Sunday Group Management

Eyes Of Racing World Focused On 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona

Eyes Of Racing World Focused On 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona

Entry List Features 54 Cars, Drivers Representing 24 Countries, Four Female Drivers

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 20, 2016) – The world will be coming to Daytona International Speedway for the grand opening of its motorsports stadium, with a solid international field set for the debut race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 30-31.

A 54-car field with drivers representing 24 countries serves as the opening race for Daytona Rising, the $400 million reimagining of the historic venue. In addition to kicking off the WeatherTech Championship, the race also will open the four-race Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup.

“As the International Motor Sports Association, we take great pride in having strong international representation in the Rolex 24 At Daytona,” said IMSA CEO Ed Bennett. “We are fortunate to have an outstanding field of drivers, teams and manufacturers representing every corner of the world join us for this year’s race. The eyes of the racing world truly will be on Daytona International Speedway during the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Between the debut of many awe-inspiring race cars and being the first race in the Daytona International Speedway motorsports stadium, the view will be spectacular.”

Daytona International Speedway founder Bill France Sr. envisioned sports car racing as bringing international recognition to his venue with the running of the inaugural Daytona Continental in 1962, an event expanded to 24 hours in 1966.

Now, 50 years later, that event has grown into the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The field will include 12 world-class automotive manufacturers across the four classes, reigniting decades-long rivalries in addition to building new ones.

In the Prototype category, the battle for the overall victory will include the classic Ford vs. Chevrolet rivalry, but will be expanded to include Honda, Mazda, Nissan and BMW-powered prototypes, in addition to the one-of-a-kind DeltaWing. Ford and Chevy have split the overall victories the past two years, but if speeds at the recent Roar Before The Rolex 24 At Daytona were any indication, any one of the 13 entries in the Prototype class could feasibly pull into Victory Lane on the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 31.

The GT Le Mans (GTLM) class features the pair of Corvette C7.Rs that won the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida and 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015, as well as the defending WeatherTech Championship GTLM championship-winning Porsche North America team.

However, many sports car racing headlines over the past year have gone to the new Ford GT program, which makes its competition debut in the Rolex 24 At Daytona with a two-car effort fielded by Ford Chip Ganassi Racing. The return of the Ford GT begins a new chapter in the Ford-Chevrolet battle, while also reigniting a 50-year-old Ford vs. Ferrari fight. The field also will include a pair of brand-new BMW M6 GTLM race cars from BMW Team RLL.

The GT Daytona (GTD) class, which has adopted full FIA GT3 technical regulations in 2016, features a 22-car field and seven different manufacturers. Familiar GTD brands Audi, Porsche and BMW all will debut brand-new race cars in the Rolex 24, alongside updated machinery from Ferrari, Dodge and Aston Martin. Joining the GTD fray this year for the first time will be Lamborghini, with five Huracáns in a field stacked with manufacturer, team and driver talent.

In Prototype Challenge (PC), eight teams and a host of strong driver lineups will battle it out for class honors.

In total, all but three of the 54 entries feature driver lineups with mixed nationalities. The United States has the most drivers entered with 87, while Germany leads the list of visiting countries with 23 drivers represented in the preliminary Rolex 24 entry. Great Britain is next with 19 drivers, followed by Italy, 16; France, nine; and Canada, seven. Austria, Brazil and Mexico are each represented by six drivers.

Four female drivers are set to compete in this year’s race. British driver Katherine Legge returns to the No. 0 Panoz DeltaWing Racing coupe in the Prototype class. Competing in GT Daytona (GTD) are German Sabine Schmitz in the No. 30 Frikadelli Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R; Christina Nielsen of Denmark in the No. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 GT3; and American Ashley Freiberg in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3.

Practice for the Rolex 24 At Daytona begins the morning of Thursday, Jan. 28, with qualifying taking place later than afternoon. The weekend also includes the BMW Performance 200; the opening round of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, on Friday at 1:45 p.m. Television coverage of the Rolex 24 gets underway on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET on FS1.

Contact:
Nate Siebens
Senior Manager, IMSA Communications

(386) 310-6568

nsiebens

2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Daytona 24 Pre-Event Preliminary….pdf

International-Entry-R24-2016-Rls.pdf

Practice Makes Perfect Again For Michael Shank Racing, Pla, Negri Pace Opening Day At Roar Before The Rolex 24

Begin forwarded message:

From: IMSA Communications <communications>

Subject: Practice Makes Perfect Again For Michael Shank Racing, Pla, Negri Pace Opening Day At Roar Before The Rolex 24

Date: January 8, 2016 at 8:11:13 PM EST

To: IMSA Communications <communications>

Please see attached press release, below is a text-only version.

Practice Makes Perfect Again For Michael Shank Racing,

Pla, Negri Pace Opening Day At Roar Before The Rolex 24

Multimatic Motorsports Shelby Paces Continental Tire Challenge

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 8, 2016) – Picking up where it left off in 2015, Michael Shank Racing posted the fastest times in Friday’s opening day of the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway.

Ozz Negri ran a lap of 1:39.655 (128.604 mph) in the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian Honda Ligier JS P2 to lead the first of eight scheduled sessions for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Ligier factory driver Olivier Pla – who will join Negri, John Pew and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular AJ Allmendinger in the car at the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31 – was fastest in the day’s second and final practice, with a time of 1:39.445 (128.875 mph).

“This is what happens when you have a year of experience with a car,” Negri said. “We were quickest in 50 percent of the official practices last year. The car is good, and it shows.”

Prior to Negri’s fast lap, co-driver Pew led the morning session. Pew, Negri and Allmendinger teamed with the late Justin Wilson to win the 2012 Rolex 24 for Shank in a Daytona Prototype.
“We’ve worked on the car a lot over the year, and obviously it’s pretty good right now,” Pew said. “I’m pretty comfortable in the car. Today, I had to start out with a pretty slick, crazy track, and by the end of the session I was pretty quick. This is huge difference from last year, when we came here with a new car and I was a nervous wreck.”

Three high-profile contenders were involved in single-car incidents on Friday. Tommy Milner’s No. 4 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R caught fire late in the opening session. Shortly after testing resumed, Lance Stroll spun on cold tires between turns five and six, damaging the No. 01 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford EcoBoost/Riley. Later in the afternoon, defending two-time Prototype champion Joao Barbosa impacted the barrier in Turn 7 in the Action Express Racing No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP. All three drivers escaped injury, with their cars expected to be repaired to return to the Roar.

Colin Braun led both sessions in Prototype Challenge (PC), with a best lap of 1:42.423 (125.128 mph) in the No. 54 CORE autosport Flex-Box/Composite Resources ORECA FLM09. The team won its class in the 2014 Rolex 24 and finished second last year, winning the PC championship both years.

“It doesn’t really matter who’s the quickest in practice, but it’s always a nice day when you’re at the top of the board,” Braun said. “We’ve had good success here, but we need to keep working hard to get better and improve. We know everyone else is doing the same thing, and there are a lot of other very good teams and lineups here.”

Lucas Luhr led opening practice for the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class, turning a 1:45.088 (121.955 mph) in the No. 100 BMW Team RLL BMW M6 GTLM. The time would remain quickest, but it was Augusto Farfus in the sister No. 25 BMW that would lead GTLM in the second practice with a 145.120 (121.918 mph), with the No. 100 car slotting in right behind.
GTLM newcomers Ford Chip Ganassi Racing posted mid-pack times in both practice sessions. Full-season driver Ryan Briscoe brings exceptional experience from last year, having won the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2015 with Corvette Racing.

“Coming from having done Daytona the last couple of years with Corvette Racing, it’s been awesome to get that experience under my belt,” Briscoe said. “Winning the race last year, it was phenomenal. I learned a lot with those guys, it’s a great team. I had great teammates with Corvette Racing, so I’m definitely bringing that experience with me here to Ford Chip Ganassi Racing. But [the Ford GT is] a whole new experience.”

Corvette Racing returns with two entries as well, and Briscoe is preparing for anything.
“It’s hard to compare the cars, there have been rule changes this year, such as more downforce,” Briscoe explained. “Everything feels different in the Ford GT. You’re sitting quite a bit lower. It’s all different, but at the end of the day, we’re all going to be very close and competitive, just making the best of what we have.”

The GT Daytona (GTD) field features a number of new cars, with manufacturers bringing in all new GT3-spec entries. Quickest of the day was Raffaele Giammaria in the No. 51 Hublot/Globaljet Ferrari 458 with a 1:48.358 (118.275 mph).

Defending GTD champions, Townsend Bell and Bill Sweedler, have transitioned to O’Gara Motorsport and the No. 11 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 for a full-season effort. This afternoon, the team introduced its additional drivers for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Richard Antinucci and Edoardo Piscopo.

Team owner Tom O’Gara previously competed in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, and is looking forward to what 2016 has in store. “It’s an enormous step for us and our program, we’ve never been in GT3, having run the Super Trofeo series,” O’Gara said. “But Lamborghini itself has never been in North America either. It’s a great partnership that we have.”

The No. 11 Huracán GT3 isn’t alone, as Audi, BMW and Porsche are brand new cars as well. O’Gara isn’t worried about the competition though, and feels very good about the team’s chances due to the significant experience of his drivers.

“We’re thrilled to have Townsend and Bill bring their expertise and all the time they’ve spent,” O’Gara said. “At the same time, Edoardo and Richard bring a wealth of experience in the development of the Super Trofeo car, and the GT3.”

The Roar testing also includes the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, with Multimatic Motorsports leading both Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge sessions. Billy Johnson was fastest in the morning practice – held on a drying track – with a lap of 2:12.069 (97.040 mph) in the No. 15 Ford Shelby GT350R-C. Co-driver Scott Maxwell was fastest in the afternoon, running 1:57.765 (108.827 mph) to pace the Grand Sport (GS) class.

Long-time Street Tuner (ST) contenders Compass360 Racing debuted its No. 76 Ford Shelby GT350R-C at the session. Pierre Kleinubing was fourth-fastest on the day in the new car he co-drives with Paul Holton, running a best lap of 1:58.839 (107.843 mph).

“I like it a lot,” Kleinubing said. “We’re learning much from the other Mustang guys, and that’s the biggest reason we’re here – what we learn in this test will make our season that much better. The car is very well sorted, and I’m happy where we’re sitting right now. We’ve got room for improvement – this car has a lot of potential.”

Ethan Low was fastest in ST, posting a best time of 2:05.850 (101.836 mph) in the Bodymotion Racing No. 31 Delaware Investments/Veristor Porsche Cayman.

Roar testing continues with a full day of activities on Saturday, beginning with WeatherTech Championship practice at 9 a.m. and concluding with a 90-minute WeatherTech Championship session that ends at 8:15 p.m. The Roar concludes with a pair of practices for each series on Sunday, beginning at 9 a.m. Spectators are admitted to the infield at $15 per day, with Rolex 24 ticket holders admitted for free.

Contact:
Nate Siebens
Senior Manager, IMSA Communications

(386) 310-6568

nsiebens

Roar Friday Practice Release.pdf

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Set To Debut With 54 Cars Entered For Roar Before The Rolex 24 At Daytona

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Set To Debut With

54 Cars Entered For Roar Before The Rolex 24 At Daytona

GT Daytona Leads Four-Class Field With 22 Entries For Three-Day Test

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 4, 2016) – The 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship makes its debut this weekend at Daytona International Speedway with a 54-car field entered for the three-day Roar Before The Rolex 24 At Daytona test this Friday through Sunday, Jan. 8-10.

The test sessions – which are open to the public – will feature the debut of many new WeatherTech Championship race cars, particularly in the series’ two GT classes. The GT Daytona (GTD) class features the most entries, with 22, followed by 13 Prototypes, 11 GT Le Mans (GTLM) entries and eight Prototype Challenge (PC) cars.

“We are extremely proud of this entry list for the Roar Before The Rolex 24, which foreshadows the entries for the Rolex 24 At Daytona later this month,” said IMSA CEO Ed Bennett. “These entries represent a great balance of quality and quantity across all four of our classes and will make for fantastic racing when we kick off the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Jan. 30-31. We are pleased to welcome so many world class drivers, teams and manufacturer brands back to Daytona.”

Included among the Prototype class entries are two-time defending WeatherTech Championship Prototype champions Action Express Racing and No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP co-drivers Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi. Barbosa and Fittipaldi will be joined by five-time overall Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Scott Pruett – who is going for an unprecedented sixth Rolex 24 win this year – and Filipe Albuquerque, who claimed a Rolex 24 GT class victory in 2013.

Defending Rolex 24 At Daytona champions Ford Chip Ganassi Racing also will return with a pair of entries in the Prototype class, including the No. 02 Ford EcoBoost/Riley DP to be shared by defending race winners Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson.

However, the two Prototypes represent only half of a highly anticipated four-car entry from Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, as the team also will publicly debut its two Ford GT race cars in the GTLM class. Joining the Ford GT among new race cars in the class will be a pair BMW M6 GTLM race cars from BMW Team RLL and two new Ferrari 488s – one from Scuderia Corsa and the other from SMP Racing – while a third Ferrari 488 from Risi Competizione is expected for the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31.

The new Ford, BMW and Ferrari machines all will be turbocharged and will face stiff competition in GTLM from two venerable manufacturer-supported teams in Corvette Racing and Porsche North America. Corvette Racing returns with a pair of Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs which combined to win three crown jewels of endurance sports car racing in 2015, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Porsche North America, meanwhile, took the 2015 WeatherTech Championship GTLM team and manufacturer titles, and Patrick Pilet, who is entered in the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, won the 2015 GTLM driver championship. Pilet will share the No. 911 with Nick Tandy and Kevin Estre.

In addition to featuring the most entries, the GTD class also will showcase the most new cars following a shift to full FIA GT3 technical regulations in 2016 for its seven manufacturers. Six of those manufacturers – Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Porsche and Dodge – competed in the class last year, although all will introduce new or updated models for GTD competition this year.

Lamborghini joins the WeatherTech Championship with four entries at the Roar Before The Rolex 24, including one for defending GTD driver champions Townsend Bell and Bill Sweedler, who will share the No. 11 O’Gara Motorsport Lamborghini Huracán after racing Ferraris for the past several years.

In the PC class, eight Chevrolet V8-powered ORECA FLM09s are expected for both the Roar and the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Leading the way will be two-time defending WeatherTech Championship PC champions Jon Bennett and Colin Braun with the No. 54 CORE autosport team and the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports team that won the PC class at Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans in 2015.

Three days of testing for the WeatherTech Championship get underway Friday morning at 10:15 a.m. ET with the first of eight scheduled sessions through Sunday afternoon. In addition to the WeatherTech Championship, the Roar Before The Rolex 24 test also will include three days of testing for the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, which opens its season on Friday, Jan. 29 with the BMW Performance 200. Live Timing & Scoring data from every on-track session will be available on IMSA.com.

See attachments for complete Roar Before The Rolex 24 At Daytona WeatherTech Championship and Continental Tire Challenge entry lists and the weekend schedule.

Contact:
Nate Siebens
Senior Manager, IMSA Communications

(386) 310-6568

nsiebens

2016 IMSA Provisional Schedule Daytona ROAR Test.pdf

2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship ROAR Pre-Event Entry List.pdf

2016 ICTSC ROAR Pre-Event Entry List.pdf

Roar Entry Release 120415.pdf

CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS™ TO OPEN 2016 RACE SEASON WITH PIRELLI WORLD CHALLENGE, MARCH 4-6

Latest announcement from Circuit of The Americas Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. For Immediate Release CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS™ TO OPEN 2016 RACE SEASON WITH PIRELLI WORLD CHALLENGE Tickets for North American-based Racing Series Are On Sale Now; Three-Day Passes for $50, Single-Day Tickets for $29, and Fans Under 12 Are Free! AUSTIN, Texas (December 16, 2015) – Circuit of The Americas (COTA) announced today that it will open the 2016 race season with the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC), happening March 4 through March 6. The Austin event, which is also the first stop on the Series’ 2016 calendar, will feature over 20 hours of racing and offer fans unparalleled access to some of the world’s top sportscar drivers and the exotic racecars they drive. PWC is a multi-class North American-based racing series, featuring over 100 production-based racecars from some of the most celebrated automotive manufacturers in the world, including Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Porsche, Chevrolet, Audi, BMW, Bentley, Nissan, Ford, Aston Martin, Acura, Mazda and more. The races are exciting 40-50-minute sprints with both rolling and standing starts, and no scheduled pit stops or driver changes. The Austin event will feature several Texas-based drivers and teams in almost every class of the PWC grid, from Dan Knox of Lone Star Racing behind the wheel of his Dodge Viper to the duo of James Wilson and Steve Taake in their compact but speedy Mazda 2s. Competitors are divided into the following classes based on their car’s performance: Grand Touring (GT) Grand Touring A (GTA) GT Cup Grand Touring Sport (GTS) Touring Car (TC) Touring Car A (TCA) Touring Car B (TCB) Fans will be able to enjoy incredible access throughout the entire weekend, as teams invite spectators into their paddock to get up-close and personal with the drivers and their amazing machines. In addition to an open paddock, fans will have the rare opportunity to drive their own cars around the 3.4-mile circuit in a parade lap by purchasing a Car Corral package. Car Corral packages are available for both drivers and passengers and include a three-day event pass, paddock access and parking in the designated manufacturer’s parking area. Tickets for Circuit of The Americas’ Pirelli World Challenge weekend are on sale now. Tickets allow guests to sit in the Main Grandstand and explore all general admission areas of the venue. Fans 12 years old and under will receive free general admission with a ticketed adult, and discounts are available for large groups and military members. Dry Camping and Premium Trackside RV spaces are also available for purchase. To explore ticket package options, please visit www.circuitoftheamericas.com or call 512.301.6600 X1. Item Price Item Price Three-Day Pass $50 Dry Camping Weekend Pass $59 Friday Only $29 Premium Trackside RV $750 Saturday Only $29 Car Corral Driver Package $119 Sunday Only $29 Car Corral Passenger Package $99 Weekend Parking Pass $20 Single-Day Parking Pass $10 -END- About Circuit of The Americas Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, is the only purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for all classes of racing. The 3.4-mile racetrack hosts the world’s most prestigious sporting events, including Formula 1, MotoGP, Lone Star Le Mans and ESPN’s X Games. The 1,500-acre campus is also home to the Austin360 Amphitheater—PollStar’s 2013 “Best New Major Concert Venue” and a 2014 “Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue” nominee—impressive meeting and hospitality spaces and an iconic 25-story observation tower that offers 360-degree views of the circuit, amphitheater and downtown Austin. For more information and to download videos and photos, visit www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com. For an experience as unique as Austin and a rush you’ll never forget, visit Circuit of The Americas, where exhilaration happens. Media Inquiries COTA: Jarin Wadiwalla, +1 512 655 6256 jarin.wadiwalla forward to a friend unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama 2016 Schedule Features 16 Rounds

Please see attached press release, below is a text-only version.

IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama

2016 Schedule Features 16 Rounds

Series Joins WeatherTech Championship On Seven Weekends

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 14, 2015) –The 2016 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama will feature 16 rounds on some of the most iconic road courses in North America.

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) today unveiled seven of the eight venues that will host its 16-round schedule for the championship, one of the largest of Porsche’s 20 single-make Cup Challenge series in the world. Each venue will feature two 45-minute races.

Entering its 12th season in 2016, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama will run 14 of its 16 rounds during IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events. The additional venue to be announced will host a special, cornerstone event in June.

“The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama continued to display strong competitiveness and popularity this season, growth we are working to continue in 2016,” said Randy Hembrey, IMSA senior series manager, Development & Single-Make Series. “IMSA is committed to this vital level of racing for semi-professional and aspiring pro drivers and is thrilled to continue a successful partnerships with Porsche Motorsport North America and Yokohama.”

The series produces intense, exciting competition for semi-professional and aspiring professional drivers in the world’s most produced and iconic race car, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. The IMSA-sanctioned championship is the perfect platform for drivers to ascend to the highest levels of GT competition, such as the WeatherTech Championship.

Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2016 season get underway March 16-18 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, as part of the prestigious Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida race week.

The series will head west for Rounds 3 and 4 during the WeatherTech Championship event April 29-May 1 at picturesque Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, followed by Rounds 5 and 6, in June at the aforementioned to-be-announced venue.

A crucial summer stretch of six rounds on traditional event weekends starts with Rounds 7 and 8 on June 30-July 2 at historic Watkins Glen International during the Six Hours at The Glen endurance event in the scenic Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.

Then the series heads to the classic Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for Rounds 9 and 10 on Aug. 5-7. Rounds 11 and 12 will take place Aug. 26-28 on the challenging circuit at VIRginia International Raceway in Danville, Virginia.

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama teams and competitors will share the bright spotlight with the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship during Rounds 13 and 14 on Sept. 14-16 at the state-of-the-art Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Champions in all four classes will be crowned at Rounds 15 and 16 on Sept. 28-30 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. The final event of the season returns to its traditional spot alongside the Petit Le Mans endurance race for the WeatherTech Championship.

“The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama has become a tremendous development platform for drivers of all skill levels and teams and an important extension of the competitive spirit of Porsche,” said Jens Walther, president and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America. “Our long-term relationship with IMSA and partners such as Yokohama has elevated the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama into one of the marquee championships among the Porsche one-make Cup lineup of 20 Cups worldwide.”

Details about television and online video coverage of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama events will be announced soon.

“The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama continues as an important cornerstone of Yokohama’s motorsports program in North America,” Yokohama Tire Corporation Motorsports Manager Duane Sampson said. “We look forward to further development and growth of this partnership since becoming a marketing and technical partner for the 2009 season.”

Racing in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama is divided into two classes – Platinum Cup, featuring the 2014-16 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which is based on the seventh, and current, generation of the street car, and Gold Cup, which is comprised of the previous iteration (model years 2010-2013) of the race car. A Masters Championship also is conducted in the Platinum class. Each class is awarded with its own podium at the end of every race and individual champion at the end of every season. Points are awarded by finish in class.

All drivers in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama compete in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car based on the street version of the current Porsche 911. The 3.8-liter power unit featured in the 911 GT3 Cup car produces 460 horsepower and a maximum engine speed of 8,500 rpm. The 911 GT3 Cup also includes a Porsche six-speed sequential gearbox with a mechanical slip differential, with an electropneumatic paddle shift system creating faster, more efficient gear changes.

The engines and transmissions of all the cars in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama are prepared and sealed by Porsche Motorsports North America, creating a level playing field on which driving talent and team skill prevail.

Tight competition on great circuits in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama has launched many drivers and teams to success in higher levels of professional sports car racing over the last decade. Among those talented drivers are 2012 Platinum Cup champion Sean Johnston, a full-time competitor in 2013-14 in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, 2013 Platinum Cup champion Madison Snow, who has competed in the GT Daytona class in the WeatherTech Championship since 2014, Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge standout Ashley Freiberg and 2015 WeatherTech Championship GT Daytona title contender Christina Nielsen.

Date Venue

March 16-18 Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Florida*
April 29-May 1 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California*
TBA June TBA
June 30-July 2 Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York*
Aug. 5-7 Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin*
Aug. 26-28 VIRginia International Raceway, Danville, Virginia*
Sept. 14-16 Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas*
Sept. 28-30 Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia*

TBA – To Be Announced
* — In conjunction with IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events

Contact:

Nate Siebens

Senior Manager, IMSA Communications

(386) 310-6568

nsiebens

2016 GT3 Cup USA Sked Rls-FINAL.PDF

New Look For IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype Teams At Daytona Test

Please see attached press release, below is a text-only version.

New Look For IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Prototype Teams At Daytona Test

Four Prototype Challenge Teams Turn Testing Laps At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 18, 2015) – While each of the six IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype class cars participating in the pre-season test at Daytona International Speedway competed in the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona, all have made significant changes in preparation for the 2016 endurance classic.

The two-day test concluded Wednesday with 24 cars representing all four WeatherTech Championship classes.

While Action Express Racing is bringing back both sets of season-long drivers for its cars that finished first and third in the 2015 Prototype standings, three veterans tested at Daytona for possible inclusion in the team’s endurance races.

Scott Pruett, the driver with the most wins in major North American sports car racing with 60 career victories, and 2013 Rolex 24 GT winner Filipe Albuquerque took laps in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP. They joined defending Prototype class champions Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa. Four-time IndyCar race winner Simon Pagenaud shared the No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP Eric Curran and Dane Cameron.

“It’s been awesome to be working with Action Express,” said Pruett, who is seeking an unprecedented sixth overall victory in the upcoming Rolex 24. “It’s a great organization, and they’ve won the championship the last two years. It’s interesting to feel the differences in this type of car, because this is the first time I’ve driven a Prototype other than a Ganassi car.”

The biggest change for Michael Shank Racing was a new Honda HPD engine in the No. 60 Ligier JS P2. Ozz Negri and John Pew will return for 2016, and will be joined by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular AJ Allmendinger at the Rolex 24.

“I like getting back in this race car, it’s a lot of fun,” Allmendinger said. “It’s great coming back and seeing Mike Shank and all the guys – I haven’t seen them in a while. I also like getting back into the car; I wish I could drive it a lot more throughout the course of the year. I haven’t driven the Ligier since January, and there are a few new nuances with it to get used to. They have made a lot of improvements since last January and they’ve made the car a lot better.”

VisitFlorida.com Racing will have two new drivers in the No. 90 Corvette DP in 2016, Marc Goossens and Ryan Dalziel. Tristan Vautier and Peter Dumbreck joined Goossens at the test in consideration of joining the team in the four endurance races at Daytona, Sebring International Raceway, Watkins Glen International and Road Atlanta that make up the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup. Dalziel was not present.

Sean Rayhall tested with Claro/TracFone DeltaWing Racing, with the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites powered by Mazda graduate and previous Prototype Challenge competitor taking his first laps in the No. 0 DeltaWing DWC13.

“Looking at the car, I expected it to drive a lot differently than it did,” said Rayhall, who was joined by returning drivers Katherine Legge and Andy Meyrick. “But the only thing different about it was how reactive it really is. It actually drives really well around here.

“It’s super-fast on the straightaways, and it’s a pleasure to drive. It’s a really well put together car, and a well put together team. Katherine and Andrew are great to work with – they’re like my best friends. Right now, I’m evaluating all my options before making my decision for next year.”

Mazda Motorsports came to Daytona with a new engine, going to gasoline power for its No. 70 Mazda Prototype.

“We’re definitely in the ballpark,” said SpeedSource owner Sylvain Tremblay. “We knew the car would be good at the shorter circuits; here, we’re competitive with all the other Prototypes – save one – but everyone else is in that category.”

Indy Lights champion Spencer Pigot tested with the team for the first time, joining returning drivers Tristan Nunez, Joel Miller and Tom Long. Jonathan Bomarito sat out the test to participate in the L.A. Auto Show, where he is driving in the unveiling of the new Mazda CX-9.

Four Prototype Challenge Teams Turn Testing Laps At Daytona

CORE autosport brought back two-time defending Prototype Challenge (PC) champions Colin Braun and Jon Bennett in the No. 54 Flex-Box/Composite Resources ORECA FLM09. Joining them at the test was Mark Wilkins – who will drive in the Patrón Endurance Cup races – along with new full-time race engineer Jeff Braun and data engineer Colin Mason.

“Our team is continuing to build its chemistry,” Bennett said. “This test was a nice opportunity to work together as a team formally preparing for 2016. The weather also provided a good opportunity to test our new Continental Tire rain tires, with reasonable success. Like always, it’s great to keep the team exercised during the long break between the Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda and the Rolex 24. This is a good sound check for us.”

Starworks Motorsport used the test to evaluate potential drivers Jack Hawksworth, Connor Kearby and Robert Alon. Hawksworth – an IndyCar regular – looks at doing the Rolex 24 in the No. 88 Starworks ORECA with team drivers Alex Popow, Renger van der Zande plus Chris Cumming. Two-time Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race-winner, Ashley Freiberg – who co-drove to victory at Road Atlanta in October’s season finale at Road Atlanta with Trent Hindman – also turned laps in the No. 88 machine late in the test.

“It was great getting Jack here, introducing him to the team and having him spend time in the car,” team owner Peter Baron said. “It was interesting to see how he felt our car compared to other PC cars he’s run in the series. We’re about a week away from announcing the lineup for our second car.”

BAR1 Motorsports had Johnny Mowlem testing with the team, joined by Ryan Eversley, Adam Merzon and team owner Brian Alder.

“We had Johnny set the pace for us, giving us a target,” Alder said. “He won the PC pole here last year with a different team. We had him running as a baseline and giving the other drivers something to shoot for. We’re comfortable in the car, and I think we’re better already than we were here last year.”

JDC-Miller Motorsports had 2016 regulars Stephen Simpson and Mikhail Goikhberg joined by Chris Miller, working on getting the car set up for the Rolex 24. The team has yet to announce its fourth driver for the event.

The next official IMSA WeatherTech Championship activity will be the Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona, set for Jan. 8-10 at Daytona International Speedway. The 2016 season opens with the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31.

Contact:

Nate Siebens

Senior Manager, IMSA Communications

(386) 310-6568

nsiebens

DIS November Test Day 2-rls.pdf

New Cars Turn First Laps In IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Test At Daytona International Speedway

Please see attached press release, below is a text-only version.

New Cars Turn First Laps In IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Test

At Daytona International Speedway

New GT3 Cars Take to Track in GT Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2015) – A number of new cars that will potentially compete in the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship made their official on-track debut Tuesday, in the opening of a two-day preseason test at Daytona International Speedway.

Twenty-four cars representing all four WeatherTech Championship classes participated. No times were published for the session.

The Ford GT and BMW M6 GTLM turned their first laps in public, joined by the updated Corvette C7.R in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class.

“It’s exciting to be here,” said Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team manager Mike O’Gara. “It’s great to see it here in the new paint scheme, and to show the car to other people. We no longer have to be secretive about the project.

“We’re still sorting out the car and cycling our potential drivers through the Ganassi system. So far, the car’s working flawlessly. Our main objectives here are to put miles on the car and work on durability, see what’s going to break, and get the drivers comfortable with the car and working with each other and the engineers.”

Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan was happy to see the new Fords in the paddock.

“I think it’s a testament to the power and influence that road racing in North America has on the global world of automobiles, when you can attract full-factory efforts such as we have here, with Ferrari, Porsche, Corvette, BMW, and now Ford,” Fehan said. “I think everyone in this paddock sees Ford as a definite benefit, moving us all down the road to road racing success.

“Ford, Chevy, Ferrari – we’ve all had great battles back and forth – but it’s been a long, long time since we’ve had this level of expertise being presented by the top manufacturers of the world. It’s a great testament to what we’re all trying to achieve.”

Fehan said the biggest differences from last year’s Corvette were a redesigned roll cage to add a removable hatch in the roof, along with a larger front splitter, larger rocker sill splitters, new rear diffuser and different placement of the rear wing.

Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia return in the Daytona-winning No. 3 Corvette C7.R, joined by Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin are back in the No. 4 entry. The driver lineup will be expanded to include

On Monday, the team announced that Mike Rockenfeller and Marcel Fassler for the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida. Early this morning, Corvette Racing also announced that WeatherTech Championship Prototype racers Jordan and Ricky Taylor will complete its driver lineup in the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“I think that anyone who looks at our driver lineup would be reasonably impressed with those we are presenting at this point in time,” Fehan said. “Marcel has been with us before, and we’ve had great success with him before, so getting him back was a no-brainer.

“When Mike (Rockenfeller) became available we went after him as well. I talked to Dr. [Wolfgang] Ullrich (head of Audi Motorsport) to get permission to do that, and he was thrilled to help as he was in years past.”

BMW Team RLL hit a snag on Tuesday morning when a transmission part broke, sending the team to the garage until a replacement part arrived early in the afternoon.

“We’re still working on the logistics with the new car, and we have parts in transit,” said Victor Leleu, BMW North America motorsports manager. “We had a good test at Sebring, and the car is showing promise. We look to perfect a few things here – and we’re happy with it so far. Now we need to put the mileage in and get ready for the race in January.”

Returning to the team were Bill Auberlen, John Edwards and Lucas Luhr.Canadian driver Bruno Spengler also joined the team for the test.

New GT3 Cars Take to Track in GT Daytona

The GT Daytona (GTD) class featured a variety of exciting new race cars, including Lamborghini, Audi, BMW, Austin Martin and Mercedes entries.

Change Racing fielded the No. 16 Lamborghini Huracán GT3. The car, campaigned in Europe by Grasser Motorsports, was used for the test to give WeatherTech Championship teams Change Racing, O’Gara Motorsports and Paul Miller Racing the opportunity to test in the car at Daytona while they were awaiting their 2016 cars. A fourth team, Konrad Motorsports, used that car in the recent HSR Classic 24 Hour at Daytona Presented by IMSA historic event.

“Wow, the car is really nice – smooth as silk,” said Bill Sweedler, the 2014 GTD champion who will join Townsend Bell in the O’Gara Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3. “I’m still getting acclimated to the car, but I’m surprised it’s as smooth as it actually is. Lamborghini has put in a lot of effort this past year working on the GT3 specs to get the car dialed in. We get our car in two weeks, and I hope to be competitive right out of the box.”

Also testing the Lamborghini were Madison Snow, Bryan Sellers and Bryce Miller for Paul Miller Racing, and Corey Lewis, Richard Antinucci and Justin Marks for Change Racing.

Some Lamborghini teams will be in action this weekend at Sebring International Raceway for the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final, the culmination of the Super Trofeo North America, Europe and Asia series seasons.

Turner Motorsport car owner Will Turner watched as BMW development drivers worked on a BMW M6 GT3 similar to the cars his team will field in 2016.

“We’re receiving our two cars in December,” Turner said. “I’m happy because everyone has been smiling while out of the car. They’re doing a lot of development work, because this is the first time the car has been to Daytona.”

Turner will release his full driver lineup in the near future, although Michael Marsal will return to the No. 97 and Bret Curtis will be in the No. 96.

Like their Lamborghini counterparts, Audi Sport Customer Racing fielded the No. 76 Audi Sport Customer Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 for several drivers representing different teams at the test.

“This car is a huge difference from the car we raced here last year, especially for driver comfort,” said driver Christopher Haase. “The old car was not very easy to drive, but the new one is just great. Of course, the ABS and traction control helps, and even the balance of the car is much more stable.

“This is our first time on the Continental Tire, but the balance was quite good from the start and the car easy to handle. Now we are trying to be comfortable with everything, and do some setup work.”

Team owner Kevin Buckler turned in a few laps in the No. 007 TRG-AMR Aston Martin GT3.

“The car’s happy and easy to drive,” said Buckler, who was joined by Tim Pappas and Nicky Catsburg. “It’s a good car for the Rolex 24 – we’re going for win number five next year.”

Mercedes had three cars at the test. Thomas Jager and Yeumer Buuman of the Mercedes-AMG Test Team drove the newest Mercedes-AMG GT3, while Dragon Speed has a pair of Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 cars that it plans to run on Wednesday. Frankie Montecalvo and Nick Mancuso will share the team’s No. 18, while Victor Gomez will drive the No. 19.

Also participating in GTD were Riley Motorsports, running the No. 33 Viper Exchange Dodge Viper GT3-R with Ben Keating, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Marc Miller, a sister car to last year’s Rolex 24 class winner; and Autometrics Motorsports, with Cory Friedman and Joe Toussaint in the No. 24 Porsche 997 GT3-R.

Testing continues on Wednesday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday’s report will focus on the Prototype and Prototype Challenge teams. The test is closed to the public.

Contact:

Nate Siebens

Senior Manager, IMSA Communications

(386) 310-6568

nsiebens

DIS November Test Day 1-rls.pdf

Championship Leader Westbrook Captures TOTAL Pole Award For Season-Ending Petit Le Mans At Road Atlanta

Championship Leader Westbrook Captures TOTAL Pole Award
For Season-Ending Petit Le Mans At Road Atlanta

Kimber-Smith Holds Off Mowlem For PC Class Pole

BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 2, 2015) – Watching steady rain fall throughout the day Friday at Road Atlanta, TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Prototype (P) points leader Richard Westbrook knew that his No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Corvette DP would start on the pole for Saturday’s season-ending Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda if qualifying was cancelled due to the weather at Road Atlanta.

When the decision was made to hold the session, Westbrook won the pole the hard way, running a lap of 1:27.860 (104.075 mph) to capture his first TOTAL Pole Award of the season.

Westbrook and regular co-driver Michael Valiante – who will be joined by Mike Rockenfeller for the 10-hour race – enter the finale with a six-point lead over the two Action Express Racing cars. Christian Fittipaldi qualified second at 1:28.920 (102.834 mph) in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP co-driven by Joao Barbosa and Sebastien Bourdais, while Dane Cameron timed in fifth fastest in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP co-driven by Eric Curran and Max Papis.

Joey Hand, who joined Scott Pruett in winning the most recent TUDOR Championship race at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas, qualified third in the No. 01 Ford EcoBoost/Riley with a lap of 1:29.627 (102.023 mph). IndyCar champion Scott Dixon will join the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates team this weekend.

The 15-minute session went right down to the wire, with Ricky Taylor nearly losing control of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP on his final lap. He qualified fourth, running 1:30.621 (100.904 mph) in the car he will co-drive with Max Angelelli and his brother Jordan in a bid to give Wayne Taylor Racing its second consecutive victory in the event.

Kimber-Smith Holds Off Mowlem For First PC Pole

Keeping PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports’ slim championship hopes alive, Tom Kimber-Smith held off Johnny Mowlem to capture his first TOTAL Pole Award of the season in the Prototype Challenge (PC) class.

Kimber-Smith ran a lap of 1:32.378 (98.985 mph) in the No. 52 Cuttwood/Spyder ORECA FLM09 co-driven by Mike Guasch and Andrew Palmer.

Mowlem was second, running 1:32.924 (98.403 mph) in the No. 16 BAR1 Motorsports Southwest Realty Advisors/The Walk/Top 1 Oil entry co-driven by Mark Drumwright, Tomy Drissi and Don Yount.

NEWS AND NOTES

· The No. 60 Michael Shank Racing AERO Honda/Ligier JS P2 of Ozz Negri, John Pew and Matt McMurry failed to participate in qualifying as the team continued to repair damaged sustained in an incident during Thursday’s night practice that resulted in major structural damage. The car was taken from the track to Elan Technologies in nearby Braselton, where that team worked all night to repair the frame. The car was back in the Road Atlanta paddock by 9 a.m. Friday, with the Michael Shank Racing team finishing repairs throughout the day.

· PC points leader Jon Bennett qualified seventh in the No. 54 Flex-Box Composite Resources entry. Bennett and regular co-driver Colin Braun enter the event leading PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports drivers Mike Guasch and Tom Kimber-Smith by 12 points – 289-277. Bennett can secure the title by driving the minimum two-hour, 30-minute distance. Anthony Lazzaro will also co-drive in Saturday’s event.

· Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda also serves as the final event in the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup, a 52-hour competition combining the classic races at Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen. Barbosa and Fittipaldi hold a seven-point lead in the Prototype standings entering the finale, while Kimber-Smith, Guasch and Palmer hold a three-point lead in PC over CORE autosport.

· Saturday’s activity begins with a 20-minute warm-up session at 8 a.m. ET. Live coverage of the Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda begins at 11 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 2, with coverage alternating throughout the day with IMSA.com. The race will be rebroadcast Sunday on FS1 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

QUOTEBOARD

Richard Westbrook – No. 90 VisitFlorida.com ORECA FLM09

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t nice to get a pole, but with a 10-hour race it’s not as important. With the rain it’s going to be nice to be out in front. We’ve got our eye on the forecast tomorrow but things are looking good. There was talk of qualifying getting cancelled and we would have had the pole because we’re leading in the championship, but we’re all racers, so we’d rather that the pole be determined with a session.

“I was pushing for sure, I was on the limit. The tires did take a long time to come in. No complaints, they were good going through the rivers, but it took a while to come in. There was a lot of moisture out there. Everyone was getting faster each lap so it was very important to keep going right until the end.”

Tom Kimber-Smith – No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Cuttwood/Spyder ORECA FLM09
“It was very wet. It was all about trying to stay on track. The session was getting wetter toward the end. The Esses seemed to have more river flows than I’ve ever seen. Mowlem was pushing pretty hard, he’s not working toward a championship so he has nothing to lose. The way the weather has been, we don’t know what’s going to play out tomorrow. I really enjoy my racing but I really am wanting this championship.”

Contact:

Nate Siebens

Senior Manager, IMSA Communications

(386) 310-6568

nsiebens

imsa-p qual plm-rls.pdf

Photo Release: Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup

PHOTO RELEASE:
Gathered at the start-finish line in advance of Saturday’s Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda at Road Atlanta are the drivers in contention to win the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup. The Patrón Endurance Cup spans the four longest races on the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship schedule and totals 52 hours of racing, concluding with the 10-hour Petit Le Mans.

Credit: LAT USA for IMSA