GMG Racing Press Release
SANTA ANA, Calif. (June 30, 2013)- Following a four-week break from action in the Pirelli World Championship, Global Motorsports Group (GMG) returns to their “second home” during next weekend’s Northeastern Grand Prix at the famed Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut.
While previous rounds have seen the team running multiple cars in both the series’ GT and GTS categories, Lime Rock will see the team consolidating to GT only, with team regular Bill Ziegler making the move to the Audi R8 LMS. Despite Ziegler’s lack of testing in the car, GMG’s philosophy of complete data sharing among all cars, as well as driver coaching, should serve the Floridian well.
“We’re very happy to see Bill make the move to our Audi R8 LMS program,” stated team owner James Sofronas. “He has so much experience in this series that his input into the Audi program will be extremely valuable, and similarly we look forward to sharing our data with him to get him up to speed as quickly as possible. We were enjoying the development program in GTS with the No. 95, but I think ultimately everyone here realized what a better opportunity existed with our Audi program.”
For Sofronas, racing the No. 14 Mobil 1 / Children’s Tumor Foundation Audi R8 LMS at Lime Rock is somewhat of a homecoming for the driver and team owner. Originally from nearby Pound Ridge, New York, many of James’ early career highlights came from the circuit. From running some of his first ever races at Lime Rock, to taking his first professional podium there, heading to his “original home track” as the Pirelli World Challenge GT point leader is a special feeling. Having gone to school just two hours away in Babson College, many of James’ fellow alumni will be cheering him on.
“Lime Rock has so many special memories for me,” stated Sofronas. “From being the place that really gave me the racing bug, to taking my first big podium, it’s great to return home. I still have many friends and family there who come out for this one, so it’s always a special event where we want to show well.”
Also in search of showing well, Duncan Ende heads to Lime Rock in strong contention for his first podium. During his last visit to a permanent road course in Austin, Duncan’s No. 24 STANDD / Merchant Services, Ltd. Audi R8 LMS showed particularly well. In both Austin rounds, the Los Angeles native was within the top three before running into bad luck. Pulling double duty this weekend with both the Pirelli World Challenge and the American Le Mans Series, Ende hopes to finally come home with some hardware.
“It would be really nice to break through to the podium,” stated the Californian. “We’ve been so close in every round, it’s just a matter of everything finally coming together. Lime Rock has a lot of great memories for me and it’s a track I have a lot of experience at, so I’m hoping all this will translate into good results.”
Heading to Lime Rock for his GT debut in 2013, Bill Ziegler looks forward to debuting the No. 95 Swisher Racing Audi R8 LMS. Having moved on from the GTS Pontiac program after Detroit, the Florida native hopes that his years of experience at Lime Rock will overcome his limited time with the Audi.
“It should be an interesting experience for sure,” stated Ziegler. “The success of GMG’s Audi program speaks for itself, so there’s no doubt I’ll have a great car with a great team. Admittedly, I haven’t had much time in the car so it’s hard to say just what to expect, but luckily Lime Rock is a track I know very well. I really appreciate the team getting everything ready for me and hopefully it will be a great debut.”
Rounding out the lineup will be Alex Welch, returning to the team after skipping the Detroit race due to prior commitments. Welch, who also ran impressively in the No. 08 Spyder / Lasso Audi R8 LMS during the team’s last visit to a permanent road course, is aiming for a podium spot on a track he is very familiar with.
“It will be nice to finally get back on track in the Audi,” stated Welch. “It’s been a long break for me, and I definitely think this is a track where we can all show well. In Austin, we were threatening the top five for much of the event, and this track should be a great place for everything to really break through for us.”
As a homecoming, a debut event, and return to action for the team, Lime Rock will play a crucial role in the team’s championship pursuit. Race one will take place on Friday, July 5, with round two taking place on Saturday, July 6. Live coverage can be seen at www.world-challengetv.com, or you can see television highlights on NBC Sports on Saturday, July 20, at 4PM ET.
About GMG
Founded in 2001 by James Sofronas and Fabryce Kutyba, GMG has quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning and racing facility. What began as a small 1200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in (Orange County) Santa Ana, California. The staff's experience, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts world wide. Whether you want to maximize the performance of your street car, or race wheel-to-wheel on both amateur and professional racing series across North America, GMG’s reputation for service and quality is unmatched.
Learn more at www.gmgracing.com
About Mobil 1
Conventional oil is simply refined crude oil. Mobil 1 synthetic oil, however, is not only refined, but it is also distilled, purified, and broken down into its basic molecules. It is then rebuilt and added to, so that it can better protect against wear, high heat, cold weather and sludge buildup. Ultimately, this process helps your car’s engine run better for longer. You can explore more about these benefits below.
Learn more at www.mobiloil.com
About Lasso
Lasso is a request-based, sharing network predicated on a very simple idea: You have something that I want—and you may not even know it until I ask for it. With so much content cluttering our phones, tablets, PCs and social networks, it can be difficult to seek out and find the specific items of interest to you. Friends or colleagues may not share this content with you directly because they’re drowning in data overload themselves. Often, these friends aren’t sure exactly what you want. Lasso makes it easy for you to round up the digital content you want from friends—simply by asking for it. By putting the onus on the requester, instead of the person holding the content, you’ll be in a much better position to actually receive the digital content you’re interested in.
Learn more at www.lasso.me
About Merchant Services Ltd.
In 2001 Merchant Services Ltd. was founded with three basic principles in mind: quality, service, and commitment. Inspired by our racing heritage we pride ourself in providing the highest level of customer service and support 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Merchant Services Ltd. develops long term relationships with both our merchants and banking partners allowing us to have the highest customer retention rate in the industry. Founded by a professional race car driver, innovation and efficiency have always been our core competencies, ensuring that our merchants receive the cutting edge solutions their businesses need.
Learn more at www.merchantservicesltd.com
About Spyder
Spyder was founded by avid skier and outdoor athlete David Jacobs. He rose to world-class rankings as a competitive skier, and stayed connected to the sport he loves by coaching, designing related products, and building one of the most powerful brands in the industry. His dedication to the sport of skiing and the Spyder brand is as inspiring as it is intriguing. Spyder's growth exploded over the turn of the century, and the company is now the largest ski-specialty brand in the world. David has recently discovered the adrenaline rush in racing classic Formula One cars, finding success - not surprisingly - in this new pastime. For a man who's thrived on sports, technology, and professional advancement, the world is sure to see David go a few more times around the track.
Learn more at www.spyder.com
About STANDD
Stop Texting And Distracted Driving (STANDD) was founded by Diveeta Thompson, whose son Rodney lost his life while driving. There were numerous factors that played a factor - speed, music, and texting. In an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving, Diveeta founded STANDD and has been working diligently throughout her home state of Indiana and nationally through Duncan Ende's motorsports program to spread the message of the dangers of distracted driving. STANDD also promotes the Rodney O. Thompson II Scholarship, which was established to help young people fulfill their goal of attending college after high school.
Learn more at www.standd.org
Learn more at www.racersroast.com
About Swisher
The company began in 1861 when David Swisher received a small cigar business in settlement of a debt. Back then, cigars were only a sideline for Swisher and his four sons, just one of many products that they hawked across the Midwest for the “rolling stores” or wagons. Today, Swisher International, Inc. is a leader in the tobacco business, accounting for one-third of the United States' cigar sales and is America’s largest cigar exporter.
Learn more at www.swisher.com
Photo credit: Pirelli World Challenge
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