Written by: Grand-Am
Date: December 7, 2009

Looking to win America’s most prestigious endurance race in January, Jon Fogarty ended 2009 with a victory in the world’s longest endurance race.

Fogarty joined Johannes van Overbeek, Tommy Sadler, Rich Walton and Todd Grantham in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup to win the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. They were driving the Mercer Motorsports entry supported by Flying Lizard Racing. The No. 75 won by 18 laps over the Ehret Winery Porsche – with a driver lineup including Wolf Henzler – with third place another 40 circuits in arrears.

Van Overbeek and Sadler are entered in Tuesday’s GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 test at Daytona International Speedway. The pair will share the No. 66 TRG Porsche GT3 with Seth Neiman and Mark Thomas.

Fogarty, who shared his second Daytona Prototype title in three years this past season with Alex Gurney, has already entered the Jan. 30-31 Rolex 24 At Daytona. He and Gurney will be joined by four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson and Jimmy Vasser in the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Chevrolet Riley.

Charles Espenlaub, who drives for Dempsey Racing in the Rolex Series, was involved in a severe fire during the seventh hour of the race, but escaped with second-degree burns to his hands. He was expected to be released from a Sacramento hospital Monday morning.