9-2-2006 - #76 wins drivers championship at Miller!

TOOELE, Utah -- It was a Cinderella season for the Krohn Racing team. Jörg Bergmeister won the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype Driver Championship and the No. 76 Krohn Racing team finished second in the Daytona Prototype Team Championship.

Bergmeister finished with 462 points, 16 ahead of the second place Scott Pruett/Luis Diaz duo in the championship chase to the finish. The Krohn Racing No. 76 team garnered 436 points, just ten shy of the top spot, won by the No. 01 Ganassi team.

In today’s inaugural Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series 9-Hour Race at the Miller Motorsports Park, the No. 76 Krohn Racing entry of Bergmeister, Colin Braun and Nic Jönsson finished in the sixth position. The No. 75 Krohn Racing car finished 12th with team owner/driver Tracy Krohn, Max Papis and Boris Said.

Jörg Bergmeister, driver of No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Riley:
“It’s great to win the championship. I can’t believe it. The whole team did such a great job, a great effort. The car always finished. Colin Braun did a great job. He should be champion with me.”

“It was a crazy last stint. We lost first gear and traction control, so especially at nighttime with all of the dirt on the track, it was crazy. I was really happy when it was over. The whole team did an excellent job all year long. We always finished. That’s a great effort for the team, especially with all of the long races we’ve run. My teammates, all of them, did super, super well. Especially today – Colin (Braun) and Nic (Jönsson) did a great job with making no mistakes. I can’t thank them enough. I have had many teammates this year and they all well for the team. I’ve run with Boris (Said) and Max (Papis) and have been able to stay in the top nine of every race.”

With a nine-hour race, you’re really just out there trying to stay on the lead lap and towards the last almost two hours you really start pushing. You just have to have no mistakes and it came down tot staying out of trouble and just finishing the race. I was really happy when it was over.”

“It’s a brand new organization, the first year for the team. No one expected us and no one in the team expected the success that we’ve had this year. I just hope we can get even better for next year.”

Colin Braun, driver of No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Riley (finished 6th):
“Obviously I’m very excited for Jörg and the whole team. They did everything they could to help me be there with him (in the championship). Obviously I’m disappointed I couldn’t be co-champion, but I’m very happy for Jörg. It is excellent for Krohn Racing to finish second in the Team Championship, especially since we didn’t run that car at Daytona.”

Tracy Krohn, team owner/driver of No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Riley (finished 12th):
“It was a mixed blessing. I hate to be second. We came so close to winning. We had a couple of calls the last few races that hurt us. The cars and drivers performed well. We kicked on the door this year. Maybe next year we’ll kick the damn door in.”

“Jeff Hazell (Krohn Racing Team Manager) did a great job. The mechanics, crew chiefs, everyone working on the car did a great job. It was a team effort. It wasn’t done solo. Unlike any other business, this is a business where good people and hard work can win it. That’s what we did!”

“We’ll be back next year. I don’t see any reason to change it. We had a great effort.”

Nic Jönsson, driver of No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Riley (finished 6th):
“This is my third year driving with Tracy Krohn. In 2003-04, we drove the Lamborghini, then continued last season with Tracy, Jörg & I. This year this team has come alive. Half-way through the season we did a lot of testing that benefited us. Jeff Hazell organized a great team. Everyone really gels together. It’s the right effort and funding. Tracy’s given the resources the team needed. It’s all come together well. It’s fantastic to be a part of a great group, to be part of a champagne winning team.”

Max Papist, driver of No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Riley (finished 12th): “It was an honor to see Jörg win the championship. I’m happy to have contributed a little bit, since I drove with him at Miami. Hat’s off to Tracy Krohn for his vision of putting this team together. The team is like the ‘little train that could’. No one gave much credit to this team at the beginning of the year, but here they are with a championship. I’m really proud for them in their first year and the championship.”

Boris Said, driver of No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Riley (finished 12th):
“The race was a lot of fun. We did the best we could. The focus was always on winning the championship for Jörg. I feel like I’m a small part of that with the win at Watkins Glen together. It’s a good team to be a part of.”

“The final stint was difficult with the headlights. We just decided to just pace ourselves and bring it home.”