2-22-2006 - Grand Am young guns from web site

Grand American Young Guns Shine Bright Under Competitive Sports Car Spotlight

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 22, 2006) -- In very few sports can teenagers showcase their talents at the highest level against future and current Hall of Famers. Showing the poise, confidence and a killer instinct needed to succeed in any sport at a young age, may be too daunting a task. But a handful of Grand American Road Racing drivers have proven that competing with racing superstars on North America's biggest road racing stage isn't as hard as it would seem.

In 2006, both the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve and the Grand-Am Cup Series will feature entry lists stretching three generations wide. And if early results are any indication of future Victory Lane celebrations, tracks may need to have non-alcoholic champagne on the ready.

"I'm so grateful to be racing in Grand-Am, showing people the ability I have," said Eric Lux, who turns 18 on March 22. "I may be less experienced than many other drivers out there, but I'm definitely not new to racing. My parents were racing in the '80s and I was in go-karts in the '90s. I've been around it my whole life."

Lux's life, which began in 1988, started nine years after Hall of Famer--and Rolex Series driver--Hurley Haywood claimed his fifth Rolex 24 At Daytona class victory.

This year, in the season-opening Grand-Am Cup 200 at Daytona, Lux became the youngest overall winner in the history of the Grand-Am Cup Series, co-driving the No. 44 Rembrandt Charms/GOJO/Hawk Porsche 996 with Charles Espenlaub.

Lux and Espenlaub are also sharing the No. 74 NEC/Rembrandt Charms Porsche GT3 in the Rolex Series GT class for the season, competing on the same track with road racing's best drivers.

"Grand-Am is undoubtedly the leading sports car series, with the best teams and drivers," said Lux. "Tafel Racing has given me a great opportunity here, and I feel that we will have a good chance of winning every time we race."

In the Daytona Prototype category, an even younger driver is turning heads in the paddock. Texan Colin Braun, who is sharing the No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Riley with Jörg Bergmeister this season, won't celebrate his 18th birthday until September. With a fifth-place finish in the Rolex 24 At Daytona alongside teammates Bergmeister, Tracy Krohn and Nic Jönsson, Braun proved that although he's young, he's fast.

"I'm not taking any credit for our success yet," said Braun. "Nic, Jörg and Tracy have been fantastic mentors for me, and right now, I'm just trying to learn as much as possible from them."

Despite his early success and promising future, Braun insists that he is far from being Krohn Racing's marquee pilot.

"We have a great engineer, a great manager and great crew members," said Braun. "Our team is very well put together. It's as good as there is out there. Grand-Am has gotten so competitive, and each team needs to be on top of their game every week. I'm just lucky I found one that is."

As something of an elder statesman by comparison, Canadian Jamie Holtom is credited with setting the winning bar. Claiming two Grand-Am Cup Series ST class wins in 2005 as a 17-year-old, Holtom holds the record in Grand American as the youngest class winner ever, winning at Mosport International Raceway in his native Canada at 17 years, eight months and 20 days old.

"To be 17 years old and in just my fifth race, to win the race in Canada with my dad as my co-driver, and on Father's Day, is something I'll never forget," said Holtom, who will co-drive the No. 01 Scada Pack Chevrolet Cobalt with Eric Curran in 2006.

With aspirations of ascending the Grand American ladder, Holtom sees his career following a sports car path.

"I'd like to get to the top levels of sports car racing," said Holtom. "Whether it is in a Daytona Prototype or a GT car, it would be great to compete full time in the Rolex Series."

When Michael McDowell took the overall victory in the Rolex Series finale in Mexico City with Memo Gidley for Finlay Motorsports last November, he set the series record for youngest overall winner, at 20 years, 10 months and 15 days. Braun, Lux and Holtom have plenty of time to break that record.