Potter and Stanton survive hectic Lime Rock race to record a seventh-place finish for Magnus Racing

Craig on his way to the checkered flag in Lime RockMay 31, 2010 (Salt Lake City, Utah) – The first GRAND-AM Rolex Sportscar Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No.16 race at Lime Rock Park that featured a combined field of Daytona Prototypes and Grand Touring cars lived up to expectations that the race would be fast-paced and feature plenty of action between the two classes of cars.

The mission for Magnus Racing’s starting driver John Potter was simple: keep the No.44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 out of trouble and hand over a good car to his co-driver, Craig Stanton. While other GT cars around him ran into trouble – or were run off the track by Daytona Prototypes – Potter moved upwards through the field in what was, for the second time this season, the only Porsche entered in the race.

When the bulk of the GT field came to the pits, the Magnus Racing team executed a flawless pitstop and Stanton rejoined the race in tenth position. As he did at last month’s race at Virginia International Raceway, Stanton moved the Porsche forward throughout the final hour. With a few minutes remaining in the race, Stanton executed a pass on the No.30 Mazda RX-8 entering Lime Rock’s Big Bend for sixth place. Stanton, one of the most experienced drivers in the Rolex Sportscar Series, made the pass happen on the outside of the corner but left plenty of racing room for his competitor to make it through the corner. He was then hit in the right rear by the Mazda, sending him spinning off the track and causing him to lose several positions.

Stanton rejoined the race and owing to another incident later that lap involving other GT cars, he was able to bring the Magnus Racing Porsche home in seventh place.

“We knew that we would be struggling on pace in Lime Rock – it’s just a track that’s not suited for our car,” said Potter. “We can run an excellent race pace and go very fast at the end of a race if Craig and I take care of the car and look after the tires, but track position is huge at Lime Rock so had a disadvantage from the start because of qualifying. We did get some help with the yellows and were able to minimize the loss of time and damage to the car when the prototypes went by. It’s too bad Craig was punted by that Mazda because if not for that we would have been sixth, but we are relatively happy with seventh and we’re happy the car is in one piece so the guys don’t have to thrash to get it ready for the Sahlen’s Six Hour of the Glen.”

Stanton and Potter remain eleventh in the Rolex Sportscar Series’ GT championship standings, while Potter also remains fourth in the Bob Akin Award standings for sportsman drivers in the GT class. Magnus Racing is also fifth in the GT Team Championship standings.

The team in green will now head west to Watkins Glen, New York for this weekend’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. The GT race will air live in two segments on SPEED Channel, with the first segment beginning at 2:00 PM ET, and the second beginning at 6:00 PM ET. Fans of Magnus Racing can see photo galleries from the weekend and more at magnusracing.com, facebook.com/magnusracing, and twitter.com/magnusracing (@magnusracing).

More information about Magnus Racing can be found at www.magnusracing.com. Any organization interested in learning more about how to be involved with one of the most unique and visible teams in the Grand-American Rolex Sportscar Series can e-mail info@magnusracing.com. All press inquiries can be directed to press@magnusracing.com.