Mustang Sampling Racing will be seeking its second consecutive victory in Saturday’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, while drivers Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi are going for their fourth career victory in the opening IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race of 2019.
Barbosa and Fittipaldi will co-drive the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R with Filipe Albuquerque and Mike Conway.
In 2018 , Filipe Albuquerque joined Barbosa and Fittipaldi in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R in a record-shattering performance. The trio logged 808 laps — 2,876.480 miles — breaking the 1992 mark for laps completed (762) and the 1982 record for miles logged (2,760.96). They led a whopping 579 laps.
u25cfCompleted 808 laps
u25cfFinished first after starting third
u25cfLed 579 laps
The 2018 victory came on the heels of a heartbreaking loss the previous year, when Albuquerque was tapped out of the lead by Ricky Taylor with six minutes remaining. The Mustang Sampling team of Albuquerque, Barbosa and Fittipaldi came up 0.671 seconds short at the checkered flag. The 2017 event marked the debut of the No. 5 Mustang Sampling DPi-V.R.
u25cfCompleted all 659 laps
u25cfFinished second after Barbosa won pole
u25cfLed 163 laps
The Mustang Sampling team barely missed the podium in 2016, the final race for the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP. Barbosa, Fittipaldi and Albuquerque were joined by Scott Pruett, a five-time overall Rolex 24 winner racing a Prototype for the final time in the event.
u25cfCompleted 731 of 736 laps
u25cfFinished fourth after starting 11th
u25cfLed 100 laps
Barbosa, Fittipaldi and Sebastien Bourdais debuted the Mustang Sampling livery in the 2015 Rolex 24. They finished second, 1.333 seconds behind, after leading 59 laps.
u25cfCompleted all 740 laps
u25cfFinished second after starting fourth
u25cfLed 59 laps
Action Express Racing won the debut race for what is now the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2014, with Barbosa, Fittipaldi and Bourdais leading 298 laps in the red, white and blue No. 5 Corvette DP. The team went on to win its first of two consecutive Prototype season championships, while beginning a run of four straight Endurance Cups.
u25cfCompleted all 695 laps
u25cfFinished first after starting third
u25cfLed 298 laps
Action Express Racing won its debut event, the 2010 Rolex 24, with Barbosa joined by Terry Borcheller, Mike Rockenfeller and Ryan Dalziel in the winning No. 9 Riley DP, powered by a V-8 Porsche powerplant. The team expanded to two cars beginning in 2011, with Barbosa, Fittipaldi, Borcheller, Max Papis and JC France finishing third in the No. 9 Porsche Riley DP.
Barbosa made his Rolex 24 debut in 2001, driving a Mosler for the first of three consecutive races. After leading the GTS class in qualifying in 2001 and 2002, he scored a class victory in 2003, joining Andy Wallace in the Perspective Motorsports Chevrolet Mosler. Barbosa joined Brumos Racing for four years, with his best finish third in 2009.
Prior to joining Action Express Racing in 2011, Fittipaldi was a four-time competitor at the Rolex 24. He drove for Bell Motorsports in 2003-04, winning in 2004 — the first overall victory for a Daytona Prototype. He also raced for Eddie Cheever Racing in 2006 and 2007.
Albuquerque made a winning debut at Daytona, capturing the GT class at the 2013 Rolex 24 in an Audi R8 fielded by Alex Job Racing, He also drove for Flying Lizard Motorsports in 2014 and Starworks Motorsport in 2015 prior to joining Mustang Sampling Racing.
This will be Conway’s third consecutive start in the Rolex 24. He drove for Whelen Engineering Racing the last two years, finishing second in 2018.
Driver previews and comments:
Conway Eager for Rolex 24 http://axracing.com/mustang-sampling-racings-mike-conway-eager-for-rolex-24/
Fourth Rolex 24 Victory Would be ‘Cherry on Top’ for Mustang Sampling Racing’s Barbosa http://axracing.com/fourth-rolex-24-victory-would-be-cherry-on-top-for-mustang-sampling-racings-barbosa/
Mustang Sampling Racing’s Albuquerque Eager to Defend Rolex 24 Title http://axracing.com/mustang-sampling-racings-albuquerque-eager-to-defend-rolex-24-title/
Making Final Prototype Start, Fittipaldi Targets Fourth Rolex 24 Win http://axracing.com/making-final-prototype-start-fittipaldi-targets-fourth-rolex-24-win
João Barbosa
Winner of two IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship titles and four Michelin Endurance Cups, João Barbosa returns to Action Express Racing to drive the familiar #5 gold, black and white Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R. Barbosa opens the season seeking his second consecutive victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and fourth overall triumph in the event. João resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife and two sons. He is an avid runner and cyclist.
Filipe Albuquerque
Filipe opens 2019 looking for his second consecutive victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in the two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship winning No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R He and full-time co-driver Joao Barbosa also look to give the Mustang Sampling team its fifth Michelin Endurance Cup. Filipe resides in his hometown of Cambria, Portugal.
Christian Fittipaldi
The Rolex 24 At Daytona will mark the end of the driving career for Christian Fittipaldi, who is looking for his second consecutive Daytona victory in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, and fourth of his career. The former regular in Formula One, Indy Car and NASCAR won four consecutive Michelin Endurance Cups in addition to a pair of WeatherTech Championship titles for Action Express Racing. The Brazilian native, who now lives in Miami with his family, will return for all of the 2019 races as Sporting Director for Action Express, in addition to being a brand ambassador for Cadillac.
Mike Conway
After racing for Action Express Racing in selected Michelin Endurance Cup races the past two years – with four podiums in six races – Mike Conway moves to Mustang Sampling Racing for the 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona. The 35-year old British racer has years of experience across several different racing platforms that include winning in IndyCar and World Endurance Championship competition, as well as big performances in FIA Formula E.