Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team Finishes Second at Daytona

Daytona Beach, Florida — The Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team finished second this evening in round ten of the Grand American Rolex Series presented by Crown Royal Reserve Brumos Porsche 250 run at Daytona International Speedway.

Mike Rockenfeller started the Ruby Tuesday number 23 Porsche powered Daytona Prototype from the fourth row based upon team owner points. From the outset the young German was able to rocket his way into the lead, eventually taking over on lap 22. By the time he turned the car over to teammate Patrick Long on lap 32 he was able to amass a six-second lead.

Long took over and when the pit stops finally cycled through he was back in the lead just six laps later. The Californian was under constant pressure from the 01 for the lead throughout his stint. With the race running caution free from lap five, fuel mileage became the story of the race. The top runners had to pit for a splash of gas, with the number 76 car able to go the distance on just one stop.

Mike Rockenfeller was able to set fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:45.979 on his 22nd lap. The second place finish marks the Ruby Tuesday team’s best result since their victory at Virginia International Raceway in round five.

Patrick Long is happy with second, but wanted the win. "We definitely had the speed today. Mike did a great job to get us in the lead and my battle with Pruett was one of my better drives. It was fulfilling to be able to race with a guy I’ve admired coming up and keep him behind me. At the end we needed the splash and thought that everyone else did as well, the Ford just was able to go a few more laps and that was difference between winning and second. It is nice to get back to the podium after a difficult string of races."

Mike Rockenfeller knows victory was within reach. "We chose to run a low downforce setup as we were starting in seventh. We gave up some time in the infield but were able to make it up with handling through the Bus Stop and use the speed around oval. Patrick had a good drive and kept the 01 car behind and we did the job on the pit stops. The Krohn car was just a little more efficient than ours tonight. I hope we have put our bad luck behind and look forward to gaining as many points as possible in the last rounds."

"We ran a good race." said Alex Job, team owner. "Mike and Patrick did the job behind the wheel and the crew did the job on the pit stops. The series is very tight at the front with three different engine manufacturers on the podium that says a lot about the competition and make-up of the Daytona Prototype category. We had the car to win, but the way the race played out with just one caution period it was a gamble to try and do it on one stop, the Krohn guys made it work. After our last four outings, it is a good feeling to be back on the podium and to have the car back competing for wins."

The Ruby Tuesday Championship Racing Team will return to the track on July 30th to run round eleven at Barber Motorsports Park.

Ruby Tuesday is one of the nation’s leading casual-dining restaurant companies, with more than 800 restaurants worldwide. It was founded in 1972 by Sandy Beall, who serves as Chairman & CEO today. The company is committed to having uncompromising freshness and quality with passionate employees who take pride in delighting guests with an excellent dining experience. The burger-centric menu features an assortment of handcrafted burgers, its fresh salad bar, premium baby back ribs and a variety of other signature entrees. Ruby Tuesday, Inc. is traded on the NY Stock Exchange (symbol:RI). To find out more about Ruby Tuesday, please visit www.rubytuesday.com

To view the Alex Job Racing press kit or for additional information, please refer to www.alexjobracing.com or contact Kyle Chura by or at (248) 821-0468.