Bryan Sellers to Make Childhood Dream a Reality with Indy GRAND-AM Drive

Factory Driver to Pilot BCKSTGR BMW in Inaugural CTSCC Race at the Brickyard

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., July 24, 2012 – When you wish upon a star… It isn’t likely the levelheaded and career-driven Bryan Sellers ever wished upon a star that he might race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) one day. Dreams are the direction but wishing is not the method to attain them. With his strong work ethic, the Braselton, Ga.-resident focused on his dream to one day cross over the world-famous “Yard of Bricks” that makes the start-finish line of the Speedway, Ind.-facility. The commitment that brought him multiple open-wheel racing championships and sports car victories now makes that dream come true albeit in a slightly different car than he imagined. On Friday, July 27, Sellers will have the chance to add his name to a remarkable list of first-time winners at “Indy” when he co-drives the No. 46 BCKSTGR/Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 Coupe with Mark Boden (Winnetka, Ill.) in the Brickyard Sports Car Challenge, round eight of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC).

Sellers began his career in karting and, after multiple championships on the Midwest regional and national levels – plus regular appearances on the world stage – he quickly moved through the ranks of open-wheel formula cars. Championships in Skip Barber, Formula Ford and the USF2000 primed him for a spot in the Indianapolis 500. However, after funding did not materialize despite successful tests with top ChampCar teams Newman-Haas and Dale Coyne Racing, Sellers turned his focus to sports car racing. The dream of racing at Indianapolis faded as goals of succeeding in major sports car events such as the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Six Hours of The Glen took center stage. He has become one of sports car racing’s top drivers earning factory drives at Le Mans with Panoz Auto Group and his current role with Falken Tire. Lead-driver positions, such as he enjoys in the BCKSTGR/Fall-Line BMW, led to podiums and race victories in major GRAND-AM Rolex Series and CTSCC-sanctioned events. When GRAND-AM and IMS officials announced the Brickyard Grand Prix as part of the “Super Weekend at the Brickyard”, Sellers’ dream, though slightly modified, became possible again.

Scheduling conflicts kept Sellers from taking part in the July 6-7 GRAND-AM test weekend on the 2.534-mile road course. Therefore, the first-time Sellers will turn a wheel at the world’s most famous racetrack will be under the pressure of the stopwatch. His chance will come when the CTSCC has its only practice session at 8:00 a.m. (ET), Friday. The one-hour session will immediately precede Grand Sport (GS) class qualifying at 9:15. The two-hour, 30-minute race will take the green flag at 1 p.m.

The Brickyard Sports Car Challenge will air live on www.SPEED2.com with a tape-delay broadcast showing Sunday, August 5 at Noon (ET) on SPEED. Live timing and scoring of the event can be found at www.GRAND-AM.com.

Quotes

Bryan Sellers:

On his feelings about racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: “It was always a dream of mine to be in the Indianapolis 500. My career path took me in a very different direction. I love what I get to do everyday but I am very excited to be able to finally race at Indy. Indy has a special place in every young American’s heart and, even though it’s not the “500”, I am still excited to be there. It’s especially exciting to be here and able to run this race with Fall-Line Motorsports in the BCKSTGR BMW.”

On the significance of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: “I think the best tracks in the world are the ones that have an overwhelming sensation as you pull through the front gate. There are very few of those tracks left in the world but Indy is still one of them. I also think it is important to take a moment and appreciate the history of an event. If you overlook the importance of the past you lose the emotion of what makes it special and this is very special to me!”

On his expectations for the CTSCC race: “I feel like Indy will be a really strong place for us. The longer the straightaway the longer we have to stretch our legs in the BMW and the better we are. Indy has a massive lead-up to Turn One and the BCKSTGR BMW should pull well coming onto the main-straight with our gear range. We are also good on the brakes and there is some heavy braking there. The Mustangs will be strong and Porsches will be strong but I think the Camaro, which has been strong the last couple of races, might struggle at The Speedway because of their aero package. We could jump their spot for a podium opportunity.”

On the getting up to speed with the abbreviated schedule: “My missing the test day will be a little bit of a detriment but it’s my job to come in and be as good as possible as quickly as possible. Fall-Line is a great team and I have full confidence that the BCKSTGR BMW will be strong.”

On expectations of the how emotion of the moment will impact the CTSCC race: “When it comes to the aggressive driving in the CTSCC, I don't see Indy being any different than any other race we have had this year. I hope I am wrong and we get green flag racing for the entire race. Everybody will want to be successful in this event so I would imagine it will only increase the aggression.”

On his greatest Indianapolis Motor Speedway memory: “One of my favorite memories from The Speedway was actually when Red Bull held the first driver search in 2002 and I was selected to be a part of it. They took all of us to The Speedway on a full-paid trip and I felt like we ruled the place. We had access to things most people only dream of. That was an amazing memory and will be hard to beat. Winning the Brickyard Sports Car Challenge might rival it though.”

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

Learn more about Fall-Line Racing, visit www.Fall-LineMotorsports.com .

For more on the Grand-Am Sports Car Challenge go to www.GRAND-AM.com.

Visit www.FalkenTire.com for more on Team Falken Tire.

Go R/C racing with Bryan at www.HPIRACING.com.

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