by Tara Pachmayer | May 18, 2016 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
Mario Andretti once said that a racing car is an animal with a thousand adjustments.
During the 2016 Ferrari Challenge at Circuit of the Americas, EMS Race Team’s coaches and crew helped make every adjustment necessary to put their young thoroughbred in a position to succeed. By the end of the competition, Paris—the ems+ Ferrari Challenge 458 EVO—capitalized on the collective effort by securing a pair of first-place finishes in the Trofeo Pirelli AM class.
Rudy Courtade, along with Dave and Daryl Cameron, Andrew Prendeville and the rest of the Boardwalk Ferrari crew had Paris dialed in all weekend long. She started fast in practice and carried that momentum throughout each race. EMS Race Team driver, Jim Weiland, delivered two technically sound performances from there on an extremely challenging course to earn multiple victories amongst a deep and talented field.
“Circuit of the Americas is a long track which means there’s a lot of places to make mistakes,” EMS Race Team coach Conrad Grunewald said following the Race 1 victory at COTA. “So really putting a good a lap together here is rough. It takes a lot of focus and a lot of fine-tuning. This weekend, Jim’s doing a great job of that.”
According to Ferrari.com, Weiland and Paris were “unstoppable” throughout Race 1 as they led in class from start to finish. Meanwhile, teammates Matt Keegan of sister dealership Ferrari of San Francisco and Jean-Claude Saada of Boarwalk Ferrari finished 1-2 in the Coppa Shell division. The double victory for Boardwalk Ferrari/Ferrari of San Francisco led to a wave of enthusiasm in the garage on Sunday, and Weiland would ride that back onto the track for Race 2.
“It’s like a rocket-powered victory,” Boardwalk Ferrari team partner Ryan Negri said on Sunday in regards to Weiland and Keegan’s Race 1 wins. “The team is excited, the team is pumped up. It’s the first double-victory of the year for us. Jim has won here a couple times before, so we’re going to see if we can do it again today. It’s amazing.”
After finishing 1st in class and 7th overall in Race 1, Weiland did do it again by finishing 1st in class and 5th overall in Race 2. Paris earned pole position in qualifying for both races and held onto that spot throughout. She did her sister Erin proud, who won twice at COTA in 2014, while notching her first two victories on the Ferrari Challenge circuit.
“I really can’t thank my team enough for putting us in a position to achieve everything we did this weekend,” Weiland said. “Everyone chipped in and did a tremendous job. The competition was extremely stiff and it’s quite an honor to leave Austin with two first-place trophies especially considering how well my competitors drove.”
The Ferrari Challenge field at COTA was the largest of the season with over 40 drivers in each race. To help celebrate the victories, EMS Race Team’s reserve driver joined Weiland on the podium and garnered the majority of cheers. Courtade would also join Weiland on Sunday while accepting the Coppa Team Award for the event.
“We dedicated Race 1 to the PETA Cruelty Free campaign and were thrilled to help raise awareness for their effort with the win,” Weiland added. “We were equally excited to do the same in Race 2 for the Cornerstone of Hope, and we really encourage people to check out their websites and learn as much as they can about the contributions they make to our community. Celebrating wins like this with our team is a great experience, but it means so much more whenever people take the time to learn about those causes along the way.”
For more behind-the-scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge at COTA check @emsRaceTeam on Twitter and Facebook. Also be sure to visit EMS Race Team’s Vimeo Page for on-track video action.
By Brendan Bowers
by Tara Pachmayer | May 9, 2016 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
Circuit of the Americas opened for racing in October of 2012. Since then, the Austin, Texas track has gone on to host the Formula One United States Grand Prix, the Road Racing World Championships, American Le Mans Series and other high profile events along with the North American Ferrari Challenge. Current Ferrari Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel—who won the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in 2013—is among the many elite competitors who has praised the challenging course.
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by Tara Pachmayer | Apr 13, 2016 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
Legendary Formula One driver and former world champion Jackie Stewart once said, “It is not always possible to be the best, but it is always possible to improve your own performance.” During the Ferrari Challenge at Sonoma Raceway, EMS Race Team did not follow their winning weekend in Japan with a victory in California. But the experience did help driver James Weiland and the crew from Boardwalk Ferrari continue to improve their performance heading into the Circuit of the Americas next month.
Making her second Ferrari Challenge appearance, Paris—the ems+ Ferrari Challenge 458 EVO—demonstrated an epic pace on early on. She posted a Pirelli AM class-leading lap time of 1:58.537 during Practice 3 before qualifying was rained out. Unfortunately, though, the high drama that followed didn’t break the way of EMS who finished P7 and P8 in Races 1 and 2.
“Seems like every time we post a good practice time on Facebook we get snagged somehow during the Race,” James Weiland joked afterwards. “It might be time for us to rethink that strategy. But in all seriousness, we were proud of the start we had in Race 1 and felt good about the way we responded to some adversity throughout the weekend. We really feel like we learned some things that will help us in May at Circuit of the Americas, so that’s definitely a positive takeaway for us.”
During Race 1, Weiland was leading for most of the way before being bumped out of first position in the hairpin. Paris subsequently spun in a chase that followed, before rejoining the pack and finishing 7th. In Race 2, Weiland was forced to go onto the grass to avoid contact with another competitor early on and never recovered. Although he was lucky enough to avoid the collision, the lost time made it too difficult to finish better than 8th.
“We didn’t have the same results as we did at Suzuka, but it was still some fun racing in Sonoma nevertheless,” Weiland added. “It’s always an honor for us to represent the Cornerstone of Hope and PETA Cruelty Free and we never take that opportunity for granted. We were also pleased with how well Paris ran during her practice sessions and at various times throughout each race. We continue to get better as a team from every experience, and hopefully we even earned a little bit of good luck heading into the next competition.”
That next competition on the Ferrari Challenge North American Series for EMS Race Team will be held on May 13-15 in Austin, Texas at the world famous Circuit of the Americas. For info leading up to the race, be sure to follow @emsRaceTeam on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Celebrities Show Up To Support in Sonoma
During the Ferrari Challenge weekend in Sonoma, multiple celebrities could be found taking in the action and supporting the drivers. Recording artist Adam Levine of Maroon 5 even stepped onto the track to kick things off at the starting line prior to Race 1.
Also in attendance was Kevin Dillon, the actor who played Johnny “Drama” Chase in the HBO hit-series Entourage. No word yet on whether or not Levine or Dillon have any competitive racing in their future, but they just might have the itch after watching the Ferrari 458’s roar around the track all weekend long.
by Tara Pachmayer | Mar 30, 2016 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
After earning a pair of victories in the Asia Pacific Ferrari Challenge event at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan, EMS Race Team returns to action on U.S. soil later this month. From April 8-10, driver James Weiland and the crew from Boardwalk Ferrari will look to build on their early season momentum at the Sonoma Raceway in California. This highly anticipated event marks the 11th consecutive year that Sonoma has hosted the Ferrari Challenge North American Series.
“Our goal as a team is to always get better,” Weiland said. “We accomplished some things in Japan that we are certainly proud of, but that’s behind us now. Sonoma Raceway is an exciting track that presents its own set of unique challenges. We also know that we haven’t broken through to win at Sonoma yet. So we’re focused on doing everything we can to be as prepared as possible for the stiff competition, and using this as another opportunity to improve as a team.”
Unlike his inaugural trip to Suzuka in March, Weiland and his coach, Conrad Grunewald, will be able to draw on past experience in preparation for Sonoma. This is a track EMS Race Team has competed on before, finishing second as recently as last May. This year, however, Weiland hopes to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free and the Cornerstone of Hope by leaving California with a victory—or two.
“Last year we had mixed results in Sonoma,” Weiland added. “While we did earn a podium finish during Race 1, we also experienced a setback that prevented us from finishing Race 2. It will be great to get back out there with a fresh start, learn from our previous trips, and put forward our best effort all weekend long.”
Despite Weiland’s experience at Sonoma, this time he will be driving a different car than in years past. Paris, the ems+ 458 Ferrari Challenge EVO who made her debut at the Daytona International Speedway earlier this year, will be unleashed for the first time at Sonoma. In 2015, it was Paris’ sister, Erin, who roared through the hills of wine country for EMS Race Team. It was also Erin who helped fuel the recent victories in Japan. But like her older sister, Paris will also be proudly waving the flag for the two charities close to Weiland’s heart throughout the competition.
“It was great to be in Japan and talk with the drivers, fans and media about PETA Cruelty Free and the Cornerstone of Hope,” Weiland said about the two causes that fuel the fight for EMS Race Team. “Heading back to Sonoma, we hope to do the same thing. Nothing catches people’s attention more than winning, so we hope to raise as much awareness as possible for both efforts during our trip.”
By Brendan Bowers, Posted by SB
For updates throughout the Ferrari Challenge weekend in Sonoma, along with live-timing race results, follow @EMSRaceTeam on Twitter and Facebook. Also be sure to check out EMS Race Team’s Vimeo Page for behind-the-scenes action following the competition.
by Tara Pachmayer | Mar 10, 2016 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
After traveling over 6,000 miles to the world famous Suzuka Circuit in Japan, EMS Race Team driver James Weiland found himself in a classic duel. During Race 1 of the Asia Pacific Ferrari Challenge, fellow driver Eric Cheung of Canada had gotten off to a great start and spent the majority of the afternoon battling Weiland for the top spot in the Pirelli AM class. But Erin, the EMS Race Team Ferrari Challenge 458 EVO, pushed just hard enough to eventually secure a victory that kicked off a whirlwind weekend.
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel here and compete in the Asia Pacific Ferrari Challenge,” Weiland told the media following the race. “Suzuka is one of the best circuits in the world. It was exciting for our team to compete here and we really enjoyed our time in Japan. I can’t thank my coaches and crew enough for their preparation and the work they did to put us in position to earn a 1st place finish. It was a total team effort.”
It took every ounce of that collective effort to hold off Cheung, who finished less than one second behind Weiland’s No. 18 car. Additionally, with over 20,000 competitive kilometers logged on her dashboard entering the weekend, Erin struggled with her rear traction as she weaved through the windy course at Suzuka. At times, she was difficult to manage and maneuver. But when it came down to the final stretch, Erin roared liked the first day she rolled off the lot in Maranello en route to the win.
“The Boardwalk Ferrari crew did a tremendous job preparing Erin to race in Japan,” Weiland added. “We drove our new car, Paris, exclusively at Daytona but needed to go back to Erin this weekend as we tweaked some things. Dating back to the Finali Mondali in Italy last year, this is the second-straight event that Erin helped us earn a victory outside the United States. So we might be calling on her again the next time we compete overseas.”
As exciting as the outcome of Race 1 was for the team, attention quickly shifted to Sunday. Coach Conrad Grunewald helped Weiland analyze his performance and prepare for an even better run in Race 2 throughout the evening. Meanwhile, Ryan Negri, David Cameron and the Boardwalk crew made sure Erin was tuned up and ready get back out there. Those efforts would eventually be rewarded, too, as EMS Race Team went on to earn consecutive pole positions and its second-straight 1st place finish in Race 2. Sweeping the weekend was an outcome Weiland certainly hoped for, even if realizing the accomplishment caught him off guard following the race.
“I was actually very surprised that we were able to win again today,” Weiland told the press following his Race 2 victory on Sunday. “Saturday’s race was draining and it took a lot out of us. But we’re obviously very excited about the results, especially competing against a field of drivers as talented as we have here at Suzuka. We are also excited because we came to Japan hoping to get the PETA Cruelty Free Bunnies and Cornerstone of Hope onto the podium, and we’re thrilled to be able to do that twice.”
EMS Race Team dedicated Race 1 at the Suzuka Circuit to raising awareness for the PETA Cruelty Free campaign, while dedicating Race 2 to the Cornerstone of Hope Foundation. To learn more about the two charities that fuel the fight for EMS, check out the following websites:
PETA: http://www.peta.org/
Cornerstone of Hope: http://www.cornerstoneofhope.org/
For more behind the scenes photos and videos from the trip to Japan, check out EMS Race Team on Facebook and Twitter.
EMS Race Team Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emsRaceTeam/
EMS Race Team Twitter: https://twitter.com/emsRaceTeam
by Tara Pachmayer | Feb 18, 2016 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
Fresh off a podium finish at Daytona International Speedway to open the 2016 Ferrari Challenge season, EMS Race Team is now preparing for a trip to Asia. On March 5-6, driver James Weiland and the crew from Boardwalk Ferrari will be competing for the first time at the world famous Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Designed as a Honda test track in 1962, Suzuka is one of the only circuits to feature a figure eight layout. The renowned track—with its back straight crossing over the front section by means of an overpass—was also featured during multiple races in the critically acclaimed films Senna and Rush.
“We’re very excited to be competing at a track as rich in tradition as the Suzuka Circuit,” Weiland said. “It will be a great test for our team, as well as myself as a driver. It will also be very inspiring to race on a circuit that so many legendary drivers have competed on in the past, and we’re really looking forward to the opportunity.”
EMS Race Team will be joining over 35 drivers from the Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific series for the Ferrari Racing Days Suzuka event. The race signals the start of the Asia Pacific season, and is one of the largest events organized by Ferrari Japan. After racing outside the United States in Canada, Italy and Abu Dhabi over the last couple seasons, Weiland is also looking forward to the opportunity to experience life in Japan.
“We will be racing against some of the best Ferrari Challenge drivers in Japan during our trip,” Weiland said. “But when we’re not racing, we’re also excited to get to know some of our competitors and experience the culture in Japan. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us as a team, and we’ll be sure to learn as much as possible while we’re there.”
The last time EMS Race Team competed outside the United States was during the Finali Mondali in Italy for the Ferrari Challenge World Finals in November. That trip ended with a first place finish, which is something Weiland is ultimately hoping to replicate. The best way to raise awareness for the tremendous causes that inspire the fight for EMS Race Team is to win—and Weiland is well aware of that.
“We’ll be racing to raise awareness for Cornerstone of Hope and PETA Cruelty Free during our trip,” Weiland added. “Just like every race, the Cornerstone logo will be on the hood of our car with the PETA Cruelty Free logos featured throughout. Hopefully we can get them up onto the podium. The more success we have, the more questions we hear about what those logos stand for and how people can get involved to help. So, our goal is to be answering a lot of questions by the end of the weekend.”
During the Ferrari Challenge at Daytona, EMS Race Team’s newly designed car, Paris, made her official debut. For the trip to Japan, however, they’ll be bringing Erin (pictured above), the Ferrari 458 Challenge EVO Weiland raced during the previous two seasons. Erin just recently pushed past the 20,000 Kilometers mark, but she still runs just as fast as the first day she pulled off the lot. EMS is hopeful Erin has at least one more winning weekend left while Paris prepares for a return later this season.
For updates throughout the Ferrari Challenge weekend in Japan, along with live-timing race results, follow @EMSRaceTeam on Twitter and Facebook. Also be sure to check out EMS Race Team’s Vimeo Page for behind-the-scenes action following the competition.
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