Penske Technology Group--which was previously known as Auto Research Center of Mooresville, N.C.--operates an industry-leading wind tunnel and vehicle dynamics facility in Mooresville, N.C. Penske Technology Group is currently working with many NASCAR, IndyCar and Grand American Rolex Series teams, and as part of plans to expand its clientele within the racing industry, the company has partnered with the No. 4 Howard-Boss Motorsports Pontiac Crawford team.

"Crawford Race Cars was one of our first customers when we opened the wind tunnel facility in 2001," said Penske Technology Group General Manager John Moloney. "We helped take the Crawford sports car chassis from design to race track, and I can't think of a better organization to partner with as we move Penske Technology Group into its next phase. Crawford Race Cars and Howard-Boss Motorsports are clearly some of the most innovative and hard-working people in professional racing, and it is an honor to be aligned with them for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The No. 4 Howard-Boss/Penske Technology Group car has a great driver lineup with NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson and sports car aces Butch Leitzinger and Elliott Forbes-Robinson."

The Penske Technology Group facility offers a rolling-road wind tunnel and seven-post vehicle dynamics rig. Available engineering services include aerodynamic and vehicle dynamic testing, scanning and surfacing of three dimensional objects and full-size vehicles, CAD modeling, rapid prototyping, custom instrumentation, engineering and design.

"We're very excited about our association with Penske Technology Group," said Crawford Race Cars President Max Crawford. "The capabilities to expand our program with their seven-post rig and wind tunnel will benefit Crawford Race Cars and our customers tremendously. The track simulation program with the seven-post rig is extremely valuable now that we have completed our first full season of competition at all the tracks in the Rolex Series. The combination of data learned through the technology at Penske Technology Group and the experience of the practical application at the track has been a huge factor in our growth and success.

"In fact, the wind tunnel at Penske Technology Group was utilized in the development of our DP03 Daytona Prototype that earned three wins and eight podiums in the Grand American Rolex Series last season. I'd like to thank Roger (Penske) and John (Moloney) for making this possible and we look to showcase the facilities and technology at Penske Technology Group for many years to come."

While Penske Racing continues to focus its efforts on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and the IRL IndyCar Series, the formalized Penske Technology Group association with Crawford Race Cars and Howard-Boss Motorsports is the organization's second endorsement of the Rolex Sports Car Series within the past few weeks. Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace--the 1989 NEXTEL Cup champion--recently remarked that he has strong interest in competing in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2006 as he winds down his full-time participation in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series this year.

"A lot of the great drivers have run it, and I'm one of the only guys who hasn't," Wallace said. "I'd like to put that in my record that I've done that. I want to be well-rounded and do that. I've got so many opportunities to run it. People always are trying to get me to do it, and I just see it as another thing that takes more time and more effort leading into the Daytona 500 week. I know the Daytona 500 is so important, and that's why I haven't done it.

"I got to thinking, I'm not going to be running Daytona, so I can put 100 percent focus on that, have a great time running it. Jim France has been wanting me to run it. That's one reason. Dodge might get an engine for it, that's another reason. It's just something I haven't done that I want to accomplish and do."