by Brendan Bowers | Dec 10, 2020 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team competes in the Ferrari Challenge to help raise awareness for Coach Sam’s Scholars. ERIN the ems+ Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo approaches the starting line of every race with the Coach Sam’s logo proudly displayed on the hood of her car. The mission for the Coach Sam’s team is to provide educational support to at-risk children in Cleveland, OH through a combination of literacy, personal development and fitness programs. It’s a mission that EMS is proud to represent all over the world.
Coach Sam’s Scholars developed a winning playbook that has helped students succeed in the classroom and in life for over a decade. For years, passionate Coach Sam’s tutors have entered elementary schools throughout Cleveland and spent countless hours working directly with students after school. But when Coach Sam’s approached the starting line of the pandemic back in March, they quickly realized they’d need to run their race toward a better tomorrow in an entirely different way.
“We were an after-school program with no school now to come after,” Ori Akrish, Executive Director of Coach Sam’s Scholars recalled. “So we had to completely reinvent the wheel.”
The way that Coach Sam’s Scholars continued to support at-risk children and their families during a pandemic that forced the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to go completely remote has been nothing short of remarkable. With every reason to pause an in-person program until schools opened back up, Coach Sam’s made the inspiring decision to reach even more families. To accomplish this goal, they quickly executed three new initiatives all at the same time that have served as a saving grace for students and families throughout the year.
“When schools first closed there was a lot of uncertainty,” Akrish added. “One week in, the district announced they were going to close for a short time to conduct a deep cleaning. But we realized very quickly that this wasn’t going to go away, and were able to pivot.
“What we did was develop a three-pronged approach that includes virtual lessons, learning pods and drop-in centers to support families throughout the city.”
To launch their virtual learning efforts, Coach Sam’s Scholars forged a relationship with the Cleveland Public Library. What resulted from that venture was the Coach Sam’s curriculum actually becoming a part of the school day for students at Andrew J. Rickoff Elementary. Everyday at 2pm during the pandemic, Coach Sam’s instructors have been teaching literacy lessons through virtual platforms to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders during a time period that may not have otherwise been filled.
The second play that Coach Sam’s called came after recognizing that Cleveland students had a much bigger need than some of the children from other districts outside the city. Specifically, CMSD students did not always have access to technology, a stable internet, or a place for their daily virtual lessons. In response, Coach Sam’s Scholars stepped on the gas and created a partnership with the Rainey Institute and the Salvation Army to open free virtual learning pods for anyone in the district who signed up. Each pod now consists of up to nine students at a time and strictly follows CDC guidelines while working to provide additional support for virtual classroom lessons along with free lunches all week long. If not–with most parents in Cleveland being deemed essential workers–these students would otherwise be at home, alone, without the infrastructure required to even begin to learn.
The third strategy that Coach Sam’s simultaneously developed during the pandemic was an effort to support not just their students but also their students’ families. With many adults throughout Cleveland struggling with literacy themselves, it’s been difficult for some parents to help with their children’s schoolwork. Instead of swerving out of the way, Coach Sam’s Scholars drove straight toward this issue by helping to open drop-in learning centers for students and their families at multiple locations. These drop-in centers in Cleveland are currently staffed by Coach Sam’s instructors who work with both parents and students on their school work.
“With everything we’re doing, we’ve had much higher expenses with more staff in more places than years past,” Akrish said. “But it’s worth it. We continue to be motivated and inspired to do even more in the coming year.”
During this holiday season, consider making a donation to support Coach Sam’s Scholars in the name of a friend or family member. All contributions will help fuel these ongoing efforts to help students throughout Cleveland who might otherwise be left behind.
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.
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