Grand Prix of Toronto Finalizes On-Track Line-Up for 2007

TORONTO, ON – The Grand Prix of Toronto is proud to ring in the New Year by announcing the addition of the Star Mazda Championship to its 2007 race schedule. This final addition to the on-track line-up ensures the Grand Prix of Toronto will showcase the most impressive open-wheel and production-based racing events ever to hit the Exhibition Place circuit.

“As the largest annual sporting event in Ontario, we are constantly looking for ways to ensure fans have new reasons to return year after year.” says Charlie Johnstone, president and CEO, Grand Prix Association of Toronto. “With six races that will bring more than 180 race cars, drivers from more than 10 countries and over 24 different makes of cars - from Champ Car’s Panoz DP01 to Mazda, Porsche, BMW, Cadillac and Dodge Viper - this year’s event will demonstrate an extraordinary range of racing action for our visitors.”

The Star Mazda Championship is the most competitive open-wheel development series in North America and has helped propel aspiring young drivers up the ranks in open-wheel racing. Alumni include Oakville, Ontario native and 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship top-ten finisher, James Hinchcliffe and one of the most recognized family names in racing, Graham Rahal, second place finisher in the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship. The Toronto stop on the Star Mazda Championship schedule will boast a field of up to 30 Pro Formula Mazda cars featuring a carbon-fiber chassis, six-speed sequential gearbox and a 240-horsepower Mazda rotary powerplant.

In addition to the Star Mazda Championship, the 2007 Grand Prix of Toronto on-track schedule will showcase the accomplished driving skills of an international field of racers from the Champ Car World Series and Champ Car Atlantic Championships, SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships (SCCA SPEED GT and SCCA SPEED Touring Car) and the Canadian Touring Car Championship.

From Andrea Hynes // Manager, Communications // Grand Prix Association of Toronto

DRAGS: St. Thomas Dragway Drivers' Meeting set for March 4

ST. THOMAS, ON – The 2007 St. Thomas Dragway Driver’s Meeting will be held Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 10 A.M. at the St. Thomas-Elgin Memorial Arena, 80 Wilson Ave., St. Thomas. Doors open at 9.30 A.M. for coffee and donuts.

Ritch Bowers, NHRA Division 3 Technical Director, will be present to answer all your questions regarding the 2007 NHRA Rule Book, Summit Super Series and Division 3 Bracket Finals.

IMPRESSIVE TV RATINGS FOR FIRST FIVE CASCAR RACES

TORONTO, ON - The ratings for the first five CASCAR Super Series races broadcast on SPEED have been released. James Robinson Associates Ltd., the producer of the Super Series television shows since 1994, is pleased to announce that shows have attracted an average audience of more than 260,000 viewers, for a five-race total of 1.3 million.

CASCAR is the only Canadian auto racing series to air on SPEED."We're very pleased to see the excellent response to our shows in terms of SPEED viewer numbers in the U.S. and Canada," said Jim Robinson.

"These shows appeared on Rogers Sportsnet during the Canadian racing season and the added exposure of appearing on SPEED on Saturday afternoons during the fall and winter means additional value added for the advertisers who support the shows. The high ratings for these broadcasts speaks to the excellent quality of the racing in Canada and, we believe, to the quality of the productions."

JRA would like to thank the racing fans and sponsors for their support of the CASCAR Super Series races on SPEED.

ACT: CROUCH RETURNS TO STOCK CAR RACING

WATERBURY, VT – Six-time American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Champion, Robbie Crouch of S. Burlington, VT will return to the Late Model Series in search of a seventh championship title in 2007. Known as the “Tampa Tornado” during his heyday, Crouch last raced in July, 1997.

“It should be fun and add some excitement to my life,” commented the 54 year-old racer who has owned almost every ACT record available. “The ACT Tour is on an up swing. It’s building like back in 1986, I see the same things happening now. I like that and I want to be involved,” he remarked.

Crouch will pilot a car owned by Dave Storey of Plaistow, NH, “I have a weak spot for nostalgia,” stated Storey. “As a car owner, I raced against Robbie in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. I always respected the type of racer he was. This Tour has become a real driver’s series and he’s one whale of a driver. The opportunity arose and this dream of mine, to have him race for me, has come true,” he finished.

Along with Crouch’s six American-Canadian Tour titles he’s a record four time winner of Vermont’s most prestigious race, the Milk Bowl at Barre’s Thunder Road. In all, he has over 80 ACT wins in a career that spans over 15 seasons.

Tom Curley, ACT president stated, “Having Robbie Crouch committed to run for the title just turned the wick up on ACT racing in 2007. This is going to be a lot of fun. Three of the greatest champions in the history of ACT (Crouch and Jean-Paul Cyr, six titles each and Brian Hoar, five) battling to break the Championship Tour title logjam should be very, very exciting.”

He continued, “What a thrill this is going to be for guys like Roger Brown, Joey Polewarczyk, Jamie Fisher and Scott Payea, among others. The biggest winners will be the fans. Having Crouch back in the Dave Storey ride to finish out his career with guys like Rowe, Leclerc and second generation Dragon teams mixed in should make for some very competitive and great racing. With the addition of our ACT Quebec Série, having the ACT teams eligible for the Oxford 250, and having guys like Crouch, Hoar and Kip Stockwell return to ACT competition this year, it looks like 2007 will be our best year in many decades.”

“Hopefully it will be like riding a bike,” Crouch said. “Maybe what I’m lacking in terms of youth will be made up with my experience. I’m trying to get prepared mentally and physically to give Mr. Storey’s team the best chance possible.”

Crouch will begin his quest for a record tying seventh ACT Tour Championship on Saturday, April 28 at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway. Additionally he will return to Thunder Road for the first time in many years in the track’s 48th season opener, the Merchants Bank 150 on Sunday, May 6.

For additional information contact the ACT office (802) 244-6963 or visit www.acttour.com

By Marjorie Mulligan Fay / ACT

Inside Track Photo Quiz

We're just putting the finishing touches on our big, final, CASCAR issue. Lots of great photos from over the years, many of them (like this one) by Dave Franks.
Here's one for a teaser.... It pertains to a pretty significant day in Canadian motorsports.
Can you name the individual, the year and the event?

INSIDE TRACK: Canadian racing notebook - Wednesday

TSN has a story saying that Jacques Villeneuve will be driving for Peugeot at Le Mans.

The OSCAAR Outlaw SLM officials and racers gathered for a meeting on Sunday to elect their new executive and to prepare for the upcoming season. One piece of news that emerged following the meeting was that OSCAAR will be racing at Cayuga Speedway on the Canada Day Weekend, bringing their headline 'Don Biederman Memorial' race to yet another facility.

(Biederman photo by Dave Franks)

IROC SERIES DELAYS START OF 2007 SEASON

From IROC

The International Race of Champions (IROC) officials announced today a delay in the start of the 2007 season due to not having a title sponsor in place.

The traditional IROC season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February will not take place while the Series continues to pursue a new title sponsor.

IROC President Jay Signore said, “We’re very disappointed about not making it to Daytona this year and we’re working very hard to find a title sponsor. Our hopes are to find a new title sponsor in enough time to be able to have a full four-race season within 2007.

"I want to thank Robin Braig and his entire staff at Daytona International Speedway for all of their patience and support during this difficult period. All of IROC’s partners and associates have been, and continue to be, very loyal and supportive of our efforts to continue the IROC Series.”

The elite All-Star invitational competition, which matches 12 drivers from different disciplines of auto racing in equally prepared cars, celebrated its 30th anniversary season in 2006 with NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Tony Stewart winning the prestigious $1-million IROC championship.

All plans regarding the remainder of 2007 are pending the procurement of a title sponsor.

NASCAR Notebook

(NOTE: Blogger was down for a few hours today. Sorry for the inconvenience).

Looks like the war of words between Little E and his team owner / stepmother Teresa is heating up. They're starting to sound like Trump and Rosie doing battle in the press. See here, here and here for the latest shots.

***
And... it sounds like NASCAR is set to tweak its 'Chase' formula. Under the old system, racers who were 400 points out of first place with 10 races left were eliminated... without a rule to formalize it. Under Chase #1 they're were formally eliminated. Looks like Chase #2 will put them back in contention. How nice.

Talk about creating a solution to a problem that didn't exist. So... because Matt Kenseth lapped the field one year, something HAD to be done. Thank goodness the NFL didn't cut touchdowns from 7 points to 3 in the wake of all those blowout Superbowls. Routs are a part of sport. They happen. They aren't a sign of a broken system. Look at last night's college football championship game. Florida whooped Ohio. Do you think the NCAA is going to head back to the drawing board because of it? Me neither.

OK, back to racing... it looks like the new Chase is going to be:

• top 12 racers with 10 races to go are in the Chase
• more points for winning races
• racers more than 400 points out with 10 races to go are welcome to compete for the Chase
• racers outside the top 12 with the last name "Earnhardt", Gordon (not Robbie), or "Stewart" are automatically in the Chase, regardless of their point standing after 26 races.

One of these is a joke. Possibly more if you think about it. Who would have thought you'd need a degree in mathematics to follow NASCAR? I can't wait until they start giving out 'more' points for wins... and one guy takes several checkered flags early in the Chase... undermining the whole point of the exercise which was to guarantee that the title is still up in the air at Homestead.

There's a more serious story about this issue here.

Bobby Hamilton, 49, dies after battle with neck cancer

From NASCAR.com

Bobby Hamilton, the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series champion and a four-time winner in the Cup Series, died Sunday. He was 49. Hamilton, a native of Nashville, had been battling cancer for nearly a year. He announced in March 2006 that he was undergoing treatment for neck cancer. He immediately turned over his driving duties in the Craftsman Truck Series to his son, Bobby Hamilton Jr."

... continued at the link above.

Sad News: Martin Chenhall

I hadn't heard this, but read about it in Norris McDonald's column in today's Wheels section of the Toronto Star.

"Martin Chenhall, an executive at General Motors for many years who was largely responsible for the creation of the GM/Player's Challenge Series, died in December after suffering a head injury. He was 70. Everybody who knew him is invited to attend a "Celebration of Marty's Life" at the Whitby Yacht Club next Saturday, Jan. 13, at 1 p.m."

CASCAR @ Trois-Rivieres on SPEED today at 4 p.m.

Watch Round #6 (Trois Rivieres) of the 2006 CASCAR SUPER SERIES on SPEED! today (Saturday, January 6) at 4 p.m.

Headz Gamez gone... with an almost $6 million bankruptcy

When Kerry Martens and his Headz Gamez Int'l came onto the racing scene halfway through 2006, it was a breath of fresh air. It was very exciting to think that a big company was keen to market its wares through Canadian motorsports. Sadly, like many things that seem too good to be true.... it was.

We recently received bankruptcy papers noting that the company was kaput and that its only legacy would be a creditors' list amounting to over $5.75 million dollars and broken dreams for many, including the residents of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia.

Headz Gamez is merely the latest addition to a list of companies and individuals who have preyed upon the goodwill and optimism of those in the racing community. It's time for all of us to look in the mirror and change so that this doesn't happen again. Burn us once, shame on you... Burn us 10 times, shame on us.

The bottom line is that if someone isn't going to pay you a significant part of their sponsorship commitment up front.... then he's probably never going to pay you at all.

Ex-partner convicted of killing a racing legend and his wife... 19 years after their deaths

From CNN.com

PASADENA, California (AP) -- After nearly 19 years of pursuing justice for her slain racing star brother and his wife, Collene Campbell walked out of a courthouse and waved a checkered flag.
Campbell, 74, waved the victory banner Thursday on behalf of Mickey and Trudy Thompson after a jury convicted the racer's former business partner, Michael Goodwin, of murder. Jurors also agreed with prosecutors' allegations of special circumstance of lying in wait and multiple murder.
"I was the one that everybody called the pain in the butt that wouldn't let go of it," Campbell said.
When the verdict was read, Goodwin, 61, only shook his head slightly. He faces life in prison at his sentencing March 1.

continued at the link above...

ROLEX 24: Jeff Gordon takes first laps on DIS road course

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Jeff Gordon is usually turning laps at Daytona International Speedway on the famed 2.5-mile tri-oval in his No. 24 DuPont Automotive Finishes Chevrolet. But on Thursday, for the first time in his career at “The World Center of Racing,” Gordon was behind the wheel of a sports car tackling the twists and turns of the 3.56-mile road course.

During the first day of the three-day Rolex 24 At Daytona test session, Gordon, a four-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion and three-time Daytona 500 winner, was behind the wheel of the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley as he continues preparation for his first start in the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 27-28.

Gordon will share the driving duties with SunTrust Racing car owner/driver Wayne Taylor and Italian Max Angelelli in the twice-around-the-clock challenge that kicks off the Rolex Sports Car Series season.

While Gordon was able to test the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley in early December at Homestead-Miami Speedway, his first road course laps at DIS have been educational.
“It’s really been a great experience,” Gordon said. “I had an idea of what to expect with the car by doing Homestead but I’ve never been on this road course before and it’s pretty challenging track to learn. That last time out I was getting a good feel for it. I’m with the right team. I’m having fun and enjoying it. It’s a lot different peeling off that banking at the start/finish line than turning into the infield.

Gordon participated in two shifts on Thursday and had a third shift planned later in the afternoon. He will continue Rolex 24 testing on Friday.

“The first shift I wasn’t (comfortable with the times),” Gordon said. “I was a little disappointed but the second shift the speeds started to come and I’m going to get more laps later this afternoon. I’m feeling pretty good about it.”

Gordon hopes to follow the tire tracks of fellow NASCAR driver Casey Mears, who was part of the overall winning team of last year’s Rolex 24.

For Gordon, a Rolex 24 victory would be his 13th at “The World Center of Racing” tying him for fifth on the all-time DIS wins list with racing legends Hurley Haywood and Richard Petty.

Another historical Daytona International Speedway milestone Gordon could accomplish is being one of only three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24 during their career. Currently, Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt are the only drivers to have accomplished that feat (Andretti’s 1972 Rolex 24 win wasn’t a 24-hour race).

Jimmie Johnson, Gordon’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate and the 2006 Daytona 500 champion, is also competing in the Rolex 24 and will be looking to pull off the same feat. Johnson will be racing the No. 91 Lowe’s Riley-Matthews Motorsports Pontiac Riley with Jim Matthews, Marc Goossens and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Fastest of the day: There were three different Rolex Sports Car Series test sessions on Thursday. The fastest in the first session was the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley of Taylor, Angelelli and Gordon with a lap of 122.085 mph, 1 minute, 44.976 seconds.

In the second session, the No. 05 Sigalsport BMW Riley with Bill Auberlen, Matthew Alhadeff, Gene Sigal and Karl Wendlinger were fastest with a lap of 122.084, 1:44.977.

In the final session of the day, the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley returned to the top of the speed charts with a lap of 122.809, 1:44.357 – the fastest of the day.

In the KONI Challenge Series, driver Romeo Kapudija had the No. 54 Hyper Sport Mustang GT atop the speed charts for both test sessions. Patrick Dempsey, star of the ABC hit television series “Grey’s Anatomy,” is a co-driver on that car and is expected to test later this week.

The Roar Before the Rolex 24: On Friday, Jan. 5 and Saturday, Jan. 6, sports car fans will get all-access with the inaugural Roar Before The Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The Roar Before The Rolex 24 At Daytona will prep sports car fans for the 45th anniversary of the Rolex 24 on Jan. 27-28 with fan forums, displays, entertainment in the NEXTEL FANZONE and a technical talk about the Daytona Prototype from Howard Motorsports.

In addition, sports car fans will be able to view all the Rolex 24 At Daytona testing action from anywhere in the historic infield of Daytona International Speedway (with exception of the hot pits) and will have access to the garage area. Admission for the inaugural Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona is $5 at the gate and children 12 and under are free. Gates open at ­­­9 a.m.

KUMHO, INTERSPORT JOIN FORCES FOR 2007 SEASON

Courtesy American Le Mans Series

Eager to compete again for class wins and championships in the American Le Mans Series, Intersport Racing and Kumho Tire USA will team together in the Series' highly competitive LMP2 class for the 2007 season. The Kumho-shod, AER-powered Intersport Lola B05/40 will turn its first competitive laps at the 55th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 17.

Kumho and Intersport will join other Series teams and manufacturers at the third annual American Le Mans Series Winter Test from January 22-24 at Sebring International Raceway. Kumho also will supply tires to P2 teams B-K Motorsports and van der Steur Racing.

"We are eager to begin working with Intersport," said Rudy Consolacion, Kumho's motorsports manager. "Intersport is an independent team that has proven it can go head-to-head with the big factory teams. The addition of Intersport to the Kumho mix gives us a good shot at winning races and competing for the class championship in 2007."

Intersport won the LMP2 class championship in 2003 and 2005. The team also won the LMP2 class at the 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans. Competing against the Penske Porsches and the rest of the LMP2 field in 2006, Intersport scored three class wins, including a P2 victory and second overall at Sebring. For 2007, both Penske Motorsports and Dyson Racing will campaign Porsche RS Spyders. There also will be three Acura-powered entries in a class full of depth and world-class quality.

"We're excited to start a long-term relationship with Kumho," said Intersport team principal Clint Field. "With Kumho's and Intersport's commitment to winning, next year should be very successful. We expect to be very competitive again with our AER engine, Lola chassis, and Richard Berry and Very Berry Exotics on board as a sponsor.

"Kumho's development has come a long way in the past couple of years," noted Field. "The performance of the van der Steur Radical at Laguna Seca got our attention because it's obvious the tires were very competitive. We tested the Kumhos after the season and they stacked up very well against the other tires we tested.

"The tire is already competitive, and we're looking forward to helping Kumho further develop the tire and make it even more competitive than it already is," he added.

Brian Alder, team manager and crew chief for Intersport, is equally excited about working with Kumho. "We're looking forward to having a tire that will be able to compete with the Michelins," he said. "We've been keeping an eye on Kumho and watching them grow in the Series the last two years. We feel working together we can help Kumho develop a tire that will be better than the competition. We're always looking for the best equipment and technology, and Kumho fits that bill."

Co-driving with Field will be his father, Jon Field. The two will drive together for the full season for the first time in their careers. "Clint and Jon give us one of the top driver lineups in the Series," said Alder. "People may have underestimated us a few years ago, but we've earned the respect of everyone and proved that we're for real. We're one of the best teams in the Series and are coming back in 2007 stronger than we were last year."

"LMP2 is shaping up to be the most competitive class in the American Le Mans Series in 2007, with 10 or more cars expected in the class in several races," said Consolacion. "Clint, Jon and Brian bring a lot of experience to the table. They will push their car and our tires to the limit. We can't wait for the season to start."

Established in 1960, Kumho Tire Co., Inc., of Seoul, South Korea, had 2005 sales of $2.2 billion. Kumho manufactures and distributes a complete line of tires for passenger cars, light trucks and heavy-duty trucks. Kumho has manufacturing facilities in Korea and China and operates technical centers in Birmingham, England, and Akron, Ohio. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Kumho Tire U.S.A is the U.S. distribution arm of Kumho Tire Co. In addition to its 830,000 square foot headquarters and central distribution facility in Rancho Cucamonga, the company operates four additional distribution facilities in Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus and Dallas. For more information, visit the Kumho Web site at www.kumhotire.com.

Searching for Miss Humberstone

PT. COLBORNE, ON – Humberstone Speedway is searching for the right young lady for the position of Miss Humberstone Speedway.

Crystal Davidson ablely served as Miss Humberstone for the 2006. General Manager Bob Davidson lists the requirements as having a good general racing knowledge, being able to meet and greet racers and fans, willing to represent the speedway in victory lane celebrations as well as mall shows and be photogenic. Age requirements should be of High School age at least.

For further information call Humberstone Speedway at 905-834-4797 or at Cosco Haulage call 905-935-2886. Also visit Humberstone online at: www.humberstonespeedway.com

By Fran Bushardt

2007 Hoosier/Sunoco Mr. DIRT-358 Modified Championship Set

By Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director

Fueled by the return of the popular twin-bill at autodromes Drummond and Granby in late summer, the 2007 Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Championship Series is now set with more than a dozen extra-distance events culminating with the crowning of the Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Champion for a 25th consecutive year. Hoosier-Sunoco Mr. DIRT 358-Modified top contenders will be following the lucrative small-block trail at season’s end with bonus points added in from a driver's hometrack to determine the overall titlist.

“We’ve put together a solid series for our 358-Modified teams with most of the events tied together to make travel plans more feasible for both racers and fans,” said DIRT MotorSports NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning Cory Reed. “Opening with a new doubleheader in Quebec and closing during the traditional Eastern States Weekend at Orange County offers a great schedule of high-paying races from top to bottom.”

Leading off the 14-race journey north of the border at Drummond and Granby is actually a reincarnation of sorts for this unique DIRT doubleheader. The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series for big-block Modifieds was showcased in back-to-back events at both tracks from the mid-1980s until the start of the new millennium. In five previous small-block series events held at each site beginning in 1999, Granby piggy-backed with Brockville Ontario Speedway while Drummond shared center stage with Frogtown Int’l Speedway and Autodrome Edelweiss.

Short-track action resumes on Canadian soil when Cornwall Motor Speedway kicks off the customary post-regular season campaign for DIRT 358-Modifieds on Sept. 2. Edelweiss is back on the series schedule Sept. 7 after a one-year absence with Brockville hosting a 75-lapper the following day. A quarter-century of Mr. DIRT 358-Modified Series activity continues with teams heading back to the states Sept. 14 for another ‘Border Battle’ at Can-Am Motorsports Park and closing out the same weekend in the small-block 'Race of Kings' at Lebanon Valley Speedway run once again the same day (Sept. 15) as the National 200 for big-block DIRT Modifieds.

The first of two tour events at Rolling Wheels Raceway stands alone on Sept. 21 as part of ‘World Series Weekend’ in autumn. October opens in a big way with successive ‘Super DIRT Week’ specials scheduled at Can-Am, Brewerton Speedway and Rolling Wheels before the New State Fairgrounds attracts the top small-blockers in the Northeast for a fourth straight show on Oct. 6. The first-ever tour appearance at New Egypt Speedway on Oct. 12 marks just the third New Jersey track to ever host a DIRT 358-Modified Series event while Orange County brings the curtain down on Oct. 20.

Reigning overall Mr. DIRT 358-Modified points king Brett Hearn captured the elusive small-block title after garnering five big-block championships from 1990-2001. Hearn secured the coveted crown following his seventh season championship at Orange County where he logged four of his five small-block victories during the season. Although Hearn remains the all-time 358 Mr. DIRT Series race winner with 62, the Sussex, N.J. ace went winless during the past tour, marking the first time that has happened since 1995 when champion Pat O’Brien was denied a victory lane appearance. Alan Johnson (3) was the only repeat race winner last year in the rain-shortened eight-race tour.

For additional information, please contact the DIRT MotorSports NorthEast Office (315/834-6606) or log into the DIRT homepage at www.dirtmotorsports.com to find out more about the entire circuit.

PANOZ, PTG PARTNER FOR 2007 ESPERANTE GT LM PROGRAM

Courtesy American Le Mans

Braselton, Ga. - A year after achieving landmark victories at Sebring and Le Mans in 2006, Panoz now has its eyes set on the American Le Mans Series GT2 championship with two of the most respected and well-known names in sports car racing.

Panoz, Multimatic and Team PTG will jointly launch a two-car assault on the 2007 class title starting at the American Le Mans Series Winter Test on January 22-24. The competition debut of Panoz Team PTG will be the 55th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 17.

Directing the 2007 effort will be Tom Milner's Team PTG. The organization will take over the day-to-day running of the two-car entry in the American Le Mans Series with Multimatic continuing to provide engineering support from its Toronto base. At Sebring last year, Multimatic and Panoz teamed for the American marque's first GT2 win at America's most famed sports car race. Three months later Panoz was a winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time with Team LNT.

"This is another tremendous step forward for the Panoz Esperante GTLM effort," said Dan Panoz, President of Panoz Auto Development. "The 2006 season was a landmark year with wins at both Sebring and Le Mans, arguably the two biggest events on the sports car calendar. The focus for 2007 continues with making the Panoz brand a top championship contender in the American Le Mans Series' highly competitive GT2 class. Our new relationship with Team PTG and the continuing partnership with Multimatic will help these championship aspirations be realized."

Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand, both PTG veterans, will drive the first of the two Panoz Team PTG entries in 2007. They will joined by Tom Kimber-Smith, winner at Le Mans for Team LNT, at Sebring. Drivers for the second PTG Panoz entry are yet to be determined.

Auberlen is no stranger to the Panoz marque, having driven for Panoz Motor Sports aboard the Esperante GTLM in 2005 and the LMP1 prototype in 2002. The Californian scored the first class win for the Esperante GTLM in 2005 at Road Atlanta.

"The competition in GT2 is becoming extremely fierce and despite the Esperante winning both the Twelve Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006 we believe the pooling of the resources of PTG, Multimatic and Panoz will provide us with our best chance of success in 2007," Milner said. "Our team is extremely excited at this opportunity and we look forward to challenging strong for the GT2 championship."

PTG will continue its long and successful association with Yokohama and PFC Brakes with the new Panoz program while Elan Power Products will continue to provide horsepower for the campaign. Multimatic's unique DSSV dampers will again be used.

In the past 11 years, Team PTG has won a total of 53 races in both sprint and endurance racing events and has won 14 North American sports car championships including four manufacturer's titles. Team PTG was the first GT champion of the American Le Mans Series in 1999 and has posted five class victories. In the 2006 American Le Mans Series, PTG posted three podiums and finished sixth in the GT2 championship with BMW M3s.

Some of the biggest names in world motorsport have competed for the team including Hans Stuck, Dieter Quester, Al Unser Jr., Bobby Rahal, Arie Luyendyk, Paul Newman and Boris Said.

The Panoz Esperante is a high-performance, handcrafted limited production sports car manufactured in Braselton, GA by Panoz Auto Development Company (PADC).

The racing version of the car, known as the GTLM, has been developed for FIA/ACO GT2 competition by EMT with chassis engineering and manufacturing support from Multimatic. The car is available to customers through EMT and, in addition to the factory American Le Mans Series effort, will again be campaigned by several teams in Europe including Team LNT.

Multimatic has provided extensive support to the Panoz factory program over the past five years, including running the race team from its Toronto base in 2006.

AIM Autosport announces full season Rolex Sports Car Series campaign

Courtesy AIM Autosport

January 2/06, Toronto, ON -AIM Autosport announced plans today for a full-season Daytona Prototype campaign in the Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve, commencing with the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. The Toronto-based team made one Rolex Series start in 2006 to prepare for the 2007 season, and will compete with the potent Lexus-Riley combination.

AIM Autosport has proven itself as a front-running team in a wide variety of open-wheel categories since its inception in 1995, and has tapped into a driver roster with a similar background for the Rolex campaign. Longtime AIM Autosport driver Mark Wilkins, who most recently impressed while competing a partial season in the Star Mazda Series, will anchor the full season effort from behind the wheel.

Wilkins will share the driving duties throughout the year with brothers Burt and Brian Frisselle, who will alternate rounds co-driving with Wilkins. The Frisselles will both race in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and the 24 effort will be further boosted by the addition of two-time Toyota Atlantic Champion David Empringham to the roster. The Rolex Series program will operate out of the AIM headquarters outside of Toronto, and will be run in conjunction with the multi-car Formula BMW USA and Star Mazda programs already in place. Wilkins, who will be balancing his driving duties with completing his studies in automotive management, has also taken a hands-on role in the day-to-day operations at AIM and is eagerly anticipating his rookie Rolex campaign.

“I’m really excited about this season,” said Wilkins. “AIM is a serious and meticulous operation, and we want to show that with this Rolex effort. We have the right people in place on our Rolex program and I’m thrilled about our driver line-up. Even though we know it’s going to be an adjustment to go from an open-wheel sprint mentality to endurance racing, we know we just have to be smart about our approach. The first focus of course is to finish the 24, get the season started with some points and build our momentum from there.”

The Frisselle brothers have two Rolex 24 At Daytona starts under their belts, and will be putting their experience to good use as they once again get to share the driving duties in the January classic.

“We are both really excited about this season and getting the opportunity to race with AIM,” said Brian. “Of course they will have to learn some new things for this kind of racing, but the attitude and preparation they’ve shown in open-wheel should translate well because they’ve been successful in everything they have ever done. I’ve raced against Mark before, and I was very impressed with his approach during the Homestead test. Having Emp race with us is also a huge bonus because he’s fast, has a ton of experience, and is just a great guy, and all those things are important in a race like this.”

With an outstanding resume littered with championships, and starts in the Rolex 24 going back to 2003, Empringham knows what it takes to be successful in the twice-around-the-clock Daytona event. The Canadian native is confident that AIM has all the right pieces in place for success.

“I think we are one of the sleeper teams coming into this race,” said Empringham. “ (Team owner and lead engineer) Ian (Willis) does an excellent job. Mark is really fast, and I’ve tested with both the Frisselles, and I think they are way underrated, so I think we might have a chance to surprise some people. Usually in the 24, it’s not a question of having a flawless run as much as a question of how quickly the team can adapt when something does happen, and I think AIM is a really strong team even though this is their first time taking on the 24.”

Overseeing the AIM Autosport Rolex program will be Ian Willis, who spent the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona atop the spotters stand in support of Michael Shank Racing’s run to second place.

“I knew that we would be running the 24 in 07, so spending the entire race up there was a great way for me to learn about the flow of the race, pit stops, lapped traffic, and how the field reacted to safety car periods,” said Willis. “It was only one race, but I learned a lot up there. This is a new challenge for this team-it just requires a lot more infrastructure to operate a car for this long than what we’ve been doing, but we’ve been doing as much homework as we can to be ready. I think going with the Lexus-Riley package and having the drivers that we do, we can concentrate on just setting a good pace and try to stay out of trouble and see where we are when the sun comes up.”

About AIM Autosport:
Established in 1995, AIM Autosport operates multi-car teams competing in the Formula BMWUSA Championship and the Star Mazda Series. The company has a mandate to identify, train and manage emerging motorsport talent. AIM has provided many young drivers with a solid foundation on which to build a career in professional racing. The success of the AIM driver development programs has been achieved through the dedication of our employees and the ongoing support of our commercial and technical partners.

Away from the track, AIM Autosport serves the needs of the racing community with a purpose-built preparation shop situated in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario.

Chassis brings resume of success to AIM Autosport:
AIM Autosport’s Riley chassis was purchased from Chip Ganassi Racing and comes to the team with an impressive legacy of success, having won the Rolex Sports Car Series Championship in 2004.

AIM Autosport Alumni:
AIM has a long history of bringing drivers up through the ranks, and the alumni list reads like a who’s who in the sport: www.aimautosport.com/drivers/Alumni/Alumni.htm

Performance-Oriented:
Performance Drink, the “Official Performance Drink” of Grand Am has signed on as an associate partner for the 2007 season, and will be utilizing the relationship to develop and demonstrate the high-performance capabilities of the drink. The drivers in the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be participating in a unique program that will closely monitor their bodies’ performances throughout the enduro. More details to follow.

Partners:
AIM Autosport will reveal the 2007 livery and season-long sponsors at the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Wilkins-speed:
Wilkins made five starts in the 2006 Star Mazda Series, taking a pole, podium and three top five finishes.

Season-ending high note gives Frisselles optimism about 2007:
Burt and Brian closed out the 2006 Rolex season with Michael Shank Racing, scoring their best finish of the season with a fifth place result in the season-ending Miller Motorsports Park event.

Villarreal impresses in Indy Pro test

Courtesy Andre Villarreal Racing

MIAMI, December 29, 2006 – There never was any doubt in Andre Villarreal’s mind that he would pass his Indy Pro Series rookie test on the first try. Invited to take the wheel of one of the 420-horsepower cars over Thanksgiving weekend, Andre left the track with a new license.

Driving one of Brian Stewart Racing’s cars, the 19-year old driver took to the banked oval like a fish to water. “Andre performed admirably during his 150-mile test, taking instruction very well,” said BSR Team Manager Douglas Hoy. “He gradually built up speed until he became comfortable in what was a new experience for him. His progression throughout the test was good and right on target for a rookie driver.”

IPS Technical and Race Director Butch Meyer was also very positive after the test. “Andre was up to speed and running competitive times after just a few warm up laps,” said Meyer. “Andre was very smooth, maintained a consistent line and showed excellent car control through the entire test.”

The new license adds to the world of opportunities offered to Villarreal. “I really enjoyed my experience,” recounts Andre. “The engineer was happy with the chassis handling feedback I gave him, and I’ve been able to get to speed quickly. I think my experience in USAC Ford Focus Midgets and Skip Barber Series allowed me to bond with the car early. We’re really exploring all the different avenues for the upcoming season, and this test is opening new doors for me. I’m very grateful for the opportunity BSR and the Indy Pro Series gave me, and I’m happy I could show them what I was capable to do. I would like to give special thanks to the Vice President of Homestead Speedway, Al Garcia, and Brian Stewart for this opportunity.”

For more information about Andre Villarreal, please visit www.andrevillarreal.com, or contact him at andrevillarreal@bellsouth.net or 305-742-1528.

TV REMINDER - INDONESIAN A1GP ROUND TO AIR ON SPEED

Courtesy Stuart Morrison Public Relations

Montreal, Canada - Tuesday 2 January, 2007 - Round 5 of the 2006-07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, hosted at the Sentul International Circuit in Indonesia, will be broadcast on SPEED on Wednesday 3rd January at 4pm EST as coverage of the winter-based, nation versus nation series continues throughout North America.

A1 Team Canada left Indonesia empty-handed in last month's fifth round battle at Sentul. An eighth place finish in the Sprint race was followed by retirement for Vancouver's Sean McIntosh in the Feature event, the 21-year-old defending race champion forced out thanks to a wayward left rear tire.

With the team failing to score points for the first time since the opening round in October, Canada dropped two spots down to eighth in the Nations Standings, on 22 points, while Germany extended its lead to 12 points over Great Britain, 48-36.

A1 Team New Zealand swept the top step of the podium in both Indonesian races with Jonny Reid steering the team to its first ever A1GP victories. The team can be sure of a rapturous welcome in Round 6 as New Zealand hosts its first A1GP race weekend at the all-new 3.5km Taupo Circuit later this month, 19th-21st January, as the 2006-07 A1GP season reaches the halfway point.

Upcoming 2006-07 A1GP Broadcasts on SPEED
Wednesday 3rd January, 4pm EST: Round 5, Indonesia - Sentul
Wednesday 24th January, 4pm EST: Round 6, New Zealand - Taupo

For further TV details please log on to - www.speedtv.com / www.a1gp.com.