Beyer Racing scored a top-10 finish in the team’s first attempt in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. If not for a few minor problems, the No. 13 Pontiac Riley co-driven by Jared Beyer, Ricky and Jordan Taylor, and David Martinez might have finished even higher.
The team plans on running the entire 2009 Rolex Series schedule, with Beyer joined by fellow 19-year-old Ricky Taylor at the wheel.
“We had a top-10 finish, and I think we could have done a little better than that, if we wouldn’t have had a few unexpected problems,” said team owner Jeff Beyer. “I think we had a great result for our first time in the Rolex 24, and more importantly, I’m very pleased with the fit of our team – the camaraderie among the team members has been fantastic. I think the camaraderie between the drivers, the crew, Jon, the Cape brothers and myself has been fantastic. Everybody’s getting along real well, and I think that’s what’s going to make us do well this season, it’s all about team work.”
The No. 13 Beyer Racing Pontiac Riley finished 20th overall and 10th in the Daytona Prototype class of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16, completing 662 laps despite a freak incident when the car lost its roof during the night.
“Everyone told me that’s the first time that ever happened,” Jeff Beyer said. “I think it was one of those odd things that happens in a race like this. Apparently, a large piece of rubber came loose from one of the other cars and hit our windshield. That caved it in, allowing air to get underneath the roof and it sucked it off. If it hadn’t have happened, who knows where we would have finished – we lost a lot of laps fixing it.”
Beyer was pleased with the driving of his son, Jared, driving in only his third Rolex Series race.
“I think he’s getting real comfortable,” Jeff Beyer said. “He learned a lot in this race and from the other drivers and he did well in the race. He’s young, that was the biggest event he’s ever raced. He spun the car once, but when he spun he was racing hard down there at the chicane. I think our drivers did AWESOME and got a lot of experience.”
But the Beyer Racing effort was much than the four drivers.
“With the Cape brothers – Dominic and Nicholas – and Jon Baytos, I think our crew did exceptional,” Beyer said. “I don’t think we had any mistakes with our crew or with our people. We had a few mishaps that cost us some laps down, but I was more than happy with the work of our crew – they were 100-percent exceptional. I’ve got some exceptional people working on my TEAM, and I’ve got nothing but good things to say about them and all the hard work and effort they put in to make my team and drivers the best they can be. They didn’t make a single mistake in my eyes and as an owner I am very proud of what they accomplished.”
Next on the Rolex Series schedule is the April 25 Bosch Engineering 250 at Virginia International Raceway. Beyer Racing made its Grand-Am debut at the 2008 event, when Andy Wallace joined Beyer and Ricky Taylor in an 11th place finish, sharing the No. 19 Beyer Racing Ford Crawford.
“We’re looking forward to coming back to VIR,” Beyer said. “Both drivers have experience there, Ricky qualified fifth there last year, and we’re feeling good about the team going back there. Then we go right to New Jersey Motorsports Park, where none of us have been to before. That’s one of several tracks we don’t have experience on, but you get the experience by doing it, and that’s what we’re going to be out there doing.”
In the meantime, Jared Beyer will run Formula 1000 races at Road Atlanta and Roebling Road, and the team hopes to test in March.
“We look forward to the season ahead and want to thank the sponsors we had for the Rolex 24 and look forward to working with them this season – Lennox Industries, Brack’s Candy and Rush Truck Centers,” Beyer said. “Without the support for them we would not have the opportunity to do what we all love.”
Martinez was the team’s “veteran” in the Rolex 24. The 27-year-old Mexican finished fifth twice in the Atlantic championship, scoring five podium finishes and a pole position during his rookie season, 2005. He has raced in three Champ Car World Series events, finishing ninth in his debut at Mexico City.