Special to Murphy the Bear

Motorsports journalist A.C. Guillermo is expected to be released from the Volusia County Correctional Facility in Daytona Beach early next week.  Guillermo was arrested for shoplifting at the Daytona International Speedway gift shop last fall and pleaded no contest at his hearing.

He was sentenced to 90 days in prison followed by 90 days of community service, which includes changing light bulbs on the Daytona International Speedway Pylon scoreboard, walking along International Speedway Boulevard wearing a sandwich board that reads “NASCAR Grand-Am Racing is Exciting” and washing Daytona Speedway Security Gestapo patrol cars.

Guillermo was caught on video October 3rd last year stuffing diecast 1:43 models of Rolex Series Grand-Am cars down his pants at the Daytona Speedway Gift Shop. 

Guillermo’s attorney, Godwin K. France IV, stated: “A.C. is looking forward to his release and resuming his journalistic career.  He really wants to attend the Rolex 24 because he loves vintage racing.”

Guillermo has had previous brushes with the law.  In 2007, he was detained by the U.S. Border Patrol for attempting to smuggle 126 boxes of Nicotine patches into Mexico for a Grand-Am event. No charges were ever filed.

In 2008, a no trespassing warrant was issued against Guillermo by a Porsche dealership in Jacksonville after Guillermo was caught taking unauthorized photos of Hurley Haywood.

In 2009, Guillermo stepped in Clydesdale poop while on the grid at Sebring International Raceway. He subsequently sued Dr. Don Panoz for the mental anguish and trauma caused by that incident.  The lawsuit was settled out of court after Guillermo was offered 40 pounds of cheese from an unnamed  New York state cheese manufacturer.

Guillermo is best known in sports car racing circles for his columns about road racing.  He has maintained steadfastly that the Rolex Grand-Am Series is the finest sports car racing series in the world. The lack of spectators and technology are particularly appealing to Guillermo, who led a recent campaign by NASCAR to ban the ALMS from the SPEED Channel.

It has been a while since you’ve heard from A.C. My temp job with the Census Department has really tied me up, and I haven’t been able to attend any Grand Am races since Daytona.

There has been a lot of news about the Rolex Series recently, and its all been good. Probably the best thing is J.C. France has been fully exonerated of those bogus charges against him.  J.C. is a good citizen and an asset to the Daytona Beach community and the Rolex Grand Am Series. It almost brought a tear to my eyes when I saw all those “Free J.C.” Banners at the Rolex 24. 

It was obvious from the start J.C. was targeted by law enforcement. This is called RWGP (“Rich White Guy Profiling”) and has become a serious problem in our country.  The fact he has 30 traffic stops on his record proves the police are unfairly targeting him. From what I understand, the ACLU was going to defend J.C. because of the nature of this RWGP case.  Fortunately, all charges have been dropped.

I wasn’t surprised to hear the good news that Scott Pruett was just named the “Most Interesting Man in the World,” replacing that bearded Dos Equis guy (“Stay Thirsty my Friends”). The announcement was made by the NASCAR Road Racing PR Department after a poll of Grand-Am fans (Andy F., I know you stuffed the ballot box, but I won’t tell anyone).  As I’m sure all you Grand-Am fans know- Scott is simply the greatest race car driver ever.  By the way, Memo Rojas is a great guy too, but not that interesting.

I received an email from a reader suggesting I comment on the dwindling car count in Grand Am. First of all, 12 DP’s is an excellent number, because it’s quality, not quantity that matters.  More important, it’s kind of cool that there is usually one car per spectator at Grand Am races, which creates a very intimate feeling.  NASCAR does not overlook anything!

I really like the new ballast drawing instituted for the GT class. If you are not familiar with it, it is quite simple: When a Mazda team arrives at the track, they draw a number [between 74 and 76] out of a hat, and that is the amount of extra pounds they carry in the race. Non-Mazda teams are exempt.

Don’t know if any of you have had a chance to see the massive new NASCAR offices on International Speedway Boulevard, but they are awesome.  The lobby features a tribute to the France family and the importance of NASCAR to our society. Its like a little museum; there’s a special display by Winston, showing the number of NASCAR fans who got lung cancer during their sponsorship. Another display shows the technology advances of NASCAR (for some reason the timeline ends with the 1970s).  A neat item on display is the actual urine sample Jeremy Mayfield submitted for his drug test.  Probably the coolest thing is the “Wall of Contrived Controversies” the NASCAR PR department has dreamed up to create fan interest.  They were just adding the Jeff Gordon vs. Jimmie Johnson feud when I was there the other day.  Anyway, the Grand Am office is on the first floor in the back corner, next to the restrooms and the “Office of Loyalty.” Inside the Grand-Am office there are 159 different photos of Hurley Haywood on the wall, arranged in a pattern that spells “DAYTONA.”  Really cool.  If you ever have a chance to visit the new offices, I recommend it.

The “silly season” is upon us already!  Lots of juicy rumors.  I’ve heard Jim France is the stroke of a pen away from buying the three Panoz tracks.  If he steps up to the plate, and I think he will, expect the Rolex schedule to expand by three races next year!

I’ve also heard the next generation of DPs will be announced later this year!  The rules will send shockwaves throughout the road racing community (and especially in Braselton).  I am sworn to secrecy, but I will give you these hints: Jim Hurtubise, Zima, and The Village People.

A.C.

For the third year, the Bear’s picking five entries likely to contend for the win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. In 2008, his list of five captured 1, 2, and 3. Last year, they grabbed the top two steps.

Before he picked, Murphy gave away the five rools that will let his friends pick the Daytona Prototype winners, too. Not much has changed, so here they are again:

1. Riley only. The first non-Riley in 2008 was 15th. Last year, a Dallara snuck into 4th, a Crawford into 8th. That’s not enough to change the rool.
2. Teams you’ve heard of. Ganassi won its third in a row in 2008, another of Murphy’s teams,  Brumos won in 2009 – and took third, too. Ganassi was second and fifth, Penske sixth, GAINSCO seventh. The Bear didn’t mention SunTrust, which was fourth; they’ll replace the departed Penske among our picks. Murphy thinks “nicely turned out” counts for a lot. It’s a team that does that.
3. No oil billionaire drivers, no scrawny girls. No drivers with the same name as the team. No brain doctors or heart doctors. In other words, absent an LMS-type ‘gentleman driver rool’ DP is a “pro only need apply” class.

Rolex Favorites

The Bear had no trouble picking four, but his fifth turn out to be ‘a bear,’ so to speak. After Ganassi (2), GAINSCO, and Brumos, it came down to SunTrust Racing, a familiar (and successful) team (see rool 2.) but with a Dallara (rool 1.). It was the SunTrust Dallara that snuck into 4th last year, too. On the other hand, there’s Action Express Racing, a “rookie” team (that runs afoul of rool 2.), while meeting rool 3. (drivers), and rool 1. What to do? The elves told the Bear it was time to do a little research.

A little digging uncovered that Action Express is the ‘second Brumos entry,’ owned by long-time Brumos associate Bob Johnson, with a number Brumos staff and crew, and with drivers Barbosa and Borcheller. So, with good leadership, it might meet rool 2. after all. SunTrust’s 4th was a break-through for the non-Riley Dallara, three of four drivers return – Ricky Taylor (son of team owner Wayne) replaces veteran gentleman Brian Frisselle. Is that an improvement? Was last season’s Dallara break-through a trend or an aberration?

Here are Murphy’s by-the-rools five favorites for the 2010 Rolex. Last year we asked if this ‘Looked familiar?’ This year, it’s ‘Look familiar – again?’

01 Ganassi  Papis, Wilson, Pruett, Rojas – BMW / Riley
02 Ganassi  Dixon, Franchitti, Montoya, McMurray  – BMW / Riley
  9 Action Express Barbosa, Borcheller, Dalziel, Rockenfeller – Porsche / Riley
59 Brumos Donohue, Haywood, Law, Leitzinger, Matos – Porsche / Riley
99 GAINSCO   Fogarty, Gurney, Johnson, Vasser – Chevrolet / Riley

If anything, Ganassi is fielding even better driver lineups. Brumos returns without the drug felon, and with Leitzinger and Matos – a huge upgrade in talent (and sense) if a Bear ever saw one. Two-time Grand Am champion GAINSCO returns with drivers as good as anyone – intent on capturing the prize that’s eluded them. Action Express – as we’ve explained – is ‘Brumos Lite’ with a better roster of pilots.

Murphy makes SunTrust his “dark horse.” Level 5 having morphed into NPN Racing might have made the Bear’s favorites list, until Tucker, the designated rich guy, listed himself in both cars, diluting otherwise stellar driving lineups. If you can figure out which car will not get Tucker’s driving help, pick the other one.

Taking a Flyer on GT with the Bear

The Bear decided it’s time to pay some attention to the GT field. Just in time for the faux Mazdas to drop from contention, now having fallen to second tier teams and too many otherwise-employed drivers out for a weekend fling. That doesn’t rule out other bodies on the tubers – the odd BMW and Corvette look-alike.

So, what are Murphy’s GT rools?

1. At least 3 pros to carry a weekender. If so, doctors and CEOs are O.K. here.
2. Teams with experience and talent. Some of these are easy to pick out: TRG and Turner Motorsports, for instance. Others aren’t so obvious.
3. Current or former ‘factory’ drivers. They don’t go – or aren’t sent – where they have no chance.

23 Alex Job Baldwin, Burtis, Farnbacher, Pagerey, Ragginger – Porsche GT3
44 Magnus Bleekemolen, Lietz, Potter, Stanton  – Porsche GT3
67 TRG Bergmeister, Long, Neiman, van Overbeek – Porsche GT3
71 TRG Bernhard, Dumas, George, Labonte, Pumpelly – Porsche GT3
94 Turner Auberlen, Dalla Lana, Hand, Said – BMW M6

07 Godstone Ranch Corvette is the Bear’s GT dark horse. Young up-and-comer to watch is Thomas Merrill, Salinas California, Corsa Team PR1 BMW.

Murphy’s Predictions

A smaller field gets less opportunities to hit the favorites, so the good ones will mostly be there at the end. If it rains – and it seems it might – all such bets are off.

Matt Connolly Motorsports will be relevant in Matt Connolly’s mind and among the cogs.

We’ll see more of McDreamy than we do on Grey’s Anatomy.

No one will mention that Krohn Racing is in a dust-up with Lola. Krohn, who shouldn’t want to bend the Lola with few spares (and none in the pipeline) will drive anyway, and bend the Lola.

Sebring and Le Mans will disappear into a parallel universe for the duration of the coverage.

Jack Baldwin and Hurley Haywood, separated at birth in May 1948, will insist senior discounts at Hooters on International Speedway Boulevard. Well, Jack will, anyway.

With only six NASCAR drivers on hand, that story line should be a bit more subdued in this year’s telecast. Those seats are filled by current and former German factory pilots.

Kia Goes Grand Am Racing

When it came time to pick a ‘platform,’ the fast-growing manufacturer ‘passed’ on the Global Leader Green Racing to field a new factory team. It’s particularly interesting that a manufacturer intent on building a new ‘luxury’ image would consider, then reject, the American Le Mans Series.  Wouldn’t it’s market strategy have fit ALMS’ ‘World Class’ image?  Too bad it was abandoned to chase a green strategy.

Perhaps the Braselburger boss has been too busy with alternative energy mucky-mucks to waste time with automobile manufacturers. After leaving Phoenix, he went hobnobbing in Toronto chatting up “alternative fuels” this past weekend.

Follow Murphy’s tweets at http://twitter.com/Murphythebear

AC

1. Name PTG’s drivers in the 2001 American Le Mans Series season. (1 point for each)
Trick question, they ran Grand-Am that year.
2. What is the significance of Portola Road in sports car racing history? (5 points)
That’s the road Junior Johnson’s moonshine still was located just off of.
3. Who is Mel Hawkins? (5 points)
He invented the “lucky dog.”
4. What progenitor of a famous racing family was proud to be on Richard Nixon’s ‘Enemies List’? (5 points)
 Bill France, Sr.
5. Who was the winner of the first Pebble Beach Road Race in 1950? (5 points)
Typo you idiot: It should be Daytona Beach, NOT Pebble Beach.
6. When and where did seven time World Driving Champion Michael Schumacher last race in North America? (5 points)
Who the hell is Michael Schumacher?
7. Who was the last driver to qualify and race a front engine car in the Indianapolis 500? What year was it? (5 points)
Richard Petty
8. Identify the driver and the car. (3 points for each)
Scott Pruett with Smokey Yannick’s Chebby Special

9. What North American racing incident involved the driver in the photograph? (5 points)
Scott pulled an 8-year old girl out of a burning motorhome he spotted in the infield while driving during the Rolex 24. After saving her and putting out the fire, he jumped back in the car and won by a 32-lap margin of victory.
10. Name the ‘Odd Couple,’ a Silicon Valley CEO and a former college tennis player who combined to launch a sports car racing team, then drove to a podium finish at Le Mans. (5 points)
Hurley Haywood and Willy T. Ribbs.
11. The werks John Wyer and Porsche Salzburg (1970) and Martini (1971) teams won all but four races in which they entered the 917 in the FIA Group 5 World Championship of Makes. Name the four races in which the werks 917’s were beaten, whether points-paying or not, and the car that won in each instance. (8 points, 1 for venue, 1 for car in each instance)
Daytona 500 (1970) – Plymouth Superbird, Southern 500 (1970) – Ford Galaxie, Bristol 500 (1970) – Chebby Monte Carlo , Talladega 500 (1971) – Ford Torino
12. What Le Mans winner won a race in a Scarab?  (5 points)
Benny Parsons won a race in a taxi cab, is that what you mean?
13. What driver finished second overall in NASCAR points in his rookie season (year 1), then the next year third overall at Le Mans (year 2) and finally third in points in the following NASCAR season (year 3)? (5 points)
Tim Richmond.
14. Who celebrated a milestone birthday at Sonoma, California in July, 2000. (5 points)
J.C. France.
15. What do TWR USA/Jaguar, Nissan Performance Technology, Risi Competizione, and Tafel Racing have in common? (5 points)
They never raced a Daytona Prototype.
16. Which team won the biggest ever sports car purse, what was the race and year? (5 points)
Who the hell drives with a big purse?  Danica?
17. What driver called a GT1 a “real race car” when asked to contrast it to the car he usually raced. (5 points)
Who makes up this crap?
18. What driver competed in six ALMS seasons with an artificial heart valve? (5 points)
The Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz.
19. Murphy the Bear’s office is located in what institution on Monterey’s Wave Street? (5 points)
The zoo.
20. Who completed a cross county motorcycle ride between ALMS races at Lime Rock and Infineon. (5 points)
Someone with too much time on their hands.

If you’d like to enter Murphy’s contest, answer the following questions in an email by numbering your answers the same as the questions are numbered here, and send to mhbearesq@gmail.com  You must submit your answers no later than Midnight, Eastern Standard Time, 14 December, 2009.