Altamonte Springs, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/08/2010 -- Dion von Moltke, the fast rising and fan favorite Rookie driver in GRAND-AM racing and Doran Racing continued to impress race fans across the world with a strong showing at the Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway at Daytona Beach, FL on July 3rd. Von Moltke and teammate Memo Gidley propelled the #77 McDonalds/PR Newswire/South African Airways Ford Dallara to the fifth position finish. This was the team’s second Top-5 finish of the 2010 GRAND-AM season and their seventh Top-10 finish in eight rounds of the season. For Dion, the race was another demonstration for race fans on why he is becoming one the favorites on the racing circuit. He finished higher than nine of the drivers ahead of him in the championship standings. Even better, he moved into a tie for the Rookie of Year and leads among Daytona Prototype drivers. With the dynamic driving duo of Gidley and von Moltke, Doran Racing is now in tenth place for Team Championship points and only 10 points away from the Top-5.

"What a great weekend for our whole team at Daytona!! We finished with our 2nd Top-5 of the season, and the team is really firing on all cylinders,” said Dion von Moltke. “In the wet practice we were extremely quick, but the track dried out for qualifying and we went a little backwards qualifying 8th. But Kevin Doran gave us a great car and in my stint I was able to run in the Top-5 the entire time. Memo also drove a great stint bringing the car home in 5th position. We were so close to breaking through for our first podium, so I know we can break through soon!"

Von Moltke started the weekend in very strong fashion, focused on the his task and motivated to run at the front. The practice sessions started in wet conditions and von Moltke was one of the fastest competitors on the track. In the first practice session, Dion set the pace for his #77 Doran Racing team with a 4th-best in Daytona Prototype time of 1:54.164. The tandem of von Moltke and Memo Gidley put up the second fastest time in the second session of the weekend.

The #77 at the top of the timing charts continued as von Moltke set the pace by a large margin in the Trueman/Akin Session, This was his seventh time finishing with the top time in eight races this season. He would have little time to gather himself as he had to qualify the car, where he would finish in the eighth position with the team’s best time of the weekend thus far of 1:44.330. Dion caught a bit of a break as one of the cars qualified ahead failed post-qualifying scrutiny which would move the #77 Ford/Dallara up to the seventh starting position for the race. With high hopes and adrenaline in the air on Saturday morning for the start of the race, von Moltke climbed aboard the red, black and yellow machine set to take the green flag. Dion would be on pace immediately as he quickly grabbed two places from the competition as he completed his first lap in the Top-5.
He would hold onto his position for several laps, before briefly settling back into his original starting position. The Doran Racing team took advantage of an early yellow flag to bring him in and make adjustments and von Moltke would be back at it when the green flag dropped. Dion would bring the car in to turn over to teammate Memo Gidley in a very strong 4th overall position. Gidley picked up where his team mate left off and before long was leading overall. The team has thrilled to see the #77 at the top of the charts. Gidley would pit the car from the lead, with more adjustments by the crew, came back onto the track still well within the Top-10. Gidley would have a strong run in the Top-5 before flat spotted tires from an earlier spin rendered the #77 Ford Dallara very difficult to hold pace with the leaders. Gidley ran in the seventh position before picking up two late spots by slowed cars on track to cross the checker in the fifth position.

The Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway was the 100th race for the Daytona Prototypes, the premier class of the GRAND-AM Rolex Series Presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. Dion now heads to New Jersey for the NJMP 250 presented by Crowne Royal at the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey.

Additional information on Dion von Moltke may be obtained at http://www.dionvm.com.
Additional information on P1 Groupe may be obtained at http://www.p1groupe.com.