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Harrison Contracting Joins the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Daytona Prototype Effort in 2021

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Official Release
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Daytona Beach, Fla. (January 25, 2021) – Wayne Taylor Racing and Harrison Contracting announced today the expansion of their multi-year partnership to include the internationally recognized motorsports organization’s championship winning Daytona Prototype International program.

Best known for their bright red No. 25 Lamborghini Super Trofeo driven by Ashton Harrison in the North America LST series, the Harrison Contracting circular crest will now also be proudly displayed on the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 driven by 2020 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Champions Ricky Taylor and Helio Castroneves, 2020 European Le Mans and WEC Champion Filipe Albuquerque and 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi as they attempt to secure the team’s third Rolex 24 win in as many years later this month.

“I am incredibly excited to extend the partnership with Harrison Contracting throughout the entire Wayne Taylor Racing business in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series and as an associate partner with the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Daytona Prototype effort,” said team owner, Wayne Taylor. “Bill, Ashton, Sean, and everyone at Harrison Contracting are extremely professional and mirror the passion of motorsports that we have at Wayne Taylor Racing. This is a perfect fit for both our companies as we already have a strong foundation and a partnership that I am very eager to continue to grow for many years to come. I can’t wait for the 2021 season to start and captivate on an outstanding partnership.”

Celebrating over 25 years in the commercial painting and facility maintenance business, Harrison Contracting has been providing services nationwide across industry segments including; major retail and industrial chains, new commercial construction, multi-family, hospitality, restaurant, and many others. As a respected painting contractor nationwide, Harrison Contracting’s culture of “Rely On Red” (Reliable, Experienced, Diligent) is a key reason such corporate giants as The Home Depot, WalMart, Publix, Advanced Auto Parts and others rely on the company’s experience and attention to detail for their most demanding jobs.

“I’ve been a racing fan for over 30 years,” said Bill Harrison, President of Harrison Contracting. “Following racing the way that I have, I’ve known about WTR and their reputation. Having this chance to work together on the racing program while developing our business is really exciting. Over the past two years, Travis, Krista, and Wayne at WTR have helped grow Ashton’s capabilities as a driver, and also our HCC business opportunities! Extending this relationship with WTR into the Konica Minolta No. 10 Prototype is a great fit with our business model and growth objectives, and I really feel that our partnership over the coming years will enable Harrison Contracting to provide our services to teams with companies who are likewise part of this racing.”

The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season kicks off this weekend at the Daytona International Speedway at the Roar Before the 24 test event, January 22 – 24, followed by the iconic endurance classic, the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, Saturday and Sunday, January 30th and 31st.

ABOUT HARRISON CONTRACTING
Harrison Contracting Company, Inc. (HCC) is a commercial painting and facility maintenance contracting company headquartered in Villa Rica, GA with divisional offices in Florida and Texas. HCC provides repainting/reimaging and facility maintenance services nationwide, and new construction painting across the southeastern US. At HCC, red is more than the company color, its culture. RED stands for Reliable, Experienced, and Diligent, and is the cornerstone for all we do. We are more than just your painter; we are your partner.

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: Roar Race Win, Rolex 24 Pole Position for No. 4 Corvette

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Official Release
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  • Tandy, Sims win Corvette Racing debut in No. 4 C8.R; Catsburg and Taylor place second
  • 1-2 finish in GTLM for Corvette C8.R and first two grid positions for Rolex 24
  • Corvette Racing, Chevrolet coming off 2020 sweep of full-season GTLM titles

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 24, 2021) – Corvette Racing took first and second in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) category of Sunday’s 100-minute qualifying race for next weekend’s Rolex 24 At Daytona as Nick Tandy and Alexander Sims won in their debut with the team.

The victory for Tandy and Sims in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R means they and Tommy Milner will start from the GTLM pole position for Saturday’s Rolex 24 – the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Roar Before the 24 test weekend also ended with Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg coming home second in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette. They will drive with Antonio Garcia in the Rolex 24.

Tandy won by 12 seconds over Catsburg as the two Corvette teams played the strategy perfectly during a race that started damp but ended under sunshine. Sims began third but took the race lead on the opening lap with the GTLM field on wet-weather tires, and Taylor ran fifth during a hectic opening . Two full-course caution periods interrupted the early going, and the two Corvettes pitted during the second yellow and went to slick Michelin tires.

Tandy emerged first out of pitlane but third on the track as two other GTLM cars elected not to stop during the yellow, with Catsburg in fifth. He made quick work of the fourth-place car, and the two Corvettes moved to first and second shortly thereafter when the two leaders stopped for the first time.

The No. 3 Corvette team elected to be the first car to make their second and final fuel-only stop with 50 minutes to go while Tandy came in with 43 minutes left. That allowed both cars to bide their time and wait for the then-leading Porsche to stop for its final time with 17 minutes remaining. Both Corvettes comfortably went back through to first and second to the end.

Sunday’s race wrapped up three days of testing and development at Daytona ahead of the Rolex 24. Both Corvettes went through various chassis and suspension adjustments, among other

Corvette Racing is a three-time winner of the Rolex 24: it won the race overall in 2001 and scored back to-back GTLM wins in 2015 and 2016. A year ago, the team debuted the C8.R with a fourth-place finish for Garcia, Taylor and Catsburg as the No. 3 Corvette recorded more miles than any Corvette in the race’s history.

The mid-engine C8.R and Corvette Stingray street car were developed simultaneously, and the race car and production vehicle share more technology and parts than any previous-generation Corvette. When initial Corvette C8.R design and development work began more than six years ago, Corvette Racing engineers worked closely alongside Corvette production personnel with a heavy emphasis on wind tunnel and simulation testing.

Corvette Racing will open its 2021 season with the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31, which will air beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 30 across NBC, NBCSN, TrackPass and the NBC Sports App. IMSA Radio will air full practice and race coverage at IMSA.com.

NICK TANDY, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM WINNER: “It was awesome. The car was really good. It’s great to work with my new teammates – Alex (Sims), Tommy (Milner, full-season teammate) and all the boys and girls at Corvette Racing. The car went round and round for an hour and 40 minutes. We’ve now got a week to sit on the pole for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. So that’s pretty cool.”
“It was fun, actually. Like Alex says, I think it’s been really good for the Roar. It enables you to get some sort of different testing in, but it’s obviously meaningful. Everyone wants to start the Rolex 24 from pole position, and we got to do this in a pressure situation and run through all the procedures. The Corvette was great. We have been working through a program as normal. Even working with the strategists and things like this is something we don’t expect to go through before our first race with a new program. It was good to race with the other GTLM cars, and I’m sure it will be equally fun and probably a lot more close this time next week. It obviously is a great start for me and Alexander to kick off our time with Corvette Racing.”

IMPACT OF NOT HAVING AS MANY FANS AT THE TRACK: “One hundred percent, it takes away from the event. Our sport is based on people’s excitement of the competition and watching and following. A lot of us get to go racing because people enjoy watching what we are doing. Car brands and companies get behind our sport as such. I think I said to Alexander when we walked in the track on Friday, it’s very strange not to have people around. Once you get into the race, when you put on your helmet on and you’re in a competitive environment, you concentrate on your team’s job – and that’s to do the best for your car and for the people that are following you racing. The rest of the week outside the car, it’s very different. I’ve made a lot of friends here in Daytona at this event and in the area over the last few years; it’s a shame not to see them. Hopefully we are back here in 12 months’ time and I’ll get to say hello to a lot of them again.”

THOUGHTS ON FIRST RACE WITH THE CORVETTE C8.R AFTER RACING AGAINST IT: “Racing against it last year, it looked like a car that could go around and around doing great lap times pretty consistently. Sure enough, these guys at Corvette Racing know a thing or two about building endurance race cars. Everything is slightly different than what I’m used to, but ultimately it’s designed to a similar set of regulations. The two of us have watched it race last year, and it’s as I expected. The team that work around it are champion class; they are multi-time champions for a reason. We’re both very lucky to be part of this program and hope we can carry on and take the C8.R to its first proper endurance, long-distance victory. That is the plan.”

ONE THING TO REMEMBER 10 YEARS FROM NOW AFTER WINNING YOUR FIRST RACE WITH CORVETTE: “I hope that it was the beginning of many. That it was the first time we sat in front of the media and you guys after winning a big race. Hopefully we will be here in seven days’ time also.”

CONCERNED ABOUT THE PORSCHE COULD MAKE IT ON ONE STOP: “Yes because if there was a heavy crash and a long caution period, it was possible for cars to stretch their fuel a lot. They had already made their stop and driver change. I think their plan was to stay out, hope for a lot of yellows and roll the dice that way. We rolled the dice and went with the slick tires on our first stop whereas a couple of the other cars kept their wet tires. It proved to be a great strategic call from Corvette Racing to get us the 1-2 in the end.”

WAYS TO IMPROVE CORVETTE RACING AND THE C8.R AFTER ITS FIRST YEAR: “At the end of the day, Corvette Racing had a fantastic season with the C8.R in the debut year of the car with a ton of race wins and championships. I do know they are keen to score a long-distance victory, and it’s something we obviously are keen to help with. How we go about that is difficult to say other than just being consistent. From what I’ve seen in our limited together, it’s doing things the Corvette Racing way – going out and consistently being in and around the pace of the front-running cars. As we all know in longer races, you have to have a bit of luck come the end of the race. That’s the plan for this season: try and get a few marquee event wins.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM WINNER: “It was an interesting first taste of the conditions in the Corvette. Very quickly, I was given a lot of confidence from the car as to how to push. I was able to get around the BMWs on the first lap and then really just find my feet lap by lap. With the couple of cautions, it didn’t feel like there was a huge amount of laps but nevertheless it was nice to get some experience in the wet and get a feeling for how the C8.R was working. Doing a hot pit stop under a reasonable amount of time pressure was nice; not a lot of the race had gone so we didn’t need to fuel up too much. It was nice to go through all the procedures and have a taste of it before the 24 Hours.”
IMPACT OF NOT HAVING AS MANY FANS AT THE TRACK: “I echo what Nick said. It’s strange, particularly the pre-race procedure… you normally have the grid with all the fans. Thinking ahead to next week and not having that sort of awesome fan interaction is a shame. But it’s how it is and it’s the right thing for the moment. We’re all looking forward to getting back to those days.”

THOUGHTS ON FIRST RACE WITH THE CORVETTE C8.R AFTER RACING AGAINST IT: “I only drove against the C7. I remember a month or two ago from my first time in the C8.R at Sebring, it was super impressive… it really exceeded my expectations and was very, very good in many different phases of the corner. Working here this week so far, things have gone pretty well. Here in Daytona with the different conditions and the track being green, there have been some things to work on. But the Corvette Racing team has been doing a fantastic job of getting the car and us up to speed.”

CORVETTE WON THE LAST TWO SPRINT RACES AT DAYTONA. CAN IT WIN THE ROLEX: “Personally I think it’s definitely possible. The competition is always strong in GTLM. We’ll have to keep working hard to improve things. But for me, everything is pointing in the right direction. We’ve done some good learning over the last few days. We need to keep things clean the first 16, 18, 20 hours to make sure we are there to fight at the end.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Great job today by everyone at Corvette Racing. It’s great to see Nick and Alexander get a win in their first race with the team, and we are on pole as a result. You couldn’t ask for much more. We had a little bit of a bumpy start to the weekend, but since then the Corvette and the crew have been spotless. It’s been a great test. It’s been good to get Nick and Alexander some quality time in the car. We’ve all been happy with the balance and the changes that we are making; we are seeing good progress on all fronts. The C8.R is getting better, we are getting our processes down better with driver changes and every aspect to be as successful as we can for be ahead of a 24-hour race… trying to go through all the details, shore up processes and those type of things. This is what the Roar is good for when you have new teammates, new crew guys and that kind of thing – anything that’s new from years past. It’s good opportunity for everyone to get comfortable again with their jobs and roles. I think we can that for us on the 4 car side, we’ve had a very productive test.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTLM:“The name of the game for us was getting into next weekend with this Corvette in one piece. I think we’ve done a good job of that. We used today as a test session for the Rolex 24, and everything went really well. We did try some different setup stuff to help prepare us for next week so we can pick one. When we came back here in July last year, we showed everyone how much we were able to develop the C8.R since the Rolex 24. It was a little bit of a short offseason, and we went back and looked everything again. We came here with whole new philosophy on the car. Some things worked and some things didn’t, so I think it’s good we had these test days to try things. We continued to try thing today and I’m sure we’ll be able to come back with a couple of new options come next week.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTLM:”The race was awesome. It was a good start to our weeks here at Daytona. It’s always good to come off with a 1-2 finish, and now we get to start ahead of everyone else in the Rolex 24. The team did a good job with the strategy calls, and the Corvette was good in both the wet and the dry. We learned some stuff and have some items to improve on in the car. But this has been a great way.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “We were able to cycle through all three drivers this weekend, which is good. Knowing that I wasn’t doing the race today, I had a little bit of limited time but did get almost half of the night practice Saturday. That was good. Our goal was to carry on to know where we are in testing different things in order to have the most data we can headed into the race. We still don’t know what next weekend will bring with track conditions, the weather and the like to know how to react. It was a classic Roar because you get track time but it’s limited because there are three of you in the car. It is a continuous working effort between all three drivers. In a way, it’s good that the car is going in one direction. We are starting to know what we need to do ahead of Saturday.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 75 countries with nearly 4 million cars and trucks sold in 2019. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found www.chevrolet.com.

The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Team to Start the 59th Running of the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA in Fifth

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Official Release
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Daytona Beach, Fla. (January 24th, 2021) The starting grid for the 59th Running of the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA was determined today during the Motul Pole Award 100 as the annual Roar Before the 24 event came to a close. The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 will start next Saturday’s 24-hour event from the fifth position.

Full-time co-drivers, Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor, participated in the sprint race at the 3.56-mile, 12-turn permanent road course at Daytona International Speedway. Filipe Albuquerque started the 100-minute race under wet conditions with Michelin rain weather tires fitted, before transitioning to slick tires during the driver change with Ricky Taylor who brought home the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 in fifth position.

“It was nice to get everyone in the rhythm of racing together,” said Ricky Taylor. “Filipe did an amazing job. It was really nice to be back with Konica Minolta, Wayne Taylor Racing, and the Acura family. I think everyone is already gelling really well. We have a lot of positives to take out of today. The result isn’t exactly what we wanted, but the pace was there, and the team performed really well.”

“I’m quite happy with my job with the car because I didn’t know what to expect since it was my first time with this car on the rain tires,” said Filipe Albuquerque. “I ended my stint in third position and we had some good fights with the Cadillac who seem very strong at the moment. Ricky had a challenge because he had to run with the slicks on a very damp track. The most important part was to not have any issues, crashes or problems because we are all still learning about the car. It’s good enough to start the 24 Hours in fifth position, so now we continue to learn and get stronger.”

Practice for the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA begins this Thursday at 11:40 a.m. EST. The green flag for the race itself will wave at 3:40 p.m. EST on Saturday, January 30th with live coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST at NBC.

About Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future™ with its expansive smart office product portfolio from IT Services (All Covered), ECM, Managed Print Services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for thirteen consecutive years, and the World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent three years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter. Wayne Taylor Racing’s existing lineup of partners that also features Harrison Contracting, Acura Motorsports and CIT.

Team Hardpoint EBM to Start Daytona 24 From Seventh Row After Rebounding From Qualifying Race Challenges

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Official Release
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Drivers Christina Nielsen and Earl Bamber Picked Up Six Positions In No. 88 VB Enviro Care/Richard Mille Porsche 911 GT3 R Late After Early Incident

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 24, 2021) – Team Hardpoint EBM’s No. 88 VB Enviro Care/Richard Mille Porsche 911 GT3 R will start next weekend’s IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship 24 Hours of Daytona on the seventh row of the GT Daytona (GTD) class of the after a 14th-place finish during Sunday’s Motul Pole Award 100 at Daytona International Speedway.

Drivers Christina Nielsen and Earl Bamber, who will share the car in the 24-hour race with Katherine Legge and Rob Ferriol, and the team’s pit crew showed resilience and true overall speed throughout the 100-minute race despite a challenging result.

Nielsen started the race 10th on the grid and, with the track wet from a morning shower, on Michelin rain tires. Nielsen climbed two more positions in the opening 30 minutes despite two early full-course caution periods. On the second restart of the race, Nielsen moved to seventh and was challenging for another position when contact forced a spin into the tire barrier in Daytona’s “bus stop” complex. The crash brought out a third full-course caution and damaged the right front fender and aero, and a series of pit stops for the crew to temporarily fix the damage left the Porsche three laps down from the leaders.

Bamber took over with just more than 50 minutes to go in the race. Running in 16th place and three laps down, Bamber and the team persevered to make up one of those laps in the short sprint and two more positions by the checkered flag.

“I think we started with a pretty solid car from the beginning,” Nielsen said. “We’ve been testing a few things, and might have gone a little bit too edgy in the final one. The nice thing is that our feedback is the same. It’s nice when the drivers are looking for the same car, because sometimes driver style means a little bit different preference for the car setup. Everyone seems to be on the same page. I’m glad we got to try it now and I feel like we’re nice and prepared for the setup and handling for the actual race weekend. IMSA races are competitive from the first lap, but I’m happy to be back and hoping for a better result next week.”

The 2021 event schedule features a quick turnaround following the Roar Before The 24 practice and qualifying weekend, with just four days until Team Hardpoint EBM and the rest of the field are back on track for Thursday’s practice.

“I think we’ve got a good car,” Bamber said. “We’re rolling about with a new bunch of guys, so I think it’s good to do a race. It gets everyone in tune, it’s a bit of a wake-up call. It was a shame that we had a bit of damage in the race, but we’ve still got a straight car. It was superficial stuff, so we can tidy that up now. We’ve got our starting spot, so there’s a lot of positives. Come the 24, we’re just going to keep building and building and get stronger as a team.”

At 3:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, the No. 88 VB Enviro Care/Richard Mille Porsche 911 GT3 R will begin the 24-hour test – the team’s debut effort in the race. The race can be viewed in its across the family of NBC networks, including NBC and NBC Sports, or in its entirety on the NBCSN app via Track Pass.

Noteworthy: Team Hardpoint EBM has welcomed the Florida Chamber Safety Council to the No. 88 VB Enviro Care/Richard Mille Porsche 911 GT3 R beginning with the 24 Hours of Daytona. The Florida Chamber Safety Council is a one-stop resource to help Florida employers successfully design and implement workplace safety, health, and sustainability initiatives.

“There is nothing like a well-prepared race car to show a true focus on workplace safety and health, and the Florida Chamber Safety Council is ready to go racing once again with Team Hardpoint EBM’s Porsche,” Florida Chamber Safety Council President Katie Yeutter
said. “We’re thrilled to be riding along with Katherine and Christina once again, and teaming up with Rob and Earl for the first time. We’re looking forward to a safe, fast 24 Hours at Daytona and happy to be a part of it.”

More information on the Florida Chamber Safety Council can be found at www.flchambersafety.com.

About Team Hardpoint EBM:
Hardpoint Motorsports was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Team Hardpoint EBM is a joint venture between Team Hardpoint and Earl Bamber Motorsport formed in late 2020 to combine the resources of EBM and co-owners Earl Bamber and Will Bamber and the early success of Team Hardpoint. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team’s 2021 plans include a full-season effort in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in a Porsche 911 GT3 R and a multi-car effort in the IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America. More information on Team Hardpoint EBM can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

How to choose a company that provides cash for your old car?

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SM
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Photo by Yuvraj Singh on Unsplash

For many people, purchasing a car is a great dream. There are others who have purchased their first car in a rush to cater to family requirements. However, there comes a time when everything becomes old and jaded. The same is true for your car! Are you the owner of an old car that is disheveled and entirely out of shape? Do you keep it at the corner of your garage as a scrap piece? If yes, you must do something with this junk car instead of storing it for a prolonged time. 

Today, some companies buy your old and junk car and provide you cash for the same. To you would know more about this, you can check out Junk Car Genie. These companies are available online, and you have options galore. Hence, you must think carefully before joining hands with one. Since there are many service providers available, a few checkpoints will help you choose the best service provider. 

  1. A genuine website

The website is your first point of contact. Hence, you need to ensure that the website is genuine and authentic. Today, there are several faulty service providers that fraud people with false promises. You need to check the URL of the website and check whether it appears correct or strange. Usually, counterfeit websites have strange and uncommon URLs that seem suspicious. Also, check for the contact details section. If you don’t find any email address or contact number, chances are the website is not genuine. 

  1. Good customer reviews

It is essential to check the customer reviews of the concerned service providers. Today, both happy and unhappy customers share their views online. So, if you find positive reviews and feedback online, you can opt-in for the company and aim to sell your old car. 

  1. Junk car removal

Usually, the companies that provide cash for your junk car have a removal policy. They typically have an online form that you need to fill up and fulfill a few formalities. Once you do this, the company will send its representatives to your location to collect the old car. When you speak to the company representative over the phone, make sure you discuss the removal terms. It will bring more clarity to the removal process. 

  1. Proper valuation

You must sell your old car at the correct value. For this, you need to research online and check your car’s accurate valuation, considering its present conditions. Next, you need to make sure that the company also provides you with the correct valuation. It is essential to check whether the company has a record of providing a proper valuation. Also, make sure that you receive the cash amount at one go and not in installments. For this, you need to discuss the payment terms initially and have them documented as well. 

You must get in touch with an authentic company that will provide you the correct cash amount for your old car. The tips mentioned above will help you to arrive at the right decision. 

Jr III Racing Rebounds to Finish Season Opener at Daytona

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Official Release
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Daytona Beach, Fla. (23 January 2021) – Jr III (“Junior Three”) Racing battled back from early adversity in the Scouts of America 145 at Daytona International Speedway to take the checkered flag on the opening round of the 2021 IMSA Prototype Challenge (IPC) season on Saturday.

The No. 3 Copps Industries Ligier JS P320 of Greg and Eric Palmer led the Jr III Racing lineup with a tenth-place finish on Saturday. The team’s sister entry of Ari and Natasha Balogh came home 12th in the No. 33 Airbnb Ligier JS P320.

Qualifying was slated on Saturday in what was a short two-day event during the IMSA’s Roar Before the 24 weekend. Entering two LMP3 machines which featured one father-son pair – Greg & Eric Palmer – and one father-daughter pair – Ari & Natasha Balogh – Jr III Racing extended its family focus as the 2021 season officially kicked off.

Fathers, Greg Palmer and Ari Balogh, qualified their respective cars in the 15-minute session. With rain arriving just ahead of the session, the pair navigated a wet racing surface with Balogh completing his first IPC qualifying effort in 12th, with Palmer close behind in 14th on the starting grid.

As the field filed into turn one at the start of the one hour, 45-minute race, the Jr III Racing drivers looked to make forward progress to open the stint.

But just as Balogh was making progress in the No. 33 Ligier, an off track excursion caused front nose damage and brought out the first full course caution.

Balogh took to pit for a replacement nose, and returned to the track three laps down under green flag conditions. Balogh utilized the open track and a large gap to the competitor behind to push the Ligier during the remaining 49-minutes of his opening stint.

The elder Balogh handed over the mended No. 33 to daughter Natasha Balogh on Lap 24. The 21-year-old rookie headed back out to the 2.5-mile course in 12th. Balogh returned to pit lane on Lap 25 to serve a drive through penalty for a pit lane speed violation.

Taking her first professional race laps at Daytona, Balogh ran door-to-door and learned race running alongside the sister No. 3 Ligier for 16 laps. Despite a quick off in the closing moments of the race as the track conditions continued to change, Balogh quickly recovered to cross the finish line in 12th.

“Today was incredible,” said Natasha Balogh. “I only had maybe 45-minutes of track time before our race, so I am very happy with how I performed today. My goal was to be consistent and I was able to do that while inching closer to the marks I want to hit. There is a lot I want to work on physically and mentally to prepare myself for the next time I am in the car. But to experience this series and this track this weekend was a phenomenal time.”

Jr III Racing’s second entry saw Greg Palmer navigate the early caution periods to advance seven positions to sit seventh. It wasn’t long after that when two competitors ahead collided leaving Palmer with nowhere to go. Escaping without major damage, Palmer did have to return to pit lane to fix slight damage to the right side of the nose. Quick action by the Jr III Racing crew allowed the No. 3 to return to track repaired and remaining on the lead lap.

The elder Palmer worked his way back through the field to tenth position before handing over the car to his son Eric Palmer on Lap 25.

Eric Palmer utilized the high line atop the 31-degree banking and executed a clean pass through lapped traffic. The second-year Jr III driver pushed the Ligier’s capabilities for 29 laps and gained two-seconds with each lap around the 2.5-mile track. Palmer brought the No. 3 Copps Industries Ligier across the finish line 10th in class to continue the Palmers streak of top-ten finishes in IMSA Prototype Challenge competition.

“The biggest thing I have learned this weekend is that the new Ligier is a tough car!” said the elder Palmer, Greg. “We had early contact that caused us to lose the front dive plane but we were still able to drive it while running competitive laps. The car is remarkably strong and predictable, which is all I could ask for as a driver. It felt great to be back on track competing in IMSA again. Each time we are able to in the car our driving skills continue to get better. I am already looking forward to Sebring.”

“When I got into the car there was some damage that I wasn’t sure how it was going to affect the aero of the car,” said Eric Palmer. “Luckily it did not change and I was able to get up to speed quickly. Racing at Daytona is very intense especially when you go up into the high line like I did today. A high line pass is something you always see on TV, but being able to be the one making that pass was truly a highlight of my racing career.”

The Jr III Racing Ligier stable will head to Sebring International Raceway for the second round of the IMSA Prototype Challenge season on March 17-19th.

Wright Motorsports Swaps Chassis Before Motul Pole Award 100

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Official Release
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Former chassis comes back home for qualifying fight

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (January 24, 2021) — Exactly 365 days after Black Swan Racing purchased a Porsche 911 GT3 R chassis from Wright Motorsports to run the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona, the car is coming back to its previous owner to race on track in Sunday’s Motul Pole Award 100 and next week’s Rolex 24. An incident in night practice resulted in Wright Motorsports needing to acquire a replacement chassis, and just as one team was able to help the other team last year, Black Swan Racing was able to return the favor this weekend.

The No. 540 Porsche 911 GT3 R was slated to run the opening event for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but the entry was withdrawn following a positive COVID-19 test for team owner and driver Tim Pappas. Luckily for Wright Motorsports, the car remained in Daytona, and immediately following the diagnosis of the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R from Saturday’s incident, owner John Wright had called Pappas.

The team received the car first thing Sunday morning and the crew has been working quickly and methodically to prep the new chassis for this afternoon’s Motul Pole Award 100, which the team still aims to compete in. Although the team captured pole position on Saturday, they will be starting from the rear following the chassis swap. If Saturday’s qualifying session was any indication, the Porsche 911 GT3 R should be a strong contender in the already stacked GTD class. The field will take the green flag at 2:00PM Eastern and can be streamed live on NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS, or imsa.tv for international audiences. A tape-delay of the qualifying race, which will set the grid for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, will air on NBC Sports Network at 4:30PM.

Bringing the story full circle, the Black Swan Racing chassis has not competed since finishing in fifth-place at the 2020 Rolex 24. The rear-engine Porsche will have a chance to add to its success in one of the world’s greatest endurance races on January 30 – 31 with the 59th Running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

“We would like to thank Tim for taking our call and helping us out,” said Wright. “We’re so grateful that the car was on site and we were able to get the deal done, get a hold of the car, and get to work quickly. We hope he’s doing well, and we wish him the best.”

1st Phorm
1st Phorm is a sports nutrition company based in St. Louis, MO. In 2009, CEO Andy Frisella and his business partner Chris Klein started the brand, and since then, it has become the fastest growing supplement company in the world. 1st Phorm has set the standards in the industry for quality and helping people reach their goals. This new racing partnership is not their first time in the exotic car scene either. 1st Phorm has been the title sponsor for the Gold Rush Rally for six years running. With over a million followers across social media, 1st Phorm has amassed a huge cult-like following known as, “The Legion of Boom.” They stand for a movement in the fitness world. To turn it back to what it was meant to be. Helping others improve their lives, to be a good human… and to drop the excuses and do the work. 1st Phorm is a winning brand and they don’t expect anything less when it comes to their race team. For additional info: www.1stphorm.com

Mountain Motorsports
Mountain Motorsports is a group of motorcycle and powersports dealerships with multiple locations in the southeastern United States. The company was founded by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price when they opened their first location as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1999. The company has since grown into one of the largest retailers of motorcycle and powersports vehicles in the nation, spanning nine dealership locations representing eleven of the industry’s most well-known brands. For additional info: www.mountainmotorsports.com

Una Vida Tequila
Una Vida translates to One Life. That is how this brand started. By people who want to live their “One Life” to the absolute fullest and to their highest potential. A group of guys from the Midwest who love great quality tequila, and want their One Life to have meaning and impact others.

One Life, One Tequila is our CORE BELIEF. We’re building the only tequila brand you will ever need to drink. Una Vida is bigger than just tequila we’re also building a culture of people who want to live their life to their utmost potential.

Our story begins and continues to grow bottle by bottle. It’s a life mission for us to create a community of people who all raise a glass knowing they’re living their ONE LIFE! For more information, visit unavidatequila.com

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

Rebel Rock Racing Entering Third Year of IMSA Competition with Camaro GT4.R

By
Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (22 January 2021) – Rebel Rock Racing kicks off it’s 2021 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season with the Roar Before the Rolex 24, a three-day test at Daytona International Speedway beginning on Friday, January 22.

The Roar offers Michelin Pilot Challenge teams the opportunity to shake off the racing rust accumulated during the off season with six hours of testing over the course of the three-day event. The 2021 race series gets underway on January 29 at Daytona with the BMW Endurance Challenge, the first of two four-hour events on the 10-race schedule.

“It’s going to be very valuable track time,” said Liddell, who doubles in the role of team manager. “The weather for the next 10 days is expected to be pretty consistent. We’ve got a strong package, and an experienced team in the pits.”

The weekend will also see teams take to the track for the first time under a new set of Balance of Performance (“BOP”) configurations. To keep the field competitive and allow for the widely ranging different types of car platforms, IMSA generates event-specific performance parameters by varying a range of elements including engine power, fuel capacity and weight.

The 2021 Daytona event will open with the Camaro’s settings featuring a significant decrease in air available to the engine which will result in lower top speeds on the high banked track. .

“We’ve had a pretty big BOP adjustment for Daytona,” said Liddell. “But if we do a good job, run consistent laps and stay out of trouble, we should still have a good result in the race and a strong start to the season.”

With the BOP adjustment, the Roar has taken on added importance for the team as it looks to get off to a strong start for 2021.

“It’s kind of frustrating for us to have the power reduced as much as it is, but we know that we just have to execute on everything as best as we can as a team and we could still have a reasonable result,” said DePew. “Our Camaro has never run with this setup, and we’ve never been that strong at Daytona, so we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Based in nearby DeLand, Florida, Rebel Rock Racing has not had great results in both of its prior starts at Daytona with the Camaro. The team was collected in an early incident in the 2019 event but came back with a strong finish to the campaign, winning at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Road America to jump from 34th in the points after 3 races to finish ninth in the final standings.

Last year, Rebel Rock ran as high as fifth in the Daytona opener but was slowed by driveline issues in the final hour, falling to a 13th- place finish. Once again, the team bounced back, placing first and third in the two events at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. A misinterpretation of the minimum drive-time regulations cost DePew and Liddell a podium finish – and potential victory – in the finale at Sebring International Raceway in November, as they were 3 seconds shy on Frank’s drivetime requiring a driver change for the final lap while the car was in 2nd place.

“We had a standout performance at Sebring, but that’s where we’ve done the bulk of our testing and development,” said Liddell. “Coming to Daytona is a very different animal. Daytona hasn’t been the best track for this car, and I think with this new BOP that will be the case once again.”

For 2021, Frank and Robin will not be joined by Andrew Davis who was the team’s third driver for the endurance races over the last two years, as Andrew will join another team for a full-season program in 2021. The move will also see DePew gain more seat time as he prepares for the longer stints in races like the four-hour opener at Daytona. DePew is looking forward to the challenge.

“I spent last year getting in shape, so I’m up for the challenge,” DePew said. “I’m enjoying it, and the continued seat time will help me continue to improve my performance. I was quite happy with where we left off last season. I’m certainly going to miss Andrew (Davis) and he is still part of this Rebel Rock family in a way. But this new approach will give me added practice, and more time in the car is going to help me so I’m looking forward to that.”

Having raced for several years in historic and Porsche Club competition, DePew has made rapid progression since committing to racing in a professional series.

“Frank finished the season very strongly, and this improvement gives him the chance to step up into a slightly different role,” said Liddell of the two-driver line up. “Now, he will have to drive longer in the two 4 hour races and will have to mentally pace himself for the longer time he will be in the car. That’s an important part of his development as a driver.”

Opening Michelin Pilot Challenge practice begins on Friday January 22 with a one-hour, 15-minute sessions at 10 a.m. (all times ET). There will be a second practice, a one-hour, 30-minute session at 2:30 p.m. Saturday January 23 includes two one-hour practices at 10:30 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Sunday January 24 concludes the Roar with a one-hour, 15-minute test at 10:35 a.m.

The BMW Endurance Challenge officially begins the 2021 season at 1:35 p.m. on Friday, January 29.

Additional updates via:
http://rebelrockracing.co
https://twitter.com/rebelrockracing
https://www.instagram.com/rebelrockracing/

Interview: First Seasons with Antron Brown

By
Briar Starr
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Photo Courtesy of Auto Imagery

In continuation of our feature titled “First-Seasons” Speedway Media takes a look back at a driver’s first year or rookie year in racing. In this edition, we caught up with three-time Top Fuel Champion Antron Brown who discussed his rookie year in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

In the interview, Brown reflects on his first start, not qualifying for the Gatornationals, his first victory at the Dallas Nationals in 1999, redemption one year later at the Gatornationals and many other special moments throughout his rookie years in NHRA.

SM: You began racing in NHRA by competing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class during your rookie year in 1998 at the young age of 22. Why did you choose Pro Stock Motorcycle and what it was like entering the Pro Stock Motorcycle class and coming up through the ranks?

AB: “I chose Pro Stock (Motorcycle) because it (PSM) was what I grew up around,” Brown said. “I grew up as a kid racing motorcycles, from Motorcross to street bikes. That was my first start into it (PSM). That’s all I wanted to do to get in there and do that.” 

SM: Before you started competing in Pro Stock Motorcycle, you connected with Team 23 Racing run by NFL star Troy Vincent which ultimately give you the chance to race. Can you explain how that connection came about?

AB: “So, how that came about was, I was racing street bikes in Atco, New Jersey where there is a little small drag strip there and we were out there racing and I met Troy (Vincent),” the 3x Top Fuel NHRA Champion said. “That’s how the whole connection came together. At the time, Troy was married to my cousin. Troy wanted to get into the Motorcycle NHRA world and my cousin says ‘you know, I have a cousin that races dirt bikes.’ From that point on, he reached out to my family and got me on a bike and that’s how it all started.” 

SM: When you entered the ‘98 season, you ran 14 races, a full-time schedule. What were your expectations? Were race wins or championships on your radar or did you take it one race at a time?

AB: “We took the season race by race,” Brown said. “At the end of the day, I was a rookie. We had some good expectations and things of that nature. We came out to win and we wanted to win. Troy brought the best of everything. I remember everything like it was yesterday; that was the coolest part about it. Just being able to have the opportunity at the end of the day.” 

SM: Your first career start came at the famous Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida but unfortunately, you did not qualify for the show. How did you prepare for the race and were you more nervous or just excited to get to the track? How did you handle not qualifying and do you think you could have done anything differently?

AB: “That was hard,” he said about not qualifying for the Gatornationals. “We would qualify, but it was just an incident where we had a fuel jug mix-up. We actually qualified sixth, but we didn’t pass fuel inspection. Basically, we had regular unleaded gas in our motorcycle which wasn’t supposed to be in there. That was a rookie mistake, you know what I mean? It was a new team, new everything, just accidentally poured the fuel into the wrong jug. 

“It was so funny, because everybody thought this new team was coming out here and trying to use cheap race fuel. We were like ‘are you kidding me?’ The bad part of it was, we were slower that lap. It’s not like we picked up from the lap we were trying to qualify with. That being said, we took our bumps and bruises, and then we qualified the very next race in the top five and had numerous semi-final appearances. 1999 was our breakout year winning three races in our sophomore season. We made the switch to Vincent-Hines race engines and that’s where I got tied in with the crew chief at the time, Mark Peiser. That’s where the whole narrative started to change. We learned, we studied and just became very competitive. The next year (1999), we finished third in points after finishing seventh in my rookie year (1998).”

SM: Just a few races later at the Pennzoil Nationals, you would have first-round wins at the Pennzoil Nationals against Dave Schultz and John Smith in Round 2 and made the semi-finals for the first time in your career racing against Angelle Sampey. What did those first two round victories mean to you especially after you did not qualify for the Gatornationals? 

AB: “It felt awesome to us as a whole team,” Brown said. “It was basically a moment like okay, we’re here. We are where we are supposed to be, all the hard work that took to get there. The whole team came together at a really fast pace of time and we were all new to the game. We were making some noise on the scene. We had a lot of people looking at you and a lot of people who didn’t want you to succeed also. It was refreshing to us to make that happen.” 

SM: Is there anything in particular that you will always remember from the Pennzoil Nationals in 1998? 

AB: “I will always remember everything from that weekend,” he said. “From the start of the year, I remembered it was awesome just to be there, to say this was a kid who grew up in Chesterfield, New Jersey and racing against the people I saw on TV. I was racing against John Smith, John Myers, Dave Schultz, who were the superstars of their career. It (making my debut) was a very eye-opening experience for me. I was very happy to be out there, let alone be competitive.” 

SM: As the season wore on, you made three more semi-final appearances in your rookie season and finished a respectable seventh in the standings, just 811 points behind eventual champion Matt Hines. Would you call your rookie season a success all these years later?

AB: “Oh, absolutely,” Brown said about his rookie season. “I would definitely call (1998) a success. With everything that happened, we learned all the right ways and we didn’t win right off the bat because the competition was so stout, but we just didn’t have the power to win. We were really getting out run. We finished where we should have finished. That made us open our minds, do our homework where we set ourselves up the following year to make a change. We made that change and making that change paid dividends.” 

SM: One year later, you achieved your first runner-up finish at the Gatornationals, the site where you did not qualify one year prior. Did you feel as though that finish was somewhat of a redemption?

AB: “Yes, I did,” the Don Schumacher Racing driver said about qualifying at the Gatornationals one-year later. “I came out there, we hit it hard and qualified well. We struggled a little bit after our first race with the new engine program. I remember my bike wasn’t shifting at a test. We would shift second gear and the gear would pop out. We had some transmission issues and we had to work through that. We definitely were on point after that.”

SM: Finally, the next race at Dallas, you would get your first ever NHRA win. Have you ever gone back to watch that race and what does that win still mean to you to this day?

AB: “That win right there, I tell you what, the victory felt like I’ve done something,” Brown said. “The victory was very heartfelt for sure. I can’t complain about it. Winning that first race will always be special to me. I always look at that victory to where I am now. Winning was like ‘Wow., we did it. We made it here.’ I think (winning) was the biggest thing for me.” 

SM: With that in mind, what will be your fondest memory from your first two years in racing or your rookie season? Was it your first start, round victory, runner up, win, or something else?

AB: “Actually, I raced in AMA Pro Star that year and I won my first race at Atlanta,” he said. “I raced against Paul Gast and that (in Pro Stock Motorcycle) was the start of it. That’s when we knew if we had our power, we could run with people and win races. We weren’t as fast as Paul, but we were within two-hundredths of him every lap. 

“I took him (Paul Gast) out in the final round and I was cutting good lights, while Paul pushed the tree and got two red lights and we won that race. That’s when we knew, we have to get power to where we can be faster. In my rookie year, the front runners would be quicker than us running eight-hundredths faster. We could only qualify fifth through eighth it seemed like. If we qualified the first race, we could have finished fourth or fifth that first year.”

SM: Some racers collect their own memorabilia and some don’t. Do you collect your own merchandise and if so, do you have anything that reminds you of your rookie season from Pro Stock Motorcycle?

AB: “I still have the majority of 80% of all my stuff (from my rookie season in PSM or Top Fuel)” Brown said. “I definitely have saved a lot of my merchandise from over the years.” 

SM: I’ve been asking drivers what their favorite Wally is in their collection out of all the years they competed. What is your favorite Wally and why?

AB: “I would say my favorite Wally in my collection is my 2008 Top Fuel trophy (where Brown won against Tony Schumacher at Atlanta),” he said. “The reason being is that was the wildest dream I ever had of getting there (racing in Top Fuel). My dream was to become a Top Fuel racer and I never could have imagined in a million years of making it there. (Winning in 2008) was definitely a dream come true.” 

SM: Wrapping this interview up, it’s hard to believe your first start was 23 years ago. However, if time travel were available, what would a 44-year-old Antron Brown tell 22-year-old Antron Brown? Is there anything you would do differently? 

AB: “I would literally tell my younger self to not doubt myself and not to settle,” Brown said. “I had a few times in my career where I stayed poised, not plateaued. I stayed in the same spot because I got comfortable sitting in the same position for four years. That’s what I would tell my younger self is to progress faster and not sit idle.” 

In Antron’s career, the Pittsboro, Indiana native has a total of 67 career wins, 16 victories in Pro Stock Motorcycle and 51 victories in Top Fuel including winning the championship three times in his career (2012, 2015, 2016). Overall, Brown has collected 57 runner-up finishes, 93 semi-finals, 119 quarter-finals and 102 first-round appearances which include Pro Stock Motorcycle and Top Fuel. In addition, Brown has a total of 49. No. 1 qualifiers with his first No. 1 qualifier occurring at Gainesville in 2001. His win-loss record stands out 741-371.

Brown has made the playoffs for 11 years in a row with the exception of 2020 where there was no Countdown to the Championship. Throughout the playoffs, the Indiana native won 14 races, earned six runner-up finishes and had five No. 1 qualifiers.

Fans of Antron Brown can follow him on social media on Twitter and Instagram and “like” him on Facebook. You can also visit his website here.

Additionally, fans of Don Schumacher Racing can follow them on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook. Fans can also visit Don Schumacher’s Racing website here.

Special thanks to Allison McCormick for coordinating this interview and many thanks to Antron Brown for taking the time out of his busy schedule for this interview.

Sean Creech Motorsports’ Lance Willsey Brings COVID Awareness to Daytona

By
Official Release
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Physician and Covid survivor working to raise awareness

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (22 January 2021) – As the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship prepares to launch this Friday with the Roar Before the 24, the field of drivers and teams are all working through their checklists to prepare in the build up to the 59th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 30-31. But one set of to-dos is all new for 2021, as teams not only need to work through how to race their way to a new Rolex, but also how to do so safely in the time of Covid-19.

One driver will be using his background as a physician and covid survivor to focus his racing platform on bringing awareness to Covid safety with the goal of getting the fans back to the track.

Sean Creech Motorsports (SCM) driver Lance Willsey is set for his 10th outing in the 24, co-driving the No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsport Exelixis Ligier JS P320 Nissan with four-time Rolex 24 winner Joao Barbosa as well as Wayne Boyd and Yann Clairay.

“In 2020, IMSA did a spectacular job executing the race events and creating a safe environment for us to race and entertain the fans across a variety of media sources” said Willsey, who is anticipated to be the only physician in the starting field for the Rolex event. “Now the challenge that faces us as stakeholders is, what can we do to expedite the path to bring fans back to the stands?”

Willsey, who is a Covid survivor, is working to provide non-political, science and fact-based source of information about what motorsports fans can do to stop the spread and allow the drivers and teams to get back to entertaining tens of thousands of fans live in person.

“All of our fan facing promotion, car livery, driver suits, crew uniforms, and fan swag will be focused on that objective,” said Willsey. We have adopted the image of “Rosie the Riveter” as a symbolic image of what this country has done in the past to deal with adversity and what we are capable of doing again. As both a physician and a Covid survivor it is really important to me that we provide knowledge and education for our fans so that we can accelerate the process of getting back to where we were before, as soon as possible and as safely as possible.

The Daytona event will see limited fan access, socially distanced and within stringent guidelines as has become the norm for many sporting events over the last year.

“As great as it is to go to the Roar, it is still a bit hollow without the full amount fans being there, without the full camp grounds, and everyone wandering through the paddock getting up close with these incredible cars,” said Willsey. “This is entertainment, and if we can’t have fans, it’s not the same experience as we all want it to be.”

Willsey has two goals for the twice around the clock classic.

“I want to stand with my teammates on top step of the podium after 24 hours, and I want to help educate fans as to what we can all do fill the stands as soon as we can in a safe manner. If the 24 can entertain the fans as well as bring about change of behaviors in a positive way by people wearing masks, distancing, and learning about the vaccine, then I think we can really accelerate the process of getting back to a sense of normalcy and getting fans back to the track. If we can accomplish that, it’s a win win for all parties involved.”

Preparations for both efforts have been coming along, with Willsey and SCM getting some laps on board the new Ligier machine last month, while the promotional effort also builds ahead of the roar and the race.

“My objective isn’t to tell anyone what to do about their health, but I want to try to use this as a platform for a greater good so folks can make the best decision based on science and. I think IMSA has shown great leadership in managing all the various processes that are necessary to create a safe environment for us to go out and entertain, and I want to help that process continue to result in more fans being able to come to the track.”

Willsey and his co-drivers will take to the track this January 22-24 for the Roar Before the 24, with the Rolex event weekend set to officially launch with practice on Thursday, January 28.

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