Rehagen Racing Mustangs Set Blistering Pace at Daytona Test

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 7, 2008) -- Rehagen Racing came to the Grand-American KONI Challenge test at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with a plan. The team brought five Ford Mustangs to the race track with the intention of gathering data, testing product and educating the drivers. By the time the checkered flag flew over the Jan. 4-6 test, every one of those goals was accomplished, and then some.

The team set the two fastest times recorded by any of the more than 60 KONI Challenge cars which participated in the three-day event. And even better, each of the five Mustangs recorded a top-five time in at least one of the on-track sessions.

Hugh Plumb recorded a 2:00.963 elapsed time over the 3.56-mile stadium road course in the afternoon session on Jan. 5, posting what would stand as the best time of any during the test session. He will compete with co-driver Mike Canney in the No. 60 Mustang which will have ROUSH 427R graphics on the body.

Dean Martin posted a time of 2:01.084 in the same session in the No. 59 ROUSH Performance Mustang, a time which would stand as the second-quick overall. As with last season, Martin will share the seat with Jack Roush, Jr. in 2008.

"I don't think that our team has ever come into a test session better prepared and knowing in advance exactly what we wanted to test and how to measure the different variables," said Martin. "We tested a number of different things like chassis setups, springs, brake packages, and even the handling of the ROUSH Mustang with and without a spoiler on the rear deck lid. I feel like we gathered an incredible amount of data and we should be much stronger this season because of it."

While Martin took the testing lead on the No. 59 ROUSH Performance Mustang, Roush had the responsibility to relearn the race track and work on improving his lap times. Now in his second season of KONI Challenge competition, Roush participated in the test session at Daytona International Speedway in 2007, but did not race at the track as the birth of his second daughter presented a conflict.

"It had been a year since I was last on this race track and it took a couple of sessions to get back into the correct line," Roush explained. "My main goal for the test was to continue learning the racetrack and how the ROUSH Performance Mustang handled in the different sections. This track has some extremely high-speed areas, but there are also some technical sections too. I am happy with the progress that I made, but I think that I still can get a little more out of the car when we come back for the race."

Roush posted his best lap of 2:02.253 in the morning session on Jan. 6, dropping more than four seconds from his first lap times just two days earlier.

The 10-race KONI Challenge Grand Sport season begins on Friday, Jan. 25 with the running of the Fresh from Florida 200 at Daytona International Speedway. The teams will take the green flag at 2:15 p.m. ET with live timing and scoring available at Grand-Am.com.

 

Awesome to say the least

 

What's up with the rear spoiler? Are you guys testing the effects with and without before deciding if you are going to run with one . . . or not?

And congratulations on succesful testing!

 

Great pics! And great luck to Rehagen Racing and to all the other Mustang teams!

Greg "Eights" Ates

 

The spoiler was for testing purposes. It's one of the only things allowed to change "aero"-wise (along w/ the steeda hood) and the team thought it was worth a look . . . you'll have to follow along w/ the team for the rest of the year to find out if we decide to use it or not

 

Sure will. I'll see you guys (again) at Mid-Ohio and possible Barbers (again).

 

For some reason, Grand-Am says Mid-Ohio is an ST race only this year, which sucks for us because its the closest thing we have to a "home" race.


But, for Daytona, I'm hoping for an all Rehagen podium We've got a pretty good setup going in, so its more of a possibility than ever before

 

Brian, tell one of the drivers to stop in bham and pick me up on the way down to Daytona

 

Wish you guys the best of finishes this year...

bummer on Mid-Ohio (my favorite track) but maybe I see you run down in Homestead.

 

Oh yea...nice! This made the pulse rate rise. Can't wait to see it on TV!

WOOO HOOO CONGRATS!