June
24, 2006
Immediate Release
Ruby
Tuesday Championship Racing Team Finishes 20th at Mid-Ohio
Lexington, Ohio
-- The Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team finished 20th in round
nine of the Grand American Rolex Series presented by Crown Royal
Reserve EMCO Gears Classic run at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course today.
After inheriting
the pole position following post qualifying technical inspection
on Friday, Patrick Long was able to lead more than 26 laps in the
number 23 Ruby Tuesday car. On lap 23 he reported a low battery.
The failing electrics forced him to pit on lap 40 to change the
battery. This began a series of pit stops which finally resulted
in the team changing two batteries and then finally the alternator
on lap 65 valuable track position and laps.
Patrick Long
was encouraged at the start. “We were able to lead early and
after the luck the Ruby Tuesday team has had it was nice to run
at the front again. I was pushing and the 39 and the 10 guys were
really coming hard. We had a good car until the dreaded battery
light came on and then it was flash backs to Phoenix. We had to
change the battery twice and that just put us too far behind. We
will come back in Daytona in just five days; we have some unfinished
business there from the 24 hours. There is no quit in the Ruby Tuesday
team.”
Mike Rockenfeller
was disappointed with the result. “Again we ran into problems
with our battery and alternator. One failure like that a year is
a fluke; two is really unheard of in these cars. Patrick did a great
job to control the start and lead the first 26 laps. When I got
in the battery still was not charging, but we had to keep going
as some of the other top points teams were also having trouble.
Daytona is just five days away and the Ruby Tuesday team has a short
few days to turn things around, I am looking forward to going back
to Daytona and finishing what we started in the 24 hour last January.”
“Another
tough outing for us with the alternator,” said Alex Job, team
owner. “We are going to institute a fix for Daytona and we
will get it turned around. Patrick and Mike did the work behind
the wheel and the Ruby Tuesday team put a good car on the track,
a part that is not in our control cost us again today. The good
news is we are looking forward to Daytona in just five days as we
had a very good run there in the 24.”
The Ruby Tuesday
team will make a fast return to base in Tavares, Florida and prepare
for the one day practice, qualify and race for round ten at Daytona
International Speedway on Thursday.
Top
Mid-Ohio Daytona Prototype Finishers:
1. Fernandez/Haberfeld Pontiac/Riley
2. Angelelli/Magnussen Pontiac/Riley
3. Bergmeister/Braun Ford/Riley
4. Gurney/Fogarty Pontiac/Riley
5. Wallace/Leitzinger Pontiac/Crawford
6. Figge/Dalziel Pontiac/Riley
7. Negri/Patterson Lexus/Riley
8. Law/Donohue Porsche/Fabcar
9. Borkowski/Constantine Lexus/Riley
10. Valiante/Finlay Ford/Crawford
------
20. Long/Rockenfeller AJR Porsche/Crawford
2006
Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team DP Finishes
Race
|
Drivers
|
Qualifying
|
Finish
|
Daytona
|
Long,
Luhr, Rockenfeller |
1
|
3
|
Mexico
City |
Did
not attend |
|
|
Homestead
|
Long,
Rockenfeller |
1
|
1
|
Long
Beach |
Long,
Rockenfeller |
2
|
2
|
Virginia
|
Long,
Rockenfeller |
*2
|
1
|
Laguna
Seca |
Long,
Rockenfeller |
*1
|
24
|
Phoenix
|
Long,
Rockenfeller, Tiemann |
*19
|
20
|
Watkins
Glen |
Long,
Rockenfeller |
5
|
15 |
Mid
Ohio |
Long,
Rockenfeller |
1
|
20 |
*Denotes qualifying race
finish.
Ruby Tuesday
is one of the nation’s leading casual-dining restaurant companies,
with more than 800 restaurants worldwide. It was founded in 1972
by Sandy Beall, who serves as Chairman & CEO today. The company
is committed to having uncompromising freshness and quality with
passionate employees who take pride in delighting guests with an
excellent dining experience. The burger-centric menu features an
assortment of handcrafted burgers, its fresh salad bar, premium
baby back ribs and a variety of other signature entrees. Ruby Tuesday,
Inc. is traded on the NY Stock Exchange (symbol:RI). To find out
more about Ruby Tuesday, please visit www.rubytuesday.com.
To view the
Alex Job Racing press kit or for additional information, please
refer to www.alexjobracing.com or contact Kyle Chura at chura@aol.com
or (248) 821-0468.
|