When Hollywood scripts a racing movie, they tend to go overboard. Having an injured U.S. Marine Staff Sargent winning a professional race, in only his second start, just miles from where he grew up, on the third anniversary of his ‘Alive Day’, after 50 surgeries since that injury, on Memorial Day weekend. Who would believe that? Believe it, as that’s exactly what happened to Liam Dwyer and his Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 when he co-drove with Tom Long to the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge ST win in late May at Lime Rock Park.
“When we first met Liam, we knew this was an opportunity to add a great driver to our team,” stated John Doonan, Director of Motorsports for Mazda North American Operations. “But more importantly, it’s led to us to making plans to open the door for more members of the Armed Forces to get involved in motorsports as crew members. The Freedom Autosport partnership with the Semper Fi Fund has made this an ideal match for everyone. These first three races in 2014 are hopefully a preview of a full season in 2015 with Liam.”
This weekend, at Virginia International Raceway, Liam will be back behind the wheel of the #27 Freedom Autosport Semper Fi Fund Mazda MX-5, this time teamed with Randy Pobst, who has already scored two wins this season.
“VIR is one of a few balanced tracks the Continental Tire Series races on,” added Dwyer. “There are long straightaways for the cars with power, but a lot of technical and heavy braking areas where the Mazda MX-5 will really shine. For this race we tweaked the driver line-ups a bit where I will not be driving with Tom Long, instead I get the pleasure to drive with one of my racing heroes, Randy Pobst. I am very excited for this opportunity as I’ve watched Randy as a child/teenager race. Randy is extremely fast and already has two wins to his credit this season with Andrew Carbonell. My plan is to get the car setup to where he will be comfortable in it, and give him the car hopefully up towards the front of the field where he can bring home another win.”
Liam Dwyer lost the lower portion of his left leg when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan in May of 2011. After 50+ surgeries, and being told he would never drive a manual transmission car, Liam never gave up. The Freedom Autosport team devised a quick release mechanism such that Liam’s leg is directly connected to the clutch pedal, but can be disconnected for a driver change, or if he needs to escape quickly from the car. For 2014, a three-race schedule was developed to get Liam up to speed with the car and the team.
The two-and-a-half hour race will start at 2:00 pm (Eastern) on Saturday, August 23. Mazda will be broadcasting LIVE on-board footage from the Dwyer/Pobst car on the Mazda YouTube channel.
“I’m very pleased to join with a man who has become a hero of mine for his positive can-do attitude and our shared love for motor racing,” Randy Pobst added. “It is an honor to be teamed with a Marine as Freedom Autosport supports the Semper Fi Fund for injured Marines and their families. Liam and I will provide Mazda with yet another shot at the VIR win, where the beginning and ending track segments will suit our MX-5 Miatas very well.”
Of course, the Freedom Autosport team is not just a one car team, and their other two machines will be driving just as hard toward the checkered flag at VIR, if not harder, than the team of Pobst and Dwyer.
Freedom Autosport has every right to set high expectations for VIR: the team got their first ST class victory there in 2009 with co-drivers Tom Long and Derek Whitis. In 2011, Andrew Carbonell and Rhett O’Doski finished third at VIR.
“Overall, it’s more of a racer’s track now because there are more opportunities,” says Carbonell of the recently repaved VIR. “VIR is an interesting track because it’s a mix of high speed and low speed handling, and it has been a good place for us. Now, with the wider pavement, I think it will be even better for an MX-5. We can find additional passing opportunities in the corners.”
Carbonell was also one half of the team responsible for Freedom Autosport’s third place at Road America two weeks ago – he and Randy Pobst had an outstanding day in the No. 26 Mazda MX-5. For VIR, Carbonell will have a new co-driver in Tom Long. In addition to being the site of Long’s first series win, VIR is also the home track for him and the team, which is based in nearby Raleigh, North Carolina.
“It’s really exciting to be back in a Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5,” says Long. “I have been around those cars for so many years now that racing them is really second nature. I had a great race at Lime Rock in my last outing with the team, so I’m really excited for what’s to come at VIR. It’s my home track, so I’ll have a lot of family and friends there.”
Long’s most recent outing in a Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 was at Lime Rock in May, where he and U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer claimed the ST victory.
“Liam’s determination to succeed, despite every obstacle he has faced, is an inspiration, especially to his fellow service members,” stated Karen Guenther, President and CEO of the Semper Fi Fund. “But what’s also inspiring is his dedication to supporting those in need, by raising awareness for the Semper Fi Fund. We are thrilled to partner with Freedom Autosport for this upcoming race, and can’t wait to see Liam’s car sporting the Semper Fi Fund logo! We’ll all be cheering him on as he crosses the finish line.”
Mark and Mat Pombo will co-drive the No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5. They had a solid run at Road America before a mechanical setback, and they finished fourth in round eight at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mark Pombo has already helped Freedom Autosport earn a podium at VIR: he first drove with the team during the 2009 race there, finishing third along with co-driver Carbonell.
Pobst sums up Freedom Autosport’s outlook for Saturday’s race, saying, “Our major goal is to get all of the cars on the podium, and I think it’s possible. The track should serve us well.”
The 2.5-hour Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race gets underway at VIR on Saturday, August 22, at 2:05 p.m. ET. It will also be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 at 10:00 a.m. on August 31.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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