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Tips For Arranging A Race Track Day

By
SM
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For the majority of petrolheads, the idea of taking their car or bike around a race track where their revered heroes have raced is just about as close to nirvana as it gets. While it’s great watching racing, nothing quite compares to grabbing your own slice of the action and racing around one of the world’s best circuits – but what’s involved in booking a day at a race venue, and just how do you organize a successful track day? If you – like so many others – yearn for your chance to drive a famous race track but aren’t quite sure where to start, read on for some top tips. 

Researching and booking your track day

Once you’ve decided you want to book a day at a race track, the first thing you’ll need to do is find a supplier that offers the type of experience you’re looking for. These days, it’s easier than ever to find operators using the internet, but you should be aware they tend to provide different experiences based mostly on the following criteria:

  • Number of vehicles – the number of cars allowed on the track at once
  • Vehicle type – whether your car is race-standard or road-standard
  • Limits on noise – the amount of noise your vehicle creates
  • Permitted type of overtaking – either on one side or both sides
  • Session type – either making laps at any time or in sessions
  • Price – the cost of the booking

When you go to book, if this information isn’t openly available, you should ask the supplier for confirmation on each to avoid disappointment.

Choosing which track is right for you

This largely comes down to your experience level and geographical limitations. For example, your favored race track might be located miles from your home, meaning you’ll need to think about how to get your vehicle to the track (particularly if it’s not deemed to be road-standard). It’s worth noting, companies like Shiply can arrange for car or motorcycle shipping which could save a long journey prior to racing, allowing you to fly rather than drive your car/bike, and pick it up at your destination.

Perhaps more important than location, though, is your driving level and experience. All tracks are different, and some are more technical than others. As a rule, if you’re just starting out, you should look for tracks that have a long run-off area on bends and other technical sections. Run-off areas are safety zones (normally gravel, grass, or asphalt) where you can regain control, reducing the chances of damaging your vehicle (or yourself) should you not find the right racing line. 

The different types of session

It’s important to realize the differences between open tracks days and sessions:

Open sessions: On an open track day, the racecourse is open all day – which typically means racing with drivers of mixed ability and different powered cars/bikes. This will normally result in you overtaking/being overtaken regularly. 

Fixed sessions: In fixed session racing, you’ll be racing against drivers of a similar standard and experience in vehicles of a similar power rating to your own. Racers start at the same time (just as you’d see in professional racing) over a fixed number of laps. Note – these groupings are made on the drivers’ opinion of their skill, so it’s important you’re honest when grading your driving level. 

The Role of Freight Brokerage Companies in Shipper Carrier Relationships

By
SM
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Freight brokerages have existed for years and have become even more critical now than they were in the past due to the increased global trade. A freight broker plays an essential role in this industry by bringing buyers and sellers together to negotiate the best price for the shipping services they need. In many cases, a freight broker may not act as an agent on behalf of one individual buyer or seller but may act as an intermediary. They usually charge a commission for their work. Still, they provide a valuable service in helping to make sure that there is a market for a given service, allowing people to get the products or services they need on time.

Types of freight brokers

There are many types of freight brokers. The most common are those who work through the significant freight brokerage firms in the United States and Canada. However, there are also independent freight brokers that have formed partnerships with these larger firms. Some independent brokers are called “third-party motor carriers,” while others are considered brokers that provide a list of available carriers.

Responsibilities that freight brokerage firms must fulfill

There are many different responsibilities that freight brokerage firms must fulfill to be legal. They are responsible for providing a list of carriers that are available to do business with. They have to perform a thorough evaluation of each carrier to determine whether they will provide the needed services. In addition, freight brokerage firms must evaluate the proposals of each shipping services company and evaluate the tenders that companies submit to secure funding for shipment. Finally, they have to keep up with all applicable documentation and reporting requirements that various transportation agencies require to operate lawfully.

The most important part of the supply chain is the shipping agency. Suppose the transportation agency does not correctly assess the needs of the shippers. In that case, the transportation providers may choose to bypass this critical step and let the shippers work with companies that do not provide the needed services. For example, if there is a deficit between the amount of available product and the demand for that product, the shippers will be able to ship goods where they are wanted but without the ability to pay for the goods. This means that the transportation agency may choose to work with shippers that cannot pay for the goods that they need. By allowing shipments to go to companies that can pay, the freight brokerage firm is helping ensure that there is a demand for the product and that the companies who receive the shipment are capable of fulfilling their part in the supply chain.

While some people are happy to know that the freight brokerage firm is doing all of the paperwork and checking to ensure no problems are associated with shippers, some shippers want more control. Freight brokers usually have direct access to motor carriers and therefore can influence the use of those carriers. For example, if a freight brokerage firm has a large client base, the service may use one carrier to make a profit. The shippers who have control over the transportation of their goods prefer this scenario because they can ensure that they get the best services possible.

Is being a freight broker stressful?

Freight brokers do not always make good business relationships with the carriers that they work with. If a freight brokerage firm does not have enough of a relationship with a specific carrier, it can pressure the carrier to undersell. This can be bad news for shippers because the lower prices they can for shipments will generate a higher bottom line. Having a bad relationship with a carrier could also have an indirect effect on the cost of the cargo. For example, if the carrier sends the shippers an invoice for services they did not provide, they may consider hiring a new carrier to avoid being assessed late fees.

A freight brokerage firm can also put a strain on the transportation management system that is in place. Suppose a shipper contacts a brokerage firm regularly for estimates or quotes. In that case, the transportation management system may not accurately calculate how much money the carrier should charge based on the type and location of the shipment. The result could be an undercharge for the shipper, leading to the shipper not getting paid at the end of the day.

Freight brokers often choose to work with shippers that are not highly liquid. Many logistics brokerage companies only work with larger carriers and are often unable to meet the needs of smaller carriers. Because of this, the shippers that work with these types of firms are often charged with more than they should be. Working with a geographically limited company can create logistical problems for shippers who need to get shipments to their customers on time. The transportation management system of a company that works with logistics brokerage companies should include provisions that allow for flexibility when choosing the best carrier according to the size of the shipment.

What You Should Know about Road tripping in an EV

By
SM
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Photo by Rathaphon Nanthapreecha from Pexels

Road trips are fun until you get stranded in the middle of the wilderness without gas or the proper equipment. With a conventional vehicle, this will rarely happen since there are gas stations within short distances on most highways. In most situations, you have most likely planned your journey to accommodate fueling accordingly, but there are those off situations when you may not add fuel as you cruise throughout the countryside as you look at the beauty that surrounds you. With an electric vehicle, this might not be the case. Since electric vehicles are still not as common as a conventional car, few owners are still not able to gauge with precision how far their vehicle can go before running out of charge. You should not despair though if you are planning to take your Tesla on a long drive since you can charge an electric car with a portable generator in case of an emergency. Charging EV/Tesla batteries with a portable generator is the last resort option when running out of battery power. However, that is not always recommended. Here are a few things you should know if you want to go on a long road trip using an EV.

Try to Minimize Energy Consumption

Older Tesla models can cover up to 250 miles on one full charge. Some have a bigger range of more than 400 miles on a single charge. You should keep in mind that these distances are estimates that could be affected by various factors including your driving style. You can try and consume as little energy as possible to extend the range of your EV. For instance, you can minimize using the heater or the air conditioner, and going light on the accelerator. The less energy you consume while on your journey, the longer the distance you will manage to cover.

Plan Your Charging Sessions around Your Trip’s Activities

Unlike petrol or gas-powered cars that you can simply drive into a gas station, fuel, and be on your way, EVs will require you to spend a considerable amount of time to get it recharged. Even if you find a direct current or DC fast charger, you may need to wait for more than 40 minutes just to get your car charged to 80%. You can drive as far as possible, and then choose an ideal spot to stop, and have the car charged as you enjoy a meal and have some rest. Since the charging stations are not as many as gas stations, map out the available charging stations and plan your journey with those that give you maximum convenience in mind.

Take Advantage of Technology

As these vehicles become more popular, technologies are emerging to make your driving experience as smooth and easy as possible. For instance, there are apps that you can use to identify ideal charging stations. Ensure that you download one or two of these apps before you commence your journey to identify the best charging spots.  Ensure that you plan according to the stations you identify lest you get stranded before reaching your next destination. Avoid waiting till you have a very low charge before getting to your next charging station.

Keep Your Engine One When Charging in the Morning

If you happen to have your road trip during the cold season or happen to go through cold areas while on your cruise, you should ensure that you keep your engine on while your engine is running when you charge it in the morning after staying overnight. Also, you should ensure that you have extra charge since EVs consume more energy in cold weather as you will have to use your air conditioner often when in such conditions. During cold weather, your stopping intervals should also be shorter.

Have a Back-up Plan

It is always good to be on the safe side when going on a long trip, whether you are using an EV or a conventional gas vehicle. In the case of an EV, you may want to take extra precautions since charging stations are not as many. Furthermore, you may have planned to use a particular charging station only to find it under maintenance. You can try to find contacts of individuals with charging outlets along your travel path if you are not able to find a working station on time. You can also consider carrying a generator with you if you have enough space in your car. The best method though is to ensure you recharge full and to avoid going below 40% before getting to your next destination.

Keep in Mind the Different Types of EV Charging Stations

Charging stations are of three different tiers. The first tier charges the slowest and can take more than 24 hours to fully charge your vehicle. Level three is the best and the fastest, but also the most expensive. Keep this in mind when mapping out your journey.

Possible replacements for Kurt Busch

By
Official Release
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Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Kurt Busch is no stranger to making headlines in NASCAR, with a number of them having already been produced surrounding the driver’s future and his career in the sport.

However, the latest news that appears to have emerged regarding the veteran driver is that he could be set to leave Chip Ganassi Racing this season, with Busch failing to commit his future to the team despite being in a contract year, whilst rumors are already flying around suggesting that he could fill the second seat that 23XI Racing alongside Bubba Wallace as the NASCAR team looks to continue to expand and give their chances of winning the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series.

The former world champion has revealed he would love the opportunity to drive the Next-Gen car and could be perfect for Wallace to learn from as he aims to continue to grow his own presence within the sport. Of course, Busch wants to be able to win the current 2021 NASCAR Series Cup but the current online odds available for him to do that does not quite sit as favorable as he would have hoped at the start of the season, which is perhaps why a move away is being sought.

With that news, Chip Ganassi Racing could be looking for alternative options ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series, but there are a number of replacements that they could look towards if Busch does decide to leave and switch teams.

Matt DiBenedetto

Matt DiBenedetto might not be the right fit for Chip Ganassi when looking at him on paper, however, the driver could be a cheap acquisition and one that offers the team plenty of experience.

There will be plenty who will be concerned by the fact that he has not won a race since 2011, although the NASCAR driver has had numerous second-place finishes since. Furthermore, he is currently in a contract year with Wood Brothers Racing, which could make him available, especially given that he was considered releasable last season.

Noah Gragson

For many, there will only be one name that Chip Ganassi Racing should be looking at and one that fits what the team as all about. Noah Gragson is that driver, as the 22-year-old Las Vegas native is one of the most talented, young drivers currently on the circuit and has shown he can dominate as he is a proven winner; something that Chip Ganassi Racing like and tend to look for in a driver.

Gragson is an enigma that many may look to avoid, but if Chip Ganassi Racing want to replace Busch adequately, then they will be pushed to find someone better than the Las Vegas native.

Ryan Newman

As mentioned, Chip Ganassi Racing continues to bring in winners, which is why Ryan Newman might be one of the best options available to the NASCAR team. He has been able to achieve a total of 18 wins so far in his NASCAR Cup Series career, including a Daytona 500 win back in 2008.

The Roush Fenway Racing team driver is also in a contract year with his current team, although it would seem that he is on his way out as the team appears to have already found themselves a replacement for him in Brad Keselowski.

The 43-year-old has no plans to retire, which means Chip Ganassi Racing could look to take him on, with the driver also suggesting that he still has plenty that he wants to achieve, such as winning a championship. That ambition could be a great thing for the team and that could prove to be the perfect ingredients for both driver and NASCAR team.

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 06, 2021 Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Larson: Larson started on the pole at Sonoma and held off Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott on an overtime restart to secure the win in the Toyota/SaveMart 350.

“It’s awesome to win in my home state,” Larson said. “And there’s nothing like drinking wine out of the winner’s trophy here in Wine Country. And you can equate the grapes used to make this wine with the competition—stomped.”

2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished eighth at Sonoma.

“Michael Jordan was at the race,” Bowman said. “He was in the 23XI Racing garage. Luckily, Bubba Wallace has given him no reason to smoke a cigar.”

3. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished second to Kyle Larson at Sonoma as Hendrick Motorsports scored its fourth consecutive 1-2 finish.

“Kyle is in the zone,” Elliott said. “I don’t think there’s anyone who can stop him, except himself. Not only has he put his past behind him, he’s put everyone else behind him.”

4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third in the Toyota/SaveMart 350, rebounding from an uncharacteristic subpar finish in Charlotte.

“I’d won the last two races at Sonoma,” Truex said. “So, I was looking to make it three in a row. It wasn’t to be. Anyway, it seems that the term ‘three in a row’ is used to describe Hendrick Motorsports’ race wins, or Hendrick Motorsports’ race finishes, or Tim Richmond’s sex life.”

5. William Byron: Byron was caught in a late accident and finished 16 laps down in 35th.

“Some drivers just aren’t good at road course racing,” Byron said. “I don’t want to name names, but I’ll name numbers. Those numbers are 42 and 7. And fittingly, after a road course race, that is the ‘circuitous’ way to place blame.”

6. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished ninth at Sonoma as Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott finished 1-2.

“Celebrity chef Guy Fieri drove the ceremonial pace car,” Bowman said. “One thing you can count on a celebrity chef ceremonial pace car driver not to do is ‘overcook’ the tires.”

7. Joey Logano: Logano took fourth at Sonoma, posting his seventh top five and third in the last four races.

“I’m not sure Hendrick Motorsports can be beat,” Logano said. “They’ve won six races this year, and four straight. Apparently, while the rest of us think we’re playing chess, HMS is playing ‘checkers.'”

8. Kyle Busch: Busch finished fifth at Sonoma, posting his fifth top five of the year.

“Attendance at Sonoma Raceway was at 33%,” Busch said. “That’s roughly the percentage of people that can tolerate me. And I’m talking about my family, not fans.”

9. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was victimized late in an accident triggered by Corey LaJoie and Ross Chastain and finished a disappointing 22nd.

“Those guys don’t know any better,” Harvick said. “Also, they can’t get any better.”

10. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 15th at Sonoma, and has now gone five races without a top-10 finish.

“I guess my heart just isn’t in it,” Keselowski said. “I’m probably leaving Penske Racing at season’s end. That explains why I didn’t ‘fare well.'”

Eclipse Claims to Sponsor the No. 23 in Texas

By
Official Release
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STATESVILLE, Nc (June 7, 2021) – As the NASCAR Xfinity Series prepares to head to Texas Motor Speedway, Our Motorsports announces today that Eclipse Claims will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 23 Chevrolet with driver Tanner Berryhill at this weekend’s Alsco Uniforms 250.

Eclipse Claims Consulting is a public claims adjustment and independent insurance appraisal company. They specialize in claims recovery and mediation as well as insurance policy analysis for businesses and homeowners. They are an insurance adjusting firm offering to policyholders, assisting in factual investigation, insurance coverage evaluation, and claims submission.

“I’m so pumped to be back in the No.23 Eclipse Claims Our Motorsports Chevy this weekend,” said Berryhill. “I feel like I was really able to knock the dust off at Darlington and now I’m ready to go from the drop of the green flag. It should be a great weekend working with Danny Johnson and all of the guys on the No. 23 car now that we have some history together. I’d like to give a huge welcome to Eclipse Claims Consulting as a first time sponsor in NASCAR. It’s truly incredible what Tim, president of Eclipse, has been able to do with his company in such a short time. I’m excited to help him grow his company even further through our race program! He’s been backing me for several years now and we are just thrilled to be able to work out a NASCAR program with him.”

Eclipse Claims has a long standing relationship with Berryhill’s motorsports career. The company has sponsored Berryhill in miscellaneous dirt midget events including the Chili Bowl Nationals since 2019. However, this Saturday’s 300-mile event in Fort Worth, Texas, will mark the company’s first outing with Our Motorsports.

“Eclipse Claims Consulting is excited for the opportunity to join Our Motorsports and the No. 23 Chevrolet driven by Tanner Berryhill for the Xfinity race at Texas Motor Speedway,” said Tim Woodard, President of Eclipse Claims. “This opportunity provides Eclipse Claims to be the primary public insurance adjusting service for any NASCAR teams, members, sponsors, and fans. This is a unique opportunity to raise awareness to people that they have options when it comes to insurance claims settlements.”

The on track action kicks off at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 12. The 200-lap race will be broadcast on FS1 and PRN.

ABOUT Eclipse Claims:

Eclipse Claims Consulting, LLC is a public claims adjustment and independent insurance appraisal company. We specialize in claims recovery and mediation as well as insurance policy analysis for businesses and homeowners. We are an insurance adjusting firm offering services to policyholders, assisting in factual investigation, insurance coverage evaluation, and claims submission. Fire, Hurricane, Tornado, Flood, Hail, Earthquake and Collapse. Each of these holds its own unique challenges when it comes to substantiating your claim. With years of experience, Eclipse Claims Consulting has faced them all, successfully bringing hundreds of homeowners through every type of disaster. Contact us to tap into our expertise and ensure the best possible outcome for your claim. For more information check out www.eclipseclaims.com.

GMS Racing Adds Daniel Dye for Select ARCA Races

By
Official Release
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STATESVILLE, N.C. (June 7, 2021) – GMS Racing officials announced today that Daniel Dye will pilot the team’s No. 21 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series East as well as select ARCA Menards Series events this season. Dye’s GMS debut will be in the ARCA Menards Series East event at Southern National Motorsports Park on June 12.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to drive for GMS Racing this season. The history of success GMS has had, with multiple wins and championships over the last few seasons, speaks for itself,” said Dye. “I’m excited to continue learning and growing throughout the season, and hopefully, we’ll collect a couple wins along the way.”

The 17-year-old has already collected four top-10 finishes in four starts in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2021. Veteran crew chief Chad Bryant will continue to lead the GMS team.

“GMS is excited about Daniel (Dye) joining our ARCA program,” said Mike Beam, president of GMS Racing. “He has shown promise so far in his young career and we are looking forward to watching his continued growth in the 21 this season.”

Dye’s first race behind the wheel of the No. 21 will be Saturday night at Southern National Motorsports Park in the Southern National 200. The fifth round of the ARCA Menards Series East schedule will air live on NBC Sports Gold TrackPass at 8pm ET.

About GMS Racing – GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum and Chase Purdy. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Jack Wood and Daniel Dye. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship and 2020 Sioux Chief Showdown championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https:/gmsracing.net

DXDT Racing Secures Historic Win, Shows Quality Competition in Heated VIR Weekend

By
Official Release
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ALTON, Vir., (June 7, 2021) — DXDT Racing persevered through high temperatures in a challenging race weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, competing in three doubleheaders across the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by aws, GT America powered by aws, and TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School. Despite the sweltering conditions, the team delt with the highs and lows as only a professional race team can: through teamwork, consistency, and perseverance, each of the six DXDT Racing cars put in a commanding performance, bringing in a total of six top-five finishes, two podiums, and one historic win.

GT World Challenge America
Race one at VIR proved to be one of the most action-packed races so far in the 2021 season. The No. 63 Mercedes AMG GT3 of David Askew and Ryan Dalziel suffered from an incident in qualifying and unfortunately had to miss race one. George Kurtz led the team charge to the green flag in the No. 04 CrowdStrike/AWS Mercedes AMG GT3 starting from seventh overall and third in class. Kurtz’s stint was one filled with battles, holding off the No. 77 Acura NSX GT3 of Michael Di Meo, and fighting with the No. 93 of Taylor Hagler for sixth. He finished his stint and pitted from seventh, and after a longer stop to make changes to the No. 04 Mercedes, the car rejoined some positions behind, but Colin Braun took over and had the car back up to fifth in no time.

Meanwhile, Erin Vogel and the No. 19 Mercedes AMG GT3 started eleventh overall and seventh in class following a shortened qualifying session in the morning. Vogel found herself shuffled back several positions on the aggressive start, but she kept the car clean and put in consistent laps to climb up to ninth overall by the end of her stint. The smooth execution continued in pit lane, where the pit stop proved to be a flawless performance by both drivers and crew. The driver change, as well as fueling and the tire change, happened in perfect timing, moving the No. 19 to first in class and fourth overall. Their stop, as well as attrition for others in pit lane, gave co-driver Michael Cooper a 16-second gap over Jan Heylen in the Wright Motorsports Porsche. As the No. 19 led its first laps of the 2021 season, Colin Braun engaged in a heated battle with the No. 93 of Jacob Abel for third place in class. Lap after lap, Braun worked to set up the pass, and eventually secured the podium position by the drop of the checkered flag. All eyes were on the No. 19 of Erin Vogel and Michael Cooper, who crossed the line in first in class, and third overall, netting their first win as a pair for DXDT Racing. Erin Vogel made SRO America history on Saturday afternoon, becoming the first woman to win a GT3 race in North America, as well as the first woman to win while racing a Mercedes AMG GT3 in North America.

The blistering temperatures that were present for race one returned for race two, making tire conservation and participant heat tolerance keys to a strong race. The No. 04 Mercedes AMG GT3 was the closest team car to the front, with Colin Braun starting in fifth place overall, with Michael Cooper and the No. 19 Mercedes AMG GT3 in eighth. Due to missing the second qualifying session, the No. 63 Mercedes AMG GT3 had to start from the back with Ryan Dalziel at the wheel but made quick work of that situation. In the first five laps, he passed seven cars, climbing up to eighth place. An early-race caution allowed for the field to bunch back up after they had slightly spread out. Braun took advantage of a Lamborghini locking up on the restart and climbed to fourth place overall. Another Lamborghini had an off-track excursion, and Braun claimed another spot to take third place overall, racing behind the class leader, Jan Heylen in the No. 20 Porsche. The move also allowed Dalziel to move up to seventh and put heavy pressure on the No. 9 Lamborghini. He made the pass in turns two and three, advancing to third in class. Just as Braun set the fastest lap of the race, he slowed on track and was forced to end his race early with suspension damage.

As the race continued on, the No. 63 Mercedes and No. 19 Mercedes were still in the fight, as Ryan Dalziel continued his climb to second in class, and Michael Cooper closed in on fifth position as the pit window opened. The pair pitted one lap apart, and after flawless pitstops from both crews, they rejoined in the same positions as which they entered. Erin Vogel took over from Cooper in the No. 19, and gained another spot to run fourth in class. David Askew also gained a position to take the class lead after the race leader was given a drive-through penalty for a pit stop infraction. Though the class leader had enough of a gap that his re-entry would have been close, Askew pushed hard to pass the pit exit as the former leader was attempting to rejoin. From there, attrition appeared for both DXDT Racing cars in the final minutes, but both Vogel and Askew pressed on to finish fifth and sixth in the final race.

DRIVER QUOTES

David Askew | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 63 CrowdStrike/ DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
The ups and downs of racing: Saturday was a great day for DXDT and today not so good. But I think everybody had fun at VIR. It’s a great place to race. It’s a great field of cars with some great competition. It’s just so much fun to be here. Yesterday I had an issue in qualifying that hurt the car a little bit and we elected not to race. Today, there was still something not quite right with the car but I’m not going to blame it on the car. It was tough driving up there. I had fun for a while. I had a good battle with the leaders for a little bit. That’s the way it goes.

Ryan Dalziel | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 63 CrowdStrike/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
It was a good weekend as a whole. We obviously had an incident in the first qualifying but the team rallied and rebuilt the car, which has been fast. It’s a little disappointing that we didn’t get to qualifying. I think we have a front-running car, as we showed in race two. After missing race one, we missed a little on the adjustments to the track. I think David struggled a little bit in his stint in the race, but so did many of the other teams and drivers here. It was a very demanding weekend for competitors.

George Kurtz | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 04 CrowdStrike/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
We have to learn from this weekend. This is a long season. Some weekends are great and others not so much. This is one of those. We’ll regroup and be back at it.

Colin Braun | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 04 CrowdStrike/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
I don’t know what happened in our final race. I went through turn three and felt like the right rear tire was flat, but it wasn’t. So I think we had some sort of suspension issue. Normally this thing is a tank. We had a little light touch on the other side at the start but I don’t know. We ran a lot of laps after that before something happened. I’m really disappointed for CrowdStrike and George. I felt like we were in a really good position. We were going fast and doing our thing. These things happen from time to time. I’m just disappointed for the DXDT guys.

Erin Vogel | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 19 CrowdStrike/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
It was slick out there, but DXDT Racing gave us a really great car. It’s probably the best Mercedes-AMG GT3 we’ve had yet this season. We also had one of the best pit stops we’ve had so far and came out third best out of the whole field in race one. This weekend was truly a team effort. Michael was really consistent in the car and stayed out there in the lead, kept that gap, and preserved it all race. I knew from the beginning that the Mercedes-AMG GT3 was going to be a good fit. I’m hoping this is the start of more races like this. It takes a couple of races for everything to gel, and this felt like this was the first race that it has.

Michael Cooper |Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 19 CrowdStrike/ DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
Erin and I have been chipping away slowly but surely, getting better and better and figuring out this Mercedes-AMG GT3. We’ve been working on the pit stops a lot, trying to dot every “I” and cross every “T” and I think that really showed today. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.
GT America
George Kurtz started the first GT America race of the weekend in third and produced a strong performance in the sprint event. In the second half of the race, he found himself in an intense three-way battle for the lead with the No. 45 of Charlie Luck and the No. 70 of Brandan Iribe, and momentarily took the top position before the side-by-side action recommenced. The duel led to Kurtz suffering a cut tire, and he was forced to pit for a fresh one, able to quickly rejoin. He was able to make up some lost time, finishing sixth in class.

Running in the sister car, the No. 58 CrowdStrike Mercedes AMG GT3, Moses started fifth and kept his nose out of trouble, quietly gaining two spots before a late-race full-course caution. The caution turned into a red-then-checkered flag, ending the 40-minute spring race early. The No. 58’s stealthy climb up to fifth place overall marked Moses’ second top-five of the season, following a fourth-place finish in race one at Circuit of the Americas.

In race two, Moses followed a similar strategy from the day before, biding his time while the pack ahead raced hard for position. He started fifth but got shuffled to sixth in the opening lap, right behind teammate George Kurtz, who started second. Kurtz also saw the No. 04 Mercedes moved back on the start, but dug in to catch the two cars ahead and create a three-car fight for third place in class. He put heavy pressure on Jeff Burton’s Lamborghini, who briefly lost his pace after putting two tires onto the grass. Kurtz pressed on to race alongside Jason Daskalos in the No. 27 Audi R8 LMS, but as the pair raced side by side they had contact, sending Kurtz off course. Though the car had damage, he was able to safely pull off to an access road, ending his difficult weekend early.

Downtown Nashville will host rounds seven and eight of the GT America series, with a temporary street course to be made of the city streets.

DRIVER QUOTE

CJ Moses | GT America powered by AWS
No. 58 CrowdStrike/ DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
The weekend overall went better than planned. I didn’t plan to get in the top-five. The GTA drivers are pretty stout with George and a lot of guys who also run GT World Challenge. I was pleased with where we ended it up and keeping the car on the track. I have a good mid-race pace but I need to be faster at the beginning. I had a good start in the second race but didn’t get the pace quick enough and the leaders pulled away. Once you get that gap, you’re not going to make it up on these guys. Overall I’m very pleased the car is back in one piece. We’re going to get ready and have a good pace for Nashville. No one is going to have practice. It’ll be a level playing ground when we start, so we’ll see how we get up to speed on the streets of Nashville.
TC America
Following two race events in cold or wet temperatures, VIRginia International Raceway gave Kevin Boehm and the No. 9 Honda Civic a curveball for the weekend. Boehm knew the heat would make for a challenging race for the Civic, which seemed to be struggling with the 90-degree temperatures. He bided his time in race one of TC America, starting fifth in class. He dropped to seventh and was in the process of settling in and working his way up when a large crash brought an early race red flag, concluding the event sooner than planned. Race two was also interrupted by a lengthy caution and another red flag, but Kevin was able to gain two overall positions over the course of the race, earning a fifth-place finish in the TC class, marking his fifth top-five of the season.

Rounds seven and eight of the TC America championship will take place August 17-20 at yet another fan-favorite road course, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

DRIVER QUOTE

Kevin Boehm | TC America
No. 9 CrowdStrike/DXDT Honda Performance Development Civic Type R TC
This weekend definitely didn’t go as planned but I love a challenge because it forces me to get better. We have just over two months before TC America Road America in August, so time to double down, fix whatever issue is plaguing the car, and show up strong.
Thanks to my sponsors and partners, especially CrowdStrike Racing, AWS, and DXDT Racing for the continued support. It was also nice to have family and friends visiting at the track this weekend.

ABOUT DXDT RACING
DXDT Racing is a high-performance sports car racing team founded in 2014 by team principal David Askew and located in Statesville NC. The Team’s primary focus is GT3 and Touring Car racing in North America. DXDT is a provider of turnkey racing support and delivers customized racing solutions for its clients and sponsors. DXDT is a performance driven team comprised of highly experienced racing professionals capable of delivering wins and championships, including ten wins in GT World Challenge and a Rookie of the Year in 2020 alone. Follow the team on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for race season updates.

ABOUT CROWDSTRIKE®
CrowdStrike® Inc. (Nasdaq: CRWD), a global cybersecurity leader, is redefining security for the cloud era with an endpoint protection platform built from the ground up to stop breaches. The CrowdStrike Falcon® platform’s single lightweight-agent architecture leverages cloud-scale artificial intelligence (AI) and offers real-time protection and visibility across the enterprise, preventing attacks on endpoints on or off the network. Powered by the proprietary CrowdStrike Threat Graph®, CrowdStrike Falcon correlates over 2.5 trillion endpoint-related events per week in real time from across the globe, fueling one of the world’s most advanced data platforms for security. For more information, visit crowdstrikeracing.com

Wright Motorsports Increases Point Leads Following Podium Success at VIR

By
Official Release
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ALTON, Vir., (June 7, 2021) – After securing four podium finishes across four races in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America and GT America series, Wright Motorsports has extended their points lead over the competition in both championships, showcasing the strength and consistency of the Porsche customer racing program. The No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R of Fred Poordad and Jan Heylen earned two consecutive podium finishes in the headlining races, and Charlie Luck secured double wins on Saturday and Sunday in the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R in GT America.

GT World Challenge America
After an impressive opening qualifying session by Fred Poordad in the No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R, the Wright Motorsports Porsche started race one from the Pro/Am pole position and fifth overall on Saturday afternoon. He maintained his position with smooth, clean laps throughout his stint, gaining a position before the mandatory pit stop. The field had a brief caution before the pit window, and the Wright Porsche came in for its pit stop after one lap of being back to green racing. Like many of the competitors in pit lane, the team faced attrition during the stop, rejoining fourth in class and seventh overall. Not discouraged, Jan Heylen took over from Poordad, methodically climbing back up the chart. He quickly took sixth overall, claiming third in class, then charged towards the No. 93 Acura NSX, running in second. He took the position, also breaking into the top five overall with just a few laps left. He held on to second place to the checkered flag, earning the fifth consecutive podium for the No. 20 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R, and holding on to the points lead.

The weekend heat hit an all-time high just in time for race two at VIRginia International Raceway. Jan Heylen started the No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R from class pole position, side by side next to the overall polesitter. He kept the position in the opening two laps, and a full course caution appeared, briefly halting the fight. On the restart, Heylen charged forward, putting heavy pressure on the No. 33 of Mikael Grenier. The Wright Motorsports Porsche held tight and set up the pass, taking the overall lead with 43 minutes remaining. Heylen pitted shortly after, bringing the car in for tires, fuel, and a driver change to Fred Poordad. The No. 33 Mercedes rejoined with their Pro-ranked driver, and after a brief battle, the Pro/Pro car assumed the lead. Not long after, the team received a call for a drive-through penalty for a rare pit lane infraction. The team quickly acquiesced to the call and rejoined in third behind the No. 63 Mercedes and the No. 77 Acura NSX GT3. Poordad focused forward, quickly pulling in the No. 63, passing down the inside of turn one to take second place in the Pro/Am class. He held the position to the checked flag, earning another second-place finish, securing valuable points in the championship fight. In the provisional standings, the No. 20 Wright Motorsports pairing of Fred Poordad and Jan Heylen hold a 28-point lead over the No. 04 DXDT Racing duo of George Kurtz and Colin Braun.

From VIRginia International Raceway, the GT World Challenge America competitors have two and a half months off until rounds seven and eight at Road America, August 17-29.

DRIVER QUOTES

Fred Poordad | No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R
We’re making it a habit of coming in second, but it’s a learning experience that will only make the team stronger; we’re going to gel together over this. We showed good pace, the team did a great job and gave us an awesome car. We look to get even stronger over the rest of the season. Big thanks to Wright Motorsports and Jan, my co-driver.

Jan Heylen | No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R
All in all, it was a good weekend with two podium finishes. Bringing the car up to first place twice and then losing out is all a part of racing and we win and lose as a team. We learn from every weekend and come back and be better prepared. We extended our points lead, and that’s what’s most important, even though we’d love to have been on the top step today.
GT America
Charlie Luck earned his first overall win in GT America on Saturday afternoon, after starting from pole position. He took the green flag for the 40-minute race, holding off the No. 70 McLaren of Brendan Iribe, despite the McLaren being in a higher class. Lap after lap, Luck proved to be smooth and measured, but ultimately, the No. 70 got by. The next few laps of the race produced a three-way battle for position, with Luck and George Kurtz and the No. 04 Mercedes AMG GT3 again dueling for position while Iribe got shuffled back to third. Luck took the position and Kurtz pitted with a flat tire, allowing Luck to pull away and secure his first overall win, and at his home track.

Under similar conditions the following day, Charlie Luck put in another successful performance in the Wright Motorsports No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R. He started from third place overall and jumped to second in the opening turns. He briefly took the overall lead position from Iribe, but the faster class car soon reclaimed its position. Luck held second place overall for the remainder of the race, finishing first in class, sweeping the weekend. Luck’s success of the weekend not only keeps him in the lead for the Masters points but also moves the driver up to the points lead in the main SRO3 class as well.

Rounds seven and eight of the 2021 GT America championship will see a new venue: a temporary street course in downtown Nashville at the Music City Grand Prix, August 6-8.

DRIVER QUOTE

Charlie Luck | No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
This weekend has been over the top. It’s been a bunch of learning. Yesterday, we battled and fought hard and did some pushing ad bumping. Both Brendan Iribe and George Kurtz did such a good job. I think the learning today is all about pace. We got in the wrong spot at the wrong time with traffic, where Brendan was able to make it through quicker than we were. The biggest takeaway this weekend is able to bring is confidence. I know I can drive this car, and I have a much higher degree of confidence with each race. How cool is it to be able to do this in the sport we love with people you enjoy doing it with? It is such a privilege to compete in this sport.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013 and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. The 2020 season will see the team return to IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship. For more information, visit wrightmotorsports.com

TPC Racing Leaves VIR Porsche Sprint With First Career Podium for Driver Rich Schoeneborn

By
Official Release
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In addition to Shoeneborn’s Podium, Vernon McClure Earned Sunday’s “Apex’n Award” for Passing The Most Cars on Track

DANVILLE, Virginia (June 7, 2021) – TPC Racing stared down a difficult Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama doubleheader weekend at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) this past weekend, leaving with a podium finish and an additional award for passing the most cars in Sunday’s race.

Rich Schoeneborn, making his championship debut in the No. 76 Concrete Services Inc Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, had the best finish of the weekend of TPC Racing’s six-car entry when he grabbed a third-place Gold Cup finish in Saturday’s 40-minute Sprint Race. Shoeneborn followed that up by punching through some opening corner chaos down the inside of turn two and running the race distance for a fourth-place class finish.

Vernon McClure also dodged Sunday’s early-race chaos to make multiple positions. Starting 13th in the No. 101 Main Street Homes/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, McClure found a gap in the traffic and climbed all the way to fifth on the opening lap. He made his way into fourth and was challenging for the podium when a small mistake with three laps to go caused a spin, ultimately leading to a seventh-place position. It was a strong run for McClure, who hadn’t been been behind the wheel since the Porsche Carrera Cup North America debut at Sebring in March and will return to that championship in less than three weeks at Watkins Glen International. His run also earned him the race’s Apex’n Award for passing the most cars on track during the race.

Michael Levitas and Rob Lorndale were not as fortunate in the opening corners. Levitas, who qualified the No. 36 Erin Levitas Foundation/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fifth overall for Sunday’s race, dodged the first spinning car but spun himself coming back onto the track and was forced to sit sideways while the entire field went by. While cars split left and right around Levitas, Lorndale’s No. 6 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup came to a stop just behind him and also rejoined the race at the tail end of the field.

Levitas, who also led the opening lap in Saturday’s race, rebounded and drove through the field to finish in sixth place overall and in the Platinum Cup class. Lorndale finished fifth in Gold Cup class for the second-consecutive day and held fourth place in the season-long point standings.

Jordan Wallace earned a fifth-place finish on Saturday, and was ninth on Sunday, in the Silver Cup driving the No. 35 TPC Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport.

TPC Racing’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo entry of Scott Schmidt and Trevor Andrusko rode a roller coaster through the weekend as well. Andrusko started eighth overall and first in the Am class in the No. 38 Lamborghini Sterling/Erin Levitas Foundation Lamborghini Huracan for Sunday morning’s 50-minute race. Andrusko led the class until the mandatory pit stop with 15-minutes remaining, passing the car to Schmidt. Unfortunately, late contact and damage left the car in sixth place and unable to return for Sunday’s afternoon race.

TPC Racing returns to action at Watkins Glen International, June 25-27, with Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Porsche Carrera Cup North America entries. The next Porsche Sprint Challenge North America race is July 30 to August 1 at Road America.

Noteworthy:

  • TPC Racing also fielded an entry for Pedro Torres in the Gold Cup class. Torres qualified second in the Gold Cup class for Saturday’s race, but an incident in qualifying two left his car severely damaged and unable to compete in the weekend’s doubleheader.
  • Engine troubles on the test day for Lorndale left his car out of commission for the event weekend. Fellow Porsche Sprint Challenge competitors ACI Motorsports loaned TPC Racing a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for Lorndale to use for the VIR doubleheader.

Harris Levitas, Director of Race Operations: “There were a ton of positives to the weekend. It seems like everything that could have gone wrong did, but we had just as many good things happen. We had awesome TPC Racing prepared cars. The guys worked so hard from COTA to this preparing the cars and we were fast right off the truck. Having Rich Schoeneborn join us for the first time after doing track days and club racing and land on the podium was fantastic to see. Rob had engine troubles, but luckily it happened on the test days and we were able to enter a leased car from ACI. We have to thank the Talkie family and Kurt Swearingin and everyone there at ACI for helping us make that happen. The 36 car had a critical start in race one and took the lead. On Sunday, Vernon got the hard charger and had a shot at third place. Jordan did an excellent job coming from the back in race one after we had a transponder issue, but got held up by a slow Gold Cup car in race two and that hurt him. But he did a great job for his second time out and will be even better in the next race. We had an electrical gremlin at COTA in the Lamborghini and the team went through everything and had it in perfect working order this weekend. Trevor did a fantastic job with his stint, and Scott was finding more time in his stint and was catching back up. They’ve come a long way in a very short time of racing. It’s such a strong car. Unfortunately Scott was involved in a pretty heavy hit, but it goes to show the way these Lamborghinis are built. What would have been total structural damage in another car was mostly superficial. We’ll put a new engine in at the shop and be back stronger than ever at Watkins Glen.”

Vernon McClure, Driver, No. 101 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “It’s great to be here. I love this track, it’s my favorite track and I’m pretty close to home here. The car was good today and I learned a lot yesterday in the race. I was right up there in fourth and I had my chance, I just blew it in turn four. It was awesome anyway. It was fun to race with everybody and be right in there. I got to finish right behind Levitas. The start was awesome for me because I went from 13th to fifth. I saw all these cars going both ways and it parted for me and I took off. I had a few laps and passed a few cars. It was a lot of fun.”

Rich Schoeneborn, Driver, No. 76 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “It couldn’t have gone much better. I’m ecstatic about the whole weekend. Things lined up and I raced the race I planned on, staying clean and consistent lap after lap. Some luck came my way as well. Today was super hot and the track got greasy. I saw a lot of cars sliding around and I made some mistakes and said ok, dial it down just a hair and bring this thing home in one piece. The car was great, the series is great and what a weekend to have my son here with me from Annapolis, Maryland. He’s driven the car at driver’s experience days but he’s never seen me race and he was stunned to see me on the podium! I was grinning the whole way around the track.”

Rob Lorndale, Driver, No. 6 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “It’s been a difficult week. We came to test for two days before the race weekend and I had a mechanical from the moment I got in the car. The guys worked like crazy to try and fix it but it wasn’t something that could be fixed at the track. I ended up renting a competitor’s spare car for the weekend, had no practice time in it, and jumped in. I felt reasonably comfortable in the car but I was cognizant of the fact that it was not my car and I needed to return it in one piece. I just really tried to play it conservatively and pick up some points. I maintained fourth place in the season-long standings which was my goal. I really enjoy VIR. I’m from the Washington, DC area and I have a fair number of laps here. It’s really terrific, it just wasn’t the weekend I hoped for.”

About TPC Racing:
TPC Racing is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier maintenance, service, tuning and modification center dedicated solely to Porsche sportscars. TPC Racing specializes in R&D and sales of high-performance modifications for Porsche sports cars and race cars, offering a wide range of vehicle upgrades. Best known for a line of forced induction solutions for the Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster, a long-time focus on only one make, Porsche, has enabled TPC Racing to become experts in Porsche service, tuning, and racing. In 2000, TPC Racing began entering races under its own banner, scoring an SGS-class Championship in 2004 in the Grand-American Rolex Series and was a class winner in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and captured the 2013 and 2016 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Gold Cup Championships. More information can be found at www.TPCRacing.com.

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