Bentinck-Smith, Burrows and Hopwood Focused on the Finish at VIR
SRF competitors turned teammates looking for strong close to 2009
Danville, VA (2 October 2009)--There will be a new name added to the side of the RSR Motorsports No. 198 Fischer Ski MINI Cooper S this weekend in the Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge season-ending Bosch Engineering Octoberfest at Virginia International Raceway, but Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood are hoping the result is the same as they chase a third consecutive podium finish in the longest race of the season.
Andy Bentinck-Smith (ABS) has joined the 2007 KONI
Challenge Champions to make his KONI Challenge debut as the Massachusetts native moves up from an extensive history of SRF competition. The trio have long been friends as well as competitors through many seasons of racing with Motion Dynamics.
While the three are hoping for an enjoyable race weekend, the focus is sharp as VIR event is all about closing out the 2009 KONI Challenge season on a high note. Burrows and Hopwood enter the Octoberfest event with fond memories of the track, having secured their first championship together with a run to third place in the 6-hour event in 2007. And with a season that has seen a fair share of ups and downs, the chance to keep that streak of podiums going is one that they are relishing.
"Randy Smalley really made this season happen for us, and all year long we've wanted to repay his confidence in us with some strong results," said Hopwood. "We've had some good runs with the MINI, but not the final results to show for it--yet. So hopefully we can do that this weekend. It will be different of course with the shorter race distance and running both classes, but hopefully guys are smart so it doesn't become one big yellow flag race and we can have a strong run to the finish."
"I know I am in good hands sharing the car with Adam and Trevor, and from what they've told me about RSR, it sounds like I should feel right at home straight away," said ABS. "It is going to be interesting to be making my first KONI start in a race with both the ST and GS classes racing at the same time, and I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be fun to spend some time at the track with Adam and Trevor, and hopefully I can be a part of a great finish."
Burrows, who recently completed his fundraising bicycle tour from New York Cities Central Park to the steps of the US Capital in Washington, DC, is looking forward to doubling his wheel count for Sunday's four-hour enduro.
"The entire ride down on my bike, I was thinking about this race and looking forward to getting this race weekend started," said Burrows. "We've been fortunate to race with RSR Motorsports this season, but we feel like we have some goals we've wanted to accomplish for the team that we still haven't reached, so hopefully we can do that on Sunday with Andy."
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