STRENGTH IN NUMBERS? Two teams had good odds but tough luck at Daytona.(Competition)

Byline: TRAVIS BRAUN

The number seven was unlucky at Daytona. Farnbacher Loles Racing and the Racer's Group teams each entered seven GT Porsches, none of which won. TRG took second through fourth positions, and Farnbacher Loles had a best finish of eighth. Five of each team's seven cars lasted the distance.

The two teams fielded one-third of the entire GT field, filling almost one bank of Daytona's garages. Each team had 32 drivers, more than 80 personnel and three 18-wheelers. To keep organized with such large efforts, both teams divided themselves into manageable sizes but in different ways.

Gregory Loles, Farnbacher team owner, referred to his effort as a two-three-two combination: two cars that race for charity under the name Team Seattle, three Porsches that will run the full Grand-Am season and two client cars.

"We were not trying to get a huge number of cars,'' Loles said. "But suddenly, just our different business segments became seven cars. I think having a larger team could be a disadvantage, but we are really running three separate organizations.''

TRG owner Kevin Buckler treated his team as seven separate ones. Buckler had no option, because racing is his only business, and all of the cars were funded by semi-professional drivers.

"They have individual needs and individual tastes,'' Buckler said. "I tell my customers that when they are lined up for the team photo, that's about the only time they are lost in the mix, because the resources are there. Size is a judgment call. And if I compromise performance because the team has gotten too big, then shame on me.''