Backstretch Motorsports

PETALUMA, Calif. (June 30, 2009) - TRG Motorsports together with Circle B Motorcars of Texas will debut the No. 71 Circle B Motorcars Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 GT car in the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois on July 26.

The Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 722 GT is an exotic race car that features a supercharged Mercedes V-8 engine capable of producing 680 horsepower, but will run in the World Challenge GT series with a restricted 550 HP V-8 engine developed by RML (Ray Mallock Limited) in England. The car was designed and built by RML, in accordance with McLaren Technology, and is a limited edition racer, with only 15 in existence. The name SLR stands for “Sport, Leicht, Rennsport” (Sport, Light, Racing). [read more...]

CANADA (May 17, 2009) – German driver Klaus Graf started last, but finished first to earn his second Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series victory of the season at Mosport International Raceway, part of the Victoria Day Speedfest. Tomy Drissi, of Los Angeles, and polewinner Jorge Diaz Jr., of San Juan, Puerto Rico, completed the podium.

Graf, whose No. 6 Muscle Milk Jaguar XKR was disqualified following post qualifying technical inspection for a wing height infraction, started last on the grid and put on an impressive drive to win by 11.456-seconds over Drissi. Graf made quick work of the field. It only took four laps, of the 37-lap event, for Graf to break into the five and was second by lap 11.
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MILLVILLE, N.J. (May 2, 2009) – Jason Saini, of Fort Worth, Texas, captured his second-career SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car win Saturday at New Jersey Motorsports Park’s Thunderbolt Raceway. Peter Cunningham, of Milwaukee, Wis., and Andrew Aquilante, of Phoenixville, Pa., completed the top three.

Starting third in the No. 74 MAZDASPEED/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6, Saini moved to second at the standing start behind first-starting Cunningham and his No. 1 Acura/RealTime/Red Line Oil Acura TSX. On lap three, Saini moved to the inside going into Turn One and took the position from the defending series Champion. [read more...]

HOUSTON, Texas (April 2, 2009) – Dan Pastorini, former NFL star quarterback for the Houston Oilers and DP7 Racing announced today the addition of the youthful and appealing racecar driver Chip Herr to drive their Lamborghini Gallardo GTR.

“Chip brings a series of wins, rock star good looks and eleven years of experience – a perfect driver for our Lamborghini Gallardo GTR,” Pastorini said. “We already have a group of racing professionals from Formula 1 to Indy Cars and with Chip at the wheel, DP7 Racing is destined to make its mark this season. [read more...]

SEBRING, Fla. (March 20, 2009) – Seth Thomas, of Cumming, Ga., capitalized on a tremendous start from the front row to take his first-ever SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car win in the Toyo Tires SCCA SPEED World Challenge Season Opener at Sebring, part of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida. Pierre Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., and Jason Saini, of Fort Worth, Texas, completed the podium.

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SEBRING, Fla. (March 18, 2009) – Eric Curran, of East Hampton, Mass., topped the afternoon charts at Sebring International Raceway to lead all SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship drivers in preparation of qualifying for Friday’s Toyo Tires Season Opener, part of the 57th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh From Florida. All drivers in the afternoon session went faster than their times from the morning.

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SEBRING, Fla. (March 18, 2009) – Pierre Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., topped the practice sheets for Round One of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship at Sebring International Raceway. Kuno Wittmer, of Montreal, Quebec, and Charles Espenlaub, of Lutz, Fla., were second and third quickest, respectively, in preperation for the Toyo Tires World Challenge Season Opener, part of the 57th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida.

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EAST LANSING, Michigan (March 16, 2009) – Rocketsports Racing, defending Trans-Am Series Champions, is pleased to announce their return to the Muscle Milk SCCA Trans-Am Series in 2009 with a two-car assault and a combination veteran/rookie driver line up. It has been a two-year hiatus since RSR’s own Paul Gentilozzi was crowned as the Trans-Am Champion, as the series will return this year with a planned eight-race schedule for the series which held its first race in 1966.

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LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. (Feb. 10, 2009) – SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT team Blackdog Racing is pleased to announce their return to the series in 2009 with a new Racing for the Greater Good program.

Beginning with the 2009 season, Blackdog will choose a charitable cause to represent at each of the 10 SCCA SPEED GT rounds. In addition to running the charitable organizations’ logo on the race car that weekend, promotional signage and literature will be on display in the Blackdog paddock, and representatives of the charity will be VIP guests of Blackdog for the event.

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (Jan. 12, 2009) – K-PAX/3R Racing has announced they will enter the 2009 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship with two-time defending Champion Randy Pobst and 2005 Champion Andy Pilgrim driving a pair of Volvo S60s.

Though the team has won the SPEED GT Drivers’ Championship the past two years with Pobst behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 and helped the German marque earn its seventh World Challenge Manufacturers’ Championship in 2007, the team could not resist the challenge of a new car. K-PAX owner Jim Haughey has long been enthusiastic about the Volvo brand and 3R has proven to be especially adept at building a car from the frame up.

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