The Rolex Learning Centre; The Newest Rolex Landmark

Rolex Learning Centre

A brand new storey has been mounted in the great legacy of Rolex with the Rolex Learning Centre for the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. The single storey building is an epitome of perfect and modern marvel in every possible sense. Spread over an area of 88,000 cubic metres, the marvel is made from concrete shell and has been created keeping the very core principles that Rolex stands by- class and perfection. The design of the building looks distinct with huge 14 voids capped by steel.

This Rolex marvel has been built by Sanaa, a Tokyo based architectural company of world acclaim, famous for designing the New York’s New Museum. The team of architects has gone a step further this time around with their ultra unique and supremely creative design which appears to be barely on the ground. The Rolex Learning Centre is primarily a Mecca for the learners of watch making. The centre would comply with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland and is situated at just a short distance from the Lake Geneva.

This immaculately designed building speaks volumes of the spirit and the commitment that Rolex stands for. Although the building is called the Rolex Learning Centre, the design of the building sings another tune. The overall architecture and design of the building reflects a spirit of breaking away from the clichéd perception and unlearn all the rules; so as to make way for the new dawn. The distinct building has wave like design all across the floor and does not possess any steps or ceiling. The roof of the storey has large holes resembling the famous Swiss cheese for natural light and fresh air. The building is a beauty to behold and is blessed with the modern marvels.

Rolex

Primarily, the Rolex Learning Centre building was envisioned by the architects to be a multi storey one which would have included a library, café, laboratory including other major branches, one on top of the other. However, the idea to come out with a more spacious place drove the architects and designers to come out with a more open, innovative and distinctly different single storey marvel. The building maintains the serenity and aesthetic count of the location where it is built.

The Rolex Learning Centre has more to it than just the aesthetic count. The centre would serve as an information shelter where students would learn the nitty-gritty about watch making of the world class stature. The university has about 4,000 researchers and 7,000 students. Instead of the stairs and walls, the single storey building has elegant slopes and terraces which very well divide one area of studying from the other. The exterior of the building has a dazzling sheen of polish, adorned with delicate detailing. The transitions between the rise and fall of the internal framework are hard to notice. While the beautiful landscape was being built, the makers faced a lot of obstacles and called for unusual levels of dedication and commitment. Together the pioneers of their own domains, Rolex and world class architectures Sanaa have given the world a unique and supremely classy modern marvel.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on March 2nd, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »

James Walker Faces Disappointment At The Rolex 24 At Daytona

James Walker

For James Walker who was racing as the third driver in the endurance race of Rolex 24 At Daytona, the dream to successfully complete the race met its end soon after four hours of the initiation of the race. The Jersey racer was forced to leave the Daytona following engine problems suffered by his JLowe Racing Porche. The Rolex 24 At Daytona series had a league of top runners Brit Tim Sugden in his #64 Porsche together with others racing during the early hours of the GT class.

His team mate’s efforts got the Porche in the 17th place while the race was witnessing a war of GT cars. Eric Lux who was first in the team to steer the Porche registered the place in the top six soon enough after which another team driver Tim Sugden took over the wheel. Tim Sugden also maintained the pace and the position during his stint.

James Walker who was the third to take over the steering wheel of the Porche for the first time during the race, also paced up and remained in the front runners before bad luck struck after only a few laps of the race, forcing the team to take a trip to the garage for repairs of the vehicle. However, when the team could not get the car functioning right for the rest of the endurance race, their car Porche was shown the way out of the race. Apparently the engine of the car gave up without any warnings which had the Jersey drivers leave the race mid way.

Speaking about the setback a disappointed James Walker said that the car had given impressive performances during the build-up and that there was nothing that the racers could notice prior to the mishap and therefore it could not have been prevented. He went on to add that the entire Jersey team of JLowe had put in the maximum efforts to complete the race successfully and the fact that they could not even be in the race for long due to this unexpected setback is a big shame and very disappointing for the team.

Rolex 24 At Daytona

However, the Jersey racer kept his spirit alive and said that he had thoroughly enjoyed his first stint as an endurance racer in his Porche car. After a disappointing race weekend James Walker is now gearing up to head back to so as to prepare for the 2010 season of the race. The driver said that the team is really buckling up for the upcoming season. James Walker who has had the experience of driving several different cars had registered a fifth position on the charts in the 2009 formula Renault Championship.

The agonising setback which swept the team off the grounds into the pit and later out of the Rolex 24 At Daytona’s GT Class endurance race although proved out to be the worst for the team but the positive racers are not ready to brood over the loss. They all seemed to be pumped up for the upcoming events and looked all the more promising and committed to their goals and more victories in the Rolex races

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on February 26th, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »

Edwina Shines At Eleventh Leg Of The 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Series

Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Series

The eleventh leg of the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Series witnessed an outstanding performance in Vigo, Spain on Saturday night by Australia’s Edwina Alexander who scored maximum points and laid a strong claim over the series. The audience applauded aloud and was swept with the swift moves that Edwina Alexander made during the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Series. The series leg saw an overwhelming participation from 11 horses. Edwina Alexander who was accompanied by 15 year old horse Cevo Socrates who like a true companion played his role well and earned admiration from one and all. The 15 year old played with wisdom too good for his age and was bestowed with the appreciation for his classy and super confident moves on court.

Together the duo spread the magic of their performance and ended up boosting Edwina Alexander’s position to the fourth place on the series charts. Edwina Alexander like a true winner left no stone unturned when it was about winning the leg. The lady got up early on the D-Day and reviewed her 2008 Grand Prix winning performance to recall her winning moves. The delighted Edwina Alexander said that although her present horse Socrates is very different from her 2008 winning ride Itot, but the videos reminded her exactly what she was in the need to know and the effort finally paid off.

Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Series

Edwina Alexander, who shone at the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Series after quite a few losses in previous series, also gave the credit to her determined ride Socrates. The lady is all spruced up for the remaining two qualifying rounds and appears to be all the more confident to take the title by her strive. She went on to add that she did not know what to anticipate from her horse Socrates given the fact that he had been away from all the action for eight long months. However, she was delighted to see the brilliant performance from the horse. Socrates has had a smooth career graph. The horse won the Zurich Grand Prix 2008 as well as the Gothenburg Grand Prix 2009 and went on to add another title to his name by bagging third position in Valkenswaard. Edwina Alexander could not keep herself from gushing about her winning ride and said that she was thrilled to have paired with Socrates. Edwina Alexander has qualified for the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping final that is scheduled to take place in Geneva this April.

While Switzerland’s Beat Mandli who remained the winner of the third leg held in Lyon, France last November bagged the position of the runner-up, Judy–Ann Melchior did Belgium proud after she picked up her first points of the season and remained third with her mare Cha Cha Z. The 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Series is the 32nd season of the event that commenced in the year 1978. The series carries forward the tradition of brilliance that Rolex stands for while keeping the approach of the event very fan-friendly. The series gives a chance to the horses and to their riders to give their best performance and be at par with excellence. The next round of the event will be held at Gothenburg, Sweden during February 25 – 28, 2010.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on February 19th, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events, Rolex Marketing | No Comments »

Derek Johnston Finishes Tenth At the Rolex 24 At Daytona

Derek Johnston

The Rolex 24 At Daytona 2010 saw an unexpected victory of Action Express amidst a lot of weather swings and setbacks. However, 2008-2009 British Radical UK Cup champion, Derek Johnston had to settle for the tenth position in the class. Derek Johnston, who became victorious in the inaugural Sunoco Rolex 24 At Daytona challenge was mighty excited before the race started. The man was awarded $ 100,000 for taking over the winner’s position in the Rolex 24 At Daytona Driver Challenge following which he had invited attention from all corners. He also delivered an impressive performance at the Roar before the Rolex 24. Derek Johnston was being seen as one of the most potential racers and all eyes were glued on to him for winning the overall Rolex 24 At Daytona. However, destiny unfolded a different game plan, granting Derek Johnston the 10th position in the race.

Memo Gidley, one of the Derek Johnston’s team members paced up at the beginning of the Rolex 24 At Daytona and smoothly led the first hour of the race. In the following hours, Brad Jaeger and Fabrizio Gollin maintained their pace. But soon enough they suffered major setbacks when their car was caught in mechanical problems which resulted in Fabrizio Gollin forced to give their vehicle Doran Racing #77 a visit to the pit for repairs, a visit which lasted for over 90 minutes. The gearbox of the car was changed and the rear was reassembled. By the time the car got back to the track, much damage had been done. The unstable and unpredictable weather conditions also added to the agony. The setbacks continued to take place when Derek Johnston had to get the tyre of the car changed. In spite of major problems that the team faced during the race, they stayed united and reserved a place in top ten positions in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona was won over by Action Express team with Joao Barbosa piping Scott Pruett by mere 52.303 seconds to win the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. The team consists of Terry Borcheller, Ryan Dalziel, Mike Rockenfeller and Joao Barbosa.

Rolex 24 At Daytona

Incidentally this was 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona championship where 48 year old Derek Johnston participated. Derek Johnston won the Sunoco Driver Challenge by bagging the most points. The race was a driver’s challenge between the series fuelled with Sunoco in UK and Europe.In his own words, Derek Johnston regarded the whole Driver’s Challenge experience as an amazing one and considered Daytona’s organizing team as friendly and welcoming. Derek Johnston’s team members Fabrizio Gollin and Memo Gidley saw him as an asset for the team after he became victorious in the Daytona 24. He won the Radical UK Cup in an SR8 as well as the European series. Derek Johnston’s fancy for wheels got a boost when he started racing motorbikes in 1993. Apparently his talents witnessed a halt after he broke his leg and wrist during his third race. After another brief break he finally took up car racing and soon became a leading name in car racing world. He has now topped that with a stupendous performance at the just concluded Rolex 24 At Daytona, the most difficult of endurance races.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on February 9th, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »

British Sailors Capture Six Medals At 2010 Rolex Miami OCR

Rolex 2010 Miami OCR

The 2010 Rolex Miami OCR witnessed the Skandia Team GBR making Britain proud by bagging away as many as six medals in the ISAF Sailing World Cup event which concluded on Saturday. It was a very befitting reply to the efforts that each sailor from the crew had been contributing with and the expectations that the fans have had from them.

While Nick Thompson and John Robertson’s sonar crew grabbed hold of gold and a silver medal, Ed Wright and Giles Scott took the score to an impressive 1-2 for Britain in the heavyweight Finn class. Ed Wright who was the defending Champion and the winner of the 2009 World Cup series had a straightforward achievement with his teammate Scott lending a helping hand to fend off his American competitors. Ed Wright was pleased that he managed through the tricky conditions, while Giles Scott confessed not making it to gold. However, after delivering a good performance and dominating the newest Olympic Sailing discipline for a week, Annie Lush, Lucy Macgregor and Ally Martin could not hit the top prize and had to settle with a silver medal.

Skandia Team GBR’s army of Finn sailors has been proving its mettle in the race and appears very tough to beat. Coach Matt Howard looked mighty pleased with the team’s progress and appreciated Scott’s Lucy Macgregorperformance in the double-points medal race. Nick Thompson’s hard work in the Laser class paid off as he had gained enough points to hit gold. But for the not so lucky, Annie Lush, Lucy Macgregor and Ally Martin, in the nail biting final race, the Elliot 6m women’s match resulted in losing the gold to USA. With not even one match dropped in the entire regatta, the Skandia Team GBR was in high spirits and confidently headed towards the final showdown. Winning two matches, they were just stone’s throw away from winning another gold. But the third race brought with it the turning point, when the umpire’s decision at the windward mark went against them, making way for Tunnicliffe’s victory resulting in a tie.

Speaking about their loss, Lucy Macgregor was seen disappointed and explained how she had began with a strong start, soon gained four boat lengths on her opponent, but was slapped with an unexpected loss of speed due to rope debris that had tangled around their boat. Following which, the Skandia Team GBR lost the decider by merely half a boat length and had to settle for the silver. The sixth and the final medal came in the form of a bronze which was bagged by the Laser Radial Sailor Alison Young, whose instant claim raised the bar for her performance. This first-timer in the major senior international event 2010 Rolex Miami OCR felt elated at her achievement and hoped to earn a place in the top 10.

The RYA Olympic Manager, Stephen Park admired the achievements of British sailors who had put in a lot of hard work but felt disappointed at the loss of Lucy Macgregor’s team. He went on to praise Nick Thompson and Ed Wright who had dominated the Finn racing and looked impressed with Alison Young’s performance.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on February 3rd, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »

Anna Kendrick And The Rolex Cellini Celissima; The Class Apart

Anna Kendrick

There are a few things that instantly clear out the shadows of dullness in life and infuse it with a happy spirit. They include a child’s full of life smile, sudden rain showers during sunny season, reunion with a long lost friend and of course the Rolex masterpiece. These things fill up one’s life with immense pleasure that unload the burden of troubles from one’s shoulders. When such things become a constant companion to someone, life becomes worth enjoying ad living. Thereafter, other external factors only have the least importance. One such marvel from the Rolex team is the Rolex Cellini Celissima. It is that immortal marvel which never ever loses its charm and always makes sure one stays surrounded by happiness no matter what. And another such diva who generates happiness with her every gesture on screen is Anna Kendrick.

Anna Kendrick was born on August 9, 1985. This American charmer became a prey to acting bug while she was barely 10. She made her acting debut with a Broadway musical High Society which flooded her with Awards like Theatre World Award, Drama Desk Award and also Tony Award nomination. Anna Kendrick went on with theatre before she made her film debut with musical comedy- Camp in 2003 which again won her many awards. Year 2007 brought her huge success with critically acclaimed Rocket Science. Late 2007 saw her making it to the much famous Twilight in which she was seen as Jessica Stanley. Anna Kendrick next bagged a role in The Marc Pease Experience, where she starred as a high school lass involved in musical theatre opposite Ben Stiller. Anna Kendrick is one Hollywood diva who has all things going great for her. She also appeared in Elsewhere, where she was seen delivering stupendous performance and also in Up in the Air alongside George Clooney. This movie once again earned her the tag of Best Supporting Actress by the National Board of Review as well as nominations from Golden Globe and The Rolex Cellini CelissimaScreen Actors Guild. Anna Kendrick is also geared up to take the world by storm with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Anna Kendrick tops the charts when it comes to winning hearts and bringing smile with subtle perfection in her performance which makes her enjoy the same success as the Rolex Cellini Celissima.

The Rolex Cellini Celissima is one watch which has all the powers in the world to make someone break into smiles with its gorgeous looks and the quest to constantly win hearts. The Rolex Cellini Orchid comes in 18 carat white gold and is immaculately bejeweled with diamonds. The Rolex Cellini Celissima is available in rounded dial and tonneau- shaped case. The bezel of the watch is adorned with extremely gorgeous brilliants. What gives it a unique look is the leather strap which clings on to ones wrist with a promise to never break the bond. The bracelet also has an impressive and useful folding clasp. The Roman numerals give an everlasting look to the marvel. Rolex Cellini Celissima makes for one super graceful and elegant watch which is designed to bring light and smile to the life just the way charming diva Anna Kendrick does.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on January 30th, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »

The Rolex FEI World Cup Eighth Leg Concludes; Women Dominate, Jessica Kuerten Wins

Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping

The eighth leg of the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping event in Leipzig, Germany witnessed female domination. The entire line up had ladies dominating the course and out clocking the men. The Leipzig leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping competition has always been lucky for Jessica Kuerten as she won the same in 2008 and 2009. With this victory in her kitty, Jessica Kuerten made it to a hat-trick in Leipzig. The Irish lady got a spurt of speed on the course and clocked in at 40.52 atop Castle Forbes Libertina. Even the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Standings have witnessed quite a shuffle after the eighth leg of the competition. The Leipzig grounds had 9,000 sets of eyes on the course and the riders, as the spectators enjoyed the competition held on the 24th of January.

The first three positions were all grabbed by female riders as Australia’s Edwina Alexander took the second position and France’s Penelope Leprevost took the third position. While the first round track made for a clear round for most riders, the jump-off was not as rider friendly and included some very tough decisions. The second round course was full of super-tight turns and only the exceptional speed of Castle Forbes Libertina along with her rider Jessica Kuerten could win the day. The German crowd too was very supportive of the Irish rider as she has made Germany her home for many years. However, before Jessica Kuerten went for the challenge of the jump-off with her 14 year old mare, she thought long and hard.

Jessica Kuerten

Jessica Kuerten contemplated that she was atop one of the fastest show jumping horses in the world and thus had to think harder how to approach the jump offs. Also Castle Forbes Libertina was returning to action after a seven-month layoff due to an injury and thus was even more enthusiastic than her regular self. That’s when the Irish lady decided to take a line less ventured by the other riders as she did not quite appreciate the turn after the double. Jessica Kuerten stated that she took the route taken by Simon Delestre and it worked for her. Her new line gave her the leeway that her mare would work better with. While appreciating her mare, Jessica Kuerten stated that Castle Forbes Libertina was smooth, fast and absolutely brilliant and added she was very happy with her.

Jessica Kuerten clocked in with no faults, while Edwina Alexander clocked in at 40.71 to claim the second position. Penelope Leprevost clocked in on the third position with a time of 41.13. Marcus Ehning had to settle for the fourth position while he was atop Plot Blue. While the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping standings were still lead by Holland’s Eric Van der Vleuten, the Leipzig win helped nudge Jessica Kuerten up the rankings. The Irish lady now is on the second rank and has already qualified for the series which is to take place in April in Geneva. On third place is Pius Schwizer and fourth place is occupied by Penelope Leprevost.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on January 29th, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »

Agyness Deyn And The Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster; Unique And Classy

Agyness Deyn

Chic is in and so is Rolex. World over there is always a long spread frenzy over all things unique and classy. From phones to clothes to even hairdos, the mantra is to stay futuristic while being grounded when it comes to virtues. And one brand that has mastered the art of unveiling exclusive and ultra chic models is the revolutionary Rolex. Rolex is a phenomenon which for over a century has been ruling the whole world. It is the ultimate watch guru in the industry which without fail every time blows the world with its supreme models. The marvels rate very high on aesthetics and are all fitted with ultra reliable machinery. Together, these fantastic characteristics make for unparalleled Rolex masterpieces. The enigma of the watches is such that after draping oneself with its charisma, one is completely infused with a new zeal. One such gorgeous Rolex timeless piece is the Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster. The looks of the Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster are ultra unique and chic. One gets the same feeling while watching supermodel Agyness Deyn setting the ramp ablaze.

The supermodel was born on February 16, 1983. This British girl started working at the age of 13 in a restaurant. She had an eye for style and fashion since early childhood. Agyness Deyn was also spotted while she was on a shopping spree. In 2007, she was featured on the cover page of Vogue magazine in the Supermodels issue. She has posed for the likes of Anna Sui, Burberry, Vivienne Westwood and Shiseido to name a few. She is currently the hot face of Burberry’s new fragrance The Beat. Agneyss Deyn has also replaced the leading ladies of Hollywood from the brands like Shiseido where she replaced Angelina Jolie and for New Look replacing Drew Barrymore. May 2008 saw her donning the hat of guest editor for i-D magazine. Agyness Deyn has also posed for Vogue UK, Pop, Grazia, Time and Vogue Italia including several others. Vogue Paris counted her as one of the Supermodels of 2000s. She has also given her voice to many hit numbers. Agyness Deyn has been quite a rage for her short hair do. Rolex Lady-Datejust PearlmasterShe is one model who is always seen carrying off her unique style with élan. This is what makes Agyness Deyn a hot name in fashion Industry worldwide something that the Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster can lay claim to too in the watch industry.

Only one word comes to mind while one looks at the Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster,-awesome. The Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster is an iconic beauty with everything good going for it. It is bathed in white gold and is available in yellow gold as well and the bezel of the watch is set with brilliants. The Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster is generously adorned with Sapphire crystals and the dial of the watch is something that sets its beauty apart. The watch is water resistant up to the depths of 100 meters/330 feet. The Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster is fitted with highly reliable self-winding movement. The bracelet of the Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster is made up of links to make sure that the bond with the masterpiece stays strong. The end result of all these features is the Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster which is unparalleled and very exquisite just like Agyness Deyn.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on January 27th, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »

Nigella Lawson And The Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster; Generating Food For Thought

Nigella Lawson

The appetite for all-things-good never dies down. And there are a few things in the world which make one wonder as to how they came into being? How the makers created them? Moreover, it is hard to resist such marvels. One such brand which excels in making breathtakingly beautiful and supremely high on performance marvels is Rolex. Rolex time and again unleashes such timeless pieces which start a thought process of delightful fantasies and desires. Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster is one such gorgeous watch model. It is inevitable that after taking this model into hands, one goes on a thought spree. Thereafter it is not easy to get away from its unparalleled beauty and charms too easily. Another diva who with her mouth watering delicacies gets one to think is Nigella Lawson.

Nigella Lawson was born on January 6, 1960. She is an English food writer, chef and a journalist by profession. This celebrity chef started working as a journalist with the magazine The Spectator where she was involved with writing Book Reviews. Soon after, she became the restaurant critic. This proved out to be the ultimate turning point in her career. Nigella Lawson thereafter freelanced. She wrote several food columns for Vogue, Gourmet and Bon Appetite. Since childhood Nigella Lawson had an appetite for delicious food. By the time she was in her 20’s she had convinced herself that if she had to make a career, it has to do with food. Following which she penned her first book How To Eat in 1998. The book sold like hot cakes. Her second book How to Be a Domestic Goddess was published in 2000 which won her the British Book Award. Nigella Lawson’s first cookery show was called Nigella Bites. The series proved out to be super successful and won her Guild of Food Writers Award. Thereafter Nigella Rolex Lady-Datejust PearlmasterFeasts happened followed by Nigella Express. All of which were super successful. Known for her style of presenting her shows, Nigella is one wonder woman who has been rated as the most beautiful woman. Nigella Lawson is popular for her amazing food descriptions. This British beauty, who is a wonderful cook, stunningly beautiful and an awesome TV presenter, has been winning hearts around the world.

The Rolex Lady- Datejust Pearlmaster tops the charts when it comes to style and looks all in one. This ultra modern and chick watch model displays perfection and sharpness. The whole amalgamation of miraculous features results in a model that makes one to praise the craftsmanship. The Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster is 29mm in size and is bathed in white gold. The watch is immaculately set with brilliants and Sapphire crystals. The dial of the watch is white which gives it a sharp style. The Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster is waterproof up to 100meters/330 feet. The watch is fitted with self-winding movements and the chronometer is certified by COSC. This bundle of surprises the Rolex Lady-Datejust Pearlmaster is one model which makes one’s brain work overtime and gets the desires burning just the way the finger licking delicacies that Nigella Lawson makes do.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on January 25th, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »

Derek Johnston Basking In The Rolex 24 At Daytona Glory

Rolex 24 At Daytona

Derek Johnston, who won a prestigious seat in the Rolex 24 At Daytona by winning the Sunoco Rolex 24 At Daytona Driver Challenge, is basking in its glory these days. Derek Johnston made waves at the recently held Autosport Show. The show was held at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre from the 14th to the 17th of January. Though the size of the centre would have been quite intimidating for any other race car driver, Derek Johnston handled the attention and the press calls like a seasoned celebrity. He was also extremely comfortable while chatting with his fans. The comfort and ease exhibited by the British race car driver is what made him an instant hit with the crowd at Autosport International.

With the way Derek Johnston handled the media and fan attention, the winner of the driver challenge and Rolex 24 At Daytona seat, proved that he was the best choice for an ambassador for motorsport. To make things more interesting at the show, Derek Johnston also indulged himself in some virtual racing. Derek Johnston tried his hands on the virtual Daytona International Speedway tracks by playing the virtual race introduced by iRacing. iRacing has developed a virtual simulation of the actual Rolex 24 At Daytona and named it the Rolex 2.4. The virtual simulation of the race is a 144 minute tribute to the toughest endurance race in all of North America.

Derek Johnston had set a best time of 1.47.2, while he raced around the Daytona International Speedway tracks at the recently concluded Roar Before the Rolex 24. Autosport International added a spark to the show by declaring a prize for anyone who would beat the record set by the winner of the driver challenge. The prize included a trip to the Rolex 24 At Daytona endurance race which is scheduled to take place at the Daytona International Speedway on the 30th of January. The prize was won by Martin Buchan who is a young Scotsman and managed to set a time of 1.45.11.

Derek Johnston with Terry Borcheller

Derek Johnston was occupied the entire time as he was at the AAOIL stand. In fact Derek Johnston tried the game at the stand based on the Anglo American Oil Company Ltd, which is the distributor of Sunoco fuels in the UK. The fans, teams and Derek Johnston’s fellow racers got a unique opportunity to chat up with the winner of the driver challenge and his journey thus far. The fans were quite inquisitive about the entire process that led up to Derek Johnston’s winning a seat at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and now his opportunity of racing as a part of Doran Racing. The 47 year old father of two, was quite humbled by the entire experience and attention that he received as the fans treated him with the respect of a winner. Derek Johnston stated that he was lucky to have won the biggest prize in British motorsport and felt as though his dream had come true. He also stated that the opportunity of being able to race at the Rolex 24 At Daytona was like climbing the Everest, scoring the winning goal in the World Cup and creating a number-one record, all in one go.

Posted by Vanessa Puzio on January 22nd, 2010 and filed under Rolex Culture, Rolex Events | No Comments »