Looking to duplicate their winning efforts of 2008

Former GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner (ST) champion driver Jamie Holtom and champion team owner Mike Kuznicki will join GS Motorsports in 2010, looking to duplicate their winning efforts after taking the 2008 ST driving and team titles with Georgian Bay Motorsports.

Holtom will team will Andrew Danyliw in the No. 21 Chevrolet Cobalt, while Kuznicki will become the team manager for the two-car stable, as GS Motorsports attempts its third full season in Continental Tire Challenge competition with a breath of fresh air. Kuznicki’s longtime chief mechanic Chris Ruigrok will also join GS Motorsports.

Team principal Gunter Schmidt, who will pilot the No. 22 Chevrolet Cobalt SS with veteran Tom Lepper, said he has confidence the team will do well this season after putting Danyliw in the top 20 in points in 2009.

“I’m looking forward to having Mike, Chris and Jamie working with us next season,” Schmidt said. “It has been great working with GM Performance over the years, and even though times have changed, we have confidence in their product, our team, our drivers and the people who give us the chance to display our talents.

“We have confidence on the platform, and in GRAND-AM’s efforts to make the Cobalt competitive in light of some pretty impressive new machinery in a super-competitive ST class,” Schmidt continued. “The Continental Tire Challenge has developed into a world-class race series. The quality of the competition, from the drivers to the crew to the manufacturers to the officials and GRAND-AM support staff, sets a new benchmark in production based sports car racing.”

Holtom has established himself as one of the pre-eminent young road racing talents in North America. He won the 2008 Continental Tire Challenge ST title on the strength of four victories, becoming the youngest champion in GRAND-AM history.

He ran select events in 2009 for Georgian Bay and Compass360 Racing, and will remain true to his Canadian driving roots by competing for GS Motorsports in 2010. He is presently completing his final year of undergraduate studies at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

“My experiences racing the Cobalts in GRAND-AM with Mike, the GM Performance guys, the Georgian Bay team and drivers like Eric (Curran), Lawson (Aschenbach), Andy (Lally), Kirk (Spencer) and Ashley (McCalmont) have been great,” Holtom said.. “Having taken a little step back in 2009 to focus on school, it is great to get back into the Cobalt full-time with some old friends and some new ones. 2010 is shaping up to be a really great season in ST and GS.”

Danyliw, meanwhile, finished a career-best sixth at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Schmidt last season. He debuted in the Continental Tire Challenge in 2007.

“As a driver, it is easy to lose track of what just showing up to compete really means to the fans,” Danyliw said. “One of the most gratifying parts of our race weekends have been the pre-race fan walks. Interacting with the fans, especially the younger fans, has been great! The chance to get up close to the race cars and drivers adds another special dimension to the racing fan’s experience at the track.”

Lepper, who has competed in Continental Tire Challenge action and most recently run under the Team Cobalt California banner, is excited to join GS Motorsports in his latest endeavor.

“Gunter has done a great job putting together a solid Championship effort for 2010,” Lepper said. “(My wife) Robyn (Team Cobalt California co-owner) and I are happy to be a part of it.”

Added Schmidt: “We have been working on our 2010 plans for a while. The key to success in this series really is the people. We look forward to giving our new team, partners, sponsors and the fans great racing moments all year long!”

Kuznicki was key in helping Georgian Bay Motorsports earn the 2008 championship and a dozen victories during his tenure.

“It is great to be joining my good friend Gunter and the rest of the guys at GS Motorsports, and I’m looking forward to working with Chris and Jamie again,” Kuznicki said. “Jamie is a great champion and he and Andrew will get every tenth possible out of that Cobalt. I think that we can really make things happen with the Cobalts and mix it up with the top teams and drivers in ST in 2010.”

The GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will celebrate its 10th season in 2010 with a 10-race schedule, visiting nine tracks in the U.S. and the lone Canadian race, the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. The season-opening race, the Fresh From Florida 200 at Daytona International Speedway, is scheduled for Jan. 29.

“GRAND-AM has done a great job in creating a level playing field for its competitors, which is also great for the fans,” Schmidt said.

“Nowhere is this more evident than in the ST class of the Continental Tire Challenge. It is no secret that the Continental Tire Challenge has consistently provided some of the best racing in GRAND-AM. Furthermore, the Series has made great strides in making the sport more accessible to the fans. The Continental Tire Challenge will be sharing the weekends with the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, building further on healthy increases in television ratings and viewership through the 2009 season.”

source: Grand-Am