by Tara Pachmayer | Feb 1, 2014 | EMS+
EMS Race Team traveled to Abu Dhabi for the Ferrari Challenge World Championships earlier this month. After posting two first-place finishes at Circuit of the Americas during the previous race weekend, driver Jim Weiland and his team departed from Cleveland Hopkins Airport expecting a difficult task in the World Finals.
Despite not capturing any podiums, Weiland’s speed was good enough to qualify 2nd in the North American Class on Thursday and Friday. He also qualified 3rd of 30 cars on Saturday vs. his worldwide competition in the World Finals. Race results weren’t what he hoped for, as there were some difficulties, with a 4th, DNF and a 7th in the World Finals. But nevertheless, there are some exciting videos to watch.
“The experience was amazing. It really opens your eyes to the great aspects of different cultures all over the world,” Weiland said, upon returning from his trip from Abu Dhabi. “The racing was highly competitive and challenging, but the opportunity to see so many new things and experience a whole new culture on this level was truly awesome.”
What was also awesome was Weiland’s ability to raise awareness for the PETA Cruelty Free campaign during his trip. On Ferrari’s biggest stage, he gladly answered all who asked what the bunnies featured his Ferrari 458 Challenge EVO represented.
Race 2 ended in dramatic fashion before the first lap was finished. See video in the tweet below:
This was good – starting third, and grabbing second on the first corner:
World Finals Abu Dhabi 12/6/14 Start from EMS Race Team on Vimeo.
Abu Dhabi Yas Marina Night Practice from EMS Race Team on Vimeo.
During each of the days they were there, EMS Race Team posted updates on Facebook and Twitter. Make sure you’re following on both platforms for more behind-the-scenes coverage next time. For now, below are some pictures from the trip.
On Friday night, EMS Race Team attended a season-ending awards banquet celebrating another year of the Ferrari Challenge. Two thousands people were invited to the exclusive, first-class ceremony hosted at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari World is an amusement park located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It is the largest indoor theme park in the world. Weiland was called to the stage to receive a trophy for finishing 3rd overall in the Ferrari Challenge Coppa Shell division this season. He and his team also feasted on a Ferrari cake that makes Johnny Manziel’s viral birthday cake look more like a pastry.
And to everyone following along Twitter and Facebook throughout the trip, Weiland offered the following earlier this week:
“Thanks everyone for all the kind words and it is nice to be able to share these experiences and I hope you enjoy them at least a little. Qualifying 3rd in the world for the race was pretty good. Finishing 7th not so much. 3rd in the North American Series for the season decent. Daytona testing next Monday. Got to get better!”
More pictures from EMS Race Team’s trip to Abu Dhabi are at Facebook.com/emsRaceTeam and on Twitter @emsRaceTeam.
by Tara Pachmayer | Jun 10, 2013 | EMSNewswire |
EMS Racing competed in the North American Ferrari Challenge this weekend. On Monday, we caught up with Chairman JW, who raced to raise awareness for PETA, after his return from Montreal, Canada.
“The first practice session was wet,” JW recalled. “But I finished first in class by a second and 6th overall in a field of 35 split between the pro class and amateur. We were very pleased with the start. The second practice was dry and I finished second in class, 10th overall.”
The official qualifying session was scheduled next, but Mother Nature had other plans. The second practice times for all racers were used for positioning in Race 1 as a result of the qualifying lap being rained-out.
“They thought Race 1 would be wet,” JW explained. “We were on rain tires because of that. It ended up being dry, which was quite difficult. It was the same challenge for everyone, though, of course.”
Rain tires, for those who don’t know, have very little grip when it’s dry.
Despite the track conditions, EMS Racing got out to a great start in Race 1. On Lap 4, however, a move for the top spot ended up creating some adversity.
“I was running 2nd in Class, 6th Overall, on Lap 4 when I spun trying to chase down the car running in first,” JW said. “We kept the car on road but the blue, something-big-is-wrong, light lit up the dash. Apparently, the anti-lock brake computer frazzled while I was rolling backwards at the end of the spin.”
This sequence, eventually, would end EMS’ day.
“I had maintained position in second,” he explained, while recovering from the initial spin. “The next car was way behind me. But going into the next corner, as I braked, the front tires both locked. Amid giant puffs of smoke, I was tossed left into wall.”
Race over.
“The worst part was that Race 2 slots were determined by Race 1’s final positions.”
Race 2, however, was a new day for JW and EMS.
“It was sunny and the stands were packed with around 200,000 people,” he said, recalling the scene surrounding Race 2.
“We got a storming start from 30th and worked up to 4th in Class, 14th overall, before I made one mistake where I got passed. Then I had another spin trying to pass and ended up 6th in Class. The second race was big fun, though, a great experience.”
JW added that the Ferrari Challenge weekend, overall, provided valuable racing lessons he can build on moving forward.
“The biggest takeaway on the positive side was that I showed I have the speed in practice,” he added. “The negative is that I am not closing the deal yet in races.
I very realistically should have podium’d or even won both races in Class. But it was only my second race weekend of my life and all these guys are way more experienced. Overall, it really was fun, fun experience.”
by Tara Pachmayer | Jun 7, 2013 | EMSNewswire |
EMS Chairman JW was featured in an Autoweek article written by Mike Larson on Thursday for our support of PETA at the upcoming Ferrari Challenge.
An excerpt of that article is below:
“One of the cars in the North American Ferrari Challenge — which heads to Montréal’s Canadian Grand Prix on June 7 — boasts logos never before seen on a pro raceway, courtesy of PETA.
Amateur Ferrari driver Jim Weiland will be driving for a cause, supporting PETA’s campaign against blinding rabbits and poisoning other animals by plastering two “PETA” signs and one “cruelty-free” bunny, which the group licenses to companies that don’t test their products on animals, to the car. Weiland will race the PETA car throughout the remaining four races of the series.
“By putting PETA’s cruelty-free bunny logo on his Ferrari, Jim Weiland is helping racing fans across North America learn how easy it is to help animals simply by shopping cruelty-free,” says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. “PETA’s bunny logo makes it easy to find the thousands of companies who sell top-quality personal-care and household products that were never tested on animals.”’
EMS is honored to be racing on behalf of PETA. Big thanks to Autoweek for spreading the word on PETA’s campaign against blinding rabbits and poisoning other animals. For more information and how you can help, please visit PETA.org.
Full Article: PETA to show logo on North American Ferrari Challenge car in Montreal
by Tara Pachmayer | May 29, 2013 | EMSNewswire |
Electronic Merchant Systems Racing made its debut last month at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California.
The EMS Car, driven by Chairman JW, features the EMS+ logo above each of the rear tires. It also features the EMS corporate logo, along with the charitable organizations that Electronic Merchant Systems is proud to support.
After starting the Sonoma Race in 14th position, the EMS car finished 5th overall. Despite a minor spin on lap seven, EMS racing used an inspirational pass on lap 16 to secure the top-five finish.
To watch the full race from Chairman JW’s Race Cam, click here.
EMS Racing will be hitting the track next on June 9th in Montreal for the Ferrari Challenge. Stay tuned for details.
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