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Standing Start Driver Chris Cumming Continues Winning Ways at Watkins Glen |
Watkins Glen, NY (June 10, 2008)--
Standing Start coached driver Chris Cumming, of Vancounver, British Columbia, continued his wiining ways in capturing the Expert Class victory in Round Three of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at Watkins Glen.
The 2007 Star Mazda West Coast Champion increased his points lead inthe class standgins and sits just outside the top-ten int he overall championship after posting an eleventh place finish at the historic 3.4-mile road circuit during the Grand AM Sahlen's Six Hours at the Glen race weekend.
"I want to thank my mechanic Virgil, my engineer John Olsen, and my Standing Start driver coach Mikel Miller for all their hard work this weekend in getting me onto the podium," Cumming said afterwards. "Their dedication has really paid off this season."
Round Three of the championship can be seen on Speed Channel on June 21st at 11:00 AM Eastern Time. |
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Standing Start Driver Taylor Hacquard finishes Sixth Place at Miller |
Vancouver, Canada (May 18, 2008)--
Vancouver’s Taylor Hacquard continues to impress in the 2008 Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear as the 18-year-old rookie, the lone front-running Canadian in the series, wrapped up a sixth place finish in Round 2, Saturday 17th May, at the stunning Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.
Hacquard, racing the #15 Wolfe Auto Group / World Speed Motorsports entry, belied his lack of experience behind the wheel of the 240bhp Star Mazda racer as he proved to be a front-runner throughout the weekend in just his second ever open-wheel race start. The teenager showcased his pace straight off the back of the trailer in Thursday’s promoter practice sessions where he was second fastest from the 31-car field in both the opening sessions.
Friday’s official practice sessions again saw Taylor at the sharp end of the action, completing both outings comfortably in the top-ten against his more experienced rivals with Saturday set to be a busy day with qualifying in the morning followed by the afternoon’s 22-lap charge around Miller Motorsport Park’s 3.08-mile Perimeter road course.
Having just missed out on a top-ten start in Round 1 at Sebring in March, Taylor qualifying 12th before scoring an encouraging ninth place finish on his debut, the Canadian aimed to translate his Miller test pace into an equally solid grid slot. His best lap time, a 1:45.431s (104.076mph), ended the 30-minute session as the seventh fastest time with pole position going to Atlantic Championship refugee John Edwards, courtesy of a 1:43.650s lap (105.864mph) from the young American.
The afternoon’s standing start enabled Hacquard to launch himself off the line and he rocketed through to fourth on the opening lap. He subsequently protected his position until an early full course caution slowed the field. Losing a spot at the re-start, Taylor then dropped back to sixth as his car’s set-up failed to optimize track conditions mid-race.
“I’m really pleased with the way my season’s started,” reflected Hacquard. I initially set out with the goal to finish races and just gain some experience as this is my first season competing in open-wheel racing. To have finished ninth at Sebring then sixth here at Miller definitely exceeds my expectations. I’m on a pretty steep learning curve compared to some of the competition but it’s been an awesome start to the year. I’m enjoying working with the World Speed crew and I’ve had some great coaching from my Standing Start coach Scott Bradley. I can’t wait to get going again at Watkins Glen next month!”
Round 3 of the 2008 Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear takes place at the historic Watkins Glen Circuit in New York, Friday 6th – Saturday 7th June 2008 – www.starmazda.com
www.taylorhacquard.com |
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Chris Cumming Captures Class Victory at Sebring |
Sebring, FL (March 14, 2008)--
Standing Start coached driver Chris Cumming, of Vancounver, British Columbia, captured the Expert Class victory at Sebring International Raceway in Round One of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear during the historic 12-hours of Sebring race weekend.
Driving the #16 Inviro Medical World Speed Motorsports entry, the 2007 Star Mazda West Coast Series Champion recorded an eighteeth place finish overall to lead the class for drivers aged 30 through 44. "I have to thank my Standing Start coach Mikel Miller and everyone at World Speed Motorsports for a great start to the 2008 season," Cumming commented following the race. "The car was great and Mikel was able to help me focus on smooth, mistake free laps during the race and help me climb onto the podium."
Fellow Standing Start customer and Vancouver resident, Taylor Hacquard drove a smart race, finishing eighth overall in the #15 Wolfe Auto Group World Speed Mazda as he begins his quest for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. "We came into the weekend knowing that the field was really competitive," Hacquard said. "My coach Scott Bradley won the 2001 Star Mazda Championship and his advice during the weekend helped me exceed my goals for the opening race with a top ten finish to start the year."
Round One of the Championship can be seen on Speed Channel on Sunday, March 30th at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. |
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Dane Cameron Tops Atlantic Pre-Season Time Sheets at Mazda Raceway |
Monterey, CA (March 11, 2008)--
Standing Start instructor and 2007 Star Mazda Series Champion Dane Cameron topped the time sheets at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca both days of the official two day test conducted by the Cooper Tires Atlantic Championship presented by Mazda. Driving for Genoa Racing, Cameron set the fastest lap on both days, with the overall fast time of 1:15.447 (106.788 mph) in Tuesday's morning session.
"It's great momentum," Cameron said. "I struggled a little bit in Sebring and some of the other tests so far. It was great to get a bunch of momentum and do really well, and to prove that we're going to be really quick the whole year. I'm still looking to finalize something for the rest of the season, but it was really, really productive. Most of the changes we made yesterday and all morning, we were getting faster and faster. This afternoon, the track was a bit strange. It was kind of going back and forth, with a lot of cloud cover coming on and off and a number of red flags and stuff like that. I don't really feel like we had a great run in the afternoon, but we still weren't terrible. We weren't quickest in the afternoon session, but we were quickest overall. It's been a really good two days. We'll see where the next test ends up being, but even so, it's a great bit of momentum to put everything from last week behind me and start moving forward and driving again. I'm sure looking forward to Long Beach now."
Due to the withdrawal of his former team from the Atlantic series, rising star and 2007 Pro Mazda Champion Dane Cameron joined Genoa Racing for this second round of testing, and has announced that he will join the team for the 2008 championship.
"I am extremely excited to join Genoa Racing for the 2008 season," Cameron stated. "The Mazda Raceway test was awesome. I felt like the entire team and I gelled right away and we were able to improve the car throughout the test and being quickest over the two days was just an added bonus. I am really looking forward to taking that momentum to MSR and into the season. I have to thank Angelo Ferro, Tom Knapp and the entire Genoa team for this opportunity to join their team." |
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Star Mazda Winter Series Racers Battle it out in the Rainy Desert |
Phoenix, AZ (December 10, 2007)--
Races three and four of the Star Mazda Winter Series took place this weekend at Firebird International Raceway. Under constant changes in weather on both days the drivers and teams made continuous changes in their set-ups and in their tire strategies. The main course at Firebird utilizes the ¼ mile drag strip which under dry conditions can be mildly slippery. In the rain the strip posed a real challenge to the drivers making the event great for the spectators, but harrowing for the competitors.
After an extremely wet first practice session the drivers went right into qualifying and Taylor Hacquard was quickest for the third time in three events. With constant changing conditions, and lots of pressure from John Walko Racing's Mike Hill and Hearn Motorsports' Billy Goshen, Hacquard needed to stay focused. When the checkered flag dropped Hacquard was victorious followed closely by Hill and Goshen.
On Sunday those three drivers qualified in the same positions that they finished in on Saturday, but this would be a completely different race. The track was wet, but drying quickly when the teams took to the track. Mike Hill made the decision to start on slicks while the other teams decided on rain tires. Hacquard got a good lead at the start, and was followed by Goshen and Hill. It looked like Hill had made a good decision to go to slicks as the track was drying quickly. Then the rains came. Hill did a great job of keeping his car on track but was at a severe disadvantage as Hacquard and Goshen pulled away.
A crash on the front straight brought out a full course yellow eight laps into the twenty lap race. Hacquard maintained the lead over Goshen after the restart while Hill held on to third. Two laps from the end Goshen passed for the lead into the first turn. On the final lap, Hacquard returned the favor regaining the lead. Hacquard then, under pressure from Goshen spun in the final corner and Goshen took the win. Hacquard quickly got back on track to take 2nd, and Hill finished out the podium.
Next up is the final weekend which is at Phoenix International Raceway in January. |
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Mike Hill Sweeps Opening Weekend of 2007-2008 Winter Series |
Buttonwillow, CA (November 19, 2007)--
Driving the #2 John Walko Racing Pro Formula Mazda, Mike Hill, from Gilroy, California, swept the opening weekend doubleheader at Buttonwillow Raceway Park for the 2007-2008 Formula Mazda Challenge Winter Series presented by Standing Start on November 17 and 18.
Hill, who finished 15th in the 2007 Formula BMW Championship while competing for Team KWA, qualified second for both events and drove smart races to record the double victories, putting a lap on the field in Saturday's event and taking advantage of a miscue by pole sitter Taylor Hacquard to jump to the front in Round Two.
"We were introduced to Mike through our driver coach Gord Bentley at Speed Secrets. We spent some time with him at our season ending race at Laguna Seca and have been working on a deal ever since," commented team owner John Walko. "Mike has had a lot of success in karting, racing in the competitive California karting scene. That area has produced some of the top drivers in Star Mazda recently so we hope that Mike can carry on that tradition."
Joining Hill on the podium for the opening round of the championship were World Speed Motorsports teammates Frank McCormick and Dave House after Hacquard, Hill and Hearn Motorsports driver Billy Goshen got tangled up on the opening lap with Goshen retiring on the spot and Hacquard pulling to a stop six laps later with mechanical trouble.
Sunday saw Hacquard and Hill forming the front row once again, with Hacquard stepping into McCormick's car for the event and building a lead early on in the 19 lap affair. A miscue by Hacquard allowed Hill to climb into the lead and he would hold the position for the remainder of the event, with Hacquard and Goshen completing the podium.
World Speed Motorsports driver Sean Prewett captured the Standard Formula Mazda class victories in both events.
On November 14th a half dozen drivers from three different teams took advantage of the Standing Start Driver Development Day which gave them one-on-one feedback and training designed to improve their on track performance. The Standing Start seminar day on the 15th was attended by drivers, coaches, engineers, and other race team personnel looking to achieve the highest levels of performance on and off the track.
Chris Brown, a seasoned MoTeC track support technician for MoTeC USA discussed how to get the most out of data acquisition systems. Chris also explained how to use the latest version of i2 Pro. Chris is an excellent teacher, and worked through the software for the novices in the group, and also took time to answer questions from the more advanced users.
Dean Golich of Carmichael Training Systems, the company that coached Lance Armstrong to seven Tour de France victories, spoke about specific fitness related to driving a race car and the importance of proper hydration. Dean, who is NASCAR star Carl Edwards' personal coach covered how heat affects your performance, the dangers of dehydration, and strategies to perform your best in the hostile environment of a race car.
"I attended both of the seminars, and really learned a lot from Chris and Dean. Both of these guys really know their stuff, and made it easy for all the attendees to see how important the smallest details are to building a team capable of winning a championship," stated WSM Operations Manager Mark Milazzo. "I have the utmost respect for Carmichael Training Systems and I would recommend them to any serious athlete. We have worked with Chris Brown and MoTeC for years and as always they provided an excellent product."
The series will now move to Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona, for Rounds 3 and 4 on December 7-9. |
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Standing Start Driver Development Seminar Details |
Sonoma, CA (October 15, 2007)--
Standing Start, in conjunction with its Driver Development Day on November 14, will be offering a seminar to further get you ready for the Winter Series and 2008 race season. The seminar will consist of two parts - a MoTeC clinic by Chris Brown, plus a fitness/nutrition presentation by Carmichael Training Systems.
Chris Brown, a regular MoTeC track support technician for MoTeC USA will be going over how to get more out of data acquisition. With a driver's eye view, Chris will explain how to use i2 Pro and to use its features as a tool to improve your program on the track. Many of the lessons learned can be applied to any data acquisition system.
Dean Golich of Carmichael Training Systems, who coached Lance Armstrong to seven Tour de France victories, will be talking about specific fitness related to driving a race car and the importance of proper hydration. Dean, who is NASCAR star Carl Edward's personal coach will be going over how heat affects your performance, the dangers of dehydration, and strategies to perform your best in the hostile environment of a race car.
The cost of the seminar is $400.
For more information, please contact Scott Bradley of Standing Start at
877.707.8278 or scott@standingstart.com
http://www.standingstart.com/home.htm
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Cameron Captures Star Mazda Crown |
Sonoma, CA (October 12, 2007)--
Standing Start driver coach Dane Cameron wrapped up the championship in the 2007 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear with an eighth place finish at Road Atlanta during the 10th Anniversary of the Petit Le Mans to become the first rookie in series history to take the title.
“I'd like to congratulate Dane on winning the 2007 Star Mazda Championship,” commented Standing Start General Manager and 2001 Star Mazda Series champion Scott Bradley. “I know he put a tremendous amount of effort into this year and it's great to see that effort pay off. Everybody at Standing Start is proud of the effort he put out and knows that he will continue to find success as he climbs the racing ladder.”
Driving the #19 JDC Motorsports/Finlay Motorsports Pro Formula Mazda, Sonoma native Cameron captured the crown in dominating fashion, recording three victories, four additional podium finishes and five pole positions with one race remaining at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. |
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White Tests Atlantic Car with Walker Racing |
Sonoma, CA (October 3, 2007)--
Walker Racing and Performance Friction Brakes announced at the beginning of September that they formed a strategic partnership to help talented youth reach the pinnacle of the sport in an attempt to give back to the open wheel community. This week's test was the first of several to come as the two parties began their search for a hopeful driver.
"Derrick Walker and his staff have been consulting PFC with the very Star Mazda driver candidates that we have been looking at. We supplied them a list of who we liked and it was the very same people whom they liked. We have five to six drivers on our radar and the Putnam test is just the first step as we progress through the evaluation process," commented Darrick Dong, Director of Motorsports, Performance Friction Brakes.
Making his mark at the Putnam Park Road Course on Thursday was Californian, Ron White. The 26-year old, is currently competing in the Star Mazda Championship and has two race wins, seven top-ten finishes with six of them being in the top-five, under his belt. White showed his talent as he gained momentum and topped the time charts all day. "Everything went really well and it was a great test for my first time in an Atlantic car. It was definitely a good experience working with Walker Racing. I learned a lot in a short time, it was an exciting car and an overall great test," said White. |
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Cameron to Make Prototype Debut |
Tooele, Utah (September 13, 2007)--
Standing Start instructor and rising open-wheel star Dane Cameron will take a big step up the Motorsports ladder this
weekend as co-driver of the Chip Ganassi w/Felix Sabates #19 Z-Line Designs/Mission
Residential Riley Daytona Prototype in the Grand-Am Rolex Series season finale Sunchaser
1000 at Miller Motorsports Park.
Cameron, currently leading the points battle in the Star Mazda Championship presented by
Goodyear, will be sitting in for regular driver Rob Finlay, who continues to recover from a
shoulder injury, and will share the driving chores with one of his racing mentors, Michael Valiante.
Cameron has dominated the 2007 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear with three
wins, five poles, four podium and two top-5 finishes driving the #19 JDC Motorsports/Finlay
Motorsports Mazda. He was the 2006 FF2000 Rookie of the Year and finished second in the
championship. As a Team USA Scholarship driver, he won the 2006 Palmer Audi Winter
Championship in Europe. In 2005 Cameron was the SCCA Formula Jim Russell Series
champion and Rookie of the Year.
www.grand-am.com |
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Standing Start Instructor Injured in Shunt at Trois-Rivieres |
Trois-Rivieres, Quebec (August 23, 2007)--
Standing Start drivier coach Mikel Miller was injured Sunday when a fellow competitor sent him into the wall late in the Grand Am GT Competition at Trois-Rivieres. Miller underwent surgey to repair a lacerated urethra sustained in the accident.
"I want to wish Mikel a speedy recovery following his accident in Trois-Rivieres. As all of us know racing can be a dangerous endeavor but when something happens to someone you work with closely it really hits home,” Standing Start General Manager Scott Bradley said. “I'm confident Mikel will pull through this and return stronger and more determined than ever before. I look forward to seeing him back at the track soon!"
About Standing Start
Standing Start coaches do absolutely whatever it takes for you to improve your performance on and off the track.
The coaches have many resources to use, have extensive training and experience to help take your program to the
next level. They have many years of professional racing experience, coaching experience, but most of all a great
enthusiasm for coaching. Standing Start coaches have a passion for motorsports and want to help drivers reach
their goals.
www.mikelmiller.com |
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White and Cameron Continue Podium Ways at Trois-Rivieres |
Trois-Rivieres, Quebec (August 22, 2007)--
For the second straight week Standing Start drivers Dane Cameron and Ron White dominated the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear finishing one-two in Round Nine of the championship at the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres.
“Ron and Dane are both amazing drivers as well as instructors and everyone at Standing Start is proud of their latest success," commented Standing Start General Manager Scott Bradley. "From the longest natural terrrain road course in the United States to the oldest street circuit event in North America they have showed their driving prowess.”
About Standing Start
Standing Start coaches do absolutely whatever it takes for you to improve your performance on and off the track.
The coaches have many resources to use, have extensive training and experience to help take your program to the
next level. They have many years of professional racing experience, coaching experience, but most of all a great
enthusiasm for coaching. Standing Start coaches have a passion for motorsports and want to help drivers reach
their goals..
www.starmazda.com |
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Standing Start Drivers Dominate Round Eight of Star Mazda Championship |
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (August 15, 2007)--
Standing Start drivers Dane Cameron, Ron White and Eric Freiberg put on a driving
display in Round Eight of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear this past weekend at Road
America, claiming the top two spots overall and three of the top five finishing positions.
“I’m really proud of how our coaches and drivers performed here at Road America,” Standing Start General
Manager Scott Bradley explained. “The Star Mazda Series is one of the most competitive championships in North
America so to place three drivers in the top five is quite an accomplishment.”
Leading the way at Road America was Standing Start driver coach White who defended his 2006 victory at the
famed circuit with a drive through the field after lining up in the final position on the grid. He was joined on the
podium by fellow Standing Start coach, and current Star Mazda Championship points leader, Cameron who
recorded his fifth podium of the season. Freiberg recorded his best finish of the season, scoring a fifth place finish
after climbing into a borrowed car with only minutes to spare before the race and fighting his way from sixteenth
place on the grid.
"Our debut season has been very successful to date with our drivers and coaches recording four pole positions, five
victories and nine total podiums through eight rounds of the Star Mazda Championship,” Bradley revealed. “It is also
extremely rewarding to have worked with a number of drivers in other series as well. We've seen all of our
clients achieve the best results of their careers this year."
About Standing Start
Standing Start coaches do absolutely whatever it takes for you to improve your performance on and off the track.
The coaches have many resources to use, have extensive training and experience to help take your program to the
next level. They have many years of professional racing experience, coaching experience, but most of all a great
enthusiasm for coaching. Standing Start coaches have a passion for motorsports and want to help drivers reach
their goals..
www.starmazda.com |
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Standing Start Driver Taylor Hacquard Announces New Website |
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British Columbia, Canada (August 1, 2007)--
Standing Start driver Taylor Hacquard officially launched www.TaylorHacquard.com today. Hacquard has been working with Standing Start coaches all season while testing in preparation for 2008 Star Mazda Championship. Knowing that media plays a large role in the racing industry Hacquard hired fellow Canadians G-Nuis Communications to design his web presence. The site has many features including a driver’s diary section that takes you from event to event with Hacquard. Working with 2006 championship winning team World Speed Motorsports Hacquard will certainly be a driver to keep an eye on next season.
www.taylorhacquard.com |
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Carrio Takes Sixth Place Finish on Streets of San Jose |
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Sonoma, CA (July 30, 2007)--
Standing Start driver Adrian Carrio recorded his best finish of the season on the Streets of San Jose finishing sixth in Round Eleven of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda. Coming off of a strong weekend at Edmonton where he finished seventh and fourth on track, only to have the fourth place disallowed for a technical infraction, Carrio, the 2006 Star Mazda Champion, has found his form in the Atlantic Series.
www.champcaratlantic.com |
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Formula Mazda Challenge announces 2007-2008 Star Mazda Winter Series presented by Standing Start |
Sonoma, CA (July 23, 2007)--
World Speed Motorsports, administrators for the Star Mazda West Coast Championship and the Formula Mazda Challenge, announced today that they will host a six-race winter series for Star Mazda competitors starting in November and have signed Standing Start to be the presenting sponsor of the newly named Star Mazda Winter Series presented by Standing Start.
“We are very pleased to be making this announcement today and providing the opportunity for drivers and teams to prepare for the 2008 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear with an organized winter championship,” explained series president Telo Stewart. “We are also thrilled to be working with presenting sponsor Standing Start and their staff of driver coaches for this series.”
The 2007 Star Mazda Winter Series presented by Standing Start will kick off at Buttonwillow Raceway Park located in Buttonwillow, California, with a double race weekend on November 16-18. The Buttonwillow weekend will be preceded by a special Standing Start Driver Development Day at the circuit on November 14th. The series will then travel to Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona, for rounds three and four of the championship on December 7-9, before wrapping up with rounds five and six at Phoenix International Raceway in January of 2008.
“Driver development and coaching is crucial to the success of any race driver and everyone at Standing Start believes that this series will be a great place for drivers looking to get the upper hand on the competition in 2008,” revealed Standing Start General Manager Scott Bradley. “We look forward to working with the competitors and are proud to be the presenting sponsor of this championship.
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Victory for Standing Start Coach at Toronto |
Sonoma, CA (July 7, 2007)--
Cameron continues to dominate the Star mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, recording his fourth pole position and third victory of the season in front of the Champ Car crowd in Toronto.
www.starmazda.com |
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Cameron Scores Another Podium Finish at Cleveland |
Sonoma, CA (June 24, 2007)--
Standing Start driver coach Dane Cameron continues to lead the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear capturing his third pole position and third podium finish of the year with a second place finish on the Burke Lakefront Airport circuit in Cleveland this weekend.
www.starmazda.com |
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Standing Start Guides Northwest Autosport Driver to Victory at Miller Motorsports Park |
Sonoma, CA (May19, 2007)--
Under the watchful eye of Standing Start driver coach Chuck West Northwest Autosport driver Lorenzo Mandarino recorded his first career Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear victory at Miller Motorsports Park.
www.starmazda.com |
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Standing Start Drivers Finding Early Success On The Track |
Sonoma, CA (March 8, 2007)--
Success has come quickly for drivers affiliated with Standing Start as victories, podiums and top five finishes start rolling in at race tracks across the country, with Dane Cameron leading the charge and the championship in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.
Cameron, an instructor for Standing Start, has already scored two victories and two pole positions in the competitive championship and performed the amazing feat of topping the time sheets in every on track session on the Reliant Park circuit. “Houston went extremely well for me as we rolled off the truck with a good car and was able to battle to get clean laps in all the practice sessions,” Cameron explained. “Getting the pole was crucial as starting up front kept me out of any trouble that was going on back in the field, and while it was disappointing to finish under yellow it was nice to get that first victory.”
Victory number two would come quickly for Cameron, who would take the checkered flag once again the very next week at VIRginia International Raceway. Joining Cameron in the top ten at Virginia were Northwest Autosport drivers Lorenzo Mandarino and Eric Freiberg, who finished fifth and seventh respectively, with Standing Start providing coaching for the team.
Russell Pro Series racers Dave House and Larry Schnur have also found the podium with the guidance of Standing Start instructors, with House scoring two podium finishes at Infineon Raceway on consecutive race weekends and Schnur capturing a podium finish in Round Five of the Russell Pro Series.
“Standing Start is dedicated to helping our customers find success on the track and we are thrilled to see the results already pouring in,” commented Standing Start General Manager, Scott Bradley, who also coaches 2006 Star Mazda Champion Adrian Carrio in the Champ Car Atlantic Series. “From our Driver Development Programs, to test sessions, to race weekend coaching, we are out there working to give our drivers the tools to go faster.
For more information on Standing Start please visit:
www.standingstart.com |
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Standing Start Working Busy Testing Season Ahead of 2007 Championships |
Sonoma, CA (February 21, 2007)--
With the 2007 racing season quickly approaching Standing Start has been busy working with drivers participating in championships across the United States and Canada.
"Our coaches have been working hard this off-season to prepare our drivers both physically and mentally for the upcoming season," Standing Start General Manager Scott Bradley explained. "Whether you are a championship winning driver like Adrian Carrio, or a driver that is still seeking that first title we can help you develop the tools to succeed."
Standing Start coaches have been busy indeed, with Bradley, the 2001 Star Mazda Series champion, personally coaching 2006 Star Mazda Series Champion Carrio in preseason testing as he prepares to enter the ultra-competitive Champ Car Atlantic Series with Genoa Racing, and has also started coaching rookie Canadian driver Taylor Hacquard as he moves from karting into open wheel racing.
Other coaches have been conducting special Standing Start Driver Development programs. The most recent session at Buttonwillow Raceway Park had coaches leading six drivers through two days of classroom and on-track sessions in vehicle dynamics, mental preparation and physical conditioning.
"Everyone at Standing Start is looking forward to the upcoming season and working to guide drivers to their goals," Bradley said.
For more information on Standing Start please visit:
www.standingstart.com |
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Joe Gibbs Racing Signs ARCA Standout Brad Coleman To Drive No. 18 Chevrolet In NASCAR Busch Series |
NEW YORK (Nov. 30, 2006) --
Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs announced today that 18-year-old Brad Coleman will drive the team’s No. 18 Chevrolet in 17 of the 35 NASCAR Busch Series races during the 2007 season.
The successful ARCA RE/MAX Series driver from Houston, Texas, posted the highest average finishing position this year (third) by notching eight top-fives in his nine total ARCA starts. Coleman also earned his first major stock car win at Kentucky Speedway in July by holding off eight-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel during two green-white-checkered restarts.
“We are excited about Brad joining our race team and what the future may hold for him,” said Gibbs. “He brings a total package approach to the sport. And at a very young age, he has proven himself in a wide variety of race cars in a number of different series.”
Coleman will share the No. 18 Chevrolet with Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Tony Stewart and Aric Almirola. A sponsor for Coleman will be announced in the weeks ahead.
More info on Coleman can be found here>> |
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Champions Work Together to Impress Champ Car Team |
Sonoma,CA (November 29, 2006) --
2001 Star Mazda Champion Scott Bradley will be assisting 2006 Champion Ace Carrio at his test at Thunderhill with Forsythe Championship Racing later this week. Bradley who won the championship with World Speed Motorsports will be working alongside the newly crowned World Speed Motorsports champion as he does his best to show well at his first Champ Car Atlantic test.
“Forsythe Championship Racing is a powerhouse Atlantic team and Champ Car team, and it is important to show them what I am capable of and to make a good impression,” stated Carrio. I’m really looking forward to the test and working with Scott. He’s got a ton of race miles at Thunderhill, and was a World Speed Atlantic test driver so I think Standing Start really found me the best guy for the job.”
Bradley is the Sales and Marketing Manager for the Star Mazda Series, and has watched Ace progress over the past two seasons. “Ace really showed well this year, and proved that if you set a goal and work towards it, you will succeed,” said Bradley. “I’m glad I could be available to help our champion move up the Mazda Motorsports ladder.” Both Bradley and Carrio worked up a two year program with World Speed Motorsports, stuck to the program, and came out on top at the end of it.
“We have worked with many drivers,” stated WSM Team Manager Mark Milazzo. “The ones who realize how important it is to set goals and follow a program have been the most successful. Racing is a very difficult and stressful sport, when things go right there are incredible highs and when they go wrong there are some very low lows. Decisions can’t be made during these swings or you’ll get off your plan. We always knew that, but the past two seasons working with Ace and his coach has really helped solidify our belief in this process.”
Testing photo here>> |
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Standing Start Helps Stan Kohls Win 2006 RPS Championship |
Sonoma,CA (November 17, 2006) --
20 drivers competed in the Russell Pro Series in 2006 and Stan Kohls took the top slot for the second season in a row with 5 wins. Stan realized early in the season that with all the new drivers joining the series he would have to step up his game. Part of his plan was to retain a professional coach. Standing Start coaches were hired to assist Stan in reaching his goal of back to back championships. "Stan is a pleasure to coach, as he takes the input that you offer him and turns it immediately into improved output," stated his coach. "He also takes notes, and reviews them in addition to his coaching plans. All around Stan has been an excellent student of racing, and is an excellent example of how coaching can enhance the learning process."
Kohls plans for 2007 include a return to Russell Pro Series competition in addition to some select West Coast Series and Star Series events. More information on the Russell Pro Series can be found at:
www.westcoastseries.com |
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Ace Carrio Tests in Indy Pro Series |
Homestead,FL (October 31, 2006) --
By winning the 2006 Star Mazda Championship, Ace Carrio was awarded a free test in a Sam Schmidt Motorsports-prepared Indy Pro Series car.
Last week he flew to Homestead-Miami Speedway and was strapped into 450-horsepower Indy Pro Series machines for the first time.
“It was really good,” said Carrio, who just started his senior year of high school. “I actually just drove (the final Star Mazda race) a couple of days
ago, so I was pretty fresh in the car. I got acclimated pretty quickly. It was just a couple of changes, the car, the horsepower mainly. I just
concentrated on keeping it on the track and getting a good, general overview of how the car felt. It’s really well-balanced. I had a great time running
with such a professional team in a car with this much power.”
Roger Bailey, executive director of the Indy Pro Series, was on hand to witness the test. “Ace displayed quite a lot of talent, speed and consistency. He
has the makings of a future race winner in the Indy Pro Series.”
Ace is planning on keeping sharp in his Star Mazda during the winter with World Speed Motorsports, and he is also looking forward to his Atlantic test
with Forsythe in November at Thunderhill. “I am really excited to be able to drive the Atlantic with one of the best teams in the series, as well as in
CHAMP car. I believe that the Star Mazda Series and all of the competition that is there has made me ready for the next step.” As part of the 2006 Star
Mazda prize package Ace also won a Daytona Prototype test with Crawford that has yet to be scheduled.
Testing photo here>> |
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Ace Carrio Wins Star Mazda Championship
Monterey, CA (October 25, 2006) --
Adrian Carrio took pole position, and won the Star Mazda Championship this weekend at Laguna Seca.
"Working with Ace, and helping him reach this goal has been an exciting ride. I worked with him when he was making the transition from Karts to cars. We would makes goals for every session and Ace would work hard to reach them. Working methodically towards perfection is how you win a championship. It is a lot of work, but Ace was up to the challenge," commented team owner Telo Stewart.
Ace is now set to test an Indy Pro Series car with Sam Schmidt, a Daytona Prototype with Crawford, and a ChampCar Atlantic with Forsythe. Standing Start will be providing coaching services to Ace for all of these events, and intends on assisting Ace make the best possible showing at each test.
More info on Adrian 'Ace' Carrio can be found here>> |
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Standing Start Coach Mikel Miller Wins GAC Finale
ALTON, Va. (October 7, 2006) --
Mikel Miller and Tim Traver co-drove their No. 83 BGB Motorsports Porsche 996 to victory in a wet and wild Wheel Enhancement GS Enduro presented by EMC Mechanical to close out the 2006 Grand-Am Cup Series GS season as Anders Hainer, Turner Motorsport and Porsche sealed championships after six hours of racing Saturday at VIRginia International Raceway.
The victory was the first in Grand-Am Cup for both Miller, Traver and the Florida-based BGB team that drove a smart and strategic race in cold and ultimately rainy conditions. The winners stayed in lead-pack contention throughout the six-hour race on the 3.27 mile VIR circuit but never looked back when Miller took the lead for the one and only time all day less than 45 minutes from the finish. Miller was trailing the race leading Automatic Racing BMW M3s of No. 90 Nick Longhi and No. 09 David Russell but slipped by for the lead when both BMWs pitted. Miller kept the Porsche up front for the rest of the race and crossed the finish line a comfortable 25.922 seconds ahead of Jeff Segal who co-drove with Longhi in the No. 09 BMW for Automatic's best finish of the season. The winning car led the last 19 laps of the race and averaged a rain-slowed 82.727 mph for the six-hour race.
"This was a very challenging race, the longest race I have ever driven in and the first time I raced at night," Miller said. "Plus it rained at the end when we were racing in the dark and I saw cars go off everywhere. I radioed to the crew and said 'guys, it might be time to put rain tires on.' That worked out great and I can't thank BGB enough for giving us a great car and the perfect strategy."
Traver overcame his own challenges when he took over after Miller started the winning Porsche.
"I had a flat tire early on so I had to come in and get it changed but we stayed on the lead lap," Traver said. "The BGB team did a great job, the strategy for rain tires was great and Mikel did a great job in the rain. This win is kind of a monkey off our back. We have been there all season but things kept happening. Today's race was difficult and challenging like our whole year but to win in the final race, it was just amazing."
podium photo>> |
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Standing Start Launches High Level Race Coaching Services |
SONOMA, CA (October 3, 2006)--
Standing Start is a new company offering high level coaching services to racecar drivers looking for the unfair advantage. To succeed in any sport requires coaching, and racing is no different. Standing Start offers at track coaching that covers all the bases. The company focuses on racing, testing, marketing, sponsorship, networking, fitness, mental preparation skills as well as giving a driver-side understanding on vehicle and team dynamics.
For more information on Standing Start visit:
http://www.standingstart.com
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