Nitto's Healy takes King of the Hammers enduro in 1-2-3

Loren Healy - The Griffin King of the Hammers is billed as the world's toughest 4x4 race, and above all, the Unlimited 4400 class is the main and most sought after class win that all participants strive to win. Image Credit: Nitto Racing (2014)

Nitto's Healy takes King of the Hammers enduro in 1-2-3

On Friday, February 7th, 2014 in Means Dry Lake area at Johnson Valley, California USA., a 194 mile off-road endurance race was held for the eighth year that has become known as the gold standard for an extreme test in unlimited off-road competition.

The test, first held in 2007, is known as the Griffin King of the Hammers (KOH) and gets its name from the many rock strewn climbing tracks encountered throughout the course (Claw Hammer Trail, Jack Hammer Trail, Sledge Hammer Trail and the area includes Wrecking Ball Trail, Sun Bonnet Trail, and After Shock Trail to highlight a few features). The KOH presents an intimidating blend of endurance desert racing that features rock crawling, sand tracks, hard-packed rock trails, near-vertical rock walls, and treacherous ledges.

Nitto sponsored racer and 2010 KOH event winner, Loren Healy, of Farmington, N.M., took the top winning spot, driving the Unlimited class 4400 #67 Jimmy's 4x4 ATX Wheels/Nitto Tire Ultra4 buggy, finishing the 194 mile race with a total time of 8:03:25. Healy felt, as communicated during a post race celebration on Thursday, Feb, 14 2014 held by Nitto Tire in Cypress, he was able to be successful again because of three main factors.

The main, or #1 factor boiled down to the template philosophy that a steady and even pace with a buggy designed to take advantage of the driver's core strength of obstacle climbing was key. This starting point effected the outcome of the other two remaining factors which aided heavily to the reliability of the vehicle and allowed for an overall quickest conclusion to completing the 194 mile challenge.

Loren Healy began racing in the Ultra4 series in 2009 and has quickly progressed up the ranks, adding the Ultra4 championship to his racing resume in 2010. Having participated in every Ultra4 competition since, Healy is a regular top finisher in the series since he began racing. Image Credit: Nitto Racing (2014)

"I always enjoyed the adrenaline of going fast in the desert," says Loren Healy. "I wasn’t a desert racer to start. I was a recreational rock crawler. When they put them together in Ultra4, I had to try it."

The #2 factor came in the choice of front axle the Ultra4 buggy was built upon. The controversy centers on the performance and reliability of an independent suspension/travel axle versus a solid straight/unitized travel axle. To take advantage of his recreational rock crawler strength and background, Loren Healy specified a straight axle for his Ultra4 design.

Loren Healy's Unlimited class 4400 #67 Ultra4 used Solid Axle's differential covers, kingpin knuckles, forged hubs, and rear end kit to claim his victory. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

"As the sport grows, the technology advances with it. We’re lucky in in that there are a lot of products on the market designed for desert racing vehicles that work well for us," said Healy. "The biggest game changer recently has been the introduction of independent front suspension because it’s very forgiving. A solid axle car is like a ‘70s or ‘80s pick-up truck can handle the horsepower, but when you hit a bump [on the flats], the whole vehicle reacts. There are a few vehicles built in 2014 that now incorporate an independent rear suspension [as well]. It looks interesting, but I want to wait and see whether it holds-up enough to be an advantage."

Factor #3 came down to reliability. The mechanical will be what it is but the one area where time can be lost is in the choice of the tires. If the tread design is too 'blocky' and not staggered, it does not perform well going the 115 to 120 miles per hour speeds encountered in the flatter sandy tracks of the KOH course. On the other hand, if the compound of the rubber itself is too hard, grip is not at its maximum and crawling over rock obstacles may have the tires slip and loose grip. Further, the tires need to be able to remain inflated ... a tire change on the track could take over ten minutes and this could mean the difference in finishing first, or something less than first. Loren Healy choose ATX wheels fitted with custom KOH race designed Nitto tires, designed by Senior Staff Engineer Alan Ngo.

Nitto's custom made KOH 40x13.50R17 Trail Grappler Mud-Terrain tire took the abuse from the nearly 200 mile King of the Hammers endurance race, but never lost air. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks

"Having the awesome ATX wheels and Nitto tires that we use, are a huge part of our success and how we race. It’s about the confidence to drive as hard as I can knowing that the wheels and tires can take it, without worrying about breaking a wheel or getting a flat tire. Every time you have to get out and change a tire, you’re losing positions to whoever is winning the race," he says. "We don’t even carry a spare tire. I don’t want the extra weight while we’re racing and I know they’re going to hold up."

Nitto Tire Senior Staff Engineer Alan Ngo holds the sceptre that was awarded to their sponsored and shod Ultra4 buggy for winning the 2014 King of the Hammers off-road endurance race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

Said Nitto Tire Senior Staff Engineer Alan Ngo, "We modified the design of a standard Nitto 40x13.50R17 Trail Grappler Mud-Terrain tire by adding sidewall grip nobs and softening the compound to allow for a greater level of cohesion for crawling over rock obstacles. This win represents two full years without a tire failure with any of the racers we have sponsored in the King of the Hammers endurance event."

The staff at Nitto Tire United States headquarters in Cypress, California, celebrates with Loren Healy the win in the 2014 King of the Hammers off-road endurance race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

Of the 156 drivers who started the event, just 32 finished the race. Including race winner Loren Healy, Nitto had a total of five drivers complete the event. Finishing fifth was Derek West from Springfield, Mo., in the #4420 Jimmy's 4x4 Nitto Tire Ultra4 buggy. Right behind West was Rick Mooneyham of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, in the #554 Nitto Tire Trick Toys Fabrication Ultra4 buggy. Also finishing this grueling event were Nitto-sponsored drivers Ben Napier from Sydney, Australia, and Erik Miller of Cumberland, MD. Napier, driver of the #4461 BN Motorsports Ultra4 buggy finished in 16th place, while Miller, driving the #4421 Miller Motorsports Ultra4 buggy came home in 25th place, despite leading a portion of the event.

For Loren Healy, driving the Unlimited class 4400 #67 Jimmy's 4x4 ATX Wheels/Nitto Tire Ultra4 buggy, winning the 2014 Griffin King of the Hammers presented by Nitto Tires off-road endurance event for the second time was as easy as 1-2-3!

... notes from The EDJE

Valentine's Day IndyCar & NHRA Style

Racecar drivers in appreciation and ... love. IndyCar DW12 / TUSCC sports car driver Graham Rahal and NHRA Funny Car driver Courtney Force publicly share via social media a moment during a Valentine's Day sunset near Malibu, CA. Image Credit: Rahal/Force Selfie via Twitter

Valentine's Day IndyCar & NHRA Style

Graham Rahal @GrahamRahal
Feeling very lucky and proud to be spending Vday with my lovely lady @courtneyforce. Can't believe how lucky I am to have her in my life, been a crazy and fun last 5 months and I can't wait for many more. ️ #cheeseball #dontcare #happiness #love #gforce #malibusunset

Courtney Force @courtneyforce Happy valentines!“@JFR_Racing: Enjoy a sweet &funny Valentine's Day message

Happy Valentine's Day From Courtney Force 

In honor of Valentine's Day, NHRA Funny Car driver Courtney Force answers trivia questions with her valentine, IndyCar driver Graham Rahal!

 ... notes from The EDJE

54th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals Gets Better With Age

This weekend's 54th annual Circle K Winternationals, NHRA's 2014 Mello Yello Series season-opener at Auto Club Raceway Pomona, will mark Tommy Johnson Jr.'s eagerly anticipated return to full-time drag racing as well as the opportunity to finally show the world the eye-catching Don Schumacher Racing Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T sponsored by Terry Chandler pictured here. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

54th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals Gets Better With Age

Many people who look in on all matter of motorsports generally have a little trouble getting their minds around American drag racing. It is easy to transfer an experience of driving a car on a winding/curvy road and watch F1, IndyCar (road or street course), and Prototype/GT sportscar racing. What may be a bit harder to grasp for the casual motorsports observer are automobiles that develop 10,000 plus horsepower piloted by drivers who spend a total of five to six minutes of actual competition seat time during 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

An 8 cylinder Top Fuel or Funny Car drag racing engine develops more horsepower in one cylinder than most of the exotic open wheel racing engines in Formula One or IndyCar do in total.That being said, visiting the season opening NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Auto Club Raceway dragstrip in Pomona, California this past weekend for the 54th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals leaves one with an experience that gets better with time and ... age.

John Force, 64, wins the funny car class for his record 139th victory. His run of 3.965 seconds is the quickest for funny cars in the era of 1,000-foot races. Image Credit: JFR PR

This excerpted and edited from Jacobs Media -

John Force powers to seventh Winternationals Funny Car win at Pomona 
By Pete McCole - AccessNorthGA.com

Defending NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion John Force set another new Nation Record en route to his record 139th-career NHRA victory in Sunday’s season-opening NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
----
Force outdistanced Matt Hagan in the final round with a record-beating run of 3.965 seconds at 323.58 mph, topping the National Record of 3.966 he himself set in qualifying on Friday as well as setting a new national speed record.

Force came in to Sunday’s eliminations as the no. 1 qualifier and got a first-round bye after Paul Lee broke in staging, then bested Tommy Johnson, Jr. and Bob Tasca to reach his eighth-consecutive final round.

In the final, Hagan was into the tire shake right off the line and had to pedal it, giving Force an easy run to the finish, becoming just the third driver in Winternationals history to set a national record and take home the win, joining Don Prudhomme in 1976 and Kenny Bernstein 1987.

The new national record also earned Force a 20-point bonus, giving him a 50-point edge over Hagan in the Funny Car standings.

“We had a good race car. It's amazing,” said Force, of his 16th win at his home track and his seventh Winternationals trophy. “We're trying to build our sport and come out here and run good for you all and the fans, and it's hard sometimes. Jimmy Prock (crew chief) and that whole brain trust did a great job. We're back in the game. Everything's just going right. I don't get it. I ain't that good of a guy. I'm just excited. There’s a lot going on (with sponsors), and man, what a good time to flex your muscles.” 
 [Reference Here]

John Force, who won a record 16th funny car title last year, believes he has everything to prove. That's because the four-driver team he owns is losing two major sponsors after this season. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

It was thought by most who follow the sport that the future for John Force Racing in 2014 was exclusively held in the prospects of the family members coming up through the ranks - Top Fuel racer Brittney Force and Funny Car racer Courtney Force. One might think that after setting nearly every record in NHRA funny car drag racing, 64-year-old John Force would have nothing left to prove.

John Force Racing's Robert Hight, Brittany Force, Courtney Force, John Force, Eric J De Bord announce a multi-year agreement with Peak Antifreeze and BlueDEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid during opening day of qualifications at the 2014 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, CA. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

After this weekend's new sponsorship alliance announcement as a major associate sponsor in a multi-year agreement with Peak Antifreeze and BlueDEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid, Force is on a roll. He is working hard to impress new sponsors to replace the drop in income in 2015 when Castrol and Ford leave as the major sponsors of his enterprise. Further, after crew chief Austin Coil left John Force Racing, new crew chief Jimmy Prock is doing a good job as the #ProckRocket showed in its performance on the track in the #Winnats.

In the other racing category that features engines that develop 10,000 plus horsepower - Top Fuel, Al-Alabi Racing's owner and Quatar Sheik Kalid alBalooshi took down top qualifier Doug Kalitta in the final, running a 3.974 at 324.36 mph for his third-career NHRA victory after Kalitta went up in smoke right at the tree.

It was the third career victory for Kalid alBalooshi, 34, a Dubai native who lives in Los Angeles and is starting his third season in the NHRA's top ranks driving for the Al-Anabi Racing team. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

This excerpted and edited from The National -

Al Balooshi opens NHRA season with a win for Qatar Al-Anabi
The National Staff

Emirati drag racer Khalid Al Balooshi of Qatar Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Team won the first race of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season in California on Sunday.

Al Balooshi entered the Cirlce K NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California as the seventh-seeded driver. He beat seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher, Al-Anabi teammate Shawn Langdon, Steve Torrence in the semi-finals and No 1 seed Doug Kalitta in the final to take home the title.

“I am so excited. There is nothing better than to leave the first race of the season with the first trophy,” Al Balooshi said in a press release.

The victory was the third of Al Balooshi’s Top Fuel career. The Al-Anabi Top Fuel team have won the last three races at Pomona’s Auto Club Raceway, where Langdon was victorious twice last season.

“The Al-Anabi car had a strong day today,” Al Balooshi said. “It’s a good win, especially when you have Tony Schumacher first round, Shawn Langdon second round, and ‘Steve-O’ (Steve Torrance), who’s been doing a good job. Doug’s (Kalitta) car was the best car all weekend, so it made it a very big day for us to take him down in the final and get the trophy.

“Last year, our car started to get better and better. I felt like our car was better down in Florida (during testing), and I’ve been telling people, ‘I think we have a hot rod to start the season with.’ I feel like our car got better and better each round.”
[Reference Here]

Khalid said in another post event interview that once he beat Schumacher in first round that he had a good car for the day, he felt his was the best, and it was ... Alan Johnson (Al-Anabi crew chief) is tough to beat, too. He's sharp and knows tons about car setups. What surprises most in this early season showing is how Tony Schumacher had lost his dominance in Top Fuel that he had achieved in the last couple seasons.

Bob Tasca III on first qualifying run at the 54th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Here, the left side gives up spewing fuel out of the pipes. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

Pit access in one of the incredible things common at a NHRA event. Fans were in the Tasca Racing pits when they fired up the just rebuilt Funny Car engine. Look at the crew member's hands in photo right. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

To the casual observer - 16 time national champion Force came through as expected but Kalid alBalooshi of Al-Anabi was a big surprise - it can be said about the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series after round one in a 24 event series (to paraphrase the saying "nobody can be too pretty or too rich") ... it pays to be too old (64) or too rich (Dubai Sheik) in order to win at the #Winnats!

... notes from The EDJE

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

An American open wheel ladder series 2013 season yearbook

Book Cover Design - The Ladder 2013 Yearbook: Lights - Pro Mazda - USF2000. Image Credit: Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno (2013)

An American open wheel ladder series 2013 season yearbook

What happens when one takes two very intense and busy motorsports Documentarians, put them out to engage and relate to all of the effort that goes into the three open wheel racing series that hold their seasons in North America, have them take all of their digital assets and arrange them into one reference resource?

What's created is a colorful, page turning book that goes by the title "The Ladder 2013 Yearbook: Lights - Pro Mazda - USF2000" with the tagline, Capturing the next generation of American open wheel talent, produced by Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno.

In this recap, Ron and Tony look at the Firestone Indy Lights Series, Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the USF2000 National Championship Presented by Cooper Tires/Powered by Mazda seasons. The three divisions are all part of the Mazda Road to Indy ladder, where graduates from all three series have eventually gone on to race in the IndyCar Series, the top level of open wheel racing series in North America, or continue driving in other top level motorsports series.

In 300-plus pages, through Ron Bijlsma’s captivating photography and through Tony DiZinno's captivating words, the Ladder 2013 Yearbook attempts to tell the stories of each race weekend, the people who made their name and impact on the field, and produced starring roles.

Page Design - Teams & Drivers - 1. Image Credit: Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno (2013)

In 2008, a similar effort was undertaken as a documentary by the title of "Driven To Race" by Cargo Productions (2010). Jeff Krueger and Brian Spillane of Cargo Productions were able to edit down 150 hours of footage shot across the United States and Canada and produce a still available feature-length documentary that followed only eight ambitious, young male and female drivers from around the world as they competed for the one thing that will move them up the ladder to a career in professional racing. The film focused, however, on only one of the established ladder series that was known then as Star Mazda Series ... the modern day Pro Mazda Series.

The Ladder 2013 Yearbook: Lights - Pro Mazda - USF2000, however, is much more expansive. As a book, one can refer to it on a whim, at random times, and can serve as an invaluable resource that provides unmatched, comprehensive coverage on the entire 2013 season of three open wheel racing series.

Page Design - Series Round Text & Results - 2. Image Credit: Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno (2013)

Between March and October 2013, Ron and Tony traveled around the U.S. and Canada to a wide variety of circuits. Ovals such as the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Milwaukee Mile were joined by classic road courses such as Sebring International Raceway and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the brand, spanking new Circuit of the Americas in Austin and diverse street circuits in St. Petersburg, Long Beach, Toronto, Baltimore and more.

Through this backdrop and through the three ladder series, Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno were able to capture a season’s memorable moments, and have this effort serve as a keepsake for all participants - drivers, teams, media, sponsors and fans alike - by providing a detailed look at the young talent racing in the American open wheel ladder system with The Ladder 2013 Yearbook.

To reserve your made to order copy, your order has to be made no later than January 20th 2013 or this project becomes stalled and unable to be available for your reference. In this New Media age one learns early on that not only does one become self-taught about modern internet communications, but one has to become self-published. Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno have their digital assets edited down into 320 pages of a book that is ready to go to print but need the orders (or support pledges) in-house before the minimum production run can happen.

Please Order Or Pledge Support Now - "The Ladder 2013 Yearbook: Lights - Pro Mazda - USF2000" - and aid in the expansion of information on Ladder concept supported racing.

Page Design - Series Round Introduction - 1. Image Credit: Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno (2013)

The biggest challenge in producing a yearbook like this is actually already behind Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno; the commitment of covering all 42 races and all the challenges that come with it are now met. This Kickstarter approach is literally set up to get to the final challenge of getting the book from their minds and laptops onto paper.

Ron Bijlsma and Tony DiZinno are proud that it will be a self-published project which will allow for independence and total creative control over the book.

The biggest risk with this book project, of course, is that if the minimum threshold is not met, the book will not be printed.

AGAIN - Please Order Or Pledge Support Now - "The Ladder 2013 Yearbook: Lights - Pro Mazda - USF2000" - and help produce a memorable slice of motor culture history.

... notes from The EDJE

Interview with J.P. Montoya conducted at Auto Club Speedway

 

JPM as he commands a Dallara DW12 around Phoenix International Raceway. Image Credit: IndyCar Series

Interview with J.P. Montoya conducted at Auto Club Speedway

In an interview with past North American open-wheel CART champion, F1, Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Daytona race winning driver, Juan Pablo Montoya (JPM) at Auto Club Speedway on Monday (audio link below), he was very clear on this difference in driving a DW12 over a NASCAR Cup Car.

On Tuesday, Penske Racing team-mate Helio Castroneves and JPM took to the reconfigured and updated ‘oval’ track in Phoenix. After a very productive outing, JPM shared his thoughts with IndyCar .

This excerpted and edited from IndyCar.com – 

Montoya’s testing program includes two fast ovals
By Dave Lewandowski – Published: Dec 10, 2013

Juan Pablo Montoya completed Round 2 of his acclimation to the Chevrolet-powered No. 2 Team Penske car Dec. 10. This outing was on the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway oval.
Last month, the 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner tested on the 1.65-mile Sebring International Raceway short course. Up next is a rescheduled session Dec. 12 at the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval and a Dec. 16 date at the 2.385-mile, 12-turn Sonoma Raceway. Helio Castroneves, the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series championship runner-up and three-time Indy 500 champion, and four-time 500 Mile Race champion Rick Mears joined Montoya at Phoenix.

“Well, my first impression was when Helio started running. We did some laps in the road car and I said in NASCAR we brake here and here,” Montoya relayed. “And he was like, ‘No, this is going to be wide open.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ I will tell you, if you are standing in pit road and watch in Turn 1 how the car goes. In the straight it just goes fast, but you don’t really realize how fast he’s going until he turns and the thing just snaps into the corner. And then you like into (Turns) 3 and 4 and you know, ‘Wow.’ Your foot never moved. For me, the big difference is the entry to the corner. Once you get to the middle of the corner, whatever speed you have, you are committed to. You can see the exit, too, and you’re like, ‘Ahhh.’

“You just want to build to it and get comfortable with the feel. I’m still understanding what the car wants and what I want out of the car. You forget how fast an open-wheel car is (on the Phoenix oval). Around 6 seconds quicker than a Cup car a lap.”

“It’s funny because it’s a lighter car, but the wheel is like – everybody complained when I ran NASCAR how heavy my wheel was, everybody that drove my car, and honestly because we have no power steering, that’s how heavy it is,” Montoya continued. “What I remember, road courses, I understand it’s heavy, but I never thought that it would be heavy on an oval, but it’s like, ‘Hold your breath and turn.’ It’s breathtaking. The more laps I do, the easier it becomes, and it’s just that little bit.”
[Reference Here]

 

Interview with Juan Pablo Montoya during a scheduled testing session at Fontana this week which was postponed due to high Santa Ana winds. Ctrl-Click photo above to launch audio of interview (6:13)

JPM elaborated that the cockpit is much tighter than a stock car, so consequently, the arms use different muscles – it is like the difference between having the steering wheel very close to one’s chest and the elbows out (Cup style) vs having one’s arms straight out in front with less side-to-side leverage (Indy style) in order to turn the steering wheel – again, this requires the use of different muscles. Juan Pablo shared that this revelation has had him change his gym training regimen in order to build up the correct set of muscles in his arms.

Following a break for the holidays, Montoya will join Castroneves and Will Power for a manufacturer test in mid-January at Sebring. An Open Test is scheduled for March 16-17 at Barber Motorsports Park, and the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is March 28-30.

… notes from The EDJE

Mazda teams score at the US Air Force 25 Hours of Thunderhill

The three Mazda teams raced brand-new 2014 Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel racecars.  These are not the same SpeedSource cars that won the 2013 Grand-Am GX Manufacturers Championship -- these are far-more production-based. Mechanically, the cars remain nearly stock, but the interiors were removed to accommodate an Anthony Woodford Racing roll-cage, a Sparco Pro-ADV racing seat , Safecraft racing seatbelts and plumbed-in fire systems and AIM MXL Pista dashes and data acquisition. Image Credit: Mazda Motorsports

Mazda teams score at the US Air Force 25 Hours of Thunderhill

The USAF 25 Hours of Thunderhill saw a field of 57 cars racing in six classes (ES, ESR, E0, E1, E2, E3) going twice around the clock plus an hour over the 2.86-mile, 15-turn track located 90-minutes north of Sacramento.

The Venn, or set diagram that best showcases Mazda Motorsports and its efforts in motor culture are the overlapping portions of participants measured between endurance racing and club racing. This overlap was showcased on a brisk, but clear weekend at the longest endurance race in America, the National Auto Sport Association (NASA)’s US Air Force 25 Hours of Thunderhill.  Of the 57 cars (60 entered) that took the green flag on Saturday, 16 of them were Mazda-powered, more than any other marque/brand. When the checkered flag dropped on Sunday, three of the six classes had Mazda racers on the podium, led by Mazda class-wins in the E2 and E3 classes.

Of particular interest to Mazda employees and dealers was the “Factory Guys versus Dealers” battle in identically prepared, modified-for-racing 2014 Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D clean diesels. The final score was dealers over the factory guys, but ultimately it was a win-win as the three Mazda6s were perfect on the powertrain front, all three finishing.  A few minor racing-related incidents resulted in suspension repairs, but great driving and amazing fuel economy meant that the #55 Mazda6, driven by Mazda dealers Richard Fisher (The Autobarn Mazda, Evanston, IL), Joel Weinberger (Continental Motors, Naperville, IL) and Taz Harvey (Dublin Mazda, Tracy Mazda, Dublin/Tracy, CA) finished on the podium in the E1 class.  The second Mazda dealer car finished fifth with the Mazda employees sixth.

“While Le Mans and Daytona are better known endurance races, the Thunderhill 25 can make a claim as being every bit as challenging,” said Robert Davis, MNAO Senior Vice President, US Operations. “For Mazda to come here with three brand new cars, prepped by volunteer employees on their own time, and a team of dealers and employees to drive them, speaks volumes about our cars and our people.  Equally important is having another dozen-plus customer teams who chose to race our products.  Success at this track is a combination of having the right cars and the right teams, and a little racing luck, and we’re pleased to have two more wins here.  Congratulations to everyone at Sector Purple Racing and RJ Racing on their E2 and E3 wins.”

Mazda class winners and podium finishers at the US Air Force 25 Hours of Thunderhill:

Finish Position  -  Class  -  Car #  -  Team  -  Model

3rd Place  E1  No. 55  Mazdaspeed Mazda 6 Dealers A - Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel

The E2 Class winning No. 78 Sector Purple Racing Mazda Miata. Image Credit: NASA

The E2 Class was won by is the No. 78 Sector Purple Racing Mazda Miata, driven by  Kyle Watkins, Dan Williams, Glen Conser and Robert W. Ames.

"The plan was to come out stay incident free and not be off the track," Conser said. "We got good gas mileage, saved the tires and we put together a solid effort.  We had some contact in the middle of the night when Dan was driving, but that was about it for our trouble. We had very smooth pit stops and overall just ran a great race."

1st Place  E2  No. 78  Sector Purple Racing - Mazda MX-5 Miata

The E3 Class the No. 23 RJ Racing Mazda Miata. Image Credit: NASA

 In the E3 Class the No. 23 RJ Racing Mazda Miata driven by John Gibson, Rob Gibson, Jamie Florence, Roger Eagleton, Gary Browne won the class.

"It was a really great run," said team representative Chris Hillebrandt. "Last year we blew a motor 12 hours in after winning in 2011. We had some mixed emotions coming in this year. We raced our race and we won it again. We really did not have a lot of issues. We had some small issue with our dash giving us a funny fuel reading. It would give us a number than go out. Sometimes we had to wait until it coughed to come in an fuel the car. The drivers and team did a great job."

1st Place  E3  No. 23  RJ Racing - Mazda MX-5 Miata

2nd Place  E3  No. 36  Spare Parts Racing 2 - Mazda MX-5 Miata

3rd Place  E3  No. 60  A+ Racing - Mazda MX-5 Miata

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The No. 24 Rotek Racing Audi TT RS won the eleventh running of the United States Air Force (USAF) 25 Hours of Thunderhill today.  Following the Rotek Audi to fill out the overall podium was the No.83 Barrett Racing Porsche GT3 Cup in second and the No. 38 Radical West Radical in third. Image Credit: NASA

 Race Statistics:
705 laps covered by leader (laps x 2.86-track miles = 1,819 total racing miles covered)
13 caution periods
57 cars started, 40 finished
Fast lap of the race was set by Al Unser Jr. in the No. 52 JFC Racing Wolf, time of 1:37.789

Final and hourly timing reports are posted at http://timingscoring.drivenasa.com/NASA_California-Northern_Region/25%20Hours%20of%20Thunderhill/.

* Great mix of cars including Audi R8 LMS, Audi TT RS, Norma Sports Racer, Seat Leon, Lexus IS300, Mazda 6 Diesel, Miata MX-5 and RX-8, Acura ILX, Honda Civic, Honda CR-Z, Factory Five Racing, Chevrolet Silverado, Porsche 997, etc.
* Six classes of race cars E0, E1, E2, E3, ES, ESR
* 60+ entries in E0 7, E1 10, E2 7, E3 11, ES 17, ESR 9; 16 Mazda entries, 12 BMW, 4 Porsche, 4 Honda, 4 Acura

... notes from The EDJE