Category: IMSA

Galante, McAlister and Capestro-Dubets Ran With the Leaders for the Four-Hour Race, with Owen, Gibbons and DeBoer Leading Bronze Cup Before Early End to the Day

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (August 7, 2022) – Hardpoint was in the mix for the four-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Road America on Saturday afternoon, with the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport ultimately finishing ninth while the No. 9 Valkyrie Intelligence/Phoenix Global Health Porsche Cayman leading the Bronze Cup before an early end to its day.

Hardpoint Race News and Notes

Nick Galante, Sean McAlister and John Capestro-Dubets combined for the ninth-place finish in the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche. Sam Owen, Sean Gibbons and Derek DeBoer drove the No. 9 machine in a Hardpoint partnership with OGH Motorsports.

Owen qualified and began the race for the OGH Motorsports program 17th overall in the GS class and second in the Bronze Cup subclass for cars with a full line-up of Bronze-rated drivers. McAllister started the No. 22 car 12th overall and in class.

Owen took the lead in the Bronze Cup under yellow with a fuel-only stop for both Hardpoint cars. Unfortunate contact with a barrier just past the 35-minute mark ended the day for the No. 9 Porsche Cayman, with Owen treated and released from the track medical center.

As the opening driver in the No. 22 Porsche Cayman, McAlister held serve from his starting position before passing the car over to Galante following a 65-minute stint.

Galante again held his position through the ebb and flow of a variety of fuel strategies and lengthy full-course caution periods.

With two hours to go and Capestro-Dubets in the car, the team found themselves in the mix. Despite running on old tires, Capestro-Dubets was holding tight in fifth position with a line of established drivers behind him. He was squeezed off the track to drop four positions, but immediately came to pit lane for fresh tires and a full tank of fuel with just over 90 minutes to go.

The No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche cycled back to the lead battle and climbed as high as second before diving to pit lane with 50 minutes remaining in the race for enough fuel and a fresh set of Michelin tires to get to the finish.

A final lengthy full course caution squeezed the pack together with under 15 minutes remaining, with Capestro-Dubets finishing in a solid ninth place. That possibly cost a few positions, as others near the top would have had to pit for fuel without the slower safety laps.

Hardpoint returns to action with IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship No. 99 GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R at their home race of Virginia International Raceway, August 26-28. Hardpoint’s shop is located in the Motorsports Technology Park on the grounds of VIR.

Hardpoint Quote Board

Nick Galante, Driver, No.22 Porsche Cayman: “People rising to the occasion was exactly what happened this weekend. The whole team dug in, the pit stops were great, Hardpoint was awesome, the engineer side was awesome and working with JCD really helped in our car development. Having the courage to try something new with the setup and have it work out was just great. The confidence Sean is showing, he did an amazing job in qualifying with all the heavy hitters out there for the four-hour race. The car is filling up, we’re getting close to our goal of 222 names on the car. Everyone is coming through, and that’s what Team Hardpoint does.

Sean McAlister, Driver, No. 22 Porsche Cayman: “It was a great weekend. We moved up three positions throughout the race. The car felt much better than it’s ever felt, so that was a big bonus. We were able to execute a good plan to move up a couple of positions. We got caught out by some yellows at the end that probably cost us a couple more spots because people didn’t have to pit again. Some people got lucky and we didn’t but it was a great weekend.”

John Capestro-Dubets, Driver, No. 22 Porsche Cayman: “It’s an absolute honor to drive for a cause like Racing to End Alzheimer’s and be in a family of such good people and unity. We all came together this weekend and made some big changes to the car and we saw the reward in the times. That last stint, we caught the yellow and we knew we were running out of tire on the front axle. I gave it my all and we lost one spot on the restart but we were able to get it home without anything else happening, which was a win. It was a hard fought battle that whole two hours and 20 minutes for me.”

Derek DeBoer, Driver, No. 9 Porsche Cayman: “it wasn’t the ending that we wanted, of course. The 22 car had a nice top-10 finish, but our No. 9 was running first in class when Sam had his incident. Most importantly, he’s back at home, he’s ok. It’s a testament to how safe these Porsches are. We’ll come back fighting the next time.”

About Hardpoint:

Hardpoint was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team captured the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America Pro-Am championship in its inaugural season and competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in the No. 99 GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R with co-drivers Ferriol and Katherine Legge, joined by Stefan Wilson for Michelin Endurance Cup races. In 2022, Hardpoint has added the No. 22 Racing To End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport driven by Nick Galante and Sean McAllister in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS), as well as the No. 428 TradeCentric Porsche 911 GT3 Cup driven by Brady Behrman in International GT. More information on Hardpoint can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Galante and McAlister Joined by Capestro-Dubets in the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche Cayman, with Gibbons, Owen and DeBoer Driving No. 9 Valkyrie Intelligence/Phoenix Global Health Porsche Cayman in Four Hour Race

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (August 4, 2022) – Hardpoint’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge program resumes its podium hunt this weekend with a two-car effort at Road America, the second and final four-hour race on the 2022 calendar. Joining Nick Galante and Sean McAlister in the full-time No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport for Road America is John Capestro-Dubets. Sean Gibbons, Sam Owen and Derek DeBoer make their first appearance under the Hardpoint tent in the No. 9 Valkyrie Intelligence/Phoenix Global Health Porsche Cayman for the race.

Saturday, August 6’s race can be seen live on Peacock, NBC’s streaming platform, from 3:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. EDT and delayed for cable and satellite subscribers on USA Network in a two-hour show on Saturday, August 13 at 3 p.m. EDT.

Hardpoint News and Notes

Road America is the first time that Hardpoint has run two cars concurrently in Michelin Pilot Challenge. The team will accomplish the feat by augmenting it’s regular Porsche Cayman team with crew members from the No. 99 Porsche 911 GT3 R program. The team will service both cars with the same over-the-wall crew during in-race pit stops.

Though the Michelin Pilot Challenge season opener at Daytona was a four-hour race, Hardpoint’s GS program began at Sebring for round two.

Capestro-Dubets joins the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche program for the first time but brings familiarity with the Cayman. JCD, as he is affectionately known, was on pole in a similar Porsche Cayman in the last race at Lime Rock Park.

Galante was the race winner in the ST class of the championship during his title-winning 2018 season at Road America.

With the addition of JCD, McAlister will likely qualify the No. 22 Porsche and open the race, with Galante taking the middle stint. That’s a reversal of fortunes for the team this season, as Galante has previously qualified and started each race.

Gibbons and Owen, along with the No. 9 Porsche Cayman, make their IMSA debuts this weekend. Along with DeBoer, they will compete both overall in the GS class and for a win in the Bronze Cup. The Bronze Cup is open to cars with a full driver line-up of Bronze-rated drivers.

Both have teamed together this season in SRO GT4 Americas, driving the same Porsche Cayman. Prep to turn the car to IMSA specifications included fresh Michelin Tires, setup changes and electronics swaps, as well as other smaller regulation adjustments like fuel cell capacity.

DeBoer has IMSA experience as well, but has also competed this season in a Cayman in GT4 Americas. DeBoer and Gibbons have been teammates in the past.

DeBoer and his family have chronicled his racing exploits, along with their family life, at Fastlife.tv and on Amazon Prime. The show is an all-access pass for viewers to the DeBoer’s dream chasing journey and a look inside their ups, downs, challenges, and achievements.

The Racing to End Alzheimer’s program continues to push toward its goal of 222 names place on the race car by season’s end. A $250 donation, which is matched by Legisitics, Inc., allows fans to place the name of a loved one who has been touched by the cruel disease on the race car for the remainder of the season. Currently, nearly 150 names are on the car, with a late push to up that count for the final two races of the season.

The first practice session of the weekend was an hour-long effort on Thursday afternoon. The team used the session for each of the new drivers to get a feel for the car and the track in a Michelin Pilot Challenge session.

Hardpoint’s No. 99 GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R will not be participating in this weekend’s WeatherTech Championship race despite previous plans to do so. The team’s transporter caught fire during its return from the race at Watkins Glen, causing water and smoke damage to the property inside. If replacement parts can be found, Hardpoint will rebuild the car and participate in its home race at Virginia International Raceway and the season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Hardpoint Quote Board

Nick Galante, Driver, No.22 Porsche Cayman: “Road America is really everything you want a racetrack to be. It’s fast, it’s long, it’s got hard braking zones, there are opportunities to pass, the fans will be rowdy and ready to party. Our key is going to be staying focused and minimizing mistakes. If everyone can do that, we’ll be in good shape. I’m excited to have my old friend JCD join Sean and I. We’re due for a good result, not just for us but for all of the fans and loved ones that ride with us on the Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche. We’d like to carry them over to the podium at the end of the race on Saturday.”

Sean McAlister, Driver, No. 22 Porsche Cayman: “I love racing at Road America. It’s a track I’ve been to almost every year since I’ve been racing. Having an extra teammate will be great to get a new perspective on things, but it will cut our time in practice down a bit so we’ll need to have a good plan to maximize as much track time as possible. This race is longer than the ones we have had this season, which I think will play to our advantage.”

John Capestro-Dubets, Driver, No. 22 Porsche Cayman: “Road America is not only one of my favorite tracks but the area in general is on my favorites list. This place is special and the racing culture is deeply rooted in the little town of Elkhart. Racing here just makes you think about all the great drivers that shared this track for so many years. This place is high speed, high commitment and it breeds some of the best racing in North America. It’s a new team and new co-drivers, yes, but the same strategy for me this weekend. We need to check the basic boxes as drivers – hit our marks, make sure we do our job not only on track but as well as having buttoned up driver changes. Consistency is definitely the key to these races. So my focus is there over raw pace this weekend but I’m always looking to bring my best drive yet. I’ve been a friend to Nick for quite some years and to finally share a car with him and Sean in this setting is definitely something I’m really looking forward to.”

Derek DeBoer, Driver, No. 9 Porsche Cayman: “I’m really looking forward to getting my feet back into the IMSA paddock. It’s been awhile but I’ve had some great experiences there. I’m also excited to be reunited with Sean Gibbons, a great teammate from the past and current competitor, as well as Sam Owen. It couldn’t be a more perfect recipe, joining them in a familiar car and at one of my very favorite tracks. My first professional win came at Road America so it will always have a special spot in my heart! BRM Chronographs played a large part in this coming together for me so I’m very grateful for that while Brooke and I also look forward to sharing her children’s book, Fastlife – Lets Go Racing, with a new audience. We feel that during this time in our country, the message of chasing your dreams is particularly important. The youth are our future and we strive to support their dreams!”

Sam Owen, Driver, No. 9 Porsche Cayman: “I couldn’t be more excited to make my IMSA debut with my teammate Sean Gibbons and friend Derek DeBoer at one of my favorite tracks. Our goal is the Bronze Cup this weekend and seeing how we stack up with this field, but we know that the challenges are going to be big. Working with Rob and his Hardpoint team has been exceptional and we feel confident headed into the weekend with them in our corner.”

Sean Gibbons, Driver, No. 9 Porsche Cayman: “I’m looking forward to making my IMSA debut this week especially with my friend, regular co-driver and business partner Sam Owen, and Derek DeBoer who was part of my first win in sports car racing. Rob Ferriol and the whole team at Hardpoint have been amazing to work with. We’re really looking forward to testing ourselves here at Road America.”

About Hardpoint:

Hardpoint was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team captured the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America Pro-Am championship in its inaugural season and competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in the No. 99 GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R with co-drivers Ferriol and Katherine Legge, joined by Stefan Wilson for Michelin Endurance Cup races. In 2022, Hardpoint has added the No. 22 Racing To End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport driven by Nick Galante and Sean McAllister in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS), as well as the No. 428 TradeCentric Porsche 911 GT3 Cup driven by Brady Behrman in International GT. More information on Hardpoint can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Entrants Team Korthoff Motorsports and Capstone Motorsports Bring Series Championship Leads to the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend at Road America, August 4 – 7

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams lead two IMSA championships and a pair of teammates are in top-three contention in another title race heading into the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend at Road America, August 4 – 7. Team Korthoff Motorsports and driver Stevan McAleer bring a 40-point lead in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GT Daytona (GTD) championship to Road America while co-drivers Gary Ferrera and Kris Wilson lead the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Bronze Cup standings heading into the weekend in the No. 11 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 with victories in five of the year’s first seven races. The Road America weekend kicks-off a critical stretch run in both IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series that will see the championships in both series decided over the course of the next three races.

A total of nine Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams compete this weekend at Road America, and more than half of them lead or are in top-three contention in one of several different championships across both the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and IMSA Pilot Challenge series.

McAleer and the No. 32 Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 team extended their nearly season-long GTD championship lead three weeks ago at Lime Rock Park. McAleer and co-driver Mike Skeen finished fourth after being edged for the final podium spot in the last turn of the race when another competitor slowed in front of the field with the checkered flag in sight.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on the top three in the final seconds, the fourth-place result is Team Korthoff’s best finish in IMSA GTD competition since a season-best second place showing at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March.

The Korthoff No. 32 is one of a class-leading three Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries competing in the GTD division in Sunday’s featured two-hour and 40-minute IMSA WeatherTech Championship race. Round 8 of 10 in this year’s GTD championship, the race starts at 10:40 a.m. CDT Sunday with live coverage on NBC’s online network Peacock. Broadcast coverage begins just 20 minutes later when the race will be joined live and in progress on the USA Network at 11 a.m. CDT/Noon EDT.

The No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 and No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3 also carry the Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing flag in Sunday’s race.

Russell Ward and Philip Ellis co-drive the Winward No. 57 with an aim on securing the team’s first GTD win of the season after coming excruciatingly close in the last two WeatherTech championship points races. Winward took the white flag leading at both Watkins Glen International and Lime Rock but didn’t get the win at either race due to just missing an adjusted drive time rule at The Glen and a mechanical issue with the checkered flag in sight at Lime Rock.

A second-place finish in the GTD Sprint Cup-only race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park split the pair of near-miss races, and Ward, Ellis and all on the No. 57 team arrive at Road America confident and positive after the strong on-track performances in the second half of the season.

Chicago-based Cooper MacNeil and WeatherTech Racing are set for their home-track race Sunday at Road America. MacNeil will be joined in the No. 79 for the fourth time this season by Daniel Juncadella who is fresh off co-driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 to victory in last weekend’s 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium. Juncadella was also part of Team Korthoff’s second place GTD finish at Sebring and looks for a similar result with MacNeil and WeatherTech Racing at Road America.

In Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) competition, Capstone comfortably leads the Bronze Cup standings while all three of Murillo Racing’s Mercedes-AMG GT4 teams rank in the top three of their respective championship battles.

Saturday’s Pilot Challenge race is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. CDT and is the second and final four-hour race of the year following January’s season-opener at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).

Murillo’s sister No. 56 and No. 72 Mercedes-AMG GT4 entries are second and third, respectively, in the overall GS championship standings and look to Road America to rebound from a challenging Lime Rock race.

Two-time 2022 Pilot Challenge race winner Eric Foss co-drives the No. 56 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 again this weekend with Kenton Koch. The duo won at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in May and two races later Foss scored his second win of the season co-driving with Marc Miller at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Despite suffering their only race retirement of the season at Lime Rock, Foss and the No. 56 team still hold second in the GS championship, one spot ahead of teammates Kenny Murillo and Christian Szymczak in the No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.

Murillo and Szymczak moved into third in the GS standings on the strength of a third place at Watkins Glen in June and a second-place finish behind their No. 56 teammates Fourth of July weekend in Canada.

New for the 2022 season, the Bronze Cup class is designed to let sportsman or “am” drivers battle each other in a separate championship while still competing in the overall GS race. Ferrera, Wilson and Capstone will likely seal the inaugural Bronze Cup crown before the end of the season, but No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 teammates Brent Mosing and Tim Probert remain alive in the bronze battle with three races to go.

Mosing and Probert co-drove to the Bronze Cup win one race ago at Lime Rock for the second time this season after winning at Mid-Ohio in May. Along with Capstone’s five wins, the Lime Rock victory gave the Mercedes-AMG GT4 a perfect seven-for-seven win record this season in the new Bronze Cup division.

The top Mercedes-AMG GT4 finisher in the Pilot Challenge race at Lime Rock was the No. 55 FCP Euro by Ricca Autosport Mercedes-AMG GT4 co-driven by Skeen and Trevor Andrusko. The team has made the most of a limited schedule this year, earning a top-five in just the No. 55’s second start of the season at The Glen and improving to fourth at Lime Rock. Skeen jumped to fourth from fifth on the final lap at Lime Rock for the FCP Euro team’s best finish in just its third race in a select schedule of events this season.

The sixth Mercedes-AMG GT4 competing at Road America is the returning trio of Anton Dias Perera and his pro-driver teammates Scott Andrews and Colin Braun. The trio last shared a Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the four-hour race at Daytona in 2021 and make their return with winning Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team Riley Motorsports.

Campaigning a Mercedes-AMG GT3, Braun and the Riley team currently lead the Fanatec GT World Challenge America point standings with George Kurtz. Andrews also has Mercedes-AMG GT3 experience and was part of the driver lineup that scored Korthoff’s breakout third-place finish in January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Stevan McAleer, Driver – No. 32 Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “This is my first year in GTD and I am super excited to be here. I love this class and it is great to be part of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 team with Team Korthoff Motorsports. Just three races left of the season. Road America is next on the schedule and will for sure be a lot of fun in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 GTD car. I think the track will suit the Mercedes-AMG GT3, but it is going to be a strategy game, and it usually ends up being a fuel mileage game as well. Then you throw in the other classes. I am sure it is going to be action packed to say the least. I am learning a lot this year, a couple more races to go, and I will see if I can hang on.”

Russell Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Road America is a track that really suits the Mercedes-AMG GT3 very well. It should be a really good track for us. We are just going to carry the momentum we have had at the last three IMSA races. We can definitely do that, the team is ready for it, and everyone is looking forward. The last three IMSA races we have essentially had two firsts and a second, but it is just a matter of time before we actually get the official result. As we get in the closing stages of the year, we are through with the tough part of the season up in the Northeast. Now we are moving on to Road America, VIR and Road Atlanta and our spirits are high.”

Cooper MacNeil, Driver – No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Road America is my favorite track, with Le Mans a close second. I was up in Elkhart Lake in May getting in some laps as I prepared for Le Mans and to get reacclimated for the IMSA race. The racing in the GTD category is always extremely close. Our Mercedes-AMG GT3 likes the high-speed sections like the Kink, Carrousel, and Turn 7. We will see how we stack up pretty quickly in that first practice on Friday.”

Daniel Juncadella, Driver – No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Spa was very amazing, a big race, big win and a good time to come to America to race again. I have heard such great things about Road America, I have never been there, but I know the track very well online, a bit like Mosport and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where I was straight away very quick, so I don’t think I am going to need many laps to get up to speed. The track at Road America is pretty impressive, and not far from Chicago, which I will get to know for the first time, so I am very excited for the week coming up. It’s the home track for WeatherTech, and Cooper has always talked a good bit about this one. He is very motivated for this event because it is the home track, so we will see where we go. I am very excited for this one.”

Brent Mosing, Driver – No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I love Road America. It’s the best and the most fun place to visit, I love Elkhart Lake and I love the Road America track itself. It’s a flowing track, a fast, flowing track that tends to be what I accel in. We are going in there with a positive attitude. We are going to have fun but race hard and see where we end up. The Mercedes-AMG GT4 is really good at Road America. You have some heavy, heavy brake zones, and the car is awesome on the brakes and great in the turns. We are looking forward to this weekend and I think it is going to be a great run.”

Tim Probert, Driver – No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “With two wins behind us now, we will really be pushing hard in the final three races. It starts with Road America and the second and last four-hour race of the year. We really enjoy the four-hour races. A lot of strategy comes into play. As I always say, this is a real team sport, and everyone has more of a part to play in a four-hour race. We really enjoy that very much. For a couple of Bronze-rated guys, we are reasonably fit and looking forward to this weekend’s challenge.”

Trevor Andrusko, Driver – No. 55 FCP Euro by Ricca Autosport Mercedes-AMG GT4: “Sebring was more or less of a shakedown for us in in our 2022 debut just to make sure everything was set as we run this condensed schedule. At Watkins Glen the pace was there, we were able to put something together, and we ran in the top five until the end of the race. We brought that to Lime Rock, the home track, home race and home event for FCP Euro, and we qualified and finished well there too. Using all of that momentum into Road America is good for us. We have to focus on the strategy, because it is our longest race of the year, but Mike and I will do it as a duo, no third driver, and we feel like we will have the pace with this Mercedes-AMG GT4 to be in it at the finish.”

ELKHART LAKE, Wis., (August 2, 2022) – Three races remain in the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and this weekend, Wright Motorsports heads to Road America with sights set intently on the GTD class points lead. With two wins achieved so far this season, the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R of Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen has held firm on to second place in the point standings since round four at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. This weekend’s sprint race, named the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend, will give the Porsche customer racing squad another opportunity to build on the points success of their two victories so far this season. The team will also have three cars onsite contesting in the next two rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands.

“Road America is always a great road course to visit,” said team owner John Wright. “With the final stretch of the 2022 season in full swing, we tested here recently to prepare for this event with the goal to take back the championship points lead. The competition has been strong this year, but our consistency in execution both in and out of the car has always been one of our greatest strengths.”

Last season, the Wright Motorsports GTD effort earned a third-place podium finish at Road America, with drivers Patrick Long and Trent Hindman. The team started from second place and ran a clean race to earn a coveted podium spot, improving on the No. 16’s previous result of fifth place in 2020.

Stretching over four miles and with 14 turns around the wooded hills of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Road America sets the bar for action-delivering circuits. All five IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes compete in the annual event, with 37 entries set to compete in this weekend’s racing.

In addition to the previous test session the team was able to complete previously, the Wright Motorsports 1st Phorm Porsche will partake in the two series-wide practice sessions on Friday, August 5 before Ryan Hardwick qualifies for the team’s starting position on Saturday morning. For fans on site in Elkhart Lake, the race day festivities will kick off at 9:20 AM with the open grid fan walk, a one-hour stretch where fans can see the cars up close on pit lane before the race starts at 10:40 AM CT. The two-hour, 40-minute race will air live on Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming service. For more event information, visit imsa.com.

DRIVER QUOTES

Ryan Hardwick
I have a lot of respect for Road America. While I love driving and racing here, this place has always been a bit of a mystery for me. I usually feel confident and quick here, but I’ve had mixed results at this track over the years. Looking to change that this weekend! Our team had a productive test here a few weeks back, so we are looking to unload strong and be in contention for a podium.

Jan Heylen
I’m looking forward to being back at Road America, a track that has a lot of overtaking opportunities, which always makes the race exciting. We’re coming into the later part of the season and there’s some added pressure to perform and keep us in the championship. I feel like we’re in a good place, coming off a good run at Lime Rock Park where Ryan had a good stint and the car had good pace. I feel confident going into Road America to give the team a strong points run.
Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands
After a brief time apart, the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands returns to race in support of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship program, and the Wright Motorsport Porsches are back from their most recent race across our northern border. Varun Choksey (No. 13 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) closed out the Honda Indy Toronto race weekend with two top-five finishes and John Goetz (No. 57 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) placed second in both races, currently holding second place in the Am point standings. Hutton McKenna (No. 88 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) will also be reunited again with the team at a track he has previously shown strong pace. Race one, the first of two races in the weekend, will begin on Saturday, August 6 at 8:50 AM CT, followed by race two at 8:20 AM CT. The races will air live in their entirety on imsa.com/tvlive or Peacock.

Weekend Schedule | All Times US Central
Thursday, August 4
1:20 PM – 2:00 PM Carrera Cup Practice 1

Friday, August 5
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM Carrera Cup Practice 2
11:05 AM – 12:35 PM WeatherTech Practice 1
1:35 PM – 2:05 PM Carrera Cup Qualifying
3:15 PM – 4:45 PM WeatherTech Practice 2

Saturday, August 6
8:50 AM – 9:30 AM Carrera Cup Race 1 (imsa.tv)
11:00 AM – 11:15 AM WeatherTech GTD Qualifying

Sunday, August 7
8:20 AM – 9:00 AM Carrera Cup Race 2 (imsa.tv)
10:40 AM – 1:20 PM WeatherTech Race (Peacock)

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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 and 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. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

ELKHART LAKE, Wis., (August 2, 2022) – This weekend Era Motorsport’s LMP2 sports car racing program returns to Road America, the site of the first win for drivers Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel together as a sprint-race pairing in 2021. Facing even stronger competition this season, the race-winning duo will ardently fight to defend last year’s win in the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend on Sunday, August 7.

With five races completed this season, the crew and the drivers of the No. 18 Oreca LMP2 prototype remain vigilant to return to the top step on the podium and earn their first win of the 2022 season. With just two events remaining in this year’s championship endeavors, the pressure is on for each racing program in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship to accumulate the most points possible.

In 2021, Merriman and Dalziel closed out their first outing as a pair with an impressive victory, finishing 5.641 seconds ahead of the rest of the LMP2 class. This year, the team faces more stout competition, as the growth of motorsport continues to expand entry lists nationwide. Era Motorsport will be one of six teams competing in the LMP2 class on the 14-turn, 4.048-mile road course, and one of 37 entries contending in the overall race. Sunday’s race, the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend, will include all five IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes, each competing for the best overall result as well as top honors in class.

As is standard operating procedure, the field will have two joint practice sessions on Friday, August 5 before qualifying separately by class on Saturday morning. The 15-minute qualifying session will set the grid for Sunday’s race, the penultimate event of the 2022 season for the LMP2 class.

The field will have two hours and forty minutes to battle for position, beginning Sunday, August 7 at 10:40 AM U.S. Central time. The race at “America’s National Park of Speed” will air live in its entirety in the USA on Peacock, and fans outside of the United States can visit IMSA’s International Coverage page to find local listings.

DRIVER QUOTES

Dwight Merriman

We had such a strong run here at Road America last year, and it’s great to be back. The Era Motorsport prototype was incredibly strong here, and although the competition is pretty tough this year, we hope to again finish the Wisconsin race weekend on a high note. Our test here a couple of weeks ago went very well, and we feel we’ve gained some ground heading into the weekend.

Ryan Dalziel

Road America was a great track for us in 2021, with a pretty dominant win, but the LMP2-class competition is higher in 2022, so we also need to up our game. We had a good test at Road America earlier this year and we found some more speed in our No. 18 Era Motorsport Oreca. We need to turn our season around after a couple of difficult races, so we’re hoping Road America is good to us once again.

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About Era Motorsport
Era Motorsport was formed in 2018 with the idea of providing unmatched excellence in historic racing. Just two years later, the team expanded to the world of professional sports car racing, fielding an Oreca 07 in the prolific IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2021, the team went on to win at the iconic Rolex 24 At Daytona, in what was their second attempt competing in the event. Motorsport isn’t just a hobby, it is a way of life: a passion that is in the team’s blood. Whether you find us in the IMSA WeatherTech paddock with modern prototypes or chasing down lap records in our fully restored classic sports cars, or even globetrotting to experience historic F1 at some of the world’s most iconic circuits, Era Motorsport has something for everyone. In 2021, the team secured a prestigious victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and also became class champions in the Asian Le Mans Series.

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (1 August 2022) – Irish Mike’s Racing will be looking to build on momentum from Watkins Glen International and a productive test session when it returns to the IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Visit Cayman Islands for this weekend’s Round 6 at Road America.

Irish Mike Racing driver Craig Conway finished a season-best eighth in the tough Pro-Am class in the most recent race at The Glen, driving the No. 97 Diamond Suzuki Porsche 992 in the Porsche Pro-Am division. Since then, the team tested at the famed Wisconsin circuit.

“We had a pretty good test at Road America, and we learned some things,” Conway said. “We’re heading in the right direction, so we’re looking for continued improvement. We’ve got to keep chopping away. I want to be able to run decent in the class and be competitive, and we’re getting it done.”

Conor Flynn drives the No. 95 FlynnCo Cars / Chillout Systems Porsche 992 in the Porsche Pro-Am division, also improving his finishing position in Race 2 at WGI. The team has continued to adopt to the new 992 platform in its first season with the car, and is looking to convert lessons learned in testing into another productive weekend as the series heads to the fan and driver-favorite track in Wisconsin.

“The test was really good, and hopefully we have similar conditions this weekend so we can kind of hit the ground running,” said Flynn. “There is a lot to learn and unlock with this new car and every time we pull it off the trailer we end up with a ton of notes and improvements by the time that we are loading up again so it’s been a great process for us. Road America is just an awesome track and I think we have a good chance to be strong this weekend.”

Last year, Conway just missed a podium finish at Road America, competing in the former 991 category.

“I was fourth, but right on the bumper of third,” Conway said. “We had a good run in the old car, but I’ve just got to get a little more comfortable in the new car. Hopefully, we can do a similar thing this year, if we’re lucky.”

Conway brings plenty of experience to the four-mile circuit.

“I’ve been there quite a bit,” he said. “The track itself is fast. I’m pretty comfortable there. It’s one of the tracks I like pretty well. I remember doing a six-hour race there in the Rolex Series. I had to change the transmission during the race, and we did it in 12 minutes! Then we managed to come back and beat Irv Hoerr for the win. We had a lot of pizzazz back then – the problem was, it was 20 years ago! At least, in the Carrera Cup, we’ve got the classes split by ages. The darn thing for me is I’m the oldest guy in the Blue class (Pro-Am), and I missed the yellow class (Am) by around two weeks. So while I’m racing the guys in my class, I’m also looking to see how the guys in Am are doing, since that’s the class I should be in.”

The Porsche Carrera Cup races twice this weekend: at 8:50 a.m. on Saturday and 9:50 a.m. on Sunday (all times CT).

IMSA FASTLANE SPORTSCAR WEEKEND: ZOOM TRANSCRIPT

Pipo Derani, co-driver of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, and Sebastien Bourdais, co-driver of the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R, met with the media August 1 via Zoom conference to preview the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend at Road America. Derani co-drove to victory in the 2021 race. Bourdais and co-driver Renger van der Zande have won three times this season.

Full transcript by individual driver:

Reigning IMSA DPi champion Pipo Derani, co-driver with Olivier Pla, of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:

YOU’VE HAD SUCCESS AT ROAD AMERICA. WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK THERE?

“I think Road America is perhaps one of the nicest tracks for any racing driver. It’s very fast, very technical as well and presents a big challenge for the teams to be able to do a perfect setup. I would love to try to get a third win (2021, 2017 in DPi). It hasn’t been an easy season for us, but hopefully in the last two races of the year we can show a little bit better results and get a win.”

WHAT DOES BEING CHAMPION ONE YEAR AND WHERE YOU ARE NOW SAY ABOUT THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE SERIES?

“It’s been a reality check to what motorsport is. You have ups and downs during your career. Coming in this year as the champ and having such a difficult year — changing teammates in the middle of the season – it hasn’t been easy. Nevertheless, it’s always a pleasure. You are in one of the most competitive championships in the world; IMSA right now being extremely competitive. Heading to the last two races without a single chance of winning the championship but I think it shows how the championship is so competitive you can’t have any weak link in the team whatsoever.

“Once you go and fight against teams that are with the same lineup for two, three years, they are working well together it’s just hard for you to overcome that. So, going into the last few races of the year we have Olivier onboard in the Whelen Engineering Cadillac. I think he’s got up to speed quite well and I’m hoping that we can together put some strong results on the board. Hopefully, we can be in the mix for a win either at Road America or Road Atlanta to finish the year on a strong note. But, again, it shows that in motorsport it doesn’t matter what you do the year before or the last race. As they say, you’re as good as your last race. It’s a constant battle every weekend for you to be at the top because it’s definitely not a given. You should not take it for granted but should always be working hard.”

WHAT’S THE MISSING INGREDIENT THIS YEAR?

“To be honest, it’s such a competitive championship first of all. We’re going against pairings that have been working together for a while, and then we welcomed Tristan (Nunez) at the beginning of the year. That’s already in itself a difficult situation when you have to learn a new teammate, to work with someone new and this person has to learn how the team operates. So it takes little bit of time to adapt, and then not only that we had a change in the middle of the season. You repeat the whole process again. When Olivier joined at Detroit, obviously not a very easy track to join and get to learn a new team. It’s just a situation where you’re in a very competitive championship and instead of focusing on details you’re focusing on the driver who’s in the car is getting up to speed quickly. That, in itself, you’re starting on the back foot already. In such a competitive championship, this can’t happen. We’re definitely not missing speed; we’ve been close to a couple of pole positions this year that just didn’t materialize for maybe just a little bit of time. We led more than 50 percent of the Twelve Hours of Sebring. It’s details that make a huge difference when it counts at the very end to have a strong result that we missed. I would say that down not being fully in sync with one another, especially on the driver front. We’re working hard on that. I hope we can have a strong finish to the season. It hasn’t been easy, but Olivier has been up to speed especially in the last two races. From now on it’s a bit of fine-tuning to be back at where we should be. Obviously had going into the last two races of the season. There are only two shots at showing that we were able to do that, but I think if we put everything together there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be where we belong.”

HOW DO YOU MANAGE TRAFFIC AT ROAD AMERICA?

“It’s a track that the difference in speed is perhaps a bit higher than the others. If you take Mid-Ohio or even Laguna, the difference between a GT or a P3 to a DPi is not as big as for example Road America. That makes it very interesting as well for us approaching them at speeds that are even shocking for us inside the car. In general, you have quite a lot of space to overtake, especially with the straights. But then you have very tricky corner, which is the Carousel. If you get a GT or a P3 there, it’s a massive difference and you end up losing a lot of time. As the racing progresses, perhaps you can get a little bit luck and get the other guys on the straight. If you’re not that lucky and you get them right before the Carousel, then you’re stuck for a long, long time. That makes it interesting for everyone watching. Not quite as fun for us inside the car, but it’s part of multi-class racing and that’s why we keep coming back.”

Sebastien Bourdais, co-driver with Renger van der Zande of the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R:

TALK ABOUT THE MOMENTUM YOU GUYS HAVE AND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK.

“We’ve had a very interesting season with three wins and quite a lot of misfortune. We’ve had a really fast 01 Cadillac and Chip Ganassi Racing has given us some great cars, but unfortunately, we’ve fallen out of too many races to really be in the championship hunt. We’re going to need some help from the 60 and the 10 to run into issues for us to stay in contention and hope for something in the last race at Petit. Nevertheless, it’s been a fun season. We’ve been running at the front, winning races, feeling strong. Renger put on an incredible performance at Mosport in really challenging conditions. He kind of went for it especially in traffic, which was really awesome. Looking forward to trying to repeat that at Road America. It’s a beautiful racetrack. I only managed to win there once in Champ Car days, but I have a lot of really good memories. It’s one of those places that is extremely rewarding if you get the lap right. It’s one of those cases where it feels really brilliant when you put a lap together and hopefully we can do that in qualifying and have a great race day.”

GIVEN THE WAY THE SEASON STARTED FOR YOU, ARE YOU SURPRISED TO BE GIVEN A SHOT AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THIS POINT?

“From the get-go we were really quick. We’ve had the pace all year long. It’s not been the problem of pace; it’s been a question of completing the races without tripping over something or having issues. It’s a shame that we’ve had so many. When you have three blank results out of a 10-race championship, it’s very unlikely you’re going to end up winning. We knew that basically after Daytona and Sebring that we were going to need to have a perfect season from there on out. Unfortunately, we had another miscue at Laguna, and at that point it was like you pretty much have to be winning or second and need your opposition to have some serious issues, which hasn’t really happened with the 60. Basically, when we’ve won they’ve finished second or third. I’m not the kind of guy who wishes anything bad on anyone; that’s not what I’m saying. At this point, either they are running into some issues in the last two events or it’s pretty much game over with the advantage in points that they have. We don’t really have our destiny on our hands, but we’re going to keep on pushing and going for wins which we have all season. Hopefully, we’re still in it going into Road Atlanta and then it’s a 10-hour race as the championship-decider, which we’ve seen crazier things happen.”

WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE CADILLAC LMDH CAR IN TESTING?

“It’s been really exciting; the beginning of a new era. The car is really exciting to drive. The new powerplant, power units and everything that we have with the new regulations it’s a different package, a different balance between downforce, grip level and power. It’s quite cool and I was really excited to get in the car and quite pleased to see what the car was delivering. It’s quite amazing. You sit in a new car like that, in a completely different environment than what was done before, and obviously you have all the electronics and everything that you have to run through. The car was really well born. It just hit the track, we had not done any setup work and it was already quite fun to drive and the lap times were already quite interesting. I think we’re all quite excited and looking forward to the future. I was kind of expecting it to be quite different from the DPi and it’s really not all that different at least in terms of feel. Just looking forward to more progress and more miles in that car.”

IS IT SIMILAR IN HAVING HELPED DEVELOP THE FORD GT AND THE PEUGEOT, BEING AT THE GROUND LEVEL?

“Every new car is different, but I feel like there are some many more tools these days. Like the car runs complete with gearbox and engine and really pushes avenues to hit the ground running. The car hits the track and it’s already in the window. I’ve been part of development phases especially with Peugeot. That was really rough and raw and had to work a lot and make a ton of changes. This was completely different. The car was close and it felt right and it was a ton of fun and I’m looking forward to getting back in it.”

HOW DO YOU MANAGE TRAFFIC WITH ALL FIVE CLASSES RUNNING?

“It’s tough. Overall, we all kind of understand what needs to happen in order to have a successful interaction. I think the biggest problem us as far as the DPis is when some GT guy decides to block us – very late sometimes in braking zones. Most times it turns into chaos and disasters and it’s just super risky for everybody when you start to move down in the braking zone and shut the door and the DPi lunging in there. Everything else, it’s mostly timing and a bit of luck. You can have a great stint and a great average and things look really good and because you caught traffic at places where it didn’t impact you as far as lap time, and sometimes you keep on getting them at the wrong time. It’s not what anybody is doing; it’s just the luck of the draw. The biggest thing for us is for those other (classes) is to be predictable and drive. It’s much easier when everybody just keeps their heads down and just drives to the best of their ability and be predictable.”

Weekend heat to be a factor as the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge contests its second endurance race of the season

ORLANDO, Fla. (1 August 2022) – The challenge is set for the Stoner Car Care Racing fielded by Automatic Racing team this weekend: prepare for some of the hottest temperatures yet this season as the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge is set to feature the second endurance race of the season, the four-hour Road America 240 (Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on PeacockTV).

Drivers Rob Ecklin, Jr. and Ramin Abdolvahabi, veterans of numerous races at Road America, look to capture that elusive Bronze Cup victory as they return to the legendary Wisconsin circuit with their No. 09 Stoner Car Care Aston Martin Vantage GT4. The Bronze Cup recognizes the top drivers in the Grand Sport (GS) class who are in the FIA-rated Bronze category, denoting drivers who are not full-time professionals – but who are fully dedicated to improving their racing craft.

The Michelin Pilot Challenge series traditionally contests two four-hour endurance races each season, with the first at Daytona in January. This year, the second endurance race makes its debut at Road America, bringing a unique set of challenges to driver, team and equipment – especially given the expected temperatures in the 90s.

Teams often add a third driver for the endurance events but like Daytona, the Stoner Car Care team will stay with its usual two-driver lineup this weekend – though in dramatically different weather conditions than they saw in January.

“We contested the four-hour race at Daytona with just Ramin and I, so we know what to expect,” said Ecklin. “Though of course, the weather will be very different this weekend! We’re looking forward to the chance for more track time at Road America: it’s such an iconic track in terms of history and location.

“The key for Saturday is strategy and looking at how to manage that with two drivers,” continued Ecklin. “Fuel stops, yellows, and of course, the driver himself – ideally, you change drivers halfway, but this is a very physical track and with the heat, that’s the biggest challenge. You have to rest where you can on the straights, because you’ll need it on the tight sections. And some of these corners are pretty loaded, G-force wise. It will definitely be an endurance test.”

The team conducted a two-day test with both drivers two weeks ago at VIRginia International Raceway and came away with solid setup for the Road America weekend. Automatic Racing team manager David Russell has a plan in place, but knows that plans can rapidly change, especially in an endurance event.

“We had a good test two weeks ago at VIR, so we definitely feel ready,” offered Russell. “As Rob said, there isn’t a big difference in pre-race prep for a four-hour race, but it is a strategy change – especially with only two drivers. We have that planned but of course, looking at probable pace and tire degradation – we can’t look at historical data regarding Road America caution periods, though, because of the longer race. We’ll stop at least three times, if not four, and we have to factor in where to place the driver change, working from the end of the race backwards. Obviously though, racing usually does not go to plan!”

Russell also looks forward to an added “family” dynamic this weekend on the Stoner Car Care team.

“This is a special weekend for a lot of reasons,” said Automatic Racing team manager David Russell. “Two of our team guys, Ryan and Aaron Szyjakowski, are from Milwaukee and their dad Joseph will be out here helping this weekend! It’s going to be a lot of fun to have them all involved.”

The Stoner Car Care team continues to support End Alzheimer’s Racing, carrying decals on the car to help their efforts to raise funds and awareness.

Part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Fastlane SportsCar Weekend, the Road America 240 takes the green flag Saturday at 2:15 p.m. Eastern. The race will be live streamed in the U.S. on Peacock TV, while international viewers can watch via IMSA.com/TVLive. IMSA Radio will also be available at IMSA.com. A race replay will air on USA Network Saturday, August 13 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.

About Stoner Car Care

Stoner Car Care produces high-performance car washes, waxes, polishes, and dressings for auto enthusiasts and car care professionals. The Stoner Car Care line-up includes Invisible Glass, America’s #1 Automotive Glass Cleaner, along with many other appearance products. Whether driving, washing or waxing, Performance Matters! Stoner car care proudly formulates all of our product since 1942. www.stonercarcare.com

About Invisible Glass

Automatic Racing sees their way to victory with Invisible Glass, the top-selling automotive glass cleaner in the United States. The Invisible Glass product line includes aerosol and spray bottle cleaner, Invisible Glass with rain repellent for windshields and wiper blades. Find more online at https://www.invisibleglass.com/

About Automatic Racing

Based in Orlando, Automatic Racing is one of the longest-running teams in the paddock, forming in 2001 and competing in all but one of the 11 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge races at Daytona. The team has been developing, preparing and racing the prestigious Aston Martin Vantage GT4 since 2012. Automatic Racing won the 2017 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge title.

About End Alzheimer’s Racing

End Alzheimer’s Racing began in 2019, as father and son duo Bill and Alex Slupski – both experienced kart racers who also work in sports car racing – chose racing as the “vehicle” for their program to promote awareness and raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association. Through End Alzheimer’s Racing, they want to be an integral part of the support network for families dealing with Alzheimer’s and other dementias and be part of the cure that ends Alzheimer’s disease.

http://act.alz.org/goto/endalzheimersracing

Elkhart Lake, Wisc. (1 August 2022) – Jr III (“Junior Three”) Racing heads to Road America with eyes on the IMSA LMP3 championship lead for the IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend on August 7 (11:40am ET, USA).

Continuing its first full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) campaign at the track where the team made its series debut last year, Jr III Racing has its sights set on the final two rounds of competition. Ari Balogh and Garett Grist will drive the No. 30 Airbnb Ligier JS P320 and head into the weekend with three podiums under their belt this season. The team has scored a pair of second place finishes at Sebring and Mid-Ohio in addition to a third place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

The Charlotte-based team made its IWSC debut at Road America in 2021 before starting its full-season IMSA WeatherTech campaign in 2022. The Wisconsin weekend didn’t go as planned for the team’s debut race with an early retirement for the No. 3 Jr III Racing Ligier JS, but the young team with a highly experienced crew rebounded to score a podium finish in their Petit Le Mans debut to close out the 2021 season.

With a third place finish at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Grist and Balogh brought home solid championship points and are keeping their focus on gaining ground to the LMP3 class lead, with the No. 30 Airbnb Ligier 98 points back from the lead.

Jr III Racing tested at the National Park of Speed in July with a handful of other IMSA competitors to prepare for the 4.048-mile road course. Team owner Billy Glavin III feels that testing continues to show the dedication for preparation from his team and drivers to make their way to the top of the championship.

“We’re looking forward to Road America,” said Glavin. “I think we have a good lineup for that track and a good car. At the test, we used our chassis that we had our fire at Watkins Glen, and we got that running and shaken out before the race, so that car is back together. We ran a lot of miles and got a lot of data on our test car and learned a lot, so it was a good test. Obviously, we’re in a position right now where we have to win and finish well over the next two races. We have to control our destiny by winning the last two races, so that’s what we’re working towards.”

Grist, who has previously ran Road America during his time in Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, enjoyed his time at the scenic road course in preparation for the fifth round of LMP3 competition this season.

“It was one of our longer tests of the season for sure, but we got a lot done and tried different things as a team,” said Grist. “Overall, it was fun, and Elkhart Lake is beautiful. It’s always a great place to test. It’s a lot different than Mosport, almost close to double lap time. With a longer lap, that does a lot for our strategy and fuel mileage with each stint. Overall, going into next week we’ll be considering those things on the strategy side.”

The IMSA Fastlane SportsCar Weekend commences on August 5 with the main two-hour and 40-minute race on Sunday August 7 at 11:40am ET on USA Network with streaming on Peacock.

Sean Gibbons, Sam Owen and Derek DeBoer Will Drive the No. 9 Machine, With John Capestro-Dubets Joining the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche Driver Line-Up In the Four Hour Event

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (July 27, 2022) – Hardpoint’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge line-up continues to grow, expanding to two cars and six drivers for next week’s four-hour race at Road America. The No. 9 Valkyrie Intelligence/Phoenix Global Health Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport joins the team in a partnership with OGH Motorsports with drivers Sean Gibbons, Sam Owen and Derek DeBoer co-driving, while John Capestro-Dubets climbs aboard the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport with co-drivers Nick Galante and Sean McAlister for the race.

Gibbons and Owen will make their IMSA debuts after success in GT Americas driving a GT4 Porsche Cayman, joined by long-time successful racer DeBoer. The No. 9 car will be entered into the Bronze Cup of the Michelin Pilot Challenge GS class.

Gibbons is the 2020 GT4 AM Champion in SRO GT4 America and a multi-time race winner. Along with Gibbons, Owen is a co-founder of OGH Motorsport and began his career racing in Porsche Club of America, a trait he shares with Hardpoint owner Rob Ferriol. DeBoer is a racing veteran, with experience in the former ST class and a top 10 finish in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“Sam and I are so excited to enter our first IMSA GS race and to have Derek DeBoer join us makes it even better,” Gibbons said. “Our goal is to put the No. 9 OGH Motorsports/Hardpoint Porsche Cayman on the Bronze Cup Podium. Rob, Sam and I approach motorsports the same way and saw this as an opportunity to work together for the first time while achieving one of our goals. We are so thankful for the support Valkyrie Intelligence, Phoenix Global Health, Trattore Farms, BRM Watches and Fastlife TV along with our families that make this possible.”

Hardpoint’s season-long entry, the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche Cayman, will be joined by Capestro-Dubets as a third driver at Road America. He comes to the program with experience in the GT4 Cayman, including a pole position at Lime Rock Park three weeks ago in a similar car.

“I’m really looking forward to joining Sean and Nick under the Hardpoint tent at Road America,” Capestro-Dubets said. “I’ve heard amazing things about this outfit and I’m honored to be the third driver in this lineup. The goal for me is to be a team player and help with not only pace but a fresh perspective. As a group I’m confident we can make great progress through the weekend, and like any race, with a little luck, we’re looking to be out front. Thank you to Nick and Hardpoint for bringing me into this picture and all of my partners that have helped me along the way.”

Both teams will work side-by-side at Road America under the Hardpoint tent.

“We’re really excited to welcome Sean, Sam and Derek to the team with the No. 9 car and look forward to the fresh perspective and talent JCD brings to the 22 lineup,” Ferriol said. “It’s been a busy summer for Hardpoint and both of our Pilot Challenge cars are in position to make some noise at Road America. We’ve had some bad luck on track recently, but we know the ingredients are there, so we’re loaded up and ready to change our momentum in a big way.”

Both the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche Cayman and the No. 9 Valkyrie Intelligence/Phoenix Global Health Porsche will be in action at Road America, August 4 – 6. Saturday, August 6th four-hour race begins at 1:15 p.m. CDT (2:15 EDT) and can be seen live on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.

About Hardpoint:

Hardpoint was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team captured the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America Pro-Am championship in its inaugural season and competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in the No. 99 GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R with co-drivers Ferriol and Katherine Legge, joined by Stefan Wilson for Michelin Endurance Cup races. In 2022, Hardpoint has added the No. 22 Racing To End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport driven by Nick Galante and Sean McAllister in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS), as well as the No. 428 TradeCentric Porsche 911 GT3 Cup driven by Brady Behrman in International GT. More information on Hardpoint can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.