GRAND-AM: Pagenaud excited about the Rolex 24 debut with Sahlen

Thursday announcement combines one of the world's best open-wheel and sports stars with a new-for-2013 Daytona Prototype team may be able to come out of the blue, but for Simon Pagenaud, who his GRAND-AM Rolex Watches Sports Car Series debut next month in , all the pieces fell into place for quick Frenchman Team Sahlen for January, the Rolex 24 at Daytona join.

"It's a funny story because it came out just as I was thinking of doing it [Rolex] 24 and began to see the possibilities," said Pagenaud SPEED.com. "I had not even spoken somebody, or somebody called and then I got an e-mail while I was in France from the team.

"We talked quickly over the phone, and she told me the challenge to fund a new team that was in GT before. They told me that it was just the car and have not been tested, and they would spice up the team. So I thought, 'Why not?' "

Pagenaud, fresh from claiming Rookie-of-the-year award in the IZOD IndyCar Series, the regulars Dane Cameron and Wayne Nonnamaker, Ohio-based team will join No. 42 Riley-BMW.

It is undoubtedly a new learning experience for all involved will be as long-GT team that has usually been achieved modest results, often with another driver lineups, is his DP debut in the Rolex Series watches season opener make.

"It's an interesting challenge and always very interesting to get into a top team, because you want to know to get good results. But it is also interesting to have a team face such a challenge," Pagenaud said. "These guys seemed pretty willing to take me. Aboard. Everything was very decent with what they had to offer, and I said, 'OK, let's go do it" I have had no contact in the Daytona Prototypes, I, known to me and I felt that is a good option. "

While often referred to as one of the "underdog" teams in the Rolex Replica Series paddock considered making teams Sahlen significant gains in the past two seasons, including a long-awaited first GT class victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this year, the team second-to- last race with its venerable Mazda RX-8.

Cameron, a fellow former Atlantic standout, along with the improvement Nonnamaker make for a solid line-up, according to the recently Pagenaud a test with the team's two full-season driver.

"Dane has really impressed me," Pagenaud said. "He is a great driver great feedback. It runs very, very well. Actually, I'm glad because I learned from him as well. Two of us together, and of course Wayne Nonnamaker he really did a good job on the test bench. I think we can compete well.

"Of course we are not not about the reliability yet, we do not know, it is such a hard and long run we will see, but the results side of things that we have good drivers .... It's a pretty good combination should be. "

And if that is not enough incentive for Sahlen cheer the Riley-BMW next month Pagenaud has been a promise that the team would have him wearing traditional headgear, they should achieve a magical result.

"I decided to wear hot dog hat, when we stand on the podium," he said.