Checkered Flag Run Returns to Phoenix March 2-3, 2012
The 2nd Annual Checkered Flag Run (Checkeredflagrun.com) to Phoenix International Raceway’s NASCAR Weekend promises to be bigger and better than ever for motorcycle enthusiasts when it returns March 2-3, 2012.
The Checkered Flag Run offers two days of exciting activities that culminate with rides to Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) (Phoenixinternationalraceway.com) to watch the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series Race on March 3.
“We are excited about our new and expanded program,” said Alan M. Powell, co-founder of the Checkered Flag Run. “We are highlighting the diversity among motorcycle enthusiasts while supporting organizations that work to benefit the local multicultural community in the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale areas. It’s not a white thing, Hispanic thing or a black thing – it’s a chrome thing.” Read more
Scott Tucker Secures Invite to 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans
Following a triumphant season in global sports car competition, which included five wins, countless podium finishes and the American Le Mans Series LMP2 championship, Level 5 Motorsports and Scott Tucker have been recognized for their achievements with an automatic invitation to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The entry, awarded by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, organizers of the legendary 24-hour French endurance race, was earned thanks to Level 5′s LMP2 win in the 14th annual Petit Le Mans, where Tucker and co-drivers Christophe Bouchut and Joao Barbosa drove their No. 33 HPD ARX-01g to an impressive sixth place overall finish.
Victory at Petit Le Mans capped off an incredible season for the globe-trotting team, which took part in both the American Le Mans Series and Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2011. In addition to his win at Road Atlanta, five-time national driving champion Tucker recorded victories in the ALMS races at Sebring, Long Beach, Road America and Laguna Seca. Read more
FIA Moves 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix to Earlier in Year
The FIA World Motor Sports Council voted to approve shifting Bahrain’s 2012 Grand Prix from its originally scheduled date in October to earlier in the year. Under the current schedule, the race will be held April 22, a sign of confidence in the country’s improving stability and its ability to host the top tier race.
CEO of the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa welcomed the decision and confirmed that the country and the BIC will be prepared for the date shift. Sheikh Salman also thanked the government and the Bahraini people for their efforts in getting the country’s Grand Prix race back on the schedule.
The updated Grand Prix calendar swapped Bahrain’s race with the Indian Grand Prix, which will now be held October 28.
American Le Mans Series Reaches Multi-Year Broadcast, Digital Agreement With ESPN and ABC
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron announced today a ground-breaking, multi-year broadcast and digital agreement with ESPN that ALMS President/CEO Scott Atherton is calling “a game changer.” The innovative deal involves televising the world’s premier sports car series over several ESPN programming and media platforms, including ABC, ESPN2 and ESPN3.com. Intersport, an award-winning media and marketing agency, represented the Series in the new television and digital agreement with ESPN.
The core of the ALMS’ new innovative broadcast and digital package will deliver television coverage either on ABC or ESPN2. ABC will feature race telecast coverage on March 20 after the 59th running of the prestigious Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida with remaining ABC broadcasts featuring Road America (August), Baltimore (September) and the season-ending Petit Le Mans (October). ESPN2 will feature the American Le Mans Series in two-hour telecasts from Long Beach (April), Lime Rock and Mosport (July), Mid-Ohio (August) and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (September). All four ABC race telecasts will receive an encore airing on ESPN2 as part of the new agreement. Read more
General Tire Announces Sponsorship of Team USA’s Dakar Raptor at the Legendary Dakar Rally
General Tire announced it will sponsor Team USA’s Darren Skilton, Sue Mead and Tom Collins at the 2011 Dakar Rally, which stretches across more than 5,500 miles of grueling terrain from Argentina to Chile Jan. 1 st through 16th.
Darren Skilton will be unleashing the fury alongside co-drivers Mead, and Collins as they represent the USA in their Ford F-150 Raptor — fitted with General Grabber competition tires.
Celebrated as the toughest and most widely watched motorsports event in the world, the 2011 Dakar Rally will host more than 350 teams from around the globe.
“This is an exciting sponsorship for General Tire,” said Travis Roffler, director of marketing, General Tire. ”We’ve made a major come-back in motorsports in the past few years, and sponsoring Team USA at the Dakar Rally is just another step in the plan. With the reported 4.1 million spectators and 2.2 billion television viewers the event had last year, this is the ultimate off-road sponsorship opportunity for us.” Read more