Category: Other Series Racing

Other series racing

  • NCAT: Steve Mathews Look To Carry Early Season Success Into Toronto

    NCAT: Steve Mathews Look To Carry Early Season Success Into Toronto

    [media-credit name=”Mathews Motorsports” align=”alignleft” width=”225″][/media-credit]If you look at the season so far, a lot of people are pointing towards Steve Mathews as being the surprise as he has been running well at each track so far this year.

    “This season has been full of success and bad fortune,” he said. “We show speed almost everywhere we go, and are a car to contend with at the front of the field, but like anything else every little detail has to go as planned or flawless in order to succeed. I am happy with my showings on the oval tracks, but I admit there is work to be done on the road circuits. I haven’t really reflected on the season too much as of yet as it is still busy and ongoing, the main thing is that it all happens so fast, so you need to be prepared and ready well in advance.”

    Despite the lack of success on the road courses, Mathews says he is welcome to the challenge and looks to improve on them.

    “I do like the split of ovals and road course races, but as you can tell by my results I seem to like the ovals better,” he said. “The road courses are a new challenge, and in don’t mind having something new to try and master, especially with the racing being so fun on road courses. To be a good driver you need to be diverse, and that means successful on any course or terrain. With my ultimate goal of one day being in the Sprint Cup Series, where there is only 2 road course races, I wish we had more ovals in the Ontario region on the schedule to prepare myself, but it is what it is.”

    The New Liskeard, Ontario native got his start in racing at the age of eight in go-karts, though he says the passion was there even before that.

    “Ever since I was a little baby I would watch NASCAR with my dad,” he said.”One day we were outside at the beach and it started to rain so we went inside, with our luck the NASCAR race was under rain delay as well. With the rain delay, the television coverage switched to a kart race, and as soon as I saw driver’s helmets coming off and realizing they were kids, I wanted to race. I bugged my dad every summer to race, and he had researched the sport of go-karting and the summer I was turning 8 he put a go-kart magazine in my Christmas stocking and said lets go racing! So began the passion and disease of motorsports racing.”

    Through moving up the ranks, there have been certainly a lot of moments to remember, though not one stands out as according to the young driver.

    “I have no one moment I can pinpoint as my most memorable racing moment, I remember every moment,” the 20-year-old said. “I have very strong memories in racing from when I started, to my present time, to everything in-between. Every win, and every race is memorable for a certain reason and I intend on having many more memorable moments, including my first NCATS win.”

    The experience has also brought forth a bunch of lessons, which Mathews has carried forward with him to work up the racing ladder and work on to become better.

    “You learn many lessons in racing, such as: you can’t win the race on the first lap, gain respect from competitors, and patience,” he said. “The latter of the three is what I have been trying to work on, with no shortage of aggressiveness, I am learning to become more patient for the long races. Racing is full of lessons within the sport, as well as in every day life.”

    This weekend’s Honda Indy in Toronto marks the 11th start of the Mathew’s young Canadian Tire Series career, though his first at Toronto after running a limited schedule the past two years.

    “Heading into the Toronto Indy I am very excited and anticipate and eventful race for the fans,” he said. “Being downtown Toronto is always exciting in its own way, but going speeds of 175mph along the lakeshore is amazing. Heading into Toronto there was plenty of work to be done on the #15 Ford Fusion as it was unfortunately involved in a crash at Mosport causing heavy damage. Therefore, I would like to thank the crew and Bill Mathews Motors/Jack Mathews Body Shop for all the hard work enabling me to have a car to contend this weekend. The track looks fast and tricky, and I believe will will have a car to contend with in the tough NASCAR Canadian tire Series field.”

    The Honda Indy Toronto also brings a bit of added pressure as the series will be racing along side of the IZOD IndyCar Series, though Mathews says he doesn’t let it bug him.

    “I do not let the added pressure get to me though, once I am in the car there are no other factors that can affect me,” he said. “You need to perform at your best every event no matter how publicized or important it is, because you never know who is watching and what can happen.”

    With the success so far, including a top five at Delawere, Mathews knows the first win is coming for the No. 15 Ford Fusion.

    “I feel like my first NASCAR win is right in-front of me, and that with hard work and some lady luck I will stumble upon it in no time,” he said. “For a win to happen, all the pieces of the puzzle must fit together, we have been oh so close and I am confident I can secure a win for Mathews Motorsports in the very near future.”

    For more information on Steve Mathews, check out , search Mathews Motorsports on Facebook and Youtube and follow Mathews’ on twitter @15Mathews.

  • SUPER WEEKEND AT THE BRICKYARD COMING TO IMS IN JULY 2012

    Nationwide Series, GRAND-AM joining Brickyard 400 for four-race weekend lineup

    INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, July 6, 2012 – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be the epicenter of American stock car racing and North American sports car racing July 26-29, 2012, as the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing will join the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for four exciting races during the inaugural Super Weekend at the Brickyard.

    It will be the first time in IMS history that races will take place on the 2.5-mile oval and 2.534-mile Grand Prix road course during the same weekend, and the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing will make their IMS debuts.

    The 19th annual Brickyard 400 for the Sprint Cup Series will race on the oval Sunday, July 29, with the Nationwide Series also racing on the oval Saturday, July 28. GRAND-AM will conduct separate races for its Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge on the 13-turn IMS road course Friday, July 27.

    “The Super Weekend at the Brickyard will offer non-stop excitement for every auto racing fan with the addition of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and GRAND-AM Road Racing,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer. “There will be competitive, fender-rubbing action from many different types of machinery for four days, featuring established stars and rising talents, on both the IMS oval and road course.

    “This will be an unforgettable event and the start of a great new racing tradition at the Speedway.”

    All four days of Super Weekend at the Brickyard will be packed with on-track action, providing great value for fans:

    •Thursday, July 26: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice

    •Friday, July 27: GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge practice, qualifying and races

    •Saturday, July 28: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice, qualifying and race; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying

    •Sunday, July 29: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Brickyard 400 race

    Brickfest, a music festival featuring a headlining national act, also will return during the Super Weekend at the Brickyard after its debut during this year’s Brickyard 400.

    Ticket orders for the 2012 Super Weekend at the Brickyard will be accepted starting Monday, Aug. 1, 2011. Orders can be made at www.imstix.com and through the IMS Ticket Office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

    Details on ticket pricing, race distances for the Nationwide Series and two GRAND-AM events and the complete event schedule will be released at a later date.

    The best way for fans to secure their reserved seat tickets for the historic inaugural Super Weekend at the Brickyard is to purchase reserved seats for the 2011 Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 31 and reorder those tickets during the two-week renewal period starting Aug. 1.

    “Today’s announcement is exciting for NASCAR and its fans,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “By bringing the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the GRAND-AM Series to the Brickyard as companion events for the Sprint Cup race in 2012, fans will now have the opportunity to see NASCAR’s top two series combined with GRAND-AM’s outstanding sports car racing compete at one of the world’s most iconic racetracks all in one exciting weekend.”

    “This is a great day for GRAND-AM and for sports car racing in North America,” said GRAND-AM President Tom Bledsoe. “GRAND-AM has the finest sports car racing in North America, and we’re proud that we’ll be able to showcase our racing – with the Rolex Series and the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge – at Indy. GRAND-AM is an organization on the move, and this announcement personifies that fact.”

    The NASCAR Nationwide Series represents the middle rung in NASCAR’s national series, situated between the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The NASCAR Nationwide Series has proven to be an outstanding series for up-and-coming competitors who aspire to become NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, with a number of today’s premier series stars having developed their skills in the series over the years.

    Many still race in the series, pulling “double-duty.” However, many drivers also have chosen to spend their entire careers on the circuit due to its competitive nature and popularity.

    In 2011, the Nationwide Series features Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry models with V8 engines generating about 650 horsepower. The cars reach an estimated top speed of 195 mph.

    The Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 is the top series sanctioned by GRAND-AM. Its two classes – the exotic Daytona Prototypes and production-based GT cars – run simultaneously at road racing venues across the U.S. and Canada.

    One of the Daytona Prototype’s top features is the ability to run any combination of engine and chassis – an extremely raceable and relatively affordable format that has revolutionized sports car racing with plentiful battles at the front of the field and close finishes in virtually every race. DPs are exotic, mid-engine machines that are purpose-built for competition, capable of speeds in excess of 185 mph.

    The Grand Touring (GT) class is home to production-based race cars that are similar in appearance to the latest high-performance sports cars. GT is a mixture of U.S.-produced muscle cars going against the international flavor, mainly German, Japanese and Italian models.

    The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge is GRAND-AM’s showcase for the latest in international and American-made high performance sports cars, coupes and sedans straight from the dealer showroom floor. The CTSCC has two classes – Grand Sport and Street Tuner.

  • James Hinchcliffe Set To Continue Rookie Campaign With Hometown Race in Toronto

    James Hinchcliffe Set To Continue Rookie Campaign With Hometown Race in Toronto

    For the Oakville, Ontario native, the Honda Indy Toronto will mark the hometown driver’s first IZOD IndyCar Series race on the Toronto track.

    “I’ve been telling everybody that I’ve been coming to this race since I was 18 months old,” James Hinchcliffe said during the teleconference. “I’ve had the opportunity to drive here in a few of the different junior formulas over the years which have all been incredible in their own right, but at the end of the day I was always sitting in the grandstands with everybody else when the main show started. It’s going to be special this year to see the race from a different seat.”

    [media-credit name=”Indy Car Media” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]It won’t be the first time he has ran the street circuit as he has ran it four times before in the Firestone Indy Lights division, which he finished 10th last year after a crash and third in 2009.

    Though while the race will be special for Hinchcliffe, it also marks a milestone for the event as it marks the 25th Anniversary.

    “Probably my favorite came in ’99,” he said. “I got the opportunity to spend 10 minutes chatting with Greg Moore, who was my hero growing up, when I started go-karting and everything. I had somehow, through a very long story I won’t bore you with, procured the steering wheel off of Greg’s first racecar, his ’91 Van Diemen Formula Ford. I stood outside his trailer for three hours and ten minutes through varying weather conditions and different people standing with me, none of them willing to stay the whole time.

    “After a while, Greg actually came out, one of his mechanics went and got him when I explained the story of the wheel. He came out and chatted with my sister and me for 10 or 15 minutes. It was the only conversation I ever got to have with Greg and certainly one of my biggest memories from any race ever.”

    Hinchcliffe has had success racing in Canada as last year, he won at Edmonton in the Firestone Indy Lights division.

    “Well, you know, obviously Canadians are very proud people,” he said. “We have a sort of small population compared to some of the other big countries in the world. When it comes to sports, we like to prove that we can still compete.

    “Motor racing is no different. I think there’s a big motor racing heritage in Canada, especially with open-wheel. So they’re very big fans. Even when I was racing in the junior formula, the support that you got from the fans in Toronto and Edmonton was incredible. They’re very knowledgeable, very passionate. They just love cheering on the locals.

    “For me certainly that win in Edmonton last year was one of the high points of my racing career. I raced in Canada a bunch of times, but it was the first time in my formula car career that I managed to take a win on home soil. So it was a nice moment, especially after rebounding from a DNF in Toronto the week before.”

    Hinchcliffe made the jump from the Indy Lights to IndyCar after second in points last year driving for Mark Moore.

    “The transition has been certainly more difficult in some aspects than I was expecting and maybe a little smoother in other aspects,” he said. “It’s been a little bit of everything.  The workload in IndyCar is certainly a lot more, and more than I was expecting. But to the other side of that, the first time I got to drive the car, I was very pleased to see how comfortable I was in it right away. I think a lot of that credit has to go to the Indy Lights Series, the time I spent there, how close that car is. It’s a very competitive series. You really appreciate that now you are driving against the best guys in North America. It’s been a huge learning experience. Rookies don’t get a ton of testing these days, so every race weekend is basically a two- or three-day test session. It’s all about getting laps. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute. We’ve had some ups and some downs. Some aspects were more difficult. At the end of the day I’ve worked very hard to get to this point and I’m learning as much as I possibly can every opportunity I get and just enjoying every single minute of it.”

    In making the transition from Indy Lights to IndyCar, Hinchcliffe has had his teammate Oriol Servia to lean on.

    “He was there at my first test,” he said. “Every track that we go to now, I’m going to for the first time in this car. He’s a huge asset as a teammate. Our personal relationship is very good. He’s always super willing to help.  I think there’s a lot of mutual respect there. We’ve been able to work well together, with our engineers, on trying to improve the car on weekends when maybe it didn’t roll off with what we wanted. Had all sorts of advice and tips, especially during the month of May, places like Texas that can be a little bit intimidating, Milwaukee. So there’s no doubt that he’s been a huge, huge contributor to that. If you were to pick one person, he would probably have to top the list.”

    This year’s rookie crop in the IndyCar Series is very diverse, in which Hinchcliffe says its kind of nice to be on the list with the group.

    “In all seriousness, I’m glad I’m a rookie this year because this is probably the best rookie crop they’ve had in over a decade,” he said. “It’s cool to be able to put your name on that list with that crop. I think whoever walks away with the rookie of the year award this year can truly say that he or she earned it and had some fierce competition trying to get it. It was certainly no walk in the park. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure it’s our name on that trophy at the end of the season. Either way, it’s good to know you’ve gone up against such a good crop of guys and girls and been able to compete.”

    So far, the season has been good for Hinchcliffe as he currently sits second in the Sonoco Rookie of the Year Point Standings with a best finish of fourth at Long Beach earlier this year. That gives Hinchcliffe some hope for the hometown race as the courses are very similar.

    “I think there are definitely some similarities between Toronto and Long Beach,” he commented. “If you had to pick a circuit that was closest to Toronto, it probably would be Long Beach. For sure, I guess that’s a confidence booster heading into this weekend. But I think we’ve had pretty good cars in all the street circuits so far this year. It’s just a type of track that Newman Haas seems to enjoy. This particular track, they’ve won seven times, five of them with Michael Andretti. I watched them do it every single time they did it.

    “We’re hoping again that we’ll have a good car here. I just seem to like street circuits. I have since I first started racing them back in 2004. Although Toronto has not necessarily been my strongest track historically, it’s the same type of circuit. If everything goes our way, I think we can have another strong finish.”

  • IZOD IndyCar Series Returns to Auto Club Speedway in 2012

    IZOD IndyCar Series Returns to Auto Club Speedway in 2012

    IZOD IndyCar Series officials announced that Auto Club Speedway will hold a night race in 2012, after not hosting a race for the past seven years.

    “We feel the time is right to bring IndyCar racing back to Auto Club Speedway,” Randy Bernard, IZOD IndyCar Series CEO said.  “We want to maintain the diverse line-up of ovals on our schedule and the addition of Auto Club Speedway adds a great venue that was built for the high-speed, wheel-to-wheel excitement of IndyCar racing under the lights.”

    Bernard mentioned that there would be another date possibly added and for him, California made sense because of the protential ticket sales there.

    “It’s one of the largest markets in the United States, number one,” he said. “We need more ovals. We’re trying to keep a balanced series. We also think a night race there will be very exciting. It has a lot of history with IndyCar. We think they’re some very solid partners that we can bring on to enhance the event. I will say on a personal event, Gillian and her team have been outstanding to work with, very aggressive on wanting this event.”

    The 2-mile oval in Fontana, California played host to CART from 1997-2002 and the IZOD IndyCar Series from 2002 to 2005. It’s also the site of two major records for the series. Gil de Ferran set the world speed record for the fastest lap on a closed course at 241.426 mph during qualifying in 2000, while Sam Hornish Jr. averaged 207.151 mph in 2003, setting the record for the fastest race on a closed course.

    “This facility was built to host open-wheel racing and Auto Club Speedway has arguably hosted some of the most exciting races in Indy car history,” Gilllian Zucker, president of Auto Club Speedway, said. “We look forward to building on the area’s history and tradition of open-wheel racing with new records and new races beginning in 2012.”

    Auto Club Speedway has a lot of connections with the IndyCar Series as it was built by the Penskes with the idea to have the best open-wheel racing on it.

    “In our minds, this is the most competitive place to see open-wheel racing in the country,” Zucker added. “We hold the world speed record for the fastest lap of 241 miles an hour. We know that the finishes here have been unlike any other. We feel like this is going to provide a really excellent opportunity to provide world class racing for our fans and diversify our schedule.”

    The full 2012 schedule is set to be released later this year, however Bernard said that as a series, they’re looking for a balance between ovals and road courses.

    “Well, we want to say we’re the fastest and most versatile race [media-credit id=2 align=”alignright” width=”213″][/media-credit]car drivers in the world,” he said. “That’s what will differentiate us from other forms of motorsports. So we need to try to live up to that. It’s very difficult sometimes when you’re trying to complement road, street and ovals. IndyCar, the tradition and history, is all about ovals. What we’re trying to do is make sure we can maintain some great racetracks for that.”

    That diversity that Bernard and the fans want is partly why Zucker also wanted the California race to be a night race.

    “One of the things that fans have been writing about, in addition to wanting the IndyCar Series back here at Auto Club Speedway, they also want to see racing under the lights,” Zucker said. “It provides an additional level of excitement to have a night event. So by being able to do both, we feel like we’re going to bring not only the excitement and speed of IndyCar racing but also the extra pizazz of watching them race under the lights.”

    Bernard added that he is looking for a 20 race schedule for 2012 and if that happens, there will also be some more announcements coming about other tracks. However, one of the concerns in adding new dates to the schedule, though, has been the risk of having a lot of empty seats like Milwaukee had, though Zucker isn’t worried about that.

    “I think, first of all, based on the timing of this announcement, it was really important for us that we were able to reach an agreement now because with the announcement coming this early we’re able to include the IZOD IndyCar Series in our renewals,” Zucker commented. “So fans who have season packages or club seat members will have an opportunity from the beginning to lock in their seats for IndyCar racing. That will help to enhance the crowd.

    “In addition to that, this is something where there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t have fans asking for the return of open-wheel racing. As I know you recall, when the split happened with open-wheel racing, there were fans that were disappointed about what was going on in the industry. Some of them showed that disappointment by not attending events. Now that the series is so cohesive, has so much momentum behind it, with all the changes that Randy made in the past year, the excitement he’s bringing to the sport, I think the timing is just absolutely right.

    “We’re prepared to aggressively promote it with more than a year to be able to do that. By bringing back a night event, we feel that will even enhance it more for fans. So we fully expect to have a big crowd.”

    The ticket price so far that has been released is $30 for general admission with reserved seating being $50 and the club areas being $60. However, Zucker added that kids under 12 are free in the general admission sections.

    “We have really seen a tremendous amount of growth in this season with families enjoying motorsports,” she added. “We want to really continue that by providing affordable pricing for people in this region who were really hit hard during this economic crisis.”

  • NCAT: Mark Dilley Looks To Turn Season Around in Toronto

    NCAT: Mark Dilley Looks To Turn Season Around in Toronto

    Going in Toronto, Mark Dilley is looking for the season to turn around as so far the best finish for the No. 9 Rheem/PartSource Dodge team is a fifth place finish at Circuit ICAR.

    The bad luck this season that has the hurt Dilley sees him sitting 10th in points, almost 200 points behind points leader Scott Steckly.

    “It hasn’t been very good for us,” he said of the season so far. “We’ve had a lot of bad luck, that’s for sure. But hopefully that’s all behind us and we just look forward to get going again and getting everything switched around here.”

    Heading into the Honda Indy Weekend in Toronto this weekend, Dilley is looking turn things around with a strong run.

    “It’s just a great event,” he said. “Anytime you can race through the streets of the biggest city in Canada, it’s pretty exciting. It’s a great event and we get to showcase ourselves from the NASCAR side in front of a lot of people who wouldn’t see us, if it wasn’t for that event. So pretty excited about it. We’ve always been pretty good there. Just need to have a good, strong run.”

    Last year wasn’t that great for Dilley in Toronto as he finished 24th due to a rear-axle issue after qualifying ninth.

    Unlike the top NASCAR levels, the Canadian Tire Series is split down the middle almost with ovals and road courses, as there are five road courses in the 12 race schedule. With that said, there are those who have brought up the discussion of which they’d perfer, in which Dilley points more towards ovals for him.

    “I’m more of an oval racer,” he said. “I raced ovals all my life, but I just think that unfortunately, the biggest events in the country are the road course racing so we have to be at those, too. I can see both sides of the coin, but for me personally,  I’m more of an oval racer.”

    Though on the bright side of things, things have been good for Dilley once he’s outside of the racecar this year. The track in Innisfil, Ontario, in which he manages called Sunset Speedway has seen a very good season so far with lots of success. Its not the easiest job for Dilley to have, however he thanks his staff for their work they do in helping.

    “It’s tough,” he said of trying to balance racing and managing the track. “There’s a lot of stuff that goes on at the same time; that’s the biggest thing. We do have good staff that work for us at Sunset that can take up a lot of slack, but there’s just a lot of things that happening on the same weekends. Like, this weekend for example, we have Toronto Indy Thursday, Friday, Saturday, we also have two events at Sunset on Saturday and Sunday, so I’m going to be back-and-forth and running around and that, but its been pretty good so far.”

    He got into the ownership side of things back in the 1990s when he was the part-owner of Barrie Speedway.

    “Well, I actually owned Barrie Speedway back in the early 1990s with a buddy of mine – Brad, who actually runs the Canadian Tire Series now, we owned Barrie before,” he said. “I’ve just always liked it. When we got involved in this, they put a team of owners together that had money to back it and really wanted to make a difference and they’ve done that by the investment they’ve made into the track, redoing the track. Just whatever they said they’d do, they’ve done and it’s been good to work with partners like that where they have the money to repave the track, redo it and a real fast and exciting place to be. So that was really what the biggest part of me was when they put the owners group together, they made a commitment that they’d put money in and they’ve stayed to their word 100%.”

    So far this season, the competition level at Sunset Speedway has been great with the amount cars and differnet winners, however Dilley admits the crowds have been down.

    “The crowds have been a bit light,” he said. “On the initial part, but its just weather, but now its getting better. But when it rains every weekend on Saturday, its hard to get people to come; nobody is going to sit around in the rain, that’s for sure.”

    This summer marks an important time for Sunset Speedway as the Sunset will be one of the five tracks that are part of the Richard Petty Driving Experience Canadian Summer Tour.

    “I’m excited about it,” he said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for people to be able to get in a car, the same as what they see on Sundays with the Sprint Cup level. I think that its very exciting and I really believe that the pricing is right with it and I think it’ll be a huge success once it gets rolling. I just think that it’s an awesome opportunity and it’s really awesome of the Richard Petty Driving Experience to come to Canada and showcase what they have.”

    Dilley got his start in racing through go-karts at the age of six after watching his grandpa race and has since been winning races, with his most memorable coming in Nova Scotia a couple years ago.

    “It was pretty good for me,” he said of the win. “My mom had just passed a couple weeks before so it was kind of a big one.”

  • CMS — Fireworks and Spectacular Racing Highlight Round Five of Summer Shootout Series

    CONCORD, N.C. (July 4, 2011) – Independence Day was celebrated in full force at Charlotte Motor Speedway as fireworks and spectacular racing added to the excitement of the rain-delayed Round Five of the Summer Shootout Series. Tom Pistone, Tyler Green and Corey Gordon were among the feature winners of the night.

    The first feature to take the track was the Legend Car Masters division. Pistone, of Mooresville, N.C., took the lead early from Eddie Harwell, of Cleveland, N.C., and held off a hard charging Jeff Green, of Kannapolis, N.C., to capture the checkered flag.

    Harwell paced the field to the green and took the early lead, but it did not last long as Pistone drove into the top spot on Lap 3. Legend Car Masters division point leader Kevin Foisy, of Ottawa, O.N., Canada, was looking to make his way to the front in quick fashion from his fourth starting spot. In the process Foisy made contact with Bruce Silver, from Davidson, N.C., causing Silver to spin. On Lap 14, Foisy was racing hard with Green and the two made contact, which resulted in Foisy falling back to the fifth spot.

    On Lap 15, John Sossoman, of New London, N.C., ran down Pistone while the leaders caught lap traffic. As Sossoman made his move for the lead he made contact with a lap car on the frontstretch causing him to lose multiple positions.

    Pistone raced to the checkers in the 20-lap event over second place finisher Green and third place finisher Sossoman who slid past Foisy in the final laps.

    Tyler Green, of China Grove, N.C., held off heavy pressure from a full field of cars in the Legend Car Pro Division to take home his second victory of the season.

    Dawsonville, Ga., native, Donald McIntosh, controlled the first 10 laps of the feature race, forcing Green to chase for the lead. Just after the halfway flags, Green completed a pass to the inside of McIntosh and stole the top spot. The lead change was all it took for Sean Rayhall, of Austell, Ga., to close the gap and create a three-way battle for first.

    The caution flag waved for the first and only time on Lap 15 for a spin in Turn 2, allowing for a five-lap shootout. McIntosh and Rayhall ran out of time to reel in Green as he took the checkered flag and they went on to finish second and third respectively.

    In the Legend Car Semi-Pro division, Gordon, of Mt. Holly, N.C., was able to secure his first win of the 2011 season in the 20-lap feature event.

    After starting in the fourth position, Gordon quickly passed Westin Baldwin, of Hilton Head, S.C., on Lap 2 and was up to second place by the end of Lap 5. As Garrett Smithley, of Kannapolis, N.C., paced the field, Gordon started to challenge for the lead on Lap 9 and used the bump-and-run to overtake Smithley on Lap 11.

    It looked like it was smooth sailing for Gordon, but a multi-car wreck on Lap 14 brought out the caution, allowing the field to bunch back together. Smithley took advantage after the restart, stealing the lead back from Gordon on Lap 15, but a slip-up in Turn 4 caused Smithley to fade as Gordon moved back to the top spot.

    Gordon held off the field through multiple cautions to pull off the win as Charlotte, N.C., native, Kyle Hall, crossed the stripe in second and Austin Langenstein, of Concord, N.C., followed behind in third.

    Other feature winners included, Justin Carroll, of Concord, N.C., in the Legend Car Young Lions division; John Holleman, of Winston Salem, N.C., in the Bandolero Outlaws division; Kodie Conner, of Kannapolis, N.C., in the Bandolero Bandits division; and Austin Powell, of Concord, N.C., in the Bandolero Beginner Bandits division.

    The 18th annual Summer Shootout Series continues Tuesday night, July 5, featuring a second night of spectacular fireworks and the famous principal school bus slobberknocker. The first 1,000 children through the gates will receive a free glow necklace. Families can enter to win a Myrtle Beach vacation courtesy of MyrtleBeachHotels.com.

    Tickets are $7 for adults and just $3 for kids 6 to 12. Children 5 and under get in free. Gates open at 5 p.m. with opening ceremonies for feature racing at 7:00 p.m.

    The second annual Legends Million returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway Aug. 1 and 2. Tickets are just $10 for adults and children 12 and under get in free.

    Drivers can register for the Legends Million at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. All Legend Car competitors 12 years of age or older may register. The race is not restricted by division. All minors 17 or younger must complete a minor waiver, which is available for download at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/waivers. Registration is free with the purchase of a new Legend Car from U.S. Legend Cars International.

    For additional information on competitor registration for the Legends Million, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call the Charlotte Motor Speedway events department at (704) 455-3205. For more information about U.S. Legend Cars International and Legend Cars, visit www.uslegendcars.com or call U.S. Legend Cars International’s headquarters at (704) 455-3896.

    For tickets for the Summer Shootout Series or Legends Million, contact the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

    Unofficial results:

    Legend Car Young Lions Feature (20 laps): 1. Justin Carroll; 2. Jake Cole; 3. CJ Hulsey; 4. Reid Wilson; 5. Paul Schafer; 6. Matt Pappa; 7. Clayton Weatherman; 8. Jake Spillers; 9. Connor Pyle; 10. Kason Plott; 11. Tyler Goodwin; 12. Ben Rhodes; 13. Matt Wallace; 14. Payton Ryan; 15. Anderson Bowen; 16. Riley Halverson; 17. Cameron Ray; 18. David Schilling; 19. Billy Webb; 20. Ryan Shattuck; 21. Austin Cindric; 22. Adam Burton; 23. Trey Jarrell; 24. Tye Mihocko; 25. Chase Dowling; 26. Austin Berry; 27. TJ Michael; 28. Jeffrey Stanton; 29. Hayden Woods; 30. Joe Ryan Osbourne; 31. Josh Morris; 32. Dylan Faggart; 33. Mason Massey; 34. Luke Demis; 35. Justin Thomas; 36. Joey Padgett; 37. Jacob Heavlow; 38. Dylan Roe; 39. Doug Barnes Jr.

    Legend Car Pro Feature (20 laps): 1. Tyler Green; 2. Donald McIntosh; 3. Sean Rayhall; 4. Sam McAulay; 5. Brady Boswell; 6. Evan Swilling; 7. Chase Catania; 8. Kyle Weatherman; 9. Bailey Currey; 10. Gray Gaulding; 11. Michael Dabney Jr.; 12. Gregory Lang; 13. Justin Morton; 14. Scott Hensley; 15. Steve Ward; 16. Austin Hill; 17. Justin Swilling; 18. Zac Kittle; 19. Trey Eidson; 20. Casey Traxler; 21. Kyle Plott; 22. Steven Cantrell; 23. Darrell Wallace Jr.; 24. Robert Stout; 25. John Hilliker; 26. Jimmy Heavlow; 27. Phillip Bell.

    Legend Car Masters Feature (20 laps): 1. Tom Pistone; 2. Jeff Green; 3. John Sossoman; 4. Kevin Foisy; 5. Eddie Harwell; 6. Jan Ingram; 7. Gene Traxler; 8. Brad Green; 9. Chip Ferguson; 10. Ray Short; 11. Scott Whitaker; 12. Bruce Silver; 13. Hans-Peter Schaeppi; 14. Kevin Aube; 15. Mike Rogers; 16. Jamie Smith; 17. Rod Harouff; 18. Doug Kimble; 19. Ronald Mander; 20. Tom Johns; 21. Brian Tinker; 22. Todd Bolin.

    Legend Car Semi-Pro Feature (20 laps): 1. Corey Gordon; 2. Kyle Hall; 3. Austin Langenstein; 4. Adam Welch; 5. Amber Colvin; 6. Myatt Snider; 7. Robert Kuczmarkski; 8. Kevin Donahue; 9. Garrett Smithley; 10. Weston Baldwin; 11. Will Cunningham; 12. Derek Humble; 13. Justin Doyle; 14. Chris Coker; 15. Tyler Hill; 16. Lee Jordan; 17. Erik Nash; 18. Austin Allen; 19. Anna Lisa Smith; 20. Spencer Boyd; 21. Jonathan Ross; 22. Joey Mattis; 23. Alex Hickham; 24. Austin Reed; 25. Blake Spears; 26. Spencer Saunders; 27. Will Allen; 28. Justin Little; 29. Dustin Coonfield; 30. Drew Sciranko; 31. Dusty Summers; 32. Robert Hayes.

    Bandolero Outlaws Feature (20 laps): 1. John Holleman; 2. Tyler Lester; 3. Kaz Grala; 4. Parker Barnes; 5. Walker Yates; 6. Ashley Caldwell; 7. Noah Cornman; 8. Ryan Mackintosh; 9. Tyler Dayton; 10. Craig Biryla; 11. Seth Werner; 12. Jensen Jorgensen; 13. Joshua Plummer; 14. Tyler Jonacha; 15. Chase Heath; 16. Jordan Plummer; 17. Taylor Jorgenson; 18. Joey Causey; 19. Brayton Haws; 20. Jacob Brumigan; 21. Tyler Audie.

    Bandolero Bandits Feature (20 laps): 1. Kodie Conner; 2. Austin Green; 3. Matt Murphy; 4. Carson Ferguson; 5. Jeff Duffee III; 6. Devon Barnes; 7. Jordan Mander; 8. Dawson Cram; 9. Stevie Johns Jr.; 10. Stefan Parsons; 11. Layton Sullivan; 12. Banks Johnson; 13. Teigan Deluca; 14. John Kuczmarksi; 15. John Wayne Counsel; 16. AJ Davis; 17. Chris Hacker; 18. Tate Fogleman; 19. Alex Reece; 20. Jacob Hefner; 21. Trevor Hawkins.

    Bandolero Beginner Bandits Feature (19 laps): 1. Austin Powell; 2. Zachary Dabbs; 3. Austin Geer; 4. Tyler Farris; 5. Cason Werner; 6. Liz Montgomery; 7. Scott Joy; 8. Hunter Stewart; 9. Ryan Saubier; 10. DJ Canipe; 11. Trent Barnes.

  • Bourque’s Busy Summer Gets Underway

    Toronto, ON (July 5, 2011) Canadian NASCAR driver Pierre Bourque will begin his summer racing schedule with backing again this season from long time partners Aaron’s, Telus and Mahindra Tractors. Bourque will again drive a DJK Racing prepared race car in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at some of the largest racing events in Canada.

    First up is this weekend’s NASCAR race on the streets of Toronto at Exhibition Place, where Bourque will pilot the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge Avenger in the Saturday afternoon feature race of the Toronto Indy weekend. The

    Bourque is excited to be back competing again this season in the premiere stock car racing series in Canada. “It’s just amazing how the NASCAR series has grown in Canada and we’re just entering the fifth season” said Bourque. “The competition is fantastic, the drivers are all very good racers, and the crowds keep getting bigger and bigger” he added.

    Pierre Bourque is also proud to have such strong and loyal backing from all of his partners. “Aaron’s has supported us for many years and we’ll be driving the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge at four races this year starting with Toronto this weekend, followed by the two races in western Canada and Barrie later in the year.

    Last season it was wonderful to have Mahindra Tractors as the primary backer for the Grand Prix of Trois Rivieres, it’s a race that’s very important to them. And of course our relationship with Telus continues for another season as well. It’s good to have everyone back for another season” stated Bourque.

    While this is the first race NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race Bourque will compete in this season he has been busy at several race tracks. “I got my first laps in the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge at the annual Mopar test day at Kawartha Speedway several weeks ago” said Bourque.

    “I’ve also had a couple of really good ARCA testing session with Eddie Sharp Racing at Chicagoland Speedway and Michigan Speedway. That was after I raced in the ARCA Series event at Talladega where we had a really strong run” he added.

    The team is approaching the Toronto event with some unresolved business from last year. “We had some ignition problems during qualifying last year and it put us at the back of the field to start” explained Bourque. “I learned an awful lot during the race watching and following the top competitors that I’ll be able to use in the race this weekend. The whole DJK Racing team has been working really hard to prepare the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge and we’re all really excited and expecting a good showing” said the driver.

    Practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at Exhibition Place in Toronto takes place on Friday July 8th and the race is Saturday July 9th. Admission to the event on Friday is free to the public.

    About Aaron’s, Inc.: Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN and AAN.A), the nation’s leader in the sales and lease ownership, specialty retailing and rental of residential and office furniture, consumer electronics and home appliances and accessories has more than 1,575 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr. and headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron’s has been publicly traded since 1982. For more information, visit http://www.shopaarons.com www.shopaarons.com.

    About Telus Mobility: Telus is unique in the Canadian market because we now operate three distinct wireless networks: 3G+, 3G (CDMA) and Mike (iDEN). When you choose Telus, you get clear and simple pricing, the latest and greatest devices, an exceptional client experience plus Canada’s fastest 3G+ network. More information:

    About Mahindra USA Farm Equipment Sector

    Houston, Texas-based Mahindra USA Farm Equipment Sector is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra LTD, and part of Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector (FES) – the largest tractor company in the world by volume. Mahindra’s professional-grade tractors are built with heavy-duty components that allow them to outperform other tractors in their class and are designed to provide consumers with the ability to push more, pull more and lift more, so they can do more, in less time.

    For more information on Pierre Bourque, go to http://www.pierrebourque.com and http://www.twitter.com/pierrebourque

  • NCAT: Scott Steckly Carries Momentum and Points Lead in Toronto

    NCAT: Scott Steckly Carries Momentum and Points Lead in Toronto

    [media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”200″][/media-credit]The beginning of the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Season couldn’t had gone any better for Scott Steckly as so far he sits first in points, 48 points ahead of J.R. Fitzpatrick.

    “It’s a great start to the season that we’ve had so far,” he said. “We have a win, two seconds and a fifth place finish, which is very important to get off to a good start in our series, which only has 12 races. One or two bad races can take you out of the points so to get out off to a good start is very important and that’s what we’ve done.”

    The win, which came in the first race of the season at Mosport Raceway, opened up the gates to a season that has been full of success for the driver of the No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge. The win was followed by a pair of second place finishes at Circuit ICAR and Delaware. The last race for the series was last month back at Mosport, though on the road course, which resulted in a fifth place finish after starting on pole.

    This weekend, the Canadian Tire Series will be running the Exhibition Place course located in Toronto, as part of the Honda Indy Toronto weekend.

    “It’s a very important race for us,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of cars at Toronto so we definitely don’t want to get a DNF. The road courses attract a lot of cars so we need a good solid finish here at Toronto. We definitely are going to try for a very first road course win. It’s definitely very important for our sponsors to be in Toronto racing at the Indy so we’re looking for great things this weekend.”

    For Steckly, his first start in Toronto came last year in which he finished 11th after starting 10th. Though for the most part, road courses aren’t the better area of emphasis for the driver from Milverton, Ontario as he grew up racing on ovals. However, the current Canadian Tire Series schedule has five road courses with a total of 12 events.

    “I would rather have more ovals,” Steckly commented. “That’s just because I grew up racing on oval tracks. We get better results on oval tracks, that’s for sure. We do decent on the road courses. We’ve had four or five second place finishes. We can normally run in the top five, but we’ve never got a win on a road course. We getting closer every year so we’re putting a lot of emphasis on the road courses this year and trying to get a win.”

    Steckly got into racing originally through some friends, which saw them build a street stock and have him as the driver in 1992. From there, he progressed through the local ranks till he joined the CASCAR ranks in 1999, winning rookie of the year his first year out. He continued to compete in CASCAR till it was renamed the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in 2007.

    Since the series has been called the Canadian Tire Series, Steckly has won one championship, which came in 2008 after winning four races and having four second place finishes that season.

    Throughout the years, there have been many memorable highlights, though a win in 2009 at Auto Clearing Speedway in Saskatoon is the highlight.

    “I would say my most memorable win is Saskatoon in 2009,” he said. “We blew a motor in practice. We had to borrow a motor from another competitor and we started at the rear of the field and we came from the rear of the field to win the race. So I’d say that’s my memorable win.”

    There also have been many lessons learned behind the wheel, but the one that still stands out is respect.

    “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to treat the other competitors and people the way you would like to be treated. Its not like anybody is going away in this sport. I’ve raced against the same guys for the past 10 years so I think its really important to be yourself and treat people the way you would want to be treated.”

  • AMERICAN BORIS SAID JOINS ARMOR ALL GOLD COAST 600 FIELD

    Seasoned NASCAR driver and one of US racing’s most colourful characters, Boris Said, is set to race on the streets of Surfer’s Paradise in the VIP Petfoods Commodore at the Armor All Gold Coast 600, October 21-23.

    On American Independence Day and just days after V8 Supercars announced they would be racing in Texas for the first time in 2013, the confirmation of Said is perfect timing to continue the hype and momentum of V8 Supercars in the North American market.

    Said will resume his partnership with Paul Morris Motorsport, a relationship developed during his time at Bathurst and Phillip Island in 2008, and will co-drive with Steve Owen.

    Said is a widely popular road-course racer with a strong, loyal fan base that has become known affectionately as “Said Heads.”
 
This group goes to tracks wearing Said-inspired wigs based on his wild and wooly curly hair.

    Owen heads into the event with a solid track record after winning last year’s Sunday Gold Coast race with Team Vodafone’s Jamie Whincup.

    V8 Supercars announced on Friday they will race in North America for the first time at a new Formula One-inspired facility in Austin Texas from 2013 for a minimum of five years.

    Said joins this year’s Indy 500 pole sitter Alex Tagliani, fellow European stars Andy Priaulx, Marc Lieb and Dirk Müller and US gun Joey Hand to be confirmed in the Armor All Gold Coast 600 field with the remaining 22 drivers being announced in coming weeks.

    A world-class field of 18 internationals took to the track as co-drivers with regular V8 Supercar drivers last year – the number increases to 28 this year with every Supercar including an international star.

    The international stars will team-up with home-grown Australian talent such as Craig Lowndes, Mark Winterbottom, Jamie Whincup, James Courtney, Steve Johnson, Jason Bright, Will Davison, Russell Ingall, Garth Tander and Rick Kelly.

    This year’s event will not only include some of the biggest names in world motorsport, but also from the world of entertainment with the event’s Rock and Race format to continue with nightly concerts at the Broadwater Parklands entertainment precinct.

    “I’m really excited by the opportunity to come to the Armor All Gold Coast 600 in October and race the V8 Supercar again,” said Said.

    “It’s been a while since I’ve driven one of these Aussie V8s and this will be my first trip to the Surfers Paradise Street circuit, but I’m looking forward to racing against some of the best drivers in the world.

    “I have to thank Paul [Morris] and his VIP Petfoods team for giving me the opportunity to race over on the Gold Coast in October, I don’t want to go out there and wreck their car but I’m going to give it a good run and hopefully give his team something to smile over.

    “I hear the Gold Coast is a little like my home state of California so I’m hoping that will give me an advantage when it comes to race day.

    “Ever since I got to race in the V8 series a few years ago at Bathurst and Philip island I have been dreaming about coming back, the V8 Supercar makes NASCAR seem tame!”

    Said has become a staple in the NASCAR series not only as a competitor, but as a ‘teacher’ of sorts, coaching more than 32 NASCAR drivers on road courses drawing on his vast experiences and knowledge.

    The 2005 Nurburgring 24 hour winner and 1998 Sebring 12-hour winner is also a respected businessman with several business interests including a BMW dealership.

    “Boris Said is already a member of the V8 community in some respects and we could not be more excited to show him what the Armor All Gold Coast 600 has to offer,” said Queensland Minister for Sport, Phil Reeves.

    “Boris is a larger than life character and will bring an energy that will be a perfect fit for the event and an exciting place like Queensland.”

    Said finished 19th in the Philip Island race with Matt Neal in 2008 and then failed to finish the Bathurst event after an incident while Neal was in the car.

    More international driver announcements are expected in coming days with the official event launch set for later this month.

    BORIS SAID – UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

    Born: September 18, 1962

    Place: New York

    Lives: Carlsbad, California

    Current Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup

    Current Team: Carson Racing

    V8 Supercar Team for the Gold Coast: Paul Morris Motorsport – VIP Petfoods Racing

    Career Highlights:

    • 1997 and 1998 Daytona 24 hour winner

    • 1998 12 Hour of Sebring winner

    • 2005 24 Hour of Nurburgring winner

    Interesting Facts:

    • Is the son of Bob Said, Formula One racer and Olympic Bobsled racer for the United States

    • Has competed in V8 Supercars before, racing with Paul Morris Motorsports (with whom he will pair for the 2011 Armor All Gold Coast 600) at 2008’s Bathurst and Phillip Island endurance events.

    • Currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

    Boris Said is an internationally recognised veteran racecar driver. Starting with his professional racing debut at the 1985 Detroit Grand Prix, Said quickly became recognised as a top road-course racer.

    In 1991, he earned international accolades competing in the SCCA World Challenge. Said made his NASCAR debut in 1995 competing in the Craftsman Truck Series. In both 1996 and 1997 he took first place in the 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race, winning the Sears Point International race in 1996 as well.

    In his career, Said has raced for leading NASCAR teams such as Hendricks, Rousch, Baer, and Evernham. He has consistently achieved pole positions and top-ten finishes over the last decade – specialising in road course events.

    In 2010, Said won the Nationwide Series NAPA Auto Parts 200 in Montreal. He currently serves as mentor and road-course trainer to more than 30 NASCAR drivers. Said is a widely popular road-course racer with a strong, loyal fan base that have become known affectionately as “Said Heads.”

In late October of 2010, Said signed with Carson Racing as our professional NASCAR driver for the 2011 season, during which he will also compete with Steve Owen in the 2011 Armor All Gold Coast 600.

  • Alex Tagliani Ready For Toronto After Early Season Success

    After fighting to keep a float last year and stay in the IZOD IndyCar Series, Alex Taglani is back and ready to make a run at it.

    The Lachenaie, Quebec, Canada native teamed up with Sam Schmidt at the beginning of the season to get things back on track this season.

    “Last year, he fought and fought to have that team and this year, he was able to partner Sam Schmidt – here’s a guy that was paralyzed in a car – and the fact that they’ve come together and been very successful,” Randy Bernard, IZOD IndyCar CEO, said during his presentation at the media luncheon in Toronto last week.

    This year for Tagliani has been successful, espically on the series’ biggest stage. Back in May, it was Tagliani taking the pole for the Indianapolis 500, which marked a surprise to a lot of people.

    “To me, in my sixteen months I’ve been here, I will say that’s in the top three highlights of my career here so far,” Bernard said of the moment. “The fact that I was sitting up in the grandstands and here’s a small team, not a Penske or Ganassi that just took the pole for the Indy 500, was a pretty amazing event.”

    The pole also equaled Tagliani being the first Canadian in history to win the pole for the Indianapolis 500 in its 100 year history. He backed that pole up two weeks later at the next event at Texas Motor Speedway, where he sat pole for the IndyCar Firestone Twin 275s.

    Tagliani has also had success beyond Indy, including a fifth place at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

    “Slowly but surely this season is showcasing the results that comes from good teamwork and good sponsorship,” he said. “Now we look like a race team. Now we are really going after wins.”

    For the driver that most refer to just as Tag, he credits the sponsorship package from electronic entertainment experts Bowers and Wilkins.

    “The big thing is that our association with Bowers &; Wilkins was so good last year that it allowed us to develop the car this past winter,” Tagliani told the Toronto Sun last month. “It made a 180 degree difference. Instead of being a team that was 90% focused on building walls and floors (on the Indianapolis race shop) we were able to work on the car and nothing else for the 2011 season.”

    He’s also had success this year outside of the IndyCar Series as he ran the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at the ICAR Circuit in Montreal. He sat on the pole for that event and led till being spun by his own teammate with less than five laps to go.

    Tagliani, who began his professional open-wheel career in the Toyota Atlantic Championship Series in 1996, will be one of the three Canadians trying to win the Honda Indy Toronto. 
    The Honda Indy Toronto, which is set to be run July 10th, is the first of three events for the IZOD IndyCar Series in Canada.

    Last year, Tagliani finished 17th last year, however had better success the year before with a ninth place finish. For Tagliani, the success has been better in Toronto for him when he was running the Champ Car World Series, which saw a second in 2002 and a third in 2005.

    For team owners Sam Schmidt, it’d mark a great milestone in the climb from being an Firestone Indy Lights owner to a IZOD IndyCar Series owner after winning four Indy lights championships.

    Part of getting that first win will be about getting the No. 77 car more consistent.

    “We still have a couple of thing to figure out how to make our set up more consistent during the race,” Tagliani said. “Once we solve that, and we are close, I want to find a way to win the championship.”

    For more information on Sam Schmidt Motorsports, check out http://www.samschmidtmotorsports.com/.

    For more information on Alex Tagliani, check out http://www.tagliani.com.