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 Tara Pachmayer | Sep 16, 2019 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team travels to Singapore this week for the Ferrari Challenge at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. The event that takes place from September 20-22 will serve as a support race for the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. Driver James Weiland and his crew from Ferrari San Francisco / Boardwalk Ferrari last competed at the Brickyard in July following back-to-back wins in France and Germany. This trip to Singapore marks the ninth different country that EMS Race Team has competed in this season.
Weiland first raced the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore during the 2016 Ferrari Challenge. The team then returned to race the course again in 2018 making this their third trip to the country in Southeast Asia located just north of the equator. With 23 corners weaving into and out of three long straight-a-ways, the street circuit in Singapore will require extreme skill and attention to detail. The event also expects to be a spectacular celebration of racing with Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc and other F1 superstars competing on the same track throughout the weekend.
“Singapore will be another great opportunity for our team to compete in an exciting environment,” Weiland said. “With the Formula 1 going off during the weekend it will definitely be a lot of fun. But our goal will be the same as it always is—focus on the task at hand and put forth our best collective effort. We’ve raced Marina Bay in the past so there’s some familiarity with the track and hopefully we can lean on that experience to put together a solid couple of races.”
The festivities and crowd surrounding F1 weekend in Singapore will also provide a great opportunity to raise awareness for the three charities featured on EMS Race Team’s Ferrari 488 Challenge—PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope. The more success that EMS achieves on the track the more awareness the team will be able to create for those missions. It’s a stage that Weiland hopes they can take advantage of during the trip.
“We always like to get up onto the podium during weekends like this especially because it helps raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope,” Weiland added. “With the large F1 crowds in attendance, it’s a great way to help make an impression on fans and drivers who may be learning about each of those foundations for the first time.”
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.
For behind the scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge in Singapore throughout the trip, be sure to follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Tara Pachmayer | Jul 30, 2019 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
The great Formula One champion, Lewis Hamilton, once described his racing career by saying, “There have been some ups and some downs but that’s the way racing is supposed to be.” Following two-straight race weekends highlighted by back-to-back Ferrari Challenge victories, EMS Race Team was forced to come back down off the podium at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After wins at Le Mans in France and the Nürburgring in Germany, driver James Weiland and his team from Boardwalk Ferrari / Ferrari of San Francisco finished outside of the top-three during their trip to the Brickyard. In two races at IMS, Weiland and PARIS the ems+ Ferrari 488 Challenge finished in 5th and 10th while continuing to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope.
“PARIS had a good day on Saturday,” Weiland said. “She qualified 7th though only .4 off pole position. We picked up a position at the start and another a couple laps in and finished 5th. But we struggled on Sunday when we qualified 10th and finished the race in that position. That’s racing, though, sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down. But I know our team will bounce back in Singapore.”
Even though EMS Race Team didn’t win, they still had the opportunity to spread the word about PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope to the racing fans who were at the Brickyard. The team will do the same when they compete at the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore next time out in September. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation is driven by a mission 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.
“It’s always special for us to be able to help raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope when we race at a venue for the first time,” Weiland added. “To be able to do that at a famous track like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is even more special. Next time, when we’re in Singapore, hopefully we’ll be able to get them up onto the podium.”
For behind the scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Tara Pachmayer | Jul 24, 2019 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team has reached the top step of the podium during their last two Ferrari Challenge events. But after two-straight victories overseas—first at Le Mans in France and then the Nürburgring in Germany—driver James Weiland and his team from Boardwalk Ferrari / Ferrari of San Francisco will now return home to the United States to race the Brickyard. From July 26-28, EMS will compete in the North American Ferrari Challenge races at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the hopes of keeping their winning streak alive.
The iconic speedway in Indianapolis made its name for the 500-mile race that has taken place for over a century on Memorial Day weekend and as the host of the United States Grand Prix in the early 2000s. The Ferrari Challenge competitors will race the 2.439-mile Grand Prix road course that makes use of the fabled front straight and mixes in 13 turns within the infield space. Legendary drivers who have earned victories on the renown track throughout its rich history include Michael Schumacher, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte, among others.
“We’re excited to be back home racing on American soil,” Weiland said of the upcoming weekend in Indianapolis. “We were able to have some success overseas in France and in Germany and hopefully that momentum will travel with us to the Brickyard. Regardless of the outcome, though, we expect this to be a fun and challenging course to drive and are hoping to put forth our best effort while we’re there.”
The upcoming Ferrari races in Indianapolis will mark the first time that EMS Race Team has competed at the Brickyard. Constructed in 1909, Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a permanent seating capacity of 257,325 which makes it the highest-capacity sports venue in the world. In addition to the Indianapolis 500, the speedway also hosts NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 and Lilly Diabetes 250. From 2000 to 2007, the speedway hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix and from 2008 to 2015 the Moto GP. When Weiland takes the track in Indy while driving PARIS the ems+ Ferrari 488 Challenge trimmed in red, he will do so to raise awareness for the three foundations his team races to promote.
“This is a new track for us,” Weiland added. “So whenever we get the chance to race at a new venue our goal is to raise as much awareness as we can for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope. The best way we can do that is to get each of them back up onto the podium so that will be our goal this week.”
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.
For behind the scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge at the Brickyard throughout the week, be sure to follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Tara Pachmayer | Jul 10, 2019 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
The great Babe Ruth once said, “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.” After a decisive victory at Le Mans last month, EMS Race Team entered the Nürburgring Ferrari Challenge knowing full well that they’d need to perform at their highest level once again in order to earn a similar result. Fueled by the support of a total team effort, driver James Weiland and ERIN the ems+ Ferrari 488 Challenge hit another home run by securing a second-straight victory in Germany. Ferrari.com described EMS Race Team’s effort as a “splendid run of form that began at Le Mans.”
“James Weiland continued the splendid run of form that began at Le Mans with a win in Race 1,” Ferrari.com wrote. “Weiland triumphed with brilliant and effective race pace management. The Rossocorsa driver set himself up for victory in the early stages when, after a good start, he established a small but significant margin over his rivals, whose challenges he easily held off at various points in the race.”
The Ferrari of San Francisco / Boardwalk Ferrari team helped put Weiland and ERIN in position for the victory by setting her up to run like the wind during qualifying. ERIN earned pole position for Race 1 before not only winning the race but also securing the fastest lap. As a result of a success penalty from winning the first race of the weekend, EMS was gridded 11th for Race 2. ERIN got out to a great start once again before two cars collided next to her and spun out creating contact that ended her day. But that wasn’t before Weiland and company were able to grace the top step of the podium during the trip.
“That’s two hat tricks in a row for ERIN,” Weiland said of earning pole position, fastest lap and the victory at both Le Mans and the Nürburgring. “Big thanks to Conrad Grunewald, Travis Low, Dave Cameron, Ray Banda and everyone at R3 Motorsports along with the entire Rossocorsa team. Everyone contributed to this victory and I can’t be more proud of their effort.”
EMS Race Team dedicated the win in Germany to PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world. Products proudly displaying the bunny logo are cruelty-free, meaning that they were produced without testing on animals. Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation is driven by a mission 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.
“It was special for us to be able to help raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle and Cornerstone of Hope with a win in Germany,” Weiland added. “To be able to honor their championship efforts with back-to-back wins means a lot to us. Hopefully we will be able to keep it going during our next time out on the track in Indianapolis.”
For behind the scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge in Germany, be sure to follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Tara Pachmayer | Jul 3, 2019 | EMS Ferrari Challenge
EMS Race Team turned in their best performance of the year at the Le Mans Ferrari Challenge in France last month when they earned pole position, a first-place finish and the fastest lap while competing in a support race for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Now, driver James Weiland and his crew from Boardwalk Ferrari / Ferrari of San Francisco will set their sights on the Nürburgring in Germany. The team will look for a similar result while racing to raise awareness for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope during the Ferrari Challenge event scheduled for July 5-7 in Nürburg, Germany.
“We’re looking forward to getting on the track in Germany,” Weiland said of the upcoming weekend. “We were able to have some success during our last race and hopefully we can carry some of that momentum over to the Nürburgring. Regardless of the outcome, though, we expect this to be a fun and challenging course to drive and are hoping to put forth our best effort while we’re there.”
The Nürburgring is a 150,000 person capacity complex located in the town of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It features a Grand Prix race track built in 1984 that has played host to the Formula One Grand Prix, European Grand Prix, the German Grand Prix and the Ferrari Challenge among other notable racing events. Previously surrounding the Grand Prix course at the Nürburgring was a much longer “north loop” track that was built in 1927 around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains.
“This is a new track for us,” Weiland added. “So whenever we get the chance to travel to a new venue our goal is always to raise as much awareness as we can for PETA Cruelty Free, Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope. The best way we can do that is to get each of those foundations up onto the podium so that will be our goal throughout the weekend.”
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.
For behind the scenes coverage of the Ferrari Challenge in Germany throughout the weekend, be sure to follow EMS Race Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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