News

2 OCTOBER 2008
CANNEY AND PLUMB LOOKING TO HARVEST A STRONG RESULT IN VIRGINIA

ALTON, VA (2 October, 2008)— After starting the season off with a competitive outing at Daytona International Speedway and going on to take to the podium with a runner-up result at Mosport International, Mike Canney and Hugh Plumb will look to close out the 2008 Grand-Am KONI Challenge season on another high note this weekend in the No. 60 Sunset Hills Vineyard Ford Mustang FR500C at Virginia International Raceway as the KONI Challenge season takes it’s final turns with a six-hour endurance event on Sunday.

Heading into the Bosch Engineering Six Hour event, Canney and Plumb are coming off a spirited fifth-place finish at Miller Motorsports Park two weeks ago. Staged in the home state of Sunset Hills Vineyard, this weekends VIR track layout is one the drivers relish, as the 3.27-mile 17-turn circuit offers slow bends, fast sweeping corners, and plenty of elevation changes on every lap.

With 31 entered racers in the GS race all looking to close a competitive 2008 season on a high note, the endurance event will reward the best mix of patience, aggression, strategy, and of course speed, over the longest event of the year.

“Things have been really busy at Sunset Hills, but this is the time of year that everything is focused on, getting the best possible harvest,” said Canney. “Likewise, this race is the culmination of everything we’ve done this year. Everything Quinn (Conda, crew chief) has worked on with the car, all the pit stops that the Rehagan Racing guys have been practicing, and all the coaching that Hugh has shared with me all year, is hopefully going to pay off with a good finish on Sunday.”

Plumb will once again bring a podium perspective to the effort, as he led nearly ten laps and finished second in the 2007 running of the VIR event after having won the race in 2006 with his brother Matt, who will also be entered as a co-driver for the Sunset Hills Vineyard Mustang.

“VIR is a great drivers track, no question,” said Hugh Plumb. “So this is one that everyone looks forward to all year long. With the race being as long as it is, it means that there is a completely different approach to strategy. You have to be smart with the car as well. You can’t be too conservative, because no one is driving slowly, but you also have to be smart about brake wear and getting the most out of each set of tires. We’ve had an up and down season, and the main focus is to just close things out on a high note to get things rolling already for next season.”

A promoter test day will open the weekend on Thursday, with Friday hosting a full day of practice as the 15-minute qualifying is slated for a 9:45 AM start on Saturday in advance of Sunday’s 11:00 AM green flag.

Additional information available: www.mcanney.com

ABOUT SUNSET HILLS VINEYARD: Sunset Hills Vineyard produces high-quality Bordeaux style wines, recently winning a gold and two silver medals in the 2008 Eastern Seaboard Wine Competition. Located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, our soil and climate conditions are well suited for producing outstanding wines. 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: www.sunsethillsvineyard.com