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Hot News & Press from Doran Racing

Theys, Magnussen to Share Cockpit of Doran-Lista
DORAN JE4 Lexus #27 at Homestead

LEBANON, Ohio, Feb. 21 - One of the most popular drivers in the American Le
Mans Series (ALMS) will pinch-hit on one of the most popular teams in the Grand
American Rolex Series at the Grand Prix of Miami on Saturday, Feb. 28 at
Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.

Former Formula 1 driver Jan Magnussen, who has won three popularity awards
connected with the ALMS, will join the 2002 Grand American SRP champion, Didier
Theys, behind the wheel of the Doran-Lista Racing DORAN JE4 Lexus #27.
Magnussen, a Danish driver who currently lives in both England and Gainesville, Ga.,
is substituting for Swiss driver Fredy Lienhard Sr., who drives in selected
Rolex events as his business schedule permits.

Magnussen has the most starts (45) of any driver in the history of the ALMS. 
He plans to drive a limited schedule in that series this year with the
factory Chevrolet Corvette team.  Last year he drove the Prodrive Ferrari and a
Riley & Scott for Jim Matthews Racing, but he is perhaps best known to American
road racing fans for his accomplishments as a member of the Panoz Motorsports
team.

The 30-year-old Magnussen was the ALMS' "Personality of the Year" in 2001; he
received the "From the Fans" award in 2002 and he garnered the "Most Popular
Driver" award last year.

Although he'll be getting his first taste of Daytona Prototype racing at
Homestead, Magnussen certainly will be with a team with a long list of
accomplishments both in the Rolex series and at this track. Two poles and two victories
in three starts at Homestead is an impressive record, indeed.

In its last appearance at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Doran-Lista Racing ended
up in victory lane with its Dallara, and the Lebanon, Ohio-based team hopes
for similar results this year with its new car, the DORAN JE4 Lexus.  The
chassis, designed and built by Doran Designs, finished first and second in the
Daytona Prototype class at the Rolex 24 at Daytona earlier this month.

In the team's last appearance here, in 2002, Theys and Mauro Baldi won the
race from the pole with the Doran-Lista Dallara.  They did exactly the same
thing in 2000 in a Ferrari, and the pair qualified fourth and finished third here
in 2001 in a Crawford.

Gianpiero Moretti and Baldi were the drivers of the Doran-prepared MOMO
Ferrari in 1998 when it qualified third and finished second at Homestead.

The competition will be stiff this time too. The Daytona Prototype class has
more entries than any other, with 18 of the 45 cars on the preliminary entry
list.  Four of those 18 are DORAN JE4s.  In addition to the famous Bell
Motorsports DORAN JE4 Pontiac #54 which won the Rolex 24 at Daytona earlier this
month and the equally famous Doran-Lista DORAN JE4 Lexus #27, Michael Shank
Racing's DORAN JE4 Lexus #6 which debuted at Daytona is entered, as is a DORAN JE4
making its first start ever, the G&W Motorsports DORAN JE4 BMW #81.  All use
Goodyear Eagle tires.

Getting used to a new team and a new car are challenges, but Magnussen is no
stranger to pinch-hitting.  In the past he has substituted for both Paul Tracy
and Emerson Fittipaldi in CART champ car events when he was running in that
series.  He has also been one of the most highly-regarded 'subs' in racing
during his years when he was a Formula 1 test driver, a role he performed for
McLaren in the nineties before he landed a F1 ride with Jackie Stewart's team in
1997-1998.

Theys and Magnussen have never driven together and don't know each other
well, but they are both looking forward to changing that at Homestead.

"He has one of the best reputations in the business," said Theys, a Belgium
native who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz.  "From Formula 1 to sports cars, he's
driven everything.  He is a very good sports car driver."

Much has been written about the recent changes made to the Homestead track. 
Theys hasn't seen it since then, let alone drive on it, so he's not sure what
to expect.

"I've seen pictures of it, that's all," he said.  "Before [the changes],
going fast on the banks was a challenge, but now I heard it's not as challenging
for the drivers," he said. "But I will confirm that to you after the race," he
quickly and wisely added with a chuckle.

The Rolex series race, which is being run in conjunction with the Indy Racing
League IndyCar season opener, the Toyota Indy 300, will be shown on a
tape-delayed basis on SPEED at 4 p.m. Eastern on March 7.

Rolex series practice will be held from 2:45 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on
Thursday, Feb. 26.  The following day there is a one-hour practice session at 9 a.m.
followed by another one from 12:45 p.m. until 1:30 p.m.  Qualifying for the
Daytona Prototype class will be held that Friday from 4:55 p.m. until 5:10 p.m.

On race day a final 45-minute practice session will be held at 8 a.m., with
the start of the 250-mile, 109-lap, two-hour-and-45-minute race beginning at 3
p.m., after IndyCar quals.

For more information, see Lista's Web sites at www.lista.com and
www.listaintl.com , and Doran-Lista Racing's recently revamped site at www.doranracing.com .
  Jan Magnussen's Web site is at www.janmagnussen.com .

For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
E-mail: [email protected]

 
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