Cosmo Ends First Race Of A Two Race Weekend On The Podium

Phoenix, Ariz. - Guy Cosmo completed the first leg of his two-race weekend by finishing 2nd in the LMP 2 class at the Houston Lone Star Grand Prix driving the #8 B-K Motorsport, Road & Track, Kumho Mazda. He is back in Phoenix today where he will start 6th in tonight's GAINSCO Grand Prix driving the #19 Playboy Uniden Daytona Prototype car while sitting in for the injured Memo Gidley. The GAINSCO Grand Prix will get underway at 7PM Saturday night in Phoenix.

It was all a matter of perseverance at the American Le Mans Series Lone Star Grand Prix. While the B-K Motorsports team experienced radio and fuel mapping problems, the team worked through the issues and took the second place finish in the LMP2 class in the two-hour-and-45 minute race.

Jamie Bach started the race and pitted 50 minutes in for fuel, tires and a driver change. In an attempt to address the radio problem, Guy Cosmo climbed into the car with a makeshift communications system consisting of a handheld radio wired to his helmet.

"It almost worked for me," said Cosmo, "but I needed them to talk to me when I was going the slowest. The sound of the engine was just too loud for the radio."

Ultimately, the team relied on the tried and true pit board to communicate with Guy for the rest of the race. As other teams fell by the wayside with problems of their own, Cosmo continued climbing through the field attacking the brutally rough Houston street course.

"This was probably one of the most abusive experiences of my life because the track was very bumpy, but it was also extremely enjoyable," said Cosmo. "The KUMHO tires were great from start to finish. Throughout the double stint we put on the tires they didn't really fall off whatsoever. I was really pleased with them. This is really a great platform for us to go to Mid-Ohio and really take advantage of what we learned here."

B-K Motorsports also unveiled a new marketing program with Road & Track magazine this weekend.

"The Road & Track relationship is not only an excellent match," noted Cosmo, "it's a compliment to the team and a tribute to the professional way this team presents itself. The program is going to be a fantastic vehicle for Mazda and the American Le Mans Series to advance their respective products to a broader audience of automotive enthusiasts. I'm proud to be associated with the entire program."

Following Friday's race, Cosmo left the track to catch a few hours sleep and head to Phoenix early Saturday morning.

"Michael McDowell and the Playboy Uniden team had a good run in last nights qualifying race and finished 6th," said Cosmo. "I will start the car in tonight's race. Michael continues to leave me with excellent starting positions so I'm looking forward to a great run for the team. Personally, though, two podiums in one weekend would be nice."

Guy Cosmo's extensive background with open-wheel formula cars and sports prototypes has earned him a reputation as one of the most successful and versatile young racing drivers in North America. The 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year ranks among the top- level road racers in the world. He has earned overall racing titles and major successes in many disciplines including karting, Formula Ford, Formula 2000, Star Mazda, Toyota Atlantic, Grand American and American Le Mans. You can learn more about Guy Cosmo at www.guycosmo.com.

The Lone Star Grand Prix will be broadcast tape delayed at 1 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday, May 13th, on CBS Sports. In addition, all races are again being televised live in Europe in a television arrangement between the series and MotorsTV, a European television channel dedicated to the world of motorsports.

The Grand American Series GAINSCO Grand Prix is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start Saturday night and will be televised on SPEED Sunday, May 14th at 3:00 p.m. ET.