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Team Hardpoint Leads Laps and Earns Season Best Top Five IMSA Finish in 12 Hours of Sebring Debut

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Co-Drivers Rob Ferriol, Andrew Davis and Pierre Kaffer and the No. 30 GridRival/Team Hardpoint R8 LMS GT3 Scored the Young Team’s Fifth Place in the Season Finale

SEBRING, Florida (November 15, 2020) – Team Hardpoint earned a season-best finish in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) class at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday at Sebring International Raceway. Co-drivers Rob Ferriol, Andrew Davis and Pierre Kaffer finished fifth in the No. 30 GridRival/Team Hardpoint Audi R8 LMS GT3 during the 68th running of the event.

After an intense 12 hours of racing, the team covered 1,193 miles in 319 laps around the 3.74-mile circuit and finished just 10.085 seconds behind the class winner. The first-year team also reached other milestones during the event, with Davis earning a front-row start, Ferriol leading his first career lap after a turn one pass for the lead during the race’s second hour, and Davis led for eight additional laps during the ninth hour of the race following a full-course caution.

“What’s really cool for me is we had our best finish in 2020 in the longest race we ran,” Ferriol said. “I think it’s a great starting point for 2021, looking back here. I led laps, Andrew led laps, those are all good news stories for us. I couldn’t be prouder of Andrew and Pierre in the car, Will Bamber and Toni Calderon calling strategy and Owen Hayes as our engineer, and our entire team. We did 11 pit stops, and all of them were perfect. I can’t say enough about this team.”

Endurance racing comes with challenges to overcome, and that is especially true on the bumpy and treacherous Sebring surface. With three-hours, 30-minutes remaining and under full course caution, the team elected to stay on track rather than pit and move Davis to the lead. That strategy evaporated with 65 minutes remaining in the race when Davis pulled to pit lane with a punctured tire. Unfortunately, that stop was just minutes outside the fuel window to get to the finish.

“What a day, first off,” Davis said. “This race is one of the most grueling in the world. There are longer races, but this one just beats you up. Physically, for sure, because of the nature of Sebring International Raceway, but mentally it’s very, very difficult. Especially when darkness arrives. Being later in the year, there was a couple more hours of darkness which added some complexity to it. To come out in a top five finish, I actually was really pleased with the team. The effort put forth all week just to get the car better and give us something to fight with says something about this team, who is still in its infancy as a unit. I think the sky’s the limit for Hardpoint and I’m just excited I had an opportunity to run with them during the last couple of races of the year.”

Kaffer climbed behind the wheel for the run to the checkered flag, sitting eighth in class and still on the lead lap. In fuel conservation mode, Kaffer was unable to push the Audi to the limit. A final full-course caution with less than 30-minutes to go gave Kaffer enough fuel to get to the finish, but without enough time to make up any additional positions.

“Thank you to the whole team, they’ve done an awesome job the whole weekend,” Kaffer, an Audi Sport customer racing driver making his first start with Team Hardpoint, said. “I felt really confident from the first moment I joined Hardpoint and tried to help with my knowledge of the car. I think we had a great car today in our hands. In the end, it didn’t pay off for the podium because the tire puncture was two laps too early. I had to save fuel in my last stint. Without that, I think we could have finished P4 or P3. The full course yellow helped us. At the end, I was able to put some pressure on the (fourth place) Ferrari. Always when I was there, there was some traffic, and then the gap extended again. In the end, overall, all of us with Rob and Andrew did a great job.”

The fifth-place finish capped the inaugural season for Team Hardpoint, who joined the IMSA WeatherTech Championship in July with a plan to run only the sprint races. The team added Petit LeMans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring late in the season.

“I have to say thank you to Audi for all of the support we received this year,” Ferriol said. “We couldn’t have done this without them. It makes me super proud to be able to end the year on a high note with an Audi R8 LMS GT3 having led laps at the Sebring 12 hour and finishing in the top five.”

Team Hardpoint now turns its attention to the 2021 season and the recently announced Team Hardpoint EBM Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GTD class. The season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona is just weeks away, January 28-31 at Daytona International Speedway.

About Hardpoint Motorsports:
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. The Hardpoint brand brings together three distinct entities into one motorsport ecosystem. Team Hardpoint is the brand’s racing arm, providing its partners and customers opportunities to compete, brand, and promote in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona class and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. Hardpoint Outfitters helps other teams and drivers extract more value from their motorsport investment by bundling branding, activation, and digital marketing services into customized turnkey packages, including design, apparel, hospitality, and social media management. The Hardpoint Paddock Foundation is the newest element of the ecosystem, created as a charitable foundation to support out of work paddock workers through the COVID-19 shutdown. As the shutdown comes to an end, the 501(c)3 Foundation is expected to grow into a more sustained model of providing vocational and educational support services to the professional sports car paddock community. More information on all of the Hardpoint Motorsports enterprises can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Wright Motorsports Wins Twelve Hours of Sebring

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Official Release
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SEBRING, Fla., (November 15, 2020) – The 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship ended in dramatic fashion Saturday evening at Sebring International Raceway. After securing a handful of podiums leading up to the finale event, Wright Motorsports put in an incredible performance over the course of the Twelve Hours of Sebring to clinch their first win of the 2020 season with Ryan Hardwick, Patrick Long, and Jan Heylen in the No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R. While the team lost the bid for the GTD class championship by a mere two points, the capture of the team’s first endurance win at one of the most challenging races on the calendar produced a celebration worthy of any title.

“I can’t emphasize how proud I am of everyone on this team,” said Team Owner John Wright. “All season long, everyone executed perfectly. We gave it everything we had and finished with a very well deserved win. While we didn’t get the championship title, we’re thrilled to celebrate victory at a race as tough as the Twelve Hours of Sebring. It was action-packed from start to finish, and to come out on top as the winners feels great. The team really earned this one.”

Heading into the final race of the 2020 season, Wright Motorsports needed to finish a minimum of four places ahead of the No. 86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura in order to clinch the GTD class title. The No. 14 Lexus of AIM Vasser Sullivan also still had its nose in the fight, needing to finish well ahead of both the No. 16 Porsche and No. 86 Acura.

After clinching his first career IMSA pole position on Friday morning, Jan Heylen led the GTD class to green on Saturday morning, beginning what would be a strong opening stint for the No. 16 Porsche. The weather conditions and the car’s handling lined up perfectly, allowing Heylen to skillfully keep the lead position and extend a 20-second lap over the rest of the field before completing his first turn behind the wheel.

Wright Motorsports completed their first driver change just before the one hour mark, giving the No. 16 Porsche a fresh set of Michelin Tires, a full tank of fuel, and a new driver, with Ryan Hardwick taking over for the second stint. A full-course caution was declared for debris on the track, eliminating the lead the Porsche had over the field. Cars and tires cooled back down during the caution as the field gathered back together to prepare for the restart. After a brief period, the race went back to green, and the balance and the grip gradually changed during the second stint. The Porsche became looser as the GTD battle intensified, and the No. 16 Porsche shuffled back to 11th. With suggestions from the pit box, Hardwick made some quick changes to the car, which successfully helped dial back in the balance, but it was clear a performance issue with the car remained. Despite the unknown factor, Hardwick stayed close to the No. 57 Acura of Joey Hand for the remainder of his stint before pitting for tires and fuel.

He rejoined with no pressure behind, he consistently set a quick pace, settling into 11th before another debris caution came out. Hardwick pitted under caution for a splash of fuel, overtaking two cars in pit lane who had to make longer stops for fuel. Drama came in high fashion shortly after when the No. 4 Corvette experienced engine troubles, dropping fluid all over the back straight of the road course. Both Lexus machines spun off course, making heavy impact with the wall, effectively eliminating the championship hopes of the No. 12. The No. 16 Porsche was one of the four cars that spun, but Hardwick did a masterful save to quickly continue.

The race went back to green after a lengthy caution, and Hardwick came in for fuel and tires, moving the Porsche to the rear of the field. He rejoined to match the pace of the class leaders, taking back ninth place and chasing down the No. 30 Audi that raced 43 seconds ahead. He climbed back up to sixth position, and pitted under caution for the team to do a standard brake change to the front set. Completed in less than two minutes, the Porsche rejoined in 10th, and the field went back to green.

After racing for roughly three and a half straight hours, Ryan Hardwick concluded his successful run and handed the No. 16 Porsche over to Patrick Long to turn his first laps of the race. He joined the field in tenth, 27 seconds behind the No. 30 Audi, and immediately reported to the team there was a potential problem with the left rear shock. As the team worked to determine the next steps and consider the race strategy, Long methodically moved up the charts, getting in a tight battle with the No. 30 before a full course caution paused the race activity. After inspection of the car during a stop, it was determined the car was safe to continue and stay in the fight. The team pitted the car under caution for a full-service stop. Continuing the trend of the season, the expedient work by the crew in pit lane brought the Porsche out in second, impressively gaining four spots during the stop.

As soon as the tires achieved their ideal temperatures, Heylen charged towards Corey Lewis in the race leading No. 48 Lamborghini. After a 12-minute battle, the Porsche took back the class lead and immediately pulled away from the competition. As the sun started to dip, Patrick Long took back over, racing hard during the golden hour from the first position. He enjoyed a relatively quiet sunset stint in the lead, keep the position to the next driver stop, where Heylen resumed his duties. After the pit sequence cycled through, the No. 16 Porsche settled into second position behind the No 74 Mercedes of Lawson Aschenbach. A four-second gap separated the two as they raced into the early evening hours, with Heylen also maintaining a 23-second gap over the No. 30 Audi. Most importantly, the only remaining competitor in the championship fight, the No. 86 Acura, loomed in fourth position, still close enough to secure the title.

In the final three hours, Long and Heylen revolved through the Porsche with each stint, keeping the car in the top four through a series of cautions periods and intense green-flag racing. With performance issues still prevalent in the left rear shock, the drivers managed the difficulty of drivability to still get the necessary pace out of the car to be in a three-way battle for the lead with two and a half hours remaining. The No. 86 of Matt McMurry raced tight with the No. 63 Ferrari of Alessandro Balzan. Balzan took the lead, allowing Long to directly battle with the No. 86, and take the position and quickly create a five-second gap over the Acura.

Heylen jumped in for his final stint of the race, maintaining second place before giving the car back to Long for the last hour. Long rejoined in third, behind the leading No. 63 Ferrari and No. 74 Mercedes of Aschenbach. A full course caution again paused the racing with 25 minutes remaining on the clock, dramatically increasing the tension all throughout pit lane. The field went back to green for a 23-minute dash to the checker that saw a dramatic shake-up to the GTD podium. Contact between GTLM and GTD cars resulted in the class leader spinning, and the No. 74 receiving a drive-through penalty, catapulting the No. 16 to the lead position with ten minutes to go. Everyone in pit lane held their breath as the time remaining on the race clock counted down. After an intense twelve hours, Patrick Long brought the No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R to the finish line, celebrating the first endurance win for Wright Motorsports. The win was also monumental for Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen, marking their first professional wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

While the Ohio-based team has yet to formally announce its 2021 plans, they will no doubt carry this momentum into the upcoming season, which begins January 30th with the Rolex 24 at Daytona. To subscribe to future news and updates, visit wrightmotorsports.com.

Driver Quotes

Ryan Hardwick
We came into this race with one goal. We knew we had to win. It was the only shot we had. It didn’t look like it was going to happen there for a while. We were dealing with a left-rear shock that wasn’t working properly for most of the race and it was really, really tough to drive for all of us. Jan and Pat did amazing! They are the ones that brought it home. Our team was unbelievable. We never made a mistake in the pits, we did our job, we accomplished our goal and what we came here for. We fell just a little bit short in the end on the championship but we are really proud of this win. This is a big step for our program, 1st Phorm and Wright Motorsports. This was a really big historic day for us.

Patrick Long
In the last few hours I saw a few scenarios with the championship implications and that the race might be up for grabs. It was difficult to battle with our issue [broken left-rear shock absorber] because the car would start bouncing pretty hard. But we bided our time, put ourselves in a position to capitalize and we executed. I am so proud of what this small organization has been able to achieve this year. ‘Thank you’ to Andy Frisella and 1st Phorm and to the whole Mountain Motorsports team for putting us on the grid and giving us a chance to fight these big organizations. This is a big momentum booster as we move into our sophomore year together next season.

Jan Heylen
This is just unbelievable. To be here with this team and Patrick and Ryan is just unbelievable. I don’t’ think anyone knew this whole race we were driving around with a broken damper. I have no words. I couldn’t be happier. This is one of the big ones. Pat did an amazing job. That last stint was unbelievable. Super happy!

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

No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Team Clinches 2020 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Title

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Official Release
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Sebring, FL (November 15, 2020) The No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Team came to the 68th Running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with two goals: clinch the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 2013 and 2017 championship-winning team reached the first goal and achieved the Michelin Endurance Cup Crown for the first time in team history but fell just one point short of the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title.

“It’s a strange feeling,” said team owner Wayne Taylor. “This was my last race with Cadillac. The guys did a great job as usual. Unfortunately, we got taken out by the No. 77 Mazda which really killed our race. We ended up racing against Ricky and Helio for the championship. I’m really happy to be with Konica Minolta and for all that they have done for us. This team is incredible. The drivers drove well. We just missed the big show. Anyways onwards to next year with big new things.“

After qualifying an impressive second for the endurance-classic, Renger van der Zande took the green flag for the Konica Minolta team, immediately challenging for the lead. However, IMSA officials deemed van der Zande to have moved lanes before the start line, giving the Cadillac-powered outfit a drive-through penalty on lap four of the race, dropping the team to the back of the pack, more than 30 seconds adrift.

Over the next two stints, van der Zande put in an astonishing drive, moving from eighth to fourth before handing the car over to Ryan Briscoe. If the team were recipients of bad luck at the start, they would see some good luck fall their way at the two-hour, 21-minute mark, with a full-course yellow falling shortly after Briscoe had made his first stop of the day. The full-course yellow vaulted the black and blue Konica Minolta machine to the front of the field, which Briscoe would take full advantage of.

At the crucial points-awarding, four-hour mark, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R found itself in the lead, scoring enough points to clinch its maiden IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup title. The feat is particularly impressive given the Endurance Cup is comprised of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s crown jewel events including the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, Six Hours of Road Atlanta, Motul Petit Le Mans and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Thanks in large to winning the 24-hour season opener as well as the Motul Petit Le Mans, the Konica Minolta team were able to clinch the Endurance Cup title by leading at the four-hour mark of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

With the Michelin Endurance Cup title sewn up, all eyes were on the remainder of the 12-hour race as well as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title. Unfortunately for the team, endurance-driver and six-time INDYCAR Champion Scott Dixon was hit at the four-hour, 52-minute mark, causing significant damage to the No. 10 machine. A trip back to the garage area was required as the team systematically worked to replace bodywork and a radiator. Despite the team’s heroic effort, six laps were lost while repairs were made, taking the team out of race-winning contention.

As the sun started setting on the race as well as the 2020 season, the No. 10 Konica Minolta team’s sole focus became that of completing a clean race to maximize the points gathered. Van der Zande, Briscoe and Dixon would all take turns behind the wheel as the darkness set on the legendary venue, gaining time on the leaders throughout.

But, after a grueling season and the second longest race of the year, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team came home seventh, missing out on a third IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title by one single point. From a dominant Rolex 24 at DAYTONA showing in January, to consistent race finishes once the season restarted in July, the team only relinquished the championship lead for the last two events of the year.

While adding a third IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was the ultimate goal for the team, securing the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup crown is a significant boost for the only 13-year old team, who has seen a long-standing partnership with General Motors and Konica Minolta lead to dozens of wins and three titles at the pinnacle of sports car racing in North America.

The team now looks ahead to the 2021 season in just two months at Daytona International Speedway where they will work to achieve three Rolex 24 at DAYTONA victories in a row.

RENGER VAN DER ZANDE, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
“It was a tough day. I believe we had everything today to make the championship happen and we finished second. I can’t be happy with that, but we won the Michelin Endurance Cup, so at least we’re going home with a trophy and second in the championship. The No.7 car had a great year with so many poles in a row and they won many races. They’re tough competitors. They had their bad luck in the beginning, and we had our bad luck in the end. I want to say thank you to the team and for being part of Wayne Taylor Racing for three years. It’s been an amazing time and we’ve had some big wins that I will remember for the rest of my life. There is a fantastic group of people that work very closely together and that’s something that I will remember forever and thank you to the team for all their effort.”

RYAN BRISCOE, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
“We have to look at the whole season because we had a great year. We won some really big races and it came down to a point at the end of it all with the No. 7 car. We had a bit of bad luck today, which was very unfortunate, but all the contenders had bad luck. The No. 7 car just came out on top and they really dominated the second half of the season. We need to be proud of everything we did this year.”

SCOTT DIXON, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
“Definitely an interesting and frustrating day. It looked like it was all going so well, so to tie up Michelin Endurance Cup early on was really good. Then just got into a position with Jarvis, obviously got hit and spun. The tire and radiator which put us in a compromising situation. It was just a racing incident, but I think it was optimistic and I don’t know where he was going to go because he hit us so hard. It’s very frustrating to be in that position, especially with Renger and Ryan who are going for the championship.”

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 twelve consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2017 America’s Best Employers list. 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 eight consecutive years. It 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, Linked In and Twitter. Konica Minolta, as title sponsor, highlights Wayne Taylor Racing’s existing lineup of partners that also features Cadillac V-Performance Racing, AMETEK Electronic Systems Protection (ESP /SurgeX) and Powervar, and CIT.

CORVETTE RACING AT SEBRING: Respect to the Bumps

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Official Release
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Corvette Racing; Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring in Sebring, FL; November 14, 2020; Corvette C8.R #3 driven by Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg; CorvetteC8.R #4 driven by Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Marcel Fässler (Richard Prince/Chevrolet Photo)

GTLM championship program closes out first year with mid-engine Corvette C8.R

SEBRING, Fla. (Nov. 14, 2020) – Corvette Racing endured a tough close to its championship-winning season at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday, but it ended 2020 with a tremendous level of success in the first year of the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.

A pair of suspension issues relegated the two Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.Rs to fifth- and sixth-place finishes in the final race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It didn’t take anything away from the program’s achievement of sweeping the full-season GT Le Mans (GTLM) class championships: Manufacturers title for Chevrolet, Drivers Championship for Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor, and Team title for the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.

Corvette Racing ended the season with six wins, seven pole positions and six fastest GTLM race laps, including Nicky Catsburg on Saturday in the No. 3 Corvette.

In addition, the No. 4 Corvette C8.R pairing of Oliver Gavin – who made his final start as a full-season Corvette Racing competitor – and Tommy Milner finished third in the final GTLM Drivers points standings.

Both Corvettes showed good pace early in the 12 Hours before misfortune struck the No. 4 C8.R of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Marcel Fässler. A water leak in the third hour set back Gavin – making his final full-season start with the team – by six laps. Things didn’t improve with a suspension issue just past the halfway mark that sent the No. 4 Corvette back to the garage with damage. But instead of giving up, the No. 4 team worked quickly to replace the damaged components and had the car back on-track with 3:30 to go.

For most of the day, it looked like the No. 3 Corvette of Garcia, Taylor and Catsburg was the car to beat in class. Garcia began from pole position, and the C8.R led seven times. The No. 3 team came back from fifth near the four-hour mark and to the lead within the next hour thanks to some solid laps, a great pitstop and some luck with a full-course yellow with about three hours to go.

Garcia was running second when he experienced a problem at the left-rear of the Corvette in a similar spot as the No. 4 C8.R’s issues. The Corvette Racing crew did its homework, however, and had Garcia back in the race after just 15 minutes following repairs in its garage.

Corvette Racing will open its 2021 season with the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED FIFTH IN GTLM: “It’s a shame we couldn’t finish the year on a high, especially at such a big event like Sebring. We were fighting hard until we had our suspension issue. Definitely we were hunting for the win. It happens. It’s a shame both our cars had similar issues. Still, it’s the first year for the C8.R and there is still a learning curve. We will learn from all the races we’ve done – the races we’ve won and for sure the ones where we had some issues. It’s never easy to have a perfect race every weekend, so every event is a chance to learn. We were fighting for the win, which was the main thing. It was a hard race for everyone, but that is Sebring. This makes me want to get back to Daytona even stronger than how we ended.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED FIFTH IN GTLM: “If you look at the event itself, it obviously was a disappointment. But for Antonio and me, coming in crowned champions beforehand, this gave us some freedom to push the car to its limits. We made it through the Rolex 24 with no issues, but Sebring is a different animal. You’re always going to get tested here. It was the first time at the 12 Hours with this C8.R. Obviously, we would have liked to have a little bit more success but we proved the car was competitive. We had the fastest lap of the race and were strong in both day and night. We have a good understanding of where the car is competitive, but these things happen with new cars. To win the championship, win six times and get seven pole positions as a team with a brand new racecar says so much about Corvette Racing and the preparation and development of this C8.R. I’m honored to be a part of it and definitely it’s one of the greatest years I’ll ever have in my career. We made a lot of great memories, and I’m happy to share them all with my teammates.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED FIFTH IN GTLM: “This was a very tough race, as Sebring always is. We definitely had a shot at the win today before our suspension problem. Before that, the C8.R was so fast and it looked like things would go our way. As we saw with a lot of cars today, that doesn’t always happen at this track. But we can take a lot from this weekend and put it toward next season and the second year with the Corvette. I had a lot of fun driving this car and with this team for the first time. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Corvette Racing.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTLM: “The weekend has been emotional, and it was always going to be. That’s one of the reasons I wanted my wife Helen here. I knew I was going to struggle somewhat with it without her being here to support. Yesterday was very nice… Jim Campbell, Gary Pratt, Doug Fehan and Ben Johnson said some very nice words with all the team – j st to spend a moment with them and thank them for what’s been an amazing 19 years was special. There has been so much success, so much positivity, great feelings and friendships. I felt very honored that I could share that moment with them. I tried to say some words, and I was quite emotional and only got some of them out! But I think I got the message across – that I’m deeply appreciative of everything that everyone has done at Corvette Racing and Team Chevy collectively. It has been an unbelievable 19 years. I was very grateful to be able to thank the people that have done the most for me over these 19 years. It was really fantastic.”

ON THE RACE: “The race today showed a lot of promise. Almost right from the start, we weren’t quite there with the car. The guys worked to figure some stuff out, and we got better. It looked like we were in the hunt and had pace. When we lost all the water out of the radiator, it was a pretty big setback. We did what we could to get some laps back and then had the left-rear suspension problem. It was one of the moments that you don’t expect but you realize it’s going to happen at some point as a racing driver. But once again, Corvette Racing did a great job to get the car back together, everything going and us back out on the track as fast as they possibly could. It’s a testament to how they’re trained and how they work. It’s great to see. It gives me an immense amount of pride to watch them operate. Both crews had their moments of adversity, but not once did anyone complain or kick back; they all just dove straight in to get the cars back out. That’s what Corvette Racing is about. It’s what has won us a lot of races and championships, and I’m proud to have been a part of it.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTLM: “It’s not the race result we wanted to end the season, for sure, but I’m happy Olly and I got third in the championship. We hoped to be able to challenge for the win. If things had progressed like we expected, we would have been able to. But that’s what happens at Sebring and why it’s so tough. It was great to let Olly have some fun in his last two stints. I’m proud of what we have accomplished as teammates, and I’ve been lucky to drive with him for such a long time. He’s been a big part of my career and we’ll miss having him around. Like anything with a new car, we have learned a lot as time has gone on. I’m proud of what Corvette Racing has been able to achieve this year. We’ve been really fast with this new C8.R, and I’m excited for the future with this Corvette.”

MARCEL FÄSSLER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTLM: “That was a tough one to swallow. We had issues quite early with the water leak that put us five laps down. It was difficult to get those laps back. We tried a lot, and the team was never giving up. The suspension problem really put us out of the game. It was hard for me to do this race with Corvette. It was a great opportunity to drive here with Corvette Racing. It’s like a family to me, and I really enjoyed being with the team.”

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.

Steven Aghakhani and Jacob Eidson Dominate IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Season-Ending Doubleheader at Sebring International Raceway

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November 11-13, 2020. Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Sebring: 6 Jacob Eidson, Steven Aghakhani, US RaceTronics, Lamborghini Beverly Hills, Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO

Aghakhani, Eidson and No. 6 SADA Systems US RaceTronics Lamborghini Huracán Team Keep Pro-Class Championship Pressure On to the End with Perfect Performance at Sebring International Raceway

SEBRING, Florida (November 14, 2020) – Steven Aghakhani, Jacob Eidson and the No. 6 SADA Systems US RaceTronics Lamborghini Huracán team turned in a perfect performance this week at Sebring International Raceway where they took the battle for the 2020 series championship down to the wire with a dominating double victory in Friday’s season-ending twin 45-minute races on the 3.74-mile road course.

While a truly perfect performance is an extreme rarity in the ultra-competitive arena of professional sports car racing, Aghakhani, Eidson and the No. 6 team pulled if off Thursday and Friday at Sebring.

After pacing Thursday practice, Aghakhani and Eidson each won the overall and Pro class poles later that day in the split qualifying session. In Friday’s doubleheader, Aghakhani set the fastest race lap in that morning’s first race before handing off to Eidson, who took the No. 6 to the victory 3.637 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.

Eidson in turn started Friday afternoon’s season finale and set that race’s fastest lap. Aghakhani took over and brought the No. 6 across the line with a 0.936 second margin of victory to complete the amazingly perfect performance. The fastest laps in both races were new circuit records.

“The team did everything they could,” Aghakhani said. “They did an amazing job, the engineers did everything they could, the car was extremely fast, put down the lap record and had the fastest lap in both races. I dealt with the pressure, came out first place in both races, and we had first place in qualifying both times. It’s something to keep our heads up about.”

At an average age of 21, the Aghakhani and Eidson duo led the 2020 Super Trofeo championship’s 10 race season with four wins and six poles.

“I’m super proud of the team,” Eidson said. “Everyone put in a lot of effort to make this car as fast as it is, and a lot of people don’t see that. It really is a team effort and we need all of them to be this competitive. We did everything we possibly could this weekend. We got two wins and two poles.”

The superb Sebring performance also saw the No. 6 drivers and team nearly catch chief championship rival Madison Snow for the 2020 Pro Class title. Trailing by 15 points – the equivalent of a full race win – coming into Sebring, Aghakhani and Eidson closed to within three points of Snow by the end of the doubleheader finale. If not for some setbacks in the two races leading into Sebring, the 2020 crown might have gone to the No. 6 drivers and team.

“Obviously, we’re a little bummed out about the overall championship, but there’s only so much you can control,” Aghakhani said. “We’re just happy to be here, finally able to go racing again in a challenging year.”

Eidson knows that he, Aghakhani and the entire No. 6 SADA Systems US RaceTronics team left nothing on the table.

“There’s an A factor and a B factor, A is what you can control and B is what you can’t,” Eidson said. “When it comes to the A, we did a perfect job. That’s all we can do. I went to bed happy Friday night, especially knowing we came into this championship not planning on competing in the Pro class. We raised our expectations and I’m really happy and proud of our success.”

The off-season and planning for next year starts right away.

“I will hit the gym,” Aghakhani said. “Definitely keep a healthy diet and make sure I’m good mentally to just stay ready for next season. We’re going to do some practice in the off season. We have a little bit of a different schedule for next year at different tracks, so we’re going to try to get some preparation done for those. We’ll do what we did, the same as this year. The results show, minus a couple of issues, but there’s only so much we can control about it. Driving aspect, we did what we had to do and I have to thank the whole team for that. I’m really happy.”

Aghakhani’s Lamborghini racing programs run with the support of several key sponsor partners in 2020. SADA Systems, Inc. is a privately-held global leader in providing business and technology consulting services that transform organizations through cloud-based solutions at www.sada.com. Insignia Mortgage focuses on providing flexible portfolio lending options for clients with non-traditional lending needs. Learn more at www.insigniamortgage.com. Magic Laundry Services (MLS) is one of the largest independently owned hospitality linen and dry cleaning operations in the country, catering primarily to the hospitality industry. Learn more at www.magiclaundryservices.com. TKX Associates specializes in consulting and staff augmentation at www.tkxassociates.com, Shegerian & Associates is a Los Angeles based firm at www.shegerianlaw.com and Equeduct provides capital funding solutions for small businesses at www.equeduct.com.

THWAITS TAKES AIM AT ROAD ATLANTA GRAND PRIX WITH TRANS AM

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Franklin, TENNESSEE – November 14, 2020 – The latest, updated version of the 2020 Trans Am presented by Pirelli Championship points XtremeGT class table makes happy reading for Ken Thwaits who, having notched three wins and three runner-up spots so far this season, sits at the top of the driver list with 218 points. With two races scheduled for the Road Atlanta Grand Prix the weekend of November 19 to 22, Ken will be aiming to take another important step forward, towards his season long goal of being crowned the winner of the inaugural Trans Am XGT title.

The No. 5 Franklin Road Apparel Audi R8 LMS Ultra piloted by Ken has been ever present in the XGT Class races this season, while the same cannot be said for some of his rivals. Nevertheless, while still in its infancy, it is a classification steadily growing in interest and competition.

We spoke to Ken last week in the build up to the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta event and he was his usual ebullient self, “It’s great that the XGT Class is heating up. I love having some really good guys to race against, we have had a great run this season,” he said from his Tennessee headquarters.

Ken continued “Seriously, the Audi has been running awesome. It’s a very solid performer and the last few races have shown us that there’s an endurance element to Trans Am racing. It’s not all about straight line speed.”

Referring to the all classes race scheduled for noon on Sunday Ken added, “Sunday’s race should be fun. Over 50 cars on the track at the same time. It’s very much a case of keeping out of trouble and making sure you score some points. I’m looking forward to it all enormously and big thanks go to John Clagget and his team for making it all possible. I’m very excited about the possibility of winning the XGT Championship but still very much taking it one race at a time.”

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is recognized as one the world’s best road courses. A 2.54 mile, 12 turn circuit, the multi-purpose motor sports facility is situated on 750 park-like acres in the rolling hills of Northeast Georgia. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is located 35 miles north of Atlanta.

The facility is also utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams.

The event is open to the public so get your tickets here: https://svra.com/events/2020-road-atlanta-grand-prix/ and for those unable to attend download the Trans Am app on the Apple or Playstore and watch the live stream.

Visit the Showtime team’s website for Showtime Motorsports, showtimemotorsports.net. Learn more about the Showtime Motorsports team partner, Franklin Road Apparel, at franklinroad.com and keep up to date with the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli at gotransam.com. #GoTransAm

Check out the Showtime Motorsports Facebook page: facebook.com/showtimemotorsp/ and @ShowtimeMotorsp on Instagram.

About Showtime Motorsports:

The Showtime Motorsports brand includes Ken Thwait’s racing team and racecars, and an outstanding classic Camaro collection. Showtime Motorsports brings together a dynamic staff who employ diverse talents and share a passion for cars, racing and caring for clients like they are our own family members.

Chevrolet Captures GT Le Mans Manufacturers Championship

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Corvette Racing; Corvette C8.R test; Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; November 19-20, 2019 (Richard Prince/Chevrolet Photo)

Comes on the heels of Corvette Racing taking the GTLM Drivers, Team titles

SEBRING, Fla. (Nov. 14, 2020) – Chevrolet claimed the GT Le Mans Manufacturers title in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship today after the Corvette C8.R started the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. This is Chevrolet’s 13th Manufacturers title in IMSA GT competition since 2001 and concludes the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R’s inaugural season.

Corvette Racing fielded two of the new Corvette C8.Rs in the 2020 WeatherTech Championship. Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and the No. 3 Corvette Racing team clinched the GTLM Drivers and Team championships two weeks ago at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

“The first season for the Corvette C8.R has shattered all of our expectations,” said Mark Reuss, GM president. “The success of the Corvette Racing team wouldn’t be possible without the close link between the crew and the Corvette engineering team. It has been great to watch these two teams work closely together to learn from each other. I can’t wait to see what next season brings.”

The mid-engine C8.R and 2020 Corvette Stingray 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 five years ago, Corvette Racing engineers worked closely alongside Corvette production personnel. Within the last 18 months, track testing began with a heavy emphasis on wind tunnel and simulation testing.

Chevrolet swept the three full-season GTLM titles for the third time in five years. This is only the second time that a first-year Corvette race car has won an IMSA championship. In 2005, Corvette C6.R won American Le Mans Series championship during its first season.

Corvette Racing captured six victories leading into Sebring. Garcia and Taylor gave the Corvette C8.R its first victory at Daytona International Speedway in July, Corvette Racing’s 100th IMSA win. Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner won the next race in the No. 4 Corvette C8.R with Garcia and Taylor in second – the first 1-2 finish for the C8.R.

In addition, the Corvette C8.R has claimed seven pole positions and posted fastest GTLM race lap at five events.

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.

TPC Racing Makes Six Podium Appearances on Friday at Sebring in IMSA Single-Make Championship Finale

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Efrin Castro Ended the Season With Victory and as the Runner-up in IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA

SEBRING, Florida (November 14, 2020) – TPC Racing ended the 2020 IMSA single-make season on Friday with four races, six podium finishes, two Hard Charger awards and a runner-up finish in the final season-long championship standings in a busy day at Sebring International Raceway.

The IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and the IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo each ended their seasons with single-day doubleheaders, each running a morning and afternoon round on Friday the 13th.

Efrin Castro earned two podiums, including his sixth win of the season, and finished second in the driver’s championship as well as boosting TPC Racing to the same position in the team championship. Vernon McClure earned a Yokohama Hard Charger and a top-five finish, and Dan Hardee posted a strong run in race two after a setup change.

Though the team added a Lamborghini Super Trofeo program late in the season, the crew pulled off a heroic effort to get the No. 38 Lamborghini Sterling/TPC Racing Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO driven by Scott Schmidt and Trevor Andrusko on course for Friday’s races. An electrical issue plagued the car during qualifying, and the team crew and Lamborghini Squadra Corsa engineers worked to diagnose the issue. The TPC Racing crew was on site until four a.m. and returned at 7:30, finally firing up the No. 38 after finding and replacing a single crimped wire just 20 minutes into the first race.

The Lamborghini Sterling cars moved to the AM class for the first time, including the debut of Moritz Kranz co-driving with Tom Kerr in the No. 74 Lamborghini Sterling/GotVeins?.com Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO.

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA

Castro’s No. 65 Fine Fare Supermarkets Porsche 911 GT3 Cup started second in the Gold Cup and jumped quickly to the lead, holding the lead until the final lap despite challenges from polesitter Richard Edge throughout the race. Castro lost the lead in Turn 1 on the final lap, then made one last effort to score a win going side by side into Turn 10. Castro was unable to make the pass, but held on for second place in Gold Cup and turned the quickest lap of the race in 2:12.072 (101.944 mph).

McClure joined Castro in the podium celebration, earning the race’s Yokohama Hard Charger. Starting 15th on the grid, McClure made a pass in the No. 10 Main Street Homes Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for fifth in class with just six minutes to go, and then inherited an extra position for fourth when a car pulled to pit lane with just three minutes to go. More importantly, McClure’s quickest lap during the race puts him 11th overall on the Race Two grid, and fifth in Platinum Cup Masters.

Castro’s season ended in the afternoon race the same way it began – with a win. Using the early race as motivation, Castro pulled away from the Gold Cup field and never looked back, leading the entire race distance. For good measure, Castro crossed the stripe just in front of Hardee’s Platinum Cup Masters No. 69 Vbar Live/TPC Racing Porsche, earning Castro the Yokohama Hard Charger as well as the win.

Lamborghini Super Trofeo

With repairs ongoing to Schmidt and Andrusko’s car at the start of the race, Moritz and Kerr appeared to have the best shot a class podium. Moritz began the race, marching as high as third overall during the pit stop window before handing the car over to Kerr. Kerr was able to bring the car home for his best career Lamborghini Super Trofeo finish, earning a second in the AM class and sharing the podium with his teammates.

The No. 38 car was ready to go at the start of the afternoon race, and neither Kerr nor Schmidt were able to run with the class leader. They were, however, locked in an intramural battle with each other until coming to pit lane for the mandatory stop.

With Andrusko now behind the wheel, the No. 38 car left pit lane first and held a 25 second lead on Kranz in the No. 74. Kranz used Andrusko as a carrot, slowly reeling him in over the final 25 minutes of the race. While Kranz was running lap times equivalent to the overall leaders, Andrusko wasn’t far behind and the team of Andrusko and Schmidt took their turn with a second-place finish, followed by Kerr and Kranz.

Harris Levitas, Director of Race Operations: “It all came down to one day here. The 38 car was fastest off the truck, but then had some electrical gremlins bite them. Fortunately, we were able to get the assistance from Lamborghini, Chris Ward and the whole Squadra Corsa team. That’s the best trackside service that we’ve ever received. To have guys stay here until 9:30 at night to give us tech support, and then after that, for Chris Ward to come back around midnight and open the truck to get the parts we needed to get the car on the grid today, that’s service above and beyond. I just can’t thank that group enough. Tom Kerr and Moritz Kranz came in together for the first time, and it was the first time Tom had ever done anything like that. We ended up second and third. To finish the year like that for the Lamborghini Sterling/TPC Racing team, it was incredible.

“In Porsche GT3 Cup, I’m incredibly proud of Efrin Castro and the performance he’s been able to put on this season. He’s a driver that has grown so much, to finish second in the championship and it come down to the last race of the year is just terrific. He’s done everything he could to get himself up there. I’m just ecstatic for Vernon. He did a terrific job. He had some great races out there. We were in a three-way battle for third, and I think some of the traffic held up Vernon a bit. He overcame a bit of that, but he had to miss most of the season this year with the revised schedule. He didn’t get to drive as much as he wanted and I’m so happy for how he handled himself. Dan made some big changes for race two today, and that helped him get more competitive. Overall, it was a challenging but really great event for TPC Racing.”

Efrin Castro, Driver, No. 65 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “I’m very, very happy that everthing came out the way it did. I gave it a lot. We all put a lot of effort into it. It just comes down to when it’s for you, it’s for you, and when it’s not, it’s not. We had times when we took the lead in the championship, and then we lost it. Even at the end, we still had a chance until the last race. That’s how close it was. I’m very proud of what we have done as a team, I’m proud of myself, I’m proud of my family. I’m proud of everyone that helped contribute to a successful year. We did learn a lot. I feel like I learned the most I’ve ever progressed in any season of my life, not only on the race track, but outside.”

Moritz Kranz, Driver, No. 74 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO: “For me, it was the first time racing at Sebring and also the first time working with the Lambo. In the end, I think we’ll take a lot from the weekend. Now we know what direction to go with the car, and I also know how to help Tom and improve his performance. I think the weekend was very good to learn and to improve for next season. That was the goal and I think we met that goal. It was a good weekend.”

Trevor Andrusko, Driver, No. 38 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO: “We got here and practice one was good. We were fourth overall and first in class. So we ended the day on a high note and got here on day two and immediately started having electrical issues. The car was going into limp mode every corner and we weren’t able to qualify where we’d typically qualify because we couldn’t get any clean laps. I can’t thank Lamborghini enough. We wouldn’t have found the problems that we found without everyone’s help. It’s been one of those up and down weekends, for sure. Even when we got here this morning, we weren’t sure if we were going to be racing at all and we ended up with a double podium. It’s definitely a team effort this time, and every single person involved made it happen.”

Scott Schmidt, Driver, No. 38 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO: “On Wednesday, we were able to do some solid testing. On Thursday, the electrical problems started popping up. We worked on those gremlins into the night, and then into the morning. It still wasn’t fixed going into the race. We got it out 21 minutes behind the start and still got a podium and then did it again in this afternoon race. It was absolutely epic, epic weekend for the way it started on Thursday.”

Dan Hardee, Driver, No. 69 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “There’s bumps, there’s rain, there’s tire degredation, there’s puddles, it’s hot. In the end, we changed the setup on race two and I was able to hang with everybody in the field. It really helped me turn in for all the corners, and it was really nice to be able to race with the whole pack and hang with everyone. Thanks to Vbar, Riverside Café, Student Wireless, Michelin Wiper blades and Method7 Eyewear, for their support.”

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.

Moorespeed and Riley Dickinson Close Out 2020 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup USA by Yokohama Season with Sebring Race Win and Second in Platinum Cup Championship

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SEBRING, Florida (November 14, 2020) – Moorespeed and team driver Riley Dickinson fought to the end of the 2020 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama racing season at Sebring International Raceway, scoring one race win and a runner-up finish in Friday’s doubleheader finale and securing second place in the 2020 Platinum Cup championship standings.

Dickinson, 18, and Moorespeed started the day by racing to their fourth win of the season in the No. 53 Moorespeed Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in Friday’s first 45-minute sprint on the legendary Sebring road course.

“To be able to come out of the last weekend of the year with a win is always good, so I can’t complain about that,” Dickinson said. “I can’t thank Moorespeed enough for what they’ve done this year. I wouldn’t be here without them, and I can’t say enough about the entire operation.”

Dickinson raced to the lead after the first lap of Friday’s second and season-ending 45-minute sprint and had a mid-race battle with 2020 Platinum Cup Champion Jeff Kingsley. The main players all season-long in the Platinum Cup points race, Dickinson and Kingsley battled side-by-side for the better part of a lap on the 3.74-mile circuit in a fitting end to the season.

“We got a win this morning and would have loved to finish out the season with another, but it wasn’t meant to be,” said Moorespeed President David Moore. “We still raced hard the whole way. It was good and clean. They’re competitive as hell and it’s been like that all year long. Riley didn’t give up. I thought we had a chance all the way up until the end. That’s all you can ask for. I’m really proud of his effort and we’ll get them next year.”

Dickinson and Moorespeed wrapped up their second season together, earning victories at Road America, on two different weekends of competition at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and today at Sebring. The wins were part of a record of 14 top-three finishes in the year’s 16 races.

“It’s funny, because it’s all about perspective,” Dickinson said. “If you had told me two years ago that we were going to finish second in the championship and get four wins and 14 total podiums, I would have been ecstatic. We still wanted that extra step, but overall, you can’t be too disappointed in it because at the end of the day, even when the results weren’t there, I was able to develop as a driver and learn so much this season. From that standpoint, this season was invaluable for me and we’ll just keep moving one step at a time.”

About Moorespeed: Based in Austin, Texas, Moorespeed is a full-service automotive company specializing in sales, service, repairs and restoration of luxury sports cars and competition on the track in numerous North American road racing series. Founded in 1991 in Austin by brothers David and Chris Moore, Moorespeed offers comprehensive, turn-key service in which people are just as important as parts and relationships are just as vital as results. David Moore and Winslow Mankin, GM – Director of Customer Racing, welcome and work with every customer as a member of the Moorespeed family, regardless if they are racing or enjoying their sports car on the open road. Moorespeed’s road racing programs are designed for all skill levels, and driver development, both on and off the track, is a Moorespeed specialty. Moorespeed is all about the passion for high-performance automobiles and the people who drive them. A commitment to personal service and performance permeates every corner of the company. Learn more at www.moorespeed.com, and contact us at (512) 474-7223. Look for us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MoorespeedRaceEngineering and Twitter @MoorespeedTX.

Sheehan and Damon Racing Seek Double Atlanta Rebound

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Bow, NEW HAMPSHIRE – November 14, 2020 – Tom Sheehan and the Damon Racing team head down to Braselton, Georgia next week for the Road Atlanta Grand Prix and Rounds 8 and 9 of the 2020 Trans Am presented by Pirelli TA2 Class Championship. Points and a top result are very much the focus and the event offers two opportunities for the Granite State team to score down south. After being wiped out at Circuit of The Americas through no fault of his own, ‘Iron Man’ Tom was understandably sanguine when we spoke to him this week, “I just keep reminding myself racing is fun and I love it,” He said. Tom also paid tribute to the very dedicated team supporting him when he added, “I love my guys. [Damon Racing]. We are hungry, and we’re just going to keep digging to get a result. Road Atlanta is the next stop.”

The disappointing outcome at COTA means that Tom slipped out of the top ten for the first time this season, but while results haven’t always gone his way, an overall P11 out of 49 contenders puts him in the upper echelon of the TA2 field. Tom gets two chances to get back into the top ten at Road Atlanta, with the weekend following the same format as was the case in Virginia. An all class race takes place on the Sunday afternoon as well as the usual, class delineated races on the Saturday.

Now celebrating its 54th anniversary, Trans Am has a long history at Road Atlanta. John Morton won a 2.5-liter race in 1972 in a Datsun 510, while Peter Gregg defeated Al Holbert – running his first professional race – in the 1973 season-opening event, driving a pair of Porsche Carreras. The Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia. The track has 12 turns, including the famous “esses” between Turns 3 and 5; and Turn 12, a downhill, diving turn. In 2019 the track became Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta after Michelin and Owners IMSA Holdings announced their new naming rights agreement.

In a long weekend when all the cars will see plenty of track time, the action for the TA2 Class competitors gets underway on Thursday, November 19 with a test session in the afternoon at 4pm. On Friday there is official practice in the morning at 11:30am and then the all important qualifying session at 4:40pm on the same afternoon.

The first race, TA2 only and powered by AEM, is at 3:55pm on Saturday. Sunday’s race will begin with a three way split start at 12pm. Keep up with Trans Am driver Tom Sheehan on social media – Facebook page is Damon Racing, Instagram @TomSheehanTA97 and Twitter @TomTA2_97.

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