Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian will have Michael Lewis for Porsche GT3 Cup

Michael James Lewis is an American Race Car Driver from Laguna Beach, California. Michael's passion for racing is paramount and he enjoys every aspect of his racing career. The Laguna Beach, California native is known for his professionalism, work ethic, and he lives every day for motorsport. Image Credit: MJLRacing.com

Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian will have Michael Lewis for Porsche GT3 Cup

After spending several years honing his driving skills in European racing series, American Michael Lewis returns to his home country to compete this season in the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama. Michael will race in the series' Platinum Class while driving the No. 98 Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car.

With the merger of the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Road Racing into the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship this year, Michael's return to the United States racing scene is timely, as he sees plenty of opportunity to improve his racing skills in this IMSA-sanctioned race series. The IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge is the "opening act" for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with two 45-minute sprint races per event weekend

"This opportunity to race in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama with Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian is the perfect fit," explained Michael Lewis.

Tujunga, California-based Competition Motorsports has won three GT3 Cup Challenge championships, and is owned by Bob Faieta.

Of special significance, Michael and Competition Motorsports have formed a relationship with Curb Records and the Agajanian family for this 2014 season. The official entry for Michael's No. 98 Porsche GT3 Cup Car will be listed as "Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian." The famed Curb Records logo will be prominently displayed on Michael's No. 98 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car as well.

The finishing touches were being made on Michael Lewis's Porsche 911 to compete in the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama at the Competition Motorsports shop in Tujunga, California. Michael and the team travel across the country to the series' first race of the season at Sebring International Raceway on Thursday, March 13. Image Credit: Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian

"I am honored to represent Curb Records and the Agajanian family on my Porsche race car this season," said Michael. "The No. 98 and Curb Records are synonymous with some of the most historic American racing entities, and it's very special to continue that legacy," he added, referring to the Agajanian family's famed Indy cars with the No. 98. "I would like to thank Mike Curb and the Agajanian family for their official involvement."

Michael and the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama will compete in 16 rounds at eight different race circuits during the championship season. Seven of these race event weekends will be held on America's famed race courses, which consist of Sebring International Raceway, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Lime Rock Park, Watkins Glen International, Road America, Circuit of The Americas and Road Atlanta. Canada's famous Canadian Tire Motorsport Park will serve as the eighth track for the series' championship.

Sebring International Raceway will host the first race of the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama season in conjunction with the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship's 12 Hours of Sebring. Michael and the Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian team will arrive at the Florida track for the first of two practice days, beginning on Tuesday, March 10. The following day will be a "Promoter Test Day." Qualifying and the first 45-minute race of the season will take place on Thursday, March 13, with the series' second race scheduled for Friday morning, March 14.

In addition to racing in Florida, Michael is looking forward to visiting the other tracks on the schedule, including Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca, in California. "It might sound funny, but I've never gone road racing in my home state of California, and now I get to do that," added Michael.

As a young, up-and-coming Race Car Driver, Michael Lewis has competed in a diverse number of racing vehicles including Formula 3, Formula BMW, Ford Focus Midgets, Touring Cars, Late Model Stock Cars, Quarter Midgets, & Go-Karts. Image Credit: MJLRacing.com

Last season Michael competed in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship with kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport, and the previous two seasons he raced in the Formula 3 Euroseries and in Formula 3 Italia, respectively, with Italy's PREMA Powerteam.

The 2014 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama series schedule is as follows:

March 13-14        Sebring International Raceway
May 3-4               Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
May 23-24           Lime Rock Park
June 27-28          Watkins Glen International
July 12-13           Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
August 9-10        Road America
Sept. 19-20         Circuit of The Americas
October 2-3        Road Atlanta

With Michael's return to American racing, a number of his core sponsors, who have helped him both in the United States and in Europe, have returned, showing their commitment to share in his success. "I really appreciate my core sponsors staying with me and supporting me these past several years in my racing endeavors, and I look forward to representing their brands and promoting their companies and products. I am also honored to welcome my new partners."

... notes from The EDJE

Of Further Note:
Michael Lewis' No. 98 Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car 2014 sponsor lineup includes Curb Records, Eibach, Cometic Gasket, ASE, C&R Racing, McKenna Porsche of Southern California, Ed Pink Racing Engines, Buwalda Construction, Laguna Classic Cars & Art, Camisasca Automotive Manufacturing, Inc., Mönik, Performance Racing Tech-Talk, Realatrends Real Estate Services, Inc., RFMS Racing, Burger King, Val Lambros, M.D. F.A.C.S., Surterre Properties, Klotz Synthetics, Coast Fabrication, Racing Electronics, GoPro, Bell Helmets, Racing Goes Safer Foundation, JDR Graphics, Hobie Surf Shop Laguna Beach, and SACdesign.

Bring your own Brembo is the rule at inaugural TUSCC's Rolex 24 at Daytona

The No. 99 Red Dragon crosses the stripe as the pole sitter for the 52nd Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona. Image Credit: GAINSCO Bob Stallings Racing via FB

Bring your own Brembo is the rule at inaugural TUSCC's Rolex 24 at Daytona

After an incredible 2013 race season with championships in F1, IndyCar, Le Mans, the inaugural World Endurance Championship and both classes of the Grand-Am Rolex Series, Brembo will provide braking systems for more than half of the field this coming Saturday for the inaugural race of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (TUSCC) - 52nd Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona..

In the Prototype class, Brembo will equip 15 of the prototypes, including the Corvette DP owned by 2013 Grand-Am Champion Wayne Taylor Racing. Brembo is the only manufacturer to supply all three different chassis running in the class.

 

Today is the 1st official test day before Daytona 24h! ESM Patron car looking shiny! Very excited for this year Daytona! Image Credit: Simon Pagenaud via FB

Of special interest is the use of carbon-carbon rotors on the prototypes, the first such use since the days of the World Sports Cars. The benefits of carbon brakes are reduced weight, as much as a third of cast iron, and more reliability.

In the GT class, Brembo will support 23 cars, including all of the Aston Martins, Audis, Ferraris, factory Porsche 911 RSRs and SRT Vipers. The cars will be equipped with two-piece cast-iron racing discs with 6-piston front and 4-piston rear aluminum calipers. The GT brake system is essentially the same brakes used at Le Mans with lightweight, shape-optimized calipers with billet monobloc construction.

 

Tommy Milner and Corvette return to Daytona this weekend. Image Credit: TAG Heuer Eyewear via FB

Another Brembo innovation, the BRP34 and BRP35 pads, will also offer additional benefits for many of the teams, guaranteeing a high level of friction at working temperatures decidedly lower than other pads.  This helps ensure prompt and steady pedal response. BRP34 was the first pad to ever complete a 24-hour race without needing to be changed.

Whether four-wheel or two, open-wheel or prototype, Brembo, the Italian manufacturer of high-performance braking systems, has won more world championships at more great venues than any other competitor since it first began racing with Ferrari in 1975.

Racing teams and manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz AMG and Lamborghini, who demand the best, turn to the experts in braking technology and performance: Brembo.  The strong support and trusted relationships that Brembo has with more than 31 original equipment manufacturers and hundreds of championship-winning race teams in F1, IndyCar, NASCAR and sports cars, is based on the fact that Brembo is the industry benchmark.  There is no other company or product line on the market that can match Brembo's level of technology and performance.

Coverage of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will start on Fox at 2:00 pm Eastern Time on January 25^th and continue on Fox Sports 1 & 2 plus live streaming at IMSA.com.

... notes from The EDJE

Mazda to field Prototype Class SKYACTIV Technology diesel in 2014

SpeedSource Race Engineering will be responsible for the Mazda cars on the track - drivers and race management to be announced at a later date. Image Credit: Mazda Motorsports (2013)

Mazda to field Prototype Class SKYACTIV Technology diesel in 2014

At Mazda, “Never Stop Challenging” isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s a company maxim. 

After nearly two years of planning, Mazda Motorsports will field a pair of factory-backed SKYACTIV-D Smart Diesel-powered racecars in the top Prototype Class for the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (USCC), beginning with the Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 25-26, 2014. This is a major step up for Mazda, having won the 2013 Grand-Am GX Manufacturers Championship. Mazda will be challenging for overall race wins against the toughest sports car competitors in North America.

“This is the most significant step Mazda has taken towards returning to the global racing stage since our overall victory at Le Mans in 1991,” said John Doonan, director of Mazda Motorsports. “And thanks to our SKYACTIV-D Mazda6 racecars winning nine of 12 Rolex GRAND-AM GX races and the GRAND-AM GX Manufacturers Championship this year, we’re confident that our two prototype cars will challenge the best North America has to offer.”

Long-time racing partner SpeedSource Race Engineering, the team that oversaw Mazda’s GX-class championship in 2013, will carry responsibility to develop and run the cars on track. Additionally, Mazda also is in discussions with customer teams interested in the prototype class, as well as teams interested in developing the championship winning Mazda6 into a GT Daytona class car.

Sylvain Tremblay, Owner, SpeedSource Engineering noted; “As a racer, you always want to be in the fastest class. The development of the Mazda SKYACTIV-D was a great deal of work by Mazda and SpeedSource and it will be quite the task to take this to the front of the prototype class in only our second year of competition. Mazda and SpeedSource will have a busy November and December of testing as we prepare for Daytona.”

As part of its challenger frame of mind, Mazda is the only OEM racing with a diesel engine. The SKYACTIV-D Smart Diesel race engine is a true production-based engine and a carry-over from the development work done with the Mazda6 GX-class racing cars. The engine is 51 percent stock by parts count, and 63 percent stock by weight. Mazda chose this path as it is the most honest way to demonstrate the performance, quality, durability, and reliability of Mazda powerplants.

Driver line-ups and team partners will be announced at a later date. The cars will make their first public appearance at the “Roar Before the 24” test at Daytona, January 3-5, 2014.

... notes from The EDJE