The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series has quickly established itself as one of the highlights of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP weekend, and this year's doubleheader did not disappoint. For fans that like bar-to-bar racing and outcomes in doubt right up until the checkered flag drops, last weekend's races produced in spades. 

The Indy event is unique for the riders of the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. While the class usually wages just one contest per race weekend, in Indianapolis, the single-make class and its riders are twice thrust into the spotlight as the sole AMA Pro representative of the high-profile event. 

With the world watching, Jeremy McWilliams and Steve Rapp came away from the ultra-competitive contests at the Brickyard with a hard-earned victory each. 

Rapp, the reigning series champ, finally achieved a goal that was a long time coming. The Californian had been a constant presence up front at the Brickyard but repeatedly found himself the loser in the drafting battle down the long start/finish-line straight that determines the final results. Rapp had shown plenty of pace before, but was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

On Saturday, Rapp found the familiar refrain as he ran in the lead pack. The Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson ace was yet again shuffled completely off the podium on the race's final lap. 

However Rapp finally broke through the following day. He jumped past both Benny Carlson and series point leader Danny Eslick at the line to win by just 0.011 seconds. 

"To win at Indy finally - I wanted to check that off my list," Rapp said. "I'm running out of time and I finally got it, so that's cool. 

"I had a lot of years to practice where not to be. I could tell going down the back Danny sat up but I didn't want anything to do with it either so I sat up. Ben went by and I was like, 'cool, that works.' We got back in line and I wasn't sure if I was going to pass them but it worked out pretty good. They got next to each other and built a little draft there. It went great." 

McWilliams, a Northern Irishman with a long career in Grand Prix and the 2010 UK Harley-Davidson XR1200 Trophy Champion, won on Saturday. At 50 years old, McWilliams showed no signs of slowing down as he backed up the popular win he scored at the venue last year for the Harley-Davidson of Bloomington squad. 

McWilliams ultimately won out in the slipstream over Rapp's teammate Carlson, on the last lap by 0.083 seconds back after ten laps. 

McWilliams later admitted that he almost blew it on Saturday. He went too hard too quickly and left little in reserve for the end. 

"You put a bit of pressure on yourself when you start from pole because I suppose you've done all that work and you don't want to give it away on the first lap," McWilliams said. "So I got the hammer down and stupidly thought I could break away. I gave it everything - I tried to maintain the tire a little bit but to be honest, that didn't really work - Benny caught me. 

"He taught me a few things when he got through - he was just using his superior height to get the bike back on the big, fat part of the tire and I thought if he keeps doing this, we're going to be in trouble. So I had to keep working hard to get back on him on the last sector, because once the draft's broken, it's gone. I'm lucky Bloomington Harley gave me a bike that can stay in the draft. It's as good as it was last year and it's a pleasure to ride. That's a big weight off my shoulders to get a win here. I just wanted one again because it's such a special place to do it." 

While he didn't add to his victory total on the weekend, Ruthless Racing pilot Eslick was a winner in the larger scheme. He now leads the points by 16 over Carlson (159-143) with just the New Jersey finale to go. 

On Saturday, title leader Eslick scrapped with Tyler O'Hara, who came into Indy ranked second in points, for position on the track. Although out of the lead group, Eslick was able to gain a point on O'Hara in finishing seventh to the Californian's eighth. 

On Sunday, Eslick took second while O'Hara crashed out.  The Oklahoman leapfrogged Carlson for the lead on the last lap but then had the same technique shown to him by Rapp. 

Eslick saw his place in the points flash before his eyes in the first part of the race. 

"There was lots of crazy stuff on the first start," Eslick said. "McWilliams missed a shift and I had to swerve to go around the outside of him. I had a couple-of-hundred-yard tank slapper, which is an eye-opener when you're in the lead of the championship. I tried to calm down and settle in and then we had the red flag. Everyone had their strong sections of the track and we had to figure out where we wanted to be for the run to the finish line. I was on the lead on the back straightaway and I wanted no part of the lead through the last section of turns and onto the front straight. I sat up and pulled off to the side and let Benny go by. I tucked back in line and thought I had enough. I got by Benny but Steve came by and caught the draft perfect. It was a great race and these guys rode awesome." 

Carlson rode well once again, was the only double-podium rider on the weekend and came very close to earning his elusive first AMA Pro Road Racing victory. The Wisconsin native made it to the front on the last lap both times out only to lose out in the final draft to the stripe. 

"It was the second day coming on the front stretch in first and it ended up working out not so well," Carlson said. "Nonetheless, being on the podium two days in a row is an ultimate result and we moved up in the championship; it doesn't get much better than that." 

"I just wished we would have knocked down Danny or something," Carlson added in jest. "But hey, it was great." 

Kyle Wyman also earned a podium, taking third on Saturday. The KWR/Millennium Technologies pilot ran in the lead pack again on Sunday before earning fourth place. 

In the weekend's opening race, Wyman made a charge to the podium as he ran down the front-running group from nearly three seconds back. 

"I just showed up a little late to the party," said Wyman. "I didn't really get a bad start, but I was on the third row and got caught up with a couple of guys. By the time I was free, I had lost some ground. I knew we had a little better tire life on our bike with our Nitron shocks, so that was the key for me. I knew if I stayed consistent with fast laps and didn't make any mistakes, the tire life would be in my favor. The last laps, those guys slowed down and I stayed the same. It allowed me to make two passes on the last lap. I would have liked to have seen what I could have done if I had been up there from the get-go." 

Malaysian teen Ramden Rosli showed plenty of speed in his first trip to Indy. The Grand Prix hopeful came up short of greater glory in getting shuffled to fourth on Saturday and - as often happens to Harley-Davidson Series newcomers still learning the limits of the big XR1200s - he crashed on Sunday. 

Travis Wyman took sixth on Saturday on the Harv's Harley-Davidson entry. 

Hayden Schultz earned his best result of the season with sixth on Sunday. The Chili Pepper Racing young gun learned the ropes on Saturday while racing with Eslick and O'Hara. On Sunday, he took advantage of the red flag to claim sixth. 

"On the restart, another rider fell coming onto the front straight," Hayden said. "Everyone scattered and I was lucky to keep from getting taken out myself. I put my head down and was able to pull a half-second gap on the guys behind me for sixth place. I'm happy with that!" 

Another young pilot, Nick Hansen, earned seventh on Sunday. 

Other riders earning the top ten at Indy included Josh Chisum, David Estok and Brice Cooper. 

With just New Jersey Motorsports Park left on the schedule, Eslick appears to be the strong favorite to win his second AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series title. A deep field with plenty of motivated competitors might have something to say about that, however. 

Top 10 finishers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Race 1

1. Jeremy McWilliams

2. Ben Carlson

3. Kyle Wyman

4. Ramden Rosli

5. Steve Rapp

6. Travis Wyman

7. Danny Eslick

8. Tyler O'Hara

9. Hayden Schultz

10. David Estok

Top 10 finishers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Race 2

1. Steve Rapp

2. Danny Eslick

3. Ban Carlson

4. Kyle Wyman

5. Jeremy McWilliams

6. Hayden Schultz

7. Nick Hansen

8. David Estok

9. Josh Chisum

10. Brice Cooper

Top 10 in AMA Pro Road Racing Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series points

1. Danny Eslick 159

2. Ben Carlson 143

3. Tyler O'Hara 127

4. Steve Rapp 119

5. Kyle Wyman 108

6. Gage McCallister 84

7. Nick Hensen 82

8. Hayden Schultz 80

9. Josh Chisum 72

10. Darren James 67

All four AMA Pro Road Racing championships will be decided next month at the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season finale. The Kawasaki Devil's Showdown will take place on September 13-14 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey.

The $2,500 Roadracing World Young Gun Award will go to the eligible rider in either AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike or AMA Pro SuperSport who earns the most overall points and was no older than 18 years old at the start of the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season. 

Jake Lewis, aboard his MotoSport.com/Meen Yamaha YZF-R6, has put together a tremendous season in GoPro Daytona SportBike competition and has all but locked up the coveted Roadracing World Young Gun Award this season. 

Lewis's 182 points are 54 points higher than the next closest contestant, Kaleb De Keyrel, who has accumulated 144 points in SuperSport and four points in GoPro Daytona SportBike. The only way for De Keyrel to catch Lewis with one round remaining would be to win both SuperSport races next month when the series heads to New Jersey Motorsports Park, and have Lewis somehow not finish either race. 

In other words, the coveted $2,500 award that Roadracing World has so graciously offered up as a prize for the up-and-coming stars of the sport, will be in the hands of Lewis at the season's conclusion next month, and deservingly so. The Princeton, Ky. native has had by far the best season of his young, yet promising career, as he currently sits second in the overall GoPro Daytona SportBike point standings, just seven behind Jake Gagne. 

"It means a lot to be in such good position to win this award," said Lewis. "To be one of the youngest riders in the sport and have the opportunity to achieve something like this is huge for me and my team. I won Rookie of the Year last year and got my first win this season so I'm happy about that. It's also very generous of Roadracing World to offer the $2,500 that they have, to the winner." 

If his lead holds true, Lewis will officially claim the 2014 Roadracing World Young Gun Award at AMA Pro Road Racing's awards banquet set to be held Monday afternoon, Sept. 15 at NJMP following the Kawasaki Devil's Showdown scheduled to run on Sept. 13-14. 

The Young Gun Of The Year Award is based on Roadracing World magazine's 18 consecutive years of recognizing the best young road racers in North America. The 2014 version of the annual feature was published in the April issue and recognized 32 riders - 12 of them AMA Pro riders. 

"We're happy to work with AMA Pro Racing to name the 2014 Roadracing World Young Gun Of The Year," said Roadracing World founder John Ulrich. "For almost two decades we have recognized the top up-and-coming road racers in the country in our annual Roadracing World Young Guns feature. Many of our Young Guns have gone on to professional racing careers, and this award is a great way to acknowledge their aspirations and accomplishments."  

Fans can view all of the racing action live on FansChoice.tv. For tickets and more information to the New Jersey round, please visit http://store.njmp.com/store/category/9/69/AMA-Pro-Racing/. 

 SERKET Racing driver Mark Llano maintained his recent streak of success by picking up two more podium finishes at Road America. Former Marine Llano fought his way through the field to finish third in both the Gold Cup and Gold Masters classes in Round 12 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama season, the second of three races for the series last weekend at Road America. 

"The competition was definitely intense all weekend," Llano said. "I'm just thankful to have had my family here, and I'm very honored to bring this trophy home for the veterans." 

It was an encore performance from July at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park where Llano took home his first two career podiums. The Road America race weekend also marked the second event in a row in which Llano raced in his former backup car. 

"We had a great car all weekend," Llano said. "This track is a long, technical track that's also very high speed, and the crew at NGT did a great job getting me the perfect setup on the car. This was a total team effort from start to finish." 

Prior to earning a spot on two podiums, Llano finished sixth in Gold Masters for Round 11. In Round 6, a makeup race after being postponed at Lime Rock Park earlier in the season, Llano took the checkers in fourth place. 

Llano and SERKET Racing will have a brief break before the next round of action Sept. 19-20 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The team will announce details shortly on a special program throughout the weekend at COTA to benefit a special group of veterans. The program also will involve the larger International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) community.

For more information on SERKET Racing and its mission, visit www.serketracing.com.

The 2014 Sunoco "Go the Distance Award" will go to the eligible AMA Pro Road Racing and AMA Pro Flat Track riders who complete the furthest distance throughout the season in their respective classes. Sunoco has graciously granted AMA Pro Racing with a $15,000 purse for each series to disperse to the deserving riders who win each award. 

With just one round of AMA Pro Road Racing action remaining in 2014, Monster Energy Graves rider Josh Hayes, aboard his Yamaha R1, is paving the way in SuperBike with 412 laps and 1,156 miles ridden in total. Over the years, Hayes has dedicated his time to the track, as he's won this award five times running. If he were to add another Sunoco "Go the Distance Award" to his collection, he will be the recipient of the $5,000 prize that comes along with it. 

Another Graves rider, JD Beach, aboard his Yamaha R6, leads the way in GoPro Daytona SportBike with 432 laps and 1,272 miles ridden. If Beach were to hold on and earn the 2014 Sunoco "Go the Distance Award" with one round remaining, he would also be the benefiter of Sunoco's gracious payout of $5,000 for achieving the most miles ridden in his class. 

Patricia Fernandez, aboard her ADR Motorsports Yamaha R6, has ridden the furthest distance in SuperSport competition with a total of 253 laps and 798 miles over the last five rounds. Fernandez would be awarded $2,500 if she can do it again at NJMP next month. 

In Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series competition, Hayden Shultz, aboard his Chili Pepper Racing machine, leads the way with 709 miles ridden. If Shultz can hang on, he would receive a check for $2,500. 

After 11 rounds of AMA Pro Flat Track action, Jake Johnson leads the way in GNC competition with 314 miles ridden. Though the season has barely breached its midway point, Johnson will be granted $4,000 if he were to hold on to his lead and claim the coveted 2014 Sunoco "Go the Distance Award." Johnson has raced on four different branded motorcycles so far in 2014, (Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Kawasaki, and Honda) and he's excelled on every single one of them. 

In Pro Singles competition, Bronson Bauman and Kyle Johnson are paving the way with 181.98 miles completed after 11 rounds of action. However, like in the Grand National Championship, no lead is safe with as many races as there are left. Bauman and Johnson are neck and neck heading into the latter half of the season. The winner of the 2014 Sunoco "Go the Distance Award" would receive a check from Sunoco for $2,000. 

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., Sunoco's retail business markets its brand of gasoline through more than 5,000 retail outlets from Maine to Florida and west to Michigan and Louisiana, including more than 600 APlus convenience stores. Sunoco is the official fuel of NASCAR and more than 50 other racing sanctions. For more information on Sunoco Retail, or to find a local Sunoco location, visithttp://www.gosunoco.com/.   

Sunoco provides AMA Pro Racing with the Sunoco 260 GTX, a premium unleaded racing fuel designed to meet the racing needs of AMA Pro Racing as well as many other high performance racing applications. 

Where are they next? 

Fans can watch the Sunoco "Go the Distance Award" battle heat up in AMA Pro Flat Track competition this weekend when the series heads to Peoria, Ill. for the Peoria TT on August 17. For tickets and more information on the event, please visit http://www.peoriamotorcycleclub.net/ticket-booth/. All of the action will be streamed LIVE on FansChoice.tv.

The next time AMA Pro Road Racing takes to the track will be September 13-14, when all four disciplines take to NJMP for the Kawasaki Devil's Showdown in Millville, N.J.

This Saturday, August 16, the world's fastest professional dirt-bike racers will descend upon the brand new Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana for the inaugural Thor Indiana National. In conjunction with round eleven of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, Ironman Raceway will host an entire weekend of amateur racing as part of the Great Lakes Motocross (GLMX) series. 

The Amateur program kicks off this Friday, August 15, with open practice from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Weather permitting, Amateurs will receive three rotations on the new Ironman Raceway motocross track just one day before the pros go to battle. 

Amateur racers and their families are encouraged to stick around for Saturday's first-ever Thor Indiana National, where Red Bull KTM's Ken Roczen and Ryan Dungey will continue fighting for a championship in the 450 Class. The KTM duo will be joined by GEICO Honda's Eli Tomac and Team Honda Muscle Milk's Trey Canard, who have made this 2014 season one of the most exciting in recent history. 

In the 250 Class, the Midwest's very own Jeremy Martin continues to lead the championship chase with his Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha teammate Cooper Webb and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Blake Baggett on his heels. Add in the most recent winner, Valli Motorsports Yamaha's Christophe Pourcel, and the stage is set for a great day of racing in Crawfordsville. 

One day after the biggest names in motocross attempt to conquer the new Ironman racetrack, amateurs will line the fresh gate for a full day of racing action. Sunday's amateur race will follow the GLMX class structure, offering classes for 65cc machines all the way to 60+ Vet classes, Women and various age and skill levels. There will not be classes for 50cc machines this year. Don't miss the chance to also earn great contingency money from Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda! 

Registration for Sunday's racing takes place on Friday from 1 - 5 p.m. and again on Sunday at 7 a.m. The fee is $40 per class and an AMA membership is required to race, but not for practice. For Indiana and Michigan residents only, a GLMX membership is also required. 

Practice begins at 8 a.m. on Sunday and racing will immediately follow. For complete details on Ironman Raceway's amateur program, please click HERE. For more information on the Indiana National, please click HERE.

Action for the Thor Indiana National on Saturday, August 16, begins at 8:30 a.m. ET with timed practice. Opening ceremonies get underway at 12:25 p.m. ET, with the first gate drop scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET.

Greg Anderson has made tremendous strides over the past three races on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit. But the four-time Pro Stock world champion won’t consider himself all the way back until a victory comes. Anderson, who jumped into the top 10 for the first time this season with a final-round performance at the most recent event in Seattle, would like for that first victory of the season to come before the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship begins, which doesn’t leave him much time.

 The most ideal situation would be winning at this weekend’s 33rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the home track for the longtime Pro Stock star. Not only would it snap a lengthy winless drought that stretches back to 2012, it would give Anderson a boost of confidence that could propel another championship run.

 “I have to go find a way to win,” Anderson said. “I feel like I’ve got a car that can win, but I need to prove I can win again before the Countdown. I want to win again to prove to myself that I can do it. We’ve had a lot of success here recently, but hopefully I can get a win soon.” 

Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) were last year’s winners of the event that will once again be televised nationally on ESPN2. It is the 17th of 24 races during the 2014 season and is the penultimate stop in the regular season. 

Anderson, who missed the first five races of the season recovering from heart surgery, realizes the immediacy of the event and that is apparent by his recent turnaround. Anderson and his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro posted round wins at each of the three stops on the NHRA Western Swing, losing to teammate Jason Line in the final round at Seattle.

It moved Anderson into the top 10 and he now leads rookie Jonathan Gray by 26 points for the final spot in the Countdown to the Championship. But Anderson hopes that recent string is the start of something even bigger heading into the most important stretch of the season.  

“We’ve definitely come a long way in the last month,” Anderson said. “We’ve made some serious gains and I can’t ask for more. We’re getting our act together at the right time and I think we’re now able to run with anybody in the class and compete for a championship. It’s been a stressful summer, but everything is starting to come together the way we want.”

Running well in the high-altitude conditions of Denver and then transitioning smoothly to the quicker tracks in Sonoma and Seattle was also key for Anderson. He believes the team has found a winning combination that can be consistent throughout a weekend, proving that by qualifying in the top five at all three events after not qualifying in the top seven at any previous race.

“The last three races have proven to us that what we’ve done works in all types of conditions,” Anderson said. “It’s very repeatable and that’s very reassuring. Everything has gradually improved and it’s starting to show. I definitely feel like we’ve gotten a lot better.”

Staying stagnant isn’t an option in the talented Pro Stock field headed by points leader Erica Enders-Stevens. Reigning Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin has four wins while other top contenders at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals include Allen Johnson, Dave Connolly, Line, Vincent Nobile, Shane Gray, Jonathan Gray, V Gaines and Chris McGaha.   

But Anderson seemingly always feels great at his home track in Brainerd, winning three times previously. A fourth would do wonders for his entire team and feeling comfortable at the track has always played a part in Anderson’s strong success there.

“I’ve been racing up here a lot of years but it’s always fun,” Anderson said. “It’s just one of those where you have a lot of fun and you look forward to it every year. It’s a fun racetrack with great fans and I always recommend that everyone should go there at least once.”

Massey grabbed the Top Fuel Wally last season in Brainerd and is after his third win this season. Tony Schumacher leads active Top Fuel drivers with three wins at Brainerd while points leader Doug Kalitta, who won the most recent event in Seattle, has two. Other marquee challengers include Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon, the reigning Top Fuel world champ, Brittany Force, Richie Crampton, J.R. Todd, Khalid alBalooshi and category veteran Steve Torrence.

In Funny Car, Capps took home the victory in Brainerd, marking his fourth win at the track. But no one owns Brainerd like 16-time and reigning world champion John Force, who has 11 wins at the facility. Both will be challenged from an ultra-competitive Funny Car class that also features Tommy Johnson Jr., points leader Robert Hight, 1992 Brainerd winner Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan, two-time season winner Courtney Force, Tim Wilkerson, Del Worsham and Alexis DeJoria, also a two-time winner this season.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and enjoy some cherished face time and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family. The event will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.              

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Aug. 15, with sessions at 3 and 5:30 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, Aug. 16, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17. To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call Brainerd International Raceway at (866) 444-4455 or visit www.brainerdraceway.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.  

Organizers of the all-electric FIA Formula E Championship have today unveiled its new global marketing campaign entitled Drive the Future, with exactly one month to go until the opening round in Beijing on September 13 2014.

Developed in conjunction with creative agency Dare, the new campaign launches Formula E as a unique and innovative new sports entertainment brand that will transform cities around the world as the season progresses. Featuring sound design by Nick Rapaccioli, the film depicts a cityscape embracing the change to electric vehicles before revealing the Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E car driving at high-speed.

It will be played on consumer broadcast networks around the globe including FOX Sports, and business audience networks including CNN and CNBC. It will also feature heavily on China’s Sina and Weibo platforms.

In addition, the Drive the Future campaign will incorporate a unique 600 sq m animated poster on the side of the seven star Pangu Plaza Hotel in Beijing, overlooking the streets surrounding the Olympic ‘Bird’s Nest’ Stadium where the 20 Formula E drivers will compete in one month’s time.

An extensive Out-Of-Home campaign will also feature across bus stops, buses and the subway throughout the Chinese capital with billboard promotions at Beijing International Airport via leading outdoor advertising company JCDecaux.

Charles Davies, Head of Marketing, said: “With one month to go before our first race, we’re very excited to be unveiling our new Drive the Future campaign for the FIA Formula E Championship. We believe Formula E has all the ingredients to appeal to a new, younger generation of motorsport fans who want to enjoy close, city-centre racing combined with the latest music and entertainment.”

Formula E is the FIA’s new fully-electric single-seater championship designed to appeal to a new generation of motorsport fans, whilst accelerating the interest in electric vehicles and promoting sustainability. Racing entirely on temporary city-centre race tracks, it uses cars capable of speeds in excess of 150mph (225kph). The first of 10 races takes place in Beijing with the season finale taking place in London on June 27 2015.

The final Formula E pre-season test takes place at Donington Park on August 19 with free admission to the public.

It wasn't a perfect homecoming, but Kelly Moss Motorsports left its home track at Road America with a bright star. Ducote, who has competed in the Platinum Cup class all season, made a successful debut in the Gold Cup class with four podiums last weekend at Road America. He swept the Gold and Gold Masters Championship classes, winning in both Rounds 11 and 12 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama.

Platinum Cup drivers race in the 2014 model of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, while Gold Cup competitors race in 2010-13 models of the iconic car. 

"Kelly Moss gave me a really good car," Ducote said. "This weekend I was just able to keep my head down, stay clean, and it all worked out." 

The team had high hopes of extending its Platinum Cup team and driver championship lead. Kelly Moss driver Colin Thompson still leads the Drivers Championship by two points over Angel Benitez Jr. and five points over Michael Lewis, the team dropped to second in team standings, four points behind Formula Motorsport/Avid Motorsport. 

David Ducote (center) after Round 11 Gold Cup win

It was a weekend of ups and downs for Kelly Moss. It wasn't quite the event Kelly Moss Vice President Jeff Stone wanted, but he was still able to see the positives and is already looking toward the next event in the series, Sept. 18-19 at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. 

 "All the highs and lows you could ask for," Stone said. "We had David winning both Gold races, but on the flip side we're taking home a lot of wrecked cars and a very slim lead in the championship. But we survived, and we'll be back swinging at COTA." 

Thompson, a Pennsylvania native, had a rough weekend after a double podium weekend in July at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Damage to the car early in the weekend in Wisconsin limited his effectiveness.

"We were running a wounded car all weekend," Stone said. "It needs to be repaired in the body shop, but we had to make due with what we had. So we had a less-than-perfect car, and he drove it the best he could." 

Thompson finished the weekend fourth and eighth in the Platinum class for Rounds 11 and 12, respectively. He recorded a sixth-place finish in Round 6, which was being made up after being postponed by rain in May at Lime Rock Park. Despite the rough weekend, Thompson still holds a two-point lead in the Platinum class Drivers Championship. 

Colin Thompson in the No. 14 Kelly Moss Porsche

Dan Weyland, the only other Kelly Moss driver in the Platinum class, collected a 15^th- and two 14^th-place finishes in the Platinum class and two seventh- and a sixth-place Platinum Masters Championship finishes. 

Wayne Ducote joined his son, David, in the Gold Cup Masters Championship, recording a 11^th- and seventh-place finish. In the rescheduled Round 6, Wayne Ducote was running well before an on-track incident eliminated him from contention. He still managed to bring home the Yokohama Hard Charger Award, presented to the driver who gained the most positions during the race. 

Rounding out the Kelly Moss Gold Masters Championship results were Seth Davidow and William Peluchiwski. Davidow recorded a 10^th-place finish in Round 11 and a fifth-place finish in Round 12. Peluchiwski ended the weekend with a seventh- and eighth-place finish for the Gold Cup Masters Championship. 

"It was great to see all the guys running well," Stone said. "But that's all we could come up with this time. It's a little hard to digest right now, but we'll be back and ready at COTA."

What do Ashley Judd, Darius Rucker, James Carville and Governor Rick Perry, and Carl Edwards have in common? Well, they live and die with the fortunes of their respective SEC schools. In “The Stars Are Aligned,” 14 famous figures—each representing a different college in the Southeastern Conference—spill their emotions and explain why they’ll never forget where they came from. Among the other celebrities featured are Charlie Daniels, Amy Robach, Jonathan Papelbon, Melissa Joan Hart, Emmitt Smith, Shepard Smith and Ralphie May.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards, from Columbia, Mo., will discuss his University of Missouri sports fandom, including his love for basketball and how it was passed down through his stepfather.

The ESPN Films documentary premieres on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 9 p.m. ET on the SEC Network, kicking off a four-week run of SEC Storied documentaries on the new network. The SEC Storied franchise, from the creators of the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series, focuses on the people, teams, moments and events that tell the ongoing story of the Southeastern Conference.

 “Bo, Barkley and The Big Hurt,” Thursday, Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. 

It started with the unheralded arrival of a wisecracking heavyweight basketball player named Charles Barkley. Then came the recruitment of multi-sports legend Bo Jackson, a  victory in itself since he might have gone to Alabama. When Frank Thomas wasn’t drafted by a major league baseball team, he decided to cast his fate with Auburn… as a football player. Told through an unforgettable reunion of the famed trio at the 2013 Iron Bowl, here’s the real story of how these future Hall of Famers turned the orange and blue of Tiger athletics into gold.

 “The Believer,” Wednesday Aug. 27 at 8 p.m. 

The SEC is in Steve Spurrier’s blood. He grew up in Tennessee as a fan of the Volunteers. He won the Heisman Trophy as the quarterback for the University of Florida, and then came back to coach the Gators to a national championship. Now he coaches the University of South Carolina, the team that produced the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Jadeveon Clowney. Co-executive produced by Kenny Chesney and Shaun Silva, “The Believer” reveals the essence of the most competitive man in the most competitive football conference in the nation.

 “It’s Time,”  Thursday Sept. 4 at 8 p.m.

On October 28, 1989, Ole Miss defensive back Chucky Mullins hit Vanderbilt running back Brad Gaines in the back and separated him from the ball. While Gaines was uninjured, Mullins suffered a broken neck on the play, leaving him a quadriplegic. But in that heartbreaking moment, a friendship was born that lasted another two years, until Mullins died of a blood clot in a Memphis hospital room, with Gaines at his side. “It’s Time” will chronicle the inspirational journeys of these two men brought together by tragedy.

The Southeastern Conference and ESPN have signed a 20-year agreement through 2034 to create and operate a multiplatform network which will launch August 14, 2014. The new network and its accompanying digital platform will air SEC content 24/7 including more than 1,000 events in its first year. The network will televise 45 SEC football games, more than 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, and events from across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. Programming will also include in-depth commentary and analysis in studio shows, daily news and information original content such as SEC Storied, spring football games, and more. Hundreds of additional live events from various sports will be offered exclusively on the digital platform. AT&T U-Verse, Cox, DISH, Google Fiber and National Rural Telecommunications cooperative (NRTC) have agreed to carry the SEC Network. 

(Lucas Oil Pro Motocross PR)