2008 Dallara American Spirit Racing IndyLights

Cyndie Breaks Into The Top-5

The events go on… Cyndie got to Mid-Ohio last weekend to compete for the 11th and 12th race of the Firestone Indy Lights Series.

A very technical road course about 2.25 miles long which brought good luck to Cyndie in Sunday's race. Saturday, in race 1, a technical problem with her front wing required her to make a pit stop as she was on her way to a potential Top 10. Sunday, starting 17th, she had to use all her experience to advance through a field of cars in terrible weather conditions. Indeed, the track conditions were horrible. Two very strong rain storms came through just before the start of the race. Cyndie, who had never driven this car in wet conditions, didn't really know what to expect and started the new adventure which ended up a big success as she drove through the field to finish in 4th place.

The joy on her face at the end of the race was wonderful! Especially after struggling in the previous few races.

'It was a very exciting race,' commented Cyndie. 'When the rain started, it was quite stressful as I didn't know the reaction of this car in the rain and I couldn't see any of the cars ahead of me through the spray. But once the race got going, I felt confident that I could catch the guys up front. The team did a great job and gave me a very competitive car in the rain. It's a great result which has given me and my team a good boost for the next races!'

Source - American Spirit Racing

Mid-Ohio

Her car owner was in the medical center receiving stitches, so Cape Coral race driver Cyndie Allemann decided to send him the perfect get well card — her best finish ever in an Indy Lights race and in her open wheel career.

Allemann, 22, finished fourth in the second of a pair of races at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, beating her best previous finish of eighth earlier this season at St. Petersburg. And she did it in a driving rainstorm and by surviving two spins.

At the end of the race, after she pulled into the pits, her engine started to smoke bringing over several fire rescue personnel. Her engine had expired from overheating after mud and grass plugged the radiator from the earlier spins. No one was injured.

'This was really, really important for my mind,' said Allemann. 'I needed to get a little bit of my confidence back. To reach the top five was incredible.'

While Allemann was working her way past spinning cars, straining to see the track in front of her because of the rain, her car owner, Cape Coral resident Jon Lewis, was in the medical center, taking eight stitches to his hand.

He also serves as Allemann's spotter during the race and was standing at the top of the grandstands in one section of the road course to help her navigate through eh difficult conditions. During a rain delay, he decided to move to another location. While walking down the metal stairs, he slipped, tried to grab the railing but his hand also slipped and didn't stop until it hit a protruding bolt. opening a large gash. He walked back to his team's pits and then went to the medical center.

‘When they got the last stitch in, she finished the race,' said Lewis, who was able to at least listen to the race on his headset.

But the pain was eased by his rookie driver's finish.

'I have always had faith in her,' said Lewis, owner of Cape Coral-based American Spirit Racing. 'She did a great job driving. She gave it her all.'

This was a day when not more than a lap went by before a car or several cars went sliding off the track. Allemann spun on the first lap and then later in the race, but remained patient and kept gaining positions.



Allemann found a way to remain patient as other cars swerved off the treacherous track.

'I learned today you need to patient, that sometimes it pays to be patient,' Allemann §äid. 'I realized I didn't have to push the car. I just took it easy. I spun off the track on the first lap because I braked too hard because I really had the wrong line. Then, I found a good line and I had a good feeling on the track. I was very excited; I will take fourth place.'

Source - American Spirit Racing / Tom Hayden

American Spirit Racing is a motorsport management firm founded in 1987. Since the company's inception, American Spirit Racing has developed and managed top-level motorsports programs for numerous prominent companies and drivers. ASR's comprehensive knowledge of the motorsports industry and keen eye for identifying prime marketing opportunities has produced valuable returns for American Spirit's partners. Recognizing that many corporations may not have the knowledge and understanding of how to maximize their marketing investments in motorsports, American Spirit Racing was formed to cater to the sponsor's needs and has branched out to incorporate most premier forms of North American auto racing. In addition, American Spirit works with other marketing and advertising agencies as a consultant and provider of auto racing properties for their clients. Motorsports is a specialized field. As with any business, it takes a keen understanding and extensive knowledge to generate maximum results.

There are no cookie-cutter approaches in American Spirit's marketing programs. The specific goals of each client are carefully analyzed and identified, then we design and implement a customized, turn-key motorsports marketing program in which to meet each specific objective.

In 1995, American Spirit Racing was hired to manage the marketing of the CART sanctioned North American Touring Car Championship, which brought the proposed Championship to a reality in 1996. In 2005, American Spirit again assisted a new team, Germain Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in developing it's marketing programs. Germain Racing has become the #1 Toyota team in NASCAR and currently leads the 2006 Championship.

Over the past 19 years, American Spirit Racing has generated and managed successful motorsports promotions for such prominent companies as; AmeriSuites hotels, SLICK50 engine treatment, Benihana restaurants, Sprint long distance, CaboWabo tequila, National Survival Game founders of the sport of Paintball, and numerous others.

American Spirit Racing has owned and operated teams and managed marketing programs in the Indy Racing League, American Le Mans Series, Trans-Am Series, IMSA Camel GT Series, Bridgestone Super Car Series and Exxon Supreme Series, including the entrant of the 2004 American Le Mans Series 12 hours of Sebring LMP2 class winner. In 2004, American Spirit expanded its operation into the ever-popular world of Stock Car Racing and now offers marketing programs in the Indy Racing League's Firestone Indy Lights Series and IndyCar Series.

American Spirit's President began his successful motorsports career as a professional race driver in numerous series including, the IMSA Camel GT Series-GTP class, Bridgestone SuperCar Series, Barber Pro Series, Exxon Supreme Series and Firestone Firehawk Endurance Series. This well-rounded experience (driver, team owner/manager, marketing director) provides ASR with the expertise to identify and capitalize on powerful, cost-effective promotional and marketing avenues, often missed or overlooked by others.

Source - American Spirit Racing