Podium Finish for Kia at Daytona

One of the auto makers who has managed to impress the North American automotive market in the past years is slowly making a lasting impression in racing competitions there as well. Having started its racing program last year, Kia managed in its second season in the Street Tuner (ST) class of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge to score a podium finish.

During this weekend's run at the Daytona International Speedway, one of the drivers of the Kinetic Motorsports team (who runs a pair of Kia Forte Koups), Andy Lally in the No. 10 car, managed to clinch the second place at the end of the race. The entire race can be seen on February 5, when it is broadcasted on SPEED.

"For Kia's second-year motorsports program to reach the podium for the first time at the world famous Daytona International Speedway is an amazing accomplishment, and a tribute to the hard work Kinetic Motorsports put into the Forte Koups during the off-season and the outstanding effort of every crew member at the race track," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing and communications, Kia Motors America.

"The camaraderie and persistence of Nic and Andy and the critical drafting help from teammates Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood made the race and the result even more memorable."

The models entered in the competition this year by Kia are the same as the ones which raced last year, with a few tweaks, of course. Both cars are powered by a 2.4l inline four-cylinder engine and come in two-door, front-wheel-drive configurations. The two vehicles will race again on March 5 at Miami-Homestead Speedway.