Bobby Rahal Is Named The Recipient Of The 2017 Rolex Bob Snodgrass Award Of Excellence

Harris Snodgrass, Bobby Rahal, Kyle Younghans (of Rolex). Image Credit: Brian Cleary (2018)

Bobby Rahal Is Named The Recipient Of The 2017 Rolex Bob Snodgrass Award Of Excellence

Bobby Rahal, a principal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, which runs BMW Team RLL in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, has been named the recipient of the 2017 Rolex Bob Snodgrass Award of Excellence, presented by Gorsline Company.

The announcement was made by Bob Snodgrass' son Harris during the Road Racing Drivers Club annual members' dinner, held at the Daytona 500 Club on Wed, Jan. 24.

From a short list of three successful team owners/managers who competed in the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, a panel of motorsports professionals selected Rahal.

"I'm here on behalf of my family, to present an award that is very important to me," said Harris, "and a long-running tradition that means so much to me. Not because of what it is, but because of what it reminds me of and the characteristics I don't ever want to forget about my father as time passes.

"I would like to thank Rolex, Gorsline Company and Mr. John Gorsline for continuing to make this award possible.

"As most of you know, my dad was a really cool guy. He was a car nut, like most of us, a strong-willed giant with a teddy-bear heart, and a strength for keeping his word. The fact that his impact on people is still relevant now and has been for over a decade is so important to me; it will always keep me grounded.

"He was my best friend, my mentor, and someone whom I look up to more and more each day, even though he is gone. Not a day goes by that I don't hear a story or see a picture, and get reminded of who he was.

"The award acknowledges a team owner or manager who has demonstrated the qualities of honesty, integrity, passion for the sport, and an infinite, passionate love of cars altogether. These are characteristics that made my dad who he was, so the basis for the award is perfectly fitting.

"I am proud to name Bobby Rahal as the winner of this year's award."

The other candidates for the 2017 award were Doug Fehan and Ben Keating.

As a driver, Rahal has competed in F1, Can-Am, Le Mans/IMSA and CART, notching three CART championships, including a win at the 1986 Indy 500, and wins at the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona and the 1987 12 Hours of Sebring.

After retiring from driving in 1998 he spent time with Jaguar's F1 effort, then became the interim boss of CART.

Along with former late-night talk show icon David Letterman and businessman Michael Lanigan, he is a principal in the IndyCar and IMSA teams. BMW Team RLL won the 2010 ALMS GT team and manufacturers titles and swept the top two spots in the 2011 12 Hours of Sebring, securing the ALMS GT drivers' championships, and winning again at Sebring in 2012.

To date, BMW Team RLL has scored 17 wins, 23 poles and 68 podiums. In 2017, the team won four races, the most in one season in the team's nine years with BMW Motorsport, and finished second in the Manufacturer, Team and Driver championships.

Rahal was presented with a specially engraved Stainless Steel and Platinum Rolex Yacht-Master by Rolex Watch USA. "My dad's loyalty to Rolex as a watch brand was concrete, and this particular watch was one that he loved so much. It was used as an incentive for many of the employees at Brumos (in Jacksonville, Fla.)," said Harris.

"To be in the company of people like Doug and Ben, wow," said Rahal, upon accepting the award. "Thank you, everybody.

"I swear it wasn't rigged," he added, referring to his being the evening's M.C. and the president of the RRDC. "I got to know Bob in '79 or '80, when I first started driving Porsches in IMSA racing. He was just a wonderful guy, always open. When we were racing in Watkins Glen (N.Y.), he took me around Elmira (N.Y.) where he was from, showed me his upbringing and we went and had lunch at a greasy spoon that he always frequented. I did buy a few cars from Bob, too.

"This is a real thrill, so thank you Harris, thank you Susan (Snodgrass-Wilkinson, Harris' mom) and thank you to everyone from Rolex."

The Rolex Bob Snodgrass Award of Excellence was created to recognize the team owner or team manager who has demonstrated the qualities of integrity, passion for the sport and the love of cars for which Bob Snodgrass was known during his life and career. The award – supported by Gorsline Company, the premier insurer of high-risk professionals – has been presented to Bob Stallings (2010), Joe Sahlen (2011), Peter Baron (2012), John Stevenson (2013), Alex Job (2014), and Chip Ganassi (2015), Mike Shank (2016).

About Bob Snodgrass – Snodgrass, who passed away in 2007 at the age of 64, was president of Brumos Racing and president and CEO of the Brumos auto dealerships in Jacksonville, Fla., where he lived for 35 years. As a team-owner he had three Rolex 24 At Daytona wins (Brumos Racing has eight) and a total of 10 wins at Daytona. He was a driving force behind the formation of the Grand American Road Racing Association and the Daytona Prototype class. Born in Elmira, N.Y., he saw his first race at Watkins Glen, N.Y., and was hooked. Famous for his humor and wit, accomplished vintage car racer, Snodgrass (along with Peter Gregg, who owned Brumos Porsche from 1965 until his death in 1980) was instrumental in Brumos' entry into motor sports.

About Rolex - Rolex, the Swiss watch brand headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster and Cellini watches, all certified as Superlative Chronometers for their precision, performance and reliability, are symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. Founded by Hans Wilsdorf in 1905, the brand pioneered the development of the wristwatch and is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism invented in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities, as well as philanthropic programs.

About Gorsline Company - Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., pioneered the business of providing insurance for high-risk professionals. The company specializes in providing racing drivers and owners creative, custom-designed insurance packages and estate planning strategies.
[ht: RRDC - DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - January 26, 2018]

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: Rolex Bob Snodgrass Award Of Excellence, Rolex, Bob Snodgrass, Gorsline Company, Road Racers Driving Club, The EDJE

New Platform, New Season - The Future Of IndyCar 2018 Starts Now

New Platform, New Season - The Future Of IndyCar 2018 Starts Now

As drivers sped through a quick right-left portion of the club course Wednesday, January 10th, 2018 at Sebring International Raceway, their hands were notably busy as they got back into the throttle.

Occasionally they made sudden corrections. Sometimes they slid to the right on the exit of the left-hand corner. More than once, they kicked up dirt as they used all of the exit and drifted off the pavement.

The overall theme derived from that portion of the track? The drivers best able to adapt quickly to the changes brought from a new universal aero kit will be the ones who win races.

Marco Andretti, driver in 2018 season of the No. 98 Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Honda taking first laps in the new 2018 IndyCar universal aero kit platform. Image Credit: Brian Cleary via IndyCar (2018)

Welcome to what is bound to be an eventful 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season. The introduction of the kit has changed everything for drivers. The car is lighter on downforce, especially in the rear end, making cornering, braking and throttle control more difficult – and more essential to success.

As Ryan Hunter-Reay put it when asked to describe the car: “It’s alive.”

Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, Alexander Rossi and Ed Jones had their first shot at the new kit during Wednesday’s test session. Like others who have tested it previously, they described it as completely different from what they’ve driven in the past.

Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian, the partnership between Herta and Michael Andretti’s Andretti Autosport, will field the No. 98 Honda again this year in the Verizon IndyCar Series, with one major change: Marco Andretti will drive it (with Herta calling Marco’s race strategy for a second straight year), while Alexander Rossi moves to Andretti’s previous car, the Andretti Autosport No. 27 Honda. But the underlying story of their switch is the entire team’s effort to piece together four cars with the new universal aero kit in time to get them from its Indianapolis shop to Sebring for the test session.

The term “universal aero kit” makes the 2018 car sound like the Dallara IR-12 chassis has simply been fitted with new bodywork. In reality, the change is extensive, calling for a complete rewiring of electronics, movement of radiators and movement of key elements of the turbocharger system.

“It still has four wheels, but it’s a different car,” said Andretti, driver of the No. 98 Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Honda. “There are a couple of inherent things that it does differently. I think we’re yet to know if it’s something we can fix or something we’re just going to have to get used to as drivers.”

They cautioned against making final judgments about the effect of the kit after only a few hours of testing, but all repeated the theme about the difference between it and what they’ve driven previously.

“It’s definitely more alive,” said Hunter-Reay, who's back in the No. 28 DHL Honda. “It’s been a busier car to drive. We still have a lot of work to do. We only just started.”

All four Andretti Autosport drivers – Hunter-Reay, Andretti, Rossi and rookie Zach Veach – took part in Wednesday’s session alongside Chip Ganassi Racing’s Jones and Scott Dixon. Zachary Claman DeMelo, the 19-year-old Canadian who won an Indy Lights race last season at Road America and made his Verizon IndyCar Series debut in the season finale at Sonoma Raceway, was scheduled to test for Dale Coyne Racing, but a paperwork issue with results of a recent drug test kept him from participating.

Platform in white, the No.9 Scott Dixon 2018 Honda Dallara. Image Credit: Brian Cleary via IndyCar (2018) 

A hundred yards away in the Chip Ganassi Racing transporter, Mike Hull went over details of the new car and the manpower it took to get cars ready for Scott Dixon and Ed Jones. As managing director of CGR’s INDYCAR operation, Hull oversaw the complicated process of getting the parts and people in the right places.

“We had to have the monocoque modified to be able to accept the new bodywork and its new safety enhancements, which are really important,” Hull explained. “I think everybody now is well down the road with that part of it. The second part was fitting all the bodywork and making sure it fit right. That’s pretty labor-intensive.”

Those who drove the car for the first time Wednesday spoke about braking stability and rear grip. They also spoke about the challenge of adapting to a new style of driving.   

“You’re always looking for new challenges,” Jones (left) said. “Everyone is in the same boat. Obviously, some people have done more testing with it, but it’s going to be good. It’s good for the series to change things up after a while. The cars will be a lot more challenging to drive. It should equal out the playing field a lot more in terms of the difference between teams.”

Additional team testing is scheduled for Sebring in late and more at Sonoma Raceway in California in early February before the entire series heads to ISM Raceway outside Phoenix for an open test Feb. 9-10 on the short oval. The season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is set for March 11. Until then, the familiarization continues.

“We’re at Day 1. We’re super green,” Andretti said. “We don’t really know if these new characteristics are permanent or not. We’re still going to try to mechanically fix them. If not, then we adapt.”
(ht: Jeff Olsen, IndyCar) 

 ... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: #IndyCar Marco Andretti, Andretti Herta Autosport, Andretti Autosport, Alexander Rossi, Ed Jones, Zach Veach, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi Racing, The EDJE

MPG Meeting - Pennzoil At The Proud Bird

MPG Meeting - Pennzoil At The Proud Bird

Great crowd one and all - (L to R) James Groth, Edmund Jenks, Stefan Pagnani, Lou Leto, Philippe de Lespinay, and Thomas Stahler.

UPDATE:

This excerpted & edited from CleanMPG.com -

At the January meeting of the Motor Press Guild (MPG), Shell brought in Pennzoil and Quaker State experts to discuss and disseminate details regarding the current status and future of motor oil. Within, there was a very serious warning for the consumer and professional auto expert alike. Current ILSAC GF-5 and near future API SN Plus/GF-6a oils will be good for automobiles ranging from the first Model Ts to the latest 2018 Toyota Camry requiring ultra-light weight 0W-16 viscosity motor oil. When the ILSAC GF-6b standard is finally disseminated and becomes available to the consumer as early as 2020, using that oil in your current car could place your vehicles engine at risk of seizure and stranding you on the side of the road with a very expensive repair ahead.

With the ILSAC GF-6bs harsh warning out of the way for future vehicle use, a new API SN Plus and the latest ILSAC GF-6a specifications are meant to add even more protection from a recently discovered combustion event arising from the automotive industry’s use of Direct injection and turbo charging. It is called Low Speed Pre-ignition (LSPI). The new oil formulations will mitigate LSPI, lower friction even further, and increase how far we can travel on a given quantity of fuel.

READ MORE HERE >>>

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: MPG, Motor Press Guild, Pennzoil, QuakerState, Pennzoil, Shell, The EDJE

Verizon IndyCar Series Amazing Race 30 Ep.1 Viewing Party & Media Event

Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly have a chat with NBC Sports IndyCar race analyst Townsend Bell in front of Rock & Reilly's Sunset Strip. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Verizon IndyCar Series Amazing Race 30 Ep.1 Viewing Party & Media Event

Verizon IndyCar Series drivers Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly know a lot more about what happens on the upcoming 30th season of CBS’ “The Amazing Race” than they will divulge.

That’s because Rossi and Daly are sworn to secrecy, especially when it comes to details surrounding their performance as one of 11 teams competing for a $1 million prize. Anyone who wants to know what happens to them on the long-running show, which had its season premiere at 8 p.m. ET, with a stream opportunity link at CBS All Access – AR30.

The Emmy Award-winning reality series, hosted by New Zealander (& past Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race competitor) Phil Keoghan, takes the two-person teams around the world as they compete in a series of challenges, some mental and some physical, and only when the tasks are complete do they learn of their next location. Teams farthest behind are gradually eliminated and the first team to arrive at the show’s final destination wins “The Amazing Race.”

Pictured here from Left to Right - @ConorDaly22 @AlexanderRossi @codynicksonstan @thejessicagraf @joeyjaws Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

The show’s social media accounts have offered a few clues about how Season 30, which was taped for several weeks last fall, progresses. So far, we know that the teams kicked the competition off in New York City and then headed to Iceland where one team was eliminated by mere seconds.

The two teams (actually three - Joey Chesnut of #TeamChomp was in attendance) that participated in the Verizon IndyCar Series Amazing Race 30 Episode-1 Viewing Party and Media Event held at Rock & Reilly's Sunset Strip just a couple of doors West of the famed Wiskey A Go Go, #TeamIndyCar of Conor Daly and Alexander Rossi & #TeamJody of Big Brother 19's Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf.

Although Daly and Rossi are keeping mum about the outcome, they say they had a great time and are hoping the show helps create new INDYCAR fans. Much the same as fellow drivers Helio Castroneves and James Hinchcliffe did in successful appearances on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and the way Daly, Castroneves, Hinchcliffe, Tony Kanaan and Will Power won over viewers when they dominated their competition on ABC’s “Celebrity Family Feud.”

Daly, Kanaan, Castroneves and reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden have all also competed on NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” in the past two years, shedding more light on the athletic abilities of INDYCAR drivers and drawing new followers to the sport.

“There are probably people who watch ‘The Amazing Race’ that have never seen an INDYCAR race,” said Daly. “I think we’ll probably open ourselves up to a different fan base.”

Viewers will see funny moments between Daly and Rossi and get to know 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Rossi better, according to his teammate.

“Alex’s personality really comes out and that’s awesome because he’s a good dude,” Daly said.

The drivers caught the premiere of the show tonight in Los Angeles at a private watch party with two (actually three as referenced above) other Season 30 cast members – Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf of “Big Brother” fame.

Tune in to INDYCAR’s social channels – @INDYCAR on Twitter and Instagram – to follow what happened at the exclusive watch party, which began at 9 p.m. ET ahead of the West Coast airing of the premiere.

“The Amazing Race” airs at 8 p.m. ET Wednesdays on CBS. The Verizon IndyCar Series kicks off its 2018 season with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 11.

... notes From The EDJE



TAGS: #BB19, #AmazingRace, #AR30, #IndyCar #TeamIndyCar, #TeamJody, #TeamChomp, @VZWIndy, @CBS, #TGPLB, The EDJE

Welcome The Age Of Callaway Competition In America's 2018 Pirelli World Challenge

Sideview of the Corvette C7 GT3-R, designed, manufactured and homologated on behalf of General Motors by Callaway Competition. Image Credit: Callaway Competition (2017)

Welcome The Age Of Callaway Competition In America's 2018 Pirelli World Challenge

Thursday morning at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, Team owner Reeves Callaway and Pirelli World Challenge President and CEO Greg Gill opened the press event alongside a matte black carbon Corvette C7 GT3-R, one of two that will be entered as full season factory efforts in the GT class. The GT3-spec homologated Corvette C7 GT3-R will compete in the GT class in both the sprint races, as well as the two driver format SprintX races. Drivers for the SprintX events will be announced at a later date.

"We are proud to have Daniel and Michael on board for our 2018 effort," said Callaway. "Both drivers have won several championships and will be excellent brand ambassadors for the Corvette C7 GT3-R's debut year of American Competition. Daniel brings with him a wealth of knowledge about our team and the car, and Michael has years of experience on the tracks we'll be competing on. Together, with the team we're assembling, this will be an excellent program to show our future customers what the Corvette C7 GT3-R is capable of."

While Daniel Keilwitz may be new to competition in the United States, the 28 year old German is no stranger to sports car racing or Callaway Competition.

Keilwitz began his career in go karts in 2000, spending four years there before moving up to the German Production Car Championship in 2005. After finishing tenth in the championship, he competed in the ADAC Procar series, finishing second in the 2006 championship. In the three years to follow, he continued his driver development in the Mini Challenge, twice finishing in the top five championship results.

Image Credit: Callaway Competition (2017)

The first of three championship titles came in 2010 when he clinched the FIA GT3 European Championship with Callaway Competition.  Keilwitz joined the ADAC GT Masters series in 2011, and has risen to become the most successful driver in the series with 19 overall race wins.

Together, Keilwitz and Callaway clinched the 2013 championship, and have finished in the top three in the 2014, 2016, and 2017 championship standings. In 2017, Keilwitz earned the ADAC GT Masters team title, with teammate Jules Gounon also on the effort.

Although Keilwitz will be new to all the tracks on the 2018 Pirelli World Challenge calendar, his eight years of experience with Callaway Competition and two years behind the wheel of the Corvette C7 GT3-R will prove invaluable to Callaway Competition USA's North American Debut.

"I'm really looking forward to join Callaway Competition for the Pirelli World Challenge in 2018," said Keilwitz. "I have done a lot of races for them in Europe and now I'm really happy to join them also in the USA for my ninth year with the team. The car is really amazing and was performing really well in Europe against all the big manufacturers, so I'm sure that it will perform also well in USA. Of course we have to get some experience with the car on the new tracks, but we also bring a lot of experience from Europe to the USA from the past two years racing with this car. We clearly want to show that the Callaway C7 GT3-R is a great performing and winning car. I'm really proud to be part of this team."

Image Credit: Callaway Competition (2017)

Fresh off winning the 2017 SprintX Championship, American racer Michael Cooper joins the team, bringing with him four championship titles in six years of competition.

The 28 year old began his racing career in the 2010 Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Challenge, earning two wins and three podiums in his rookie season. In 2011, he clinched the Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup championship title, and the following year, the Pirelli World Challenge rookie again wheeled his way to the top of a championship, as the 2012 TC champion.

In the two years to follow, Cadillac racing twice tested with Cooper, and in 2015, made him a GM Factory driver in their Pirelli World Challenge efforts. Cooper wasted no time proving himself, earning the 2015 GTS championship title with Blackdog Speedshop, and finishing third in the 2016 GT championship with two wins and seven additional podiums representing Cadillac Racing.

Cooper returned to the GT class with Cadillac Racing in 2017, finishing second in the driver championship, and earning the inaugural SprintX Championship alongside Jordan Taylor.

"I'm very proud to be joining Callaway Competition USA for their factory effort next year," said Cooper. "The Corvette C7 GT3-R has already proven itself on track in Europe, and I'm eager to start testing. The team that is being assembled by Callaway is top-notch, and will no doubt put us in contention for the championship. This will be an exciting year for the car's debut in the Pirelli World Challenge."

Image Credit: Callaway Competition (2017)

Introduced to competition in 2016, the Corvette C7 GT3-R, designed, manufactured and homologated on behalf of General Motors by Callaway Competition GmbH produced a successful debut and sophomore season, winning the 2017 ADAC GT Masters Series Driver and Team Championships with Jules Gounon and Daniel Keilwitz.

Now available for competition in the United States, the Corvette C7 GT3-R will no doubt be a championship contender again in 2018. The American season will begin March 9-11, 2018 on the streets of Saint Petersburg, Florida ... along side of the season opener for the Verizon IndyCar Series.
[Reference Here]

Looking forward to having a local Southern California racecar manufacturer back in the saddle of competition on it's home turf - welcome the age of Callaway Competition in America's 2018 Pirelli World Challenge.

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: Callaway Competition, Pirelli World Challenge, Corvette C7 GT3-R, Daniel Keilwitz, Michael Cooper, SprintX Championship, ADAC, Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, The EDJE

2019 KIA Sorento - Refreshed & Ready For LA Auto Show

KIA Sorento unveiling at AutoMobility LA ... formally the LA Auto Show Press Days. The Sorento sits on the presentation stage next to the recently introduced, and nominated as finalist for 2018 Car Of The Year Stinger GT (left) and the 2018 Niro Plug-In Hybrid (right). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2017)

2019 KIA Sorento - Refreshed & Ready For LA Auto Show

Kia Motors America (KMA) today unveiled the refreshed 2019 Sorento SUV at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.

Refined, rugged and roomy, the Sorento remains as capable as ever, but touts a number of visual and feature enhancements, inside and out.

Aside from new front and rear fascias, which help achieve a more sophisticated appearance, the cabin is now decidedly more upscale and integrates newly-added technology, including Driver Attention Warning, Lane Keep Assist1 and QuantumLogic™ Surround Sound.

In addition, the Sorento now pairs its available 3.3-liter V6 with a new 8-speed automatic transmission for an even smoother and more seamless driving experience.
[ht: KMA]

See the 2019 KIA Sorento conquer the Gates Of Hell in Moab Utah.

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: AutoMobility LA, LA Auto Show, KIA, KIA Motors America, Sorento, Moab, Utah, Gates Of Hell, Kia Tech Talk, The EDJE

Mazda Team Joest Driver Lineup For 2018 Season Introduced @AutoMobilityLA

Driver line up sans Rene Rast who was unable to attend. Holding a press conference at AutoMobility LA from press days at the LA Auto Show 2017 while sitting on the Joest Mazda RT24-P Prototype, Jonathan Bomarito, Oliver Jarvis, Tristan Nuñez, Spencer Pigot, & Harry Tincknell (L to R). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2017)

Mazda Team Joest Driver Lineup For 2018 Season Introduced @AutoMobilityLA

Six Drivers Will Pilot Two Mazda RT24-P Prototypes

Mazda Motorsports has announced the team of drivers that will pilot the two Mazda RT24-P race cars in the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Mazda Team Joest. Racing under the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) rules package, this is the first season for the combination of Mazda and Joest Racing, joining the third-winningest manufacturer in IMSA racing history with the team that has won 15 times at Le Mans.

Competing for the championship in the 10-race season will be long-time Mazda drivers Jonathan Bomarito and Tristan Nuñez, both Americans, who will be joined by British racers Oliver Jarvis and Harry Tincknell, who both join Mazda for the first time. For the four longest endurance races, the quartet of drivers will be supplemented by IndyCar racer Spencer Pigot and 2017 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) touring car champion René Rast. The driver combinations for each car have not been set, as the team continues a busy testing schedule ahead of the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona in late January.

“Mazda has had a driver development program since 2007,” explained John Doonan, director of Mazda Motorsports in North America. “So, it’s a big part of our Mazda Prototype program to feature drivers that have come up through the Mazda ranks, whether that’s in sports cars like Tristan Nuñez, or the open-wheel side of things with Bomarito and Pigot. We’re thrilled that those superb young men are back with us again in 2018.

"Working with Joest, we were also able to secure fast, winning drivers from their recent history, which makes Jarvis and Rast a good fit, as is Tincknell, who has been successful in both GT and Prototype cars,” said Doonan. “We ask a lot of our drivers outside the car as well, so it’s great to add drivers who will fit the chemistry of what we hope to achieve as a team.”

LA Auto Show (2017) trade show booth helmet display used to announce the 2018 driver line-up for the Mazda Motorsports IMSA Joest Mazda Prototype racing season challenge. Image Credit : Edmund Jenks (2017)

JONATHAN BOMARITO
Age: 35
Hometown: Louisville, Tennessee
Twitter: @JBomarito

Bomarito won the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona in the GT category, driving a Mazda RX-8. Bomarito, who grew up in Monterey, Calif., won the 2003 USF2000 open-wheel championship, was a race winner in the Mazda-powered Atlantic Series, and nearly won the 2014 IMSA GTLM drivers championship before his stint in the Mazda Prototype began in 2015.

“Whether you’re a young driver or an accomplished driver, the dream is to align yourself with a manufacturer,” said Bomarito. “So, I can check that box with Mazda. Second, it’s best to be with a good manufacturer, and I check that box with Mazda. Look at their involvement in motorsports history. It’s a really hard industry to find stability, so I’m glad to be with one of the heavy hitters in IMSA. And now, to be aligned with a team like Joest and their history with the sport, it’s great. Their experience, their professionalism and attention to detail is already showing. It’s huge for any driver to be with Mazda Team Joest and I’m proud to be one of them. I’m looking forward to 2018. I think we’re going to have some big improvement and it’s a very exciting time.”

OLIVER JARVIS
Age: 33
Hometown: Burwell, England
Twitter: @OllyJarvis

Jarvis joins Mazda after winning the LMP2 category (and nearly winning overall) at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Jackie Chan DC Racing in 2017. He finished tied for second in the season-long LMP2 class of the FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC), and has extensive experience with Joest, including an overall victory at the 2013 12 Hours of Sebring and multiple podiums at Le Mans. Jarvis has a GT class win at the 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Alex Job Racing.

“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Mazda at such an exciting time,” Jarvis said. “I have followed the project closely since the launch of the stunning RT24-P and I am convinced that the project will be successful. It was an easy decision when the opportunity arose to be part of it. Having raced in and won both the Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours, the IMSA championship is one I know very well. It has always been a goal of mine to race in the championship full-time and I don't think there’s ever been a better time to be part of it as the championship continues to grow.”

TRISTAN NUÑEZ
Age: 22
Hometown: Boca Raton, Florida
Twitter: @TristanNuñez

Nuñez holds the record as the youngest champion in a professional class of road racing in North America. He won the IMSA Prototype Challenge presented by Mazda (nee Prototype Lites) series in 2012 with 11 wins at age 17. He became a Mazda-backed driver after winning the prestigious open-wheel Walter Hayes Trophy event at Silverstone, England in 2011. Nuñez does presentations across the country on behalf of his “Dnt txt n drV Foundation,” which is devoted to educating young people about the dangers of distracted driving.

“It’s a continuous dream come true,” said Nuñez. “Sometimes you think ‘there’s no way that could happen to me,’ but it’s really cool to see where I’m at now. Things just keep getting better and better. I signed on with Mazda when I was 17-years old. Some guys don’t get to be on a factory team at all, so I got really lucky, especially now with the new partnership with Mazda Team Joest. I grew up watching Joest and all the success they had with their previous manufacturer. I’m excited to get going and get to the first race of the year.”

SPENCER PIGOT
Age: 24
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Twitter: @SpencerPigot

Spencer Pigot will contest the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Championship with Ed Carpenter Racing, and will also be a part of four races with Mazda Team Joest. This will mark Pigot’s third year as an endurance driver for Mazda. He is the first and only driver to win four Mazda driver development scholarships, which included championships in Pro Mazda (2014) and Indy Lights (2015).

“It’s very exciting to be back,” said Pigot. “Mazda Team Joest is really impressive, and it’s been a big improvement already in testing. It’s what you’d expect with a team like this, and it’s really nice. Multimatic and Joest have done a great job with the improvements of the car. It’s all very encouraging and we’ll be able to give it a good fight at Daytona and the other endurance races.”

RENÉ RAST
Age: 31
Hometown: Minden, Germany
Twitter: @ReneRastRacing

The versatile Rast will compete with Mazda at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta. As a rookie in the DTM series in 2017, Rast won the prestigious drivers championship. He will defend his title in 2018. Rast has previously driven for Joest Racing and has significant Prototype experience, including a podium finish at the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Visit Florida Racing.

“I worked with Joest Racing in 2015 and 2016, and I enjoyed every single day with their team,” said Rast. “They are one of the most professional teams I have worked with and the atmosphere is always very relaxed but focused. Obviously its a big honor driving for Mazda and one of the most successful endurance racing teams on this planet. The Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona is always one of my favorite races of the year and I can’t wait to hit the track again. Racing after a long winter break is always great and that’s also what I look forward to the most.”

HARRY TINCKNELL
Age: 26
Hometown: Exeter, England
Twitter: @HarryTincknell

The young British driver joins Mazda Team Joest after a third-place championship finish in the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship GTE category driving for Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK. Like several other Mazda Prototype drivers, Tincknell had a sparkling young career in open-wheel categories before joining the sports car ranks. He won the LMP2 class at Le Mans in only his fourth sports car race in 2014, and was the driver’s champion in the LMP2 class of the 2016 European Le Mans Series.

“I am really honored to be able to race for Mazda Team Joest this season in the WeatherTech Championship,” said Tincknell. “The whole Mazda team has put in so much effort and made a lot of progress in every area, and after my first test in the car I can’t wait to see how we get on at Daytona. The Mazda RT24-P DPi has taken huge strides over the winter and I immediately felt comfortable in the car. I know the championship is very competitive and it will be a tough fight, but the spirit of the whole team is so determined and ready for it.”

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: @AutoMobilityLA, Mazda, Joest, Mazda Motorsports, RT24-P Prototype, Jonathan Bomarito, Oliver Jarvis, Tristan Nuñez, Spencer Pigot, Rene Rast, Harry Tincknell, The EDJE