Category: Other Series PR

Bow, NEW HAMPSHIRE – January 3, 2025 – Tom Sheehan is the former winner of the Trans Am “Ironman” award for his undoubted strength behind the wheel and his never say die attitude, but circumstances had previously denied the Granite State native a win in Trans Am TA2 Class, where he has started more races than any other driver.

The additional support from Vixen Cycle Co boosted the LTK Insulation Technologies team before the season had begun earlier in 2024 would pave way for participation in the ground-breaking introduction of the Pro Am Championship. It proved at the World Wide Technologies Raceway in Madison, Illinois in May where Tom outclassed his rivals for his first win in the muscle car series. The familiar No. 97 supporting the new Vixen cycle livery challenged for the top spot and likely would have added to the win tally later in the season. The driver would be denied another win in 2024 and went on filling the runner-up position at both Road America and Watkins Glen and with a third place finish on the steps at Pittsburgh International, and a third place post race at the final round at COTA add up to a successful season.

Mike Cope Racing undoubtedly improved the No. 97 team’s understanding of the car and its setup. Tom finished the season P3 overall in the Cube 3 Architecture TA2 Pro Am Challenge, a position he will be aiming to better in 2025.

All-in-all, Tom expressed himself satisfied with the team progress and he was very much looking forward to getting his wheels up again next month when we spoke to him recently.

“I am very fortunate to be racing in the TA2 series. I will miss my car chief Noell Caldwell – for the 2024 season we really jelled. I wish Noell tremendous success in his future endeavors. Still very excited about the 2025 goals for myself and the team. Mike Cope builds a great car and the whole organization is impressive. The team will put a great car on the grid and I get to drive it. Pretty awesome.”

In 2025, the season again kicks off with the traditional curtain raiser at Sebring in Florida just 7 week’s time before heading to Road Atlanta in March for the Mission Foods SpeedTour. The muscle car roadshow then makes the long journey west to Sonoma Raceway in California for the only race in April and the following week’s event is also in California at the Weather Tech raceway Laguna Seca. Thereafter the schedule includes trips to some of the North America’s legendary race tracks including Watkins Glen, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Virginia International Raceway before finishing off the year at the FIA Formula One Circuit of the Americas in Texas on Halloween weekend. It’s a familiar circuit for Tom whose target in 2025 is nothing less than the TA2 Pro Am Challenge title. Go for it, Tom.

Follow Tom’s social media channels via his Facebook page, Damon Racing, Instagram account (@TomSheehanTA97), and X account (@TomTA2_97). For more information on LTK Insulation Technologies and the line of high-quality products go to: https://ltkinsulationtechnologies.com.

About Vixen Cycle Co.

Founded by women with a passion for motorcycles, Vixen Cycle Co is a trailblazing brand that not only caters to female riders but also empowers and equips them with a unique blend of stylish clothing and motorcycle parts. Our clothing line is a testament to meticulous design, offering a wide range of trendy and functional apparel that allows women to embrace their love for motorcycles without compromising on style. From sleek and stylish designs to powerful and efficient motorcycle parts, Vixen Cycle Co is committed to enhancing both the look and performance of Harley Davidson motorcycles.

About LTK Insulation Technologies

Putting LTK insulation jackets and covers to work on your project saves real money and time for your firm.

No matter the application, take charge of protecting your hydronic and process controls and valves with a quality insulation cover. With LTK Insulation Technologies, you can be proactive and save money and headaches with high quality material. Insulating in-line controls in your process facility or central hydronic HVAC system from heat loss and condensation. Cover the range of your challenging conditions with an LTK Pro-Fit or LTK Fast Fit Insulation Jacket.

With LTK Insulation Technologies, your imagination is the only limit. Go LTK today!

Daytona Beach, Florida (Wednesday, December 18, 2024) – Forte Racing is pleased to announce that German driver Mario Farnbacher will join Canadian Misha Goikhberg behind the wheel of the GTD Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 for the full 2025 season of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, while American driver Parker Kligerman will join the duo for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Michelin Endurance Cup driver is yet to be announced.

Goikhberg is returning for his third season with Forte Racing after consecutive fifth place finishes in the IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship. In 2023, Goikhberg, along with Forte Racing teammates Loris Spinelli and Patrick Liddy, won the prestigious Petit LeMans 10-hour endurance race. Over his two seasons with Forte Racing, Goikhberg has amassed eight top five finishes, including 2nd place finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Virginia International Raceway in addition to a 2nd place finish at Petit Le Mans in 2024.

“Very happy to work alongside Mario (Farnbacher) for the full season,” Goikhberg said. “He needs no introductions in GT racing and has won multiple championships. We were on sister cars in 2020, so we know each other very well.

“Also, I would like to welcome Parker (Kligerman) to the team,” the Canadian driver added. “He is a big stock car talent, and all-around wheelman. Not the worst guy to have matching Rolexes come the end of January.”

Farnbacher has successfully competed in multiple series including the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Farnbacher won the Michelin Endurance Cup in 2017 with Riley Motorsports followed by GTD class IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championships as a -full-time driver in 2019 and 2020 with Meyer Shank Racing.

After winning the Pro Am class in the GT World Challenge America in 2022 with Racers Edge Motorsports and the 2023 Pro category runner-up title, the Ansbach native returned to IMSA in 2024 driving for Heart of Racing’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTDPRO Championship entry.

“It’s my first day in the new job and it was nice to get into this new environment and into the new challenges as well,” Farnbacher said yesterday. “I think the first test day today was good. Definitely a lot of things that are new that I need to learn and get my head around. I think we made some good progress and are getting to know each other as a new team. Really looking forward to the future and the ROAR and Daytona weekends. I think we have a strong package and I’m really looking forward to this season. I’d like to thank the team and Lamborghini for giving me this opportunity.”

Joining the 2025 full season drivers for the Rolex 24 at Daytona is NASCAR driver and announcer Parker Kligerman. The Connecticut-native has raced in all three of NASCAR’s premier series since starting his career in 2013 and has spent the last two seasons competing full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Big Machine Racing. During his NASCAR career, Kligerman has amassed 3 wins, 37 top five finishes, and 98 top ten finishes across all three series.

Kligerman has served as an analyst and pit reporter for NASCAR on NBC since 2015 and stands as one of the youngest correspondents to ever serve as a pit reporter for a NASCAR Cup race. He has also produced and developed multiple original programs for NBC Sports such as Proving Grounds and In The Wall. This will be Kligerman’s first-time racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“This race has been on my bucket list my entire career,” Kligerman said. “I’m super excited and grateful to be doing it with a race winning and top caliber organization like Forte Racing. We’re here to go for a Rolex. The team has been so welcoming to my partners Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers and have created a great atmosphere and cool vibe. This is my first endurance race. I’ve done sims and have done the broadcast the last 5 or 6 years, but to actually be driving in the race is super cool. I’m so pumped! It’s a dream come true.”

Forte Racing GTD Program Manager Michael Harvey is excited to have Goikhberg returning and is looking forward to getting to know the new additions to the team. With fifth place championship finishes in the team’s first two seasons competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Championship, Harvey is hoping to start the 2025 season with a strong finish at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in his quest to win the team’s first IWSC GTD title.

“It’s a pleasure to watch this group grow,” Harvey said, “we are very committed to taking the next step as we fight for a championship. So happy to continue this journey with Misha, and super excited to add a multiple champion like Mario to the program, His experience will be invaluable. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be able to add Parker to our Rolex charge, definitely a talent who will shine over the 24 hrs.”

Find out more about Forte Racing on our website Forteracing.com and our Instagram page and make sure to tune in and support Forte Racing’s new lineup of drivers for the Rolex 24 at Daytona January 23-26 on NBC, USA and Peacock.

*Photos Courtesy of Brayan Castiblanco

About Forte Racing (Formerly known as US RaceTronics)

Forte Racing is a Los Angeles and Charlotte based Motorsport team, supported by Lamborghini Squadra Corse, competing in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar GTD Championship, the IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series.

While the Forte Racing brand was created in 2023, the team is operated by Shane Seneviratne’s US RaceTronics which was founded in 2005 to compete in the formula car Atlantic Championship. The team finished 5th in points its first year and ultimately amassed a total of 21 podiums, 7 poles, 5 race wins and finishing 3rd in the 2009 Atlantic Championship before the Series was put on hiatus.

Seneviratne fully returned to racing in 2015 managing entries in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North American (LBSTNA) Series. The team won the Team Championship, Dealership Championship, Pro Championship and Amateur Championship that season. That success reignited Seneviratne’s passion for racing and he relaunched US RaceTronics to compete in the 2016 LBSTNA Series. The team has won multiple North American and World Championships since switching to IMSA racing.

In 2023 the team expanded to include an IMSA WeatherTech GTD entry with their Lamborghini Huracan EVO2 GT3, driven by Misha Goikhberg and Loris Spinelli. The team finished the 2023 and 2024 seasons with four top five finishes in each season and included a 2nd-place finish at Indianapolis and VIR, along with a win at the 2023 season-finale Petit Le Mans and a 2nd-place finish at Petit Le Mans in 2024. The team finished fifth in the IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship in its first two seasons, further solidifying their reputation as a rising force in the GTD Championship.

For more information on how to become a driver with US RaceTronics, learn more about the Series, or attend a race, visit www.forteracing.com.

About Change Racing

Founded by Lamborghini Charlotte CEO and long time real estate developer, John E. Littlefield, Change Racing is the premier championship winning team. Claiming 18 titles in various classes; Change Racing has competed in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series since its inception in 2013.

Most recently claiming the 2021 Amateur World Championship in Misano, Italy. Change Racing also claimed all SIX 2020 North American Championships, including the Pro, Pro-Am, Am and LB Cup class championships as well as the Team and Owner championships.

About O’Gara Motorsport

O’Gara Motorsport was founded in 2014 by owner Tom O’Gara and celebrated winning the 2015 North American Lamborghini Super Trofeo driver and team Championships. The team goal is to achieve victories in the Series as well as showcasing the brands of their sponsors both on and off the track. With a vertically integrated platform that starts at the dealership and accelerates to the top levels of professional sports car racing, everyone at O’Gara is dedicated to providing a comprehensive program for anyone, from the casually curious to the dedicated racer.

Young racing talent set for full season campaign with reigning champions

Mundelein, Ill. (December 13, 2024) – Turn 3 Motorsport is thrilled to announce Alessandro De Tullio has signed with the 2024 Championship winning team for the 2025 USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Continental Tire. The 18-year-old Miami native joins the team following an impressive debut in the final three races of the 2024 USF Pro 2000 season, where he qualified and finished in the top ten in his first outing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, earned a stellar fourth-place finish on the streets of Toronto, and capped off the year with another top-ten performance at the Portland International Raceway season finale.

De Tullio, a rising talent in American motorsport, brings an impressive resume to Turn 3 Motorsport. His formula car journey began with notable success in the USF Juniors series in 2022, where he finished fourth in the championship standings. His season included five wins—three of which were a clean sweep at Virginia International Raceway—four additional podiums, and five fastest laps. Beyond open-wheel racing, De Tullio has made a name for himself in both karting and Esports. He is a Road to Indy eSeries winner and was a formidable competitor in United States F4’s Esports Championship.

After his USF Juniors campaign, De Tullio returned to karting, finishing sixth in the USA SuperNationals for X30 Senior karts in 2022 and becoming the SKUSA Winter Series Champion in both X30 Pro and KA100 Senior karts in early 2024. His diverse racing background, blending real-world and virtual racing success, underscores his adaptability and potential.

De Tullio’s off-season preparation with Turn 3 Motorsport has been nothing short of impressive. During the USF Pro Championships Fall Combine in October, he consistently posted top-five times, concluding the final session with the second-fastest lap time. Further testing at NOLA Motorsports Park and Sebring International Raceway these past couple of weeks saw De Tullio consistently among the quickest drivers on track, solidifying his readiness for a full campaign in the highly competitive USF Pro 2000 series.

#44 Alessandro De Tullio // USF Pro 2000

DTI Group / Sport Summa / Inter MS
“I’m very excited to be joining Turn 3 Motorsport for the 2025 USF Pro 2000 season,” said De Tullio. “We’ve had many positive test days, improving and having good pace at different tracks. I can’t wait to show what we can do together next year! I want to give a huge thanks to my partners DTI Group, Sport Summa, and Inter MS for making this possible.”

Team Owner, Peter Dempsey
“It’s great to have Alessandro (De Tullio) with us for the 2025 season,” said Dempsey. “He is a driver I have watched for a few years and always felt he is very talented, and his resume backs that up. He has settled in very well to the team, and we have improved at every test we have done together so far. We are really looking forward to seeing what he can for us in 2025.”

Alessandro De Tullio tests a Turn 3 Motorsport car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Fall Combine / 📷: Gavin Baker
Turn 3 Motorsport heads into the 2025 season with high expectations as it continues to build on its strong foundation. With Alessandro De Tullio joining the team, Turn 3 Motorsport is poised for another successful campaign in the USF Pro 2000 Championship.

The 2025 USF Pro 2000 Championship will consist of eight events and 18 races across North America with the season opener kicking off in St. Petersburg, Florida from February 28 – March 2.

To stay up to date on Turn 3 Motorsport, follow the team on social media using the handle @turn3motorsport.

For more information or images, please contact Mandy Dempsey at turn3motorsport@gmail.com.
About Turn 3 Motorsport: Turn 3 Motorsport is a full-service operation specializing in racecar preparation, engineering, and driver development. The team was founded in 2016 by race car driver and coach Peter Dempsey and is co-owned by Peter and Mandy Dempsey. The team currently competes in the USF Pro Championships presented by Continental Tire.

In 2024, Turn 3 Motorsport were crowned the 2024 USF Pro 2000 Champions with Australian driver Lochie Hughes who clinched the championship title at the season finale in Portland. Turn 3 Motorsport also finished second in the Team Championship with a total of four pole positions, five wins, and six additional podium finishes with drivers Lochie Hughes and Danny Dyszelski.

In 2023, T3M tied for the most amount of wins in the USF Pro 2000 season with drivers Michael d’Orlando and Christian Brooks earning a total of five wins for the team. The team also earned seven pole positions, the most of any other team, and finished second overall in the Team Championship.

In 2022, T3M achieved a podium, win, and/or pole at 7 of the 9 events on the Road to Indy calendar with rookie drivers Josh Green, Jonathan Browne, and Christian Weir each earning the aforementioned results across two different series (USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000).

In 2021, T3M expanded its presence in the Road to Indy by introducing a two-car program into the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship alongside its Indy Pro 2000 Championship campaign. In its debut USF2000 season, the team found victory at the season finale with American driver Josh Green as well as earning an additional podium and fifth overall in the championship. The team earned further accolades in the Indy Pro 2000 series with a race win at the season finale by Irish driver James Roe as well as a pole position at World Wide Technology Raceway and seventh overall in the championship.

In the team’s rookie season, Turn 3 Motorsport won the season opener of the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires in a sweeping performance with Singaporean driver Danial Frost. Frost and the team went on to achieve a pole position, six podium finishes, and third overall in the championship in 2020.

In 2019, the team secured the Blue Marble Cocktails Radical Cup North America championship titles in the 1340cc, 1500cc, and overall classes. Later that year, Peter and Turn 3 Motorsport achieved a record-breaking win at the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race, piloting the #10 Eastern Racing / Turn 3 Motorsport Radical SR3 RSX 1340 to a dominating win, leading 638 out of 672 laps, and becoming the first car under two liters to achieve the overall win.

• The Pair of Championship-Winning Sports Car Racing Organizations To Race Under the RAFA Racing Tent Beginning in 2025
• The Long Standing Relationship With Toyota Gazoo Racing North America Will Remain a Key Part of the Team’s Plans, Ranging Across Multiple Race Series

HOUSTON, Texas (December 10, 2024) – Two outstanding sports car racing teams have merged beginning with the 2025 season, combining the championship-winning results of Kevin Conway’s program at Smooge Racing with the up-and-coming drivers and marketing machine of RAFA Racing for a full-fledged IMSA and SRO America effort.

The combined effort will race under the RAFA Racing Team banner in both paddocks. Standing for “Race As Family Always,” the RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series, and expanded that footprint to include a championship-winning effort in Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and in the SRO GT4 European Series during 2024.

Conway-led race teams have been crowned SRO GT4 America team and driver champions utilizing the Toyota GR Supra GT4 platform, and multi-time race winners in Lamborghini Super Trofeo. The new-look RAFA Racing Team will continue to support the existing Toyota Gazoo Racing and Lamborghini Squadra Corsa relationships established by Conway’s team in 2025.

With driver line-ups to be confirmed in the coming weeks, RAFA Racing will appear in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge and SRO GT4 America utilizing the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 along with an LMP3 car in the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge. Likewise, the team will have a multi-car presence in the IMSA-sanctioned Lamborghini Super Trofeo paddock for 2025. An outside partnership will also include RAFA Racing branding and drivers in the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup.

“This was not necessarily an opportunity we were searching for, but merging our efforts with Kevin’s makes perfect sense for the RAFA Racing team, our program, and our future goals,” RAFA Racing founder Rafael Martinez said. “We’ve worked with some fantastic teams over the past couple of years, but this relationship and the existing partnerships with Toyota Gazoo Racing North America and Lamborghini Squadra Corsa are something special. It’s a logical step in our mission, and a great way to make our debut at this level here in the States.”

The RAFA Racing team is just a part of the RAFA Family of businesses. The RAFA umbrella encompasses a variety of automotive and motorsports-related businesses, including RAFA Media (The Race, Driver DataBase, WTF1, WTF Talent, Grid Finder, Traxion GG), 8TWELVE Wheels, 812 Brands, and RAFA Racing Club, amongst others. Each business, including the RAFA Racing Team, has a mission to bring motorsports to the masses.

That includes the racing program, where three-time Call of Duty World Champion and X Games medalist Ian “Crimsix” Porter captured the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America championship in his rookie season after a move from sim racing, and French driver Caroline Candas earned the Mobil 1 Female Driver Development and Porsche Junior titles in the same class for RAFA Racing. Each utilized a RAFA Racing Team partnership to advance their careers in ways that likely would not have happened otherwise.

“I’m looking forward to pairing our efforts with the larger group at RAFA Racing,” Conway said. “The off-track activities that RAFA Racing is already involved in will not only augment our existing relationships but give them a chance to grow. It’s going to be a busy upcoming season, but we’re ready to make a difference immediately both on and off the race track.”

The new-look RAFA Racing Team will make its IMSA debut during the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona with the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, followed by the Michelin Pilot Challenge four-hour race the next week in advance of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

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 expanded that footprint to include a championship-winning effort in Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and podium finishes in 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.

Texan second in Qatar Sprint Race but eliminated in both Middle East Feature rounds

ABU DAHBI, United Arab Emirates (9 Dec. 2024) – 19 year old Texan Jak Crawford’s second FIA Formula 2 Championship season came to a bittersweet conclusion this weekend, with a pair of strong runs in Sprint Races negated by early disappointment in both Feature events in back-to-back rounds in the Middle East.

The young American finished second in last weekend’s Sprint Race in the inaugural F2 event at the Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit, gaining two positions on the final lap.

The Qatar event was Crawford’s second-consecutive runner-up finish in Sprint Races, and third of the season as the Formula 1 hopeful was engaged in a terrific battle for position for most of the event before coming on strong at the finish.

“It was quite a crazy one,” Crawford said. “There was a lot of action. It was tricky to pass as well, but eventually, I got the job done.”

The following day, though, he was eliminated by contact after 13 laps in the Feature race. The contact cost critical points and momentum against Crawford’s pursuit of third in the 2024 championship after having qualified sixth for the Sunday Feature.

“We weren’t really the fastest, at Qatar, we missed a bit of pace, but we were definitely in the top five all weekend,” said Crawford. “We had a slow stop, and we lost a lot of positions with the safety car, then I made a mistake on my side trying to go for a move that didn’t work out, and I had to retire with damage.”

Returning to race action just one week later at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, Crawford’s push for points was frustrated by a suboptimal run in the all-important qualifying session. Crawford was fastest early in the 30-minute session, but ended up 16th – putting him near the back of the grid for both weekend races as a grid penalty compounded the challenge.

“We just missed the right tire window on my car, and we didn’t find the optimum grip of the tires,” Crawford said.

Starting 20th, Crawford was 13th and maintained that position for 15 laps, managing his tires, before he was able to put on a late-race charge that put him in a points-paying eighth-place. His closing laps featured a hard charge to the finish that included taking 12th on the 18th of 23 laps, then improving four positions on the final lap through passes and penalties to score points in the final Sprint of the year as he gained more positions than any other driver.

“It was quite chaotic, and I was just trying to work my way though the chaos,” he said. “I found myself in 14th after Lap 1, and there were a couple of penalties and a couple of people dropping off with tire deg, and I found myself in eighth at the end.”

The final Feature race of the weekend didn’t help Crawfords points position as a technical issue with the brakes saw his race ending just a few laps after the start.

Starting 14th for Sunday’s feature, Crawford was quick off the line before encountering problems.

“I had a good start, but I got hit from behind in the first corner, which spun me into someone else,” he explained. “At that point, I was at the back, but I still had the possibility for a decent race. Then I had a brake failure. They turned off completely, and that was quite a scary moment. It was an unfortunate way to end the year, for sure.”

Crawford ended the 14-event campaign fifth in the points, with 21 top-10 finishes. He ended up with six podium finishes, highlighted by a Feature Race victory at Barcelona. His racecraft also impressed, as he was the top overaker of the year.

“It was definitely a tough season,” Crawford said. “We had some bad moments, but there were also some very good moments with some good results. I’m very, very happy at the end. It’s just unfortunate what happened in the last two Features.”

Looking ahead to the 2025 Formula 2 campaign, which will mark Crawford’s first time returning to the same race team, Crawford is hopeful that the team will up its game in qualifying and that he can fight for the title as he anticipates even more Formula 1 engagement in his role with Aramco Aston Martin.

Ahead of that, Crawford, who continues to field interest from teams for a future in F1, will be getting additional time at Yas Marina’s circuit this week.

“On Tuesday, I’m in the Young Driver’s Test with the Aston Martin Formula 1 car, then I had three days of Formula 2 testing right after that, so there will be many days of driving at Abu Dhabi!”

Crawford then hopes to spend a few days in the U.S. for Christmas, before it’s off to a well-deserved vacation prior to returning to DAMS Lucas Oil Racing for the 2025 Formula 2 champaign.

Induction Set for March 13 in Las Vegas as Part of NASCAR Race Weekend and Includes AJ Allmendinger, Chuck Gurney, Davey Hamilton, Jeff Jefferson, Justin Marks and Boris Said

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 9, 2024) – A diverse motorsports career that began more than 40 years ago and continues to this day has earned racing team owner and Los Angeles native Rick Ware a place in the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

Induction is set for March 13 in Las Vegas in conjunction with the NASCAR race weekend March 14-16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Joining Ware among the Class of 2025 are AJ Allmendinger (Los Gatos, California), Chuck Gurney (Oakland, California), Davey Hamilton (Nampa, Idaho), Jeff Jefferson (Naches, Washington), Justin Marks (Menlo Park, California) and Boris Said (Carlsbad, California).

“It’s truly an honor to be a part of the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame Class of 2025,” said Ware, owner of Rick Ware Racing (RWR). “I’m a proud Californian and growing up on the West Coast put me right in the heart of racing and hot-rod culture. For me, there was no better place to be, and to join such an esteemed group of racers who came from the same region of the country as me is an incredible, full-circle moment.

“I’ve been to some of the most iconic venues in North American motorsports, first as a fan with my dad, then as a driver, and then as a team owner. Riverside, Long Beach, Pomona, Irwindale, Del Mar, Ontario, Laguna Seca, Ascot… I look back and realize just how blessed I’ve been. And then to make a career out of motorsports and to be recognized for all the time, energy and effort we put into everything we do at RWR, really means a lot. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Hall’s nominating committee.”

Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for nearly five decades. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt.

Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Ware’s home track, Riverside International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries forced Ware out of the driver’s seat and into fulltime team ownership.

In 1995, RWR was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship.

RWR is coming off one of its best seasons in 2024 where its NHRA Top Fuel driver Clay Millican won the prestigious U.S. Nationals and rider Kody Klopp won the AMA American Flat Track 450cc class championship.

Millican’s victory was RWR’s fourth NHRA Top Fuel win since entering NHRA in 2023. Klopp’s title secured RWR’s third championship. RWR rider Shane McElrath won the 2022 FIM World Supercross 250cc class title. RWR’s first championship came in sports cars, specifically the Asian Le Mans Series, where co-drivers Cody Ware and Gustas Grinbergas won the 2019-2020 LMP2 class title.

“We do this because we love it,” Ware said. “Racing is hard, really hard. So, you’ve got to have a passion for it. The hard times make you appreciate success so much more, and our success comes from our people. We have excellent people at RWR and I’m proud of their skills and their spirit. This honor is directly attributable to them, and I’m very thankful.”

The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame was conceived in 2001 as a means of recognizing significant contributors and contributions to the sport. It was founded to preserve the history and heritage of the sizeable role West Coast stock car and motorsports figures have played in the ever advancing world of professional racing.

To obtain media credentials for coverage of the 24th West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame dinner and awards, please contact Owen A. Kearns at 661-342-2983.

DAMS Lucas Oil is delighted to announce that Alpine Academy member Kush Maini will compete for the team in the 2025 FIA Formula 2 season.

The Indian driver has raced in F2 for the previous two seasons, taking one victory and five further podiums throughout his time in the championship, securing P13 in the recently concluded 2024 campaign.

In a strong junior career so far, Maini impressed by taking wins in British Formula 3 becoming Vice-Champion in 2020. He then moved on to compete in F3 Asian Championship before heading into FIA Formula 3, scoring a podium at the Hungaroring. The 24-year-old has also raced in Formula Renault Eurocup and World Endurance Championship.

DAMS Lucas Oil has now confirmed its full line up for the 2025 Formula 2 season with Maini alongside Jak Crawford, and both drivers will participate in this week’s post-season testing in Abu Dhabi. The experienced pair will get their 2025 competitive campaign underway in Melbourne on March 14-16 and the full calendar can be found here.

Kush Maini

“I’m thrilled to be joining a team with such a strong pedigree and history in Formula 2 like DAMS Lucas Oil. I feel like my story in this championship isn’t completed yet, and I know that this is the right crew to help me further my career. I’ve taken pole positions and won races, so now it’s all about consistently delivering over the course of a campaign. I can’t wait to get started this week with post-season testing alongside Jak, and to form an experienced team as we look to battle for the championship in 2025.”

“We’re pleased to confirm Kush for next year as he’s a talented driver who has shown excellent raw speed throughout his time in the series. We know that together with our experienced team we can find the correct balance and ensure Kush has a consistent level of performance. We believe with Jak and Kush that we have a very strong partnership, which can help us to consistently fight at the front of the grid in 2025.”

About DAMS
DAMS is a professional racing team founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot, currently competing in FIA Formula 2, F1’s main feeder series. Ahead of the 2022 season, ex-F1 driver Charles Pic took control of the team. So far, 33 DAMS drivers have reached F1, with many more going on to become professional racing drivers. In its history, DAMS has won 15 drivers’ titles, 16 teams’ championships and has scored over 170 race victories.

• RBN Motorsports with Cosmo-Sport 2020 No. 60 Acura ARX-05 of Bob Neapole and Guy Cosmo Edges 2017 No. 02 Matador Motorsports Cadillac DPi of Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss for First Top-Tier HSR Feature Race Victory
• Vincent Barletta Secures GT Modern Class Honors in 2016 No. 95 BMW M6 GTD Prepared by Turner Motorsport
• Vintage Military Aircraft Arrive Friday Afternoon at Sebring International Raceway

SEBRING, Florida (December 5, 2024) – The season-ending HSR Sebring Historics and Mission Foods HSR Sebring Classic 12 Hour, Pistons & Props, Presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, moved off to a thrilling and competitive start Thursday at Sebring International Raceway.

In the day’s featured one-hour B.R.M. Endurance Challenge race, Bob Neapole and Guy Cosmo broke through for their first Historic Prototype and overall race win in the series in the RBN Motorsports with Cosmo-Sport 2020 No. 60 Acura ARX-05. Neapole and Cosmo narrowly came out on top in a race-long battle with their friends and on-track rivals Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss in the 2017 No. 02 Matador Motorsports Cadillac DPi.

The Acura squad’s victory came after a great opening and race-leading stint by Neapole and a perfectly timed pit stop at mid-race when Cosmo took over for the run to the finish. Cosmo and Foss ran in a close one-two formation in the race’s closing stages with the No. 60 taking the team’s maiden Historic Prototype class checkered flag for the win just 4.264 seconds ahead of the No. 02.

The top-two shared the overall and top-three Historic Prototype podium with the ageless Travis Engen in his nearly 20-year-old 2005 No. 2 Audi R8 LMP prepared by GMT Racing.

The race win in the GT Modern (GTM) class went to Vincent Barletta in the always-quick 2016 No. 95 BMW M6 GTD Prepared by Turner Motorsport. In addition to taking GTM division honors, Barletta was the also the first non-Prototype in the 31-car field to take the checkered flag a solid fourth overall behind only the top-three Prototypes.

Second in GTM went to Conor Flynn and his father Mike Flynn in the Irish Mike’s Racing 2020 No. 195 Porsche 991.2 GT3. The senior Flynn started the race but came to the pits during a yellow flag period in the opening laps to selflessly pass the Porsche over to his son who completed the balance of the race’s 60 minutes for the competitive runner-up result.

Third in GTM in the B.R.M. race was secured by frequent HSR podium finisher Colin Dougherty in his 2008 No. 92 Porsche 997 Grand-Am Cup prepared by DAS Sport.

A dual celebration of Sebring International Raceway’s rich auto racing history and patriotic military aviation legacy, the Mission Foods HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour Sebring, Pistons and Props, is an on-track and on-the-runways celebration of the 12 Hours of Sebring and historic Hendricks Field, the World War II era military and civil aviation facility on which the famous sports car race has been held for more than 70 years.

In addition to a full slate of HSR WeatherTech Sprint races and three more HSR Feature Races on track, another Friday highlight is the arrival of the vintage and historic military aircraft that land throughout the afternoon before parading over to the Sebring International Raceway paddock at 5:15 p.m. EST. The planes will be on display at the track and available to fans and competitors alike for an up-close look through Sunday morning.

A returning favorite after a one-year absence is the blue B004 numbered 1942 Vultee BT-15 Valiant piloted by Tom Smith. The BT-15 is just one of four still flying today out of 1,200 produced, and Smith and his wife Kim Smith have flown it more than 1,000 hours over the last 15 years. The Vultee missed last year’s HSR Classic Sebring awaiting a new engine, but its return will be more than special this weekend.

Among the plane-enthusiast guests in attendance will be Jack Hill, a friend of the Smiths whose father – in addition to a stint as B-17 instructor at Hendrick’s Field in Sebring in 1943 – served in a similar capacity in Bainbridge, Georgia in 1942 teaching trainees how to fly BT-15 Vultees. The Smith’s Vultee was delivered to Bainbridge in August of 1942, one of just seven BT-15s stationed there, so it is very likely Hill’s father, 2nd Lieutenant Roland V. Hill, instructed in the very plane the Smith’s will have at Sebring this weekend a full 82 years ago!

Back on track, this weekend’s featured HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour starts at 1 p.m. EST Saturday, December 7, with each of the four Run Groups taking to the three times in succession in a rotation that races into the night with the day’s final checkered flag just before 10 p.m. EST.

Classic Sebring 12 Hour competitors return to the track Sunday, December 8, at 12 p.m. EST with each Group getting one final segment to decide this year’s winners. Overall Run Group winners will be presented with all-new and custom-made Wall Clocks from B.R.M. Chronographes. Displaying the same dial design as B.R.M.’s unique time pieces, the oversized clocks have been a big hit this year with race winners at The Glen and Daytona.

More information on both the HSR Classic 12 and HSR Sebring Historics events, including entry lists, ticket purchases and the event schedule, can be found on the official event page by clicking here.

About HSR: An International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the racing cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter X at @HSR_race and Instagram @HistoricSportscarRacing.

SEBRING, Fla. (Dec. 5, 2024) – The Mazda Heritage Collection will wrap up its 2024 competition season this weekend at the Mission Foods HSR Sebring Classic 12 Hour in Florida. Mazda Motorsports is set to bring a trio of cars and drivers for the event, including newly crowned Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin Champion, Gresham Wagner.

The cars of the Mazda Heritage Collection have not been driven in anger since the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion in August, but the team at Flis Performance have been hard at work making sure they are race ready. The three cars remain the same as Monterey, but the drivers have changed.

In the GTP class are the 1989 Mazda 767B driven by Andrew Carbonell and the 1992 Mazda RX-792P driven by Tom Long. In the GTO class, behind the wheel of the 1991 Mazda RX-7 GTO, however, is Wagner, the latest Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Champion. He’ll be taking part in his first-ever historic racing event.

“It’s not often you get an opportunity to drive one of the cars you see in so many posters, movies, and video games while you were growing up, so I’m really excited to see what the RX-7 GTO is all about and put on a show for all of the Mazda and endurance racing fans that still connect with the history of the car,” Wagner said. “I’m really thankful to Mazda Motorsports and Flis Performance for putting on this program and giving me such a unique chance to be part of it.

“I’ve never done any vintage racing, but it’s a really neat opportunity to see a lot of the standout cars from the history of the sport we all love. The cars are our lasting ties to those eras and memories, and it’s pretty awesome to have a manufacturer like Mazda still actively supporting and showcasing some of the most successful cars from such an iconic time in sports car racing.”

A unique element of the HSR event at Sebring is the display of historic war planes, which is fitting, seeing as how the racetrack started life as a WWII airfield and a regional airport continues to operate nearby.

The GTP and GTO classes are grouped together, which means all three of the Mazda Heritage Collection cars will be on track at the same time and race together. The first of two eight-lap sprint races is Friday at 1:20pm ET, the second on Saturday at 9:20am ET. A full entry list, schedule and link to timing and scoring can be found here.