Adam Sinclair
Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway more than 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of traveling 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 spent several 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 sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place (almost) every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
Contact Adam: Email
The 61st Anniversary Rolex 24 At DAYTONA weekend is set for next January 26-29, 2023, and for fans who attend, they will see history in the making with the return of the iconic IMSA GTP class, which features new hybrid prototypes from a variety of different manufacturers.
In addition, garage access will now be included for all 2-day infield and single-day customers, enhancing the experience for guests by providing close access to the incredible cars and teams as they prepare for North America’s most prestigious sports car race. The iconic event, which is the ultimate test of endurance, speed and skill for world-class competition and at the World Center of Racing, will be held on Jan. 28-29 at Daytona International Speedway to open the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
It will be the first race for the new GTP class, hearkening back to a highly successful era of IMSA prototype racing in the 1980s and 1990s. Four manufacturers – Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche – have already confirmed plans to field new hybrid-powered prototypes in the GTP class next season, with Lamborghini joining the fray in 2024.
As part of a historic convergence agreement between IMSA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) – which organizes the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship – the new generation of prototypes will be eligible to compete for overall victories all over the world, from Daytona to Le Mans and beyond.
“The 2023 Rolex 24 At DAYTONA begins a new tradition with state-of-the-art new prototype race cars and brings back an old one with the GTP class,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “It will be a continuation of the rich legacy here at The World Center of Racing. We are also thrilled to offer the up-close, garage access that we know fans from around the globe will enjoy.”
The Rolex 24 At DAYTONA will also showcase pre-race grid access, the popular ferris wheel and fireworks, autograph sessions, live entertainment and displays from the top manufacturers.
Practice sessions in all classes kick off the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA week on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 26-27. In addition, Friday’s slate will see the four-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge to open the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season. The storied “twice-around-the-clock” Rolex 24 At DAYTONA gets the green flag on Saturday, Jan. 28.
Fans who attended the 2022 Rolex 24 At DAYTONA can log into their account to renew their experience now. The ’23 event will go on-sale to the general public in August. For information, fans can click here or call 1-800-PITSHOP. For all other information on the Rolex 24, click here.
The track will host back-to-back racing weekends with the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 test sessions on Jan. 20-22 (Friday-Sunday). Scout Days, a longtime tradition during the Roar Before the Rolex 24, is set during the weekend.
The NASCAR Foundation will host the 13th Annual ‘Taste of the 24’ in the Midway Suites at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, January 28th at 6 PM. Tickets for the exclusive food and beverage celebration, one of the premier kick-off activities of the 2023 motorsports season, will go on sale Wednesday, June 29.
The inaugural Rolex 24 was a three-hour event in 1962, initially known as the Daytona Continental, with Hall of Famer Dan Gurney taking the checkered flag. Held on Daytona’s world-famous 3.56-mile road course, the event is renowned for annually attracting many of the world’s finest race car drivers – from various racing disciplines – to make history against the world’s best sports car racers.
Historically, drivers from NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1 and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) have joined forces for the chance to win the coveted Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona. Meyer Shank Racing’s No. 60 Acura quartet of Helio Castroneves, Tom Blomqvist, Oliver Jarvis and Simon Pagenaud are the reigning Rolex 24 At DAYTONA Overall Champions.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as the all-new NASCAR Tracks App, for the latest speedway news.
There’s a Lot to Like about Watkins Glen
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Guy Cosmo takes on a new challenge this weekend, making his Trans Am presented by Pirelli debut in the competitive TA2 class at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The Jupiter, Florida driver will be at the wheel of the No. 89 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang, part of a 35-car TA2 class during the Mid-Ohio Speed Tour.
He is filling in for Mike Skeen, a 2022 winner at Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca. Teammate Rafa Matos, driver of the No. 88 Ford, won at Sebring and enters the Mid-Ohio weekend as the points leader.
“I’m looking forward to the race, and I know it will be really competitive,” Cosmo said. “I’ve got a lot to learn about the car, but I’ll go out and give it my best. I’m sure I will have my hands full, but it’s a new challenge and will be a lot of fun.”
Cosmo was pleased with the car and his results after having a recent test with Peterson Motorsports at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C.
“I’ve known Doug Peterson for just about my entire pro career,” Cosmo said. “I’ve raced against him and I’ve raced for him, but it’s been a really long time since either of those. It’s fantastic to reunite with Doug and his crew. This will certainly be a lot of fun.”
TA2 qualifying will be held on Saturday and will be run in two groups, beginning at 3:20 p.m. ET Sunday’s 45-lap TA2 feature race is set to start at 10:55 a.m. ET. The race will be televised on CBS on Saturday, July 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
After nearly two months away, Premier Racing is eager to get back racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands. With the championship’s last event taking place in early May, it has been a long break for Adam Adelson (Las Vegas, Nevada now living in Los Angeles) and the Kent Moore-led operation. However, testing in the No. 24 Premier Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car and competition in SRO GT4-competition has kept the Las Vegas-based race team sharp. The race series, exclusively for Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, is widely recognized as the most competitive one-make race series on the continent. Rounds Seven and Eight of the 16-race championship will take place at Watkins Glen International, the iconic road course in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. Porsche Carrera Cup North America will run in support of the Six Hours of The Glen, June 23 – 25.
Testing two weeks ago at the 3.4-mile, 11-turn race course adds to the confidence of the team entering the season’s midpoint. The team used extensive input from both Adelson and SRO teammate and driving coach Elliott Skeer (San Diego, California) to fine-tune the 500 HP Porsche for this weekend’s race. Practice got underway on Thursday, June 23 with two 30-minute sessions. Adelson will have 30-minutes starting at 8:45 a.m. ET on Friday, June 24, to set his best time in qualifying for the Pro class of Race 1. The first of the two scheduled 40-minute rounds will take the green flag later that day at 1:25 p.m. ET/10:25 a.m. PT. The second race will be run at 11:05 a.m. ET/8:05 a.m. PT on Saturday, June 25.
Live timing and scoring of all sessions as well as streaming of both races can be found at www.PorscheCarreraCup.us . The races also air live on the Peacock Streaming App.
Adam Adelson, No. 24 Premier Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup |
“It’s hard to believe that we’re already halfway through the season; it feels like just yesterday we were rolling the 992 Cup car out of the trailer for the first time. It’s been an incredible experience so far, especially since we started bringing home wins and podiums in the SRO! The team has improved dramatically since the start of the season, and I feel the same way about my driving. Coming into rounds seven and eight of Porsche Carrera Cup, I’m feeling quite confident that we can move further up the field. The two day test we had here at The Glen a couple of weeks ago gave us invaluable data and information about the car. During that test I felt as if I was really figuring out how to drive the 992 Cup the way it wants to be driven. Now, it’s time to take everything we’ve learned so far this season and put it to the test. As always, the field in Carrera Cup is incredibly tight and packed with talent, but we’ve been on our A game and I’m excited to see what we can achieve here this weekend.”
Kent Moore, No. 24 Premier Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup |
“It has been a long break since Carrera Cup last ran but we have been anything but sitting still. We tested the Cup car here at The Glen a few weeks ago and we have raced several SRO GT4 races including capturing three wins with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. We are keeping the team sharp, and we are keeping Adam sharp. There is no replacement for seat time, especially for a young driver and young team. We have been making sure Adam has plenty of time behind the wheel. The test here went well. Adam turned a lot of laps and we also got great input from Elliott [Skeer]. We are confident we have a good setup, and we are ready but this series is tight. You don’t get a chance to make a mistake that someone else won’t take advantage of. But that is why we are here, to battle the best.”
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TeamSLR Heads to Mid-Ohio in Full ‘Force’
TeamSLR is packing quite the one-two punch as it heads to the heart of the Buckeye State for Sunday’s seventh round of the 2022 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, looking to continue the championship bid of its second-year fulltime driver Connor Mosack while also launching the series’ newest partnership featuring driver Eric Norris, the 57-year-old son of karate, Hollywood film and folklore legend Chuck Norris.
Mosack, the 23-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, finds himself in the thick of the TA2-class title chase after the season’s first six of 12 events as he heads to the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington for Sunday’s 45-lap, 70-minute race. While he looks to improve upon the first career Trans Am podium finish he earned in his first-ever visit to Mid-Ohio a year ago this weekend, Norris, the 2002 NASCAR K&N Series West champion, looks to keep the flame burning on a decades-long racing career that’s been sprinkled throughout his life as an acclaimed stunt coordinator in the film and television industries since the mid-1980s. He’ll be making his debut in the series while representing a family business, CForce Naturally Alkaline Water, which earlier this month was named the “Official Water Company of Trans Am.”
Mosack’s breakout campaign in 2021 included numerous on-track and off-track milestones. In only his ninth career TA2 start, he secured his first podium finish with a third-place run June 26 at Mid-Ohio, just a month-and-a-half after graduating with a degree in business entrepreneurship from High Point (N.C.) University. Then on Aug. 7 on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee, Mosack earned a second podium finish, which set the stage for his breakthrough win Sept. 12 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. The triumph also boosted Mosack to third in the TA2 standings, a position he held through the season finale Nov. 7 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, where he finished second to championship winner Rafa Matos.
Since this season’s previous TA2 round on Memorial Day weekend at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, Mosack made his presence known during his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the Pacific Office Automation 147 on June 4 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway behind the wheel of the 18 OpenEyes.net Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). In wet and oftentimes treacherous conditions, he put his TeamSLR and Trans Am road-racing experience to good use in driving from his eighth-place starting spot to as high as second place until a costly penalty dropped him to midpack. He was collected in a multicar accident 12 laps from the finish that prematurely ended a promising run. Unfazed, the determined young driver went on to post an impressive pair of top-three runs in ARCA Menards Series competition.
In the ARCA Menards Series West race later that day on the Portland circuit, Mosack qualified third, led nine laps and drove to a runner-up finish in the No. 17 Steve McGowan Motorsports Chevrolet. The following weekend, on June 11, Mosack drove the No. 23 Brett Holmes Racing Chevrolet to a third-place finish from the sixth starting spot in an ARCA national tour race on the oval at Iowa Speedway in Newton.
Norris, who began racing motorcycles at a young age in and around his native Southern California, then stepped up his passion when he began racing Formula Fords at Willow Springs (Calif.) Raceway shortly after graduating high school in the early 1980s, rose to the ranks of NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series while also pursuing his career in television and film over the next three-plus decades. His most notable on-screen credits occurred during his father’s starring role in the hit television series Walker, Texas Ranger from 1991 to 2003, when he directed or served as stunt coordinator for some 200 episodes.
Norris competed in a mix of NASCAR Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series and K&N Series West events from 1997 to 2012 with his greatest success coming in the latter tour. In 2002, he drove to top-10 finishes in all 10 K&N Series West races run that year, a run that included a pair of pole positions, victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington, and eight top-fives. He won the championship by a 119-point margin.
This weekend, Norris makes his competitive return to the racetrack for the first time since running Super Late Models at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, California, in 2019. While it marks his first time behind the wheel of a TA2-class racecar, he has enjoyed success at Mid-Ohio, driving a Panoz GT to a victory and a second-place finish during a doubleheader weekend in the mid-2000s.
He’ll be sporting the colors of CForce Naturally Alkaline Water and the CForce Bottling Company, which is a certified woman-owned business founded in 2015 by the husband-wife team of Gena and Chuck Norris. CForce water comes from a sustainable source under Chuck Norris’s Lone Wolf Ranch in Navasota, Texas, and is bottled on site. CForce has what every major water tries to add in using salts or chemicals, but has it naturally. This artesian water is filtered through volcanic rock before being deposited into a deep, sustainable aquifer. The water emerges rich in natural electrolytes, which raise its alkalinity, and from a source so deep, it is void of any biological factors. The aquifer cultivates clear, clean water with a high pH and deliciously smooth taste due to its natural silica content.
Under CEO Gena Norris’s leadership, CForce water is now available in all 48 domestic states through thousands of retail locations. CForce is a full-service bottling facility that offers co-packing, raw bottle sales and branded product. More information is available by visiting www.cforce.com.
In addition to its role as “Official Water Company of Trans Am,” CForce will also contribute a cash prize for a CForce-sponsored award to be given at the year-end Trans Am championship banquet at COTA in November.
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Connor Mosack, Driver, No. 28 High Point University/Nic Tailor Custom Fit Underwear/Interstate Foam & Supply/TeamSLR/M1 Racecars Ford Mustang: |
You scored your milestone first Trans Am podium finish at Mid-Ohio a year ago this weekend. What are your thoughts about that race, and how does it bode for your chances there this weekend? “It was a pretty good race for us at Mid-Ohio last year. I feel like we really should’ve finished second but I just gave up the spot right there at the end after we worked really hard to get it. But I feel like our cars are definitely going to be better this year going into it, and now I know the track better. So I feel like if we had a good run last year, this will be my first time back and we can be that much better this year. We’ve been more competitive at every track we’ve been to this year relative to last year. It’s a good track for our cars, and we’ve gotten them better, so we should have a good shot.”
How does the tight, twisty layout at Mid-Ohio suit your driving style, and what would it take to put you over the top this time around? “I like Mid-Ohio. Scott (Lagasse) Sr., showed me some tricks around there that I feel will pay off, and hopefully we can put those to good use because it’s probably one of the more technical tracks we go to. Like turns four through seven, there are about 10 different ways you can go through there, and that’s where some of Scott’s experience there has helped us out a lot, just knowing where to give up speed and where to be aggressive and what makes overall the best total time through there.”
You made a big splash, so to speak, on a wet and rainy weekend in Portland three weeks ago when you made your NASCAR Xfinity Series debut. How was that experience for you? “Portland was very special – making my (NASCAR) Xfinity Series debut was obviously a big deal, especially with a high-profile team like Joe Gibbs Racing. It was a great experience. The car was great. Even though there was a little more rain than we would’ve liked, we were still able to run up front for most of the race. Unfortunately, we got a penalty for something I felt was not fair, but that happens sometimes, and then we just ended up getting caught up in a wreck after having to restart toward the back. But as far as things that were in our control, we had a pretty good day going. The ARCA race right after the Xfinity race was also good. I felt like we had the best car – probably about half a second better than everybody when we were by ourselves or in clean air. But it was so wet in that one that we really couldn’t race each other. We also had to pit for some engine issues, and when I came back out, you really couldn’t see anything and you really had no opportunity to fight for the lead.”
What do you know about your new teammate who’s making his TA2 debut with TeamSLR this weekend? “In know that my teammate this weekend is Chuck Norris’s son, and Chuck is a pretty cool guy. It’s cool to have new people around. Everybody has different levels of experience and everybody brings different things to the table that can help everybody else. Hopefully, we can learn something together and make our program better.”
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Eric Norris, Driver, No. 27 CForce Water/TeamSLR/M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro: |
You’re no stranger to Mid-Ohio, or racing in high-profile national series in general. How do you feel about getting back into a racecar, albeit for the first time in a TA2 car, this weekend? “I love Mid-Ohio. I think it’s a fast and technical track. I just love the layout, and I had a good weekend there with a win and a second-place finish not long after my championship year. Hey, any racetrack you’ve won at, you’ve got to love. This weekend will be my first time in a TA2 car, but I’m excited, especially having Scott Sr., and Scott Jr., taking care of me. I know I’m going to be in first-class equipment. And with all their road-racing experience, they’ll really be a big help, so I’m excited to be part of their program.”
What have you done to prepare? “I’ve been working out really hard in preparation for this, and sitting in the sauna a lot because it’s supposed to be really hot. This first race, I want to run all the laps, keep all four fenders on and get to the end and hopefully have a decent finish. But, this race is just to get my feet wet and get experience for the next time, and then the next time we’ll run really hard."
How special is it to be representing a family business, CForce Naturally Alkaline Water, on the racetrack? “Our family is thrilled to kick off this partnership that brings America’s best water to America’s Road Racing Series. My dad and I have spent many years behind the wheel of a racecar, so we know that teaming CForce Bottling Company with the Trans Am Series is a perfect fit. We’re excited to merge our amazing product with an amazing group of people.” |
No. 99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing's Sara Price discusses the upcoming Island X Prix double-header
After a 2021 campaign beset by bad luck, No. 99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing made an assured start to Season 2 by finishing fourth in NEOM, Saudi Arabia. |
Extreme E: The break since the opening event in NEOM will have ensured plenty of time for reflection. How did you feel the first round of the season went? |
MANN-FILTER changes in double pack
MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF announces that Mamba pilot Jonathan Aberdein will no longer drive for the team as of the ADAC GT Masters race in Zandvoort. Both sides will make a new sporting line-up for the remainder of the 2022 season. In his place, young talent Lorenzo Ferrari (19, Italy) will start alongside Raffaele Marciello at the Zandvoort round. The Italian Silver Driver Ferrari won both the Endurance and Sprint classifications in last year's Italian GT Championship and celebrated no fewer than seven race victories. So far this year, his racing has included the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, where he finished second in Q2 at Circuit Paul Ricard in France. "We remain strongly focused and will not let the championship out of our sight," affirms Klaus Landgraf.
Mamba double act
One becomes two: In addition to the current Mamba, MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF will send a second yellow and green Mercedes-AMG GT3 into the race starting in Zandvoort. Behind the wheel will be the talented young drivers Frank Bird (22, UK) and Elias Seppänen (17, Finland). Seppänen has already gained experience driving the virtual Mamba as a sim racer in the digital Nürburgring Endurance Series and has completed an intensive testing program in preparation for his GT3 debut season. Bird has already shown his talent with two class victories in the 2021 Silver Cup and has experience driving GT3 cars.
“Four pilotes in two yellow and green Mambas means MANN-FILTER Beast Mode ON! in a double pack that promises to deliver twice as much racing action,” says Dr. Uwe Hartmann, Director Brand Management MANN-FILTER.
The ADAC GT Masters race in Zandvoort will be broadcast live on NITRO and streamed on RTL+ on Saturday, June 25, from 12:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 1 p.m.
As usual, MANN-FILTER will be reporting on its social media channels about the events on and alongside the track, giving fans exclusive looks behind the scenes.