News

31 AUGUST 2008
NEW JERSEY VISIT COMES TO AN EARLY END FOR CANNEY AND PLUMB

Millville, NJ (31 August, 2008)— Mike Canney and Hugh Plumb were hoping to make the most of the Grand-AM KONI Challenge visit to the New Jersey Motorsports Park for the Supercar Life 150 on Sunday, but an unavoidable accident early in the race spelled the end of the day for the two in the No. 60 Sunset Hills Vineyard Ford Mustang FR500S.
 
Looking to move up from fifth in the team championship standings entering the race weekend, Canny opened the race up from behind the wheel of the Sunset Hills Vineyard Mustang after setting his fastest time of the weekend during Saturday’s 15 minute qualifying. Just as he had the week prior in Trois Rivieres, Canney matched his qualifying time, and was consistently picking up the pace.  But as he closed on two cars ahead, the race turned sour for Canney as a car spun and stalled ahead.
 
“It was a bad place to spin, a tight area of the track with the tire stacks next to pit lane, and blind when there are cars blocking the view as they enter the turn.  It was such a quick incident that there was very little time to react with the car already cornering at its limit.”
 
The damage was significant enough that even Canney’s crew, which has shown some amazing teamwork and swift mechanical surgery during the 2008 KONI season, was unable to effect repairs in time to return to the track.
 
“It was disappointing outcome because the car was running well, and we should have produced a solid finish,” said Canney in a pit lane interview with SPEED. “It was unfortunate for Jep and Jeff, and it was unfortunate for Hugh and I.  But we will fix the car and look forward to Miller and then VIR.”
 
The KONI Challenge Series will now make the tow out West for the penultimate round at Miller Motorsports Park on September 19-21.

Additional information available: www.mcanney.com

ABOUT SUNSET HILLS VINEYARD:
Sunset Hills Vineyard produces high-quality Bordeaux style wines, from our 45 acre historic farm in Northern Virginia.  Located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, our soil and climate conditions are well suited for producing quality wine. We will produce about 36,000 bottles of wine this year including; Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Our wines are available at the winery, and at festivals held in the Middle Atlantic states. For additional information, please visit: http://www.sunsethillsvineyard.com.

Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
media@sundaymanagement.com
(317) 908-2975 Mobile