Historic racing series coming to Barber Motorsports Park

Barber Motorsports Park will host the first event in a new historic racing series led by Bobby Rahal, three-time CART champion and winner of the 1986 Indy 500.

The series will feature Formula One, Can-Am, Grand Prix, Trans-Am and other classic cars mostly from the 1960s and 70s competing in eight races May 21-23.

The series, tentatively called Legends of Motorsports, has three races scheduled -- Barber, Watkins Glen in New York in June and Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Canada in July -- with plans to add one or two more, Rahal said Friday.

Rahal said he and his two partners in the series expect 200 to 250 cars to be entered with drivers coming from all over the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“We think 10,000 to 15,000 would be a good number the first year,” Rahal said of expected attendance.

The cars will be required to be historically accurate.

“If the car had drum brakes in its day, it has to have drum brakes for the race,” Rahal said. “It has to be true to the original.”

Tires will be less strict on historic accuracy, but cars like Corvette Stingrays will have to use treaded tires while Can Am cars will have racing slicks.

“We’ll probably have cars worth more than a million dollars in this race,” Rahal said.

That raises the question of whether the driver of a million-dollar car will be willing to mix it up on the track and risk a wreck. Rahal said that shouldn’t be a problem since most drivers of these cars are “Type-A personalities.”

“If you can afford a million-dollar car, you can afford to fix it,” he said.

The event will include qualifying heat races. The races will be 30 minutes each with about 20 to 25 cars per race and no pit stops.

There is also a road rally scheduled from the track to Mountain Brook Village the day before the event starts.


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Alliance Forges New Team Name: 'Front Row Motorsports With Yates Racing'

Statesville, NC, United States (AHN) - Due to a new ownership alliance with Doug Yates,Yates Racing and Front Row Motorsports, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' new team name is Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing.

Doug Yates, part-owner of Yates Racing, will be the listed as the owner of the No. 37 and No. 38 Fords with Front Rown owner Bob Jenkins remaining owner of the No. 34 Ford Fusion.

"There has been a lot of movement this past off-season inside the sport," said Yates. "The opportunity came up with Bob (Jenkins) and to continue in the ownership role. I didn't have to think long about making this decision."

"Bob is really putting together a strong team this season and has done so over the past few seasons. He's been smart and making all the right moves as an owner. He's capitalized on the changes in the sports landscape and has built a solid team with great factory support and drivers. That's what excited me about making this move," Yates added.

The alliance assures all three entries of being in the top 35 in owner points and unites Yates with former drivers David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil.

Gilliland and Kvapil raced with Yates Racing in 2008 and 2009 and the move locked in all three, who will share information in a combined Sprint Cup effort.

"There has been so much that has happened for us in the past two months," said Jenkins. "But, having Doug come on board is a big piece of our puzzle coming together heading into this season. He brings such a family tradition of winning and a lot of confidence to everyone here. His relationships with Ford Racing, Roush/Yates Engines, David and Travis immediately make us a stronger team."

Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017727473?Alliance%20Forges%20New%20Team%20Name:%20%27Front%20Row%20Motorsports%20With%20Yates%20Racing%27#ixzz0eucTa2yS


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Championship-Winning Auh Motorsports Announces Its 2010 European Racing Programme

Abu Dhabi-based racing team, AUH Motorsports, have today announced their European Racing Programme for 2010. The championship-winning team will be taking four Radical Supersport cars to compete in the Radical European Masters Series. In addition, the team will compete in the FIA GT 4 European Championship and selected Endurance races with its two factory-built Aston Martin Vantage GT 4 race cars.

The driver line up for the European Racing Programme is yet to be announced as the team is currently evaluating race applications from a number of drivers and there is still time for new drivers to register their interest with the team.

Team Principal Carl Rolaston said; "We had a fantastic debut season in Europe and we are very keen to return with a strong line up of Emirati and Emirati-based drivers. We expect to be the only Middle East-based team running in both series and our participation gives local drivers the chance to compete with (and beat) strong European competition in their own backyard. Both series will see drivers race at some of the most famous tracks in Europe - including Spa, Silverstone and the Nurburgring - and competing at these circuits for any Middle East driver is an opportunity not to be missed."

AUH Motorsports last week won the GT 4 class in the Dubai 24 Hours against stiff local and international competition. Racing in the winning car was local Abu Dhabi driver Humaid al Masaood, who is also a major shareholder in the race team, and who will be looking to continue his winning streak in Europe.

Last week’s success comes on the back of the team’s Championship-winning debut in the Radical SR3 European Series in 2009. The winning drivers were Bassam Kronfli and Christophe Hissette, both locally based in the Emirates and who will be looking to defend their title in 2010.


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