IMSA Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix AMERICA’S TIRE 250
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IMSA Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix AMERICA’S TIRE 250
Scuderia Corsa Returning to Site of Professional Debut in Search of Victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
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Scuderia Corsa No. 63
Alessandro Balzan
Christina Nielsen
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Back in 2012, just a few days after the historic merger between GRAND-AM and the American Le Mans Series was announced, the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series raced at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
The 2.238-mile circuit in Monterey, California hosts the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix this weekend, with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship headlining the weekend in Sunday’s AMERICA’S TIRE 250. The race will be televised live on FS1 at 5 p.m. ET. IMSA Radio also will have live coverage on IMSA.com, RadioLeMans.com and SiriusXM Radio.
A new Ferrari 458 appeared on the entry list for that GRAND-AM race in 2012, from a then-unknown team to professional sports car racing fans, Scuderia Corsa, and a new driver, Alessandro Balzan. The team’s other driver was the much more well-known Olivier Beretta – a six-time ALMS champion. But it wouldn’t take Balzan or the team long to make themselves known.
Balzan drove the No. 63 Ferrari in qualifying and promptly put it on the class pole position for the two-hour, 45-minute race. The next day, Balzan led during his opening stint, but the team was ultimately caught out by the timing of a full-course caution, leading to a fourth-place race result.
They made an even bigger impression in 2013, when Balzan and Scuderia Corsa took the final Rolex Series GT championship. That year, Balzan earned another two pole positions – at Circuit of The Americas and Road America – and claimed his first victory alongside co-driver Jeff Westphal at Kansas Speedway.
The Kansas victory was the lone win of the season, but the team finished inside the top five in nine of 12 races, and on the podium five times. The team appears to be following a similar blueprint in the WeatherTech Championship GT Daytona (GTD) class this year.
Balzan and his No. 63 Ferrari 488 GT3 co-driver Christina Nielsen – with whom he co-drove to the 2016 GTD title – go into this weekend’s penultimate round of the season with a 13-point lead over second-place Jeroen Bleekemolen in the championship standings. Remarkably, the No. 63 team hasn’t yet won a race this season, but did have a run of six consecutive podium finishes and has finished fifth or better in eight of 10 races so far.
So, what can we expect from the team this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca?
“We had a great race there last year finishing P2, but we’re in a different position now,” Nielsen said. “As opposed to last year (when the Mazda Raceway round was held in May), this round is the second-to-last, and with a championship lead to defend, so the strategy might be a bit different. As a team, we’re still looking for a victory, that’s what we aim for, so we’re ready to give it our all and make the best out of it.”
Balzan agrees. He’d love to score a victory this weekend, especially at the racetrack where he made his debut five years ago.
“Heading to Laguna Seca, there’s always a special sentiment for myself in particular,” he said. “It’s where both the team and myself made our debut, and to show up and take a pole in our first-ever weekend was a great way to mark our arrival. It’s been history ever since.”
Indeed it has. Last year, the team won its class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and another of sports car racing’s crown jewels, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida, among other major victories in the WeatherTech Championship and elsewhere.
In fact, the Beverly Hills-based team is looking for its third straight WeatherTech Championship GTD title this year, as Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell won it with the team in 2015 before last year’s championship for Balzan and Nielsen.
“This year is particularly special on the marking of Ferrari’s 70th anniversary, and nothing would be sweeter than delivering our fourth championship to celebrate it,” said Scuderia Corsa Founder Giacomo Mattioli. “It’s amazing to think that our first venture in pro racing began at this very place five years ago, but I couldn’t be more appreciative of what everyone has done to put the team in this position.
“We’re very focused on winning this championship and continuing to battle for wins, and of course, with 200 guests on hand, we all know how important it is to deliver for our partners and fans.”
On-track preparations for the WeatherTech Championship get under way Friday with a pair of hour-long practice sessions, beginning at 10 a.m. PT and 2:50 p.m. PT, respectively. A third practice session opens Saturday’s schedule at 8 a.m. PT ahead of qualifying at 11:30 a.m. PT. IMSA.com will provide live coverage for every session.
Tickets for the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix are available at MazdaRaceway.com.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Google+
Tags:
Scuderia Corsa No. 63
Alessandro Balzan
Christina Nielsen
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Back in 2012, just a few days after the historic merger between GRAND-AM and the American Le Mans Series was announced, the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series raced at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
The 2.238-mile circuit in Monterey, California hosts the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix this weekend, with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship headlining the weekend in Sunday’s AMERICA’S TIRE 250. The race will be televised live on FS1 at 5 p.m. ET. IMSA Radio also will have live coverage on IMSA.com, RadioLeMans.com and SiriusXM Radio.
A new Ferrari 458 appeared on the entry list for that GRAND-AM race in 2012, from a then-unknown team to professional sports car racing fans, Scuderia Corsa, and a new driver, Alessandro Balzan. The team’s other driver was the much more well-known Olivier Beretta – a six-time ALMS champion. But it wouldn’t take Balzan or the team long to make themselves known.
Balzan drove the No. 63 Ferrari in qualifying and promptly put it on the class pole position for the two-hour, 45-minute race. The next day, Balzan led during his opening stint, but the team was ultimately caught out by the timing of a full-course caution, leading to a fourth-place race result.
They made an even bigger impression in 2013, when Balzan and Scuderia Corsa took the final Rolex Series GT championship. That year, Balzan earned another two pole positions – at Circuit of The Americas and Road America – and claimed his first victory alongside co-driver Jeff Westphal at Kansas Speedway.
The Kansas victory was the lone win of the season, but the team finished inside the top five in nine of 12 races, and on the podium five times. The team appears to be following a similar blueprint in the WeatherTech Championship GT Daytona (GTD) class this year.
Balzan and his No. 63 Ferrari 488 GT3 co-driver Christina Nielsen – with whom he co-drove to the 2016 GTD title – go into this weekend’s penultimate round of the season with a 13-point lead over second-place Jeroen Bleekemolen in the championship standings. Remarkably, the No. 63 team hasn’t yet won a race this season, but did have a run of six consecutive podium finishes and has finished fifth or better in eight of 10 races so far.
So, what can we expect from the team this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca?
“We had a great race there last year finishing P2, but we’re in a different position now,” Nielsen said. “As opposed to last year (when the Mazda Raceway round was held in May), this round is the second-to-last, and with a championship lead to defend, so the strategy might be a bit different. As a team, we’re still looking for a victory, that’s what we aim for, so we’re ready to give it our all and make the best out of it.”
Balzan agrees. He’d love to score a victory this weekend, especially at the racetrack where he made his debut five years ago.
“Heading to Laguna Seca, there’s always a special sentiment for myself in particular,” he said. “It’s where both the team and myself made our debut, and to show up and take a pole in our first-ever weekend was a great way to mark our arrival. It’s been history ever since.”
Indeed it has. Last year, the team won its class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and another of sports car racing’s crown jewels, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida, among other major victories in the WeatherTech Championship and elsewhere.
In fact, the Beverly Hills-based team is looking for its third straight WeatherTech Championship GTD title this year, as Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell won it with the team in 2015 before last year’s championship for Balzan and Nielsen.
“This year is particularly special on the marking of Ferrari’s 70th anniversary, and nothing would be sweeter than delivering our fourth championship to celebrate it,” said Scuderia Corsa Founder Giacomo Mattioli. “It’s amazing to think that our first venture in pro racing began at this very place five years ago, but I couldn’t be more appreciative of what everyone has done to put the team in this position.
“We’re very focused on winning this championship and continuing to battle for wins, and of course, with 200 guests on hand, we all know how important it is to deliver for our partners and fans.”
On-track preparations for the WeatherTech Championship get under way Friday with a pair of hour-long practice sessions, beginning at 10 a.m. PT and 2:50 p.m. PT, respectively. A third practice session opens Saturday’s schedule at 8 a.m. PT ahead of qualifying at 11:30 a.m. PT. IMSA.com will provide live coverage for every session.
Tickets for the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix are available at MazdaRaceway.com.
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Keystone Motor Club (Founded 2012)... Free car show Every 3rd Saturday, newsletter is
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/e...-car-club.html
Keystone Facebook ...click: "Keystone Motor Car Club"
Port Richey Rod Run at Coast Buick GMC Coming May 25 2024
https://carstoshow.com/registerevent.aspx?eventid=99114
50's Diner US19.... A Florida Attraction.
1730 US-19, Holiday Fl 34691 click: https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/t...-racing.html CHRA sanctioned cruise-in.
Cruise-In; Free; Every Saturday 5-8PM plus 10% off the whole menu to cruisers
All Cars Every 2nd Saturday Free Breakfast: Since 2015 and more. click: https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/e...ast-tampa.html
Tampa Racing.com covers the Tampa car scene and supports many fund raisers, worthy causes and events that enrich our community. We hope you enjoy them all.
What do I do? ---- on-site *Aftermarket* spring/suspension installations --- on-site impact wrenching---street lowering with your own stock springs...........True Bi-xenon HID projector headlight conversions........ Much more at Bob's Garage!
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/b...ontact-us.html
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/b...e-senor-honda/
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