuel, however, John would stay in the car in order to fulfill his time requirement. Continuing where he left off, the team owner would do his usual steady job of driving while maintaining lead contact, until surpassing the 60-minute mark and eventually being called in to switch with lead driver Andy Lally.
 
Crucial in this decision was the timing of the driver change which came early enough that the team was effectively forced to do one more stop to make it to the finish, whereas the teams ahead took the more risky strategy of staying out much longer to make it their final pit stop, meaning they’d all have to run conservative on fuel and tires for the rest of the race.
 
As Lally circled the track with no worries for fuel, the race simply wasn’t meant to be for the team. Running fast lap after fast lap without trouble, the leading pack of cars were able to successfully run their strategy to the end, miring the No. 44 back in sixth with simply not enough time to catch.
 
While the team would have liked a stronger finish, a combination of fast lap times and also achieving their first trouble-free run of the 2015 season was still a positive for the team.
 
“Of course we would have liked to have finished better, but I’m still very proud of the effort,” stated Lally. “This car has been strong all weekend and that bodes very well for us for the rest of the year. This race is so hard to predict, the strategy could have easily gone the other way and worked to our advantage, so we should still be happy with this. All in all I’m happy with the weekend, and it’s great to have our season back on track.”
 
With a four-week break in store for the series until the next round, Magnus Racing will still be hard at work preparing for the busy summer season with the next round taking place at the unique Detroit Grand Prix on the streets of the scenic Belle Isle Park. Practice begins on Friday, May 29, with the race the next day on May 30. Live coverage can be found on Fox Sports 2 at 2PM ET, with next-day coverage on Fox Sports 1 at 5PM ET.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (May 27, 2015)- Following a 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season that has seen everything from incidents with competitors, to incidents with wildlife, to finally seeing their first top-10 of the year at the most recent round, Magnus Racing will head to this weekend’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers in search of a true return to form.
 
“When we think of turning things around and really being optimistic, we think of Detroit,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “It’s always been a little bit of a struggle for us there, most notably last year, but we’ve put a lot of time in to testing and development over the last six weeks. There are so many reasons to visit Detroit, for me it’s the sunshine and the women, and we’re all excited about it. I think we’ll really start showing the fruits of everyone’s effort.”

Taking place on the temporary course run on the streets of Detroit’s scenic Belle Isle, this weekend’s event will run in concert with the Verizon IndyCar Series. With a shortened schedule for the weekend, the team will have very limited track time in preparation for Saturday’s race, which at 100 minutes will be the shortest of the season. It will also be the team’s shortest pre-race press release.
 
Practice begins this Friday, May 29, with the race taking place one day later at 12PM ET. Live coverage will take place on Fox Sports 2, however for those unable to receive the channel there will be a re-airing on Fox Sports 1 at 2PM ET. The team will also provide continuous updates throughout the weekend on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds.

DETROIT (May 29, 2015)- Yes, you read that right and yes, this is real. Continuing in Magnus Racing’s commitment to local fans, the team will be joined during tomorrow’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by Metro Detroit Chevy dealers by Detroit’s very own “Magnus the Shark,” the official mascot of Detroit’s SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium.
 
“Like any creative endeavor, the time has come for us to jump the shark,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “When we learned that Detroit had their very own Magnus, we thought it would be a great opportunity to join forces. We have a lot in common, we both love seafood, we mature slowly, and there are some days where we’re completely lost at sea. It will be great to have Magnus and everyone at SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium join us tomorrow, my only sadness is I doubt we’ll get Andy to enjoy some stone crabs with us.”

Joining the team throughout the race festivities, Magnus the Shark is the signature mascot of Detroit’s all-new SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium. Designed as an interactive experience, guests can walk through a highly themed aquarium that brings you nose to nose with sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, seahorses and over 5,000 underwater creatures. Located in nearby Auburn Hills, the experience recently opened in January, and operates seven days a week.
 
Magnus the Shark will join the team throughout tomorrow’s pre-race festivities, including joining drivers Andy Lally and John Potter during the 9:30AM autograph session, as well as joining the team during the series’ signature gridwalk.
 
This continues a rich heritage of Magnus Racing promoting local businesses, including the famed “Roscoes House of Chicken ‘n Waffles” car in Long Beach, and Magnus Ridge Winery in Watkins Glen, New York.
 
To learn more about SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium, visit www.visitsealife.com/michigan, or follow @sealifemichigan on Instagram or Twitter, or their sealifemichigan page on Facebook.

DETROIT (June 1, 2015)- Returning to a circuit which has traditionally proved challenging for the team, Magnus Racing’s difficulties at Detroit’s scenic Belle Isle circuit would continue during Saturday’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by Metro Chevy Dealers. Despite some great pit work which would see the team running in the top five, a mid-race incident avoiding a Prototype Challenge vehicle would cause extensive damage to the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America, sending the team down the order but still managing a seventh-place finish during this fourth round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s GTD category.
 
“It’s disappointing because we were in a good position, but that seems to be our luck here,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “Everyone on the team has been putting a huge amount of time into testing and development, and we all feel like we’ve discovered several things, this just wasn’t the weekend to show it. There’s still a lot to be proud of, the team made a great pit stop, and the fact that we were still able to finish seventh despite all the damage is a continued testament to everyone in our organization.”

Starting in eighth, it was up to Potter to take the green flag through a notoriously tricky opening series of laps. With the tight confines of Belle Isle’s temporary street course lined by barriers on each side of the track, there is little room for error, yet Potter held his own throughout his stint. Not putting a foot wrong, the No. 44 held pace with the lead pack when a perfect opportunity for the race’s one and only pit stop presented itself during a timely caution period.

Gaining several spots in the maneuver, and with Andy Lally behind the wheel for the final half of the race, the team was in position for a top-five and with strong pace to move up the field.
 
Unfortunately as the race resumed, the weekend’s on-and-off wet weather would return. When an errant Prototype Challenge vehicle spun at the apex of the notorious Turn One, Lally was left with no choice but to run off-line to avoid impact, putting him on a very slick part of the track and sending his Porsche into a slow slide and into the barriers.
 
Recollecting the car after impact, Lally and the team were able to take advantage of the resulting yellow to perform continuous repairs. Despite replacing the rear wing and performing extensive repairs to the car’s left side, the team managed to stay on the lead lap, proving the crew’s tenacity yet again.
 
With no choice but to simply manage his car for the rest of the race, Andy would simply drive a patient race to the finish, ultimately crossing the finish line in seventh.
 
“It was difficult because when it gets wet like that, you simply can’t go off line,” stated Lally. “I really wanted to deliver to the team this weekend, these guys have worked so hard that they deserved a good finish. It just wasn’t meant to be, but I couldn’t be more proud of the job they did to keep us on track. It’s been a rough year, but next up is one of our best races of the year and hopefully it will pay off.”

Beyond the on-track action, Magnus Racing was also proud to host another famous Magnus to the team... Magnus the Shark, the official mascot of Detroit's own SEA LIFE Aquarium Michigan. Recently opening in January, the Auburn Hills facility features an interactive experience where guests can walk through a highly themed aquarium that brings you nose to nose with sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, seahorses and over 5,000 underwater creatures. You can learn more at www.visitsealife/michigan

With a challenging first four rounds so far, the entire TUDOR United SportsCar Championship will head to one of Magnus Racing’s best events, the famed Six Hours at the Glen. Having scored a podium finish in the last two years, the team is looking for a change of fortune during the endurance event.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (June 23, 2015)- In what can only be described as a deliberate move for headlines, Magnus Racing is proud to reveal their third driver for this weekend’s Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen, Patrick Dempsey’s “other” teammate. While the German, Marco Ssssssomething-or-another, is allegedly coming off of a stellar second place in the GTE-AM class during the 24 Hours of Le Mans just two weeks ago, the accolade remains unverified as we’ve yet to see photographic or video evidence that he was actually there.
 
“It’s great to have Marco back with us for Watkins Glen,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We’ve enjoyed a great relationship with him over the last two years and we hope this can translate to Watkins Glen. This is a race I really want to win. I’ve been coming here for eight years now and we’ve come close, it would be nice to add this to our record of endurance victories.”
 
Having scored successive podiums in the last two years at the event, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen is one the team feels readily prepared for. With the long straights and high-speed corners of the 3.4-mile circuit located in the scenic finger lakes of New York, the team is hoping that the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America should be well suited to the configuration. Having been able to test there several weeks ago, the team is as prepared as ever.

Having grown up just a few hours away in Northport, New York, Andy Lally looks forward to what he considers his home race.
 
“It’s hard not to love this race,” stated Lally. “I can’t count how many times I’ve raced here over the years. It requires a rhythm unlike any other and I’ve been fortunate enough to have won here, which is always special as your home race. Being in New York, I always have several family and friends come out, so I’m looking forward to it. We tested well here, John and the guys are ready and Marco is always a great addition, so we’re all confident.”
 
For Marco (Sssiegfried?), a chance to join the team at a brand new circuit is one he looks forward to.
 
“I had never been to Watkins Glen before we tested here, and I have to say it is a great circuit,” stated the German. “It’s very much a classic track in a nice little town, very much a throwback. Everyone on the team has been working hard to turn their season around and hopefully June is our month!”
 
Practice for the race begins this coming Friday, June 26, with the race taking place at 10:10AM ET on Sunday and finishing six hours later. The first four hours will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 10AM with Fox Sports 2 broadcasting the remainder of the race beginning at 2PM.
 
For those in the area, the team will continue their traditional team tours on Friday at 2PM, as well as Saturday at 11:30AM.

WATKINS GLEN, NY (June 30, 2015)- Following a wild six-hour race that saw everything from mixed weather to red flags to last lap changes of position, Magnus Racing drivers John Potter, Andy Lally, and no other drivers that we can think of would take their first podium of the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GTD season finishing second during Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.
 
“It’s great to finally step on the podium this year,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We’ve been putting a lot of effort into testing and developing during the last few months which has meant some long days for the crew. We’ve actually shown a lot of speed during the last few races, but for different reasons things haven’t worked out, so it’s great to finally start showing the fruits of everyone’s effort. This was definitely one of the more wild races we’ve run, and even though there was some disappointment that we just missed out on the win, we can all walk away satisfied.”
 
Driving at the famed Watkins Glen International, a circuit in which Magnus had taken podium honors in the previous two years consecutively, the entire event was faced with mixed conditions throughout the weekend’s practice and qualifying sessions. Following perfect weather in Friday’s first two practices, heavy rain would blight Saturday’s action with the weather so treacherous that the series elected to cancel qualifying.
 
Gridding the race based on points, Potter would start the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America in seventh and under threatening skies. While the track did have some moisture on it, the majority of the field, including Magnus, elected to start on slick tires based on the weather forecast forcing John to drive incredibly carefully during the opening laps. As the stint wore on and the track dried out, the Salt Lake City resident settled into a comfortable pace, maintaining his place in the top ten and engaged in a number of on-track battles.
 
Electing to do a double stint to fulfill his drive-time requirements, a timely caution would bring John in for fuel, and safely on his way to a second stint where he once again drove without error. As his stint wore on, John stayed within his pace, eventually bringing the car in for a driver change.
 
With Potter out of the car, it was now time for the team’s third driver to get in and drive the middle the middle stint of the race. However, since this driver was not the team owner, nor a huge celebrity, we didn’t pay attention to what he was doing. Two hours later, by time the car came in to pit, the No. 44 was actually at the top of the charts.
 
With the middle of the race over, the time had come to put Andy Lally in the car, and the timing was perfect. Just two laps before he would get in, the rain had begun to fall on the circuit, however, it was initially thought that it was not strong enough for wet-weather tires. With the team lined up on pit wall for a slick-tire change, a last second decision to switch to rain tires would send the crew rushing to swap out tires just moments before the car came in, with the team successfully making the switch and putting Lally in with another faultless stop.
 
This would end up being a decisive call as the team would be the first to put on rain tires just as the track required it. Every other team would eventually come in for the same, re-elevating the No. 44 to the top of the order as the pit stops wore on.
 
With Lally leading, the conditions only got worse, eventually bringing out a yellow flag for an on-track incident, and eventually a red flag as the conditions became simply too hazardous to drive. As the clock counted down, the race would eventually restart with just over one hour to go, with the team electing to make one final stop for fuel so that they could go the distance.
 
As the race restarted, Lally assumed his position at the top, however, a highly-charged GTD field behind him, in concert with slow traffic in other categories ahead of him, would force him to run a chaotic series of laps in which he was battling with everyone around him. With the wet conditions adding a high risk to running off track, Andy did his best to manage the field around him including multiple moments of going three-wide on a wet track.
 
Eventually, contact from the No. 23 Porsche would send Andy wide, quickly recovering but having fallen back to third from the lead. While the No. 93 Viper managed to sneak in front of everyone in the process, the pace of the Viper proved too strong for the Porsches to catch, and for much of the closing laps the No. 44 appeared to be relegated to third until in the final two laps the No. 23 would go off on his own accord, elevating the Magnus team up to second.
 
Andy would cross the line with the team’s first podium of the year, albeit bittersweet since he had been leading for several laps.
 
“It’s tough to see this one get away, but I’m happy we were able to podium,” stated Lally. “We had a really fast car today, and in the dry I think we could have been even stronger, so it’s tough to let these go, it’s such a competitive class. Regardless, I have to thank everyone on the team for making this happen, it was an incredible effort from an incredible team.”
 
Apparently, Marco Seefried, from Germany, was listed as the team’s third driver. Considering he’s earned three podiums in only five starts with the team, he must be doing something right.
 
With the TUDOR United Sportscar Championship now past the halfway point of the season, the GTD category will once again have a few weeks off until the next round at the famed Lime Rock Park on July 25. A notoriously tight and tricky circuit, the event promises to be an exciting one.
 
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (July 22, 2015)- In 2013, the last time Magnus Racing visited the famed Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, the race ended in tears, literally, as the team’s championship came to an end before finishing the second lap of the race. One year before that, the team went from leading the closing stages of the race to running out of fuel with only a few laps to go.
 
In 2015, the team is hoping the circuit can create a complete change of fortune during Saturday’s Northeast Grand Prix. Enduring a challenging TUDOR United SportsCar Championship campaign throughout the first half of 2015, the team is hoping their recent podium at Watkins Glen has instilled a renewed confidence headed to the notorious track.
 
“I don’t ever like the philosophy that a track owes you, but certainly Lime Rock is a place where we’ve paid our dues,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “In 2012, we almost took our third win of the season and it would have put us third in the championship, but our fuel mileage came up short. The next year, a decent finish would have earned us the championship, but it wasn’t meant to be. After finally getting a podium at our last race, maybe it’s time Lime Rock became a place of good memories for us. The entire team has been hard at work with some recent tests and developments, so we’re all hoping for a good weekend.”
 
As a narrow track that only runs 1.5 miles, the shortest of any course on the TUDOR circuit, Lime Rock Park is synonymous with tight racing and frequent incidents. Unfortunately, Magnus Racing has been on the wrong end of this more often than not.
 
In 2012, the circuit played host to the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Championship finale. To that point, Magnus Racing had experienced a banner year, winning at The Rolex 24 at Daytona as well as Brickyard Grand Prix, and headed to Lime Rock sitting fifth in the championship. With the constant yellows and tight confines playing a pivotal role in the team’s strategy, drivers Andy Lally and John Potter were able to extend their fuel mileage beyond anyone else, taking the lead during the closing stages of the race as everyone else pitted. Looking poised to take victory and jump to third in the championship standings, the gamble didn’t quite pan out, and with only a couple laps to go, the team’s gamble came up short with Lally running out of gas and coasting to the pits.

 

In 2013, the team came to Lime Rock with even higher hopes, their first series championship. With the track hosting the Rolex Series finale once again, Magnus Racing took the green flag as the championship leader with a comfortable points lead requiring only a reasonable finish to take the title.
 
Unfortunately, on only the second lap of the race, TRG-AMR driver Richie Stanaway would drive wide and into the grass in Turn One, veering back on course and right into Magnus Racing’s John Potter. The No. 44 would be sent spinning as a result, with the approaching GT field having no choice but to run straight into him. The team would rebound to fix the car in only 40 minutes, salvaging a runner-up finish in the championship, but all hopes for a title were lost.

This year, the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America will take to the track with extensive testing done in recent weeks, and with a newfound pace that should suit the team well.

For Andy Lally, who grew up just two hours away in Northport, New York, hopes are high for a return to form.
 
“This crew has been unbelievable during a trying season,” stated Lally. “Even when we’re testing, everyone is as intense and dedicated as ever, and Watkins Glen started to show some of the fruits of that. It’s tough to say how Lime Rock will be for Porsche teams, but there’s no question which team I’d want behind me. John and I will give everyone the best performance we can, and we’ve proven in the past just how well this team can do.”
 
As a race held exclusively for the Prototype Challenge (PC) and GT Daytona (GTD) classes, the Northeast Grand Prix should be unlike any other during the 2015 season. Practice begins on Friday, July 24, with the race taking place on Saturday, July 25, at 3:15PM. Live coverage will be available on IMSA.com, and the race will also be available on Fox Sports 1 at 5PM the following day, July 26.

LAKEVILLE, CONNECTICUT (July 28, 2015)- With the tight confines of the famed Lime Rock Park creating no shortage of action during Saturday’s Northeast Grand Prix, Magnus Racing took a phenomenal triumph over long-time championship rival Scuderia Corsa and the No. 63 Ferrari 458. This finish would prove strong enough to take the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT championship… had it been 2013.
 
Unfortunately it is now 2015 and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, with the Magnus Racing No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America being credited with fifth place in the GTD category, while the No. 63 Ferrari would take ninth.
 
“Nowhere in the IMSA rule book does it say we cannot transfer points from one year’s race to another, so we think it’s time the series look at this,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “It might be difficult since we’d like to apply our finish to a GRAND-AM event, but we’ve seen crazier decisions. Otherwise, it was definitely an eventful race for us, but we continued to show progress and hopefully Road America will bring stronger results.”
 
After a strong opening to the weekend in Friday practice, in which the team set the fastest time of the day, qualifications would see the team starting in seventh for Saturday’s two-hour, forty-minute race.

With John Potter starting, a fairly routine stint would see him run a mistake-free opening hour, setting the stage for Andy Lally to make a strong bid during the race’s second half.
 
Following another impressive pit stop for the team, Lally was under way to make his run for the front, however a caution would come out early in his run, allowing him to catch the field and set up for what could have been a hard fight with the lead pack.
 
Unfortunately, during the re-start from the caution, an unforeseen bunch-up of cars would send Andy to the high-side of the famed downhill section, with the No. 63 Ferrari of Townsend Bell cutting across the track right in to Andy, damaging both cars in the process with light damage to the right front of the Porsche. Lally would immediately duck in to the pits for repairs, with the team doing a quick evaluation and service before sending him back on his way.
 
From that point on, Andy and team were flat out in their pursuit of the field, as the driver continued to set fast times and move his way up. Managing his race, another flawless pit stop would send the Northport, New York native in contention for a podium, catching the front pack and hounding the No. 007 Aston Martin and No. 73 Porsche for third.
 
Unfortunately, the team’s misfortune would continue in the closing laps of the race, as the No. 85 Prototype Challenge machine would run wide as he passed the No. 44, sending Andy in the grass and ending any hope of another podium.
 
Out of time to catch the field, Andy would cross the line in fifth, the second-best finish of the season for the team.
 
“It wasn’t the finish we wanted, but there were a number of positives out of the weekend,” stated Lally. “Our pit stops were excellent, as always, and above all our car was really fast all weekend. It showed in practice, and had just a few different things gone our way it would have been a very different story this weekend.”
 
With only two weeks until the next event, the team is back at work preparing for the upcoming Continental Tire Road Race Showcase, taking place at the heralded Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Practice begins on Friday, August 7, with race action at 3PM ET on Sunday, August 9.

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (August 10, 2015) – With hopes of erasing several past memories of the historic circuit, Magnus Racing enjoyed a fairly quiet run during Sunday’s Continental Tire Road Race Showcase to take fifth place in the GTD category at Road America. In spite of this, the team remains only 13 points out of the championship lead, part of a remarkably tight GTD championship battle among seven teams.
 
“Just make up whatever quote you want,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We finished fifth, not really sure what I’m supposed to say, it was fine. I do hope everyone at The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank enjoyed their experience with us, and certainly we would have hoped to have had a better result, but there wasn’t anything that really went wrong during the race, we were simply fifth.”
 
Starting the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America from the fourth row, Potter would take the reigns of his machine with a goal of simply running clean through his one-hour stint. With an early yellow mixing up the race strategy for the entire field, the team elected to stay out with Potter coming into the pits after his mandatory 50-minute drive time had finished.
 
Following another faultless stop from the team, it was now time for Andy Lally to take to action with a firm aim of moving to the front. While the team would demonstrate some of the fastest laps in the field, and yet another excellent team pit stop, an extended series of green flag runs until the end would give Lally an insurmountable gap to make up to the field in front of him, eventually gaining positions between attrition, altering strategies and a few late on-track passes to take fifth.
 
“We finished fifth,” stated Lally. “Yup.”
 
Achieving success off the track, the team was proud to host over a dozen guests from The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank, a special division of the bank catering to the needs of their high net worth clientele. With Magnus Racing handling their every need over the weekend, the team was proud to immerse their guests in everything that sportscar racing has to offer, presenting a behind-the-scenes experience like no other.
 
The team will return to action in just two weeks’ time, competing in the Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR, a very unique GT-only race taking place at the historic VIRginia International Raceway. Practice begins on Friday, August 21, with the race taking place on Sunday, August 23.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (August 20, 2015) – With the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship entering the final stages of the 2015 season, Magnus Racing is looking to close out the season with one goal in mind, winning. Headed to this weekend’s Oak Tree Grand Prix at the scenic VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), the team is in a “must win” position to have any shot at the tightly-contested GTD category championship.

“We’ve definitely found our pace over the last few races, it’s just a matter of having all of the pieces come together,” stated team owner and co-driver John Potter. “Headed to the end of the season, especially when we still have an outside chance at the championship, it would be great to deliver our best results. Everyone on the team has earned a top finish with the time they’ve been putting in for testing, etc., so we’re definitely hoping to deliver.”

As the season’s lone GT-only event, featuring the series’ GTLM and GTD categories in a stand-alone event, the 3.27-mile circuit will create a scenic backdrop for the ninth round of the championship. With only three races remaining, the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America team still holds an outside chance at both team and driver’s championship, although at a 17-point difference, the chances are increasingly slim.

Having taken the fastest lap times throughout much of practice during the previous round at Road America, the long straights, hills, and fast corners of VIR promise to offer a similar set of opportunities for the team.

For Andy Lally, a previous winner at the circuit, the preparedness of the team is clearly there.

“The team is definitely ready and as cohesive as ever,” stated Lally. “VIR should be a good fit for us. We had an excellent setup at Road America and we proved it by repeatedly setting the fastest lap times in practice. Hopefully everything can come together for us in Virginia, we’d really like to deliver for our amazing crew.”

Practice for this weekend’s Oak Tree Grand Prix begins on Friday, October 21, with LIVE race coverage on Sunday, October 23, on FOX Sports 1 at 1PM ET.

ALTON, Virginia (August 25, 2015) – Despite repeatedly setting some of the quickest times in practice and looking like a strong contender for Sunday’s TUDOR United Sports Car Championship race, a series of tire and mechanical woes would end the Oak Tree Grand Prix early for Magnus Racing. Despite the race retirement, the team would still be credited with ninth in the GTD category.

“It’s disappointing to end another race early, but we feel as though we did it for the right reasons,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “At a certain point you just have to look at the merit of running vs. the risk, and in our case it unfortunately made sense to retire the car and look deeper into what was going on. It’s frustrating because we’ve all been working hard on this season and we know the quality of what we have, we just couldn’t find the luck we needed.”

Taking starting duties in the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America, John Potter would take the green flag in seventh, with all eyes focused on the field in front of him. Knowing how strong the car had been, it was up to the Salt Lake City resident to manage his car carefully, doing an excellent job of maintaining a pace with the lead pack without putting the car in unnecessary risk.

As the laps continued, John had managed to move the car up to fifth with only two laps to go before pitting for teammate Andy Lally, when a sudden tire deflation through the tricky uphill esses would send the Porsche understeering wide past a right-hand turn and in to the grass, with Potter doing an excellent job to keep the car from contacting anything. He would manage to recover without significant damage, however, he would need to limp to the pits given the issue with his tire.

Upon further analysis from the team, the data did show a sudden loss of tire pressure on the left front, illustrating Potter’s quick thinking to get himself out of trouble once the incident began.

“When I went into the right hander on the esses, all of a sudden I saw the wall coming at me,” continued Potter. “I thought to myself, ‘I’ve seen this before,’ and jumped on the gas to get the car to turn around… luckily it worked perfectly. It was frustrating to have that kind of surprise, but I’m glad I was able to keep it from being anything more serious.”

Following a quick stop to evaluate damage and replace the tire, all signs were that the car was fine, their only real penalty being time lost from the spin and time in the pits. One lap later when Potter would eclipse the required minimum drive time, John would pit in favor of teammate Andy Lally.

With Lally in the car, all focus was on trying to get the car back on the lead lap and back on strategy, chasing down the race leaders as the laps went on. Unfortunately, just 13 laps later, a similar fate would hit Andy with another tire going down.

The crew would once again replace the tire, and after evaluating the car went back to action. Unfortunately, as the laps went on Lally felt a nagging vibration, with the team eventually pitting him again to examine the whole car.

Eventually, with the team effectively out of championship contention and with no way of winning the race, the decision was made to retire in the interest of safety.

“It’s disappointing for all of us,” stated Andy Lally. “This was another one of those weekends where we had the car to win, but it just wasn’t meant to be. It’s so disappointing for this team, because we have all the pieces to win. At the end of the day I do agree it was the right choice, I don’t think of any of us wanted to write off the car, put ourselves at risk, or screw up another team’s championship.”

With nearly a month until the next round at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, the team will have several weeks to make an extensive evaluation of the car. Practice for the Lone Star Le Mans will begin on Thursday, September 17, with the race action taking place on Saturday, September 19. 

AUSTIN, Texas (September 17, 2015)- With only two races remaining in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Magnus Racing will head to this weekend’s second-to-last round in Austin, Texas, looking to close their season on a high. With practice for the Lone Star Le Mans at the famed Circuit of the Americas beginning this morning, the team is looking to continue a podium streak at the venue that began in 2013.
 
“Circuit of the Americas is a great circuit to visit,” stated Potter. “Everyone talks about it being a Formula One circuit, and the quality of the facilities and aesthetics certainly shows that. We’ve been lucky to be on the podium every time we’ve come here, and our work is certainly cut out for us if we’re going to repeat that. We’ve had an incredibly fast car for the last several races, we just haven’t had the breaks we needed during the race, but hopefully our good history here can continue.”
 
First visiting the circuit in 2013, Magnus Racing has been fortunate to have seen the podium in every year they’ve come. In 2013, the team just narrowly missed out on victory to finish second, repeating the same effort in 2014 utilizing a combination of strategy and patience.
 
With the track providing notoriously close racing, and strategy often coming in to play, the team knows the chance to see their second podium of the season is strong.
 
For Andy Lally, hopes for a return to form are high.
 
“We’ve been one of the quickest cars at nearly every track during the last few events,” stated Lally. “This field is so competitive that if just one little thing doesn’t go your way, the race can turn on you, and we seem to keep getting caught out by that. Circuit of the Americas has traditionally been a great place for us in the past, so we’re hoping this will be a weekend to finally reward the guys for their efforts.”
 
With practice having already begun for the event, Saturday’s race will take part as part of a combined event with the World Endurance Championship, with the TUDOR race beginning at 12:30PM ET. Live television coverage can be found on FOX Sports 2, with FOX Sports 1 re-airing the broadcast on Sunday at 1:30PM ET. 

AUSTIN, Texas (September 21, 2015)- Headed into Saturday’s Lone Star Le Mans, the penultimate round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Magnus Racing’s hopes for a return to form were cut short within the opening laps as the team experienced gearbox problems. While the team would ultimately manage to get back on track after lengthy repairs, the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America would be classified 12^th in the GTD class and 23 laps down.

“The event was pretty indicative of our season,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We had a fast car all weekend and were optimistic for the race, but unfortunately we lost drive early on, and that was that. There were still a lot of positives on the weekend. We were one of the fastest cars in practice, I think we had a good qualifying run, and I know we keep saying it but I believe with a couple different changes of fortune we would have had a really good race. Petit Le Mans is next and that’s one we all want to win, and I think we’re well prepared for it.”

After one of his best qualifying performances of the season, Potter would start from the sixth position for the two-hour, forty-minute race. After repeatedly setting the fastest lap during Thursday and Friday practice, and having finished second during the previous two visits, the team was optimistic on their chances. 

Unfortunately, after making a strong start, Potter would lose drive after the second lap, immediately pulling into the pits as the team looked for a quick cure to the problem. After a lengthy examination of the car’s rear-end, it was clear the car would have to be rolled back into the paddock for further analysis and repair. Eventually, the team discovered a terminal issue in the gearbox, having to switch to a backup and effectively losing nearly an hour in the process.

In typical Magnus fashion, the crew did a stellar job given the challenges of swapping a gearbox, and the Porsche would go back on track within an hour. With no hope of a good finish, the focus simply became on ensuring Potter drove his minimum drive time to score points on the day.

Once Potter clicked off his required time, the team would put teammate Andy Lally in to finish the race, with the Long Island native driving the final 40 minutes to take the car to the checkered flag.

“Yup,” stated Lally. “…..” 

With only one race remaining, the entire TUDOR Championship will head to the final race of the championship, Petit Le Mans, in less than two weeks. As a 10-hour race, taking place at the scenic Road Atlanta, the team is looking forward to the opportunity to repeat their podium performance from last year. Practice begins on Thursday, October 1, with the race taking place on Saturday, October 3. The full broadcast schedule will be revealed in an upcoming 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (September 30, 2015)- With the final race of the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship just days away, Magnus Racing has bolstered their lineup for the upcoming Petit Le Mans with the addition of German standout Robert Renauer, who will join drivers John Potter and Andy Lally. Looking to repeat the team’s podium performance from last year, hopes are high for the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America to end a challenging season on a high note.

“Having gone through a difficult 2015, we’d love to go in to the off-season with a bit of momentum,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “It’s been a long and busy summer for everyone, and as we keep saying, the performance has been there all year but we’ve just struggled for a variety of reasons. Even if the championship is well past our grasp, a victory at Petit Le Mans is certainly something we all want to see. Having won two of the four major endurance events in the country, adding to that would be incredible for everyone on the team. Robert Renauer is new to the team, but his résumé speaks for itself. Even though it’s his first race at Petit Le Mans, I have no doubt he’ll fit right in and get up to speed quickly.”

A veteran of Porsche competition for over a decade, Robert Renauer will join Magnus Racing for his first-ever Petit Le Mans. Hailing from Germany, the 30-year old is a proven winner, having taken victory in such series as the ADAC GT Masters, VLN 24 Hour Series, and with experience in the Porsche Carrera Cup, Blancpain Sprint Series, and numerous endurance events including the 24 Hours of Nürburgring as well as Rolex 24 at Daytona. 

“I’m excited to join Magnus Racing for Petit Le Mans,” stated Renauer. “The team has a great reputation of being both fun and competitive, and it’s a great opportunity for me. I have not raced in this event before, so I’m looking forward to the opportunity. So far everyone has been very welcoming and inviting, and I think we’re all hoping for a strong result on Saturday.”

With teammate Andy Lally living within an hour’s drive of the 2.5-mile, 13-turn circuit, the New York native knows the team is fully capable of helping him earn his second victory at the famed event.

“This is one of the coolest events in the country, there’s no question that we all want to win this,” stated Lally. “I know we all keep saying the same thing, but we’ve honestly been one of the fastest cars at every event we arrive at, and the races just keep getting away from us. The team is solid, the car is fast, so we all know what we’re capable of. Hopefully this will be the weekend for us and we can prove the potential we’ve shown all year.”

As a 10-hour event and the final leg of the series’ Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Championship, practice will begin tomorrow, October 1, with the race beginning at 11:15AM ET on Saturday. Live coverage will be carried on a variety of channels, full listing below.

11AM-12PM: FOX Sports 2
12PM-2:30PM: IMSA.com
2:30PM-7PM: FOX Sports 2
7PM-8:30PM: IMSA.com
8:30PM-9:30PM: FOX Sports 2XX

BRASELTON, GEORGIA (October 5, 2015)- Following a wild event at this year's Petit Le Mans, the final round of the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Magnus Racing would take a strong second in the GT Daytona (GTD) category. This would serve as the second podium for the team, ending a challenging season on a positive note. While the team was certainly pleased with their second consecutive podium at the event, it was bittersweet having led their class during much of the event.

“Looking back we're certainly happy for another podium,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “It's tough because we were looking good for the win at multiple points during the race, but it just didn't work out for us when the series threw the checkered flag. It was still great to end the season strong, and everyone on this team should feel proud of the job they did.”

While the race was slated to last for 10 hours, an endless series of rain showers took their toll on the field, with series officials determining the conditions unfit to continue as the event neared eight hours. Eventually, the race was cancelled outright with drivers John Potter, Andy Lally, and Robert Renauer and the No. 44 Flex-Box Porsche 911 GT America in second when the premature checkered flag fell. 

As the green flag fell, the weeklong rain conditions would continue with John Potter taking starting duties under adverse circumstances. Knowing that attrition would play a major role on the day’s outcome, the Salt Lake City resident drove with patience and maturity as his opening stint progressed. Holding on throughout the opening hours, John would do an excellent job of keeping the car clean and not making a single error, eventually pitting during an opportune caution in favor of team newcomer Robert Renauer. 

While it would serve as his first Petit Le Mans, the German driver came into the event as no stranger to wet conditions, and it would show as Robert’s time in the car would slowly move the team up through the rankings. Thanks in part to clever pit strategy and a series of fortunate breaks with caution periods, Renauer would find himself caught up with the lead pack by time the third hour rolled around, and shortly after the No. 44 Porsche would find itself in the lead.

Engaged in a stint-long battle with the No. 93 Viper, a slight run through the grass in tricky conditions would be Robert’s only mistake, which would prove not enough to keep him from the lead.

Following a several-hour run, and under extremely difficult conditions, it was time for Andy Lally to take his turn for the race’s mid-point. Taking the reigns where Renauer left off, the pace of the Magnus Porsche in the wet was evident with Lally making a strong charge to build a gap to the field in front of him, leading by as much as 12 seconds nearing the halfway point.

As the Georgia-resident’s stint continued, a two-way race between the No. 73 of Spencer Pumpelly began to become clear, with Andy’s 11-second gap slowly dwindling as Pumpelly began his march up the field.

With just under six hours completed, however, the race would be stopped due to the extreme wet conditions with much of the paddock feeling as though this may lead to the race being called early. With Lally in front of the field at this time, the feeling within the Magnus paddock that they may have clinched their first victory of 2015 was optimistic.

Unfortunately, the teams would be called back to their cars within the hour, and Lally would have to once again defend his position against the charging Pumpelly.

With the field packed up under the red flag, the race would resume with the No. 73 Porsche of Pumpelly in close range of Andy, and as the green flag dropped it was clear the fight would be close.

With the two drivers engaged in a nose-to-tail battle for several laps, Lally did his best to thwart his good friend throughout much of the stint, however as the faster GTLM traffic came through, Andy would find himself stuck wide entering a critical section allowing Pumpelly to grab the lead and never looking back.

As Lally began to focus in on recapturing the lead, another yellow, and eventually red flag, would stop the race for good with the No. 44 stuck in second.

It was a bittersweet finish for the team, who on one hand were happy to take their second podium of the season, but disappointed having been so close to victory.

“It’s a tough one to let past,” stated Lally. “It’s so hard to win one of these races that you really don’t want to see one slip through. Everyone on this team worked so hard to take their first victory of the season, and I really wanted to deliver it for them. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be. As you would expect, Spencer drove completely fair and clean, he simply got me when he had the opportunity. Congratulations to him and the Park Place team for the win.”

For Robert Renauer, his Petit Le Mans debut should be considered a success.

“Of course a victory would have been great, but I think the team should be happy with a podium,” stated the German. “The Magnus Racing team was an excellent team to drive for. The crew was very professional, the car was very fast, and I felt very welcome through the whole experience. I’m glad I was able to take the car to the lead, and I’m sure next time the result will be even better. Thanks to John Potter and the whole team for the opportunity, hopefully I will be able to return.”

With the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship at a clean, the team will take some much needed time off in anticipation of their 2016 plans. Currently, the team has not made any formal plans however hope to make some announcements shortly.

SALT LAKE CITY (November 12, 2015)- Confirming their campaign in the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Magnus Racing is proud to announce the switch to the venerable Audi R8 LMS in a new partnership with Audi Sport customer racing.

“We’re very excited about 2016,” stated Magnus Racing co-driver and team owner, John Potter. “The Audi R8 LMS has proven an incredible competitor over the years, and as we look for ways to start anew for the team, the opportunity seemed right. Our interaction so far with everyone at Audi Sport customer racing has been extremely positive, and we’re all anxious to take delivery of the car.”

Retaining the famed No. 44, the team will head in to the 2016 GT-Daytona (GTD) class with a proven car heritage in the Audi namesake. The previous generation of the Audi R8 LMS took victory at the 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona, and came within a few turns of repeating that effort in 2014, before nearly securing a GTD category championship in 2015.

“We have been continuously impressed with Magnus Racing’s performance in IMSA and are excited to see them bring that same energy with the new Audi R8 LMS,” said Tristan Herbert, Manager, Motorsport & Customer Racing. “Magnus Racing also brings a strong, consistent driver lineup that compliments the team’s performance strategy – smart , calculated and competitive.” 

While the car is new to the team, much of the key staff will remain the same including full-season co-driver Andy Lally. A four-time winner of The Rolex 24 at Daytona and three-time champion in the former GRAND-AM series, Lally will enter in to his fifth season with the team with all focus firmly set on their first series’ championship.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have driven a number of vehicles, and I’m very excited to add the Audi R8 LMS to that list,” stated the Atlanta resident. “It’s no secret that 2015 was a bit of a struggle for all of us, and I’m very confident that we’ll rebound this year. The car has an excellent reputation, we have a great team behind us, and there’s no reason we can’t be instant contenders.”

While the switch to Audi marks a new era for Magnus Racing, it of course comes with years of gratitude in their long-time partner at Porsche Motorsport North America. Having run Porsche machinery since inception in 2010, the team will move away from the marque with nothing but appreciation for the six years of partnership.

“We were one of the longest running Porsche customer teams in the paddock, and we absolutely enjoyed that fact,” stated John Potter. “Everyone at Porsche Motorsport North America was excellent to work with over the years, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of their efforts.”

With the team set to take delivery of their machine in December, Magnus Racing will unfortunately be absent from the upcoming November test at Daytona International Speedway. With only a matter of weeks between receiving the car and The Rolex 24 at Daytona, they will be hard at work during the holidays as they prepare for a championship challenge.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fl. (January 7, 2015)- Although this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona will mark the first event for Magnus Racing in their new Audi R8 LMS, the car will be the only new component of the team as they announce the completion of their four-driver lineup. Having both taken victory in Magnus machinery before, Marco Seefried and René Rast will join full-season drivers John Potter and Andy Lally in the No. 44 machine with a combined total of six victories at the famed season opener of the IMSA WeatherTech Championship.

“This was the exact lineup we were hoping for, and we couldn’t be happier with our prospects,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We’ve had a great history with both Marco and René, and beyond being incredibly quick and reliable in the car, they’ve both proven an instant fit with our way of working. It’s great to get the whole group back together, and with a new car taking us into the race, we know consistency in every other aspect is critical.”

Returning to Magnus after sharing victory at the Rolex 24 in 2012, René Rast will head to Daytona in the hopes of maintaining a 100% win rate with the team. Playing a critical role in the organization’s first win nearly four years ago, the German has had an incredible career since signing as a factory driver for Audi and proceeding to compete and win in such series as ADAC GT Masters, the Blancpain Endurance Series and more. Most notably, the 28-year-old was given the opportunity to compete in the prestigious Audi R18 e-tron during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a high honor to drive one of the most revered LMP1 machines in history.

With Magnus Racing driving Audi machinery for this year’s race, the choice to bring in Rast was clear.

“I have great memories with everyone at Magnus Racing, and it’s very special to return,” stated Rast. “A lot has happened since 2012, but that event was a career highlight for me and very special to share with such a great team. This new 2016 Audi R8 LMS is a fantastic car and should be very well suited to Daytona. I’m very eager to earn another victory for the team and Audi, and we definitely have the lineup to do it.”

Driving his sixth race with the team, Marco Seefried is opening up his 2016 campaign after a stellar 2015 season. Competing in IMSA, the Blancpain Endurance Series, as well as VLN, the German also took part in a full season of the World Endurance Championship, where he took a victory and three podiums, including a third at the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. Additionally, Seefried took podium honors with Magnus Racing at the Six Hours of the Glen last year, his third podium with the team including a victory at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2014.

“It’s always a joy to return to Magnus Racing,” stated Seefried. “It’s such a fun and warm team, but also incredibly competitive. The new Audi looks really strong and I think at Daytona it should be a real contender. Anything can happen at this race, but with John, Andy, René and the whole team, I’m very excited to see where this race goes.”

Official testing for the race begins tomorrow, January 8, as part of the annual Roar Before the 24, a three-day event in which all IMSA teams are invited to take part in the first official pre-season test. The Rolex 24 at Daytona will take place on Saturday, January 30, with series’ television coverage still to be announced.

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 11, 2016) - With an all-new rules set for the GT Daytona (GTD) category of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Magnus Racing and the No. 44 Audi R8 LMS came in to the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona with the goal of furthering their learning curve on the new car, as well as learning about their fellow category competitors. While the team gathered plenty of data on both the machine and drivers, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of their competition was pretty much pointless.

“Overall we’re definitely happy with our performance, I think we’re one of a dozen teams that feel very confident about the race,” stated team owner and co-driver John Potter. “This was our first time taking the new Audi to Daytona, and the car was very strong. I pulled my fastest lap times ever at the track, and all of my teammates proved very quick, so I know we’re in the hunt. Where any of us stand for the race, who knows. Every session showed different cars and different teams at the top of the time sheets, and I think all that proved is just how close this category will be. It’s going to be a real fight and we’re all looking forward to it.”

With drivers John Potter, Andy Lally, René Rast and Marco Seefried taking their time behind the wheel, the team was consistently in the mix through the majority of sessions during the three-day test, with the team working on everything from setup, to reliability, to simply gaining seat time for their drivers. Despite having never driven the car at Daytona, the team was able to manage a 1:48.070 lap-time, just 15 hundredths of a second off of the top time on the weekend, and with five different manufacturers all within a half-second of one another. With a variety of teams and drivers trading top times, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be the favorite for the race.

For Andy Lally, a quiet confidence is the feeling of the team after the weekend.

“We’re all pretty happy with the Roar,” stated the four-time race winner. “This field is incredibly close, it’s so tough to gauge where anyone stands, but we learned a ton about this car and we’re definitely a contender. We still have a few things we want to work on, but we have a strong Audi R8 LMS and and an awesome lineup. John pulled the best lap times he’s ever run, René was exactly what we all expected, and Marco was right there as well. The guys put in a lot of time this winter getting us ready, we’re all as prepared as we can be.”

For Rast, the sentiment is shared.

“The Audi R8 LMS is always an excellent car at this track,” stated the German. “Obviously I have many fond memories with Magnus given that we won together the last time I was here with them, and after the test I definitely feel as though we’re as strong as ever. It’s a great team, a great car, now we just have to see where we are in a few weeks.”

For Marco Seefried, another chance at Daytona is always welcome.

“We’re definitely very strong here, so I think everyone is pretty confident,” stated Seefried. “The car is very impressive and should be very solid, and obviously our driver lineup is incredibly quick. Andy, John and René have all won together here, and based on this weekend we all know it’s possible to return to victory lane, but obviously there are many factors so we’ll just have to see what happens during the 24.”

With only a couple weeks between the test and the race, the entire WeatherTech championship is hard at work getting both car and team ready for the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona. As both the season opener and the biggest race of the year, there is a lot at stake for everyone on the team, who will take to competition on Saturday, January 30. A full-team preview, including television details, will be announced shortly. 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fl (January 27, 2016)-Continuing a tradition that has carried since the team’s first victory in 2012, Magnus Racing’s annual “Live at Daytona!” pitside webcast will once again happen during this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. Running live for all 24 hours of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s marquee event, the drivers and crew of the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS will once again offer their insight in to the operation unlike any other.
 
“We’re very excited to bring the webcast back again, “ stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “We obviously make a big commitment to entertaining our fans, and the webcast has become a staple of that. It’s a big undertaking, but we’re very happy to present something unique and to our voice. More importantly, we couldn't be more enthusiastic about returning to Daytona. We’re excited to embark on this new adventure with Audi, and based on our test and lineup we’re all very optimistic on our prospects for the race.”
 
With a line-up featuring three drivers who’ve won the prestigious race before, for a combined total of six victories, the team heads in to this weekend’s race with a certain sense of optimism following a successful test during the annual Roar Before the 24 just three weeks ago. The combination of full-season drivers John Potter and Andy Lally with team endurance driver Marco Seefried and Audi factory driver René Rast presents one of the most formidable lineups in the highly-contested GT Daytona (GTD) category.
 
“This is an amazing lineup, and I think we all know we have a real shot at this,” stated co-driver Andy Lally. “The last time René drove with us, Magnus took its first ever victory, and I don’t see why that can’t be repeated. A lot can happen and this is probably one of the tightest fields I’ve ever seen, but we’re prepared and ready.”
 


Running live for all 24 hours of the race, the team’s pitside webcast not only gives fans an opportunity to listen in on team communications and view a live working pit, but to interact as well. With key members of the team and IMSA paddock sitting in throughout the race, the team will offer fans a chance to write in via chatroom to ask questions and interact with the team through all 24 hours of the famed race. Once again hosted by team stalwart Sean Heckman, long-time paddock personality Melissa Eickhoff will take on co-hosting duties as well, with the duo currently planning a number of segments and games for their guests throughout the event. Joining the team will be Emily Potter who has become synonymous with her hosting duties, as well as all of the team’s drivers and random IMSA drop-ins.

Fans can watch all 24 hours live on magnusracing.com, or directly on uStream via ustream.com/liveatdaytona. You can also follow via smartphone by either checking the uStream app or following the team's Twitter and Facebook pages.

Additionally, the team’s “Magnus Challenge” will return, however in very modified form. In previous years, the team gave out a secret word every hour to see who managed to stay up for the whole race, however for 2016 the team will be introducing an, err, very different challenge… presented by a very famous personality within the motorsport scene.
 
With practice and qualifying beginning tomorrow, the race will begin this Saturday, January 30 at 2:40PM.

The team’s webcast is aiming to start at 2PM(ish), with the official series television and broadcast schedule below:

• 2:00 PM ET, 1/30/2016, FOX Sports 1
• 4:00 PM ET, 1/30/2016, FOX Sports 2
• 10:00 PM ET, 1/31/2016, IMSA
• 7:00 AM ET, 1/31/2016, FOX Sports 1
• 10:30 AM ET, 1/31/2016, FOX Sports 2
• 1:00 PM ET, 1/31/2016, FOX Sports 1