HOMESTEAD, FL-6 March 2010--Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood drove the No. 12 Kia Forte Koup to a second consecutive GRAND-AM race finish for Kinetic Motorsports on Saturday as the 2007 Series Champions brought the Street Tuner (ST) class machine home in 17th in the Miami 200 at Homestead Miami Speedway.

The sister Kinetic Kia entry finished the race in 20th position in round two of the 2010 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge championship.


The race finish marked another significant step forward for the Kia program, which just took its first green flag in January at Daytona International Speedway as Burrows and Hopwood brought the brand its first-ever GRAND-AM race finish with a top 20 result to open up the 2010 season.

Saturday’s race result was a direct result of some very hard work through the race weekend from the Kinetic Motorsports crew, which put in extra hours to cope with an uncooperative clutch. The issue saw the former champions only post a handful of laps before the green flag flew on Saturday’s 2.5-hour race as part of the Grand Prix of Miami event weekend.

The crew had the Kia Koup ready to go in time for the green flag as Burrows opened the race at the controls of the No. 12. before turning the machine over to Hopwood to take to the finish. A central focus on making it to the race finish saw the two conserve the race pace while generating as much data as possible.

Full Story »

Homestead FL-- (5 March  2010) – As if there wasn’t enough for the new drivers in the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge to be racing for already, the newest members of the paddock will have a new honor to chase in 2010. And with the new award directly benefiting a worthy charity, the winners will have two reasons to feel good about it.
 
Mustang Challenge officials announced on Friday the establishment of the Sunday Group Management “Rookie of the Race” Award. The Award, sponsored by Mustang Challenge media partner Sunday Group Management, will see Sunday Group Management donate $150 to the Austin Hatcher Foundation in the name of the best-finishing rookie driver in each of the 11 rounds of Mustang Challenge competition.

The 2009 season saw the combined efforts of the series, its drivers, BFGoodrich Tires and Hurst Performance raise over $40,000 for the Austin Hatcher Foundation through the year. Drivers participated throughout the season in the Foundation’s diversionary therapy events designed to give families dealing with the effects of pediatric cancer a chance to escape the world of hospitals and doctors and create lasting memories together.  The drivers also visited local children’s hospitals in cities during the race season.

“Our relationship with the Mustang Challenge has been a really gratifying one, and this new rookie award is just another new chapter in this partnership, so we are very pleased,” said Austin Hatcher Foundation co-founder Amy Jo Osborn. “I want to thank the drivers for their efforts, and we are looking forward to another successful year. Best of luck to all the rookies of course!”

Three drivers will be eligible for the award this weekend as Roberto Bengoa, John “Chip” Scarlett, and Richard Golinello vie to be the first winner of the Sunday Group Management Rookie of the Race, and all three will get two chances as the series opens with a double-header.  

Full Story »