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  • 05/07/2018 9:07 AM | Anonymous

    Source: Sunday Management Group

     

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    Mansfield, Ohio (6 May 2018)- The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing DPi-V.R  finished the Mid-Ohio Grand Prix eighth on Sunday as Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr teamed for the fourth round of the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The race marked the return of IMSA to the technical track set in rural Ohio with a long history of sports car racing through the decades.

    With 34 cars sharing the 2.238-mile circuit for the two-hour, forty minute race, there were high expectations for drama between the three classes in competition. Instead, the race ran at a relentless pace for the entirety of the the event from green to checkered flag. Pit stops are always critical, and the 125 lap event saw the team produce three well-executed stops as track position was as vital as ever with the extended green flag run.  

    Curran started the race from twelfth on the grid, but was able to make a pair of moves to slot in to tenth on the opening lap. The American racer continued to move forward, taking seventh position before turning for pit lane as Nasr took the controls. Returning to the action in 11th on lap 35, the former Formula 1 pilot made the most of the green flag run to advance to eighth before taking the checkered flag.

    "It's fun to come back to Mid-Ohio and run our Whelen Cadillac around here,” said Curran. “We got a little off on the initial set up of the car with the car being really loose. We made some adjustments to make up for it later in our run. But the leaders had a ton of speed today so we’ll just move on to the next one. We got a few points and came away with an 8th place finish but we just have to keep charging forward and get back up to the front. I look forward to racing in Detroit."

    "I worked very hard today,” said Nasr. “It was a difficult weekend for us in general. I felt like I did everything I could today. This track is a lot more difficult to overtake even compared to Long Beach because of the loss of downforce. Looking at the positive, we still scored a few points and I am ready for the next race already to make up some ground." 

    The next race on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will be the Chevrolet Grand Prix in Detroit on June 2.

    Whelen Timeline: http://www.whelen.com/pb/Automotive/ProductSheets/Misc/Whelen_History.pdf

    Follow twitter.com/ax_racing for updates and visit the all-new http://axracing.com for team information, photos, and additional updates.

     

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    Felipe Nasr

    Felipe Nasr has joined Action Express Racing for the 2018  IMSA WeatherTech Prototype Championship SportsCar Season with co-driver Eric Curran in the No, 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R.  The former Formula 1 racer has one start with Action Express Racing (Rolex 24 At Daytona, 2013) as he moves full time into endurance sports car racing in 2018.  

    Eric Curran

    2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Champion Eric Curran returns to Whelen Engineering Racing as a full-time pilot alongside Felipe Nasr.  Eric has been racing under the Whelen Engineering banner since the 2007 season, and is  President of West Coast Exotic Cars located in California. Eric and his fiancé, Chelsey reside in Sarasota, FL and Murrieta CA
     

    About Whelen Engineering

    Whelen Engineering designs and manufactures reliable and powerful warning lights, white illumination lighting, sirens, controllers, and high-powered warning systems for Automotive, Aviation, and Mass Notification industries worldwide. With two state-of-the-art facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire, Whelen has the largest design staff in the industry and over 1,500 dedicated employees. 

    Visit www.whelen.com for more information.

    Team Fox

    Team Fox is the sports and event fundraising arm of the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease Research.  They are considered a major associate sponsor of the Whelen Racing Team.  The Team Fox logo appears on the rear fenders of the Whelen Racing Team car.  Visit michaeljfox.org for additional information. 
  • 04/16/2018 8:35 AM | Anonymous
    Source: Sunday Group Management
    Partial Reprint

     

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    Long Beach, Calif. (14 April 2018)  After the racing gods handed the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R a setback at Sebring, the team came roaring back to score a convincing victory on the streets of Long Beach on Saturday with drivers Filipe Albuquerque (PRT) and João Barbosa (PRT). 

    The 100 minute race is the shortest of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and marks round three of the 2018 schedule.

    Barbosa opened the race on the tight twisty 1.9-mile circuit from fifth on the grid, and was able to balance the pace he needed to hold on to his fifth place starting position with the fuel economy that the team was asking for the fuel strategy to work out. 

    A full course caution on lap 22 saw the No. 5 Cadillac take to the pits on lap 24 with Barbosa turning the car over to Albuquerque on a rapid swap that included a full load of fuel and four new Continental tires. 

    Making his debut on the street circuit and first-ever IMSA sprint race start, Albuquerque soaked up the challenge of every lap as he began to reel in the leader and make forward progress. 

    Passes for position on laps 32 and 38, and then a quick final run through pit lane for a final stop saw the Mustang Sampling Racing colors out front once again on lap 40. After building an advantage for nearly ten laps, the lead was erased with a lap 49 caution. But the pace continued to be strong on the restart as Albuquerque held the point all the way to the checkered flag.

    The victory is the second of the season for the Mustang Sampling squad (Rolex 24 At Daytona) and the 20th for the Action Express Racing organization.  The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R has now moved to the top of the provisional points standings. 

    “It was an interesting race,” Barbosa said. “Qualifying didn’t go so well, but the team made some changes to the Cadillac for the race and it was really good. I was able to save quite a bit of fuel compared to the guys in the front during my stint. That was our strategy. The engineers just nailed it. Everyone from ECR and Cadillac have done an awesome job and the Cadillac DPi-V.R was really strong. We had great support from Mustang Sampling and the Continental tires were great all race. It was one of those weekends where you really didn’t know what to expect and it fell our way for the win!  It was a great points day and nice to get some back after a tough Sebring. The two pit stops were great and it was a good run for us.”

    “Brilliant! Daytona was great and at Sebring we had a bit of a struggle,” Albuquerque said. “Joao (Barbosa) did a great job to start the race. This is my first time at Long Beach. At the beginning of my stint I could pass people. The strategy for us by the team was perfect. We got in the lead and I was able to manage the race from the lead. We were unstoppable. We had a good Cadillac all weekend. This was my first time on a street course in a prototype and it was fun. When the yellow came out I was in the lead and feeling good. I had to concentrate on the restart, not getting too comfortable with these walls lining the track. The Nissan and Acura were battling behind me, so I just managed my race and brought the Mustang Sampling Cadillac home for the win.”

    The team will look forward to the next outing as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returns to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on May 6th. The team won the last time it competed at the track in 2013. 

     

     

    Mustang Sampling

    Mustang Sampling

    Mustang Sampling Website

     

    (L-R) Joao Barbosa, Filipe Albuquerque, Christian Fittipaldi


    João Barbosa

    The three-time and co-defending IMSA TPNAEC Champion, João Barbosa returns to Action Express Racing to drive the familiar #5 gold, black and white Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R seeking his third IMSA WeatherTech Championship at the pinnacle of North American sports car competition. João resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife and two sons. He is an avid runner and cyclist. 

    Filipe Albuquerque

    Filipe joins the defending Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup and two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship winning No .5 MustangSampling Cadillac Dpi-V.R for the full 2018 IMSA campaign. Filipe resides in his hometown  of Cambria, Portugal. 

    Christian Fittipaldi

    Two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Champion driver Christian Fittipaldi returns to Action Express Racing for his sixth full season of competition following a fourth consecutive Tequila Patron' North American Endurance Cup title with co-driver João Barbosa. Fittipaldi has been appointed Sporting Director for Action Express Racing, and will continue to race in the endurnace events starting in 2018.  Outside of sports car racing, the Brazilian satiates his need for competition by racing in mountain bike and karting events, both in the U.S. and his home country of Brazil.

  • 04/16/2018 8:00 AM | Anonymous

    Source: Wayne Taylor Racing


    2018 Long Beach Post Race Report

    A fourth consecutive victory on the Grand Prix of Long Beach (Calif.) street circuit was not to be for the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team Saturday. But a solid third-place run from the sixth starting position in the first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship sprint race of the season by the new full-time driving tandem of Jordan Taylor and Renger van der Zande is certainly a welcome result. 

    Since finishing second here in 2014, Taylor and his older brother Ricky Taylor had been the dominant and undisputed kings of the beach, taking home the first-place trophy from the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix each of the last three seasons. 

    But this year’s renewal of the annual one-hour, 40-minute street fight was expected to be much more competitive with a host of new teams and world-class drivers beefing up the Prototype class for 2018, and this weekend’s event lived up to those expectations. One of those new powerhouse teams is the two-car Team Penske effort, to where Ricky Taylor departed following his 2017 championship season with his younger brother on the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team. 

    Coincidentally, the Taylor brothers found themselves nose-to-tail during a key restart with 23 minutes remaining in today’s race with Ricky Taylor holding down third place in his No. 7 Team Penske Acura DPi. Less than two laps after the race went back to green, fourth-place Jordan Taylor made a stellar save avoiding his older brother while negotiating the tight, right-hand hairpin known as turn 11 that empties onto the long front straight along Shoreline Drive. The younger Taylor continued to apply pressure to his older brother from behind, briefly getting by coming out of turn 11 with 10 minutes remaining. Ricky Taylor retook third place by the time they arrived at turn one. 

    But, one lap later, with less than nine minutes remaining, Jordan Taylor completed a pass of his older brother in turn one and never looked back from there, taking the checkered flag behind race winner Felipe Albuquerque in the No. 5 Action Express Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R and runner-up Ryan Dalziel in the No. 2 ESM Nissan DPi. 

    “From where we started to finish third, we’re very happy with that.” Taylor said. “It is a tough track to pass on, so finishing third is a good points day. You never know what you are going to get on a street course. Anything can happen when you go around a corner, you can end up in the wall. To come away with third place after second place at Sebring, those are the kinds of days that can go a long way toward our championship chances. I think Ricky was a little nice to us. He was struggling big-time with his car. I could see him fighting it everywhere, just kind of hanging on. I put some pressure on him and I was going to go for it, but I saw him defend and he went a little wide, so I was able to capitalize on it. It was a good battle. Thankfully we didn’t touch each other or my dad would have been pretty upset. I think we are going to have some fun racing each other this year. I had a moment going into turn 11 after the restart. I think Ricky had some pick-up on his tires and he was a little cautious and hit the brakes a little early, so it caught me off guard. I hit the brakes and it went completely sideways and I was sure I was in the runoff. But, when I opened my eyes, I realized on was on the track, so I turned left and we didn’t even lose a position. That was a big moment. But, overall, to leave here with third, we can feel really good about that.” 

    Van der Zande, the 32-year-old Dutch driving veteran who opened the season with a dramatic pole qualifying effort at the Rolex 24 At Daytona endurance marathon, qualified fourth here late Friday afternoon but had his best lap nullified because of a track limit line infraction and had to settle for sixth on the starting grid. 

    He started today’s race cleanly and worked hard to keep the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R in touch with the leaders during what turned out to be a 39-minute opening stint that ended during the second full-course caution of the day, when he pitted for tires and fuel and to turn the car over to Taylor. 

    “This is a fantastic result, all things considered,” van der Zande said. “Halfway through the race, I didn’t think we would get good points today, but there we went. Jordan made a great move on Ricky and, apart from that, a big save while he was chasing Ricky before that. I had a bit of a hard stint. There wasn’t too much going on. I was just staying in position and saving fuel. I think altogether we can be happy with this. It’s great to score points like we did and be on the podium at the end of the day.” 

    With the team’s second consecutive podium finish and fifth in a row at Long Beach, it moves up one position in the standings to fourth, 13 points behind the race-winning No. 5 Action Express Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R and just one point out of third, occupied by the No. 54 Oreca LMP2, which finished 10th today. 

    “As usual, everybody did a great job,” team owner Wayne Taylor said. “We didn’t seem to have the car to win this weekend. Hats off to the 5 team on their win and to ESM for getting second, but it was very nice to get a podium considering where we started. We qualified fourth and had an infringement during qualifying, so we had to start sixth, so it was a bit tough because it’s so competitive and you just can’t pass anyone, anywhere. Watching Ricky and Jordan battling at the end, there, was probably the toughest 20 minutes of my life. But, to get a podium is a good result today. We’ve now had two in a row and that’s how you win championships.” 

    Round four on the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship calendar is the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Showdown at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington three weeks hence. Race day is Sunday, May 6 with live television provided by FS2 beginning at 1 p.m. EDT.

  • 03/18/2018 5:06 AM | Anonymous

    Reprint: Sunday Group Management
    Contact: Matt Cleary, media@sundaymanagement.com (317) 908-2975 (m)

     

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    Sebring, Fla. (17 March 2018)  With race-leading pace, well-executed pit stops, and a focus on the finish, Whelen Engineering Racing showed strength in Saturday’s 12 Hours of Sebring. The team brought home another IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship podium result on Saturday with the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, notching the second podium finish of the 2018 season and the third consecutive podium result for the team at Sebring International Raceway. 

    Drivers Felipe Nasr (BRA), Eric Curran (USA), and Mike Conway (UK) opened the season with a run to second place in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and were looking to improve on that result on Saturday after leading the race for multiple segments of the 12 hour event. 

    The race ran at a wide-open pace with extensive green flag running for the opening four hours, but the nature of the race changed as a series of full course cautions kept the strategies evolving with every lap. The drivers kept their focus on the front, with all three racers posting strong performances. The team held up its end of the bargain with swift pit stops and well-executed pit strategy. 

    Nearly two hours of green flag running made for a sprint to the finish line as darkness covered the track. Nasr was on board for the final segments, and had to strike the best balance between outright pace and making sure the Whelen Engineering entry had the fuel to make the finish. 

    That balance kept the first-year IMSA pilot from making forward progress late in the race, but he held on to score third at the finish as the team continues to keep the big picture in mind. 

    Whelen Engineering Racing will return to IMSA WeatherTech competition in the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach on April 14th

    Felipe Nasr, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:

    “It was tough out there,” Nasr said. “At night everyone was set for those last two hours. We had to save fuel - it was the only choice we had -  and give up track position. I want to win, the team wants to win, but we have to take it as it comes. Today we had a great race. The Whelen Cadillac was unbelievably good. We led a lot of laps for many hours and stayed in the top three. The last two hours are what count and of course I'm a little disappointed because everybody wants to win but on the other hand, we are leading both of the championships and we have to take it. It is a really great achievement for the team. We will take it.” 

     Eric Curran, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:

    “Overall a really good day,” Curran said. “Crazy race, but still good fun here at Sebring. We led a lot of the race and we thought we had a car that was capable of winning. The Whelen Cadillac was good and reliable. The Action Express guys killed it with the pit stops. Overall it was a great points day. We just need to win one of these Sebring 12 hours. It all started for me here at Sebring with Sonny (Whelen) and my first race with Sonny was a win, I would love to get another one. We’ve had three podiums in a row in three years, but not a win in the prototype. We've come so close, we're strong enough, so next year!" 

    Mike Conway, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:

    “It was the same as last year, we were third last year too,” Conway said. “It's a shame. We were really fighting it out toward the end of the race. We could just keep ahead of the Nissan in clean air. In traffic they seemed to have an easier time with their straight-line speed. We fought as hard as we could and gave it everything, we just came up a little shy at the end. It is a good result for the 31 Whelen Cadillac and good points for the championship. I wish the team luck the rest of the season and I hope they can win the championship.” 

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    Felipe Nasr

    Felipe Nasr has joined Action Express Racing for the 2018  IMSA WeatherTech Prototype Championship SportsCar Season with co-driver Eric Curran in the No, 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R.  The former Formula 1 racer has one start with Action Express Racing (Rolex 24 At Daytona, 2013) as he moves full time into endurance sports car racing in 2018.  

     

    MIke Conway

    Mike Conway returns to Action Express Racing in 2018 as a Whelen Engineering Racing endurance driver for the Rolex 24, Sebring 12 Hour, and Petit Le Mans events. Conway has years of experience across several different racing platforms that include winning outings in IndyCar and World Endurance Championship competition as well as big performances in FIA Formula E.

    Eric Curran

    2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Champion Eric Curran returns to Whelen Engineering Racing as a full-time pilot alongside Felipe Nasr.  Eric has been racing under the Whelen Engineering banner since the 2007 season, and is  President of West Coast Exotic Cars located in California. Eric and his fiancé, Chelsey reside in Sarasota, FL and Murrieta CA
     

     

    Stuart Middleton

    The newest, and youngest racer to join Whelen Engineering Racing, Stuart Middleton already has earned some significant accolades.  Middleton became a Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner in 2014, secured the Ginetta Junior Winter Series Championship title in 2015, and netted the Ginetta Junior Series vice-championship in 2016. Middleton is making his IMSA debut after winning the Whelen Sunoco Challenge. 

  • 01/29/2018 8:45 AM | Anonymous
    Partial Reprint from Sunday Management Group

    Launches 2018 North American Endurance Cup Championship Campaign with victory

    Media notes:

    • 3rd Rolex 24 victory for Barbosa (2010, 2014, 2018) and Fittipaldi (2004, 2014, 2018)
    • 2nd Rolex 24 victory for Albuquerque (2013 GT class win, 2018)
    • 19th IMSA race victory for Action Express Racing
    • Mustang Sampling Racing won the 2014, 2015,  2016, and 2017 Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup title
    • 808 Laps is new record distance for Rolex 24 in 56 years
    • First time crew chief Scott Darnell wins on debut 
    • 1-2 result for Action Express Racing as sister No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing entry finishes second


    For PDF of release and full team statistics click here




    Daytona Beach, Fla. (28 January 2018)   Battling one of the most competitive fields in the history of the event, Mustang Sampling Racing emerged from a record-breaking race to take victory in the 2018 Rolex 24 At Daytona on Sunday with drivers Filipe Albuquerque (PRT), Christian Fittipaldi (BRA) João Barbosa (PRT).

    The trio started the race from third on the 50-car grid, and were a competitive force from the drop of the green, leading over 500 laps of the race on their way to  victory. 

    Beyond the stout 20-entry field of Prototypes, the team also had to contend with a heavy rainstorm early in the race and then address an overheating engine late in the event. But after nearly 30 picture-perfect pit stops from the squad, the team battled through the night and into the day to claim the checkered flag. 

    The 56th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona ran at a record breaking pace, with just 4 cautions slowing the field as the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R covered some 808 laps to set a new record for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. 

    The team, which also took wins at the 2010 and 2014 Rolex 24 events,  won the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 and is looking to add another title in 2018. 

    The next round of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar competition will be at Sebring International Speedway for the fabled 12 Hour. 


    Filipe Albuquerque, No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R:

    “We had the alarms going with the temperature and I was looking all the time to the water temperature and oil temperature and it is flashing on and off at the same time. I am seeing the 31 and the 54 gaining laps and laps and I had to overtake the GT cars at the same time. It was really hard to manage. I started hearing every little thing with the car. In the end, the Cadillac was the strongest and was able to handle the high temperatures for the win. Last year was devastating but we stuck together and had a hell of a race today!”

    Joao Barbosa, No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R:

    “This race is so much about the guys on the pit wall. They do such an amazing job and are so focused.  It was not just the last hour (that was stressful), but the last six hours that we had to manage a lot of things inside the car. It was an unbelievable race. We had a great strategy and we had been working a lot on the car set up and we were able to double stint the tires since the beginning of the race – especially during the night – and we were making up a lot of ground.  It is easier to really push than to drive slow and manage your pace. The Cadillac ran well and we made it to the finish. The team did a flawless job. With last year’s disappointment, we finally got one!”

    Christian Fittipaldi, No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R:

    “At this stage of my racing career this win is very sweet. I am not sure how many more of these Daytona races I have left, not like Filipe (Albuquerque) who probably has 15 more years and tries. It is unbelievably sweet after what happened last year. We have been racing together for the last three seasons. I want to thank Action Express, Cadillac and Mustang Sampling. The team prepared a great a car and we delivered on the track.”

    Ken Thompson, Mustang Sampling 

    “This is our fourth year with this team and this family. Starting with the Corvettes (Daytona Prototypes) and into the start of the Cadillac DPi-V.R, it has been a phenomenal experience for me, my family, my wife, my company, our customers and everyone. I can’t say enough about this team, and about IMSA. The series has provided us with a place to come race and to give back to the fans, which is so well deserved. I’m at a loss for words – I’m sure it will sink in later!

    Bob Johnson, Mustang Sampling Racing Team Principal

    “It just doesn’t get any better than this one – this was phenomenal. I couldn’t believe it, all the way through. This team has worked so hard and it shows. That’s what it takes, a lot of hard work. It’s great to be back in Victory Lane, especially after last year. I feel terrible for the other Cadillac teams (that did not finish) and obviously it was a big concern for us as well. We monitored it very closely, and we prevailed. Winning this race for a third time, it gets better every year and I couldn’t be prouder of this team.”

  • 01/29/2018 8:30 AM | Anonymous

    Partial reprint from Sunday Management Group

    Action Express Racing claims 1-2 overall finish

    Media Notes:

    -Record race distance with 808 laps complete
    -Stuart Middleton sets record as youngest Rolex 24 podium finisher, breaking previous record set by his Whelen Engineering teammate Felipe Nasr. 
    -Whelen Engineering claims lead in TPNAEC with Daytona round 

     
    Click here for PDF

    Daytona Beach, Fla. (28 January 2018) Whelen Engineering Racing delivered a strong performance in a record-breaking race as the team took a second place finish in the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Sunday. 
     
    The race result marked a strong start to the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship-winning squad as full-season Whelen Engineering pilots Felipe Nasr and Eric Curran were joined by Mike Conway and Sunoco Whelen Challenge winner Stuart Middleton in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R entry. 
     
    The foursome was a front-running threat all day and night of the record-setting race, which saw the race winning No. 5 Action Express entry take the victory by just over one minute after covering 808 laps, or some 2,876 miles. 
     
    After dueling for the lead with the No. 5 late in the race, the No. 31 Whelen Engineering entry encountered high running temperatures as the drivers adjusted their pace to ensure that the Prototype would go the distance.
     
    Standout drives by all four on the roster saw the fabled white and red Whelen machine a regular fixture out front as the team delivered faultless pit stops through the unrelenting race, which was only slowed four times for caution periods.  Middleton drove the car across the finish line to close out the day, setting a new record as the youngest to take the Rolex 24 podium at just 18 years old, besting the mark set by Nasr in 2012. 
     
    Whelen Engineering Racing will return to IMSA WeatherTech competition in just over a month’s time for the Sebring 12 Hours on March 17th. 
     


    Felipe Nasr, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:
    “The Whelen Cadillac was strong from the beginning. We had the pace to be upfront most of the race. We led a lot during the 24 hours. We had to deal with some overheating. Every time just trying to minimize the effects and keep it out of the garage. There were not many yellow flags to recover laps, which made our life very difficult. A one-two finish is a great result. I am pleased with my first race with the team.”
     
    Eric Curran, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:
    “Overall the Whelen Cadillac was strong all race long. The team performed great in the pits. We were there, at the top. Every one of us had a chance to lead. We just had some small issues. I was leading and we lost a brake light. We had to come in and fix it. Then we had some overheating issues, had to come in again. For the team, a great one-two finish. It would have been nice to leave with a (Rolex) watch, but it is a great start to the season.”
     
    Mike Conway, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:
    “The team gave us a car that had the chance to win, which is all you can ask for as a driver. Compared to last year the competition was big. It was non-stop action. Even a car 10 laps down is tough to get by as they are close in lap times. With Felipe (Nasr), Eric (Curran) and Stuart (Middleton) they all did a great job. A great day to be a part of a one-two finish to start the season.”
     
    Stuart Middleton, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R:
    “My first time in a prototype race was fantastic. I did long stints, I was still learning the Cadillac over my time in the car. I am very happy with the result. My first time driving a prototype in a 24-hour race to come second is great. I am very thankful to the team and Sunoco for making possible.”
     
    The 65th annual Sebring 12 Hour will take place on March 17th.
  • 01/25/2018 6:10 PM | Anonymous
    Copyright © 2018 Sunday Group Management, All rights reserved.

    Third and Seventh on Rolex 24 At Daytona Grid for Action Express Racing

     

    2010, 2014 race winning squad prepared for another run to the podium at Daytona


    Click here for PDF

    Daytona Beach, Fl. (25 January 2018) -  The 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaigns of Mustang Sampling Racing and Whelen Engineering Racing got off to a quick start on Thursday as Daytona International Speedway played host for the opening day of on-track action for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. 

    A pair of practice sessions preceded the 15-minute qualifying session that set the grid for the start of Saturday’s (Live on FOX at 2:00 PM ET) race start. 

    The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing DPi-V.R will lead the Action Express Racing effort  on Saturday after Filipe Albuquerque (PRT) emerged from a fiercely competitive qualifying session to lock in third on the grid with a fast lap time of 1:36.194-seconds on his final flying lap of the 3.56-mile oval-based road circuit.  

    Albuquerque, who scored a GT class victory in his first-ever Rolex 24 At Daytona start, will share the driving duties in the Mustang Sampling machine with Christian Fittipaldi (BRA)  and Joao Barbosa (PRT). The trio will look to score another Rolex 24 at Daytona victory and get a strong start in the 2018 Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup. 

    “It was pretty good,” Albuquerque said of the session. “I needed just one more tenth. I am happy with P3, the Mustang Sampling Cadillac feels good. I think we have a good car for the race. One tenth (of a difference to pole) for the 24 hours is really nothing. We will now fine-tune the car for the night time.”

    The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R will start from the fourth row after Felipe Nasr (BRA) posted a quick lap time of 1:36.508-seconds to secure seventh on the grid. Nasr, who captured a third place result on his Rolex 24 At Daytona debut in 2012, will share the cockpit time with  2016 IMSA Champion Eric Curran (USA), Mike Conway (UK), and Stuart Middleton (UK).

    “The balance in general of the car is very good,” Nasr said. “Since the Roar I thought we have had a good car. Everything was coming better until the end of this session-the track was getting cooler. It is too bad-- I was going faster, then we had an electrical issue that stopped the car on the track.  I think I could have gone a little faster and battled for the pole. But the guys will get it all set and we will be all good for night practice. It is a long race and we have a good Whelen Cadillac so I’m ready to go for this race.”

    Thursday’s traditional night practice session will close the running on Thursday, with a final Friday AM practice ahead of Saturday’s 2:40 PM ET green flag. 

    Keep updated via twitter.com/axracing 

     

     

    -sundaygroup-

    Whelen Engineering Racing drivers Mike Conway, Eric Curran, Stuart Middleton, and Felipe Nasr
    (l-r) Musang Sampling Racing drivers Christian Fittipaldi,  Filipe Albuquerque, and Joao Ba


  • 01/08/2018 9:31 AM | Anonymous


    Hundreds of laps and atop qualifying charts to start 2018

    Daytona Beach, Fla (7 January 2018 ) -  Action Express Racing opened the 2018 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with three days of testing at Daytona International Speedway with the Roar Before the 24.  

    Joao Barbosa (PRT), Filipe Albuquerque (PRT), and Christian Fittipaldi (BRA) shared the driving duties in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, while the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R was shared by Eric Curran (USA), Felipe Nasr (BRA), Mike Conway (UK), and IMSA debut driver Stu Middleton (UK). 

    The 2018 IMSA WeatherTech season marks the second season with the Cadillac DPi-V.R for the team. 2017 saw both team entries race to victory, while the Mustang Sampling Racing squad secured the Tequila Patron North American Cup for the fourth consecutive year. 

    The two machines combined for a class-high 437 laps during the three days of running, providing a lot of data for the team engineers to review to prepare for the 24 hour race in two weeks time. 

    The event also featured a first-ever qualifying session during the Roar event. Filipe Nasr posted the fast time of the weekend in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R in the 15-minute qualifying session with a run of 1:35.806-seconds to earn the team the first choice of pit and garage locations for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

    “I wanted to be back here in IMSA and finally I am here,” Nasr said. “The team is really focused on the race. We all feel very confident in the car. Today in the qualifying session, we gave everything we had and finished first. The cars at the front are very close in time. I am pretty happy with the way the Cadillac is performing. When I ran here in 2012 it was one of the best experiences of my career. The IMSA championship is growing. There is such a strong field here, it is great for a racing driver to be competing at Daytona. I got a third place here, and now I want to go for the win.”

    The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R entry, which scored the Rolex 24 pole in 2017, set the third fastest time of the session as the team effort produced impressive results.

    “It was fantastic,” Albuquerque said. “I just missed the peak of the Continental tire. We get the first pits with our two cars, so let’s see how it goes with the race. All of the drivers put in a lot of laps and we will go into the 24-hour race with a lot of confidence in our Mustang Sampling Cadillac.”

    The Mustang Sampling and Whelen Engineering Racing campaigns will return to Daytona International Speedway for the Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 27-28.


  • 01/05/2018 9:47 AM | Anonymous

    Video: Mustang Sampling CEO discusses advantages of IMSA program:

     http://mustangsampling.com/mustang-sampling-benefits-imsa/

     

    Denver, NC (5 January 2018 ) -  Action Express Racing is pleased to confirm that Mustang Sampling will continue as the primary partner for the team’s No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R. 

    Mustang Sampling, LLC is the innovator of Analytically Accurate® solutions within sample conditioning systems, and strives to provide the best measurement and control provider of analytically accurate solutions to the Natural Gas, Natural Gas Liquids (NGL), and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industries. 

    Mustang Sampling joined Action Express ahead of the 2015 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season,  helping to fuel the success that saw the group secure the IMSA Team and Driver Championships for the second season running. The collaboration has now produced four consecutive (2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017) Tequila Patron Endurance Cup titles as the team prepares to launch its 2018 IMSA campaign looking to extend that record of success. 

    The 2018 driver roster for the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R will once again feature Joao Barbosa (PRT), Filipe Albuquerque (PRT), and Christian Fittipaldi (BRA), who has moved to the endurance event line up as he takes on a new role with the team as Sporting Director. 

    “We are very pleased to continue our support of Christian (Fittipaldi), Joao (Barbosa), Felipe (Albuquerque), and this entire team of talented individuals that back them up,” said Ken Thompson, Mustang Sampling President and CEO. “We feel as though this race team is an extension of our Mustang Sampling family and we are very proud of the team and their perseverance no matter what the circumstances are. The relationship has been beneficial to us commercially, and deepening and extending this relationship is a great way to support our partners and customers.”

    The company has utilized the race program as a centerpiece for the annual Mustang Sampling Product and Customer Appreciation event, as well as interacting with customers and clients on-site during the IMSA event weekends.

    “Partners—and long lasting relationships— are key to any successful organization, so we are very pleased to have earned the support of Mustang Sampling once again,” said team principal Bob Johnson. “We’ve been able to build on this program every year.  Ken (Thompson, Mustang Sampling President and CEO) and his group continue to develop new ways to leverage their program with us into new opportunities for Mustang Sampling so it is great to be able to continue this program together.” 

    “I’ve been fortunate to work with a number of different team sponsors through the years, and Mustang Sampling has been a lot more like being a part of a family than just having a name on the side of the car,” said Fittipaldi. “Ken and Brenda (Thompson) are such amazing supporters for everybody on the team, and they bring what we to do to their business as well. So I’m very happy that it has been successful for them and looking forward to continuing to represent Mustang Sampling on the track and off.” 

    Mustang Sampling Racing will be on track this weekend at Daytona International Speedway for the ROAR Before the 24 January 5-7. 

    Mustang Sampling: Mustang Sampling, LLC is the innovator of Analytically Accurate® solutions within sample conditioning systems. We provide custom solutions of products and services globally to the Natural Gas, Natural Gas Liquids (NGL), and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industries. Mustang Sampling continues to pioneer integrated control systems, allowing our customers to maintain phase stability from sample extraction at the source through sample analysis. Our products are continuously improved and subjected to the highest quality standards which provides our customers with the best sample conditioning solutions.

    -sundaygroup-

    (L-R) Joao Barbosa, Filipe Albuquerque, Christian Fittipaldi


    João Barbosa

    The three-time and co-defending IMSA TPNAEC Champion, João Barbosa returns to Action Express Racing to drive the familiar #5 gold, black and white Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R seeking his third IMSA WeatherTech Championship at the pinnacle of North American sports car competition. João resides in Ormond Beach, FL with his wife and two sons. He is an avid runner and cyclist. 

    Filipe Albuquerque

    Filipe joins the defending Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup and two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship winning No .5 MustangSampling Cadillac Dpi-V.R for the 2017 endurance races: Rolex 24 at Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring and the season finale, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Filipe resides in his hometown  of Cambria, Portugal. 

    Christian Fittipaldi

    Two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Champion driver Christian Fittipaldi returns to Action Express Racing for  his fifth full season of competition following a third consecutive Tequila Patron' North American Endurance  Cup Championship with co-driver João Barbosa. Outside of sports car racing,  the Brazilian satiates his need for competition by racing in mountain bike and karting events, both in the U.S. and his home country of Brazil.
    About Mustang Sampling

    Mustang Sampling, LLC is the innovator of Analytically Accurate® solutions within sample conditioning systems. We provide custom solutions of products and services globally to the Natural Gas, Natural Gas Liquids (NGL), and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industries. Mustang Sampling continues to pioneer integrated control systems, allowing our customers to maintain phase stability from sample extraction at the pipeline through sample analysis. Our products are continuously improved and subjected to the highest quality standards which provides our customers with the best sample conditioning solutions.          


  • 10/25/2017 8:10 AM | Anonymous

    Stuart Middleton and Stuart Moseley in Sunoco Whelen Shoot Out for Rolex 24 Opportunity
     

    Denver, N.C. (25 October 2017) -  While Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran, and Mike Conway already know what their plans are for January, there is still one name yet to be added to the driver line up in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R  for the 2018 Rolex 24 At Daytona.  

    That name will be decided this weekend in the final event of the 2018 Sunoco Whelen Challenge, which provides the champion with the opportunity to race the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

    Stuart Moseley (right) has one final chance to deny Stuart Middleton (below) the title and Rolex 24 At Daytona prize drive this weekend when he contests the Radical European Masters season finale at Barcelona. Moseley is the only driver with a mathematical chance of beating Middleton, whose British GT4 title-winning campaign came to a close at Donington Park in late September. Moseley can score points for fastest laps, pole, and overall result in each of the three Radical races on the weekend. If he can win all three, he could just emerge with a shot at the Rolex 24.

    The Sunoco Whelen shoot out is now in its ninth season, with the champion driving the No. 31 Whelen entry every year since 2014. Whomever emerges to get the nod to drive the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R will be added to the list of previous Sunoco Whelen Challenge winners Seb Morris (2017), Jonny Adam (2016), Phil Keen (2015), and Bradley Smith (2014) who have raced the Whelen entry in the Daytona classic. 

    One racer who earned the Sunoco Whelen championship was Nasr, who scored a Rolex 24 podium in his 2012 debut appearance in the event. Nasr has joined the team as a full-season co-driver with Curran in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R in 2018.

    “We’ve seen some great talent come through the Sunoco Whelen championship, and with the title on the line this weekend we will be paying close attention to the results to see who will be joining us in Daytona next year,” said Action Express Racing team manager Gary Nelson. “It is a great opportunity for these drivers to compete in the Rolex 24 and I think that’s why we’ve seen these championships come down to the wire for the last few years!”

    Results and updates from the championship are available via @sunoco_uk as well as http://www.sunocochallenge.com

    The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R will be in action next at Daytona International Speedway on December 5-6 as part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship open test. 

    -Sunday Group Management

    Media contact:  Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
    media@sundaymanagement.com
    (317) 908-2975