KONI Challenge

The Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series is Grand-Am's showcase for the latest in international and American-made high performance sports cars, coupes and sedans straight from the dealer showroom floor. With major modifications permitted only in the area of safety, the KONI Challenge Series is home to the same cars seen on streets and highways around the world every day. The 2007 season marks the seventh year that Grand-Am has owned and sanctioned the KONI Challenge Series, which was previously known as the KONI Challenge Series before KONI signed-on as the title sponsor of the series in late 2006.

The starting fields for KONI Challenge Series races typically feature more than 50 of today's hottest import and domestic production cars that usually race together while competing for both class honors and the overall victory. Series races--which will be 400 kilometers in length except for the three-hour season-opener at Daytona and twin six-hour events to close the season at Virginia International Raceway--are primarily run as the featured support events for the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve, although the KONI Challenge Series will step into the spotlight with a few feature races of its own in 2007.

Like the Rolex Series, the KONI Challenge Series is made up of two classes of race cars. The big-bore Grand Sport (GS) class features a rules package that allows exotic international machines and the smaller Street Tuner (ST) class is Grand American's offering to the import and compact car crowd.

GRAND SPORT (GS)

The Grand Sport (GS) class is made up of several factory sports and muscle cars from around the world with minimal performance modifications, but full safety systems. Minimum weights range from 2,900 lbs. to 3,300 lbs and engines are tuned to produce between 350 and 405 horsepower depending on the car. The competition is compromised of the following vehicles: Porsche 997, BMW M3, Pontiac GTO, Nissan 350Z, Cadillac CTS-V and Ford Mustang. Top speed for most GS cars is 160 mph.

STREET TUNER (ST)

The Street Tuner (ST) class features a variety of sports cars and high-performance compacts that are as equally popular with KONI Challenge Series competitors as they are with today's consumers. Unlike the bigger GS class where V-8s are allowed, ST is limited to four- and six-cylinder engines, although turbochargers and superchargers are permitted.

Engines produce between 170 and 240 horsepower depending on the car, while minimum weights range from 2,200 lbs. to 3,125 lbs. The competition is compromised of the following vehicles: Mazda RX-8, Acura RSX-S, BMW 330i, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Acura TSX, Subaru Legacy and the Mini Cooper S. Top speed for ST race cars is about 135 mph.

GM KONI Challenge Drivers: