2004 California Speedway

On October 15, 2003, a significant restructuring of the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series and Grand Am Cup classes was announced. Starting next year, the Grand Sport I (GS I) cars would be called Super Grand Sport (SGS) and compete in the Rolex Sports Car Series. Following this news, there were changes in the Grand Am Cup category. In 2004, there would be a single Grand Sport (GS) and Sport Touring (ST) class.

Grand Sport (GS): The quicker of the two classes - the group features the larger displacement engines as well as smaller four-cylinder motors with forced induction systems. The power-plants produce between 350 and 405-horsepower. Minimum weights range between 2,900 – 3,300-pounds, which is dependent on the motor configuration and displacement. This class includes cars such as the BMW M3, Pontiac Firebird, Ford Mustang, Nissan 350Z and Porsche 996.
Sport Touring (ST): The smaller displacement cars compete in this class in which engines typically produce between 170 and 240-horsepower. Popular vehicles found in this group are the Acura RSX, Mazda RX-8, BMW Z3, BMW 330i, Acura Integra Type R and Mini Cooper S.

While the classifications changed the rules remained the same. The cars are relatively unchanged from their road-going versions – modifications are mandated mainly for safety – roll cages, window nets, etc. They also used spec DOT-approved tires produced by Hoosier. Based on performance potential, the cars are placed in the Grand Sport or Sport Touring group.

The 2004 season consists of ten race weekends and starts in January at Daytona International Speedway, which is followed by a second event in Florida at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In April, the series will make a visit to Phoenix International Raceway for the Twin 200s. The Grand Sport and Sport Touring teams will compete in separate races. Then the series travels north of the border to compete at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant. After this event, race weekends will take place Watkins Glen International, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and a second visit to Homestead-Miami Speedway. The final three rounds will be conducted in October and start with Virginia International Raceway. The penultimate weekend is at Alabama’s, Barber Motorsport Park, with the finale taking place at California Speedway.

The 2004 Grand Am Cup series season finale was held on the 2.8-mile roval at California Speedway. Team, Manufacturer and Driver titles would be decided in the Lexus Grand American 250. As a result, it was a ‘no holds barred’ event with a lot of contact and damaged race cars.

The pace lap for the final round of the 2004 Grand Am Cup series. Pacing the field is the pole-sitter, Craig Stanton, in TheRaceSite.com sponsored Porsche 996. Sharing the front row with Stanton is the Doncaster Racing prepared Porsche 996, shared by Robert Julien and J.F. Dumoulin. Behind the top qualifiers is the first of two Powell Motorsport Cadillacs entered in the event and a second Doncaster Racing Porsche.

Greg Wilkins did not start his 2004 Grand Am Cup season until round three at Phoenix International Raceway. Despite the late start, Wilkins scored two consecutive runner-up finishes. His co-driver at California Speedway, David Lacey, opened his year in race six at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The No. 17 Doncaster Porsche 996 qualified fourth and avoided much of the drama during the race. They were victorious by a one-lap margin.

In 2004, Bill Fenton Motorsports entered two Acura RSX-S at every event but rotated the driver line-up – which included Bill Fenton, Eric Curran, MikeLiebl, Bob Beede and Bob Endicott. Sharing the No. 27 Acura at California Speedway was Beede and Endicott. This was this first-time combination had competed together and it proved very successful. They started the contest fourth in Sport Touring and won the category.

The brothers, Will and Wayne Nonnamaker shared the No. 44 TheRaceSite.com sponsored Porsche 996. The younger brother, Wayne, had spent the season sharing the Porsche with his father, Joe. Their best result was a third-place finish in the previous round at Barber Motorsport Park. Will and Wayne qualified ninth at California Speedway and drove a clean race. In the end, they were rewarded with a runner-up finish.

Another team delivering an excellent performance was the No. 23 Unitech Racing prepared Nissan 350Z. Drivers, Blake Rosser and Kelly Collins had a 2004 series high finish of first place in round six at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. They were gridded in twelfth for the start of the California 250. The duo inherited positions when some of the faster Grand Sport teams encountered problems and finished third overall.

The Grand Am Cup Grand Sport podium for the season finale at California Speedway. In the center, are the winners, by a one-lap margin, Greg Wilkins and David Lacey. ‘Better late than never,’ this was their first victory of 2004. Standing on the right are the runner-ups, brothers, Wayne and Will Nonnamaker. The Nonnamkers helped secure the team championship. Completing the rostrum are Kelly Collins and Blake Rosser.

The ST Driver’s title was to be decided between Turner Motorsport’s Will Turner and Don Salama and Sylvain Tremblay and David Haskell of SpeedSource. Tremblay and Haskell trailed the Turner duo. The SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 started third in class and during the race traded the lead with their main rivals. On lap-eighty-four, contact took the Turner BMW out of contention giving the championship to Tremblay and Haskell.

Finishing third in the Sport Touring category was the No. 12 TC Kline Racing prepared BMW Z4. Sharing the BMW and making their first Grand Am Cup start of the season, were Daniel Colembie and SCCA World Challenge competitor, Ken Dobson. They qualified twenty-eighth overall but second in their category. During the contest, the pair avoided a lot of the incidents and were rewarded with a podium result.

Points leader, Terry Borcheller started the year with Craig Stanton in a Porsche. At Mont-Tremblant, he joined the Devon Powell in the Powell Motorsport Cadillac. Entering the season finale, Borcheller led standings by four points. Powell qualified fifth but contact took the car out of contention. Borcheller’s rival, Stanton, also encountered issues and the pair finished the race tied in points. The title went to Stanton as he had more wins.

Craig Stanton entered the final round trailing Cadillac driver, Terry Borcheller, by four points in the battle for the Driver’s championship. Stanton shared No. 43 Porsche 996 with David Murry. He qualified on the pole but during the race both title contenders suffered problems with their cars. At the conclusion of the event, Stanton and Borcheller were tied for points but Stanton had more victories and was declared the Grand Sport champion.

Turner Motorsport driver’s Will Turner and Don Salama didn’t score any wins in 2004, but consistency gave them the lead in the Sport Touring title chase. Their main rivals were SpeedSource drivers, Sylvain Tremblay and David Haskell. The Turner BMW 330i started on the class pole and battled for the top spot. Unfortunately, contact will the Lexus of Andy Lally late in the contest ended their title hopes.

There was a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude in the season finale at California Speedway. All three championships were on the line in the Grand Sport and Sport Touring categories. As a result, there was a lot of contact. The No. 19 Race Prep Motorsports Porsche 996 is just one example of what many cars looked like after the California 250. Drivers, Tim Traver and David Gooding finished twenty-first in Grand Sport.

The final Sport Touring podium for the 2004 Grand Am Cup series. Standing the center are the winners, Bob Endicott and Bob Beede. This was Endicott’s second victory of the season and the first for Beede. On the right side of the rostrum are the runner-ups, Ken Dobson and Daniel Colembie. Occupying the final spot on the podium are the new class champions, Sylvain Tremblay and David Haskell from SpeedSource.

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR	ENTRANT	LAPS
1	GS	Wilkins / Lacey	Porsche 996	Doncaster Racing	89
2	GS	Nonnamaker / Nonnamaker	Porsche 996	The Race Site.com	88
3	GS	Rosser / Collins	Nissan 350Z	Unitech Racing	88
4	GS	Said / Hainer	Nissan 350Z	Unitech Racing	88
5	GS	Wright / Munson	BMW M3	Anchor Racing	88
6	GS	Thornton / Russell	BMW M3	Automatic Racing	88
7	GS	Shreiner / Lapcevich	Ford Mustang Cobra	Shreiner Racing	87
8	GS	Schuitemaker / Zacharias	Nissan 350Z	Schuitemaker Motorsports	87
9	GS	Cronin / Hayner	Nissan 350Z	Unitech Racing	87
10	GS	Escalette / Plumb	Porsche 996	Stuttgart Performance	87
11	GS	MacAlpine / Rehagen / Martin	Ford Mustang Cobra	Rehagen Racing	87
12	ST	Endicott / Beed	Acura RSX-S	Bill Fenton Motorsports	86
13	GS	France / Zogaib	Nissan 350Z	Schuitemaker Motorsports	86
14	ST	Haskell / Tremblay	Mazda RX-8	SpeedSource	86
15	ST	Dobson / Colembie	BMW Z4	TC Kline Racing	85
16	ST	Fenton / Liebl	Acura RSX-S	Bill Fenton Motorsports	85
17	ST	Bradley / Espenlaub	Mazda RX-8	SpeedSource	85
18	ST	Himes / Ellinger	BMW Z3	ICY / SL Motorsports	84
19	ST	Fanelli / Abello	Mazda RX-8	SpeedSource	83
20	ST	Sheehan / Brumbaugh / James	Lexus IS300	Team Lexus	83
21	ST	York / Thomson	BMW Z3	Compass360 Racing	83
22	GS	Stanton / Murry	Porsche 996	The Race Site.com	83
23	GS	Nonnamaker / Nonnamaker	Porsche 996	The Race Site.com	82
24	GS	Riddle / Wilson	Porsche 996	The Race Site.com	81
25	ST	Turner / Salama	BMW 330i	Turner Motorsport	81
26	GS	Camp / Mann	Ford Mustang Cobra	Frederick Motorsports	80
27	ST	Eaton / Howard	Mazda RX-8	Southpaw Racing	79
28	GS	Powell / Borcheller	Cadillac CTS-V	Powell Motorsport	76
29	ST	Roach / Kimball	Dodge Neon SRT4	Roach Racing	76
30	ST	Lally / Lazzaro	Lexus IS300	Team Lexus	72
31	GS	Plummer / Cosmo	Porsche 996	BGB Motorsports	65
32	ST	Haskell / Tuaty / Schlesinger	Mazda RX-8	SpeedSource	57
33	GS	MacDonald / Brown	Ford Mustang Cobra	Frederick Motorsports	55
34	ST	Wright / Olsen / Munson	BMW 330i	Anchor Racing	46
35	GS	Picket / Pumpelly	Porsche 996	Race Prep Motorsports	40
36	ST	Phillips / Wong / Diedrick	Nissan Sentra SE-R	DEI Racers Group	40
37	GS	Gooding / Traver	Porsche 996	Race Prep Motorsports	39
38	GS	Finlay / McDowell	Porsche 996	BGB Motorsports	27
39	GS	Dumoulin / Julien	Porsche 996	Doncaster Racing	23
40	GS	Heinricy / Weinberg	Cadillac CTS-V	Powell Motorsport	20
41	GS	Stubbs / Masessa	Porsche 996	The Race Site.com	19
42	GS	Kohler / Smith	Mustang Saleen	TF Racing	18
43	GS	Sachs / Snipes	Cadillac CTS-V	Snipes Motorsport	14
44	ST	Briody / Connolly	BMW 330ci	Matt Connolly Motorsports	11
45	GS	St. John / Martinelli	BMW M3	Automatic Racing	5
46	ST	James / Goldsborough	Lexus IS300	Team Lexus	4
47	GS	Fox / Krohn	Porsche 996	G&W Motorsports	3
48	GS	Reichard / Helton / Bogusz	BMW M3	Automatic Racing	2

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