Tafel Points � Sebring 12 Hour News, Notes and Storylines

2008 12 Hours of Sebring, Sebring Int’l Raceway, Sebring , Fla. , March 10-15

No. 71 Tafel/Bell Micro Racing Ferrari F430 GTC No. 73 Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC

Drivers: No. 71: Dominik Farnbacher (Germany), Dirk Müller (Germany/Monaco), Rob Bell (England) No. 73: Jim Tafel (Alpharetta, Ga.), Pierre Ehret (Germany), Allan Simonsen (Danish/Australia)

Owner: * Jim Tafel (Alpharetta, Ga.)
*Technical Director: Tony Dowe (Cumming, Ga.) *Team Engineer: * No. 71: Tony Dowe No. 73: David Fullerton *Crew Chief: * No. 71: Peter Kaczmar No. 73: Chris Brook *Notes: *

Tafel Racing and Bell Microproducts announced a season-long partnership on March 6. The No. 71 Ferrari of Dominik Farnbacher (Ansbach, Germany) and Dirk Müller (German-born now living in Monaco) will be known as the Tafel/Bell Micro Ferrari F430 GTC. The No. 73 will have secondary support from Bell Microproducts. Bell Microproducts (www.BellMicro.com) is a world-leader in computer-based storage solutions as well as other high-tech products and services.

Tafel Racing made its American Le Mans Series debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2007. The operation placed both its cars in the Top-Five; the No. 71 scored the first of its six podiums while the No. 73 earned one of its two top-fives.

Team owner Jim Tafel, now living in Alpharetta, Ga., has strong Florida ties. He is a graduate of Florida State University (1987) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts.

Tafel Racing captured the fastest race lap in last year’s 12 Hours of Sebring. Patrick Long lapped the 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit in 2:02.723, just three tenths off the qualifying track record for the GT2 class. In January, Dominik Farnbacher (Ansbach, Germany) earned the Tafel Ferrari F430 GTC the second-quickest lap in winter testing with a time of 2:01.641. Despite being the North American debut for the car, Tafel Racing bettered the current track record (2:02.439 set in 2007) in four of eight sessions.

Dirk Müller (German-born now living in Monaco) won the 2000 12 Hours of Sebring in the GT class, now known as GT2. He went on to capture four more victories on his way to the class championship. In the process he won six pole positions and earned seven podium finishes.

Allan Simonsen (born in Denmark now living in Melbourne, Australia) has opened his 2008 racing season in impressive form. The driver of the No. 73 Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC, who will also share driving duties behind the wheel of the Tafel Ferrari with Dominik Farnbacher (Germany) and Dirk Müller (German-born now living in Monaco) at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has dominated early season competition in the Australian GT Series. In two races run thus far, Simonsen has earned pole position, fastest race lap and the victory in both driving a Ferrari F430 GTC.

Pierre Ehret (Tegernsee, Germany) has the most starts of all Tafel Racing drivers at Sebring; five (’03-’07), with a best finish of fourth (GT2) in 2007. Dirk Müller (German-born now living in Monaco) has three Sebring starts between 1999 and 2001 with a victory in 2000 (GT, now GT2) while Dominik Farnbacher (Ansbach, Germany) has two starts at Sebring (’06 & ’07). Jim Tafel (Alpharetta, Ga.) has made one start at Sebring driving with Farnbacher to fifth-place (GT2) in 2007. Rob Bell (Northants, England) and Allan Simonsen (born in Denmark now living in Melbourne, Australia) are making their debuts at Sebring.

The 12 Hours of Sebring marks the first time that Tafel Racing has entered the Ferrari F430 GTC. However, three of its six drivers have won championships in the V8-powered, mid-engine, Italian exotic; Rob Bell (Northants, England) won the 2007 Le Mans Series GT2 Driver Championship in a Ferrari F430 GT. Dirk Müller (German-born now living in Monaco) captured the 2007 FIA GT Series GT2 class title in an F430 GT while, in Australia, Allan Simonsen (born in Denmark now living in Melbourne, Australia) was racing the race-variant of the F430 road car to the Australian GT Championship last season. Owner/Driver Jim Tafel (Alpharetta, Ga.), Pierre Ehret (Tegernsee, Germany) and Dominik Farnbacher (Ansbach, Germany) have never driven the car in competition. However, each tested the car at Fiorano, Ferrari’s test facility, and again at Sebring International Raceway during the official American Le Mans Series Winter Test in January. Farnbacher set the Test’s second quickest GT2 time in the car bettering the track record.

* Tafel Racing received one of only 13 GT2 class invitations to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14-15. It will be Tafel Racing’s first 24 Hours of Le Mans though all three drivers of the No. 81 Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC: Dominik Farnbacher (Germany), Dirk Müller (German-born now living in Monaco) and Allan Simonsen (born in Denmark now living in Melbourne, Australia) have at least one start at La Sarthe. The majority of the experienced crew, including Technical Director Tony Dowe (Cumming, Ga.) also enjoy extensive experience, and success, at Le Mans.