Eighth Edition of Classic Sebring 12 Hour Tribute Event to Sebring’s Rich Motorsports and Aviation History Concludes Sunday at Sebring International Raceway

SEBRING, Florida (December 2, 2023) – The Eighth Running of the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, hit the halfway mark early Saturday evening as darkness fell on Sebring International Raceway.

Each of the four competing Run Groups have completed the first two of their four race segments that will be run over the course of Saturday and Sunday, and a mixed group of potential first time winners and previous HSR Classic 12 Hour champions has emerged as the race leaders at the halfway point.

In Group C, Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss have carried the momentum of yesterday’s B.R.M. Endurance Challenge overall race victory in the HSR Sebring Historics straight into the HSR Classic 12 in pursuit of their first “HSR Classics” overall win. With the first two segments in the books, Marshall and Foss have co-driven the Matador Motorsports 2017 No. 02 Cadillac DPi to a more than one minute overall lead in Group C. While the lead margin looks somewhat comfortable on paper, the Matador team is being kept honest by Stuart Wiltshire who crossed the line first in Group C race two in his No. 10 Acura ARX-05 DPi.

Group B is emerging as a feel-good family affair with Kyle Collins leading at halfway in the GMT Racing 1972 No. 8 Chevron B21. Collins is driving the same Chevron raced to a 2020 Classic 12 Run Group victory by his Grandfather John Delane who this year has a radio on and is coaching his young protege from the pits.

Former Sebring and Daytona HSR Classics winner Toni Seiler is halfway home to another B.R.M. Chronographes watch as the mid-race leader in Run Group A. Seiler is driving the same 1969 No. 17 Lola T165 in which he scored a close second place Classic Daytona 24 Run Group finish last month at the “World Center of Racing.”

Another entry in line for a first-time HSR Classics win is Patrick Womack who is co-driving his FedEx 2014 No. 11 Toyota Camry with NASCAR ace Joe Nemechek. Taking a page from last June’s popular Garage 56 NASCAR stock car effort at Le Mans, the Nemechek team has equipped the Camry with full headlights, taillights and brake lights in pursuit of a endurance race win in Run Group D. After the first two rounds, Womack and Nemechek led by nearly 30 seconds.

Sunday’s final day of competition at the HSR Classic 12 begins at Noon EST when all four Run Groups will compete in their final rounds in succession to determine the 2024 winners of this year’s Sebring Classic.

Detailed event information for the Classic Sebring 12 Hour and Sebring Historics is available at www.HSRRace.com.

Spectator tickets for the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour are available exclusively at the Sebring International Raceway ticket office through the weekend. For more information visit www.HSRRace.com. Please note listed prices are for advance purchases and at-event prices may be slightly higher.

Detailed event information for the Classic Sebring 12 Hour and Sebring Historics is available at www.HSRRace.com.

Spectator tickets for the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour are available exclusively at the Sebring International Raceway ticket office through the weekend. For more information visit www.HSRRace.com. Please note listed prices are for advance purchases and at-event prices may be slightly higher.

About HSR: An International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

2 December 2023, Chile: Rosberg X Racing (RXR) took the win in Round 9, marking the team’s third victory of Season 3 and first victory in Chile at the Antofagasta Minerals Copper X Prix.

Finishing just 0.35 seconds ahead of nearest rivals ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team (ASXE), Johan Kristoffersson and Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinksy have taken the lead in the championship fight by six points with just one round to go.

Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, Rosberg X Racing, said: “I just tried to keep it tidy and keep Laia [Sanz] behind, but it was tight racing. Johan had a great start, and it was a great team effort. It’s really great to be taking home the win. We’re thrilled to be leading the championship and are looking forward to carrying this momentum into the next race.”

Johan Kristoffersson, Rosberg X Racing, said: “It was a great race between me and Mattias [Ekström]. I really enjoyed that battle. Then, watching Mikaela and Laia drive was really impressive. Tomorrow is a new day, and we’re now in the Championship lead, so it’s going to be an exciting showdown.”

X44 Vida Carbon Racing, who entered the Round 9 Grand Final having finished as top Qualifiers, complete the podium but are now out of reach of a second Extreme E title.

Fourth place in the race went to the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team, with Tanner Foust and debutant Hedda Hosås putting forward consistent performances throughout the day’s racing action.

A DNF for Veloce Racing, who only managed to crawl off the start line due to damage sustained in Qualifying, puts the British squad out of contention for the Season 3 title having entered the weekend in third.

Winners of the Redemption Race were Lia Block and Timo Scheider, as Carl Cox Motorsport ended the day on a high having narrowly missed out on the Grand Final.

Find out where to watch tomorrow’s action here as Extreme E heads into Round 8 at the Island X Prix in Sardinia.

Grand Final

Tensions were high as the teams lined up on the start line, with four of them still in contention for the Extreme E Season 3 title.

ASXE launched into the lead, while behind RXR’s Kristoffersson hung back to surge through the middle of the pack in the first corner to take second. X44’s Fraser McConnell slotted into third with NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team’s Foust behind in fourth.

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As the dust settled, Veloce Racing could be seen still on the start line, before Kevin Hansen was able to start his ODYSSEY 21, avoiding a DNS to gain 10 points for the team. The damage sustained in Qualifying not only put Veloce Racing out of the race, but also out of the running for a maiden Extreme E title.

As the front two entered the Switch Zone, RXR’s Kristoffersson was able to pull up alongside ASXE’s Mattias Ekström. This proved crucial when ASXE struggled to leave their bay in the Switch Zone and dropped into second.

Åhlin-Kottulinsky absorbed the pressure from ASXE’s Laia Sanz throughout their two-lap stint to take victory for RXR. The win, alongside their Heat win in Qualifying and leading time in the Continental Traction Challenge, sees Nico Rosberg’s outfit at the top of the standings by six points as the championship fight goes down to the wire.

Laia Sanz, ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “It’s a bitter sweet feeling after the Grand Final because the victory was really close and we were unlucky in the driver switch because all of a sudden there was a sand storm. That’s where I lost first place.

“The good thing is that both me and Mattias know that we had pace for more. We can be really happy that we are trailing by only six points because in the morning everything appeared to be much worse after the technical issue we encountered in the first Qualifying. We will give it our all tomorrow. We must go all in for the victory.”

X44 Vida Carbon Racing retained their position in third, ahead of NEOM McLaren XE, to make it onto the podium. The top-two finish for RXR and ASXE, however, means that the British team are out of the mix for the championship win.

Fraser McConnell, X44 Vida Carbon Racing, said: “It was a really awesome day. We won the first Heat, and came second our next Heat. Unfortuantely our GridPlay didn’t help us out and we got the last pick, but we made the best of what we had. I came out of the first corner in third, and we kept it clean in a realy tough Final with lots of fast guys and girls out there. We managed to stay in the fight for as long as we could and brought it home in P3 to repay the team with another podium.”

Redemption Race

With Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E and ABT CUPRA XE unable to start the race due to incidents in Qualifying, three cars lined up on the start line of the Redemption Race.

Carl Cox Motorsport’s Scheider used his ENOWA Hypderdrive off the line to take the lead ahead of JBXE’s Andreas Bakkerud, with No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s RJ Anderson in third.

Untroubled runs for both Scheider and Block saw Carl Cox Motorsport cross the line in first place, making the most of the situation having narrowly missed out on a place in the Grand Final.

A puncture for JBXE saw the team drop back into third place with a DNF, while No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing took second having both rolled and suffered at the hands of a 30-second penalty in Qualifying.

RESULTS

Grand Final

1. Rosberg X Racing 8:26.992mins
2. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team +0.356s
3. X44 Vida Carbon Racing +3.748s
4. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team +8.754s
5. Veloce Racing DNF

Redemption Race

1. Carl Cox Motorsport 8:36.520mins
2. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing +15.012s
3. JBXE DNF
4. ABT CUPRA XE DNS
5. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E DNS

Championship Standings

1. Rosberg X Racing: 164 points
2. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team: 158 points
3. Veloce Racing: 129 points
4. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing: 105 points
5. X44 Vida Carbon Racing: 103 points
6. ABT CUPRA XE: 75 points
7. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E: 71 points
8. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team: 57 points
9. Carl Cox Motorsport: 48 points
10. JBXE: 46 points

To learn more about Extreme E, visit – www.Extreme-E.com

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (December 1, 2023) – The high-speed thrills of the inaugural Riskon360! Open Wheel Showdown continued Friday night with Winged Sprint Car time trials, heat races, and the fast dash. Litchfield, Michigan’s Jason Blonde stormed to a new track record at 11.629 seconds / 116.089 miles per hour before Langley, British Columbia, Canada’s Aaron Willison snagged the dash win and the pole for Saturday’s $50,000 to win feature.

“Well it’s really an honor. Look at the field of cars we have here today. So many incredible cars and incredible drivers. I’m honored to be out front and lead this historic race to green,” Willison said. “Going to have to get through the first 50 laps nice and clean without beating our stuff up. I think you’re going to really start to see people get after it in the second half of the hundred laps.”

Blonde’s qualifying effort opened official competition for the three-division Open Wheel spectacular, paying a record $250,000 in prize money for Winged Sprint Cars, Midgets, and Speed Tour Super Modifieds. The fast-time itself paid $1000 courtesy of Dave Parrie.

“It feels pretty awesome (to set the track record). Hats off to the Dick Meyers 50m Ram Engineering team,” Blonde said. “Man I tell you, it’s a fast car. Proud to be in it.”

Six Winged Sprint Car heat races followed for 12-laps each, advancing the top-three of each directly into Saturday’s championship feature. Blonde paced the field from the pole in the opening race. Aaron Pierce reeled him in before spinning into a smokey slide on the exit of turn two. Blonde paced the final laps for the victory while Pierce recovered to finish fourth for a B-Main appearance on Saturday night.

Bobby Santos of Franklin, Mass. won the second heat race from the pole over London, Ontario, Canada’s Ryan Litt. Langley, British Columbia’s Jeff Montgomery rode over the front wheels of Idaho’s Mike Murgoitio at the start of the third heat race. The race was completely restarted with Montgomery outfoxing Murgoitio for the victory.

Willison and Davey Hamilton, Jr. of Tampa, Florida staged a thrilling display of battling in their heat race. Willison fended off a three-wide maneuver from Hamilton in traffic to win the race from the outside pole position.

Eric Humphries of Fresno and Tacoma, Wash.’s Evan Margeson rounded out the heat race victors. A redraw of the heat race winners set the dash lineup, with Willison drawing pole alongside Montgomery.

Willison paced all 10-laps of the non-stop dash which will place him on the pole for Saturday’s championship finale.

In other action, brothers Tanner and Kody Swanson traded spots at the top of the practice leaderboard in the Midgets while Davey Hamilton, Sr., Bryan Warf, and Dave Danzer continued to be the top drivers in the Speed Tour Super Modified practices.

All three divisions will stage main events on Saturday night along with C- and B-Mains for the Winged Sprint Cars and qualifying for the Midgets and Sprint Cars. Grandstands open at 12:30pm for on track action. Opening ceremonies are set for 3:30pm with feature racing to follow. Tickets are available at the gate as well as all-access pit passes. Speed Sport TV provides live pay-per-view streaming coverage as well.

Race fans can learn more about the Open Wheel Showdown at www.OpenWheelShowdown.com or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

(El Cajon, CA, November 29, 2023) Teenage racing star Braden Chiaramonte closed out the USAC Midget racing season last week with two races at the Merced Speedway and at the 82nd Running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Ventura Raceway. The three races were his 41st, 42nd, and 43rd of the 2023 campaign. They were his last speed contests until the 39th Annual Tulsa Shootout that runs from December 26th through the 31st.

For the final three races of the USAC Midget season, Chiaramonte was back behind the wheel of the Graunstadt Enterprises – Streeter Racing/Gary Silva Ranches/T&T Trucking/Spike/Stanton/SR 11X #14J. He came into the Merced races after placing 22nd in the main the previous Friday at the Placerville Speedway

Merced Speedway, November 21st

The El Cajon, California-based teen headed to Doug Lockwood’s always well-prepared Merced Speedway for the two nights of racing on November 21st and 22nd. Twenty-nine other cars showed up for the third to last USAC Midget race of the 2023 campaign. When time trials concluded, Chiaramonte had turned in the 15th fastest lap at 11.809. The goal in the heat races was to finish in the top five and go directly to the A main without having to run the B. That is just what the driver known as “Spare Change” did in the third 10 lapper. He placed fifth to make his second USAC National Midget main in three starts in 2023.

Chiaramonte lined up 15th in the talent-laden 23-car main event field that included World of Outlaw and USAC Sprint, Silver Crown, and Midget heroes. After 30 intense, high-speed laps, he brought the black and gold #14J home in 18th.

Merced Speedway, November 22nd

Night two at Merced saw 31 cars go to battle on the well-manicured 1/3 mile clay oval. Qualifying again kicked off the night and Chiaramonte cut .152 off his first night time with a lap of 11.657. Thursday’s heats only put the top four drivers straight into the main. Unfortunately, the talented teen ended up sixth in the second heat and unlike 24 hours earlier, he had to take on the B main for a chance to get into the A.

Except momentarily slipping back to seventh, Chiaramonte virtually held the sixth spot the entire distance to earn his passage into the 30-lap finale.

For the 30-lap main on the second night of “Midget Madness,” Chiaramonte started 17th. Despite slipping back to 20th early on, he came back to finish in the same spot as he started. That gave him three straight A main appearances in the toughest midget series on the planet.

Ventura Raceway, November 25

Chiaramonte’s outdoor season ended in Ventura at the 82nd running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix. The prestigious race is the third oldest in the USA behind only the Indianapolis 500 and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. An enthusiastic sellout crowd was cheering from the grandstands and the race was streamed live on Flo Racing making it available to thousands of other fans around the world.

A strong 48-car field signed into the pits for the final race of the 2023 campaign. Chiaramonte’s time of 12.831 was the 39th best on the track that is located next to the beach on the Ventura County Fairgrounds. A ninth-place result in the first qualifying race meant that the 16-year-old driver would have to head to the B main in an effort to get one of the last four positions into the 98-lap finale.

The personable teen started 14th in the B. Getting entangled in someone else’s faux pas early on meant he had to go to the back for the restart. On a small track like Ventura, that is anything but good in a short (12-lap) race. Chiaramonte did the best he could in the limited time he had but the laps ticked off too fast. He got up to 13th by the time the checkered waved. That was not enough to get to the A main and his night was over.

The schedule slows down for the next few weeks before Chiaramonte heads to Oklahoma for the 39th Tulsa Shootout from December 26th through the 31st. While the driver and his crew will be away from the track, they will stay busy as they are working on marketing partnerships for the 2024 season. If you are interested in becoming a partner with one of the most talented and personable young drivers in motorsports please feel free to e-mail or call Daniel Chiaramonte at mailto:dchiaramonte@rtltraffic.com or (619) 988 7563.

Chiaramonte would like to thank all his sponsors who have made his racing efforts possible. RTL Traffic Control, AM Ortega, Hyper Racing, Chop Design, Adams Motors, Hacienda Casa Blanca Fine Mexican Dining, Evil Plus Injection, King Racing Products, Tiner-Hirst Enterprises, and Keizer Wheels.

Eighth Edition of Classic Sebring 12 Hour Tribute Event for Sebring’s Rich Motorsports and Aviation History Saturday and Sunday at Sebring International Raceway Features New and Returning Historic Sports Cars and Classic Airplanes

SEBRING, Florida (December 1, 2023) – The season-ending Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge, Sasco Sports International/American Challenge and Classic RS Cup races came to a competitive conclusion Friday at the HSR Sebring Historics at Sebring International Raceway.

The Sebring Historics wrap up HSR’s season-long racing series and championships while setting the stage for this weekend’s eighth running of HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network.

Friday’s big winners included a trio of victorious teams across three classes in the B.R.M. Endurance Challenge race for the Prototype, GT Modern (GTM) and Historic classes.

The overall and Prototype B.R.M. Endurance Challenge win went to the Matador Motorsports 2017 No. 02 Cadillac DPi of Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss. The team shook off both Marshall’s lap one slide through Sebring’s tricky Turn 17 and a late deflating tire with Foss at the wheel to top a competitive 36-car field.

Second overall and in Prototype went to the Olthoff Racing 2007 No. 25 Oreca FLM09 driven by veteran HSR competitor Larry Huang.

The overall podium was completed by GTM-class winner Juan Lopez-Santini in his 901 Shop 2016 No. 8 Audi R8 LMS Ultra. In addition to finishing a stout third overall, Lopez-Santini continued the recent trend of swapping top-two race finishes with his teammate Jeronimo Guzman. Guzman led the one-two team finish in Thursday’s Stoner Car Care Global GT race only to see Lopez-Santini return the favor today.

Guzman’s GTM runner-up finish saw him cross the finish line fifth overall, just one spot behind the third-place Prototype finishers. Francesco Melandri and Nigel Greensall co-drove the 2017 No. 24 Fransco Racing Ligier JS/P3 to the class podium finish and a fourth place overall showing.

Melandri and Greensall once again pulled double duty in the one-hour B.R.M. race, trading off driving duties in both the Ligier and the Fransco Racing 1996 No. 96 Porsche 993 GT2 in the Historic class.

The Historic division victory went to the similar Air Power Racing 1996 No. 836 Porsche 993 RSR driven by Kenneth Greenberg. Greenberg battled with Melandri and Greensall in a 993 RSR shootout for part of the race but the Porsches ended up being spilt on the Historic podium by second-place finisher Andrew Myers in his Wolf Motorsports 2001 No. 51 Carbir CS2 Sports 2000. Melandri and Greensall, meanwhile, scored third-place showings in both Prototype and Historic in the same race.

The B.R.M. races final podium player was Bob Neapole who pulled off a last lap pass for third in GTM at the wheel of his 2016 RBN Motorsports with Cosmo-Sport No. 167 Porsche 991 GT3R prepared by Hudson Historics.

Three more race winners were crowned in the final Sasco Sports race of the season that includes classes for American, International and Porsche competitors. The Sasco Sports race was run at the same time as the season-ending Classic RS Cup race that saw frequent HSR winner Todd Treffert rebound from a disappointing day on track Thursday to take the RS Cup win in his Speedconcepts 1974 No. 141 Porsche 911 IROC prepared by the 901 Shop.

The overall winner in the Sasco Sports/Classic RS Cup race was Colin Watson who went two-for-two in HSR feature race victories in his quick Boss Racing 2000 No. 91 Caterham C400. Watson and co-driver Jeremy Adams were also victorious in Thursday’s B.R.M. Endurance Challenge Vintage and GT Classic (GTC) race. Friday’s Sasco Sports victory saw Watson top a 37-car field and take International class honors as well.

The Sasco Sports American division victory went to none other than NASCAR legend and Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee Bill Elliott in the Vintage Race Car Restorations 1970 No. 9 Ford Mustang Boss 302.

The Sasco Sports Porsche class victory was secured by Colin Dougherty in his 1988 No. 77 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup series car prepared by DAS Sport.

Saturday’s on-track HSR schedule at Sebring features the start of the eighth annual Classic Sebring 12 Hour at 12 p.m. EST. The opening rounds for all four competing Run Groups will take place in succession in a non-stop rotation until the day’s final checkered flag at 9 p.m. EST.

Detailed event information for the Classic Sebring 12 Hour and Sebring Historics is available at www.HSRRace.com.

Spectator tickets for the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour are available exclusively at the Sebring International Raceway ticket office through the weekend. For more information visit www.HSRRace.com. Please note listed prices are for advance purchases and at-event prices may be slightly higher.

About HSR: An International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (November 30, 2023) – The highly anticipated opening Thursday night of the Riskon360! Open Wheel Showdown saw Winged Sprint Cars and Speed Tour Super Modified begin their on track action in search of record paydays at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Davey Hamilton, Jr. of Nampa, Idaho set a blistering lap in his Kirk Morgan Racing No. 14 Sprint Car, running an 11.887 second lap on the .375-mile oval at 113.579 miles per hour average. Hamilton led the nearly 50 Sprint Cars that took times throughout the two lightning-fast practice sessions.

“It’s intense. This track is intense. You can’t be full throttle, but you’re living on the edge in these cars here,” Hamilton said. “I went up and watched the other sprint cars go around the track – I couldn’t believe this is what I do for a living. These guys and girls are just absolutely talented. Our car is running good. Everything is going good so far.”

“Our team is so solid this year. This race is about having the best sprint cars drivers in the country competing for the most money ever. We have that this weekend for sure.”

2023 Pink Lady Classic winner Evan Margeson of Tacoma, Washington, Franklin, Mass.’s Bobby Santos III, Tyler Roahrig of Plymouth, Indiana, and 2023 Must See Sprint Car champion Jason Blonde of Litchfield, Michigan rounded out the second practice session top-five.

Blonde led the evening session with a 12.096 second lap. Temperatures fell into the evening and the night session saw speeds increasing considerably.

“This is what it’s all about. You live for this stuff. It’s an honor to race against all these great drivers,” Blonde said.

11-time Indianapolis 500 starter Davey Hamilton, Sr. topped the Speed Tour Super Modified proceedings at press time, driving down to a 12.168 second lap during the second session. 2023 Oswego Classic winner Dave Danzer was second fastest in the night session of cars which had recorded times.

Activity increases tremendously on Friday for the inaugural Riskon360! Open Wheel Showdown with practice for all three participating divisions: the $50,000 to win Winged Sprint Cars, $10,000 to win Midgets, and $5,000 to win Speed Tour Super Modifieds. Grandstands open at 12:30pm to witness all of the action. Winged Sprint Cars will have all important time trails at 2:45pm, which will set the grids for the six 12-lap heat races later that evening. Opening Ceremonies are set for 5pm followed by the heat races and the fast dash for the six heat race winners to duel for the pole of the 100 lap Saturday night feature.

Tickets are available online at www.LVMS.com 2-day and single day pit passes are available at the gate and include grandstand access. Race fans can learn more about the Open Wheel Showdown at www.OpenWheelShowdown.com or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

BRIGGS & STRATTON MOTORSPORTS NAMES SPIKE KOHLBECKER AS BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR PERFORMANCE RACING INDUSTRY (PRI) TRADE SHOW

“It always starts in a kart”

ST. LOUIS, MO and MILWAUKEE, WI (November 30, 2023) – At 20 years old, St. Louis, Missouri-native Spike Kohlbecker is celebrating his 16th year of competitive racing. A Margay Racing factory kart racing driver since the age of 5, and a current driver in the Toyota GAZOO Racing GRCup North America series, Kohlbecker credits his recent success in sportscars to his extensive experience in Briggs & Stratton powered karts.

Briggs & Stratton’s 206 kart racing engine is the global leader in 4-cycle kart racing. “The 206 that has powered Spike and so many other racers in the Margay racing series places the focus on the driver and kart setup,” says Dan Roche, Director of Racing, Briggs & Stratton. “Day and night, we work to produce a package that is identical from one engine to the next, so when an individual driver stands out, you know that driver has talent.”

“We are thrilled to have Spike, his Margay kart and his #55 Toyota GRCup car represent our ‘Karts to Cars’ focus at the PRI Trade Show,” Roche continued. “He has excelled through the early stages of the professional racing process and is a shining example of the strength a solid kart racing foundation can provide.”

“What I enjoy most about racing is winning and representing my great sponsors and partners who make it all possible,” Kohlbecker noted. “The last race of the season we took the checkered flag at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway and now my Toyota GRCup car will be prominently displayed at PRI, the world’s largest gathering of motorsports professionals in the Briggs & Stratton Racing booth back in Indianapolis. I’m excited to talk about racing my way from karts to cars and the importance of a reliable, consistent engine like the Briggs & Stratton 206 racing engine,” Kohlbecker added.

Keith Freber of Margay Racing noted, “It is well established that karting provides the foundation for virtually every successful career in motorsports, it always starts in karts. Briggs & Stratton and their factory-sealed 206 engine program has solidified that by providing an accessible, affordable, and competitive engine platform. Aspiring young drivers like Spike Kohlbecker have benefitted from the Briggs 206 and Ignite karting platform because of the exceptional parity it provides and the emphasis on driver development. At every step up the motorsports ladder, Kohlbecker has proven that he can compete for wins. His success is directly attributable to the time spent in Briggs-powered karting and further proof that it always starts in karts.”

The Briggs & Stratton Racing booth at PRI is located in space #4442. Spike will be on hand for autographs and to answer questions during show hours on Friday, December 8 and Saturday, December 9.

About Spike Kohlbecker
Spike Kohlbecker, a 20-year-old professional driver and student at Boise State University School of Business and Economics and a fifteen-year factory and development driver for Margay Racing. After a successful transition from 5 years of open wheel racing to sports car racing in the 2023 Toyota GAZOO Racing GRCup North America Championship, Kohlbecker credits his Briggs & Stratton powered racing experience as foundational to his motorsport’s success. For sponsorship opportunities and to learn more about Spike Kohlbecker please visit spikekohlbeckerracing.com.

About Briggs & Stratton
Briggs & Stratton, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, provides innovative products and diverse power solutions to help people get work done. Briggs & Stratton is the world’s largest producer of engines for outdoor power equipment, and is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of lithium-ion battery, standby generator, energy storage system, lawn and garden, turf care and job site products through its Briggs & Stratton®, Vanguard®, Ferris®, Simplicity®, Snapper®, Billy Goat®, Allmand®, SimpliPhi®, Branco® and Victa® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed, and serviced in more than 100 countries on six continents.

About Margay Racing
Based in Saint Louis, MO, Margay Racing is the most successful racing kart manufacturer in the United States, supporting drivers in all divisions of karting and producing winning karts for countless local, regional, and national champions. Now in its 60th year, Margay is owned by third-generation family member, Keith Freber. More information on Margay can be found at www.margay.com.

About The Artist
James Mann is a car enthusiast and aspiring automotive designer from St. Louis, Missouri and has brilliantly captured Spike’s #55 Toyota Racing GRCup car that will be on display at the PRI show. More information on James Mann can be found on his Instagram gallery @jamesmanndesign.

About Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show
Since its inception in 1986, Performance Racing Industry (PRI) has served as the motorsports industry’s key source for trends, merchandising ideas, new products, business strategies, and more. Through the world’s premier auto racing trade show in Indianapolis, Indiana, as well as PRI’s award-winning monthly business magazine, digital platforms and social networks, motorsports industry members from all over the world remain at the cutting edge of the worldwide racing marketplace. Founded by racing entrepreneur Steve Lewis, PRI was purchased by SEMA in 2012.

The annual PRI Trade Show features over 1,000 companies exhibiting in more than 3,400 booths and showcasing the latest products, services, machinery, simulation and testing technologies, and trailers for the racing industry at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis. Launched in 1988, the show encompasses all forms of racing and attracts attendees from all 50 states and across the globe, including professional race teams, retail shops, warehouse distributors, engine builders, fabricators, dealers, installers, jobbers, and media. More information on PRI can be found at https://www.performanceracing.com

• Boss Racing 2000 No. 91 Caterham C400 Co-Drivers Colin Watson and Jeremy Adams Score First B.R.M. Endurance Challenge Victory
• Jeronimo Guzman Wins Stoner Car Care Global GT Season Finale in 901 Shop 2015 No. 48 Audi R8 LMSA Ultra
• Jamie Busby Takes B.R.M. Endurance Vintage Class Honors in His KMW Motorsports 1970 No. 188 Porsche 914/6
• Eighth Edition of Classic Sebring 12 Hour Tribute Event for Sebring’s Rich Motorsports and Aviation History This Thursday Through Sunday at Sebring International Raceway Features New and Returning Historic Sports Cars and Classic Airplanes

SEBRING, Florida (November 30, 2023) – Back-to-back Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) feature races kicked-off the competition schedule late Thursday afternoon at Sebring International Raceway for the HSR Sebring Historics and this weekend’s eighth running of HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network.

A first-time HSR feature race winner emerged for the overall victory in the one-hour B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge race for the GT Classic (GTC) and Vintage classes while the Stoner Car Care Global GT sprint that immediately followed went to a familiar driver who just missed out on the win one race ago at the HSR Classic Daytona 24 earlier this month.

Colin Watson and Jeremy Adams broke through for their first B.R.M. Endurance overall victory and GTC class honors in their quick Boss Racing 2000 No. 91 Caterham C400. The British duo kept predominant race leader Todd Treffert in sight throughout the race and took advantage of some unusual late trouble the Porsche driver encountered.

Treffert looked on his way to another B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance race win only to be sidetracked by a loose window net and flat right rear tire while leading the race with less than 10 minutes remaining. Treffert was called to the pits by race officials to refasten the window net and then had to nurse the deflating tire to the finish.

Despite the setbacks, Treffert crossed the finish line in his Speedconcepts 1974 No. 141 Porsche 911 IROC prepared by the 901 Shop just 3.192 seconds behind the winning Caterham, which showed its winning pace by setting the fastest race lap.

Third overall behind the Caterham and IROC 911 was Vintage-class winner Jamie Busby in his KMW Motorsports 1970 No. 188 Porsche 914/6.

Fourth overall and third in GTC went to co-drivers Dean DeSantis and Josh Tuggle in their Heritage Motorsports 1969 No. 133 Porsche 911 RSR.

The overall top-five was completed by the Boss Racing sister entry of Stephen Collins who also garnered runner-up honors in Vintage in his 2014 No. 69 Caterham 7 420R.

Third in the Vintage class was frequent HSR podium finisher Colin Dougherty in his 1988 No. 77 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup series car prepared by DAS Sport.

The Stoner Car Care race win was secured by Jeronimo Guzman who turned the tables on his 901 Shop teammate Juan Lopez-Santini in his 2015 No. 48 Audi R8 LMSA Ultra. Guzman finished second to Lopez-Santini in the Global GT race at Daytona but this time he led the similar 901 Shop 2016 No. 8 Audi R8 LMSA Ultra of his teammate across the line for the victory. The third-place finisher was Vin Barletta in the Turner Motorsport 2016 No. 96 BMW M6/GTLM.

Friday’s on-track HSR highlights at Sebring include the year-end one-hour HSR B.R.M. Historic/Prototype and GT Modern (GTM) Enduro, the first rounds of the season-ending HSR WeatherTech Sprint races, and the season-ending Sasco Sports International/American Challenge race.

Friday also features at 5 p.m. EST the annual parade of vintage airplanes and warbirds from nearby Sebring Regional Airport to the Sebring International Raceway false grid area where they will be on display until Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. EST.

Detailed event information for the Classic Sebring 12 Hour and Sebring Historics is available at www.HSRRace.com.

Spectator tickets for the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour are available exclusively at the Sebring International Raceway ticket office through the weekend. For more information visit www.HSRRace.com. Please note listed prices are for advance purchases and at-event prices may be slightly higher.

About HSR: An International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.