Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid to Race in the USA and China
Porsche Announces 911 GT3 R Hybrid Racecar will run at the American Le Mans Series Finale Petit Le Mans October 2nd at Road Atlanta
Following the impressive performance at the Nurburgring 24-hour race where the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid demonstrated the potential of its groundbreaking technology over 22 hours and 15 minutes, and led the overall classification for more than eight hours, the orange and white liveried 911 racer will now travel to the USA and Asia.
Porsche has received an invitation to contest the season final of the American Le Mans Series, the race series featuring the world’s fastest sport cars, at the ‘Petit Le Mans’ at Road Atlanta on October 2. The race runs over a distance of 1,000 miles or a maximum of ten hours. The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid will not be eligible for points, as hybrid technology is not yet included in the GT regulations.
For November 7, Porsche then plans to race the 911 GT3 R Hybrid at the season final of the new Le Mans International Cup, the six hour race in Zhuhai, China. Again here, the vehicle is not competing for points.
“After the 911 GT3 R Hybrid’s fantastic performance at the Nurburgring 24 Hours, we are now eager to gain more experience with the hybrid technology on a variety of race tracks,” says Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport. “At the same time, we would like to show fans and customers in our most important markets how our ‘race lab’ performs under racing conditions,” adds Kristen.
The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid, featuring two electric motors at the front axle each developing 60 kilowatts to supplement the 480 horsepower normally-aspirated rear-engine, expressly typifies the philosophy of “Porsche Intelligent Performance”: Under braking, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid converts kinetic energy into electrical energy and stores it in a flywheel. During acceleration, this energy is automatically delivered to the front wheels, supporting the combustion engine. This leads to a reduction in fuel consumption and increases the cruising range. Moreover, drivers can manually utilize the stored energy with a boost-paddle on the steering wheel for overtaking. Read more
The wait is over: Troy Coughlin wins NMCA Pro Street Championship
For nearly three decades, drag racer Troy Coughlin has chased his dream of winning a national title. Sunday at Memphis Motorsports Park, the 45-year-old Coughlin finally realized his goal, taking the top division in the National Muscle Car Association by racing his JEGS.com Pontiac GXP Pro Street machine to the semifinal round of the season-ending Nitto Tire World Finals.
“Now I know what it feels like,” said Coughlin, one of four brothers who own and operate JEGS Mail Order in Delaware, Ohio. “I’ve celebrated all of my brothers championships over the years and enjoyed them all immensely, but I always wanted to get one for myself. Now I know the feeling, just like my brothers, just like John Force and Tony Schumacher and all the others who have been lucky enough to win it all. It’s pretty special.”
Earlier victories in Chicago and Charlotte, a national record of 6.279 seconds, and steady outings at all the other events left Coughlin needing only to show up and qualify for this weekend’s race to secure the title in the Scorpion Performance Pro Street class.
Leaving nothing to chance, he powered through to the semifinals and even reset both ends of the national record with a quarterfinal run of 6.277 at 225.08 mph to finish the year in grand style.
“I owe so much to my crew guys — Clint Allerton, Brian Metzenheim, and Mike Rees,” Coughlin said. “I’m so proud of them and for them. They’ve worked so hard for a long time to reach this goal. I could see on their faces this weekend how important it was to them. They were all business until we clinched the title, and then they stayed on it until the end, just to make sure we got it done. They are the best.
“Having my wife Julie and my girls, Meghan, Paige, and Kelly Jo with us was pretty special. They’ve been there for me from the start and it’s great to see how excited they are now. My son Troy Jr. would have been here too but he was racing with his Uncle Mike in Georgia. We’ve talked on the phone a bunch and I know he’s excited.
“I can’t wait to get home and have a big party. I know everyone at JEGS Mail Order will be pumped up. Their support has meant a lot. This championship is for all of them as much as anyone else.”
Coughlin already has pledged to come back and defend his title on the Edelbrock NMCA series in 2010.
Source: JEGS
A New Chapter of Historic Racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Begins
The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) announced that it will be producing the historic races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2010, and that General Racing, Ltd., the creator and producer of the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races for the last 36 years, will no longer be producing the event.
SCRAMP will produce an event that reflects the prestige, integrity and quality that fans and participants expect of the vintage automobile races held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. SCRAMP has contracted for the use of the trademark Monterey Historic Automobile Races for 2010 and General Racing will assist SCRAMP for this transitional year.
“This has certainly been a long and rewarding relationship with Steve Earle and General Racing,” said Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “SCRAMP has always admired Mr. Earle’s creation, which has brought historic car racing to the enthusiast on such a level. We look forward to our 2010 event, scheduled from August 13-15, and beyond with the mission of continuing the tradition of historic automobile racing here while enhancing the enjoyment factor for the fans, participants and sponsors.”
SCRAMP has operated Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the site of the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, for more than 50 years and, as a not-for-profit organization, has donated more than $12 million to the communities in and around the Monterey Peninsula.
“SCRAMP is proud to continue the legacy General Racing began,” Campbell added, “And we are excited about the prospect of opening a new chapter in historic racing at America’s premier road racing circuit.”
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was established in 1957. The world-renowned raceway has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a not-for-profit 501C(4) corporation. Each race season, SCRAMP donates its net proceeds to the volunteer groups that help put on the races.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s world-class 2009 racing schedule includes the Monterey Sports Car Championships featuring the American Le Mans Series October 9-11.
Source: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Subaru Rally Team USA to Compete in ESPN X Games 15
Pastrana Will Look to Repeat as Rally Gold Medalist
Subaru Rally Team USA will once again compete in this year’s ESPN X Games 15. The team will look to build upon their success in 2008, when Travis Pastrana won X Games Rally Gold. The ESPN X Games 15 will take place July 30-August 2, in Los Angeles, California.
“X Games rally racing events are a great way to expand our marketing efforts in Southern California and to reach the action sports community,” said Tim Mahoney, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Subaru of America, Inc. ” It’s also a great way to showcase the performance and handling of our Subaru Impreza WRX STI. We are very excited that our team has had such great success in rally events and we hope they can build upon their success this year.”
Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA) is comprised of returning drivers Travis Pastrana, Ken Block, and Dave Mirra, who each intend on securing gold at X Games 15 in the Rally Car Racing competition. As a 3-time Rally America National Champion and defending X Games Rally gold medalist, Pastrana will be looking to repeat the achievement in 2009. Each SRT USA driver will be piloting rally cars based on the 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI model and identically prepared by technical partner Vermont SportsCar.
Rally car racing returns to Los Angeles, California for the fourth year in a row at the Summer X Games. The event takes place at The Home Depot Center. For a schedule of X Games 15 rally events and a complete event schedule visit www.expn.com.
Source: Subaru of America, Inc.
Audi covers the 24 Hours of Le Mans Race stateside on social media websites
Audi looks for a historic ninth outright victory at Le Mans
Enthusiasts will get updates directly from Le Mans through social media sites
Tom Kristensen, Dindo Capello and Allan McNish, the winning drivers from 2008, are back in the Audi R15 TDI #1 car
The R15 TDI features clean diesel technology available in Audi showrooms today
Audi aims to continue its proud success story on June 13 and 14 in the world’s toughest sports car endurance race with the newly developed R15 TDI diesel sports car. Audi has competed at Le Mans 10 times, crossing the finish line as winners eight times.
Since Audi team members arrived in France to prepare for the race, their efforts have received unprecedented coverage via social media Web sites. The Audi race team is posting news feeds, video and images as events unfold from Le Mans on Facebook (fb.audir15tdi.com), Twitter (tw.audir15tdi.com), YouTube (yt.audir15tdi.com) and on Audi’s own Le Mans site, audir15tdi.com. Using social media outlets, Audi is keeping race enthusiasts current on events in Le Mans 24 hours a day throughout the week and during the entire 24 hour race this weekend.
The Audi R15 TDI designated as car number “1″ will be driven by last year’s winners Dindo Capello (Italy), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland), the same squad that already won the 12-hour race at Sebring (USA). A ninth victory, with only eleven participations, would see Audi draw level with Ferrari in the French endurance classic’s all-time winners list. Only Porsche has achieved more victories in its Le Mans history.
The heart of the brand’s drive to win Le Mans this year, the Audi R15 TDI features a newly developed V10 TDI engine producing more than 600 hp, with a maximum torque output in excess of 1,050 Newton meters (774 lb-ft of torque), reflecting the latest version of the TDI Technology invented by Audi. This diesel technology is not limited to the race track, however.
Audi TDI technology marks its 20th anniversary year by offering U.S. consumers the world’s cleanest diesel system in the 2009 Audi Q7 TDI. This ground breaking vehicle, on sale now, combines efficiency and performance with styling and luxurious appointments to open up the discussion over America’s alternative fuels options. Audi TDI is a technology certified to meet emissions regulations in all 50 U.S. states. That includes the California ULEV II (Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle) standards that also apply to conventional gasoline vehicles and represent one of the world’s most rigorous motor vehicle emission requirements. Audi will further showcase the fuel-economy and emissions benefits of clean diesel later this year with the introduction of the Audi A3 TDI.
Audi achieved its clean diesel technology goals without sacrificing the outstanding performance that TDI has brought to European motoring and in racing competitions worldwide, such as Le Mans where the Audi R10 and R15 TDI have excelled.
Taking its racing efforts and online communications a step further, Xbox and Audi have announced that they will host an exciting and exceptionally unique AXF-24 Audi-Forza Challenge on June 13 and 14 at the Audi Forum in New York City. The event is open to fans who register online at http://audiexp.com/. The R10 TDI will be on display, as well as R8 FSI chassis 605, which won the R8 FSI’s final race worldwide at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT in 2006. The R8 FSI competed at Le Mans from 2000-2005 and the first half of the 2006 American Le Mans season, just as the successor R10 TDI was being phased into operation for its first race at Le Mans. As model year 2010 vehicles go on sale in Fall 2009, Audi will become the first automobile manufacturer in the United States to sell 100% of its gasoline engines with direct injection technology, branded as FSI. This high tech direct injection technology simultaneously maximizes power and fuel efficiency.
Xbox has selected nine of its top North American Forza competitors as determined by rankings on Xbox Live. Entrants will compete in a 24-hour endurance competition using the game “Forza Motorsport 3″ running concurrent to the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. The winning team at the end of the 24 hours on Sunday morning will win an all-expenses paid trip for them and a guest to the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans race where they will be hosted by Audi. Xbox and Audi will work together on several additional upcoming cross-promotional opportunities and events, including the Audi Centennial Celebration in August and the “Forza Motorsport 3″ launch in late October.
Source: Audi of America Inc.
SIRIUS XM Radio Announces Comprehensive Broadcast Coverage of Indianapolis 500
XM subscribers and SIRIUS subscribers with the “Best of XM” will hear live broadcast of the Indy 500 plus exclusive programming leading up to the race
For first time, Indy 500 is available to both XM and SIRIUS listeners
SIRIUS XM Radio the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the Indy Racing League (IRL), the sanctioning body for the IndyCar(R) Series and Firestone Indy Lights, announced that it will offer comprehensive coverage of the Indianapolis 500 to both XM subscribers and SIRIUS subscribers with the “Best of XM” programming package.
SIRIUS XM will broadcast “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indianapolis 500, live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 24 on Indy Car Series Racing, XM channel 145 and SIRIUS channel 211 (part of the “Best of XM”). Motorsports fans will hear pre-race programming, including pre-race commentary and analysis by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network broadcast team, interviews with drivers and live coverage of driver introductions. When the green flag drops at 1:00 pm ET, SIRIUS XM listeners will hear live wheel-to-wheel action on the track through every turn and straightaway.
In addition to the Indy 500, SIRIUS XM will broadcast the Firestone Freedom 100 race from the Firestone Indy Lights Series on Friday, May 22 (12:15 pm ET) on Indy Car Series Racing, XM channel 145 and SIRIUS channel 211 (“Best of XM”). The 100 mile race from the Indy Racing League’s developmental series features some of the world’s best young open wheel drivers. After the race, SIRIUS XM will air IMS Radio Network’s review of all the action from Carb Day, offering a recap of the day’s Indy 500 practice, the Pit Stop Challenge and the Indy Lights Series race.
On Community Day, Wednesday, May 20, SIRIUS XM’s exclusive all-sports talk channel, Mad Dog Radio, will broadcast a special Indy 500 preview live from the infield at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (10:00 am – 2:00 pm ET). Host Gary Williams will preview Sunday’s race, interview some of the series’ top drivers, team owners and past Indy 500 champions, and talk with IndyCar fans from around the country. Mad Dog Radio is available nationwide exclusively on SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144.
SIRIUS XM’s coverage will include live broadcasts of all Indy 500 qualifying sessions, including “Bump Day” on Sunday, May 17, the final day of qualifying. “Bump Day” allows teams and drivers who did not qualify for the field of 33 on the first three days of time trials one last chance to drive their way into the grid.
IndyCar(R) Series races have aired on XM Radio since 2005. This year marks the first season the races will be available to both SIRIUS and XM subscribers.
For more info visit www.xmradio.com/irl.
SIRIUS XM’s motor racing coverage on Sunday, May 24 will also include the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race from Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC (5:45 pm ET on SIRIUS channel 128 and XM channel 128 with the “Best of SIRIUS”) as well as the Formula One(TM) Monaco Grand Prix from Monte Carlo (8:00 am ET on SIRIUS channel 126 and XM channel 242).
Source: SIRIUS XM Radio
Ferrari Challenge Season Continues at Infineon Raceway
The North American Ferrari Challenge Series 2009 season continues May 1-3 at Northern California’s Infineon Raceway.
Boardwalk Ferrari’s Scott Tucker, who is leading the series championship, will look to hold onto his position this weekend at Infineon but not without stiff competition from the rest of the drivers. Ferrari of Silicon Valley teammates Zak Brown and Henri Richard, who have both shown impressive speed this year, will be looking to take their places on the podium over Tucker. Also proving to be a threat to Tucker’s lead this year are Mark McKenzie and Richard Fant from Ferrari of Houston. McKenzie, who is currently second in the standing, is looking for a strong weekend to close the point gap to Tucker, while Fant’s consistent speed this season could put him in contention for the podium on Sunday.
Now in its 16th racing season in the U.S., the Ferrari Challenge Series (utilizing race-prepared F430 Challenge vehicles) offers Ferrari owners the opportunity to compete against other Ferrari owners in a highly competitive racing series at world-class venues throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Showcasing the best of Ferraris past and present, the Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge will be sharing the track this year at Infineon featuring authentic, original competition Ferraris and Maseratis built prior to 1980, as well as pre-war Alfa Romeos as raced by the Scuderia Ferrari.
The Ferrari Challenge is one of the numerous “exclusive” experiences that Ferrari offers its customers — and whether owners are actually racing in the series, dining in the luxurious VIP hospitality tents, participating in weekend driving clinics or socializing with those that share their enthusiasm for Ferrari, the weekend provides a unique atmosphere and incomparable experience.
General public can enjoy the races, peruse the paddock areas, and enjoy the overall Ferrari-festival type of atmosphere.
The season will then continue to Road America in Wisconsin [June 26-28], Mt. Tremblant in Canada [July 24-26] and Motorsports Park in New Jersey [Sept. 18-20].
The Ferrari Challenge Series is organized by Ferrari North America, Inc., and sanctioned by the Grand American Road Racing Association. Complete Challenge information can be found on www.ferrarichallenge.com. Tickets for the Infineon Raceway Ferrari Challenge weekend can be purchased directly at the track.
Ferrari North America, Inc. is headquartered in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and is the exclusive North, Central and South American importer of Ferrari vehicles including the 599 GTB Fiorano V-12 sports coupe, F430 Berlinetta, F430 Spider convertible sports car, 430 Scuderia, California Gran Tourer and 612 Scaglietti (luxury performance 2+2). For more information please visit www.ferrariusa.com.
Source: Ferrari North America, Inc.