Bas Leinders to Make Rolex Series Debut

[billnchristy]

http://www.grandamerican.com/News/Article.asp?ID=5068

Any of you Euro types know this guy?

Should we expect him to be fast?

[Graham Goodwin]

Yes and Yes

[Pete Fenelon]

Leinders has been around European racing for a long time, winning quite a lot of championships in junior formulae in the mid 90s without ever quite setting the world on fire. He got as far as being Minardi's "third man" and has done quite a bit of GT racing (Belcar and so on) recently. Generally sensible and quick and no stranger to endurance racing. He is also involved in team management - quite a well-rounded sort of bloke. He's precisely the kind of driver who should be getting involved in top class sports car racing, and as a mere 30 year old he's got a good 20-odd years left in him

I'd expect him to get onto the pace pretty quickly and start making a real contribution to any team he's part of.

[cybersdorf]

http://www.basleinders.be

You mean you yankee types don't know this guy?

[richmini99]

You mean you yankee types don't know this guy?

Nope!

I can't wait to see he does. With so many hotshoes making apperences in the Tuttle Riley this year, I wonder if we'll some of them paired together next year for some of the sprint races?

A little off topic, but I also noticed that Patrick Long is driving the Essex Ford Crawford this weekend. Could we see Essex on the front row this weekend?

[Fiorentina 1]

Originally Posted by cybersdorf

You mean you yankee types don't know this guy?

Some of us do! The guy is very quick and will be VERY impressive. First Cochet, now Leinders? This Tuttle sure knows his race car drivers. Now, if he could only step out of the car and put both of them together in the #7, they might actually win a race!

[19dodge]

yes, Leinders is quick for sure. I remember a few years ago he drove for the Lister squad at the 24hrs of Spa.. He was quick, but he crashed the car in practice. Since then, he has competed with the Gillet Vertigo at the Imola and Spa round this year.

Petter Baron does know how to pick some good drivers for the car..

[Danske]

In other miscellaneous driver news both Rob and Chris Dyson will be driving this weekend with Brix in the #06 Crawford.

[richmini99]

This Tuttle sure knows his race car drivers. Now, if he could only step out of the car and put both of them together in the #7, they might actually win a race!

Maybe Tuttle could be the third driver for the enduros?

[Danske]

Oops, Chris Dyson is not expected to actually drive.

[billnchristy]

Hopefully Tuttle will figure out if they want to win he needs to watch from the sidelines. He does seem to have good taste in drivers and there is such a talent pool on your side of the pond to fish in. It does show interest from Europe too, which is nice.

[jhansen]

It would be nice to see more guys step aside to allow a better driver pairing and thus making the car more competitive. I wish this were true for any sportscar series.

As for interest from Europe, when it comes to drivers, give them a pay check and they will come.

[billnchristy]

I believe that to a point, but I didnt take an 80k a year job that I wouldnt like, I took something that paid less that I would enjoy.

I think the big reason he is driving is that he said he wants to drive in an American sportscar series...do well in this ride and one might well pick you up full time.

[19dodge]

As i said above, Peter Baron is behind this effort. I think that hes the guy taking a look at the europeans, although i could be wrong.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by billnchristy

I think the big reason he is driving is that he said he wants to drive in an American sportscar series...do well in this ride and one might well pick you up full time.

He wants a drive in Champcar.