Sunday Group Management

Indy and MotoGP extend for 3 more years

MotoGP commercial rights holders Dorna Sports has reached an agreement with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which will see the iconic American venue host the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix for the next three years. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation President and CEO, Jeff Belskus, has been in attendance at this weekend’s Gran Premio Aperol di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini at the Misano World Circuit in order to meet with Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, and they have agreed to extend the contract.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been hosting MotoGP since 2008 and the new agreement will see the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix feature on the MotoGP calendar until at least 2014.

Alberico, Hindman and Pigot Named as 2011 Team USA Scholarship Winners

For Immediate Release:

Alberico, Hindman and Pigot Named as 2011 Team USA Scholarship Winners

Baltimore, Md. (September 3, 2011) – Three outstanding young American drivers ¬–Neil Alberico, 18, from Los Gatos, Calif., Trent Hindman, from Wayside, N.J., who will turn 16 later this month, and Spencer Pigot, 17, from Windermere, Fla. – will travel to England next month as the latest winners of prestigious Team USA Scholarships. The trio will follow in the footsteps of a long line of successful Team USA alumni including Jimmy Vasser, who won the inaugural scholarship way back in 1990, as well as Bryan Herta, Buddy Rice, Memo Gidley, Joey Hand, Bryan Sellers, A.J. Allmendinger, Charlie Kimball, J.R. Hildebrand, Conor Daly and Josef Newgarden.
The final winners were chosen from a group of 14 candidates who were selected as a result of their performances in a variety of junior categories this year.
Alberico, who also earned a nomination last year, and Hindman secured their opportunities following a shootout held last month in a de-winged USF2000 Van Diemen-Mazda run by the Cape Motorsports by Wayne Taylor Racing team at Andersen RacePark in Palmetto, Fla. The pair will drive in both the 40th annual Formula Ford “Kent” Festival at Brands Hatch on October 15/16 and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone on November 5/6.
“It’s an absolute privilege to be nominated for a second year in a row as a Team USA Scholarship candidate,” said Alberico, who won the 2010 Bondurant Racing Series in the U.S. and has been racing in the ultra-competitive British Formula Ford series this year. “The fact that I did not win a Scholarship last year was my true motivation to work harder than ever to make it through the elimination process for this year’s team. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and I expect to gain priceless knowledge that will surely stick with me for the rest of my career.”
Added Hindman, who has impressed this year both in the BFGoodrich Skip Barber National Championship Powered by Mazda and the Ontario F1600 Challenge series in Canada: “Being selected to represent the United States and the Team USA Scholarship is quite an honor. I am extremely excited and proud to be given this wonderful opportunity to race in the UK. I know I will learn a lot from this experience both on and off the track. I am really looking forward to getting in the car and challenging myself against the European drivers.”
Pigot also was awarded a scholarship in 2010 after winning the Skip Barber National title. He made an impressive showing in last year’s Formula Ford “Kent” Festival at Brands Hatch, snaring the pole for his heat race and posting the fastest race lap in the final en route to a charging drive to fourth place after an earlier incident.
Pigot this year will drive in the premier “Duratec” class at the Formula Ford Festival, which features slightly more powerful engines and slick tires. He will also contest the previous weekend’s final round of the MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain.
“The goal always has been to offer a ladder of opportunity,” said auto racing writer and broadcaster Jeremy Shaw, founder of the Team USA Scholarship. “There have been several instances in the past where we have been able to provide drivers with multiple opportunities, so I am delighted to be able to do so again. I am extremely grateful to all of the program’s contributors who have made this possible.”
Pigot earned his bid with some impressive drives, including two race wins, during his rookie campaign in the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda. He was selected following an interview session held during the recent IZOD IndyCar Series/American Le Mans Series double-header at Mid-Ohio.
“Being selected for Team USA for a second year is a great honor and I’m really looking forward to going back to England,” said Pigot. “I learned a lot with my time there last year and it has helped me this season in USF2000. I’m certain I will learn even more this year and with the experience I gained in 2010 I know what to expect. I have to thank everyone that is involved in the Team USA Scholarship for giving me this opportunity.”
The Team USA Scholarship program also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, the Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, Parathyroid, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.

For more information, please visit www.TeamUSAScholarship.org or find us on Facebook.

TeamUSA_Release6_9-3.pdf

Rum Bum Racing Sets Speed Record at Kennedy Space Center

http://www.grand-am.com/news/index.cfm?series=k&cid=46032

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From a dramatic debut victory at Daytona International Speedway to the team’s iconic livery for the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing BMW to an incredible run of results for the second-year team, Rum Bum Racing has separated itself from the pack at every turn.

And so it came as little surprise to fans of the team that the squad took advantage of the multi-week break between GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge races not by slowing down, but rather by going flat out. What originally started as a way to test the aerodynamics on the No. 13 BMW M3 quickly became a record setting run.

When Rum Bum Racing team owner Luis Bacardi decided to take the No. 13 Rum Bum BMW to a completely new venue with a record-setting high-speed run on the wide open spaces of Kennedy Space Center’s huge runways, it was a break from everything the team had ever done before.

But with the crew led by canny veteran Joe Varde and the car pushed all the way past the top of the speedometer by Matt Plumb, Rum Bum Racing showed once again that the team is capable of success, no matter what the challenge.

Running as a guest of Performance Power Racing, with the International Mile Racing Association (IMRA) monitoring the test activites, Rum Bum Racing visited the hallowed but huge grounds where so many NASA Space Shuttles called home between visits to the skies. Performance Power Racing has a deep reserve of experience with this kind of top-speed tour, and was tapped to generate and capture the aerodynamic data that the runs were producing.

Rum Bum Racing found positive aerodynamic changes to be made, gathering new data that would not have been discovered or corrected without the straight line testing that was possible on the shuttle landing facilities.

The setting was ideal, as the wide open spaces and warm temperatures gave the team the room it needed for the BMW to stretch its legs and go for a new record. Read more of this post

GRAND-AM Releases First Image of Riley DPG3

Sept. 1, 2011

The Riley DPG3 features a smaller greenhouse, more upright nose and higher tail in addition to carrying over many of the existing Daytona Prototype systems.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – GRAND-AM has unveiled the initial image of the Riley Mk XXVI, the first car built to the new “DPG3” regulations for the third generation Daytona Prototype, the premier class of the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16.

Teams will have three opportunities to test the Riley DP G3 via open tests at Daytona International Speedway in November, December and early January; the car’s competitive debut will be in the 50th anniversary running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 28-29.

The most striking change with the Riley DPG3 is the smaller greenhouse around the driver. New GRAND-AM regulations calling for a more upright nose and a higher tail give the car a very dramatic shape.

“We are excited to finally show our new DP car to our many fans and to our customers,” said Bill Riley, Vice President of Riley Technologies. “This image is an artist’s impression created from our CAD models. The real thing is well on path for testing in the fall using the GRAND-AM testing plan. And the best thing about this new generation is, keeping with the plan of GRAND-AM since the beginning, the new car carries over much of the existing suspension, drive train, electronics, and other systems.”

The new Riley is designed to accept any approved engine for competition, including Chevrolet, Ford, BMW and Porsche.

“Today is an important day in the history of GRAND-AM,” said Tom Bledsoe, President of the sanctioning body. “With this first image of the first Daytona Prototype built to G3 specifications, we can show our future more clearly. It is our intent that the DP category will transition completely to the new G3 architecture by the end of 2012. We feel this new Riley and the other G3 products which will be unveiled soon will entice our current customers to update their cars now, along with attracting new competitors to join with GRAND-AM and NASCAR.”

GRAND-AM debuted the Daytona Prototype as the premier class of the Rolex Series in 2003. Riley Technologies debuted its first DP in 2004, winning its first of seven consecutive chassis constructors championships. Riley DPs won eight of 11 races this season, giving Riley 83 total victories.

Once all the DPG3 cars are built, they will be tested at Windshear’s 180 mph rolling wind tunnel in Concord, N.C. as part of GRAND-AM’s preparation for 2012 competition.

Behind the scenes- Continental Tire Technology Center

Delta Wing

Ozz Negri and John Pew hit the streets in Montreal

New Formula Renault

Brian Frisselle Montreal Rolex Sports Car Series Race Report

Brian Frisselle Montreal Rolex Sports Car Series Race Report

Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
Media
www.friselleracing.com

NOTE: Race broadcast set for 7:00 PM ET on SPEED

Montreal, Que. (20 August 2011) – Brian Frisselle rallied to an eighth place result in the Montreal 200 on Saturday following a frustrating weekend for Doran Racing.

An on-track incident in Friday’s final practice session saw co-driver Henri Richard sustain significant damage to the No.77 Office Depot Ford-Dallara and the Doran Racing team would be forced to start the race from the tail of the field as the car could not be repaired in time for the Saturday afternoon qualifying session.

Richard took the green flag for the two-hour sprint event and ran in the eighth position before pitting at the 35 minute mark to hand the driving duties over to Frisselle who would run the remainder of the race. Doran Racing had hoped to capitalize with a quick pit stop, but unfortunately the Richard to Frisselle exchange was compromised when the car was in gear, slowing the tire change as the field flew in green flag conditions.

The No. 77 would fall a lap down and Frisselle returned to the track in the 11th position. As Frisselle worked to make up ground on the field, he scored a series of stout laps and eventually made his way into the top-10 prior to the first and only race caution with 15 minutes to go.

The race would go green with 10 minutes remaining and the experienced racer took advantage on the restart to move up two final positions and finish the race eighth.

“The car was pretty good,” said Frisselle. “It was such an unknown because after the practice crash yesterday we made some changes. So I didn’t know what to expect but once I got a feel for it, it was pretty good. Obviously we’re missing quite a bit of pace on the leaders but we were able to hang with some decent cars. We were decently quick and the guys just did a great job of putting in all the hours to get the Office Depot car back rolling right. I can’t wait for the next one at Mid-Ohio. I love that track. It’s been a tough season in general and hopefully we can get a good result there.”

Frisselle will travel to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the final round of the 2011 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series championship September 16-17.

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BrianMontrealRace2011-pd.pdf

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media
http://www.sundaymanagement.com
317.908.2975 (m)


Based in Indianapolis, Sunday Group Management is a leading motorsports management and communications consulting firm.

Sunday Group Management works with clients in a variety of motorsports categories, including NASCAR Sprint Cup driver AJ Allmendinger, Riley Technologies, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series organization Michael Shank Racing, Continental Tire, and several teams and drivers in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition.

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, http://sundaygroupblog.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, or twitter.com/Sundaygroup

Burt Frisselle Montreal Race Report

Burt Frisselle Montreal Race Report

Contact: Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management

Media
www.friselleracing.com

NOTE: Race broadcast set for 7:00 PM ET on SPEED

Montreal, Que. (20 August 2011) – Burt Frisselle scored a seventh place result in Saturday’s Montreal 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series staged the penultimate round of the 2011 championship.

Frisselle opened the two-hour sprint event at the controls of the AIM Autosport No. 61 GAMMA88 BMW-Riley from sixth on the grid and wasted no time moving forward as he slotted into the fifth position on the second lap.

The Colorado racer delivered another strong performance throughout his stint and had a great battle for sixth position as the No. 01 Ganassi Daytona Prototype closed in from behind. Frisselle kept the GAMMA88 machine firmly in front of the charging No. 01 as the radio broadcasters noted Frisselle’s perfection through the corners as he defended against the four-time series champions.

Frisselle would regain his fifth place position before making his way to pit road on Lap 25 for AIM Autosport’s first scheduled pit stop. Co-driver Mark Wilkins strapped into the GAMMA88 BMW while the team worked quickly under green flag conditions and returned to the field sixth in line.

Wilkins, who resides in Canada, would work his way up to fourth in front of his home crowd and without any race cautions within the first 1 hour and 20 minutes of the event, was forced to make the team’s second scheduled pit stop under green with 42 minutes remaining in the race. Compromising the call was the fact that radio issues made for some communication challenges between the car and the pits.

AIM Autosport again made quick work in the pits and the No. 61 returned to race action eighth in the order with Wilkins making his way into the seventh position prior to the race’s one and only caution period which occurred with just 15 minutes remaining.

The late-race caution would bunch the field for a 10-minute sprint to the finish but unfortunately the No. 61 would sustain contact from another car on the restart and was forced to the pits for repairs. Another notable effort by the AIM Autosport squad saw the No. 61 return to the track in its same position to finish the race seventh.

“All the AIM Autosport guys worked so hard this weekend and I think qualifying ahead of the Ganassi car has to be the highlight of our weekend,” said Frisselle. “They run the same package as we do and in the race we were running the same speed as them so I’m proud of all the AIM guys. The result wasn’t what we wanted for GAMMA 88 but the guys worked hard all weekend and the process that we went through was excellent for everybody. It was definitely a challenging race but a top-10 is good and it was great to be ahead of Ganassi in qualifying so we’ll just keep on digging.”

The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series will present the final race of the year at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course September 16-17.

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BurtFrisselleMontrealrace-pd.pdf

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media
http://www.sundaymanagement.com
317.908.2975 (m)


Based in Indianapolis, Sunday Group Management is a leading motorsports management and communications consulting firm.

Sunday Group Management works with clients in a variety of motorsports categories, including NASCAR Sprint Cup driver AJ Allmendinger, Riley Technologies, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series organization Michael Shank Racing, Continental Tire, and several teams and drivers in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge competition.

For additional information: www.sundaymanagement.com, http://sundaygroupblog.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, or twitter.com/Sundaygroup