Bryan Sellers Comes to Road America ALMS with Newfound Calm

BRYAN SELLERS COMES TO ROAD AMERICA ALMS WITH NEWFOUND CALM

American Talent to Follow Wisconsin Race with Second Japan Test

ELKHART LAKE, WI, August 15, 2011 – Bryan Sellers enters Saturday’s Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase at Road America with a newfound sense of calm and accomplishment having scored a GT class victory in the most recent round of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (ALMS). Since scoring his first career ALMS class win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Sellers comes to Road America with the knowledge and confidence he can win at this level of professional motorsports. By his own admission, the victory in the No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 GT3 RSR with teammate Wolf Henzler (Germany) does not make subsequent success a guarantee but it does eliminate the question of “can he win”? However, the Braselton, GA-resident has no plans to rest on the victory. Instead, Sellers plans to use the confidence and calm to attack the August 21, four-hour race in Elkhart Lake, WI with his same hallmark commitment.

Immediately following Saturday’s Round Six of the nine-race season, the former open-wheel racing champion will return to Japan’s Sportsland Sugo circuit for the second time in 2011 to test improvements to the Falken GT race tire. The efforts from his first test in late-June – done almost entirely in wet conditions – helped Falken Tire engineers with compound and construction techniques on tires which have been run since. Those developments include the Series’ dominant rain tire that sparked the win in Ohio - Falken’s first Series victory. The August 23-24 test will be the second in a scheduled three tire tests for Sellers in a purpose-bought, Falken-owned 911 GT3 RSR in Japan. The third test is yet to be scheduled. All of the data will go into improving the Falken tire both in 2011 as well as 2012. Falken is currently in its fourth season of ALMS competition. Since becoming a Team Falken Tire factory driver in 2009, Sellers’ background in tire development has been instrumental in accelerating the race efforts of the Japanese company.

The Road Race Showcase is the first in a string of three endurance races out of four events that will close the 2011 ALMS season. At four hours, the Road America round is the harbinger of six hours at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (September 17) and the 1,000-mile/10-hour Petit Le Mans season-finale at Road Atlanta (October 1). Only the Baltimore Grand Prix (September 3) is in the two-hour, 45-minute “sprint” format. The return to endurance competition on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn course is an exciting prospect for Sellers. While his first win came in the “sprint” format, the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR and Falken Tires performed exceptionally well at the last endurance race the team entered: the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of the Sebring (FL) in March. Then, the Derrick Walker-led operation ran in the top-three of class for most of the day. It was not until a late race gearbox failure did the team fall out of the top-five – its only finish below fifth to-date this season. Since that time, the No. 17 has scored four, top-five finishes including the victory at Mid-Ohio on August 6, a fourth (the Grand Prix of Long Beach) and two fifth-place finishes (Lime Rock Park and Mosport International Raceway).

Quotes

Bryan Sellers:

About the impact winning has on his approach: “I think there is a different feeling when you walk into the track knowing that the first win is finally under your belt. However, it doesn't change your preparation. You still prepare like every win is your first. I hope that what it allows us to do as a program is finally check the podium finish off our list. Now we really get down to business and get another one.”

About enjoying the Mid-Ohio win: “The win still feels just as good as when we crossed the start-finish line. You have to enjoy the victory as long as you can. However, when I got back home, it was on to the next race already and preparing for here at Road America.”

About running three endurance races in the last four events: “This is my favorite stretch of the year. I love the long races so mentally I am ready. Physically, you are also the most prepared you can be at this time of the season. We have done a fair amount of races and I feel like I am in good driving shape and ready to go.”

About the program’s strengths in the endurance races: “I think the longer races should really play to our strengths at Team Falken Tire. We miss a little bit on overall lap time but we really seem to have pretty good longevity on the Falken tires. So, with the long races, that should play into our hand a little bit. I hope we can take advantage of it.”

About the Road America circuit: “Road America is one of my favorite tracks. You always feel special when you drive into Road America. There is something different about this track. You just can’t put your finger on what it is but it’s very real. It’s so scenic, the track is well maintained and the fans are always great! One of the most important parts of Road America is balancing straight-line speed and cornering-speed. It is important to trim the car out enough to be fast but keep enough wing to be able to brake and corner efficiently.”

About testing in Japan: “The traveling won’t be too difficult. I don’t mind the trips. I am looking forward to going again. The testing will hopefully give us another direction with the tires to help the Falken Porsche make a run for the end of the year. For me, it’s another couple of days in a race car and all the driving I can do the better!”

Watch the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase and qualifying live on www.ESPN3.com. Qualifying for all classes will stream live starting at 4:10 pm (EDT), Friday, Aug. 19. Full event coverage will air Aug. 20 beginning at 4:00 pm. Sunday, Aug. 21, ABC Sports will broadcast a highlight show at 4:30 pm. Live timing and scoring can be found at www.AmericanLeMans.com.

For more on Bryan Sellers, please visit him on the web at www.BryanSellersRacing.com. Follow Bryan on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/BryanSellers) and Facebook.

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