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- Category: Road Racing
June 16 2021
This interview was originally published on our FaceBook page on Saturday, June 12, 2021 before the IMSA GTD race.
RaceCanada's Lisa Lakian is at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and chatted with IMSA driver Jeff Kingsley on his debut at the Belle Isle circuit in just his second race with Compass Racing.
This is your first time at the Detroit Grand Prix circuit at Belle Isle. Have you been able to quickly adapt to the circuit – especially racing between the walls?
“I’ve been able to adapt pretty quickly to the circuit, but I am also new to endurance racing where you have to share the car so on a short weekend like this, you have to make the best of the limited time you have in the car. I can tell you that he Belle Isle circuit is a handful. Racing Porsche GTs cars at the Honda Indy circuit in Toronto I thought that was a bumpy but this place is definitely different. I look forward to getting racing here though.”
The car #76 Acura NSX looks to be very strong here and you had strong run in qualifying – the last of the cars with a half second of the pole. How do you think the mid-engined NSX will fair against the front-engined cars that seem to dominate the front three rows. How does the car feel overall?
“The Honda HPD Acura has some impressive results here at Detroit previous and we have that to lean on, but qualifying result was not as good as expected although we have moved up a spot to the third row. On a track that is hard to pass with not a lot of passing zones, the goal is to pass off the car to Mario who can hopefull bring it up front.”
The Compass Acura is ready to go and we’ve just come off our best finish – a fifth at Mid-Ohio so we are only looking for better from here.”
You will be starting from inside row four of the grid and the cars on the first three rows all seem to be evenly matched in performance. Does the team have a game plan on how to approach this sprint race which is less than two hours in length? Can you race to the front on pure pace or will pit strategy come into play – especially as there may only be one stop?
“From what I’ve been told, this is definitely a strategy race and fuel management is important as are pit stop time and driver change. Of course we have a plan but in racing, plans don’t always work out as anything can happen throughout the race. I had one small mistake in qualifying that cost me a tenth – and even that margin could have put me up on the second row in this competitive field.”
You are new to the series having done two races in 2020 and just one so far this year – Mid-Ohio where you had a strong 5th place result. With 8 more races to run, how do you see the rest of the year evolving for you in the series and a continued run with Compass Racing?
“Mid-Ohio was my first time in the car and I am also new to the GT3 platform, so a fifth at Mid-Ohio was a strong result which certainly makes myself and the team very confident. This is also only the second race for Compass 360 with this car which arrived at the shop just a couple of weeks before Mid-Ohio. We will continue to learn and push to the front through the rest of the season.”
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- Category: Road Racing
June 16 2021
This interview was originally published on our FaceBook page on Saturday, June 12, 2021 before the IMSA GTD race.
Lisa Lakian caught up with Daniel Morad at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and asked how the #28 Alegra Mercedes AMG team is approaching today's IMSA Weathertech race.
Lisa Lakian - You’ve not raced here since 2017 and this weekend is a very compressed schedule with not a lot of track time. Did you feel you could get into a rhythm quickly after not being on the circuit for a while?
Daniel Morad - “It was pretty quick really and I was pretty comfortable right away. It does help to have been here before and understand the Belle Isle circuit.”
The car #28 Mercedes AMG seemed to have a few handling issues during practice and qualifying and did have a few brushes with the wall – are there any ongoing issues with handling or will the car be ready to run the distance?
“Yeah, the car is being put back together right now but the guys had to work pretty hard into the night to get it sorted. This is a street circuit so you expect some dings and scrapes, but the damage was a bit more than we bargained for. The #28 Mercedes is strong though and we’ll be right in there.”
Michael will be starting the car from 9th on the grid - Do you think you can battle to be up front at the end?
“With the circuit the race could go either way – it could all go smooth, or you could have a complete mess. It can be unconventional how this race goes. There could be lots of yellows but generally speaking it’s a one stop race and the race will be off pit road. That might be how it is won or lost.”
You are currently 10th in the 2021 driver’s championship. With 8 more races to run, do you feel confident for a run at the championship this year with the mix of circuits still to come, including the street circuit at Long Beach which will be new for a lot of drivers?
“I love Long Beach and have had some success there in the past and we also have back-to-back races at Watkins Glen where the Mercedes AMG should be pretty strong. Of course it’s a mixed bag of circuits and still a long season to go. We are only at race four and the hope is we can get all the bad luck out of the way early in the year and turn it around. Other teams have had a bad start and gone on to win the championship, so I am hopeful.”
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- Category: Road Racing
June 1 2021
Danville, Viginia – Michael Di Meo makes his return to Compass Racing this coming weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, subbing for Rodrigo Sales, who has a conflict with the rescheduled ELMS event in France.
The addition of Di Meo to the No. 77 Richard Mille Acura NSX GT3 Evo reunites the 2014 World Challenge Touring Car Champion with the team he won it with. All parties are exceptionally excited for the event to get under way.
“Michael was such a fantastic champion – winning with sublime drives throughout the 2014 season – and we are thrilled to have him back, this time to co-drive with Matt McMurry,” enthused Team Owner Jill Beck.
Toronto-based Di Meo has been busy in the years since, leading a Porsche Cayman program in Canadian Touring Car, and more recently competing successfully in Porsche's GT3 Cup Canada.
“I’m so grateful to Compass for the opportunity to step up to World Challenge’s GT3 America, and have been working hard in the off-season to make the most of it,” noted Di Meo. “I’m looking forward to racing the NSX and working with Matt to get the number 77 to the front. I’m also looking forward to being in a car with Jeff Hanson’s livery, since Racing4Research was such a big part of my championship year."
The No. 77 livery pays tribute to visually-impaired philanthropic artist Jeff Hanson, who suddenly passed away last December at the age of 27 from neurofibromatosis, the genetic disorder that took his vision 15 years prior. Jeff’s art was on Compass race cars in 2014 as part of an at-track program – Racing4Research – that evolved into the Race Day Foundation in 2016.
“We ran cars featuring Jeff’s artwork throughout the 2014 season, and we’re so pleased to have Michael back with us in a Hanson-liveried car,” remarked Beck. “I think Michael and Matt will make great team-mates, and after a couple of difficult weekends in the first two rounds, we’re looking for race wins."
The third weekend of the 2021 GT World Challenge America season starts June 4th at VIRginia International Raceway. Live streaming, news updates and live timing are available at https://www.gt-world-challenge-america.com
About Compass Racing
Compass Racing is a professional motorsports operation that competes in top-level sportscar series in North America. Based in San Diego, California, the multiple championship-winning team has fielded cars in IMSA's WeatherTech Championship, the Michelin Pilot Challenge, SRO GT World Challenge America, GT Celebration and Canadian Touring Car. The squad is one of the continent’s longest-running teams, having competed at the pro level continually since January 2004. For details visit www.compassracing.com
About Honda Performance Development
Honda Performance Development, Inc., (HPD) has a rich heritage creating, manufacturing, and supporting Honda Racing and Acura Motorsports customers since 1993. From pinnacle racing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and IMSA Sports Cars to commercial racing programs, HPD powers the dreams of professional and amateur racers. HPD is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and leads all of Honda and Acura’s high-performance racing programs in North America. HPD specializes in the design and development of race engines, chassis and performance parts, as well as technical/race support across a wide palette of racing programs that make Honda racing products available to amateur and professional racers alike, from karting and Quarter Midgets to the highest levels of sportscar and open-wheel racing: https://hpd.honda.com
About Richard Mille
The first watch to carry Richard Mille’s name, the RM 001 Tourbillon, launched the millennium: the year was 2001, and the model marked the beginning of a new era in watchmaking. Today, the collection points resolutely towards the future, while holding steadfast to the time-honored traditions of fine watchmaking. Richard Mille endeavored to apply the techniques and materials found in the most innovative sectors such as in the domains of F1 racing car development and the aerospace industry to watchmaking, with the goal of creating an extreme timepiece, without compromise, without gimmicks. https://www.richardmille.com
About Ebullition Brew Works
Ebullition Brew Works is at the crest of Southern California’s craft brewery wave. With more breweries on tap than any other county, rising to the top requires the blending of quality ingredients, expertise and experience. Voted Best North County Brewery by San Diego Magazine in 2018, Ebullition opened its Gastro-lounge in Bressi Ranch to rave reviews earlier this year, joining its industrial-chic brewery in Vista as one of the “must-visit” locations in San Diego. For details visit www.ebullitionbrew.com
About AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology
AERO Advanced Paint Technology™ is an environmentally sustainable paint applique that eliminates the need for harmful sprayers. AERO was initially designed for The Boeing Company as a lightweight paint film technology for the 787 Dreamliner. As such, the technology provides significant performance gains in weight reduction while enabling the finish to be a fully strippable system. AERO has proven to be successful in the motorsports industry due to the ease of install, significant weight savings, and enhanced durability. For details visit http://rethinkpaint.com
About The Race Day Foundation
The Race Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) for-good foundation, offering children and families living with life-threatening illness a "day away" from their daily challenges. By harnessing the power of the racing and automotive communities, we are able to provide a uniquely empowering, hope-filled Race Day - a positive experience shared by patients, parents and siblings alike. Learn more at http://racedayfoundation.org
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- Category: Road Racing
June 8 2021
ST Racing secured another podium in TC America at the Virginia International Raceway on a weekend when its BMW M4 GT4 also shined in the headlining GT4 America Series.
The weekend got off to a superb start when Nick Wittmer, once again on substitute duties in place of Bryson Lew, set a storming 1m 54.364s in first qualifying, netting the #38 BMW M4 GT4 3rd on the grid for race one. This marks ST Racing’s strongest qualifying performance of the year in the GT4 America Series.
With momentum on his side, Nick made an equally impressive start to race one, moving the ST Racing BMW M4 GT4 into 2nd overall with a resolute pass into turn one. The sheer might of the BMW’s 3-litre M TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder allowed Nick to keep the leader in his sights down VIR’s awesome back straight. Contact shortly afterwards however ultimately meant this pace would not last, though both Nick and teammate Tomas Mejia gamely managed to bring the #38 BMW home 6th in the Silver class.
A truncated second qualifying session meant Tomas Mejia started 23rd overall for race two, but the young Californian, still in his maiden GT4 season with ST Racing, put on a fighting display during his opening stint on Sunday morning, passing 10 cars on-track before bringing the #38 BMW in for the regulatory pit stop. Unfortunately, whilst running 2nd in-class, Nick Wittmer was forced to serve a drive-through penalty. Proving his pace on Saturday was no flash in the pan, Nick dutifully brought the M4 home 11th overall – 12 positions up from its starting position – and 4th in the Silver class.
Samantha Tan meanwhile, back for her second TC America race weekend of the season in the sister BMW M2 CS, continued to showcase her ever-developing pace and maturity across both 40-minute races at VIR. Having qualified 5th in the TCX class for race one, Samantha made a bold move down the back-straight on the opening lap to move into 4th. Despite an off-track moment late in the race, ‘assisted’ as she was by three cars going side-by-side into turn one, Samantha nevertheless managed to secure a solid 5th in-class at the flag. On Sunday, another feisty start meant the #438 M2 was in the thick of the fight for 3rd place from the get-go, Samantha dutifully taking the position when her principal opponents ran wide on lap two. A heavy clash in the race’s TCA category meant race two was eventually red-flagged, thus securing Samantha Tan her third podium finish from four TC America starts so far in 2021.
Kenneth Tan, team principal: “The weekend at VIR was quite eventful, to say the least, and allowed the whole team to demonstrate each and everyone’s passion and skills. From our mechanics carrying out a meticulous repair on our damaged #38 BMW in record time with less than two hours before false grid closes, to the drivers executing our strategy skillfully in both races. We especially got the car in top form during the second GT4 SprintX race and were P2 overall after half-time. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the officiating, and their lacklustre performance robbed us of our win in the GT4 Silver class and a potential top three finish overall. In the end, after showing video evidence, the officials admitted their mistake but that doesn’t do much when the race is over. This also happened at the last race in CotA and these recurring oversights are quite frustrating especially when we spend tens of thousands of dollars to come for a race weekend only to be upended by spotty officiating. I can only hope that the series reviews their procedures and makes a concerted effort to minimize these errors in the near future as they are very costly for the teams while there is no jeopardy for their mistakes.”
Samantha Tan, team owner / driver: “This weekend was a bit tough for me! Switching from the M4 GT4 to the M2CS was difficult in terms of braking. My left foot is so used to pushing 90psi in the hard braking zones but there is a brake booster in the M2CS, so it felt like it took next to nothing for me to get to the threshold brake zone. VIR is a momentum track too, so over-braking took a big toll on my lap times. Although I kept improving each session, I wasn’t completely satisfied with my performance, despite the amazing car ST Racing prepared for me. I had some amazing battles in race one, including an incredible push for P3 after the restart, but due to a serious crash, the race was red flagged and I finished P5. In race two, I put my head down and continued working on the corners I struggled with. I capitalized on an early incident and put the car in P3 before another red flag came out. I hoped that it would go green again, but am incredibly happy to have podium finish and end the weekend on a high note!”
Tomas Mejia, driver: “VIR really tested the team’s abilities. We started the weekend strong with a fast car during practice day and Nick set a blazing lap during qualifying to take P3. However, with old tires in my session against everyone’s new set, it was difficult to put down a competitive time. The push for that lap ultimately bumped the car into a tire wall. Although minor damage was sustained, there was little time to make repairs. But the team made a quick decision to fix the car rather than switch entirely, and put on an excellent display of skill to do the work needed in less than two hours. I don’t think many other teams could’ve done that. The first race, however, was over as quickly as it began as our car was hit at the beginning which messed up our alignment. In race two, we started 23rd, and with new tires, the car felt phenomenal and was on rails throughout the whole stint. It was the most fun I’ve had driving the BMW M4 yet, and I worked my way up to 13th with some passes I’m personally very proud of before handing the car over to Nick. Unfortunately, after a poorly given penalty, we had to serve a drive through. Nonetheless I’m still happy with P4 in-class after a roller coaster of a weekend. I’m happy to be a part of ST Racing. Luck and skill were tested, but we’ll learn from this one and we’ll be strong at Road America.”
Nick Wittmer, driver: “This weekend, we qualified well and in race one we had a very good car and a very good start. I got into 2nd place at turn one, until, on the exit of turn two, I was hit in the left rear which bent the tow in by 10mm. We continued on, doing the best we could until I was hit again – in the right rear this time – which knocked that toe in by 8mm. So our alignment was way off for a track like VIR, but we still managed to bring the car home in a decent position and bank some points. The crew did a fantastic job getting everything fixed quickly and on Sunday we had an amazing car once again. Tomas made a great start, kept the car clean and made a lot of passes, going from 23rd to 13th. Then at the restart, one car ahead of us suddenly slowed down, almost like it had broken down, and that meant three cars, including our #38 BMW, had to take avoiding action. These three cars were wrongly penalized for passing before the start/finish line and had to serve drive-throughs, which was really unfortunate for us. We caught back up to 4th in class, but a yellow flag at the end prevented me from fighting for 2nd in-class, and maybe even the win. The weekend was still a good one for us though, finishing well and bringing home points. But we know we had the pace to run first place in both races. Luck just wasn’t on our side this weekend.”
ST Racing will next be in action at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal for the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO on 16-17-18 July, the latest round of this year’s 24H SERIES. The next round of the GT4 America Series meanwhile will be at Road America on 27-28-29 August.
Everyone at ST Racing would also like to send their best wishes to Mark Pombo following his frightening accident in race one in TC America.
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- Category: Road Racing
May 30 2021
Indianapolis, Indiana – Given that rain had disrupted the Friday schedule, Thomas Nepveu and his #2 Cromwell | Karting Excellence | Home Hardware car prepared by Cape Motorsports took the start of the “Cooper Tire Freedom 75” this morning (Saturday) on the Lucas Oil Raceway. This was his first start on an oval track, as he started 16th and gave us one of his patented super starts to move up to 15th place, which he held until the 31st lap of the race. He then held on to that position until lap 60 when he moved up to 14th position, where he eventually finished.
Thursday (May 27) was an important day for Thomas Nepveu: he covered some 150 laps over the two practice sessions in order to build his confidence in himself and in his car's capabilities and worked with his team to fine-tune the set-up as his level of experience and confidence grew throughout the day.
“On Thursday, Thomas improved in every session and his best laps were in qualifying, I am sure he has more confidence for the race. On Saturday, Thomas approached the race with the correct attitude. He had a good start and fought tooth-and-nail for 75 laps. He matched his qualifying time in race trim. It was a very good performance for his first oval race.” declared Dominic Cape, the president of Cape Motorsports, after the race.
Thomas Nepveu Talks About His Experiences On The Track
"Our goal in Thursday's practice was to gain confidence on the oval and understand the potential of my #2 Cromwell | Karting Excellence | Home Hardware car. The team added downforce for the second practice session, and I felt more comfortable in that session and in qualifying.
"In the race, my confidence continued to grow as the car worked perfectly, with the same set-up as my teammate Michael D'Orlando who took the win. I was ready to attack towards the halfway point of the race, but the lack of caution periods didn't allow me to move up to the front in the relatively heavy traffic around me in the final third of the race.
"I worked hard on my driving precision and staying focused throughout the race in order not to make any mistakes. I've learned a lot and I can't wait to get back to an oval track and apply the experience I gained today," explained Thomas Nepveu, the sole Canadian driver in this series.
Oval racing is an integral part of IndyCar, the target series for Thomas Nepveu. It makes sense for a development series like the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship to visit such a track to prepare the young drivers for the high-speed oval tracks visited by the IndyCar Series, such as Indianapolis, Texas Motor Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway.
Next event – June 17 to 20 – Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin)
Thomas Nepveu and Cape Motorsports will be back on track with the #2 Cromwell | Karting Excellence | Home Hardware car from June 17 to 20 for the Road America event.
Breakfast Club of Canada
Thomas Nepveu is honoured to join to the Breakfast Club of Canada cause. He will add his name to a list of ambassadors dedicated to highlighting food insecurity among Canadian children and will participate in various fundraising events.
To make a donation on Thomas Nepveu's page: https://give.breakfastclubcanada.org/thomas-nepveu-pilote-de-course-professionnel-et-ambassadeur-du-club
Thomas Nepveu Partners
Cromwell
Cromwell is a private real-estate company active since 1986 in the multi-residential, office and commercial/ shopping centre segments.
Karting Excellence
A major reseller of sophisticated, up-to-date kart simulators, as well as offering driving courses for simulated racing, and kart track software development, based on liDAR technology.
Richelieu Hardware
Richelieu Hardware is the leading distributor of hardware products in North America, with over 80 points-of-sale across the continent.
Pétrole Bélanger
Transport, maintenance and delivery of petroleum and propane gas products to residential, commercial, and agriculture customers in the major Quebec regions for more than 65 years!
Home Hardware
With more than 1,000 independently owned outlets, Home Hardware is the most important distributor of renovation products in Canada.
Hamster
The largest Canadian-owned distributor of office products, which includes the Novexco commercial division.
PL-100
PL-100 with anti-friction treatment is the best all-purpose penetrating lubricant on the market. Its action is faster, longer lasting and more efficient than that of its competitors. PL-100 is a product from Prolab, a family-owned Quebec company established in 1985.
Ionik
This Quebec-based maker of sports-oriented clothing places a special emphasis on respect for the environment.
Centre de Médecine sportive de Laval
The Centre de Médecine sportive de Laval uses over 100 health professionals to deliver personalized medical services of the highest order to athletes of all levels.
King Canada
Canada’s leading distributor of woodworking, metalworking, automotive and material handling machinery, tools, equipment and accessories.
Festidrag Development
Under the leadership of Martin D’Anjou, this production and promotion house assist in the development of Canadian drivers’ careers, on as well as off the tracks.
The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship
Managed and promoted by Andersen Promotions, LCC, the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship is the first step in the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, and leads on to more advanced stages in quicker, more competitive series: the Indy Pro F2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, including the Indianapolis 500 and the top level in single-seater car racing in America. The champions of the three lower series earn major scholarships each year to help fund their next season in the Road to Indy program.
Cape Motorsports
Cape Motorsports prepares cars and provides trackside stewardship for drivers who rent one of their cars (Up to four) in the Cooper Tires USF2000 series. The team offers an unparalleled driver development program that includes training with simulators, as well as teaching driving techniques and race strategies. It is always difficult for a young driver to get into a professional series and make his mark, let alone win, no matter how talented he or she may be. With the coaching and mentoring provided by Cape Motorsports, new drivers acquire all the knowledge required to achieve maximum success quickly and efficiently.
The Road to Indy Program
The Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires program offers an entry level series into professional racing, the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship. From there, drivers move on to the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, which uses a more refined and quicker version of the USF2000 car. The drivers then move on to the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Series, using a much more powerful, much quicker and more complex car to set up and drive, in preparation for their move to America's top single-seaters, the super-fast NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
The Cooper Tires USF2000 Car
This series uses a standardized Tatuus USF-17 chassis which delivers an exciting level of performance and is a logical step up from the lower learner series to continue the development of young drivers.
The car features:
· A carbon fibre and aluminum honeycomb safety cell for the driver and the fuel tank, and carbon-fibre bodywork and wings
· A sealed two-litre (175 HP) engine and a six-speed sequential gearbox with steering-mounted paddle shifters
· Adjustable suspensions and front-rear brake bias
· Bespoke Cooper Tires
· A dry weight of 500 kg
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