Ferrari Challenge drivers bring excitement and awareness to the track
'We are so pleased to see our kickoff event go so well,' noted WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca's President and General Manager John Narigi. 'Seeing cars race is only part of what makes these events so exciting, it's really the spectators that complete the whole picture. I believe next year's season is going to be a good one for race fans and I'm looking forward to it.'
The weekend served as the fifth round of six races for Ferrari Challenge, with the next being Sebring in early October before the November finale in Misano, Italy. All four classes competed in races both Saturday and Sunday – Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Pirelli Amateur (AM), Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell AM. Both race days saw great racing action, producing eight different winners by the end of the weekend.
On race day 1 on Saturday, Cooper MacNeil started on pole and had a tight grip on the lead for Trofeo Pirelli's first race. However, after his power steering failed, Ross Chouest secured the victory. Brent Holden earned first place in race 1 for Trofeo Pirelli's AM class, while the Coppa Shell race ended with Jim Booth as the first-place driver. For Coppa Shell's AM class, Dave Musial Jr. was the race winner.
Sunday's Trofeo Pirelli race 2 winner was none other than Cooper MacNeil, who came back strong in the face of the previous day's challenges. Trofeo Pirelli's amateur class winner was Dave Musial, while Coppa Shell's winner for race 2 was Bradley Horstmann. Michael Watt boasted the Coppa Shell AM victory for race 2.
Neil Langberg has been a Coppa Shell amateur racer in the North American series with Scuderia Corsa since 2016. Neil's passion for racing is matched only by his dedication to the Race for RP (Relapsing Polychondritis) platform. RP is an incredibly rare and under-studied autoimmune disease that devastates cartilaginous structures like the nose, ears, skin, eyes, brain and heart valves.
Langberg's wife, Nancy Linn, was diagnosed with RP in 2011. In an effort to raise awareness, the very first 'Race for RP' decal was put on her husband's race car back in 2015 and soon after, other drivers, such as teammate Cooper MacNeil followed suit.
'Motorsports is what really blew it up for us,' said David Bammert, President and Director of the Relapsing Polychondritis Foundation. 'We originally started as a smaller awareness campaign, but it was motorsports that really flipped the script for us. People across the world were suddenly aware of what we're doing and wanted to know what they could do to help.'
With such support, earlier this year they were able to establish the University of Pennsylvania Relapsing Polychondritis Fund which will help develop more effective guidelines for diagnosis, treatments and work towards a cure. Reflecting their motto, the Relapsing Polychondritis Foundation is racing for awareness and accelerating research.
About Race for RP and the Relapsing Polychondritis Foundation:
The Race for RP and Relapsing Polychondritis Foundation is a patient-founded and patient-driven 501(c)3 non-profit foundation which strives to raise awareness about relapsing polychondritis and educate the public, as well as represent patients to the global medical community and support medical research toward a cure. The team is strategic in their shared vision to advance awareness about relapsing polychondritis, promoting new research efforts, autoimmune diseases awareness, improving diagnosis and connecting patients with the resources and support they need.
About WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a world-renowned 2.238-mile traditional road course that was built in 1957 and was known at the time as Laguna Seca Raceway. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is owned by the County of Monterey and operated by A&D Narigi Consulting, LLC. The 2020 premier event schedule includes the Ferrari Challenge Series September 24-27, the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey October 23-25, the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship featuring the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship October 30-November 1, and the Trans Am SpeedFest December 3-6.
Photo credit: Ferrari
posted on conceptcarz.com
The Ferrari Challenge weekend and season opener at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has officially come and gone. Even with the absence of general admission spectators, there was still the unmistakable energy of competitive racing. Campers on site got a rare treat and opportunity to enjoy the action and cars from spots on the hillsides.
Scuderia Corsa, one of several teams that race in the Ferrari Challenge Series, fields several cars that span the various professional and amateur classes. Cooper MacNeil races the No. 63 car for Scuderia Corsa in the Trofeo Pirelli professional class. This series is also appealing to the many 'gentlemen and lady drivers' as a way to hone their skills on some of the most technical tracks in North America.
posted on conceptcarz.com
