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The Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 is on track for the Crown Royal 200 at The Glen, Watkins Glen, New York this week with practice on Thursday, August 7 starting at 11:30 a.m. ET. The race is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. ET Friday August 8 and will be broadcast on SPEED TV, at 8:00 p.m. ET (tape delay). AIM Autosport Facts: Established in 1995, AIM Autosport has a mandate to identify, train and manage emerging motorsport talent. AIM has provided many young drivers with a solid foundation on which to build a career in professional racing. The success of the AIM driver development programs has been achieved through the dedication of our employees and the ongoing support of our commercial and technical partners. Away from the track, AIM Autosport serves the needs of the racing community with a purpose-built preparation shop situated in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario. AIM currently fields the #61 Exchange Traded Gold Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype in the Rolex Grand Am series with drivers Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle. The team continues to support the Star Mazda series and is developing a team for the 2009 season.
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AIM Autosport takes the victory in Montreal A thrilling end as the #61 Ford Riley goes from first to last to first
We won! In the end, there is not much more you can say that has not already been said in the many race reports and media interviews with Brian and Mark. There were in fact, a lot of reports - which tends to happen when you win races, as the closest finish in Rolex Sports Car history was even featured in USA Today. The AIM Autosport victory made the SPEED TV highlight reels in the weekly SPEED Report and was the top highlight on Dave Despain's Wind Tunnel program, also on SPEED TV. Fox Sports even had Mark up at 7:30 a.m. Sunday for an interview on "Race Day on Fox", their satellite radio feed. Even today, three days after that thrilling victory, the AIM Autosport media mailbox is beeping every so often with yet another Google alert about a news story or blog report on the race. Yes, it was an exciting finish, but how we got there is another story indeed. After suffering some damage while trying to avoid an accident late in the day Thursday, the Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley came to pit lane for qualifying on Friday a bit unproven. The crew had repaired the front suspension and steering components and the car did manage a few laps in the last practice on Thursday, but that was in the wet. Brian reported at the time that there were no major issues with the No. 61 but there would be no opportunity to test any setup changes ahead of qualifying. Brian would have a great run and in the closing laps, place the car on the inside of row two for the start of the race. Third on the grid was a good place to be, or so it seemed at the start, as Brian launched the Ford-powered Riley into the lead between turns one and two only to be spun around by the 01 car, falling all the way back to last place. Fortunately, Brian got it pointed in the right direction and got underway before the GT class start caught up to him. Still, the No. 61 Ford Riley was now twenty-three seconds back. The next fifteen laps were... magical. Lap after lap, Brian showed incredible focus and determination as he picked off car after car - three in lap six alone, to make his way up the field. On lap eleven he scored the fastest lap to that point of the race and just five laps later, having just secured seventh place, he improved his time. However, the Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley was now twenty-eight seconds back of the leader. Brian would improve to sixth when the first of the lead pack elected to pit under green. Brain would pit the No. 61 four laps later with the rest of the leaders under the first of only two full course cautions on the day. Fuel, a fresh set of Pirelli tires and Mark taking over the controls, the team seemed ready to run to the end of the two-hour race. Mark cycled back on track in seventh position and still under caution, the gap to the leader was down to less than four seconds. Mark seemed to struggle at first when the green flag came out and race engineer Jim Malicki urged him on and gave the go ahead to go to full race mapping for fuel. Another short caution period and when the green came out, Mark took the fight to the cars ahead setting up some incredible passing attempts into the last chicane and there are definitely some paint scrapes along the side of the car. But Mark did not give in and his pace increased. Mark would record the fastest lap of the race - a 1.34.152, on lap fifty-five (although the 59 car would record a 1:34.101 three laps later) as he chased the 01 car. Mark worried the 01 into a mistake and took fourth spot and with just six laps to go, Malicki called for Mark to run in fuel conservation mode. Fourth would match our best result since entering the series. However, as the final lap would prove, racing is a funny game.
AIM Autosport has been so close before. In fact, the Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley has lead at least one lap in seven of ten races so far this season. The team only once qualified outside the top five - a seventh at Barber Motorsport Park two weeks ago where they came the closest to a win, leading the race with ten to go when the car suffered a mechanical failure. They have a pole and three front-row starts so far this season and the car has always been quick. And there is a reason for that, because everyone on the team is dedicated to getting the job done and they all feel the heartbreak when things go wrong. Friday night, the entire crew, along with family, friends and the support crew from Roush Yates that builds our Ford engines, celebrated into the wee hours of the morning... and rightly so. But early Saturday morning, that same group of revelers were back at Circuit Gilles Villenuve to prepare the car for this weeks race at Watkins Glen. Laurels are great, but if you rest on them, it is a lot more difficult to earn some new ones. Photo credit: Alain Surprenant AIM Autosport: Once again in front... Once again denied No. 61 Ford Riley suffers cruel luck and the team is robbed of victory
Running at the front on Sunday however, was an amazing bonus for a team that struggled through practice. The Barber Motorsport Park circuit was proving to be a challenge for most teams through practice but the AIM Autosport crew and drivers seemed to struggle with finding the right balance for the car. Would handling or traction be the key, and how to balance both. Brian and Mark (Wilkins) along with engineers Ian Willis and Jim Malicki spent considerable time huddled around computers looking at data and all manner of solutions were thrown at the Ford Riley with the assistance of everyone from Riley, Ford and associated suppliers. With a qualifying setup chosen, Mark would take the No.61 out and put it on the fourth row for Sunday's starting grid. This would be the first time the Exchange Traded Gold Ford Riley would qualify outside the top five on the starting grid this season. Taking zero as a starting point, the crew worked into the night to go over all the fine details and set the car to neutral and wait to see what AIM Autosport's brain trust had in mind come Sunday morning. After a few hours sleep, the crew attacked the car with notes from Ian and Jim and rolled the car to the starting grid with the collective hope that "we got it right." From the drop of the green, it looked like they did. With temperatures soaring (97ºF / 36ºC), Mark would start the race and immediately gain a position in the opening lap. The pace was considerably slower than qualifying as everyone took the heat into consideration along with the fact there was additional traffic to deal with as the GT class joined the race this year. Mark was on pace with the leaders and everything looked good for the team's strategy to run old tires in the opening stint. Mark would slip back one spot but make up positions as the leaders came in for their mandatory stop. He would make the mandatory stop from fourth position to take on fuel and a fresh set of Pirelli tires and re-enter the track in tenth. Mark was back up to sixth within a few laps and would be sitting fifth when the first full course caution came out. Moving to fourth and closing the gap to the car ahead, Mark would pit from third under the green on lap fifty-seven to take on sticker tires, fuel and hand the controls over to Brian. A fantastic job by the AIM Autosport crew put Brian back on track in fifth. Another full course caution two laps later and Brian would move to third as the cars out front came in for their final stop. Good to go to the end of the race, the chance for AIM Autosport's first podium looked good. Brian was in touch with the leaders and the Exchange Traded Gold Ford Riley was setting faster lap times. Then Brian got a run on both the 01 and 99 cars through the high speed esses on the back straight as they were baulked slightly by GT traffic. He trapped the 01 behind the 99 and almost took both cars going into the roller coaster turns at the end of the back straight. Brian then passed the 99 before the end of the next lap going into turn seven to take the lead just as another full course caution brought out the safety car. Throughout the caution, Brian worked to keep the tires clean as there was considerable rubber buildup on the track. Timing the restart just perfectly, Brian immediately pulled away and built a strong lead. It looked good for the No. 61 Ford Riley and AIM Autosport's first win seemed to be in hand. Brian had just lead his fifteenth lap when coming up the back straight the car suddenly lost all power. Brian tried everything short of getting out and pushing, to get the car underway but it was terminal and the car coasted to a halt just ahead of pit entrance. Thirteen laps later the race was done with the No. 61 sitting under the team tent. The disappointment under the tent was obvious, but so were some determined smiles from everyone on the crew who understood what the team had accomplished. The entire team took a well-deserved night off to celebrate their near-victory with crew members and drivers spending a good deal of time congratulating each other for such a strong effort. They all know the next race in Montreal is just a week away. Drivers and team management had this to say: Mark Wilkins: "With the way the weekend started, it was just amazing to climb into a very strong car Sunday morning and be on pace right away. If you had asked me Friday whether I'd be handing the car over to Brian from third place, I might have thought it crazy. But there we were. Ian and Jim got the choice for setup right and the crew made it work. Everyone on the team is invested in this and they all feel the disappointment. It won't be long before we have something to seriously celebrate." He continued, "Brian did an absolutely fantastic job. It was awesome to see him move into first and take control of the race but today it was just not meant to be." Brian Frisselle: "What can I say. The strategy was perfect and Mark had us in from the beginning. The car felt so good - a completely different car from Friday and Saturday. It was strong and it was settled under some very intense conditions. The track was greasy and the temperatures incredibly hot but the car just worked. It was heartbreaking when we lost power and I could only imagine the atmosphere in the pit box. I was on the radio with Ian and he seemed so calm as we went through some procedures to try and restart the car." Brian continued, "We're almost there. Everyone on the AIM Autosport crew works so hard and we really want to make it to the podium soon to reward them for all those late nights and early mornings. Montreal can't come soon enough."
Ian Willis (Team Principal/Race Engineer): "Every member of the team worked so hard this weekend and while there is no one more disappointed than myself, everyone feels it. Brian and Mark took an unknown quantity on track Sunday afternoon and made it work. They did everything we asked and it nearly paid off. The crew put in the extra hours because they also want to win as much as the drivers." Willis commented, "Someone asked me if we were saving the big win for the race in Montreal. Honestly, we'd have loved to come home to Canada with the podium out of the way so we could relax and enjoy the moment and go for a repeat. Now we'll be working even harder to put on a good show and close the deal." Andrew Bordin (Team Principal): "Our desire showed in a lot of areas this weekend at Barber. The crew put in a terrific effort. Ian and Jim worked all the possibilities and brought the right setup and race strategy to the table. Brian and Mark both worked on fitness going into the event as we knew this was going to be a hot one and they were in great shape for the race. It looked like the total package and we almost got the prize. As long as there is another race to contend, everyone on the AIM Autosport team will be working toward that ultimate goal. Hopefully we won't have long to wait."
Starting from pole, the celebration is short-lived. AIM Autosport No. 61 Ford Riley is fast again... but On a day that started with great promise, the AIM Autosport crew would come away from Daytona International Speedway with even more reason to look forward to the next race. Maybe then, the No. 61 Ford Riley will reach the podium and give rise to the anticipated celebration. It looked good last night in the Brumos 250 with fast laps, incredible overtaking maneuvers, a near-miraculous recovery from a high speed spin plus a good pit strategy that keeping the Exchange Traded Gold car in a podium position. The team already had something to celebrate though, having scored AIM Autosports' first pole in the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. After leading the practice sessions earlier in the day and securing pole with a strong run, drivers Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle were feeling confident going into the race. The No. 61 had already started from the front row three times this season with pole being the icing on the cake. At the green flag, Mark took control and had a great run into the first turn to lead the pack. He would give up the lead briefly and take it back with a daring outside pass into the bus-stop that took SPEED's commentators by surprise. It was later deemed "the move of the race"... and this was just the first lap. Mark settled into a rhythm and on lap four, set the fastest lap of the race at 1:42.499. He would pit from the lead position on lap seven to complete the mandatory stop. The second place car would also pit and Mark would win the drag race out of pit lane but lose the position when caught up behind a GT car. Once the remaining DP cars cycled through their stops, Mark was sitting second when the leader went off elevating the No. 61 back to first place. Having lead sixteen of the first thirty-six laps, Mark prepared to bring the car in for fuel, tires and to hand the wheel over to Brian when it got just a bit exciting. Slowing to 160 miles per hour coming through NASCAR Turn Three approaching pit entrance, a cut right rear tire sent Mark on a wild ride He would spin down to the apron then shoot backwards up the track, heading for the wall. Mark got the car under control, turned it towards pit road and brought the No. 61 Ford Riley in for its scheduled stop. The tire had been cut by debris on the track and a full course caution came out immediately. Brian took the controls and came back to the race in third place under the full course caution. At the green, Brian sat .204 seconds back of the 01 car but another caution came out immediately. Green again on lap 49, Brian was at the tail of the lead pack of three as they pulled away from the field. It seemed that Brian had the measure of the cars ahead and it would just be a matter of time before he made a move to the front. Now, with the race seemingly unfolding as it should, spirits were high. But on lap fifty-four, a broken half-shaft had Brian bring the car to pit lane from third place. It turns out that the debris that cut the tire causing Mark's spin had also damaged the boot on the half-shaft allowing the grease to bleed out. The car could not continue this way and the decision was made to replace the damaged part. Repaired, the Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley would get back on track to finish the race but would be nine laps down. A bitter disappointment for Brian, Mark and everyone on the AIM Autosport crew. Mark Wilkins: "The car was absolutely fantastic today and it was a really big boost for the team to get pole. The race was going well and I learned early that we needed to preserve brakes to be there at the end. The spin? Yeah, that was a bit hairy and I was really happy not to hit the wall and end our day. When I handed the car over to Brian I knew we were quick and that from third, the race would come back to us. Unfortunately, we got bitten although we did see the checker." Mark continued, "At the end of the day we were disappointed but know that we are just a step away. This was another big step on top of the result at Mid-Ohio and both Brian and are feeling even more confident going into the next race at Barber." Brian Frisselle: "You feel the heartbreak after a day like this. You feel it for everyone on the team, but in the end, we are all pleased with the performance we got out of the car. Fast in practice, pole and fast in the race are all positive steps toward that podium. Yes it's disappointing to not have the podium here, but you can't always control the situation and it was a debris issue - nothing we did, that kept us off the podium. As Mark said, the race would come back to us. He gave me great info about preserving the brakes that would have given us a great shot at the leaders and that is the value of good teamwork and communication." Brian commented further, "The team did get us back on track. Nobody gave up and that will work to our advantage in the future." Ian Willis: "Everyone, drivers and crew, did a great job today but it was not meant to be. We'll happily take our first pole and now look forward to our first podium and first win. The Ford Riley was quick and both Mark and Brian showed the potential in the car. The season isn't over yet and in two short weeks we'll be at it again with more determination than ever." The AIM Autosport Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley will be participating in a Pirelli test session at Homestead over the next few days and then the team will prepare for the next round in the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 taking place at Barber Motorsport Park in Birmingham, Alabama Juyly 18-20. The race will be broadcast on SPEED TV, Sunday July 20 at 3:00 p.m. ET
AIM Autosport records best Grand Am result Exchange Traded Gold No.
61 Ford Riley is fourth at Mid-Ohio It’s hard to call a race that ran almost half the time under caution exciting, but in the end, with some daring passes on a wet track, The AIM Autosport Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley would come across the finish line fourth, the best result so far this season for the team. It has moved the team up in the overall series championship to seventh. Mark Wilkins would start the car from the inside of row two and as the cars came to the grid, dark clouds moved in. Mark would fall from third to fifth at the start when the pole sitter did not get a good start which allowed the outside line of cars to get ahead in the first two corners. Mark would make a charge and on lap five, set fastest lap of the race at 1:21.426 moving to fourth. Two laps later heavy rain started to fall and the first of eight full course cautions brought the field to a virtual standstill. Mark brought the car in for the mandatory stop to switch to rain tires and top up the fuel. This caution would last thirteen laps with cars - including the race leader, continuing to spin off course behind the safety car delaying the restart. With heavy rain still falling and the field bunched up, Mark would have a brief off-course excursion while challenging the No. 10 Sun Trust car for second place off the difficult left-hand turn leading to The Carousel. Getting the car pointed in the right direction, Mark would fight back for position and turn some very fast race laps in the wet. After an hour and a half of some intense driving punctuated by a series of yellow flag periods caused by cars spinning off or crashing, Mark would pit the #61 Ford Riley from fourth to take on fuel and hand the wheel over to Brian Frisselle. Brian would come back on track tenth in class with a few GT cars to get around. The rain and the cautions had mixed up the field and the #61 was actually seventeenth overall. It did not take Brian long to clear the GT traffic and he had good track position in DP. He would soon be sitting sixth in class and closing on the cars ahead. While there appeared to be a dry line forming in some areas, it was still pretty wet around most of the circuit. Choosing the right line worked to Brian’s advantage and helped save the tires while picking up time on the leaders. The last hour of the race saw a bit more rain, plenty of cautions and Brian moving forward setting a very quick pace. With eighteen minutes to go, Brian made an exciting pass up the inside of the 60 car at turn thirteen to take fourth place. He was closing in on the last podium spot at almost a second a lap and would soon pass the 10 car, powering past him down the front straight into turn one. By now though, the track had a discernible dry line and tire management was becoming an issue. He was closing on second place when he got caught out in a traffic jam of six GT cars. The Brumos cars with smaller displacement engines and less torque certainly had better tires at the end of the race and were closing fast. The 58 car would slide past Brian in the traffic and take away the spot. Almost immediately, the last caution of the day flew for an accident on the front straight. The race ended under the yellow at the two hour, forty-five minute time limit. The AIM Autosport Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley would record its best finish in two years of the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. The team would also be credited with the fastest race lap. Brian would also make the SPEED TV replay highlights with some of his exciting passes in some unlikely spots. At the end of the day, everyone on the crew was happy with the result and are now convinced, more than ever, that the podium they desire is attainable. The drivers and managers had this to say after the race: Mark Wilkins: “We proved again that the Ford Riley is fast off the trailer. We lead the practice sessions in the dry and certainly had the speed in the wet. It was a bit hairy being on slicks when the rains came and even on the wets. There were some spots that if you put the power down too quickly, you were going for a ride in the grass. Just don’t ask me how I know that.” He continued, “Brian did a great job to keep us in it and I felt pretty good about handing him the car in fourth place. This is a great result for the team and we are moving forward each race.” Brian Frisselle: “What a great result in a difficult race. The rain tires were becoming quite a handful at the end and it was a lot of work to keep the car from coming around on me. But we kept it on track and had some battles going on toward the end. Had a bit of a moment when my brother tried to pass me, but we were having none of that. The AIM Autosport crew did a great job and Ian (Willis) and Jim (Malicki) made the right calls on strategy. We’ll be really pumped for the next race at Daytona after this weekend.” Ian Willis: “The boys did a terrific job staying out of trouble and dealing with the vastly changing conditions. At the same time they both showed maturity and speed by being one of the fastest cars in any conditions. They deserve a huge amount of credit for our best series finish to date.”
Wilkins and Frisselle take the heat Exciting battle to the
end gains championship positions for team
From the start of practice on Friday, both Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle felt the Ford Riley would be strong for the six hour event. AIM Autosport's crew had spent the weeks since Laguna Seca getting the car prepared, focusing on endurance as well as speed. Reliability is the key factor when dealing with temperatures of 95F and a cockpit temperature in excess of 110F. Brian would qualify with a very quick first lap, immediately onto the front row. He could have gone even quicker but an incident on track brought the session to a halt, Clearly the decision to go out early paid off as they would keep their front row place. From the first lap of the race, cautions would play a pivotal role and both Brian and Mark would have the No. 61 Ford Riley sitting P1. In fact Brian would go P1 just four laps in when a full course yellow saw many of the DP cars come in for their mandatory pit stop. Brian would remain in the lead until the twenty-three minute mark when the team elected to take its mandatory stop, taking on just fuel. The next stop would be interesting. After one hour and ten minutes, the rains came, just as everyone hit the pits. The #61 would take on fuel, four Pirelli tyres and a new driver as Mark took over the wheel. At that same time, the edge of a dark cloud passed over the front straight and pits bringing a heavy downpour. With the sun beaming just beyond the grandstands, the decision was to stay on slicks as the rest of the track was dry. Mark would re-enter the track P10 and was soon up to P6. Mark would pit just ahead of the two hour point in the race. Fuel only and a quick check on the left front wheel. After the previous stop, the team found some marks on the inside of the wheel and wanted to check for problems. The car went up in the air and some debris that was dragging on the inside of the left front wheel was removed. Back on the ground, Mark slotted into P5. Fifty-nine laps on the books and Mark was P4, just ten seconds back of the leader. Another full course caution and Mark would take his turn at the front of the field as AIM Autosport's brain trust chose to stay with their original pit strategy. Good on fuel, it was now a matter of dealing with the heat. The next full course caution came at just the right time. Mark held the lead from the last caution and under pressure from drivers on fresh tires late in the stint commented, "that was a lot of fun" as he described fending off challenges for the top spot. Fuel and tires for the #61 but the temperature is rising and Mark has his hands full, fighting his way through GT cars and DP back markers. After two hours and twenty minutes in the car, he hands the wheel back over to Brian and the #61 Ford Riley also takes on fuel. At the end of four hours teams are cycling through pit stops under green and this has allowed Brian to move to P3 and is now in a very tight battle for second place. GT cars are getting into the mix but Brian is focused on the back of the number 10 car for position. Brian pits while sitting P2. This will be a full fuel and tires stop as well as a change of the bottle for the cool suit and the driver's drinks bottle. Brian will take an extended run with Mark resting to take over the final stint. The #61 cycled out of the pits P6. With just over an hour left in the race, Brian brings the
#61 in from P6 for a full service - fuel, tires, driver and a windshield
tear-off. The stop goes quick and Mark will close out the race. The car
is good to go to the end. The #61 cycled out of the pits P9 and the team
knows that the cars in front will need to pit to make it to the end of
the race. The drivers had this to say after the race: Mark Wilkins - "The heat was a big factor and this is a physical track but to be right in the thick of the battle for position with four cars after six hours was pretty exciting racing. I was happy with my driving overall but that long stint in the middle took something out of me. The car was great in my final stint with only the slightest hint of brake fade when you tried to go deep. With such a tight race though, everyone was in defensive mode and my one goal was to not make a mistake." Brian Frisselle - "It was a good result but not the one Mark and I had hoped to bring home for the team. The car was great and even at the end the #61 Ford Riley had great balance and plenty of power. But track position is so important and it was a tough battle for Mark at the end." AIM Autosport team principal Ian Willis commented, "The boys did as good job and it was definitely exciting and very close at the end. Positions three through seven were changing almost every lap there near the end and when you consider it was a six hour race in high heat, that is truly a testament to how competitive this series really is.” Willis continued, "We’ll be trying hard once again at Mid-Ohio next weekend to get that elusive podium as we'd all like to see the Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley in victory lane." With the seventh place result, AIM Autosport now sits eighth overall in the Rolex Grand Am Series presented by Cask No. 16 Championship with eight more races on the schedule.
AIM Autosport records another top ten finish Team now sits 10th overall in series championship The Exchange Traded Gold #61 Ford Riley was quick once again and both drivers, Brian Frisselle and Mark Wilkins, put in a strong performance to guide the car to its second P6 finish on the season. It was a tight battle among the Daytona Prototype cars throughout the race and on this track, where it can be difficult to pass, the team made up positions following pit stops and cautions. A dusty track on a late race restart had everyone scrambling into the first turn and Mark had to fight to keep the car on track but he held on and again, fought back to regain positions. Team strategy would have Brian Frisselle pit on lap one to cover the mandatory stop and he then put in some early fast laps that kept the car in good position. The #61 Ford Riley would then go to P2 as the rest of the field came in for their first round of pit stops. Brian would then go P1 when the leader had to come in for their mandatory stop. "We had to make some adjustments early on" noted Brian. "Contact on the opening lap broke off one of the front dive planes which upset the handling a bit but we were able to adjust the front a rear bars to compensate and the car settled in nicely." The team elected to
pit on the next full course caution for fuel, tires and a driver change.
A problem with the air jacks caused a momentary delay and Mark Wilkins
would re-enter the track P15 and over the next twenty-five laps, he
would make up positions. “We had to adjust
our strategy when the race had a long run under the green which we did
not expect” noted team manager Ian Willis. “We had a good second stop
with Mark and gaining positions in the pits which made up for our
earlier problems.” Yet another caution - one of eight on the day - bunched up the field and the a after restart, Mark made up two more positions to P4. He reported on the radio that "The car is good and that we just need to get some heat in the new tires." This would come into play on a later restart when the lead pack went deep into corner one and with everyone locking up, Mark went a bit wide and got into the dirty part of the track. "I had nowhere to go except the outside and we picked up a lot of junk on the tires and we lost a couple of positions" Mark reported. Through the final ten laps a combination of hard racing and lapped traffic stopped Mark from mounting a good charge but he did move back to P6 where the Exchange Traded Gold #61 Ford Riley ended the day. Willis commented after the race, "We keep knocking on the door and the team keeps getting stronger. This matches our best result so far this season and we are sitting on three top ten finishes. The six hour race at The Glen next month will be a real test of how close we are to scoring that podium everyone on the team is hoping for." The next race is the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen, New York on June 6 and 7. With the track located in western NY, the race at The Glen is just four hours from the team’s shop in Woodbridge, Ontario and there should be a lot of local interest. The AIM Autosport crew and drivers Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle will also be participating in pre-race activities with the Buffalo Bisons baseball club ahead of the event
AIM Autosport #61 is P6 at VIR Friselle and Wilkins drive to season's second best result and another top ten.
The track was dry by time the race started, although it was overcast and Brian started the race, settling into third place with the lead group of three which soon started to pull away from the field. Brian kept within striking distance of the leader. A full course caution on lap eight had the team call Brian in for a timed fuel stop on lap eleven. The #61 would exit the pits P8 and by lap fifteen, was back up to P4. Brian sat in a group of DP cars caught in slower traffic presenting few opportunities to pass but he was running faster times than the DP cars ahead. Brian was sitting P2 when another full course caution came out. The team pitted for tyres, fuel and a driver change. To this point in the race, Brian had the fastest lap. Mark Wilkins now took over and the #61 came out in P6 ahead of some of the main series rivals. Wilkins was soon closing on the cars in front and set a fast lap of 1:15:501 on lap 36, while his consistent pace soon moved him up to P3 and eventually P2. Pit strategies then played into the hands of the #61 car and Mark would go P1 before coming in for a splash-and-dash to get them to the end of the race. Back on track P4, Mark then encountered a back marker while coming up on some GT traffic, when, under braking, Mark hit the rear of said back marker and officials called him in for a stop and go penalty for the contact. Unfortunately it would turn into a drive through and a stop-and-go when there was some miscommunication about where Mark should stop to serve the penalty. He would re-enter the track P7. The day’s third full course caution bunched up the field but there would be lapped cars and GT traffic to deal with on the restart. Mark would make it up to P6 but was running out of laps. He would continue to make his way through traffic and close the gap to the car ahead. In the end, the AIM Autosport Exchange Traded Gold #61 Ford Riley would cross the line in P6. “After the stop-and-go I got a bit frustrated” commented Mark. “It was pretty annoying to be blocked by lapped traffic, hitting me through the turns. The penalty hurt us in that regard.” He continued to say “:The car was great though. A bit loose and hard to handle at the end, but we are happy to bring the car home for some much needed points.” Brian Frisselle commented, "The Ford Riley was very fast again and both Mark and I turned some very quick laps. But sometimes traffic, especially lapped, cars can be tough to deal with and we got caught in a situation that cost us some track positions. We are on the edge of getting a good result. It is just a matter of time." AIM Autosport principal Ian Willis summed up the days results. “Even though it was our second highest series finish the whole team is diasappointed with the end result. Everybody on the team did a fabulous job and we know that a podium is in our future......we just can't wait.” The team has a couple of weeks to regroup before heading to the next round of the Rolex Grand Am Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California May 16-18
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The
white flag came out on lap sixty-eight and everyone on the AIM Autosport
crew seemed happy to be coming home fourth after being spun all the way
back to last place. Then the 23 car, in its fight to challenge for the
lead, ran out of fuel elevating the No. 61 to the final podium spot. As
this writer prepared to walk down to the pit box and join the crew in
celebration of the podium, I heard the race engineer calmly say into the
radio, "Mark, that is for P2. Go to race map and go get 'em." Looking at
the monitors, Mark was right on the 16 car coming through the final
chicane and then, just yards form the finish line, the 58 car ran out of
fuel. The 16, now sputtering, went left and Mark, pedal firmly planted
to the floor, went right, crossing the finish line just .064 seconds -
less than half a car length, ahead of second place and victory belonged
to AIM Autosport. An incredible victory for the sole Canadian team in
Daytona Prototypes to earn its maiden win on Canadian soil. Let me tell
you, my feet did not seem to touch the steps down from the media tower
to the pit box and it was quite the scene as Mark pulled the No. 61 to
the pit and one of the largest crowds in Rolex history went wild. 
With
fifty minutes to go in the race, Brian Frisselle took the N0.61 Exchange
Traded Gold Ford Riley past the 01 car to take second place. Some thirty
seconds down the road he passed the 99 car to move into the lead of the
Porsche 250 at Barber 
There
would be a lot more than the heat to consider for the Sahlen's Six Hours
of The Glen, but with the Exchange Traded Gold No. 61 Ford Riley
starting from the front row for the third time this season, everyone on
the AIM Autosport team ignored the heat and focused on the task at hand.
After a long battle that came down to the final few laps, Mark Wilkins
brought the 61 car across the line P7 and brought the team enough points
to move up two positions (P10 to P8) in the series championship. 
The
day started with wet conditions but both drivers, Mark Wilkins and Brian
Frisselle, felt the car was strong on the rain tyres and they would end
the session P2. There was a chance of rain for the race so the drivers
of the Exchange Traded Gold #61 Ford Riley were confident they had the
car to run in any weather.