An excited and expectant Kevin Gleason returns to the Rotek Racing fold to vie for victory in the 2014 ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours on Germany’s legendary Nordschleife this weekend (21-22 June).
The Pennsylvanian driver recently parted company with BimmerWorld Racing in the Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge to pursue new projects, and a brand new chapter in his motorsport career begins with the Nürburgring 24 Hours as part of Rotek Racing’s all-star driver line-up.
Alongside British Touring Car ace Robb Holland, former World Champion Rob Huff and Chinese World Touring Car and Le Mans racer Darryl O’Young, Gleason will have to call upon his vast amount of touring and sportscar experience to conquer the prestigious twice-around-the-clock endurance race.
The American will be reunited with Rotek Racing’s spectacular Audi TTRS Special, some seven months after taking the car to top honours in the 2013 25 Hours of Thunderhill – the world’s longest endurance race – in California, and following a successful outing in April’s Nürburgring 6 Hours.
The six-hour enduro functioned as a non-compulsory qualifier for this weekend’s headlining 24 Hours and provided Gleason with an opportunity to acquaint himself with the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which is widely regarded as the world’s greatest and most formidable racetrack.
Stretching for 14 miles through Germany’s picturesque Eifel Mountains, the circuit is aptly nicknamed “The Green Hell” and has earned a notorious reputation for pushing both man and machinery to the limit.
Speaking of the challenge that awaits him, Gleason said: “The first time I came to the Nürburgring I couldn’t sleep at night! It was nothing to do with jet lag, but because I couldn’t stop thinking about the track and how fortunate I am to have an opportunity to race on it. That feeling is amplified as I prepare for the 24 Hours and I feel lucky that I was able to come out to Germany earlier this year to take part in the six-hour qualifier and get a lot of seat time in Rotek Racing’s Audi TTRS.
“That was my first ever experience of the Nordschleife and, once I knew which direction the circuit went, I used the race to learn how the car behaves. I’ve done a lot of preparation in the gym, as I know it’s likely to be the toughest challenge of my racing career; with so much downforce, the TTRS is very physical to drive. The hard part is getting your times down and finding the last few tenths, but there should be enough of an opportunity to do that during the build-up. I know what needs to be done and I’m just incredibly excited to get going!”
For more information on Rotek Racing and its racing activities, please visit the officialwww.rotekracing.com website, ‘like’ the team’s Facebook page or follow@rotekracing on Twitter.
And for more on Kevin Gleason, please ‘like’ his Facebook page or follow@KevinGleason60 on Twitter.