Cosmo Takes Pole Position For The American Le Mans Challenge at Road America - Second Staight

Guy Cosmo earned his second straight pole position in the Challenge class with a lap of 2:16.098 for The Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase set for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 16. Cosmo, who won at Road America in Star Mazda during the 2002 season, is driving the ORBIT Racing prepared No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entry with John Baker.

“It was pretty exciting, what I like to call four laps of fury” said Cosmo, a former LMP2 winner in the Series and Challenge pole-sitter last week at Mid-Ohio. “I love to qualify and love pushing as hard as I can, however I was a little ahead of the tire temperatures on my first flying lap and got off a little at the Kink. That was definitely exciting. Fortunately, managed not to wad it up! The ORBIT guys did a great job of preparing the car. It’s nice to qualify the car and collect pole positions in this series.”

Road America is by far the fastest circuit on which the Challenge cars have competed. The speed differentials - particularly in the corners - are more drastic than the field has seen.

“Unlike Mid-Ohio and Lime Rock, there is more room for other cars to get around us and still not get in the marbles,” noted Cosmo. “We’re looking to stay clean and bring the car home. (The GT2 cars) have more torque but there are times when I’ll actually have to lift at the end of a straight to keep from running into the back of the GT2 cars. It’s pretty surprising.”

Cosmo's primary role for the event is coaching his co-driver, John Baker.

“The first and foremost thing with John is making sure he stays within his limits, Guy pointed out. "He’s done a very good job so far. We want him to run within himself and keep to his pace. He has a lot to deal with out there – faster cars with the guys that he has been following for some time.”

“For me to help a driver craft his skill in this format is a benefit because I get to spend time in the car," continued Guy. "It’s very hard to help someone go fast when you can’t get in the car and provide real-time comparisons. I get to experience exactly what they get to experience, collect data, video and show them exactly where and how to improve. When a driver gets to a certain level, it's really tough to find the last bit of time. This offers John and I a very unique way to work together."

As with any successful race driver, Cosmo continually seeks new driving opportunities. With 2009 winding down, Cosmo is actively pursuing a ride for 2010.

"I'd really like to have an opportunity to race in a prototype or GT2 car," expressed Cosmo. "These four races participating in the American Le Mans Challenge have really wet my appetite. It's hard to be around the paddock and the equipment and not want to get back in it. There's really nothing else like it and I know I have the talent to help one of these teams get to victory lane. Hopefully, I can get an opportunity for the remainder of 2009 and find something full-time for 2010."

Guy Cosmo is one of the most successful and versatile young racing drivers of his day. Guy is recognized as a first-class professional racer in the sports car road racing industry, having won the 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year award and positioning himself as a proven front-runner in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype category. Guy's success stems from supportive family, friends and fans that have helped him through race wins and championships from Kart Racing, Formula Ford, Formula 2000, Star Mazda and Toyota Atlantic, to his professional endeavors in the Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series.

The Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase is set for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 16 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. The race will air live on SPEED. American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub on americanlemans.com.

You can find out more about Guy at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/guycosmo

Cosmo and Baker Team Up For American Le Mans Challenge at Road America

Coming off a solid second-in-class performance at Mid-Ohio, Guy Cosmo and John Baker head to Road America. Driving the No. 47 Orbit Racing prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the ALMS Challenge class, Cosmo and Baker have their site's set on a win in The Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase set for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 16.

No stranger to the track, Cosmo earned a Star Mazda pole and victory at Road America in 2002, enroute to winning that years championship. His last trip to the circuit was in 2005 driving the Mazda powered Courage LMP2 prototype. Guy went on that year to win the American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year title. On the other hand, this will be Baker's first time on the legendary 4-mile circuit.

"Road America is one of North America's treasures," said Guy. "This is what sports car racing is all about. Natural rolling terrain with winding curves, long fast straights coming through woods... it really doesn't get much better than this. And let's not forget about the brats!"

"We've got our work cutout for us this weekend," Guy continued. "We need to put all the pieces together. If we can grab another pole and turn in solid race performances, I'm confident we can win this thing. It looks like Team Snow is closing in on the championship, but that doesn't mean we aren't in it to win it. Running in the ALMS and on classic tracks like Lime Rock, Mid-Ohio and Road America is great experience for my teammate. Championship or not, we're out here to have fun and get some wins."

Reflecting back on his 2005 Rookie of the Year title, Cosmo is still actively pursuing a full time seat in the American Le Mans Series. With his prototype experience as a definite plus, Cosmo is confident his background is of value and would fit in with any number of ALMS teams.

"I'd really like to have an opportunity to race in a prototype or GT2 car," expressed Cosmo. "These four races participating in the American Le Mans Challenge have really wet my appetite. It's hard to be around the paddock and the equipment and not want to get back in it. There's really nothing else like it and I know I have the talent to help one of these teams get to victory lane. Hopefully, I can get an opportunity for the remainder of 2009 and find something full-time for 2010."

Guy Cosmo is one of the most successful and versatile young racing drivers of his day. Guy is recognized as a first-class professional racer in the sports car road racing industry, having won the 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year award and positioning himself as a proven front-runner in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype category. Guy's success stems from supportive family, friends and fans that have helped him through race wins and championships from Kart Racing, Formula Ford, Formula 2000, Star Mazda and Toyota Atlantic, to his professional endeavors in the Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series.

Road America is the fourth race that the Challenge class will participate with the American Le Mans Series regulars. Earlier this year, IMSA and the American Le Mans Series announced the formation of the Challenge class as an effort to promote the brightest and best of a new generation of sports car drivers. The Challenge class will compete with the American Le Mans Series for five races in 2009.

To be eligible for selection by the sanctioning body (IMSA), drivers and teams must have had notable success for at least a year within GT3 level of racing. Teams may only field Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars from the Platinum class of the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama, which is supplying the spec tire for both its championship and the Challenge class.

Certain technical regulations for the American Le Mans Series’ GT2 class will apply for Challenge entries, most notably rules governing refueling. Sporting regulations for the Challenge class also differ slightly from GT2. The number of crew members allowed over the wall during a pit stop is reduced, and only two members with only one wheel gun are allowed to change tires per stop. Teams also will have to make at least one stop to change all four tires at one point during the race.

The distribution of points will follow the American Le Mans Series championship. In a two-hour, 45-minute “sprint” format, class winners receive 20 points, runners-up 16, third-place 13 and down the line to 1 point for 10th place. A Challenge entry is limited to three drivers per car; however all competitors who drive an entry during the season will share the points awarded to that entry throughout the season. To score points, an entry must complete 70 percent of the overall race winner’s distance.

Drive time requirements from other Series classes apply - a two-hour maximum per competitor with each driver required to complete at least 10 laps.

The Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase set for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 16 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. will air live on SPEED. American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub on americanlemans.com.

You can find out more about Guy at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/guycosmo

Guy Cosmo and John Baker Take 2nd in Class at the Acura Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio

Guy Cosmo's return to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course would have to be qualified as a success. Driving the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the ALMS Challenge class as part of the featured American Le Mans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio, along with teammate John Baker, Cosmo finished second in Saturday's race, setting the fastest ALMS Challenge lap along the way. Cosmo also set the fastest time in qualifying.

"It was great being back at Mid-Ohio with ALMS," noted Cosmo enthusiastically. "This is just a great race track, and we had an incredible turnout with the fans. The Orbit racing prepared No. 47 Porsche was working well all weekend. We certainly had a car capable of winning, but we didn't get everything right today."

Trying to apply a little 'outside-the-box' pit strategy, the team took a shot at only changing two tires. Turns out, the officials deemed the maneuver to be not in keeping with the rules and called the team back in for a 'full' pit stop.

"John was doing a great job during the first half of the race, but Melanie Snow was really on a tear, and she had a huge lead on all of us. The two-tire pit stop was going to save us a lot of time in the pits and help close the gap for me," said Cosmo. "However, we were unaware this was against the rules. We knew we'd fall a lap down to the No. 57 car during the stop, so having to come back in and make the required four-tire change sealed the deal and ended our hopes for the win."

Cosmo's participation in the ALMS Challenge class came about through a pairing with his client, John Baker. Baker is a regular in the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama Series and decided to take advantage of the ALMS invitation to join in the new ALMS Challenge Class.

"John's been doing a great job," said Guy. "He's making huge strides with all aspects of his driving. The opportunity to run with the American Le Mans Series in the ALMS Challenge has been a great experience. If the Series continues with the class in 2010, I think you'll see John Baker challenging for the Championship."

Mid-Ohio was the third race that the Challenge class has participated with the American Le Mans Series regulars. Earlier this year, IMSA and the American Le Mans Series announced the formation of the Challenge class as an effort to promote the brightest and best of a new generation of sports car drivers. The Challenge class will compete with the American Le Mans Series for five races in 2009.

To be eligible for selection by the sanctioning body (IMSA), drivers and teams must have had notable success for at least a year within GT3 level of racing. Teams may only field Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars from the Platinum class of the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama, which is supplying the spec tire for both its championship and the Challenge class.

Certain technical regulations for the American Le Mans Series’ GT2 class will apply for Challenge entries, most notably rules governing refueling. Sporting regulations for the Challenge class also differ slightly from GT2. The number of crew members allowed over the wall during a pit stop is reduced, and only two members with only one wheel gun are allowed to change tires per stop. Teams also will have to make at least one stop to change all four tires at one point during the race.

The distribution of points will follow the American Le Mans Series championship. In a two-hour, 45-minute “sprint” format, class winners receive 20 points, runners-up 16, third-place 13 and down the line to 1 point for 10th place. A Challenge entry is limited to three drivers per car; however all competitors who drive an entry during the season will share the points awarded to that entry throughout the season. To score points, an entry must complete 70 percent of the overall race winner’s distance.

Drive time requirements from other Series classes apply - a two-hour maximum per competitor with each driver required to complete at least 10 laps.

Guy Cosmo is one of the most successful and versatile young racing drivers of his day. Guy is recognized as a first-class professional racer in the sports car road racing industry, having won the 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year award and positioning himself as a proven front-runner in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype category. Guy's success stems from supportive family, friends and fans that have helped him through race wins and championships from Kart Racing, Formula Ford, Formula 2000, Star Mazda and Toyota Atlantic, to his professional endeavors in the Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series.

The Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase set for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 16 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. The race will air live on SPEED. American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub on americanlemans.com.

You can find out more about Guy at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/guycosmo.

Cosmo / Baker Top of the Challenge Class for American Le Mans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio

Lexington, Ohio - August 7, 2009 In what is the largest field of ALMS Challenge cars to-date, Guy Cosmo piloted the No. 47 Orbit Racing prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car to the pole position in class with a lap time of 1:27.070. Cosmo battled back and forth with competitor and close friend Shane Lewis throughout the 20 minute qualifying session. Lewis was just 0.133 seconds back.

In post qualifying comments, Guy made mention of battling with Shane Lewis;

"The whole session and the back and forth with Shane was a lot of fun. It always is at Mid-Ohio.The track is fabulous. Mid-Ohio has always been my favorite. You can charge and attack this course but you have to think about it. The grip may not be as strong after having it repaved a couple of years ago but it’s still a great circuit."

Cosmo also commented on the quality of competition in the ALMS Challenge Class;

“There is a lot of good competition in this new class. I’m here primarily as a driver coach for John (Baker). I’ve been in the top categories of series and now experiencing racing the new Challenge division. I can tell you, it’s an art to stay out of the way. None of us want to screw anything else up that’s happening in the Series."

“We’ll start John in the race and it will be his first opportunity, noted Guy. For him to be able to race a car like this in a Series like the American Le Mans is a dream. I think we have a very good shot. We have to make sure we stay out of trouble.”

The Acura Sports Car Challenge is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 8 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The race will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9 on NBC. American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub on americanlemans.com.

You can find out more about Guy at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/guycosmo.

Cosmo Takes Pole for Orbit Racing in Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio

Guy Cosmo earned his first pole position in the Challenge class with a lap of 1:27.070 in the ORBIT Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Cosmo was 0.133 seconds faster than Shane Lewis in the Velox Motorsport Porsche, making its first start in the Series.

A former LMP2 winner at Mid-Ohio in 2005, Cosmo is driving with John Baker for the third straight race.

“It was a lot of fun; it always is at Mid-Ohio,” said Cosmo, who won with a Mazda-powered Courage four years ago. “We had no issues with the car. We didn’t make qualifying at Lime Rock as the starter wasn’t working. I was relieved when it fired up here and it was really good all session.”

Bill Sweedler qualified ORBIT’s second Porsche entry third in the class with a lap of 1:28.247. He is driving with Ed Brown.

“There is a lot of good competition in this new class,” Cosmo said. “The whole session was a lot of fun. The track is fabulous. Mid-Ohio has always been my favorite. You can charge and attack this course but you have to think about it. The grip may not be as strong after having it repaved a couple of years ago but it’s still a good circuit.”

The Acura Sports Car Challenge is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 8 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The race will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9 on NBC. American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub on americanlemans.com. You also can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes).

For more information on Guy Cosmo visit www.GuyCosmo.com and follow Guy on Twitter (GuyCosmo).

Guy Cosmo Teams With John Baker for the Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio

Guy Cosmo returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course driving the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the ALMS Challenge class as part of the featured American Le Mans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge this Saturday, August 8. Cosmo will once again team with John Baker for Orbit Racing.

No stranger to the challenges of this natural terrain road course, Cosmo enjoyed his first American Le Mans Series win at Mid-Ohio driving the LMP2 Mazda prototype. The win contributed to his Rookie of the Year title that season. The track and the weekend will provide a welcome respite for Cosmo and Baker following last month's disappointment at Lime Rock.

"Lime Rock was a tough pill to swallow," noted Cosmo. "It was a challenge going in, as I had to pull double duty between the ALMS event and the Koni Challenge race at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Unfortunately, the No. 47 Porsche didn't want to cooperate with my schedule."

"We were making headway, getting the car up-to-speed and getting John acclimated to the new track layout," said Cosmo. "As luck would have it, we had a starter motor fail during qualifying and that left us sitting at the back of the pack for the start of the race."

No stranger to starting from the back of the pack Guy was ready for action upon the drop of the green flag. Virtually shot out of a cannon, Cosmo charged his way through the field and by lap two had gained control of the race, leading the Challenge class and pulling away. By the 30 minute mark, he had managed to lap the entire class. All seemed to be going well until one small issue arose.

"I noticed the throttle was starting to stick, and each lap it was getting slightly worse," said Cosmo. "I was really having a hard time keeping the car on track, and drove four laps like that while we got John and the team ready for our pit stop and drivers change."

At that point, John strapped in and the crew went to work. With a fresh set of cold Yokohama tires, John left pit lane ready to do battle. Unfortunately, John got more of a battle than he had bargained for.

"When John started the car I could hear the idle of the engine screaming," noted Guy. "Unfortunately the crew wasn't successful in their attempt to fix the throttle. The car had already been sent from the pit box. Through no fault of his own, John crashed on his out lap. I felt terrible for John, as any driver on cold tires with a stuck throttle would have crashed immediately. He had acclimated to the track and traffic conditions so well, and was very excited to race and gain more experience."

"The good news is we're heading to Mid-Ohio," laughed Guy. "Still my all-time favorite track and I'm really looking forward to racing there. The track is fast, challenging with plenty of room to race. This is the first time I'll be driving a GT3-Cup car around there and I'm really looking forward to the challenge. Mid-Ohio was the sight of my first ALMS win in P2, during the 2005 season. I've enjoyed a lot of success there throughout the years and have some great memories at this track."

"This will be John's first time here," observed Cosmo. "This stands to be the toughest track of the season, but we're confident he'll pick it up pretty quick. John is extremely focused and is working very hard on his development as a driver. He's making great progress this season and we're both extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity to run in the ALMS races together."

This is the third race that the Challenge class has participated with the American Le Mans Series regulars. Earlier this year, IMSA and the American Le Mans Series announced the formation of the Challenge class as an effort to promote the brightest and best of a new generation of sports car drivers. The Challenge class will compete with the American Le Mans Series for five races in 2009.

To be eligible for selection by the sanctioning body (IMSA), drivers and teams must have had notable success for at least a year within GT3 level of racing. Teams may only field Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars from the Platinum class of the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama, which is supplying the spec tire for both its championship and the Challenge class.

Certain technical regulations for the American Le Mans Series’ GT2 class will apply for Challenge entries, most notably rules governing refueling. Sporting regulations for the Challenge class also differ slightly from GT2. The number of crew members allowed over the wall during a pit stop is reduced, and only two members with only one wheel gun are allowed to change tires per stop. Teams also will have to make at least one stop to change all four tires at one point during the race.

The distribution of points will follow the American Le Mans Series championship. In a two-hour, 45-minute “sprint” format, class winners receive 20 points, runners-up 16, third-place 13 and down the line to 1 point for 10th place. A Challenge entry is limited to three drivers per car; however all competitors who drive an entry during the season will share the points awarded to that entry throughout the season. To score points, an entry must complete 70 percent of the overall race winner’s distance.

Drive time requirements from other Series classes apply - a two-hour maximum per competitor with each driver required to complete at least 10 laps.

Guy Cosmo is one of the most successful and versatile young racing drivers of his day. Guy is recognized as a first-class professional racer in the sports car road racing industry, having won the 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year award and positioning himself as a proven front-runner in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype category. Guy's success stems from supportive family, friends and fans that have helped him through race wins and championships from Kart Racing, Formula Ford, Formula 2000, Star Mazda and Toyota Atlantic, to his professional endeavors in the Grand-Am and American Le Mans Series.

The Acura Sports Car Challenge is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 8 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The race will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9 on NBC. American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub on americanlemans.com.

You can find out more about Guy at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/guycosmo.

Cosmo Doing Double Duty at Barber and Lime Rock Parks

Cosmo Leading in BGB Porsche at VIR, '08Quick hits:

-Saturday: American Le Mans Series Patron Challenge GT3 entry co-driving with John Baker at Lime Rock Park
-Sunday: Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge Porsche 250 Grand Sports (GS)


(West Palm Beach, FL) 15 July 2009— With plenty of power, looks to match, and a racing pedigree that’s second to none, most guys spend lifetimes wishing they could drive a Porsche 911. But not Guy Cosmo.

Instead of daydreaming about driving one, he’s going to be racing one. In fact, he’ll be racing two different Porsche 911s this weekend as he returns to American Le Mans Series action at Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park to drive the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the ALMS Challenge class as part of the featured American Le Mans Series event on Saturday afternoon. Cosmo will once again team with John Baker for Orbit Racing as the ALMS reconvenes for the first stateside race outing following the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

He’ll then jet down to burning Barber Motorsports Park, where he’ll join with Spirit of Daytona Racing co-driver Scott Russell to share the No. 83 Porsche 911 for BGB Motorsports in the 2.5 Hour Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge race on Sunday morning just outside of Birmingham, Alabama in the Legacy Credit Union 200.

“Two races on two different and challenging tracks, both in Porsches, what could be better?” asked Cosmo, who considers Lime Rock Park to be a bit of a home event as he grew up on Long Island. “John (Baker) and I had a good test day at Lime Rock Park earlier this week, and I think we can build on what we started in Salt Lake with a good run at Lime Rock Park. It’s going to be interesting going from being behind the wheel of a prototype and trying to get around the GT traffic to being the GT traffic, but I’m excited to get the chance to race in ALMS again. The track has changed since I last raced at Lime Rock, so that’s also something I’m really looking forward to!”

While the double-duty weekend is not a first for Cosmo, who has joggled multiple racing programs through the years, it does put some pressure on his travel agent as he changes race tracks and race cars in quick order to make both events.

“Yes, it is tight with the flights, but hopefully there aren’t any snags and I’m there ready to go Sunday morning at Barber,” said Cosmo. “I’m really looking forward to racing for BGB again-we’ve had some tremendous success through the years and I’m really excited about the prospect of getting back up on the KONI podium again.”

Cosmo Ready For Last Run in Coyote at Daytona

Quick hits:

-Saturday’s Brumos Porsche 250 will be Cosmo’s last Daytona Prototype outing with Spirit of Daytona

-Free-Agent looking for next challenge

(Daytona Beach, FL) 2 July 2009— When the Rolex Sports Car Series convenes this weekend for the Brumos Porsche 250, the Saturday sprint race will mark the start of the second half of the 2009 season.

But for racer Guy Cosmo, the event is more likely to have the feeling of a bittersweet end of an era, as he makes a last race start behind the wheel of the No. 09 Spirit of Daytona Coyote-Porsche V8 for Spirit of Daytona Racing.

Cosmo made his first start with the team as co-driver with Bobby Labonte in a Crawford-Pontiac in 2006. He was then retained to help the team assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Coyote-Porsche V8 package in preparation for the newest specification Coyote machine, has been with the organization since late 2007, and with the newest Coyote being deployed into race action with a new race line-up, Cosmo is now looking ahead to giving the No. 09 machine a strong final run as he moves into free-agency.

"We've made such incredible progress with this old Coyote and Porsche V8 since we started this program in late 2007, but the advancements we've made since January this year at the Rolex 24 have been huge,” said Cosmo, who jumped into a KONI Challenge machine at Mid-Ohio and led the race early on. “We've shown very good speed in qualifying and the races since then, so I'm excited to get back to Daytona and see the fruits of our labor with this old girl. It will be a bitter-sweet moment for us, as it should be this car's strongest performance, yet sadly, it's last race before being permanently retired from Rolex Series competition."

Since working with a car that has its engineering roots in some of the very first Daytona Prototype events ever held, Cosmo has had his hands full, wresting everything he’s been able to out of the years-old machine, and creating several improbable performances along the way.

"I'm obviously disappointed to not be driving the new 90 Coyote, as everything we've determined over the years to be inherently wrong with the old design of the 09 chassis has been effectively addressed with the new 90,” said Cosmo. “Having driven it's very first laps on track, I know it will be very competitive straight out of the box, and that it's a car that will contend for race wins in this very competitive series - an opportunity that unfortunately, I've never had with the 09 car. I can tell you, however, that any car out there is going to have a real hard time getting by me in that old beast this weekend!"

While he was looking forward to putting some of the blood and sweat of his labor to good use with the newest-specification Coyote, Cosmo knows that he’s shown he can do a lot behind the wheel, no matter what the machinery is, and also that he’s far from done working with Spirit of Daytona.

"Over the past number of years I've forged a very strong relationship with (Spirit of Daytona team owner) Troy Flis and I'm grateful for the opportunities and support he's given me,” said Cosmo, who was also tapped by the team for his expertise as a driver coach as the team posted a driver line-up of motorcycle champs to open the 2009 Rolex season.

“I've really enjoyed working with all of our crew from Spirit of Daytona Racing and Lozano Brothers Porting on this entire project, and am going to miss driving for them dearly. However, when one door closes, another door opens. I'm now a free-agent in the Rolex paddock and am looking for a new home with a competitive team, where I can show what I'm really made of. I know I can win races and championships in this series. Now I've just got an earlier start on the next stage of my career."


For additional information, please visit:
www.cosmo-sport.com

-30-

Contact: Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media@sundaymanagement.com
317.908.2975 (m)

Good Start But Tough Finish for Cosmo with Next Generation at Mid-Ohio

(Lexington, OH) 24 June 2009— After driving a Daytona Prototype in a select schedule of Rolex Sports Car Series events for Spirit of Daytona Racing, Guy Cosmo had almost forgotten how much fun could be had racing in Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge. Almost.

But his grin was back after getting behind the wheel of the No. 129 Next Generation Motorsports BMW 330i for Sunday’s Sports Tuner (ST) class round for the EMCO Gears Classic at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Teaming with Puerto Rico’s fastest export, Bryan Ortiz, Cosmo powered the BMW to 8th on the grid in Saturday’s morning qualifying session.

Making the most of the car’s balanced handling and strong braking, Cosmo bolted to third in the order in the early going before the pit rotations saw him move to the front for two laps.

“It was great to get back in this car and be able to move up so quickly,” said Cosmo. “These guys lean on each other pretty hard and I was having a blast out there. This track is one of the best to race on. It’s really technical so you really have to pick your battles and not get too impatient on the back side.”

As Cosmo hit the Next Generation fuel window, he was called into the pits from the lead to turn the machine over to Ortiz, who was also in GS class action on Saturday. But before he was even done taking off his helmet, Cosmo’s day turned from good to bad as a pit miscue saw the No. 129 leaving the pits before the service was complete, generating a drive-through penalty for the car.

Running a lap down from the leader, the day turned even worse as damage from on-track debris forced the machine into the pits and behind the wall after it was determined that the car was unsafe to have on track when the windshield shattered.

“It was looking like we’d be in position to maybe fight for a podium, so it’s obviously disappointing that Bryan didn’t get the chance to do that,” said Cosmo. “But I think we showed that this Next Generation car has some fight in it, and I really had a good time out there and didn’t really want to come in and turn the car over!”

Cosmo will be back in racing action in the Brumos Porsche 250 as he returns to Rolex competition behind the wheel of the No. 09 Spirit of Daytona Racing Coyote/Porsche V8.

For additional information, please visit:
www.guycosmo.com
www.nextgenmotorsports.net

Contact: Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media@sundaymanagement.com
317.908.2975 (m)

-30-

Cosmo and Russell Take 11th for Spirit of Daytona Racing at Mid-Ohio

(Mansfield, OH) 20 June 09 – After running in the top five in the opening stages of the ECMO Gears Classic presented by Key Bank at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Guy Cosmo and Scott Russell combined for a run to 11th in the No. 09 No. 09 Porsche V8-powered Coyote on Saturday.

Cosmo started the race from seventh on the combined Daytona Prototype and GT-Class grid, and was right in the thick of the action in the opening stages of the two hour and 45-minute race, moving up to fifth position by the fifth lap moving up one more spot to fourth before turning the car over to Russell, who ran a long middle stint before turning the car back over to Cosmo to take to the checkered flag.

Russell’s run showed the progress the motorcycle champ has made so far in his transition from two wheels to four.

“The car had a mid-corner push, so I had to be patient with it,” said Russell. “But once I got used to it, it felt pretty good. I’m still learning, but that’s the best run I’ve had this car yet, so I’m really happy with the race and really looking forward to going back to Daytona and putting the experience I’ve gained since the 24 to use. It’s like going home again to race there, so it can’t come soon enough for me!”

The opening run up front was a promising start to the race, which marked the mid-point of the Rolex Sports Car Series season. The No. 09 Coyote, which has countless miles in Rolex competition, had two driver changes as Cosmo took to the cockpit for the final stint on the day.

“It was great to run up front there and mix it up with the big dogs,” said Cosmo. “It was a really intense, and a fun race to run. The car was just like it tends to be-very consistent. It didn’t change at all through the run and that gave me more confidence with the car. This is one of my favorite places to race because there is a little bit of everything here and you have so much going on, almost the entire lap, so this was a fun day today. We’d have loved to have been in the top ten, but we had a little problem in the pits and that was just enough to keep us from that, but it’s still a solid run for us today.”

Spirit of Daytona Racing has been hard at work, preparing the 09 machine for racing while also making sure the No. 90 is ready to go in testing in the coming days.

“We figured that we had a top-ten car, and even though we just missed that today, it was a pretty good result on the day,” said team owner Troy Flis. “The Metro Motorsports Guys did a great job and Guy and Scott did as well. Scott got a lot of seat time this weekend and during the race it really showed so we’re proud of how he keeps progressing out there. Hopefully things go well with the test on Monday and that we have some good news to announce soon!”

The team will be back in racing action in two weeks’ time as part of the Brumos 250 event at the high-banked home of the team, Daytona International Speedway.

About Spirit of Daytona Racing:

Spirit of Daytona Racing is headquartered just down the road from the “World Center of Racing ” in the Daytona Beach, Florida area. Team principal Troy Flis has steered the team since its inception, and the organization has competed in Grand-Am since 1999, with sixteen class victories to its credit.

For additional information:

www.scouting.org
www.spiritofdaytona.com
www.sundaymanagement.com

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