Craig Stanton On Top Of Grand-Am Cup Performance Chart

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 19, 2004 - Sports car racer Craig Stanton has dominated the Grand-Am Cup Grand Sport (GS) class in 2004. His performance has placed him on-top of the Grand American Road Racing Association's Grand-Am Cup Driver Performance Index through the most recent round at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). Based on the Index's measurement for drivers competing in the Grand-Am Cup, the Long Beach, California-resident has a combined performance index of .964 out of a possible 1.0. Stanton drove the first stint of each of the No. 44 Porsche 996 team's three wins beginning with Daytona 250 at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in February. He moved on to Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS) qualifying second before winning the Miami 250. Stanton, who also has a victory and a second-place in the first three-races of the Grand American Rolex Series with AASCO Motorsports, again qualified second and won the Grand-Am Cup Twin 200s at PIR. The Performance Index calculates a comparison of drivers regardless of class, thereby directly evaluating on-track performance for every Grand-Am Cup Series' driver. The formula takes into consideration overall finishing position, qualifying, laps led and fastest time of the event. Stanton has edged-out teammate Terry Borcheller, whose index is .960, as a result of Stanton's qualifying efforts and race laps in the Porsche. Craig Stanton: "I'm proud to be at the top of the performance index in the Grand-Am Cup. I've always watched the performance index really close because there are many factors that lead up to the points. I think it tells you more about what's going on than just the driver or team points. Grand American has really done a good job with how they blend in all aspects of the race weekend. It's a great goal to strive for and it's been one of my goals, as well as the other championship points, since last year. I am honored to be there at this point of the year and hope to be there at the end as well. We've definitely had a great start to the season." Since moving from moto-cross/super-cross to automobiles in 1986, Stanton has positioned himself as one of the premier drivers in sports car racing. A desire to win in all kinds of machines has led to drives in closed and open cockpit sports cars, sedans, NASCAR stock cars, open wheel formula cars and midgets and in off-road competition. He has won three championships and a Driver of the Year award in Sports Renault and is the 1997 Speedvision Cup Rising Star Award winner. Stanton began competing in the top echelon of sports car racing in 1999 and has class wins in both the Grand-Am and ALMS. He takes his fitness training very seriously with the goal of being the fittest race driver in the world and has competed in 27 triathlons in his career. For more on Craig Stanton please visit www.craigstanton.com. For more on AASCO Motorsports' Rolex Series effort, please visit www.aascomotorsports.com . ###