Category: Other Series PR

Brushy Mountain Powersports 150 was scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 5
North Wilkesboro Speedway collecting donations to support communities in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 30, 2024) – NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports have postponed this weekend’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The decision was made in cooperation with local authorities to ensure all local emergency resources remain dedicated to clean-up and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s impact on the area. Starting Tuesday, North Wilkesboro Speedway will become a designated collection site for hurricane relief donations.

The Brushy Mountain Powersports 150 was originally scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 5. A decision regarding a possible make-up date will be announced in the future.

All ticket and camping purchases for the event will be refunded to the payment method used at the time of original purchase. Fans are asked to allow 10-14 days for the refund to be processed and reflected on credit card statements.

Additional information and updated schedule when available will be on NASCAR.com/regional.

In further support of the recovery efforts, North Wilkesboro Speedway will host a hurricane relief drive and serve as a collection site for the following:

• Non-perishable food items
• Cleaning supplies
• Disinfecting wipes
• Paper towels
• Mops
• Buckets
• Gloves
• Bottled water
• Batteries
• Portable chargers
• Hygiene items
• Diapers & wipes
• Baby formula

Donations can be dropped off at North Wilkesboro Speedway (381 Speedway Ln, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659) between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. this Tuesday through Sunday. Items will be distributed through Wilkes County Emergency Management and Samaritan’s Purse to communities in need.

About NASCAR     

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.  

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.  

About Speedway Motorsports

Speedway Motorsports, LLC is a leading marketer, promoter and sponsor of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide though its Performance Racing Network subsidiary.

Candas Adds Female Driver Development and Porsche Junior Crowns, Solidifies Second Place

SONOMA, California (September 28, 2024) – RAFA Racing by JDX clinched three Porsche Sprint Challenge North America championships on Saturday at Sonoma Raceway when Ian Porter took his 10th win of the season to clinch the Cayman Pro-Am Driver’s Championship, while teammate Caroline Candas finished second to claim the Mobil 1 Female Driver Development and Porsche Juniors titles in the class.

Porter started on pole in the No. 86 Grid Finder Porsche 718 Cayman with Candas on his outside, and the two quickly left the rest of the field behind. Candas and her No. 84 8Twelve Wheels Porsche Cayman hounded Porter throughout the race, dropping back and then getting a run again, but couldn’t get around the champion-elect.

At the checkered flag, Porter was 1.264-second ahead of Candas, but the duo were another 18 seconds ahead of third place.

That officially secured the top two positions for the drivers and the RAFA Racing team. The championship comes in the first season of racing at any level for Porter, at least in the analog world. Porter is a three-time Call of Duty World Champion and X Games gold medalist, but the OpTic esports star put his full 2024 commitment into chasing a new dream – motorsports.

“I feel great right now,” Porter said after the race. “The amount of hard work and the sacrifices that it’s taken just to be in this position, it’s so rewarding. In my head I was celebrating 80 percent through the race because I knew I’d won.”

His title, still with one race remaining in the season, reflects his promising ability in the sport and the work he’s put into a new career.

“I could still be gaming, I could still be doing content, and I’m here because of passion,” Porter said. “This is my dream, this is what I want my future to be. I can’t thank RAFA Racing and everyone there who helped get me in this position. I’m over the moon right now. The first Call of Duty championship was very similar to this, where I put in so much time and effort and almost overworked to the point where when I went out to perform, the skills required to win were already there. I’ve always been about the journey, rather than the win, and this is right up there.”

Candas came to RAFA Racing after being selected at last November’s RAFA Racing Female Driver Shootout. The shootout featured more experienced drivers, but the team’s judges recognized her potential and ability to improve after just one season in front-wheel drive Touring Cars in her home France.

That selection paid off this season as Candas earned 11 podiums in 13 races, including a win at Watkins Glen. Five times she finished second to Porter, and her first career win came with her parents in attendance at the upstate New York track. Those results came despite race weekends being her first visit to many of the tracks on the calendar, and limited testing throughout the season to learn the Cayman’s characteristics.

“I’m really happy for the second overall, and really happy for the team,” Candas said. “We clinched first and second with Ian, so I’m really happy for the RAFA Racing by JDX team. I learned a lot this year. New tracks, new cars, everything was new for me. To be the Junior champion is a great thing for the future. I can’t wait to see what comes from that.”

Porter and Candas, along with teammate Rafael Martinez and his No. 85 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman, will get two more races at Sonoma on Sunday. The final round of the Porsche Sprint Challenge gets underway at 11:30 a.m. PDT, this time with Candas on the pole and starting ahead of Porter in an effort to turn the tables on her teammate.

Then, each of the three RAFA Racing by JDX drivers will compete as single drivers in the Porsche Endurance Challenge event at 4 p.m. PDT.

Martinez finished the Porsche Sprint Challenge West race in third on Saturday, and has the option to compete in that race again on Sunday. That race is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. PDT, immediately following the Porsche Sprint Challenge finale.

All of Sunday’s races, along with Endurance Challenge qualifying at 8:30 a.m. PDT, can be seen live on the official YouTube page of Porsche Motorsport North America at YouTube.com/@PorscheMotorsportNorthAmerica.

About RAFA Racing Club:

RAFA Racing, utilizing the motto “Race As Family Always,” is a motorsports club and race team founded by and made for high-performance auto drivers, supporters, and fans of all types. Started by Rafael Martinez, the Club aims to create a space for high-performance car enthusiasts to enjoy like-minded individuals, network and share ideas on and off the track, and bond as one team with a common interest. The RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series, and expands that footprint to include Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and SRO GT4 Europe in 2024. The Club’s off-track presence can be felt on social media and beyond, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and at RafaRacing.Club.

Ian Porter On Verge of Clinching First Career Driver’s Championship, With Caroline Candas On Tap for Female Driver Development, Porsche Junior Titles

SONOMA, California (September 28, 2024) – The RAFA Racing team makes its second stop in less than a week on two different continents, ready to turn their fortunes around with an eye on a number of Porsche Sprint Challenge North America championships this weekend at Sonoma Raceway.

Ian Porter and Caroline Candas are both on track to clinch their first career professional drivers’ championships in their RAFA Racing by JDX Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsports. Porter needs only to start Saturday’s first race of the weekend to clinch the Porsche Sprint Challenge Cayman Pro-Am title. Candas finds herself in the same situation to clinch the Mobil 1 Female Driver Development and Porsche Junior championships in the Cayman class.

Likewise, Rafa Martinez is searching for redemption after two strong weekends ended unfortunately early through no fault of his own. Martinez was part of the two-car RAFA Racing effort that competed just last weekend at Monza in the GT4 European Series. Teammate Jon Lancaster qualified and drove the No. 812 RAFA Racing McLaren Artura GT4 to second overall and the lead in the Pro-Am class before passing the car to Martinez. Martinez held serve, keeping a stream of cars behind him and holding on to a podium spot in the class before a rival driver badly misjudged a brake zone with just three laps remaining, taking out Martinez and leaving the car unable to compete in Sunday’s race two.

That unfortunate luck is now behind the three-car Porsche Sprint Challenge effort for RAFA Racing this weekend, with the focus fully forward.

Porter enters his No. 86 Grid Finder Porsche Cayman having won nine of 12 races in his first season behind the wheel. Though the three-time Call of Duty World Champion and X Games medalist is no stranger to top prizes, this season’s “analog” championship has been a brand-new challenge for the rookie racer. He’ll also drive the Porsche Endurance Challenge race solo, following his solo victory at Road America in the last round.

Like all three of the RAFA Racing by JDX drivers competing this weekend, it is Porter’s first competitive visit to Sonoma Raceway. As he has prior to each event this season, the esports Hall of Famer and OpTic gaming superstar known as Crimsix learned the track through iRacing, helping to get up to speed prior to Friday’s first official session.

Candas has followed her teammate through most of the season, locking down second in the Cayman Pro-Am driver’s championship and riding 10 podiums, including a win at Watkins Glen and five second-place finishes, to the Junior and Female Driver titles. Candas, a French-native, had never raced a rear-wheel drive car prior to this season. Instead, she leaned on what she learned during an outstanding karting career and a season in touring cars. While essentially locked into the second position in the standings, she’ll be gunning for a second win at Sonoma in her No. 84 8Twelve Wheels Porsche Cayman.

Martinez and regular fourth driver Paige Morales are swapping places from the previous round at Road America. An incident on the test day there left Martinez unable to compete in the Sprint Challenge races, waiting for the Endurance Challenge race at the end of the weekend. The start of that race featured a multi-car incident at the front of the Cayman field that collected both Martinez, driving the car that Morales drove in the sprint races, as well as Candas. The RAFA Racing by JDX team and crew spent the following weeks using parts from each of those cars to allow one Cayman to race as Martinez’ No. 85 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman. Morales will spend the weekend onsite to support her RAFA Racing teammates, but step aside in competition for the season finale.

Following test sessions Wednesday and Thursday, official Porsche Sprint Challenge competition at Sonoma Raceway this weekend was officially underway on Friday with both morning and afternoon Cayman practice sessions, with solid results.

Porter, Martinez and Candas were second, third and fourth, respectively, in the opening practice, trailing Patrick Dempsey in the Cayman class. Porter and Candas jumped to the top two positions in practice two, showing the RAFA Racing pace entering the race weekend.

Saturday starts with Cayman qualifying at 10:20 a.m. PDT. The weekend’s first 35-minute plus one lap race goes green Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. PDT with Sunday’s second and final sprint scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. PDT. The one-hour Porsche Endurance Challenge closes the weekend Sunday afternoon with a 4 p.m. PDT start. All races can be seen live on Porsche Motorsports North America’s YouTube channel at Youtube.com/@PorscheMotorsportNorthAmerica.

About RAFA Racing Club:

RAFA Racing, utilizing the motto “Race As Family Always,” is a motorsports club and race team founded by and made for high-performance auto drivers, supporters, and fans of all types. Started by Rafael Martinez, the Club aims to create a space for high-performance car enthusiasts to enjoy like-minded individuals, network and share ideas on and off the track, and bond as one team with a common interest. The RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series, and expands that footprint to include Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and SRO GT4 Europe in 2024. The Club’s off-track presence can be felt on social media and beyond, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and at RafaRacing.Club.

• Porsche Junior Driver Ayhancan Güven Joins Kyle Washington and Tom Sargent in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R for Indianapolis 8 Hour Pro-Am Campaign
• GMG Racing Provides Technical and Logistical Support for Herberth Motorsport for the Team’s Indianapolis 8 Hour Effort with Antares Au, Loek Hartog and Patric Niederhauser in the Pro-Am No. 4 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R
• Washington Runs Second No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R in Season-Ending GT America Doubleheader in Indianapolis Alongside the No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO2 of James Sofronas and CJ Moses in the No. 58 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT2
• Season-Ending Back-to-Back Stretch of Events Begins with this Weekend’s Porsche Sprint Challenge Finale for Washington and Patrick Mulcahy in the No. 254 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup at Sonoma Raceway

SONOMA, California (September 28, 2024) – GMG Racing is all-in and more for a pair of season-ending event weekends Saturday and Sunday at Sonoma Raceway and next weekend in the Indianapolis 8 Hour SRO America and Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). The nearly two-week run of races will see GMG Racing hustle from the Porsche Sprint Challenge finale in Sonoma this Sunday night and head straight to the legendary Brickyard 2,250 miles away for opening practice on Wednesday.

The highlight of the nearly two-week stretch will be GMG Racing’s Pro-Am effort in the Indianapolis 8 Hour with Fanatec GT World Challenge America contenders Kyle Washington and Tom Sargent in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R. The winning duo of Washington and Sargent will be joined by Platinum-rated Porsche Junior Driver Ayhancan Güven in the Pro-Am class in the Indianapolis 8 Hour. Washington is a Canadian now living in California, Sargent hails from Australia and Güven is from Turkey.

Another international addition to GMG Racing for the Indianapolis 8 Hour is a logistics and technical partnership with German team Herberth Motorsport, which also fields a Pro-Am Porsche entry. The trio of Antares Au, Loek Hartog and Platinum factory Porsche pilot Patric Niederhauser co-drives the Pro-Am No. 4 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R. Au is a native of Hong Kong, Hartog is a top IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup driver from Holland and Niederhauser is Swiss.

“GMG Racing is proud to be a technical and logistics partner for the Herberth Motorsport effort in the Indianapolis 8 Hour,” said GMG Racing Principal and Founder James Sofronas, who will also drive in competition during the Indianapolis 8 Hour weekend. “Antares Au has been a good friend for many, many years and is an excellent Bronze driver. We are providing everything from logistics and trackside and technical support from our extensive experience over the years on the Indianapolis road course, including the Indianapolis 8 Hour. We look forward to supporting Antares and his Porsche teammates as well as our season-long GT World Challenge America entry with Kyle Washington and Tom Sargent, who will be joined by talented Porsche Junior driver Ayhancan Güven. Fielding two Porsches in the 8 Hour is something we are very excited about, and we are ready to provide the infrastructure for Herberth and welcome Antares and the team and Ayhancan as they come to Indianapolis for the SRO grand finale event.”

Both Güven and Au arrive in Indianapolis leading their respective driver championships going into the IGTC finale. Güven leads the overall Drivers championship with 50 points while Au is atop the Independent Cup driver championship standings with 50 points.

“I’m happy to join GMG Racing at the Indianapolis 8 Hour for the final round of both the IGTC and GTWC America championships,” Güven said. “I’ve had a strong IGTC season so far, while GMG Racing has also had a successful GTWC America season up until now. Hopefully, together we will have a great weekend and achieve our goal of a class win. Definitely, last week’s IMSA round gave us a good feeling about this track with Porsche winning both GTD classes. I think the Porsche 911 GT3 R suits the Indianapolis road course well. I’ve been to the USA once in my life, and that was for testing at Indianapolis with an LMP2 car. So, I know the track and am really looking forward to racing at Indy!”

One of the support series competing at Indy is GT America powered by AWS that will have a trio of GMG entries competing in the weekend’s twin 40-minute sprints. Washington drives a second No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R and looks for his first win of the GT America season after recording both second place and third place podium finishes so far. CJ Moses runs in the GT2 class in his No. 58 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT2 while Sofronas is always a contender for a win in his No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO2. Sofronas picked up his first GT America win of the season the last time he ran the Audi last month at Road America.

The first order of business for GMG Racing, however, is this weekend’s Porsche Sprint Challenge finale in Sonoma that brings the curtain down on both the overall North American championship and the USA West series. Washington takes advantage of the dual series format for the second straight race weekend and runs twin GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R entries – No. 232 in USA West and No. 234 in North America – in the Masters class in both series races for a total of four Sprint Challenge sprints over the course of Saturday and Sunday.

Joining Washington at Sonoma is Pro-Am class Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West competitor Patrick Mulcahy. A first-year driver, Mulcahy has shown great progress with GMG Racing and had his best USA West race weekend to date with a third-place Pro-Am finish in the Sunday Road America race in his No. 254 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

Visit www.porschesprint.com for the Sonoma weekend event schedule, results from every session and live timing and livestreaming of all the races.

The action next weekend from Indianapolis can be viewed live on the GT World YouTube Channel, including Saturday’s featured Indianapolis 8 Hour that starts at 12:15 p.m. EDT.

About GMG Racing: Founded in 2001, GMG Racing quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning facility. What began as a small 1,200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in Santa Ana, California in Orange County and with a trackside motorsports facility at 28,000 sq. ft. currently being built at The Thermal Club. The staff, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. GMG, in its early years, was located directly across the street from Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA). This close proximity allowed GMG to build a strong relationship with the legendary racing brand which has helped us support our customers to the highest level possible. From club racing to Sebring, Daytona and Spa, GMG can take you as far as you want to go. More information can be found at www.gmgracing.com.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 24, 2024) – The path to the title may have been different this year versus last, but at the end the results were the same, as Langley Speedway-based Connor Hall captured his second consecutive NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championship.

A year after Hall became the first Langley driver to win the championship in the top division of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series in the 74-year history of the track, he became the first to repeat. The feeling was just as sweet the second time around.

“It’s something that I never thought I would ever hear once, let alone twice,” Hall said when asked what it meant to now be called a two-time NASCAR champion. “It feels great. It feels a little different this year than last year because last year I was stumbling upon the opportunity to get close to charge after the championship. This year there was a lot more planning involved, and we did so much work on the front end of the season to get ready for it.”

His approach to the 2024 title was planned out and methodical, as the 27-year old driver now knew what it took to win a NASCAR championship. Hall won 18 total races this year, and finished second in five of his other eight races in the series, finishing in the top 10 in every race he ran.

Two of the highlights of Hall’s season came in Virginia Triple Crown races. After having to start from the rear following a flat tire in qualifying, Hall charged through a highly competitive field to take the win in the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 at South Boston Speedway. He then went on to finish second in the Hampton Heat 200 at his home track of Langley Speedway against another tough lineup.

With success comes opportunity, and it was one of those opportunities that created the need for planning out the 2024 Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championship battle when Hall joined Nelson Motorsports to also make a CARS Tour championship run this year.

“I knew how everything worked, I knew how the points system worked and I knew what I needed to do better than last year,” said Hall. “I knew I couldn’t withdraw from any CARS Tour events because of my commitment with Nelson so I knew it was going to take more planning. Luckily all of that paid off.

“It all sounds great on paper, but everyone forgets one little point – you can do all the planning you want, but if you’re not winning the races, your efforts are wasted. I was glad to continue to see our cars perform how they did last year and continue to make them better.”

Hall began racing out of a small family-owned team out of his dad’s garage with a team comprised of friends and family. And he once again ran most of the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championship season out of that same small garage, with the exception of a select few races – including the Virginia Triple Crown races at South Boston Speedway and Langley Speedway. Those races were run with Nelson Motorsports.

A year ago, after winning his first NASCAR championship, Hall said, “I started Late Model racing in my dad’s garage, and we won a national championship out of the same garage.”

And now he’s won two out of that family-owned operation.

“Connor exemplifies what our goal is with the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and that’s to showcase rising talent in our grassroots programs,” said Joseph Dennewitz, Managing Director of NASCAR Regional. “He grew as a racer both on and off the track and has been an excellent ambassador for the Weekly Series as he chased back-to-back titles.”

In addition to winning the Weekly Series national championship, Hall also won the Southeast Region and Virginia state titles.

“Connor has made a name for himself as a consistent winner on NASCAR’s home tracks,” said Bruce Starnes, Advance Auto Parts’ executive vice president and chief merchant. “He is a tremendous driver and someone who has a bright future in the sport. We congratulate Connor and his family on another incredible season and capturing back-to-back NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championships.”

Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider, will mark five years as the entitlement partner with the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series next season.

The complete list of regional and state Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champions and Jostens Rookie of the Year awards, as well as the champions of the other national divisions, will be released in the coming days.

The Late Model Stock Car season isn’t over, yet, for Hall. He heads to the track this weekend for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway – the nation’s biggest, richest and most prestigious NASCAR Late Model Stock Car race and the final race in the Virginia Triple Crown finale, on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7:00 p.m. Practice and qualifying begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27.

Hall leads the standings in the Virginia Triple Crown with a 1.5 average finish in the first two races after winning at South Boston and finishing second at his home track of Langley.

Two-time Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champion (2005, 2021) Peyton Sellers currently sits in second in the Virginia Triple Crown standings after finishing fourth and third at South Boston and Langley, respectively.

Hall is also still chasing the CARS Tour championship with two races to go in that season, in which he holds a one-point lead over Brenden “Butterbean” Queen.

About NASCAR 

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. 

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat. 

About Advance Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider that serves both professional installers and do-it-yourself customers. As of July 13, 2024, Advance operated 4,776 stores and 321 Worldpac branches primarily within the United States, with additional locations in Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company also served 1,138 independently owned Carquest branded stores across these locations in addition to Mexico and various Caribbean islands. Additional information about Advance, including employment opportunities, customer services, and online shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com.

Tight Battle for $80,000 Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie title

It’s not just the 2024 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin Champion who will be crowned at the season finale, this year’s Rookie of the Year will be determined as well. The Rookie of the Year takes home an $80,000 check from Mazda, and maybe equally as important is the knowledge that many MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year winners go on to become series champion.

With just one race weekend and two races to go, the points are very tight. Three freshman drivers are looking to make the most of the season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to claim the rookie title.

Three drivers have swapped spots in the point standings, vying for Rookie of the Year honors: Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing), Nathan Nicholson (No. 56 MBM Racing) and Julian DaCosta (No. 78 JTR Motorsports Engineering).

Both Workman and Nicholson were recipients of Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout scholarships. Workman took home the big prize of $110,000, while Nicholson came in second, scoring $75,000.

Workman came out of the gate swinging, leading laps in his very first race at Daytona International Speedway. He wasn’t able to convert his pace into podiums, but by Round Four at Sebring International Raceway, he could call himself a MX-5 Cup race winner.

“The hardest part has been staying consistent,” Workman said of his debut season. “I think I’ve proven to be capable of winning races and be a championship contender, but we just had a pretty bad middle season with our finishes at Laguna, and then we had an okay weekend in Mid-Ohio. I’ve had some good finishes here and there, but I’ve also had some really bad finishes, so just trying to be at least top five, every single race would have been very important for me to be more of a championship contender, outside of the rookie championship.”

Nicholson echoed Workman’s comments about consistency in his rookie season.

“Jumping up to this level of professional racing, it’s so close, especially with how equal the cars are,” Nicholson said. “You know, there’s eight people every race that can win, so just being mistake free and putting yourself in the right position to get a good result is super tough.”

In MX-5 Cup, new drivers learn very quickly that they need to work together to be successful, and not just with their teammates.

“It’s the most competitive series that you’ll find,” DaCosta said. “I would say that’s the hardest part is getting respect from everybody else. And truth is, to be fast in these cars is difficult. It’s not easy to just jump in and be super-fast.”

DaCosta had a slow start to his rookie campaign, but after a mid-season team switch, he’s been on an upward trajectory that includes a podium finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

The importance of the draft was a big learning curve for the rookies. They’ve learned that patience and respect are crucial.

“This series relies on drafting, and if you don’t have the respect from the other drivers, nobody’s going to want to work with you,” Workman explained. “Respect is a big thing in this series because your teammates won’t always be around. You want to have people who respect you on the track and off the track, that are still willing to work with you during a race even if they aren’t on your team.”

“Positioning and patience with the draft and how these cars race is kind of unlike anything I’ve done before,” reflected Nicholson. “Even though I’ve done a lot of Miata racing, I think that part of it, the patience and awareness of where you are in the race and when you need to be aggressive and when you don’t need to be, is one of the biggest things I’ve learned this year.”

Naturally, the race craft needed to run up front is something MX-5 Cup teaches drivers better than any other series. It is a skill that will carry them far in their careers. The parity of the cars puts the emphasis on driver talent.

“It definitely teaches me race craft,” DaCosta said. “No doubt, every time I’m on track, it teaches me how to become a better racer.”

Coming into the final event at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Workman leads DaCosta by 690 points. Nicholson is third of the rookies, a further 60 points back.

“Winning it would mean a lot,” Workman smiled. “It would prove that among the rookies, I was the most consistent throughout the year and put up good finishes. Also, the prize money is big. The $80,000 would make us feel a lot better after the season as well. It would make our efforts worth it to win the Rookie of the Year championship.”

Should he win the MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year title, Workman would follow in many other scholarship winners’ shoes, including Nate Cicero and Connor Zilisch.

DaCosta did not win a MX-5 Cup Shootout scholarship, but that would make winning Rookie of the Year mean that much more.

“Considering we were very far back after Sebring, it would mean a lot,” DaCosta said. “I think it would mean a lot to everybody, not just myself. We’ve worked extremely hard just to get back up to where we are now, so I think if we were able to do that, it would be a really big game changer for all of us.”

The quest of the 2024 Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year crown comes down to the final two races of the year at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, October 9 – 11. Both races will be streamed live on the RACER and IMSA YouTube channels.

About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Trois-Rivières (Quebec), September 24th, 2024.- The 2024 NASCAR Canada season ended this past Sunday at Autodrome Montmagny. This thirteenth and final event of the season was also a premiere for the series, which had never before held a race on this oval in Eastern Quebec. In front of a packed grandstands, three-time series champion Louis-Philippe Dumoulin finished the race in eighth place after having to start last. This spectacular comeback concludes a season that was sometimes difficult but nevertheless crowned with a Top 5 in the final championship standings, out of more than 60 drivers.

“Montmagny is a site that I knew for testing sessions, but it was a first for me and several series’ drivers to compete there. I think the NASCAR Canada series put on an excellent show and for me, it was interesting. The bump at the exit of turn 4 was a bit of a worry but it didn’t stop me from testing several different racing lines. I also really liked the atmosphere, the fans on site. Managing to hoist the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car to eighth place overall after having to start last is also a great satisfaction,” explains Louis-Philippe Dumoulin.

After testing different settings in practice and then in qualifying, the Dumoulin Compétition team decided to work on the car after qualifying session, which automatically meant having to start from the back of the pack for the race. A wise decision, as Louis-Philippe Dumoulin explains: “We tried different settings in practice and qualifying but without being able to say WOW!, to put our finger on the optimal settings.” To fix this understeer problem that was affecting me, working on the car after qualifying was the right solution. So, I started last but I was quickly able to gain places when the race started.”

Even before the halfway point of the race, the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car had gained ten positions and was in the Top 10 as soon as the competition break occurred at the 130th of the 250 laps. In the second half of the race, Dumoulin fought at the front. “I never gave up, in every corner, every overtaking. I tried different lines. I think I’m the driver who went the most on the inside line, close to the wall, but it paid off,” LP Dumoulin mentions.

This eighth place allows Louis-Philippe Dumoulin to finish the championship fifth in the standings. “It wasn’t an easy season. After 5 races, I had four Top 5s and I thought I could do even better in the second half of the season, but we encountered more difficulties at that time. I had several good races, I fought at the front eight times in thirteen events and we finally collected the Top 5 in the championship. Under the circumstances, all the team members gave their best. I am proud of them, I thank them. It was still a great season, overall!” concludes the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car.

ABOUT PARTNERS

WeatherTech is committed to designing, engineering and manufacturing the finest products possible for your vehicle, home and your pet. From the industry leading FloorLiner to the 100% non-toxic Pet Feeding System, WeatherTech has dedicated itself to exceed customer expectations of quality, craftsmanship and environmental sustainability for over 30 years. To see the full line of automotive, home and pet products that are guaranteed for life, visit weathertech.ca

Groupe Bellemare is a 3rd generation family business that has been serving clients since 1959. Today, the company has more than 500 employees and provides them with an innovative work environment facilitating work-family balance and a healthy and safe quality of life. With over a half century of experience and its sustained R&D efforts, the Company offers high-quality products and services in areas as diverse as concrete, abrasives and minerals, dimensional load transportation, and recycling. Groupe Bellemare is also very involved in its industry and attaches great importance to its social and environmental role as a member of the business community. Groupe Bellemare makes a positive contribution to the quality of life of citizens in the communities it serves by supporting numerous social causes and promoting local purchasing through its responsible procurement practices. For more information, visit groupebellemare.com

Omnifab has joined Dumoulin Compétition in June 2023. In less than twenty years, Omnifab has made its place in the mechanical manufacturing industry in Quebec. They have earned this place by offering a unique turnkey solution to large companies and SMEs that want to modernize their production line or have their industrial equipment repaired. No matter your industry, you can count on Omnifab team to manufacture custom industrial machinery or solve your mechanical problems with great precision, in a timely manner and with quality components, as pledged. Visit omnifab.ca for more information.

Rousseau Metal has been manufacturing high-quality products for 70 years. Over the years the company become known as a leader in storage solutions. The quality, durability and reliability of their products have earned them a reputation as being among the best in the industry. Over the years, the quality of Rousseau products and excellence of the company’s business practices have been recognized through various certifications and membership in industrial and automotive organizations. To learn more about the company and its products, visit rousseau.com

Dumoulin Competition

Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin founded the Dumoulin Competition Race Team in 2009. Working with financial, marketing, logistics and sports management experts, they built up a solid business structure. Dumoulin Competition prepares its own race cars in-house since 2016. Their motto: “Passion – Performance – Partnerships” expresses their will to perform on the track and offer their partners maximum visibility and profitability in return for their commitment. Their vision: To become Canada’s leader in motorsports through on-track performance, an entrepreneurial spirit and human values. dumoulincompetition.com

Third GTD PRO pole for No. 4 Z06 GT3.R, Sims P5 in No. 3 Corvette

INDIANAPOLIS (September 21, 2024) – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R will start from the GTD PRO pole position for Sunday’s six-hour Battle on The Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after Nicky Catsburg’s effort in Saturday’s 15-minute qualifying session.

Catsburg set a best lap of 1:23.209 (105.521 mph) in the Corvette that originally qualified second in class, just 0.059 seconds from pole position. However the GTD PRO pole-winning car was penalized in post-qualifying technical inspection, elevating Catsburg and teammate Tommy Milner to the point in class as the duo tries for their first class victory of the season and second for the Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team.

Alexander Sims will start fourth in GTD PRO behind the wheel of the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R that he shares with Antonio Garcia. His lap of 1:23.298 (105.409 mph) was one of six cars that were separated by less than two-tenths of a second in qualifying around the 2.439-mile, 14-turn circuit.

Given the large number of cars – 56 entries between the four classes – qualifying took on a little added importance, which is unique in an endurance race. The gap from the front of GTD PRO to ninth in the final practice Saturday morning was just 0.43 seconds.

The Pratt Miller-run Corvettes have shown strong performance at each of the three previous endurance rounds this season – Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen. Chevrolet leads the Endurance Cup Manufacturers Championship with just Indianapolis and the 10-hour Petit Le Mans left in the season. Points at Indianapolis will be awarded at the three- and six-hour marks.

In GTD, AWA will start 20th in the largest class in the race after Orey Fidani’s lap of 1:25.722 (102.428 mph) in the No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R. The team has positive momentum on its side with back-to-back, top-six finishes in class… one of only four entrants in GTD to accomplish that feat in the last two races. A year ago, AWA won at Indianapolis in the LMP3 class.

Fidani and Matt Bell also scored maximum points for the Bob Akin Award in the last round at VIR to grow Fidani’s lead in that championship. If he can hold that position Sunday and at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Fidani and AWA will earn an automatic invitation to the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMGT3 class.

The TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks is scheduled for 11:40 a.m. ET on Sunday. The final three hours will air live on NBC starting at 3 p.m. ET with live streaming at 11:30 a.m. on Peacock inside the United States and IMSA.com outside the U.S., plus IMSA Radio’s flag-to-flag call at IMSA.com, XM 206 and SiriusXM Online 996.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s nice to be on pole for tomorrow. It’s a shame for the 77, but at the same time it’s a nice surprise for me and the team. Qualifying is a little irrelevant when it comes to these long races. But it is good to be there. It proves that we have done good work in practice and what we are doing is working. We can build on that for the race, and I’m very pleased with where we are starting.”

(Is starting up front in a field this large important?) “I wouldn’t say so. Here you will have more opportunities to do something different in strategy and so on. But you never want to be at the back or in the middle. The track is relatively tiny and tight, and it will be really intense tomorrow. Especially if it rains and it’s wet, you definitely do not want to be far from the front.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s one of those where the time from pole is not so bad relative to where we were this morning. It felt like we were struggling. It was difficult to predict how the car was going to be this afternoon judging on the new-tire run this morning in colder temperatures. I was a bit alarmed by the change of balance between the two sessions, and I didn’t predict that very well on the first push lap I did. By the time I tried a second push lap, the tires were gone anyway. But it’s OK.”

(Will track position from the start be key even in a long race?) “I think it will be really difficult to overtake on pure pace with cars around you that are likely to be on a similar pace. Traffic is going to play a big part in how you work that during the race. It’s so easy out there to have a mistake here or there, and in the wrong place it can cost you a ton of laptime. We’ll have to try. In a six-hour race it’s hard not to make mistakes but we’re going to do the best we can. If it’s a green race, I don’t know if we can do much on strategy because it’s quite tight on the pit window, so we’ll have to see.”

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

With second and third place finishes in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Sedgwick has now podiumed in all five of the team’s races at Indy

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (September 21, 2024) – PT Autosport with JDX Racing continued its impressive podium streak at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend, earning a second and a third-place finish in Porsche Carrera Cup North America.

The team is now five-for-five in podium finishes at the Brickyard, adding in Sedgwick’s two third place finishes last year behind the wheel of the No. 98 PT Autosport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car, and his third-place finish in the 2022 Porsche TogetherFest.

While the outcomes of the pair of 40-minute races, held as part of IMSA’s TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, dented Sedgwick’s championship hopes as the championship leader claimed two victories, the 25-year-old Warwickshire, UK native did solidify his hold on second place in the title chase.

As the weekend unfolded on Thursday, job one for the team was to adjust quickly to the unseasonably hot and humid conditions, with ambient temperatures over 90 degrees and track temps over 120F for most of the five on-track sessions.

The series was first out on the circuit Thursday morning, for the first of two practice sessions. Sedgwick set the fourth quickest time in session one and topped the speed charts in session two.

“The first session was all about figuring out track conditions, how the track had changed from our test a few weeks ago,” said Sedgwick. “It’s super hot here this weekend, which we weren’t really expecting this time of year, so we made a few adjustments to the car with that in mind. JDX has done a great job with the car as the track evolves – P1 in the second session and that’s exactly where we want to be for the rest of the weekend.”

In Saturday morning qualifying, Sedgwick and the team worked constantly on the car’s balance, but a rapidly changing track made for a difficult decision-making process. At the end of the session, Sedgwick held the fourth quickest time for race one – and the second quickest time for race two.

“The track changed so quickly it was hard to get to a specific setup,” said Sedgwick. “We had some trouble setting the rear of the car running by ourselves, but it’s going to be a good race car.”

Sedgwick got a solid launch at the drop of the green, despite being on the unfavored outside going into Turn 1. He powered into third position through the corner and set his sights ahead, while keeping an eye on the car in his rear-view mirror. Battling for a podium spot for the entire race, the trip to the iconic Indy podium wasn’t secured until the final lap as Sedgwick moved into third ahead of the checkered flag to score his third straight podium finish at Indy.

“We started strong but we made a bit of a gamble with setup that ultimately didn’t work out,” said Sedgwick. “The car was a handful as the temperatures got hotter. As much as I hate finishing third, it was a lot better than it could have been.”

In Saturday morning’s race two, Sedgwick looked to make a move at the drop of the green, staying to the outside of the pole sitter into Turn 1. Driven slightly wide through the corner, Sedgwick managed to hold his position. Through the early laps, Sedgwick consistently was the fastest car on track as he tried to reel in the leader but as the tires began to wear, that task became increasingly difficult. With third place in the point standings behind him in fifth, Sedgwick took what the day gave him – finishing second at the legendary circuit though ruing the lost chance to earn that top step.

“Both of us were pacing at a kind of pretty similar rate, he just had the advantage of clean air,” said Sedgwick. “And as I got closer to him, I started burning a little bit more tire – so I could get to him, but I just couldn’t close that last little bit to make a move. It’s good for the championship and it’s good to secure my position, but we didn’t come here to finish second in the championship. We still want more, I’m here to win. We’re pretty secure where we’re at so we’re really aiming for a few victories in the four races remaining (at Road Atlanta and COTA).”

Team principal Jason Myers appreciated the chance to show not only the team’s prowess, but that of its up and coming young driver.

“We love Indianapolis – we have such a great history here,” said Myers. “It’s where PT Autosport really came together as a team, with Alex getting a podium here at the Porsche TogetherFest in 2022. We’ve managed a fantastic repeat of last year’s double podium but we’re still not where we need to be to win the championship. We’re heading into the final two rounds of competition with our heads held high knowing that Alex performed incredibly well all season long. At this point, we’re reviewing offers for Alex to progress into 2025 where he deserves to be – in GTD/GT3 machinery. This will be an interesting few months as there are a few options on the table. The GTD field is so strong, it’s almost surreal to be in talks with some of these teams and manufacturers but we really believe in Alex and I think his performance over these last two seasons has really proven what a capable and complete driver he is. We look forward to seeing where we’re able to help him land!”

PT Autosport would like to thank partners STEAM Sports Foundation, Classic Car Club Manhattan and New Jersey Motorsports Park, as well as JDX Racing partners Byers/Porsche Columbus, and Renier Construction.

Next up for PT Autosport and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America will be the doubleheader in support of the IMSA season finale, the Motul Petit Le Mans, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 10-12. The races will be broadcast live in the U.S., on IMSA.tv, the NBC Peacock streaming app and PorscheCarreraCup.us.

About PT Autosport — Discover Unique Talent. Develop Champions.

PT Autosport, based at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, campaigns rising star Alex Sedgwick (UK) in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America series with JDX Racing, 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Henry Drury (UK) in the Toyota GR Cup North America series with Precision Racing LA.

PT Autosport is dedicated to providing merit-based motorsport industry opportunities for diverse individuals with high integrity, grit, and coach-ability, achieved through a development program for young aspiring drivers, engineers, mechanics, and other professionals. The first step of this process is applying for the annual Aspiring Driver Shootout, in which aspiring drivers aged 18-23 can compete for a team racing partnership with the team.

A rigorous evaluation process of applicants determines the final competitors for the driver shootout. The winner earns financial support of up to $250,000 ($50,000 guaranteed) to pursue their racing career. The review process also provides the team the chance to identify unique talent for other roles in motorsport, including race engineers, mechanics, and professionals.

PT Autosport is building a community that fosters the development of young talent to find a place where they can make an impact in the motorsport community as a career.

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