Plumb, Bacardi Give Rum Bum Racing Win in Season Opener

Joe Gibbs Racing Oil – 1,2,3 in Season Opener in Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (January 30, 2010) - Matt Plumb pitted during a caution late in Friday's Fresh From Florida 200, and watched out his windows as the rest of the field flashed by down the main straightaway. That decision, however, proved to be the right one, as Plumb took series debutants Gianluis Bacardi and Rum Bum Racing to Gatorade  Victory Lane.

Plumb took command of the race from Charles Espenlaub on Lap 64 of 66 and sprinted to a 0.107-second advantage over Espenlaub in the two-and-a-half hour event. It proved to be fresh tires on Plumb's No. 13 RumBum.com BMW M3 E92 that made the difference, as he shaved off several seconds after falling to sixth after pitting.

In Street Tuner, Lawson Aschenbach made it two consecutive victories for himself, putting Compass360 Racing back in winner's circle at Daytona for the first time since 2007. Aschenbach passed Jameson Riley to give himself and No. 74 HPD/Skunk2 Honda Civic Si co-driver David Thilenius the victory.

Bacardi, in his first career professional motorsports race, started 19th and moved up to second before pitting and handing the BMW M3 - ironically purchased from Fall-Line Motorsports, the team fielding Espenlaub's entry - off to Plumb.

"Traffic is a big deal around here and can kill your momentum," said Plumb, whose car was involved in a first-lap crash in last year's Daytona race. "I got very lucky with a couple batches of traffic that let me gain the most amount of time behind them. We were pretty even up until that point. I believe we changed right-side tires whereas I think they stayed out. I had the sights pretty set on (Espenlaub) and we had a great car. He didn't make it easy for me, but I didn't expect much as far as courtesy, and I wouldn't give him the same. But it was clean when we came out the other side. I've raced with Charles many times and it's always a pleasure."

Plumb led six laps, taking the point from Espenlaub, before the fourth and final caution - for an exhaust pipe on the track - came out. Plumb pitted, while Terry Borcheller - running second - drifted back onto the racing surface just before the pit entrance. Most of the remaining GS cars stayed on the track as well, leaving Plumb to pit on his own and then back onto the track fighting through the field.

It didn't take long for Plumb to make his return to the front. While Borcheller and Espenlaub fought for the lead, Plumb sliced through the field, and took second with under 10 minutes remaining from Borcheller, who pitted later that lap. Espenlaub drove in deep and his No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 drifted wide, allowing Plumb to make up more distance.