Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
11/11/2008
Daytona Beach, FL
Spirit of Daytona Racing continued their two-wheel experiment as they prepare for the 47th anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 24-25 at historic Daytona International Speedway.
The Daytona Beach-based team, which has previously tested their No. 09 Porsche Coyote Daytona Prototype at DIS with motorcycle stars Ricky Carmichael, Jason Pridmore and five-time Daytona 200 By Honda winner Scott Russell, added motorcycle veteran Jeff Ward to the mix on Tuesday during the first day of the two-day November Test Days session.
November Test Days is the second of three major tune-ups for the Rolex 24 and has 40 sports cars on the entry list – 20 Daytona Prototypes and 20 GT class machines.
Ward has driven almost everything you can possibly drive at Daytona International Speedway from stock cars, sports cars, Supercross and road racing motorcycles and has been runner-up three different times in the Daytona Supercross By Honda.
But he’s never gotten behind the wheel of a sleek and stylish Daytona Prototype, which he will do during November Test Days.
“I raced the 24-hour back in ’97,” said Ward, who has also competed in the IndyCar Series. “That was my first time in a sports car and my last time in one. The last time I was here, I ran some laps around here testing for Team Tabasco. The last time I rode this road course, I was here on a Formula Xtreme factory Honda bike testing a couple of years ago. It’s been a little while.
“I love riding road courses. That’s always been my best but I’ve never been in this car. It’s going to take a little while. I’m not expecting go out there and go fast right away. I just want to get comfortable step by step by step and not get overwhelmed right away. It should be fun.”
