Grand American Rolex

What: SunRichGourmet.com 1000

When: Saturday, Sat. 20, 1:00 p.m. EDT

Where: Miller Motorsports Park, 4.486-mile, 24-turn road course

Length: 1000 kilometers or 7 hours

TV: Live on SPEED, Sat. Sept. 20, 1 p.m. EDT

GANASSI BRINGS THIRD TEAM TITLE TO UTAH – With its top-10 finish at New Jersey, the Lexus-powered Chip Ganassi Racing team earned its third Grand-American Rolex Sports Car Series team championship in the last five years. The squad also won titles in 2004 and 2006. In addition, the team also has a record 21 Rolex Series victories – all coming with Lexus power.

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP CLINCHED, BUT FOR WHO? – One thing is certain, a Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus driver will win the Rolex Series driver’s championship, but the question still remains on which one or both. Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas have an insurmountable lead in the title race, but it’s still possible that one or the other could win the title outright if they both don’t complete the Rolex Series 30-minute minimum per driver to earn points in Utah. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Pruett will wrap up at least a portion of the championship with his scheduled start to the race. Rojas will then need to complete 30 minutes to earn his share of the title. Pruett and Rojas will be joined by former Indy Lights champion Alex Lloyd this weekend.

PRUETT SET TO BREAK ALL-TIME AMERICAN RECORD – By starting Saturday’s race, Lexus driver Scott Pruett will win a share of the 2008 Rolex Sports Car Series title, giving him an American record eighth major sports car championship, breaking a record he currently holds along with the late Peter Gregg. Amazingly enough, Pruett could eclipse the record despite having spent eight full seasons in Indy cars and one in NASCAR, as well as missing a full season due to injury (1991). Pruett’s titles include one Daytona Prototype championship (2004), two IMSA GTO titles (1986 and 1988), one IMSA GT Endurance (1986) and three Trans-Am championships (1987, 1994 and 2003). In 11 full seasons of sports car racing since 1986, Pruett has never finished below second in a points race.

ROJAS LOOKS TO MAKE HISTORY OF HIS OWN - Memo Rojas can become the first Mexican driver ever to win a major U.S. championship simply by finishing the 30-minute minimum for points at Salt Lake City. The second-year driver has registered eight wins in his first 27 Rolex Series events.

LEXUS TOPS IN ENDURANCE RACING; LOOKS FOR ’08 SWEEP – With victories earlier this season at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Watkins Glen Six Hours, Lexus will be looking to sweep the series’ three endurance races at Miller Motorsports Park this weekend. Overall, Lexus has won five of the last eight Grand-Am endurance races (six hours or more) to go along with two seconds and a pair of fourth-place finishes. The current stretch includes three Rolex 24 at Daytona victories, as well as a nine-hour win at the Miller Motorsports Park in the event’s inaugural running in 2006.

LEXUS = CHAMPIONS - With the drivers and team championships already clinched heading into this weekend, it marks the fifth and sixth titles for Lexus in Rolex Sports Car Series competition since 2004.

NO SOUTHARD – Lexus will power just one team this weekend after Southard Motorsports withdrew from the event after several costly accidents in recent races. Drivers Shane Lewis and Bill Lester have been released to drive for other teams at the season finale.

Lexus Daytona Prototype Performance Index

2008 Lexus Wins (6) – Daytona 24 (Pruett/Rojas/Montoya/Franchitti); Miami (Pruett/Rojas); Virginia (Pruett/Rojas); Watkins Glen Six Hours(Pruett/Rojas); Daytona-2 (Pruett/Rojas); Barber (Pruett/Rojas)