IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Blossoms

The new name and sponsor of this support series for the IMSA sports car racing series is gaining traction.  I found this series to be entertaining and much more interesting with all the new manufacturers entering the Michelin Pilot Challenge.  We can now see Alfa Romeo Giulietta's going wheel to wheel with Honda Civics, Audi RS3's, Aston Martin Vantage GT4's and even Hyundai Velosters!  This is the new wave of entry class racers that fans can relate to. The action is fierce and the racing is exciting.  There are two classes; Grand Sport represented by fast cars including Ford Mustangs, Porsche GT4's, Mercedes AMG-GT4's and Mclarens and Touring Car, known as TCR class with the aforementioned Alfa's, Honda's etc.

I'm bringing you a sample of the sights one will see if they go to one of 10 races this season. The races consist of four hour races at Daytona and Watkins Glen with the remainder two hour races. The first race of the year at Daytona was a four hour nail bitter in the TCR class with the red, #3 Alfa Romeo almost winning until it had engine problems less than 30 minutes from the end. (See picture from Daytona showing how close the racing gets)  The #37 Honda Civic won a second time at Sebring.  In the GT class, the #75 Compass Racing McLaren at Daytona and the second race at Sebring was won by Carbahn Racing's #39 Audi R8.

So to start here's a picture of the 'tire tent' that is mind blowing in itself followed  by some pictures from the Daytona and Sebring races.

Gallery of pictures for you:


                                                            That's a lot of tires!

A large field of cars!

                                                                   Close racing action.

Just how close!   This was at the Daytona Race in January.

Check out a race or two this year - you will not be dissapointed.

Brought to you by Paul Ziegler, Author of "Echoes From The Glen"

Publisher, Carcamerastory.com

Lots Of Shifts Going On At Sebring

    Super Sebring Is Here!

                       Found this band of merry men and women on the way to Turn 10

Super Sebring delivered on it's name indicating the best of 67 years of racing at this historic track. There was so much to cover, I can only give you a taste of what went on March 13-16th.  I will try to give you a representative sample through pictures of this memorable event. As the picture above says, there was a lot of 'shift' going on!

I will have a second post for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge for pictures of that race.  I was not able to cover the FIA WEC race on Friday as I had family a commitment in St. Petersburg late Friday. In spite of that here's some pretty nice photos for you. The weather ranged from perfect to horrible and everything in between as you will see. Overall it was an incredible set of races to photograph. And the finish was especially close for the DPi class with  Felipe Nasr holding off Jordan Taylor by less than 2 seconds for the final 10 minuets of the race.  Here's only a few of the pics I took:

Winning GTD Trio From Corvette Racing- Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, Marcel Fassler

Second Place DPi Class - Konica Minolta Cadillac/ Wayne Taylor Racing

Mustang Sampling Racing Team

Corvette Racing Paddock Area

Konica Minolta Cadillac Paddock

Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing- Acura NSX

Katherine Legge, Bia Figuerido and Christina Nielson

Second Place in GTD -GRT Grasser Racing Team

Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488GT3

JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac leads Porsche GT Team 911 RSR

Mazda Team Joest #77

P1 Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3

Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian  Acura NSX-GT3 Evo

Race Winning Cadillac - During The Grid Walk with Fans

Slippery start for #85 JDC- Miller Motorsports during first few laps.

Classic battle between Chevy and Ford!

AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus leads the way through turns 3 & 4.

Moorespeed Audi R8 LMS GT3 about to be passed by BMW Team RLL BMW M8

Beautiful overhead shot of Mazda RT24- DPi leading Core Autosport Nissan DPi

PFAFF Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R in 'Lumberjack' livery.

Race winning Whelen Engineering Cadillac blasts through the tunnel.

Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R

You know you're at Sebring!

A Clean Machine - Early in the race, Porsche 911 RSR GT3

Racing winning GTLM Porsche GT3 RSR

Jordan Taylor attempts to pass the Mazda going into Turn 7

See you next year!

                                 

                                   Brought to you by Paul Ziegler, Publisher and Author of                                                                "Echoes From The Glen", Reflections Of Race Fans After Forty Years
                                               Follow on Instagram @ wownowpics

Streets of St. Petersburg Indycar Race Review

    Panoramic view of St. Petersburg, including the Dali Museum, the Mahaffey Theater and luxury         condos on the waterfront with yachts in the harbor. A most beautiful place for a race!

Here's a pictorial review of a full weekend of racing on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. It could not have been a finer weekend to start the IndyCar season with clear blue skies and huge crowds of fans. Put this one on your bucket list if you have not been here!  I'll do another post of the Indy Lights and other races, for now here's the IndyCar coverage:

Congrats race winner, Josef Newgarden & Team Penske

Takumo Sato, one of the crowd favorites. He was out with mechanical problems.

Sebastien Bourdais followed by Simon Pagenaud

Bourdais DNF'd and Pagenaud came seventh.

Felix Rosenqvist finished a strong 4th.

Pole sitter, Will Power held out for third place.

Alex Rossi, finished fifth.

IndyCar champion and favorite Scott Dixon took second.

AUTOGRAPH SESSION

Scott Dixon

Sebastien Bourdais

The highlight of Friday for me was at the autograph session.

A series of pics of me giving Robert Wickens a copy of my book, "Echoes From the Glen".

I told him, like Niki Lauda he is an inspiration for a new generation of fans!  He said he looked forward to reading it as "Hinch" looks on.

Rookie, Colton Herta finished 8th!

Close quarters on this tight street circuit.

Track workers wave to drivers on the pace lap.

The battle begins on the first lap by corner #10.

What happened?  Bourdais  is out in the early going.

Two time winner at St. Pete, Sebastien Bourdais will be back!

On to Sebring in a few days.

Brought to you by Paul Ziegler, Author of "Echoes From The Glen" and publisher of www.Carcamerastory.com

Follow him on Instagram @wownowpics

Buy a copy of his book by clicking the radio button above.