CONCORD, N.C. (Jan. 23, 2012) - The ROUSH Performance road racing team is proud to announce its plans for Daytona and the 2012 Grand-Am Continental Tire Series season.  For the first time in its history, the team will field three cars in its stable at the BMW Performance 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan 27; The No. 61 Mustang driven by Billy Johnson (San Clemente, Calif.) and Jack Roush Jr. (Livonia, Mich.), the No. 51 Mustang driven by Shelby Blackstock (Nashville, Tenn.) and Jade Buford (Brentwood, Tenn.) and the No. 49 Mustang Driven by Roly Falgueras (Fajardo, Puerto Rico) and Bryan Ortiz (San Juan, Puerto Rico).

The #61 ROUSH Mustang has had great in the series.  In the last two years (since Miller Motorsports Park in 2009), Billy Johnson and Jack Roush Jr. have earned 6 wins, 14 podiums, and 17 top five finishes.  "I'm really looking forward to be back with Jack in the #61 Roush Performance Mustang this year sporting the brand new 2013 bodywork," says Billy Johnson.  "Jack and I have had two amazing seasons in 2010 and 2011 finishing 3rd and 2nd in the Championship respectively and we look to continue the consistency and trend to finish 1st in the Championship this year in 2012."

"In the past, I've always taken great pride in the effort put forth running as a single-car team,” said Jack Roush Jr.  “Bringing in such a quality collection of drivers to work alongside with takes the program up a notch even higher.  I look forward to collaborating with them all on set-up, strategy and driving technique.”

However, this is not the first time that the ROUSH Performance team has fielded a two-car effort.  Last year, Blackstock and Falgueras competed against Roush and Johnson in the Continental Tire Series.

“We are very happy to again be part of the Roush family, continuing our more than 15-year relationship with them,” said Falgueras.  “It's also a real treat to once again work with Jeff Campey, who served as our crew chief in the 1995 Daytona 24 Hour race.”

"I am very excited to be driving the No. 51 Roush Performance Boss 302R with Jade, it is a huge opportunity and we are looking forward to a great season,” said Blackstock. “Last year was a great opportunity for me to be able to drive the Roush-prepared No. 51 Mustang with Roly Falgueras and we can’t wait to build on that in 2012. I want to thank Jack Roush Jr., Roush Performance and Ford for giving me this opportunity to be able to drive this amazing race car with a top team."

Buford and Ortiz have yet to run in a race with ROUSH Performance, but they both have years of experience running in Grand-Am, and both tested with the team at Daytona earlier this month. 

"Shelby and I work very well together," said Buford. "This showed itself during the Daytona test earlier this month where our lap times were near the top of the charts.  The new Boss 302R is an outstanding car to drive.  We are looking forward to a great season."

"For me it's an honor being able to drive with the ROUSH Performance team," said Ortiz.  "I’ve driven against them many times in the past as part of the NASCAR Diversity Program.  Now, thanks to Roly Falgueras, I will finally have the chance to drive with him.  I watched Roly race as I was growing up in Puerto Rico.  He is a smart driver with a lot of experience, and I'm sure that he will make a great teammate.  I can't wait for the race at Daytona!"

Buford and Blackstock will be driving the No. 51 Mustang for the entire 2012 season, while the list of races where the No. 49 Mustang will compete is still being determined.


The No. 61 Mustang is sponsored by Gary Yeomans Ford Lincoln (www.garyyeomansford.com), 
USANA Health Sciences (www.usana.com) ROUSH Performance (www.roushperformance.com)
Strategic Brand Solutions (sbsolutionsllc.com)
Performance Friction (www.performancefriction.com)
 Mechanix Wear (www. mechanix.com)
OMP (www.ompamerica.com)
Kooks Custom Headers (www.kookscustomheaders.com)
PWR (www.pwrradiators.com)
BMRS (www.bmrs.net)
GoPro (gopro.com).  

The No. 51 Mustang is sponsored by 
Starstruck and ViON (www.vion.com), 

The No. 49 Mustang is sponsored by MicasaFord.com.

The Continental Tire Series race takes place at 1:30pm (EST) on Friday, Jan. 27th.  For more information on the event, please visit www.Grand-Am.com.

Catch the Turner Motorsports LIVE webcam for the entire 24 Hours:

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/live-streaming-rolex-24-daytona.aspx 

Amesbury, Mass. - December 15, 2011 - Will Turner announced today that Dirk Mueller, Joerg Mueller and Dirk Werner will drive for Turner Motorsport's 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona effort. The three BMW Motorsport drivers will join Bill Auberlen, Billy Johnson, Paul Dalla Lana, Michael Marsal and Boris Said in two Prep 2 GT class BMW M3s for Turner's third run for a Rolex watch in the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic. 

"For the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona I wanted to assemble the strongest BMW driver lineup I could," said Will Turner. "I think the Turner Motorsport roster stands on its own as one of the strongest ever. I want to thank BMW Motorsport for their support and assistance. Last year we ran strong in the opening hours of the race before gearbox problems set us back. This year we return with two M3s on the back of a very successful 2011 Grand-Am season that included two GT victories. With luck we will add the team's biggest win to date." 

The Turner driver roster represents many of BMW's greatest 24-hour race victories worldwide. Synonymous with BMW racing for many years in the United States, Auberlen and Said co-drove a BMW M3 to the GT class win at the Rolex 24 in both 1997 and 1998. Said became the first American to win the 24 Hours of Nurburgring with his BMW Motorsport drive in 2005. One year earlier, Dirk Mueller, Joerg Mueller and the legendary Hans J. Stuck won the Nurburgring 24. Joerg Mueller was also part of the driving team that won the race in 2010. His first 24 hour win for BMW came at the Spa 24 in 1996. Dirk Werner has three 24 hour race victories in a BMW Z4 ; the Silverstone 24 in 2007 and the Dubai 24 in 2007 and 2008 driving a Z4 M Coupe. 

Dirk Mueller and Dirk Werner are also no strangers to Grand-Am competition. Werner won the GT driver's title for Porsche in both 2007 and 2009. Mueller has twice finished second in the Rolex 24 in 1998 and 1999, also driving for Porsche. Joerg Mueller has one previous start in the Rolex 24. 

Billy Johnson began his professional racing career as one of the first group of Formula BMW USA junior scholarship drivers in 2004. Johnson co-drove with Paul Dalla Lana in three GT races for Turner Motorsport last year with a best finish of fourth at Montreal. 

Paul Dalla Lana won the 2011 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Grand Sport driver's championship with Turner Motorsport. He also bested 235 BMW drivers to win the 2011 BMW Sports Trophy for the most successful privateer BMW driver in the world. 

Michael Marsal ran his second full CTSCC season with Turner last year and made two starts in the GT car. He finished second in GS points in 2010 with co-driver Joey Hand. 

The 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona will take the green flag at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 28th. The race will be televised on SPEED television. 

www.turnermotorsports.com

This season Jack Roush Jr. and Billy Johnson finished on the podium 8 times, with 3 wins.  Out of the past two years, this pairing has earned 17 top five finishes, 14 podiums, and 6 wins out of 20 races and finished 3rd and now 2nd in the Drivers Championship.  With 2012 on the horizon, they look to continue this consistency and finish on the top spot at the end of the 2012 season.

In his second race with Paul Dalla Lana in the #94 Turner Motorsports BMW M3, Billy Johnson passes the race leader to get back on the lead lap to power his way through the field for a 4th place finish at Montreal.  During this hard charge to the front, Johnson turns the fastest lap of the race with an average speed of 96.050mph.

Jack Roush Jr. and Billy Johnson combined to score their third Grand Sport victory of the season in the No. 61 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Boss 302R. It was their second consecutive dominant victory at the 2.25-mile, 12-turn Thunderbolt Raceway. Roush started third and took the lead on Lap 15. He led 21 circuits before handing the car over to Johnson, who led the final 14 circuits. A year ago, they combined to lead all but four of the 87 laps.

Due to prior ALMS commitments, Billy Johnson was asked to fill in for Bill Auberlen  in the #94 Turner Motorsports BMW M3 in the Rolex GT class.  Billy will be partnering up with Paul Dalla Lana who is currently 3rd in the Rolex Series points.