Dane Cameron Going Back Home to Monterey for the Continental Tire Grand Prix
For most competitors, the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix is the second and final race in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship's West Coast swing. But for Dane Cameron, the trip to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is much more than another race on the west coast.
Growing up in Northern California, the trip to Laguna Seca is a homecoming for Cameron, who is in his first season of competition behind the wheel of the Whelen/Team Fox Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype for Action Express Racing. Cameron has fond childhood memories from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca; he's also created some fond memories from the drivers seat and is looking to add another when he competes in the 2015 Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix.
"Laguna Seca was always a place I looked forward to going with my dad when he was working in Formula Atlantics," said Cameron. "It was an opportunity to go at the end of the season and see the CART Champ Car Series and all of the superstars who were a part of that. It's certainly one of the places that fueled my desire to become a racecar driver and every time I go back it serves as a reminder and provides extra motivation to succeed."
Cameron has found success at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, boasting two wins and a pole in six career starts, which makes the track arguably one of his favorites on the series calendar.
"My first GRAND-AM series and first TUDOR Championship wins came at Laguna Seca," said Cameron. "I won in 2012 driving for Team Sahlens and then last season with Turner Motorsports. The win last year certainly helped spring board us to the championship at the end of the year.
"I was also able to win a pole in Star Mazda in 2007 and record a second place finish. When you have a track that has historically been good to you it gives you a lot of confidence returning, no matter what car you're driving."
Still in search of their first Daytona Prototype victory, Cameron and co-driver Eric Curran should not be overlooked as contenders in the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix based on their experience at the track and the speed they have shown thus far in 2015.
The Whelen/Team Fox Corvette DP posted the fastest lap of the race at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and again two weeks ago in the Long Beach Grand Prix giving Curran confidence that their first victory could be right around the corner.
"Our Whelen Corvette has been fast all year," said Curran. "We knew this would be a great year when we announced we were joining Action Express Racing, and being paired with Dane has been tremendous. We like similar things in our setups and we communicate really well.
"Hopefully the two of us can use our experience at Laguna Seca and turn that into our first victory of the season. I know it would mean a lot to Dane to win on his home track in front of his family and friends, and I'm going to do everything I can do to help make that happen."
Curran, like his teammate, also boasts several wins at Laguna and is looking for a return to Victory Lane on Sunday, May 3.
"Winning at Laguna Seca for me would be huge," said Cameron. "That's the one track where I've got my family, friends and people who've influenced and impacted my professional career in attendance and it would be great to celebrate with them at the end of the day."
Contact:
Kyle Zimmerman
KZimmerman@hi-revracing.com
