by Brendan Bowers | Sep 7, 2020 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
After earning a victory in Barcelona to open the 2020 campaign, EMS Race Team will now be competing at Spa during the Ferrari Challenge in Belgium on September 11-13. Driver James Weiland and his team from Ferrari of San Francisco, R3 Motorsports and Rossocorsa will be returning to a track where they earned a P1 finish during the 2018 Ferrari Races while looking for a similar result this time. In pursuit of that podium, the team will once again race to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope.
Electronic Merchant Systems Race Team earned a pole position in the wet during their last trip to Spa and leveraged that start to a victory. The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the famous host of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, the Spa 24 Hours, World Endurance Championships, and many other high-profile racing events along with the Ferrari Challenge. The historic track held its first ever race in 1922 and was used for Grand Prix racing for the first time in 1925. Early on, it quickly developed a reputation for being the fastest track in Europe.
“We’re looking forward to being back at Spa,” Weiland said. “It’s a challenging course but we’ve had great experiences there. Hopefully our team will have another memorable weekend.”
Last month, Weiland shared his experiences as a race car driver in a Ferrari Fast Lane article. He described his feelings and expectations during his eighth year in the Ferrari Challenge while looking forward to the rest of this season.
“It gets harder and harder every year,” Weiland told Ferrari Races in the article. “But I love this series – it’s fantastic. Plus I love the environment, the drivers are great people and I really feel at ease. I have fun, my family has fun, and the circuits are great. I simply love it.”
The charities that EMS Race Team races to raise awareness for starts with PETA, the largest animal rights organization in the world. Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation is also represented on the car and their mission is to provide educational support to at risk children through a combination of literacy, personal development and health programs designed to develop the whole child. Cornerstone of Hope, meanwhile, is dedicated to providing support, education, and hope for the grieving.
For behind-the-scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge in Belgium follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Brendan Bowers | Oct 20, 2019 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team travels to Italy this week for the Ferrari Challenge World Finals on October 24-27 at the Mugello Circuit. The Finali Mondiali event will mark the 10th different country that EMS Race Team will compete in this season. With victories at Bahrain, Le Mans and Nürburgring, driver James Weiland and his team from Boardwalk Ferrari / Ferrari of San Francisco will look to add to their 2019 total of seven podium finishes overall. While competing against the best Ferrari Challenge drivers in the world, Weiland and his team know they will need to be on top of their game in order to eclipse their season total of seven podiums from a year ago.
“The Ferrari Challenge World Finals are always a special event that we look forward to every year,” Weiland said. “Mugello is a circuit that we’ve raced before and we’re excited for the opportunity to do so again. We tested there last week and ERIN ran great so hopefully that continues for us throughout the weekend.”
The 2018 Ferrari Challenge was also in Italy but held at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. EMS Race Team earned a second-place finish at Monza to close out the season a year ago. At the 2017 event, EMS Race Team earned a sixth-place finish while racing at Mugello. The 2016 Finali Mondiali was held at Daytona International Speedway in Florida where Weiland and company secured the North American Ferrari Challenge season championship.
“We’re especially excited about racing to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope on the world stage in Italy,” Weiland added. “There’s always so many drivers and fans in attendance at the World Finals throughout the week and our goal is to make each of those foundations we race on behalf of proud of our effort. If we can accomplish that much we’ll be happy with the results.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than three million members and supporters. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation’s mission is to provide educational support to at risk children through a combination of literacy, personal development and health and fitness programs designed to develop the whole child. Cornerstone of Hope, meanwhile, is dedicated to providing support, education, and hope for the grieving.
Road races were first held on public streets around Mugello in Italy during the early 1920s. The present-day closed Mugello Circuit was constructed in 1973 and opened in 1974, just east of the original road circuit. Measuring 5,245 km in length, the Mugello Circuit stands out from other fast tracks thanks to the drastic elevation changes and the high-speed chicanes. The main straight, at 1.141 km, is followed by a blind rise into the tight turn one, San Donato, where speeds drop quickly. The front straight is the fastest part of the track, with the rest an exciting mixture of quick direction changes and long corners without any tight hairpins or stop-and-go sections to break up the flow.
For behind-the-scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge World Finals at the Mugello Circuit in Italy throughout the trip, be sure to follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Brendan Bowers | May 1, 2019 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
After securing a pair of podium finishes in Malaysia, EMS Race Team will now travel to Austria for the Ferrari Challenge at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg on May 3-5. This will mark the first time that driver James Weiland and the crew from Ferrari of San Francisco / Boardwalk Ferrari will race in Austria. It will also mark the fifth racing event of the 2019 season for EMS following stops in Bahrain, Texas, Australia and Malaysia. During the trip, the team will look to add to their season total of four podium finishes against a talented group of Ferrari Challenge drivers.
The Red Bull Ring is located in Spielberg, Styria, Austria. It was founded as the Österreichring in 1970 and hosted the Formula One Austrian Grand Prix for the first 18 years it was open. The track has undergone a series of renovations since, along with multiple name changes. From 1996-2004 the circuit was named A-1 before it was eventually purchased by Red Bull. In July of 2013, the F1 Austrian Grand Prix returned to Spielburg after a hiatus and the marquee race has been hosted on the historic track ever since. Max Verstappen won at Red Bull last season, Michael Schumacher won twice when it was named A-1 and Niki Lauda is among the F1 winners at Österreichring.
“We’re looking forward to visiting Austria and racing at a great track like the Red Bull Ring,” Weiland said. “We had some positive results while we were in Malaysia and hopefully some of that momentum can carry over. But regardless of the outcome, we’re excited to be on the international stage once again racing to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope.”
EMS Race Team will do their best to help promote the three foundations they hold close to their hearts in Austria. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than three million members and supporters. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation’s mission is to provide educational support to at risk children through a combination of literacy, personal development and health and fitness programs designed to develop the whole child. Cornerstone of Hope, meanwhile, is dedicated to providing support, education, and hope for the grieving. Each mission will be featured on EMS Race Team’s car throughout the trip to Spielberg.
“Our team did a great job making sure that our car, PARIS, was ready to run in extreme heat last time out in Malaysia,” Weiland added. “If we can have that same approach and focus throughout the weekend in Austria we’ll be able to live with whatever happens out on the track.”
For behind-the-scenes coverage of the Ferrari Races in Austria, follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
by Brendan Bowers | Oct 26, 2018 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team’s 2018 Ferrari Challenge season began in Florida at the Daytona International Speedway. It is now set to conclude at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy on November 1-4 during the Ferrari Challenge World Finals. Along the way, driver James Weiland and the crew from Boardwalk Ferrari have made stops at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas, Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Australia, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in New Zealand, Circuit De-Spa Francorchamps in Belgium, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Brno Circuit in Czech Republic and the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore. While racing to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope in their eighth different country this season during the upcoming trip to Italy, EMS Race Team will look to add to the total of six podium finishes they’ve earned throughout the year.
“We’re definitely looking to finish strong during the Ferrari Challenge World Finals in Italy,” Weiland said. “It’s been a great season for us and to compete for a podium finish at Monza to cap things off would be great. But regardless of the outcome, our goal is to work together and put forth our best effort as a team. If we accomplish that much, we’ll be able to live with the results.”
The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is one of the world’s most iconic circuits not only because it is one of the oldest tracks in the world, but also because it is one of the most unique. Located north of Milan near the city of Monza, the historic track was first opened for competitive racing in 1922. Since then, it has gone on to host the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix every year since the event’s inception. This year, it will be hosting the Ferrari Challenge World Finals event known as the Finali Mondiali for the first time since 2006. The major features of the track include the Curva Grande, the Curva di Lesmo, the Variante Ascari and the Curva Parabolica. The high-speed curve, Curva Grande, is located after the Variante del Rettifilo which is positioned at the end of the front straight—the part of the course that sees the highest speed.
“We’re excited to be racing to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope in our eighth different country this season,” Weiland said of the upcoming trip to Italy. “While we’re at Monza, we plan to do our best to spread the word for those three tremendous causes. Hopefully we can get them up on the podium during what’s sure to be a terrific weekend of racing.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than three million members and supporters. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation’s mission is to provide educational support to at risk children through a combination of literacy, personal development and health and fitness programs designed to develop the whole child. Cornerstone of Hope, meanwhile, provides support, education, and hope for the grieving.
For behind the scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge World Finals in Italy throughout the weekend, be sure to follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Brendan Bowers | Jul 18, 2017 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
Erin, the ems+ Ferrari 488 Challenge, will continue her 2017 world tour in France. EMS Race Team and the crew from Boardwalk Ferrari will be competing at the Circuit Paul Ricard for Round 4 of the Ferrari Challenge on July 22-23. This comes after races in Canada and Hungary during Rounds 2 and 3. The upcoming trip marks driver James Weiland’s first-ever race in France. It is also the third country EMS Race Team will compete in outside the United States this season after securing the North American Pirelli AM championship in 2016.
“We race to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Cornerstone of Hope and Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation,” Weiland said. “To be able to represent those missions all over the globe this season is a tremendous honor for us. We had a great trip to Budapest, Hungary last month and are excited to help raise awareness for those efforts in France as well. It will be a thrill to compete at the Circuit Paul Ricard, too, and we’re looking forward to getting out on the track and getting to work.”
Constructed in 1970 by Paul Ricard at Le Castellet in the south of France, the circuit was the first of the modern autodromes. The track is characterized by its long Mistral straight (1.8 km) and elongated design built on a plateau. The length of the full track is 5.861 km (3.642 mi) and it’s known for its black and blue runoff areas known as the Blue Zone. It quickly became the premier venue for French motorsports upon opening, hosting its first French Grand Prix in 1971. After a hiatus, the track now owned by Bernie Ecclestone announced a return of the Formula 1 French Grand Prix in 2018.
“We’re excited to compete against all of the terrific drivers in France,” Weiland added. “We will be racing against some of the best Ferrari Challenge drivers in the world so we know the competition will be stiff. We’re preparing to put forth our best effort as a team, and looking forward to the test. We’re also dedicating the upcoming race weekend to Cornerstone of Hope’s Annual Day of Hope Celebration on August 12. If you’re in the Cleveland area, we strongly suggest you attend or support the event. If you’re unable to get there, you can also go to CornerstoneOfHope.org and make an online donation.”
Cornerstone of Hope is dedicated to providing support, education, and hope for the grieving. Guided by Christian values of compassion and service, they welcome and serve all seeking support. It is a foundation that exists because the unthinkable sometimes happens. A child dies before his parents. A husband or wife dies, leaving their spouse and children at a loss for how to go on living. A student dies, leaving a school reeling over the shock and sorrow. Hope Day is free for grieving children and their parents or caregivers, and is celebrated as a primary fund raiser for the foundation.
For more on Cornerstone of Hope and how you can help Hope Day visit their website. You can also visit Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and PETA Cruelty Free. To follow along with behind-the-scenes coverage throughout race weekend, visit EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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