The Grand-Am Cup Series is Grand American’s showcase for the latest high-performance sports cars, coupes and sedans straight from the dealer showroom floor. With minor modifications permitted, the Grand-Am Cup Series is home to the same cars seen on streets and highways around the world every day. The starting fields for Grand-Am Cup 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. Races average about 200 miles in length with a three-hour time limit and have a mandatory driver change. The races are primarily run as support events for the Rolex Sports Car Series, although Grand-Am Cup will also feature races of its own in 2007. Like the Rolex Series, Grand-Am Cup is made up of two classes of race cars. The big-bore GS class features a rules package that allows exotic international machines like the Porsche 997, Nissan 350Z, BMW M3 and others to go head to head with American iron such as the Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Ford Mustang Cobra and more. The smaller ST (Street Tuner) class is Grand American’s offering to the import and compact car crowd with the Mazda RX-8, Chevy Cobalt SS, Dodge SRT4, Mini Cooper S, Lexus IS 300, Acura RSX and TSX, a variety of BMWs and now the VW GTI !! Grand Sport (GS) The GS (Grand Sport) 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 2,730 lbs for the Acura NSX to 3,250 lbs for the big Cadillac CTS-V. Engines are tuned to produce between 350 and 405 horsepower depending on the car, and the competition is further equalized by a variety of fuel tank capacities that range from 16.5 gallons for the Porsche 966 to 20 gallons for the Acura NSX, Audi S4, Cadillac CTS-V, Lotus Esprit, Chevy Camaro, Pontiac Firebird and all Ford Mustangs. Top speed for most GS cars is 160 mph. Street Tuner (ST) The ST (Street Tuner) class features a variety of sports cars and high-performance compacts that are as equally popular with Grand-Am Cup 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. on the low side for the Mini Cooper S up to 2,925 lbs. for the BMW 330. Fuel tank capacities range from 16.9 gallons for the Porsche Boxster and Mazda 6 up to a high of 17.9 gallons for the Lexus IS 300 and Mazda RX-8, two models that both won races in the last few seasons of Grand-Am Cup competition. Most competing ST cars have 17-gallon fuel tanks including 2004 race winners such as the Acura RSX and BMW 328 and 330. Like the GS class, the only major modifications allowed in ST are in the area of safety. Top speed for ST race cars is about 135 mph. Professional Competition Just because Grand-Am Cup is the supporting series to the Rolex Series does not mean the racing isn't fierce, competitive and VERY professional. You'll find many world class driver's mixing it up in Grand-Am Cup. Here are a few of the world class pros that regularly compete. Derek Bell Alex Tagliani Memo Gidley Peter Cunningham Shane Lewis Pete Halsmer Andy Lally Darren Law Pierre Kleinubing Mike Galati Wolf Henzler Patrick Long Bill Auberlen Boris Said Terry Borcheller Joey Hand Stu Hayner Scott Maxwell Charles Espenlaub Guy Cosmo