Cheever announces Rolex 24 drivers

Cheever Racing has announced the driver line-ups for its two entries in the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona. A quartet of some of Europe’s most talented sports car drivers will compete and debut the Crown Royal Cask #16 Coyote Cars Daytona Prototype racer, and returning to the Cheever Racing Group stable for the third year, RML AD Racing Group, augmented by the talents of two American drivers, will be at the helm of the all-new #51 Cheever Racing Coyote Pontiac.

Scheduled to share driving duties for the Number 16 Crown Royal Cask No. 16 entry are Spain’s Antonio Garcia, Italy’s Matteo Bobbi and Fabio Babini and Stephane Ortelli of France.

“It’s true our pit stall may resemble a United Nations delegation at times, but the common denominators for these drivers are that they are young, fast and hungry to win," said Cheever Racing team owner Eddie Cheever Jr. “With 24 hours of non-stop racing ahead for them, their collective energy and enthusiasm is an important asset.

A native of Madrid, Antonio Garcia had an exemplary karting career beginning with an International Juniors Championship in 1994 and culminating with the European Championship in 1997. Garcia scored a first place finish in the 2000 Open Telefonica by Nissan and continued to make headlines with a FIA F3000 Championship and a FIA GT Championship in 2001. With several recent seasons of sports car competition in various formulas under his belt driving Porsche and Aston Martin as well at two 2007 Grand-AM races with Cheever Racing at Montreal and Watkins Glenn, Garcia is a driver to be contended with for the 2008 Rolex Daytona Prototype season.