Alex Job Racing Overcomes Early Adversity - Pagerey Returns

Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, (Aug. 27, 2010), Alex Job Racing (AJR) racing driver Romeo Kapudija had an off track excursion at Mosport International Raceway during Wednesday's open test, which resulted in heavy damage to the No. 23 Battery Tender/Tequila Patron/Porsche.  The car has been rebuilt and Job has brought in Mitch Pagerey to substitute for Kapudija for the remainder of the race weekend.   

The team arrived mid-week to give Kapudija and teammate Bill Sweedler maximum time on the daunting Mosport circuit.  In the first session Kapudija was shaking down the AJR Porsche when he went into treacherous Turn Two and the car pushed off into the grass and then got sucked into the tire wall.  The AJR crew set about repairing the Battery Tender/Tequila Patron 997 and had it fully ready for the start of the official race weekend at 2:15 p.m. today.

"It was an average lap and I wasn't pushing too hard," Kapudija said.  "By the time I got to the top of the hill, I braked normally and turned in and there was just no grip.  The car just pushed when I turned the wheel.  When I hit the grass, the car obviously picked up speed and got sideways and hit the tire barriers pretty hard.  I am feeling the effects of a pretty hard hit and we thought it best to bring Mitch in for the race."

Mitch Pagerey brings winning experience to the team at Mosport.  Last year driving the AJR Porsche Patron GTC Challenge car, Pagerey won the first race and placed third in the second.  Pagerey, (Deerfield, FL), finished third in the Patron series in 2009 on the strength of his win at Mosport, coupled with seven podiums and 11 top five finishes.

"When I answered the phone and Alex said Mosport, my heart began to race," Pagerey said.  "I won my first professional race here last year in the Paton Challenge.  Mosport is at the top of my favorite tracks list.  As a driver I don't like the circumstances that brought me here, but I am here to be a good teammate and do everything I can to turn the weekend around."

Alex Job, team owner, had to act fast to get Pagerey and his Mosport experience onboard for this weekend.

"As the guys went to work on the car I got on the phone," Job said.  "Mitch was my first call since we had a lot of success with him in the Patron Challenge car here and all last year.  It will be his first start in the ALMS in a Porsche GTC car, but he had three starts in the LMPC class earlier this year, so he knows what to expect.  We never thought about not fixing the car, the points are too valuable with just two events remaining on the schedule.  We will have Romeo back at full health in at Petit Le Mans."

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron travels race from Mosport International Raceway will be televised on the SPEED Channel, Sunday, August 29 starting at 4:00 p.m. ET. 

AJR 2010 GTC Season

Alex Job Racing is one of the most successful teams in ALMS history with 39 wins.  This record is supported by 46 pole positions and 80 podium finishes.   The team has won three championships (GT in 2002, 2003 and 2004) complimented by their two GT class wins at Le Mans.  The team also boasts seven Sebring 12 hour wins. 

The ALMS GTC category is specific to one of the most popular factory produced racing cars in the world, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.  Developed for Porsche's one-make series around the world, the new version of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is based on the road-going 911 GT3 RS. The power unit featured in the new 911 GT3 Cup is largely identical to the production engine of the 911 GT3 RS with the same output of 450 bhp and the same maximum engine speed of 8,500 rpm.