Fittipaldi joins Rolex field

ATLANTA -- The list of NASCAR moonlighters just got one name longer as NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Christian Fittipaldi will compete in the 2004 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Other NASCAR regulars such as Kyle Petty, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will also take the green flag on January 31 for 24 hours of tough competition.

	Christian Fittipaldi

Fittipaldi, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil will be driving with the defending North American Road Racing Champions Bell Motorsports. Co-driving the No. 54 Doran/Chevy in the Daytona Prototype division along with 2003 Daytona Prototype champion Terry Borcheller, Forest Barber and Andy Pilgrim, Fittipaldi feels the team has a better chance at success this year as compared to their 2003 effort at the endurance classic. In the 2003 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona they were able to complete only 67 laps before retiring with mechanical difficulties.

"We are in much better shape this year," said Fittipaldi. "Last year we were short on time to get the car ready for such a difficult task. But this year they have a championship season of experience with the car and I was able to test with the team at Homestead. They did very well at the three-day test at Daytona so I feel we have a good shot at the win. The competition will be tough because there are more cars in the category and some really good teams entering the race."

Bell Motorsports was the fastest car on each day of the pre-season testing held last weekend on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course.

Christian Fittipaldi drives the No. 44 Dodge Intrepid for Petty Enterprises in NASCAR's premier division, Nextel Cup. Fittipaldi won the 1993 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in a factory Porsche and has also been successful in Formula One, and has won in the CART Champ Car series. He was also runner-up and rookie-of-the-year in the 1995 Indianapolis 500.