Doran Racing Announces 2013 Rolex Series Plans, Next Stop Daytona

Dr. Jim Lowe is preparing to start the New Year right as he heads down to the official three-day Roar Before the 24 test, at Daytona International Speedway beginning January 4, 2013. The Neurosurgeon from Villanova, Pennsylvania, will once again team with Paul Tracy behind the wheel of the No. 77 Doran Racing Ford Dallara Daytona Prototype led by Kevin Doran of Lebanon, Ohio. The team has confirmed they're running a Gen 3 Ford Dallara in the 2013 GRAND-AM North American Endurance Championship consisting of three endurance races held within the GRAND-AM Rolex Race Series beginning with the 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona, scheduled for January 26, 27, 2013.

The expanded driver line up for the NAEC races, the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Sahlen’s 6 Hour at the Glen, will be Jim Lowe and Paul Tracy along with Colin Braun and Jon Bennett, the current ALMS Prototype Challenge Driver and Team Champions in the No. 05 CORE Autosport Composite Resources ORECA FLM09. JLowe and PT will return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard Grand Prix. The first additional race outside the NAEC schedule will be at the Circuit of Americas in Austin, Texas, with Colin Braun and Jon Bennett on March 2, 2013. Other races will be announced as they are confirmed.

Entering his eighth running in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and second season behind the wheel of the Doran Ford Dallara DP with Tracy, Lowe goes to the test weekend full of confidence and anticipation to build upon the team’s solid running in 2012.

“The best part about this year is having continuity,” said Lowe. “I’m excited to run with Kevin and his team and to drive again with Paul. There is a level of comfort and familiarity among all of us, and especially with Paul. We get along real well, we race well together and we are both looking forward to the new season. Kevin and his team have been a good fit and I am looking forward to the opportunity of running with the same bunch of guys. It makes for a good formula for success.”

This will also be the second pairing for Lowe with Colin Braun. The two shared the No. 8 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley at the 49th Rolex 24 in 2011 along with Tomas Enge, Mike Forest and Ryan Dalziel. The young and highly experienced Braun proved to be a valuable mentor to Lowe who was making the jump from 6 years in a Porsche GT3 Cup car to the much larger and faster Daytona Prototype.

“I’m very, very, pleased to be running as a teammate again with Colin Braun,” said Lowe. “I really enjoyed working with him my first year in the Starworks Prototype back in 2011. He was very helpful coaching me to get faster in the DP and proved to be an excellent teammate. Colin is a big addition to our team as he brings another level of speed and is probably one of the faster shoes on the property in a prototype. Having his ALMS partner, Jon Bennett with us is also a bonus and he should have no trouble maneuvering around the road course at Daytona.”

The transporter leaves from the Doran Racing home base in Lebanon Ohio, set to arrive in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Thursday, January 3, 2013. JLowe, PT and the rest to the team will be anxiously standing by as the cars are unloaded and the crew begins preparation for the first test session to run on Friday morning.