14051604a

Michael DiMeo (#71, led by team mate Karl Thomson) made it three-for-three with a win in Saturday's Pirelli Wolrd Challenge race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

 
By: Pirelli World Challenge
May 17, 2014
 

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario - Michael DiMeo (Touring Car), Jason Wolfe (Touring Car A) and Brian Price (Touring Car B-Spec) all repeated their Friday wins in the second race of the three-race weekend for the Pirelli World Challenge Championships at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Round 3 of the TC/TCA/TCB season.

None of the three started from pole position this race, though, which made their victories today all the more interesting.

DiMeo, of Toronto in the No. 71 LiUNA Honda Civic Si for Compass 360 Racing, started second behind Gary Kwok, of Markham, Ontario in the No. 88 M&S Quality Produce Honda Civic Si. Kwok had the pole position by virtue of his fastest lap in Round 2.

But on Lap 3, DiMeo made the move on Kwok for the lead into Turn 1. He was able to methodically expand the margin from there over the course of the 23-lap race. At one point it was more than 5.4 seconds, but DiMeo held on to win by 3.862 seconds over Kwok. The win is DiMeo's third in as many races this season, and third of his Pirelli World Challenge career.

"I think special would be the word in winning three straight races in my first three series starts, because there's so much going on pre-season to get everything ready, to get all the sponsorship support," said DiMeo. "This past Thursday at CTMP was the first time in the rain for me, Barber was the first time I was in the car. I'm learning a lot everyday. It feels awesome. I hope we can continue to be this consistent throughout the rest of the season so we can continue to build the point lead."

Gary's brother Tom Kwok, in the No. 63 M&S Quality Produce Honda Civic Si and DiMeo's teammate, Compass 360 Racing team principal Karl Thomson, of Toronto, in the No. 72 CTF/Racing4Research/HPD Honda Civic Si finished third and fourth once again.

The top four in TC mirrored the top four on Friday, making it a Canadian P1-4 sweep for the second straight day.

Adam Poland, of Mt. Vernon, Texas, finished fifth in the No. 11 Eastex Motorsports/Poland Construction Mazda MX-5. Due to mechanicals, neither Jason Saini, of Chicago, in the No. 28 OMP/Motovicity Mazda MX-5 nor Jon Miller, of Tustin, Calif. in the No. 68 Titan Motorsports/Loudbasstard/BeTheMatch.org Honda Civic Si, was able to start Round 3. Saini is hopeful of racing in Sunday's Round 4, while Miller is withdrawn for the rest of the weekend.

In TCA, Shea Holbrook, of Groveland, Fla., in the No. 67 TRUECar/Lucas Oil/Radium Honda Civic Si, had the pole position after her fastest lap in Round 2. But Wolfe, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio in the No. 36 Wolfe Trucking Kia Forte Koup, made it through on Lap 2 in what netted him the Invisible Glass Clean Pass of the Race award.

Wolfe held off a three-way challenge from Holbrook, Ernie Francis Jr. and Jason Cherry the rest of the way for his second career win. Holbrook tried a move on Wolfe into Turn 1 on the final lap, but it backfired. With momentum, Francis Jr., of Dania, Fla. was able to move past her into second in the No. 98 Breathless Performance Mazda MX-5.

Holbrook secured the final podium position over Cherry, of Gambrills, Md. in the No. 13 Autism Society of America/Avpro/Purposeful Architecture Mazda MX-5. Russell Smith, of Buford, Ga., was fifth in the No. 38 Kinetic Motorsports Kia Forte Koup for the second day in a row.

TCB was a bit more chaotic. Tyler Palmer, of San Diego, Calif., set the fastest lap in Round 2 in the No. 37 MINI of Charleston Racing/MINIUSA.com Mini Cooper, so that car had the pole position set for Round 3.

The difference was, Palmer wouldn't be driving and instead handed off to Nick Lougee, of Minneapolis, Minn., in his first Pirelli World Challenge race. Lougee was due to start ahead of Nathan Stacy, Nick Wittmer, Jason Fichter and Round 2 winner Brian Price.

Wittmer, of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, was unable to make the start in the No. 00 Shriners Hospitals for Children FIAT 500. He, along with Chris Capaldi, of Imlay City, Mich. in the No. 31 Wolverine Bronze/Capaldi Racing Ford Fiesta and Andrei Kisel, of North Vancouver, B.C. in the No. 57 Racing.ca/LaptopScreen.com Mini Cooper, also failed to start Round 3 after retirements in Round 2. That left the field at just eight cars for the start.

On Lap 1, Stacy, of Owassa, Okla. in the No. 14 TSG/Ford Racing Ford Fiesta spun out at Turn 9, and Paul Holton, of Tallahassee, Fla. in the No. 65 Radium/TRUECar/Lucas Oil Honda Fit had an apparent flat tire which took them both out of the equation.

As Lougee fell back, Price, of Middletown, Va., who started fifth in the No. 51 Unlimited Racing/RP Performance Honda Fit made a dynamic start from fifth on the grid to go to the lead by the end of the first lap with several moves over the course of the lap. Price's efforts earned him the Cadillac CTS-V Move of the Race award, and overall, the gains secured him the Sunoco Hard Charger Award.
There were two other big movers. Jason Fichter, of Jupiter, Fla., gained three spots on the start in the No. 7 Surf Fire & Security Mini Cooper to take home the Optima Batteries Best Standing Start Award. Fichter made it to second and Jim Cleveland, of Brisbane, Australia in the No. 78 Downunder Motorsports Mini Cooper, made it to third, in what was one of his best races.

Stacy recovered from his Lap 1 spin and Lougee also entered the podium battle behind Price. On Lap 17, Stacy passed Cleveland for fourth, while on Lap 18, Lougee passed Fichter for second and Stacy was just behind in the battle for third.

By Lap 21, Fichter was able to make it back around Lougee for third, and shortly thereafter Stacy made it past Lougee for the final podium position.

Price won from Fichter by 3.988 seconds. The trio of Fichter, Stacy and Lougee were separated by only 0.661 of a second, and Cleveland in fifth posted a career best finish, and first ever Pirelli World Challenge top-five.

On winning his first three races in Pirelli World Challenge, Price commented "it's honestly unbelievable. I've been watching the Pirelli World Challenge the past few years. Seeing the different classes growing. I wanted to run World Challenge. I went to St. Petersburg a couple of years ago and went to watch all the of the classes. And I said if I only do this racing I would do it in a heartbeat. But I just couldn't afford TC racing, I don't have the backing. I found my Honda Fit earlier this year, and I said this is the time to do it. And here we are. The Fit is a real all around car."

DiMeo and Price continue in the lead, unofficially, in the TC and TCB class points standings, and Wolfe's second win in a row should net him the TCA points lead over Holbrook at the end of Round 3.

Round 4 of the season, and Round 3 of the weekend, will commence on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET. DiMeo, Cherry and Stacy posted the fastest race laps in Round 3, so will have the pole positions for Round 4.

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario - Results from Saturday's 23 lap 56.557 mile Pirelli World Challenge Championship TC/TCA/TCB RND 3 race, part of the Victoria Day Weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, with finishing position, class, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out (if any).

1. TC, (2), Michael DiMeo(R), Toronto, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 23.
2. TC, (1), Gary Kwok, Markham, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 23, -3.862.
3. TC, (3), Tom Kwok, Markham, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 23, -13.007.
4. TC, (4), Karl Thomson(R), Toronto, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 23, -21.129.
5. TC, (5), Adam Poland(R), Mt. Vernon, Texas, Mazda MX-5, 22, -1 lap.
6. TC, (7), Jason Saini, Chicago, Ill., Mazda MX-5, 0, DNS.

1. TCA, (3), Jason Wolfe(R), Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Kia Forte Koup, 23.
2. TCA, (2), Ernie Francis,Jr, Dania, Fla., MAZDA MX-5, 23, -.377.
3. TCA, (1), Shea Holbrook, Groveland, Fla., Honda Civic Si, 23, -.989.
4. TCA, (4), Jason Cherry(R), Gambrills, Md., Mazda MX-5, 23, -1.637.
5. TCA, (5), Russell Smith, Buford, Ga., Kia Forte Koup, 23, -31.695.
6. TCA, (6), Robby Foley(R), Randolph, N.J., Mazda RX-8, 14, Mech.

1. TCB, (5), Brian Price(R), Middleton, Va., Honda Fit, 21.
2. TCB, (4), Jason Fichter(R), Jupiter, Fla., Mini Cooper, 21, -3.988.
3. TCB, (2), Nathan Stacy(R), Owassa, Okla., Ford Fiesta, 21, -4.291.
4. TCB, (1), Nick Lougee, Minneapolis, Minn., MINI Cooper, 21, -4.649.
5. TCB, (8), Jim Cleveland, Brisbane Australia, , Mini Cooper, 21, -14.973.
6. TCB, (7), George Calfo, Atlanta, Ga., MINI Cooper, 20, -26.063.
7. TCB, (6), Paul Holton(R), Tallahassee, Fla., Honda Fit, 20, -1:35.726.
8. TCB, (3), Nick Wittmer, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, Fiat 500, 0, Crash.
9. TCB, (9), PJ Groenke, Toronto, Canada, Honda Fit, 0, Mech.

Time of race: 40 minutes, 17.322 seconds.
Average speed: 84.227 mph
Margin of victory: 3.862 Seconds (TC), 0.377 Seconds (TCA), 3.988 Seconds (TCB)

Lap leaders: Laps 1-2, #88 Gary Kwok; laps 3-23, #71 Michael DiMeo(R) (TC); Laps 1-2, #67 Shea Holbrook; laps 3-23, #36 Jason Wolfe(R) (TCA); Laps 1-21, #51 Brian Price(R) (TCB)

Fastest race lap: #71 Michael DiMeo(R), 1:32.561 (95.638 mph) (TC), #13 Jason Cherry(R), 1:35.445 (92.748 mph) (TCA), #14 Nathan Stacy (R), 1:45.208 (84.141 mph) (TCB)

Fastest qualifier: #88 Gary Kwok, 1:31.692 (96.545 mph) (TC), #67 Shea Holbrook, 1:35.579 (92.618 mph) (TCA), #37 Nick Lougee (Tyler Palmer set time), 1:44.607 (84.625 mph) (TCB)

 
 
 
Canadians in BOLD
 
Add a comment

 14051604a

Michael DiMeo (#71, led by team mate Karl Thomson) made it two-for-two with a win in Friday's Pirelli Wolrd Challenge race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

 
By: Pirelli World Challenge
May 16, 2014
 
 
 
Bowmanville, Ontario - Michael DiMeo (Touring Car), Jason Wolfe (Touring Car A) and Brian Price (Touring Car B-Spec) turned pole positions into race wins at Round 2 for the Pirelli World Challenge Championships at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, part of the Victoria Day SpeedFest Weekend three-race event.
 
Both DiMeo and Price have won their second event in as many races this season, after also winning Round 1 at Barber Motorsports Park three weeks ago. For Wolfe, it is his first career Pirelli World Challenge victory.
 
The 40-minute race kicked off from a standing start but was unable to complete the first lap before the yellow flag flew, when Andrei Kisel, of North Vancouver, B.C. in the No. 57 Racing.ca/LaptopScreen.com Mini Cooper made contact at pit in with the sand-filled barriers. That triggered an immediate yellow flag and a further red flag, nearly 20 minutes in length, for track repairs.
 
When the race resumed, Jon Miller, of Tustin, Calif., led the field in the No. 68 Titan Motorsports/Loudbasstard/BeTheMatch.org Honda Civic Si after taking the lead from DiMeo, of Toronto, in the No. 71 LiUNA Honda Civic Si on the opening lap. But DiMeo retook the lead on the restart lap, earning him the Cadillac CTS-V Move of the Race Award.
 
Poor luck struck Miller from there as a mechanical issue affected him on Lap 4, pulling him for the second straight race. DiMeo led the rest of the way ultimately beating Gary Kwok by 12.082 seconds.
 
"It feels great. It's kind of hard to put into words how it feels to win a World Challenge race here at this track, first time out. It's awesome," said DiMeo. "Today the race was just about being consistent, making a gap, and maintaining it, and finding lines that I can use for tomorrow if I need to find some more time for tomorrow and Sunday. We have a long weekend ahead."
 
The battle behind DiMeo was for second, with Gary Kwok, of Markham, Ontario, recovering from a poor standing start where he fell outside the overall top 10 in the No. 88 M&S Quality Produce Honda Civic Si. But by Lap 6, after passing his brother Tom and Adam Poland, of Mt. Vernon, Texas in the No. 11 Eastex Motorsports/Poland Construction Mazda MX-5, Gary Kwok was up to second.
 
Tom Kwok, also of Markham, Ontario, in the No. 63 M&S Quality Produce Honda Civic Si also made it past Poland and was into third place. Poland and fellow Mazda runner Jason Saini, of Chicago, in the No. 28 OMP/Motovicity Mazda MX-5, had issues and finished the race several laps down.
The Kwoks held off a hard charging Karl Thomson, of Toronto, in the No. 72 CTF/Racing4Research.org/HPD Honda Civic Si, for the two remaining podium positions. Just 1.894 seconds covered second through fourth in the Touring Car class.
 
In TCA, Wolfe, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio in the No. 36 Wolfe Trucking Kia Forte Koup, posted a flag-to-flag victory from pole position. But despite the win, the pole and leading both practice sessions, he did not have the race easy.
 
Wolfe stretched his lead by several seconds in the early stages of the race but eventually came back to the field. Second-placed Shea Holbrook, of Groveland, Fla., gave Wolfe fits in the No. 67 TRUECar/Lucas Oil/Radium Honda Civic Si, as she made several passing attempts, most notably on Lap 15 entering Turn 1, but was unable to get by the Kia. Still, with second, she'll hold the unofficial points lead heading into Saturday's Round 3.
"I'm ecstatic right now. So happy. The guys did a great job with the car," said Wolfe. "I received awesome help from Mark Wilkins (driver of the No. 38 Kia Optima in GTS, Toronto based with a lot of experience at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park), he broke the track down for me. Shea and Ernie were definitely pushing me there at the end, it was all I could do to hold onto it."
 
In third was Ernie Francis Jr., of Dania, Fla., in the No. 98 Breathless Performance Mazda MX-5. Francis Jr., 16, had past experience in the Pirelli World Challenge GTS and TCB classes, but was making his first TCA start this afternoon.
 
The top three in TCA were close, with Wolfe winning over Holbrook by just 0.590 of a second, with Francis Jr. only 0.610 of a second behind Holbrook.
 
Francis Jr.'s teammate and Barber Round 1 runner-up, rookie Jason Cherry of Gambrills, Md., finished fourth in the No. 13 Autism Society of America/Avpro/Purposeful Architecture Mazda MX-5. In fifth was Wolfe's teammate, Russell Smith, of Buford, Ga. in the No. 38 Kinetic Motorsports Kia Forte Koup.
 
Price, of Middletown, Va., had things his way in TCB for the second straight race in the No. 51 Unlimited Racing/RP Performance Honda Fit. He took a flag-to-flag win by 3.016 seconds but like DiMeo in TC, the battle was intense behind him for second.
 
"It feels good to come to a new facility, driving this awesome Honda Fit. The car handled flawlessly, braking, handling, power, the car was a well-oiled machine the whole race," said Price. "The first couple of laps on the start, and then the restart my car right off from the get go was a little bit better through the corners than Stacy's car, and I was able to get that little bit of gap and then I just set sail."
 
Nathan Stacy, Nick Wittmer(a special entry racing for charity) and the late arriving Tyler Palmer had a say in the battle for second. On Lap 12, Stacy, of Owassa, Okla. in the No. 14 TSG/Ford Racing Ford Fiesta and Wittmer, of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, in the No. 00 Shriners Hospitals for Children FIAT 500, were side-by-side for second with Palmer, of San Diego, Calif. in the No. 37 MINI of Charleston Racing/MINIUSA.com Mini Cooper up to fourth and just behind them.
 
Palmer had only arrived in Toronto Friday morning and qualified 10th. But he put in a comeback drive from there and ultimately made it around both Wittmer and Stacy for second, earning the Sunoco Hard Charger Award for gaining eight positions during the race.
 
Wittmer, a former Pirelli World Challenge race winner, held off Stacy for the final podium position. Fifth in TCB was Jason Fichter, of Jupiter, Fla., in the No. 7 Surf Fire & Security Mini Cooper.
 
Wittmer, driving for the Shriners Hospitals for Children - Canada in Montreal which is near and dear to the Wittmer family (Nick's younger brother received care at the hospital). "My brother is well today because of the hospital," said Wittmer. Wittmer was also awarded the Invisible Glass Clean Pass of the Race Award for his pass on Nathan Stacy for second.
 
Of note, Jim Cleveland, in the No. 78 Mini Mayhem/Downunder Performance Mini Cooper was awarded the Optima Battery Best Standing Start Award having gained four positions off of the start.
 
After Round 2, in TC DiMeo leads with 299, Saini has 191, Poland 171, and Thomson 161. In TCA, Holbrook leads with 263, Wolfe with 246, Cherry 196, and Smith with 165. In TCB, Price leads with 293, Palmer with 221, Stacy 180, and Holton with 152. Results are final as posted.
Race 2 of the weekend, Round 3 of the season, goes green at 10:35 a.m. ET on Saturday.
 
Results from Friday's 24 lap 59.016 mile Pirelli World Challenge Championship TC/TCA/TCB RND 2 race, part of the Victoria Day Weekend - CTMP at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, with finishing position, class, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out (if any).
 
1. TC, (1), Michael DiMeo(R), Toronto, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 24.
2. TC, (4), Gary Kwok, Markham, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 24, -12.082.
3. TC, (3), Tom Kwok, Markham, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 24, -13.365.
4. TC, (6), Karl Thomson(R), Toronto, Ontario, Honda Civic Si, 24, -13.976.
5. TC, (5), Jason Saini, Chicago, Ill., Mazda MX-5, 23, -1 lap.
6. TC, (7), Adam Poland(R), Mt. Vernon, Texas, Mazda MX-5, 19, Mech.
7. TC, (2), Jon Miller, North Tustin, Calif., Honda Civic SI, 5, Mech.
 
Time of race: 40 minutes, 13.889 seconds.
Average speed: 88.014 mph
Margin of victory: 12.082 Seconds
Lap leaders: Laps 1-4, #68 Jon Miller; laps 5-24, #71 Michael DiMeo(R)
Fastest race lap: #88 Gary Kwok, 1:31.692 (96.545 mph)
Fastest qualifier: #71 Michael DiMeo(R), 1:32.788 (95.404 mph)
 
1. TCA, (1), Jason Wolfe(R), Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Kia Forte Koup, 24.
2. TCA, (3), Shea Holbrook, Groveland, Fla., Honda Civic Si, 24, -.590.
3. TCA, (2), Ernie Francis,Jr, Dania, Fla., MAZDA MX-5, 24, -1.200.
4. TCA, (5), Jason Cherry(R), Gambrills, Md., Mazda MX-5, 24, -13.329.
5. TCA, (4), Russell Smith, Buford, Ga., Kia Forte Koup, 24, -14.358.
6. TCA, (6), Robby Foley(R), Randolph, N.J., Mazda RX-8, 24, -36.644.
 
Time of race: 41 minutes, 10.707 seconds.
Average speed: 85.990 mph
Margin of victory: .590 Seconds
Lap leaders: Laps 1-24, #36 Jason Wolfe(R)
Fastest race lap: #67 Shea Holbrook, 1:35.579 (92.618 mph)
Fastest qualifier: #36 Jason Wolfe(R), 1:35.900 (92.308 mph)
 
1. TCB, (1), Brian Price(R), Middleton, Va., Honda Fit, 22.
2. TCB, (10), Tyler Palmer, San Diego, Calif., Mini Cooper, 22, -3.016.
3. TCB, (5), Nick Wittmer, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, Fiat 500, 22, -3.272.
4. TCB, (2), Nathan Stacy(R), Owassa, Okla., Ford Fiesta, 22, -3.475.
5. TCB, (7), Jason Fichter(R), Jupiter, Fla., Mini Cooper, 22, -19.086.
6. TCB, (6), Paul Holton(R), Tallahassee, Fla., Honda Fit, 22, -19.487.
7. TCB, (9), George Calfo, Atlanta, Ga., MINI Cooper, 22, -55.817.
8. TCB, (11), Jim Cleveland, Brisbane Australia, , Mini Cooper, 21, -1:09.450.
9. TCB, (3), PJ Groenke, Toronto, Canada, Honda Fit, 21, -1 lap.
10. TCB, (4), Andrei Kisel(R), N. Vancouver, British Columbia, Mini Cooper, 0, Crash.
11. TCB, (8), Chris Capaldi, Imlay City, Mich., Ford Fiesta, 0, Mech.
 
Time of race: 40 minutes, 53.639 seconds.
Average speed: 79.373 mph
Margin of victory: 3.016 Seconds
Lap leaders: Laps 1-22, #51 Brian Price(R)
Fastest race lap: #37 Tyler Palmer, 1:44.607 (84.625 mph)
Fastest qualifier: #51 Brian Price(R), 1:45.143 (84.194 mph)
 
Canadians in BOLD
 
Add a comment

 14051602a

Toronto's Michael DiMeo continued his hot streak by taking the pole for tomorrow's Pirelli World Challenge race. (Photo-Chris Jameson/RaceCanada.ca)

 
By: Pirelli World Challenge
May 16, 2014
 
 
Bowmanville, Ontario - Michael DiMeo (Touring Car), Jason Wolfe (Touring Car A) and Brian Price (Touring Car B-Spec) have secured the Round 2 pole positions for the Victoria Day SpeedFest Weekend, part of a three-race weekend for the Pirelli World Challenge Championships at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Round 2 is the makeup race for the race at Barber Motorsports Park, moved due to severe weather.
Add a comment

 14051603a

Sitting 1-2 in the Road To Indy Star Mazda open wheel series, Scott Hargrove and Spencer Pigot again find themselves in close company with the Canadian eding his rival for pole, setting a lap record in the process. 

 
By:Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin News
May 16, 2014
 
 
Bowmanville, Ontario - Different cars, same rivalry.
Add a comment

 14051601a

ALDO Racing team completed a tremendous Mexican 1000 Rally charging all the way from 122nd on opening day to a sensational 4th at the finish. 

 
By:Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin News
May 16, 2014
 
 
Daytona Beach, Florida - There's nothing vague or indirect about Chris Green's intent this season in the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin.
Add a comment