DENVER, NC: For the second consecutive season, when Action Express Racing heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Grand Prix of Miami they will do so with a wave of momentum. DAYTONA BEACH, FL: For the second consecutive season, when Action Express Racing heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Grand Prix of Miami they will do so with a wave of momentum. Following another successful Rolex 24 At Daytona campaign which saw Action Express lead a combined 151 laps between its two cars and the No. 9 Porsche/Riley finish with a third-place podium, Homestead will be about maintaining that momentum and carrying it into the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 regular season.

Going into last year’s event, Action Express Racing looked to follow-up its Rolex 24 victory with another podium and showed up with a car good enough to do just that turning the race’s fastest lap, but overheating issues relegated the car to a 15th place finish, 68 laps down.

This season the team returns with perhaps its best chance at returning to victory lane, adding a second car and a lineup of drivers who have had nothing but success in Miami.

The successor of Brumos Racing’s DP program, Action Express Racing will undoubtedly be a favorite for the race win on Saturday. Brumos Racing won the event in 2009 with current Action Express driver Joao Barbosa and Hurley Haywood, and qualified on the pole and finished second in 2010 with the pilots of the new Action Express No. 5 Porsche/Riley, David Donohue and Darren Law.

Brumos Racing’s history in Miami dates back to J.C. France and Haywood winning the first race for a DP at the speedway back in 2003.

“We are really looking forward to the Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead-Miami. Homestead is one of the tracks we really look forward to competing at each year,” said team manager Gary Nelson. “This team has consistently shown strong performances there in the past.”

There is no denying the success of Action Express Racing’s five drivers at what is often described as one of the most grueling tracks on the schedule.

In addition to Barbosa’s 2009 season finale win, South Florida native Terry Borcheller finished a season-best second in the Continental Tire race at Homestead one year ago and JC France got his first career win and the first for a DP there in 2003.

The duo of Donohue and Law finished with six top 5s in 2010, but it was their second-place run in Miami that was also their season-best.

Donohue and Law will need a solid run Saturday to rebound from what can only be described as a disappointing top 10 for the No. 5 in Daytona. Leading 120 laps during the Rolex 24 – the third most laps led – a spin in the chicane on Sunday afternoon, coupled with a clutch problem that left the car stalled on-track, dropped the car from the lead lap and top 5 to an eventual ninth-place finish, four laps down.

With a month between races the Action Express team went back to its shop in Denver, NC following the Rolex 24 to begin preparations for the Grand Prix of Miami which will air live on SPEED at Noon EST on March 5.

“All of the teams competing in GRAND-AM this year appear to be stronger than ever,” added Nelson. “We are expecting a real dog fight for the top step of the podium…we’re ready.”

DRIVER QUOTES:

JOAO BARBOSA (No. 9): “I’m looking forward to go racing again after the Rolex 24. We’ve always run well at Homestead. Action Express Racing has been working very hard to improve the cars and to be able to go for wins every race. This team has grown a lot in the last few months and I’m looking forward for this season.”

TERRY BORCHELLER (No. 9): “We have been competitive at Homestead in the past, so I am looking forward to the advances in our program, team, and car, keeping us competitive next week. Daytona was a great race for us, but we realized some of our weaknesses. I’m sure we will be stronger as a team and that our car will be even faster for Homestead. I am really looking forward to the race.”

JC FRANCE (No. 9): “I always love coming to Homestead. It was my first win and the first overall victory for a DP.”

DAVID DONOHUE (No. 5): “Daytona was bittersweet for the No. 5 car in that we ran very well and led for much of the race through the night. Unfortunately, when our problems stuck, they struck with a vengeance. With the clutch problems, then a broken sway-bar piece and then the fire in the pits, we find ourselves far behind in the points. The sweet side is that our team really has the switch on, and they are clearly focused on the rest of the season. The No. 9 car has shown consistent strength, finishing on the Rolex-24 podium the last three years in a row. Now it’s time for us all to work together so we can share the podium together. The team has already put in the effort to make that happen.”

DARREN LAW (No. 5): “We had a really strong showing at Daytona, the team worked well together and the car was fast. I am looking forward to carrying that momentum into Homestead. We have always done well at Homestead, last year we qualified on pole and finished second. I know the team has been working hard in-between these races to improve the car so I can’t wait to go back and get on with the rest of our season now that the (Rolex) 24 hour is over.”