AIM 4th Quickest At Daytona Test
Drivers settle in to new equipment

2008.01.08: AIM Autosport got the 2008 Rolex Season off to a quick start last weekend, setting some impressive times during the “Roar Before the 24” test days in preparation for the 46th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 26. Newly-announced full-season drivers Mark Wilkins and Brian Frisselle were joined at the test by Colin Braun and Andrew Ranger who will bolster AIM's line up for the season opener.

The test marked several firsts for the Toronto-based team as it prepared for its sophomore season in the Rolex Sports Car Series. Not only has AIM joined the Ford Racing stable for the 2008 season, but the team is also an early adopter of the Riley Mk XX chassis upgrade, made available just days before the test.

“In racing, you snooze, you lose,” team principal Ian Willis said of the team's switch to the Mk XX. “We know that there is going to be a learning curve—new Pirelli tires, new Ford powerplant, and now this new Riley upgrade—but it’s clear to us that in order to be on the right side of that curve, we needed to move forward as quickly as we could to integrate this new Riley package. There is a lot that goes into this—the data we collect, the impression and feedback the drivers have of the car, and the familiarity of the team working on it—so the sooner we made the switch, the sooner are able to make advances in all those areas. Hopefully this will pay off in the 24, and it should definitely pay off as the season unfolds.”

With no driver older than 24, AIM's line up will be the youngest in the big race, but with a combined CV that includes wins, championships and countless podiums, it is a group that packs a ton of experience. The test days not only gave the team the chance to put the new car through its paces, but it was also a good opportunity for the drivers to gel.

For Ranger, who won an open-wheel championship with AIM in 2003, the homecoming was a welcome one. Despite having never driven on the 3.56-mile infield road course or being in a Daytona Prototype, Ranger got acclimated quickly.

“This car reminds me a little bit of my time in open-wheel cars,” said the recently crowned NASCAR Canadian Tire Champion. “I’d never driven on this road course and have to say I really enjoyed it. Of course it was good to be back with the team and see some familiar faces but I think what was even better is how competitive I think we can be.”

While no prizes are given for test times, competition was close with less than one second separating the top twelve times. After Braun set a 1-minute 41.584-second lap on Saturday, AIM was fourth on the charts. The lap was some two seconds faster than last year’s pole time and just three-tenths off the fastest time of the test.

“These guys definitely made the right call going to Ford power,” said Braun, who set a record as the youngest winner of a major event when he won the 2006 Brumos 250 at Daytona before turning 18. “I am still getting used to this new Riley, but this test was a great start for us and I think we’re going to be even stronger when we come back for the race.”

Echoing that sentiment was Wilkins, who had a breakthrough season in his first full year of Daytona Prototype racing last year and is looking forward to even more in 2008.

“This was a great start for us and we just want to keep this momentum going through the race,” said Wilkins, who has been with AIM for seven years. “Getting to the finish and taking fifth was not only a good way to start the season last year, but in a big way it also was great preparation for this year because we have all our guys back and everyone knows how to get the job done. That gives us a lot of confidence and with how things are coming together with the Ford and the new Riley, we’re all really just looking forward to the race, and the rest of the season.”

In addition to its Daytona Prototype campaign, AIM Autosport also operates a multi-car team competing in the Star Mazda Series. Established in 1995, the company 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.

After a strong debut season on and off the track, AIM Autosport will continue to carry the colors of Exchange Traded Gold, Barrick Gold and Telus Mobility's Mike Network in 2008. Exchange Traded Gold shares offer investors a simple, innovative, cost-effective and secure way to access the gold market. Every share is 100 percent backed by physical allocated gold and traded on regulated stock exchanges globally. Barrick Gold is the world's largest gold mining company with mines and projects on four continents and the largest unhedged reserves in the industry. Telus Mobility's Mike Network is a leading Canadian provider of combined mobile phone/two-way radio communications services.

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