Grand American Rolex

Starting from the pole position, Pruett took the lead with the green flag and led the first 21 circuits. The #01 Telmex Lexus fell back in the field after a problem refueling on the first pit stop, but Rojas regained the top spot on Lap 62 and led the next 30 laps before handing the car back off to Pruett.

At that point, the winningest-driver in Rolex Series history went on to lead 91 of the final 96 laps to earn a second consecutive Sahlen’s Six Hours win – and the third for the team and Lexus since 2004. The dominating performance included winning the pole position on Friday and then registering the fastest lap of the race and the victory on Saturday.

With today’s triumph, Pruett and Rojas move into a tie for the Rolex Sports Car Series points lead. The win also extends Lexus’ dominant streak in endurance racing with its sixth victory in the last 11 Grand-Am endurance races of six hours or greater.

The Rolex Sports Car Series returns Saturday, June 20 for the EMCO Gears Classic at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The rare twi-night event will be televised live on SPEED beginning at 5 p.m. EDT.

Lexus Race Results, Start/Finish
#01 Pruett/Rojas, Telmex/Target Lexus 1/1

Notes:

- Today’s victory is the 24th for Lexus in Rolex Sports Car competition and the first of the 2009 campaign. The manufacturer has now won at least one race each season since entering the series in 2004. In addition, Lexus also earned its 27th Daytona Prototype pole on Friday.

- The win is a record 21st for Scott Pruett and the eighth for teammate Memo Rojas. It is also the 22nd for Chip Ganassi Racing – also a Rolex Series record.

- In leading 142 laps in today’s race, the #01 Lexus has now led each of the five races this season – one of only three teams to accomplish that feat and has now led more laps than any other team in the series.

- Lexus has now won three of the six Watkins Glen six-hour events since entering the series in 2004. Overall, Lexus powered cars now have registered three wins, a second, a third and a fourth place result in those races. In addition to victories the past two years by by Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, the Ganassi team also won the Six Hours in 2004 with Pruett and Max Papis.

- With the victory today, Lexus has now won six of the last 11 Grand-Am endurance races, in addition to three seconds and a pair of fourth-place finishes. The current stretch includes each of the last two Sahlen’s Six Hours of Glen races, three Rolex 24 victories and a nine-hour triumph at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

Quotes:

Memo Rojas, #01 Telmex Lexus: “The car was really good today and was just really strong all weekend. This is one of the most important sports car events in North America and anytime you win here, it’s a big accomplishment. It’s even more special to win here with Carlos Slim (owner of Telmex, the team’s sponsor) here. He came to the race here last year and we won that as well. He must be our good luck charm.”

Scott Pruett, #01 Telmex Lexus: “To win a six-hour race like this is a true team effort. The Lexus was great today and the whole Telmex Ganassi team did a terrific job. It’s amazing how quickly things can change in this series. We came into the weekend hoping to build off our success at Laguna Seca and try to get back into the points race, then we win here and all of a sudden we’re back on top of the championship. It’s great to be back in Winner’s Circle.”