Home-Town Team Doran Racing Scores Another Top-7 Finish At Mid-Ohio
On a track turned into a skating rink by torrential rain, Lebanon, Ohio-based Doran Racing parlayed its `home track advantage' into yet another top-7 finish in last weekend's EMCO Gears Classic Grand-Am race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Burt Frisselle, partnered for the first time with young phenom Ricky Taylor, qualified 7th on the grid and brought the #47 Doran Racing/CDOC Dallara Ford home in 7th place. This marks the fifth top-10 finish for the 2-car Doran Racing team, three of them scored by the #47 car, including 9th at Mexico City in the car's first race and 8th at Virginia International Raceway.'It was all about survival this weekend; this was the hardest race of my career, no joke,' said Frisselle, who has been racing Daytona Prototypes in the Grand-Am Rolex series since 2004. 'I have to thank our sponsor CDOC for stepping up to the plate this weekend, the Doran Racing crew and Ford for providing us with an engine so powerful that it was difficult to drive the car under the conditions. We were battling for a top-5 finish toward the end, but it didn't quite happen and we're satisfied with 7th under the circumstances because it shows yet again that this team is really hitting its stride and that we will be a factor in every race for the rest of the season. And Ricky Taylor did a phenomenal job for being thrown in the deep end on his first race with the team. He and I work together extremely well, and we'll be teamed for at least the next two races at Daytona and Barber Motorsports Park. Hopefully we can get a deal done with him for the rest of the season.'
Taylor is the 19 year-old son of Rolex Series champion Wayne Taylor and, when not in a race car, attends Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Florida, where he plays on the varsity soccer team. Mid-Ohio marked his third-ever Daytona Prototype race, including this year's Rolex 24 at Daytona driving for his father's SunTrust team and a stint with the Beyer Racing team at Virginia International Raceway. In 2007, Taylor finished second in Skip Barber National Championship with two wins, five poles and five podiums. He won the Skip Barber Southern Series in 2006 with six wins, three poles and 12 podiums. He has also raced in the Stars of Karting series.
'This weekend was a major learning experience for me,' says Taylor. 'I had to learn the track, where the grip was, the driving styles of other drivers on the track, the way the Doran team operates and a hundred other things. Burt really helped me get up to speed quickly and the entire Doran team made me feel at home, so I'm looking forward to the next two races and hope to work with the team for the rest of the season.'Doran Racing's other car, the #77 Kodak Doran/Dallara Ford co-driven by Memo Gidley and Cincinnati, Ohio native Brad Jaeger, had a potential top-5 finish derailed in the opening laps when Jaeger rounded Turn One to discover a torrential downpour and a track full of stalled and spinning race cars.
'It was extremely slippery out there, and it caught us out, just like everyone else,' says Jaeger, who co-drove with Gidley to a top-5 finish in the previous event at Watkins Glen. 'We started on slicks and it was drizzling a bit on the warmup lap, but when the tires got up to temperature, the car felt OK. I had just talked to the team on the radio about the conditions and we were planning to come in on lap 6 for rain tires, but as I went into Turn 1, they were waving the debris flag. I slowed down quite a bit but when I came around the corner there were cars stopped on the track, cars spinning, it was a mess. I tried to miss everyone but hit a slick part of the track, slid and ended up clipping one of the stopped cars. This damaged the radiator, so we had to pit and the Doran crew did a tremendous job to get the job done in just five laps and get us back on track.'
The trip to the pits for repairs kept the car off-track for five laps, and though the duo put in a heroic drive for the remainder of the 2-hour and 45-minute event, the #77 car was credited with a 15th-place finish. Gidley, the very talented and widely respected American driver who was born in La Paz, Mexico and now makes his home in Novato, California, has made a name for himself as one of the most committed drivers in the paddock, driving and winning in everything from karts to Indy Cars and stock cars to prototypes.
'They put some sealer down on the track before the race and it made the surface so slippery that even a fast car felt slow,' said Gidley. 'We were in the top-5 or top-7 in most of the pre-race practice sessions, and if it had been a dry race, we'd have been fighting for a top-5 finish at least. But winding up five laps down that early in the race, there's just no way you can make it up so you just have to tiptoe around and try to make up places one at a time when other cars spin or have problems. I'm ready for the next race at Daytona, one of my favorite tracks, and look forward to another shot at getting the #77 Kodak car on the podium.'
The two cars the Doran Racing team will field at Daytona and throughout the 2008 Rolex Series season look the same, but are different underneath. The #47 car is all-Dallara, while the #77 car is a Doran chassis fitted with Dallara bodywork featuring enhanced aerodynamics and increased downforce. Both cars are powered by 500 horsepower Roush-Yates Ford V-8 engines.
Doran Enterprises is Dallara's official spare parts distributor and approved repair center for that series. In addition, Doran Designs will fabricate certain special parts for the marque. Doran Racing has a successful history of working with Dallara and won the Daytona 24 Hours in 2002 with a Dallara Sportscar LMP1. While Doran Racing has prepared and fielded race cars in a wide variety of series for many years, from Indy cars to NASCAR trucks, the Lebanon, Ohio-based team is particularly noted for its successes in sports car endurance racing, including being the first and only team in Ú.S. history to win the 24 Hours at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Watkins Glen Six-Hour race in the same year (1998).
The next race on the schedule is the Brumos Porsche 250, a unique event even in the unique format of the Rolex Series.
Doran Racing has enjoyed great success in the past with the Italian race car manufacturer Dallara. Doran Racing used a Dallara to win the 2002 Rolex 24 at Daytona, among many other races.
The relationship between Dallara and the Doran family of companies began a new chapter in late 2007 when Dallara purchased Doran Enterprises' Grand-Am Daytona Prototype constructor's license. As part of the agreement, Doran Racing fielded Dallara's brand-new Daytona Prototype starting with the second race of the 2008 season, the Gainsco Grand Prix at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 29.
Dallara has also designated Doran Enterprises as its official spare parts distributor and the approved repair center for all of its Daytona Prototypes.
HistoryDoran Racing has enjoyed great success in the past with the Italian race car manufacturer Dallara. Doran Racing used a Dallara to win the 2002 Rolex 24 at Daytona, among many other races.
The relationship between Dallara and the Doran family of companies began a new chapter in late 2007 when Dallara purchased Doran Enterprises' Grand-Am Daytona Prototype constructor's license. As part of the agreement, Doran Racing fielded Dallara's brand-new Daytona Prototype starting with the second race of the 2008 season, the Gainsco Grand Prix at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 29.
Dallara has also designated Doran Enterprises as its official spare parts distributor and the approved repair center for all of its Daytona Prototypes.
This number 47 car is driven by Burt Frisselle of Aspen, Colorado and Gabriele Gardel of Lugano, Switzerland.
Frisselle Racing History
Burt Frisselle has had racing in his blood from a very early age, beginning with his first trip to the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1988. Burt was awestruck with the event and the drivers. 'From that moment on I dreamed of becoming a professional race car driver,' Frisselle recalls. At thirteen, Burt got his first experience behind the wheel at Jim Hall's Kart Racing School where he demonstrated his innate talent by being the fastest driver in the class. However, relocation to New Hampshire stalled Burt's opportunity to continue on the karting circuit. Instead, Frisselle focused on a newly discovered passion: snowmobiling. Participation in the sport provided Burt with the opportunity to develop many of the skills necessary for any great race car driver, such as eye and hand coordination and the ability to deal with low grip conditions. 'To this day, I believe that snowmobiling played a key role in making me a great race car driver,' claims Burt. When Frisselle reached the age of 18, he convinced his family to invest in the Skip Barber Racing School, where once again he demonstrated his inherent talent as the fastest student in the class.
This promising ability to drive a car at the limit influenced Burt to commit to becoming a racecar driver, and he enrolled in the Skip Barber Formula Dodge Western Series. In just his first season of racing, Burt claimed four wins and earned the Rookie of the Year Award. After only four months of racing, Frisselle was invited to race in the Formula Dodge National Championship where he found himself in competition with drivers who had as much as ten years of racing experience. Burt continued to grow throughout his second year in which he narrowly missed claiming the Western Series Championship, finishing second overall. Frisselle then moved into the Formula Dodge National Championship and was the early championship leader with three podiums, a victory, and two poles in the first four races. However, plagued with mechanical difficulties and multi-car incidents, his bid for the championship was curbed and he finished fifth overall.In 2003, Burt Frisselle made his rookie debut in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, the next step in CART's ladder system. Frisselle had an impressive season; he narrowly missed claiming the Rookie of the Year title, his goal for the 2003 season, but was thrilled to claim 2nd place among the rookies and 6th place overall.
In 2004, at just twenty-two years of age, Burt launched into the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. Driving for Michael Shank Racing, Frisselle and his teammate, Oswlado Negri Jr., proved to be competitive in what was an extremely talented and experienced field of Daytona Prototype drivers. Being the youngest full time driver in his class was a thrill for Frisselle, and his consistently impressive performances behind the wheel proved that he could hold his own. Despite the challenge of being on a small, under funded team, Frisselle and Negri Jr. were highly competitive, beginning with their incredible debut race at the Grand Prix of Miami in which the duo claimed a third place finish.
In 2005, Burt's dream of racing with his younger brother, Brian Frisselle, was fulfilled. Burt and Brian, as the youngest full-time driver pairing in the top DP class, co-piloted the No. 8 BMW powered Doran Daytona Prototype for Synergy Racing in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. 'As two of the youngest drivers in the series, Brian and I are excited for the opportunity to compete against such accomplished and talented veterans, some of whom raced with our father in the late 70s' and early 80's. I learned a great deal from racing with them last year, and I will continue to build upon that this season,' Frisselle stated.
In 2006, Burt teamed with younger brother Brian once again to co-pilot the No. 8 Porsche powered Doran Daytona Prototype for Synergy Racing. At just 24 and 22 years of age respectively, Burt and Brian were once again among the youngest drivers in a fiercely competitive field of talented drivers. The brother duo started the season strong, earning a 10th place finish in the Mexico City 250. Burt and Brian were thrilled to fulfill a life-long dream at Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen, as they teamed with racing hero Al Únser Jr. to earn a hard fought 9th place finish. Burt, along with brother Brian, got his first experience in a GT car at Barber, where the brothers clenched a 5th place finish for Pacific Coast Motorsports. Frisselle went on to earn a 4th place finish at Infineon, again for PCM. Burt ended the season on a high note, claiming 5th in the Discount Tire Sunchaser at Miller for Michael Shank Racing, a season best for the brother duo.
In 2007, Burt will once again compete in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series, this time with AIM Autosport. He and younger brother Brian will share the second seat in the No.61 Riley powered Lexus Daytona Prototype, taking turns co-piloting with teammate Mark Wilkins. In addition to his Rolex commitment, Burt will also make his debut in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, as he and younger brother Brian begin their climb of the NASCAR development ladder in pursuit of their dream of racing a Cup car. Both Burt and Brian will be racing for Stacy Compton's team, but will be competing against each other in separate cars. The brothers will be driving in Division I, competing each weekend to earn enough points to race in the NASCAR Whelen Weekly Series Divisional and National championships. 'I am thrilled to be driving for AIM Autosport this year. They have proven themselves to be a top level team in everything they do and I am confident that we will have excellent results this season,' Burt stated. 'I am also looking forward to racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. My goal is to race at the top level of NASCAR one day and driving in this competitive series is my first step in reaching that goal.'Source - Frisselle Racing
This number 77 Doran Racing car has a Dallara chassis and Ford power. It is driven by Memo Gidley of Novato, California and Brad Jaeger of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Memo Gidley
Memo Gidley was born into a family that lived for excitement and adventure. An hour after his birth in La Paz, Mexico, Memo was taken out to the sailboat that would be his home until he was nearly eight years old. Raised by Cass, a hard working commercial fisherman from Canada, and Mary, a freelance writer from Wisconsin, Memo spent his early years on the Pacific Ocean between Mexico and Northern California, accompanied by his two sisters, Lupe and Sharon, and the family dog, Huckleberry. The family lived as 'anchor outs' in the San Francisco Bay, maintaining a lifestyle straight out a Steinbeck novel. Eventually, they would move to dry land and the town of San Rafael, California. It was his time spent on the ocean that helped develop a work ethic that would take Memo from seeing his first car race to driving an Indy Car in a mere seven years, less than half the average time of most top-level drivers.
Memo learned to sail and began racing small sailboats at the age of seven. Between the ages of eight and eleven, he had successfully raced BMX bicycles and decided it was time to try racing with a motor. When he was 11, Memo purchased a motocross bike with money he had earned from painting boats around the harbors, and doing odd jobs after school. Memo and Sister Lupe would join Cass on his motorcycle (which would tow a small trailer with Memo's bike), head out to the races and sleep under the stars. Gidley went on to win multiple 125 and 250cc Championships and continued to travel this way until 'the kids grew too large to fit on Dad's bike.'
Shortly after high school, Memo decided to pursue his dream of racing cars - a dream that was born in 1991 after his uncle, Jon, had taken him to see a Champ Car race at the legendary Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, California. The first time he saw the sleek, gleaming cars race through the world famous 'corkscrew' section of the track, he knew what he wanted to spend the rest of life pursuing. Without the money to start his career, he referred to a flyer he had found blowing around the infield of Laguna. Leaving his apartment and moving down to Monterey, Memo enrolled in the mechanics-training program at the Jim Russell Racing School. In exchange for working in the school's shop, Memo was able to begin driving and raced in the ÚSAC Russell Championship Series. In his first race, Memo surprised the competition by qualifying on pole and leading the race from start to finish. Although it was his rookie season, Memo went on to win the 1992 series championship, winning nine of eleven races. After winning his first championship and graduating from the Mechanics Training Program, Memo moved to San Francisco to race for the Trackmagic Factory Kart team and to continue to pursue his dream of racing cars.From 1993 to 1998, Gidley proceeded to win major races and championships throughout the junior 'ladder' ranks making a name for himself in cars and karts. This includes driving for the factory Trackmagic Kart team and winning two ÚS SuperNationals Shifter Kart Titles in 125cc shifter in 96' and 99'. In 1995, Memo also won the ÚS Formula Ford FF2000 Rookie of the Year and Oval Course Championships. Memo was selected as the 1995 Team ÚSA Scholarship Winner. From 1997 to 1998, Memo won 5 races in the Kool Toyota Atlantic Championship including winning the Players Challenge Championship for amassing the most points in the Canadian Atlantic rounds.
All of Memo's success led to a shoot-out test with the Walker Racing CART Indy Car team in the beginning of 1999 when the team's regular driver, Naoki Hattori, suffered a broken leg. Memo's first test in a CART Indy Car got the attention of Honda of Japan who picked Memo to fill in for three races while their Japanese driver healed.
From 1999 to 2003, Memo amassed an impressive record of 38 races with teams such as Walker Racing, Dale Coyne Racing, Players-Forsythe Racing, Della Penna Motorsports, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, and Rocketsports Racing. In this span in the CART ranks, Gidley had three podiums (two seconds & a third), four top five finishes and numerous top tens, all without the benefit of a full season ride or season testing. Gidley also had a total of 230 laps led in the CART series against some of the best drivers in the world. Because of this, Memo earned the respect of his competition by being fast and for his never gives up attitude.
Paul Page from ABC Sports stated at the end of 2001, 'Gidley has done it right, he is a fan favorite and we received more comments and words of good will about him that just about any other driver in the sport.' He went on to say, 'I think the average fan sees a lot of them in Memo. The kid has a made a career out of overcoming his humble beginnings and every adversity that has ever come his way... he's the Horatio Alger of Motorsports.'
In 2004, Memo raced in both the Speed World Challenge Series and the Champ Car World Series. Memo became the first driver in recent history to drive in a Speed World Challenge race and Champ Car race in the same weekend. Also, in only two races with Rocketsports Racing and with no testing, Memo gave the Rocketsports #12 car team its season best starting spot when he amazed the team and regular drivers by qualifying fifth in Vancouver. Memo also became the first Speed World Challenge driver ever to drive a Ford Focus to the podium when he raced to a third place finish at the season ending event at Laguna Seca Raceway.
In 2005, Memo was hired by Finlay Motorsports and signed to drive the Air Force Reserve Daytona Prototype in the Grand Am series. Memo helped this new team to earn 6th in the season ending points championship. This awesome season was highlighted with a victory in the season ending race in Mexico City. Because of his win, Memo became the first ever Mexican born driver to win a professional race in Mexico.
In 2006, Memo was promptly signed to continue with Finlay Motorsports this time driving the Playboy/Úniden sponsored prototype. Despite a major set-back early in the season when a brake failure resulted in a compression fracture of the talented Californian's back, Memo responded like a true champion. Because of his work ethic, Memo amazed his doctors by being cleared to be back in the car in seven weeks, and then impressed his team by helping the Playboy/Úniden Team to finish 4th in year end team point standings. This was highlighted by an awesome 2nd place finish in the season ending 9 hour race at the Útah Motorsports Park. Memo then proceeded to cap of a great season by racing in the Petit Lemans race in Atlanta, Georgia for Highcroft Racing. Memo drove for nearly four hours setting some of the fastest laps in the process and helped the team to finish in third place in the grueling 10 hour race. This was the best result ever for the Highcroft Racing Team.In 2007, Memo drove the #77 Doran Racing/Kodak Daytona Prototype and the SunTrust Racing Daytona Prototype in the Grand-Am Series. Memo's season was highlighted by two podium finishes in the Grand-Am Series. Memo also drove for Team Cytosport at the 10 hour Petit LeMans Series race where he helped the team to finish in 3rd place in the P1 prototype class.
Memo's road to the top has garnered more print and television media coverage than most drivers in the sport due to his results, diverse background and because he is a supreme athlete and spokesperson. In a day and age of selfish and arrogant celebrity sportsmen, Memo is a breath of fresh air. He spends his non-racing days working out; riding his mountain bike and helping kids learn to drive Go Karts. 'I couldn't believe it, there was Memo Gidley at our local kart track giving half a dozen young karters his time and support, when most of his contemporaries were home by the pool. I wish other star athletes would take a page from his book... not a camera or PR person in sight, and these kids have 100% of his time and focus, when I'm sure he came to go karting himself. His seven year old pick up, shifter kart and two man tent, fifty feet away and this guy was giving these young drivers an experience they would tell their grandchildren about. He made seven fans for life that day,' stated a father in a letter to the Indianapolis Star. Memo has built his following the old-fashioned way - one race and one fan at a time.
Robert Úlrich/CEO Target Stores: 'Target has been involved with major Motorsports sponsorship for over twelve years. Memo Gidley is one of the most talented drivers and personalities we have ever worked with. He was never too busy for his fans, our employees and our management. He is an above and beyond the call of duty guy and never refused to step up whenever we needed him. Drivers who are this good on the track, at promotions & events and in the boardroom are of a very rare breed. A Memo Gidley is even rarer... he enjoys the process and it always shows. Memo is special and I am proud to have worked with him. He made every one of us look good. I wish we could continue to work with him. This kid deserves the very best.'Source - Memo Gidley Racing
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