Category: Featured Other Series

FONTANA, Calif. – For 14 years, Kika Garcie-Consheso has been toting the Brazilian flag signed by Helio Castroneves after his first Indy car victory on June 18, 2000, at Detroit, waiting for a complementary signature after claiming his first series championship.

Castroneves, who has been the Verizon IndyCar Series runner-up three times, would be more than pleased to fill the blank space on the green, yellow and blue flag of his homeland Aug. 30 following the championship-deciding MAVTV 500 at Auto Club Speedway.

Castroneves, who enters the 250-lap race 50 points behind championship front-runner and teammate Will Power, got off to a fast start by earning the Verizon P1 Award and its corresponding bonus point with a two-lap average speed of 218.540 mph in the No. 3 AAA Southern California Team Penske car on the 2-mile oval.

The pole was his third of the season, third at Auto Club Speedway since 2003 and the 41st of his Indy car career to break a tie with Rick Mears for fourth all time.

Raising the Brazilian flag behind his shoulders in Victory Circle and then autographing it for Garcie-Concheso, his longtime friend who is a consultant for INDYCAR partner Apex-Brazil, is his longtime goal.

“It ain’t over; it’s just beginning,” said Castroneves of the championship race. “Our job is to be aggressive over the 500 miles and finish where we started.”

Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, qualified a season-low 21st with a two-lap average of 212.604 mph. Simon Pagenaud of Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports, the third driver eligible for the championship, qualified 13th at 215.752 mph.

“With the starting position, I’d rather start at the very front or the very back to stay out of trouble early on,” Power said. “It’s obviously all about the race; it’s very long and we’ll be racing in different conditions.”

Power earned the pole for the October 2013 race at Auto Club Speedway with an average speed of 220.775 mph — a two-lap track record — and went on to win for the first time on a superspeedway.

Team owner Roger Penske is aiming for his 13th Indy car championship since 1977 with Tom Sneva and the first since 2006 with Sam Hornish Jr.

“I always tell our guys if one driver wins the team wins,” Penske said. “We got here because it was a team effort.”

Juan Pablo Montoya recorded a two-lap average of 217.621 mph in the No. 2 Verizon Team Penske car to qualifying second. Josef Newgarden, driving the No. 67 Hartman Oil Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing car, also qualified on the front row (217.600 mph) for the three-wide start.

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Aug. 29, 2014) – INDYCAR announced today that the Grand Prix of Houston will not return to the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule in 2015. The 1.7-mile temporary circuit at NRG Park hosted doubleheader races in each of the past two seasons, but INDYCAR and officials from the Grand Prix of Houston were unable to define a date for the 2015 event.

“INDYCAR is thankful to Mike Lanigan and his team for all their hard work and for the tremendous support of the Grand Prix of Houston that we received from Shell, Pennzoil and Honda,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Company, the parent of INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “We look forward to a continued relationship with Mi-Jack Promotions and will always keep our options open when it comes to an important market like Houston.”

The Grand Prix of Houston was previously part of the Indy car schedule from 1998-2001 and 2006-07.

AVONDALE, La. (Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014) – INDYCAR announced today the addition of NOLA Motorsports Park and the Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana to the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule in 2015. The event will be held April 10-12 and organized by Andretti Sports Marketing on a newly-configured 13-turn, 2.67-mile permanent road course layout.

The Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana will feature a three-day festival combining Louisiana’s culture – including live musical acts, entertainment and local cuisine – with the excitement of a Verizon IndyCar Series event.

“We’re delighted about the opportunity to showcase the Verizon IndyCar Series at NOLA Motorsports Park and to INDYCAR fans in the greater New Orleans area,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Co., the parent of INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The commitment from track owner Laney Chouest and his associates, combined with the support we received from the state of Louisiana, was the catalyst in making this come to fruition. New Orleans has a history of hosting successful major sporting events and we’re thrilled to be able to add the Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana to the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule.”

Earlier this year, the state of Louisiana committed $4.5 million to make enhancements to the racetrack in support of the event. This investment, combined with private funding from NOLA Motorsports Park, helped facilitate required track and facility improvements necessary to host a Verizon IndyCar Series event.

“The State of Louisiana understands the economic and cultural potential of this annual event,” said NOLA Motorsports Park owner Laney Chouest. “Track operations are currently underway to transform NOLA Motorsports Park into a Verizon IndyCar Series circuit, complete with state-of-the-art equipment, grandstands and viewing platforms racing fans need for a truly enjoyable experience.”

Improvements to NOLA Motorsports Park are already underway and include a reconfigured course layout, which was designed in collaboration with INDYCAR officials and Verizon IndyCar Series drivers, including James Hinchcliffe and Graham Rahal.

“I’m really excited about going to NOLA next year,” Hinchcliffe said. “Having seen the track and the changes they are going to make, I think it’ll be great to drive. Great for fans, too, because you can see most of the track from the stands, which is rare on road courses. But maybe even more than that just going to that city is going to be a blast. They sure know how to throw a party and I know that they are going to roll out the red carpet for INDYCAR and really make it an event.”

INDYCAR will crown its 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion and conclude its season this weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. The complete 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule will be released later this offseason.

Prelude to September 5th Nationwide Release of the Motion Picture The Identical, Starring Blake Rayne, Ashley Judd, Ray Liotta & Seth Green

Concord, NC (August 27, 2014) – In anticipation of the upcoming September 5th, 2014 nationwide release of City of Peace Film’s debut motion picture titled The Identical, the production company has released the official music video featuring lead actor Blake Rayne performing “Bee Boppin’ Baby,” one of the cuts from the all original movie soundtrack.

“Being able to work with the Venturini family was an honor. As a film director you always hope that the cast and crew you’re working with will be properly prepared to give you 100%, operating at the highest level of excellence and professionalism. Well it didn’t take long to show me why their work ethic has got them to the top of the racing game,” said Dustin Marcellino, Director, City of Peace Films.

“It was great getting John (Townley), Justin (Boston) and Brennan (Poole) in front of the camera and behind the wheel on their screen acting debut. Special thanks goes to actors Blake Rayne and Michael Joyner for their great job as well as Jeff Goodwin and Suzzane Skinner of So Good! Entertainment and everyone else who contributed to making The Identical Movie Music Video an experience to remember.”

Continuing our strategic marketing partnership with City of Peace Films, the music video will highlight team sponsor Zaxby’s along with Venturini Motorsports (VMS) team drivers and personalities which include; John Wes Townley (Zaxby’s), Justin Boston, Brennan Poole, and cameo appearances by Cathy and Tom Venturini.

The title song “Bee Boppin’ Baby” (music video) performed by Blake Rayne is one track of The Identicalmovie’s 20-plus original songs, which were produced and co-written by Motown legend, Jerry Marcellino. During his famed career, Jerry Marcellino has composed and produced songs for Grammy-winning icons such as Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, The Jackson 5, The Supremes, Eddie Money, Thelma Houston, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, and Bobby Darin, to name a few of his credits. The Identical movie soundtrack will be release by City of Peace and Capital Records.

Earlier, City of Peace Films and So Good! Entertainment entered into a strategic partnership with VMS to promote the upcoming September 5th nationwide release of the film The Identical, starring Ashley Judd, Seth Green, Ray Liotta, Joe Pantoliano and Blake Rayne. This multi-tiered marketing plan utilizes VMS’s team strength to promote the feature film across several of the team cars and drivers including John Wes Townley and Brennan Poole, who’ve been carrying The Identical movie graphics on both ARCA (Venturini Motorsports) and NASCAR Nationwide (Athenian Motorsports) Zaxby’s cars since July 19th at Chicagoland Speedway.

Furthermore, the producers of the upcoming Ray Liotta-Ashley Judd film The Identical have partnered with Zaxby’s, one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains, to offer diners free music downloads from the movie. The effort marks the first time Zaxby’s, which operates more than 620 locations in 15 states, has joined forces with a major motion picture.

In addition to the music video partnership, actor Blake Rayne has spent most of the summer months touring with Venturini Motorsports and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards promoting and performing songs from The Identical movie soundtrack; headlining the ARCA Racing Summer Concert Series in a multitude of pre-race and post-race concerts events which have been co-produced by Tom Venturini (Venturini Motorsports) and Nashville-based, So Good! Entertainment.

About The Identical
The Identical tells the compelling story of twin brothers unknowingly separated at birth during the Great Depression. DREXEL HEMSLEY becomes an iconic 50’s rock ‘n’ roll star, while RYAN WADE (Blake Rayne) struggles to balance his love for music and pleasing his father. The Reverend Wade (Ray Liotta) and his wife (Ashley Judd) are sure their adopted son has been gifted and called by God to be a preacher. But Ryan challenges his parent’s vision for his life, and unflinchingly chooses to launch his own music career with his best friend (Seth Green). Encouraged by his wife (Erin Cottrell) and employer (Joe Pantoliano), Ryan embarks on an unpredictable, provocative path – performing the legendary music of Drexel Hemsley in sold out venues all across the country. As the brothers’ destinies tragically collide, Ryan discovers that Drexel is his identical twin which leads him to question everything he’s ever believed about God, family and his own identity. The Identical is a City of Peace Films production featuring the talents of three generations of the Marcellino family from Nashville, TN. Dustin Marcellino is the first time director, Jerry Marcellino co-wrote the 20 plus original songs with his son Yochanan, who is the founder of City of Peace Films. Yochanan and Don Noes are the two men who propelled the movie to the big screen by raising the production funding and the film’s marketing budget. The movie will be distributed by Freestyle Releasing and will be opening nationwide on September 5th.

STARRING: Erin Cottrell, Amanda Crew, Brian Geraghty, Seth Green, Ashley Judd, Joe Pantoliano, Blake Rayne, and Ray Liotta

DIRECTED BY: Dustin Marcellino

PRODUCED BY: Mark G. Mathis, Yochanan Marcellino, Matthew Dean Russell

Featuring over 20 original songs by Jerry Marcellino and Yochanan Marcellino including: “Your Love’s Keepin’ Me Tonight,” “City Lights,” “Angel of Mine,” “Everybody Knows It” and “Nashville Tonight”.

About Venturini Motorsports
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars for over 30-years in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. Multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports. Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Brian Scott, Kevin Swindell, John Wes Townley and Erik Jones. Over the years the Venturini name has become synonymous with modern-day racing in America. In 2012, the Venturini family was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (www.NIASHF.org) and now find themselves enshrined with such sports icons as Joe DiMaggio, Mario Andretti, Vince Lombardi, Tommy Lasorda and Rocky Marciano.

Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com  |  Twitter: @VenturiniMotor  |  Facebook: Venturini Motorsports

SONOMA, Calif. – A 6.0 magnitude earthquake with the epicenter about six miles south of Napa woke residents and visitors about 3:20 a.m. (local). The jarring quake lasted about 25 seconds, and multiple aftershocks have been recorded.

Events today at Sonoma Raceway associated with the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma will continue as schedule. No damage was reported at the racetrack – about 15 miles from American Canyon epicenter – or its main arteries, California Highways 37 and 121.

The 2.385-mile, 12-turn road course and buildings at the facility have been inspected, according to a track spokesman. Emergency responders, including Holmatro Safety Team members, are on-site at the facility. No fans or campers were injured during the quake or its aftershocks.

Competition today includes the championship-deciding Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires race and the 85-lap GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma at 1:40 p.m. (Pacific). NBCSN will telecast the Verizon IndyCar Series race at 1 p.m. (Pacific). Also, the race is broadcast on IMS Radio Network affiliates, XM209, Sirius 213, IndyCar.com and the INDYCAR 14 app.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office reported power outages in the city of Sonoma and surrounding area but no significant damage.

Structural damage and fires have been reported in Napa. It’s the largest quake in Northern California since the Loma Prieta temblor in 1989. It is the strongest non-Alaska earthquake in the U.S. this year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Residents felt moderate tremors from the quake as far north as Sacramento and as far south as Santa Cruz.

SONOMA, Calif. (Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014) — Verizon IndyCar Series championship points leader Will Power claimed his second consecutive Verizon P1 Award, and fourth of the season, with a lap of 1 minute, 17.4126 seconds in Firestone Fast Six qualifications for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, reset the track record he established in 2012 with a lap of 1:17.2393 (111.161 mph) in the first of the three rounds on the 2.385-mile, 12-turn road course.

It was the fourth pole at Sonoma Raceway for Power, who has won three of the past four Verizon IndyCar Series races on the scenic circuit.

“It’s a track-position race and starting on pole puts us in a good position,” said Power. “If it’s a normal sort of strategy, we’ve put ourselves in a great position to win the race. But you know how these races go. You’ve got to get everything right on race day and we’re going to try and do that.”

With the bonus point for the pole, Power takes a 40-point advantage over teammate Helio Castroneves into the 85-lap race Aug. 24.

“We know we have a very good car and hopefully we’ll have a good race,” said Castroneves, who qualified sixth in the No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske entry. “You have to be aggressive in a way that puts you in position going to the last race to win the championship.”

The season-closing MAVTV 500 on Aug. 30 at the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval carries double points.

“Every point counts but there are a lot of points on the table and lots of racing left,” Power added. “I just have to focus on the job at hand.”

Josef Newgarden tied his career-best qualification effort of second on a road/street course (Mid-Ohio earlier this month) with a lap of 1:17.7318 in the No. 67 Hartman Oil/Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing entry.

Reigning series champion Scott Dixon qualified third in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car and will share Row 2 with James Hinchcliffe, driving the No. 27 United Fiber & Data car for Andretti Autosport. Ryan Briscoe, who scored his first Verizon IndyCar Series pole at Sonoma Raceway in 2005 and won in 2012, will start on Row 3 with Castroneves.