Episode 354
March 14, 2021
It certainly is a unique name and he is a unique guy
In about a month, Sting Ray Robb, last season’s Indy Pro 2000 Champion, will make his debut in the Juncos Racing #2 Indy Lights race car. As the 2020 Champion, Robb earned a scholarship from Road to Indy to help further his career. Others who utilized Indy Lights to further their career include Colton Herta, Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, and Spencer Pigot are among several who raced or are racing in the top rung of the IndyCar Series.
Juncos Racing recently introduced their 2021 livery. The red colors are a change for Juncos who have used the green color for many seasons. This will be the car driven by Sting Ray Robb. (Juncos Racing photo)
On January 15, 2021, Robb and Juncos Racing announced that the Payette, Idaho native will stay with the team that helped him win the Indy Pro 2000 series title last year. Robb has begun introducing a series of videos designed to help get acquainted with the 19-year-old.
This video, The Driver’s Decision: Episode 1 tells the story how Sting Ray got his unique name which is really his name.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP64gap9o6c
Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) race car debuts at track test
The SRX Series co-founded by Ray Evernham and Tony Stewart took a major step forward when the first car built for TV was tested by Ken Schrader at Carraway Speedway, Sophia, North Carolina.
Schrader put the car through its paces on the .455-mile asphalt short track. The Fury chassis features IROC-style cars which are identical to allow the variety of drivers to strut their driving abilities on six race tracks, six Saturday nights in a row on primetime Saturday night viewing on CBS.
Each car is powered by Ilmor 396 engine the same as what was in Austin Theriault’s ARCA car when he won the 2017 Driver’s Championship with Ken Schrader Racing. The engines will produce 700 horsepower and 530 foot pounds of torque. This should allow the drivers ample power to make the made-for-tv exciting.
Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) made their debut at a test at Carraway Speedway with the legend Ken Schrader at the wheel. The car is the first of several to be built for the short track series made for television viewing. (SRX photo)
A short blip of the race car in action at Carraway Speedway just to wet your appetite.
https://www.facebook.com/SRXracingofficial/videos/247105900409149
SRX 2021 SCHEDULE on CBS (all Saturday night races with 2-hour window)
June 12, 8 PM, ET – Stafford Motor Speedway (Stafford Springs, Connecticut)
June 19, 8 PM, ET – Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, Iowa)
June 26, 8 PM, ET – Eldora Speedway (New Weston, Ohio)
July 3, 8 PM, ET – Lucas Oil Raceway (Brownsburg, Indiana)
July 10, 8 PM, ET – Slinger Speedway (Slinger, Wisconsin)
July 17, 8 PM, ET – Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway (Nashville, Tennessee)
IMSA getting ready for the 69th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring
Thirty-six IMSA sports cars will line up next Saturday March 20 at 10:10 am for one of the longest running endurance style races in the United States, the Mobil 1 12-Hours of Sebring. Five classes of cars will compete in the race within a race.
Daytona Prototype international (DPi) the fastest of the cars will start with 7 cars. The LeMans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class will start 5 while the newest class, LeMans Prototype 3 (LMP3), will have 6 entries in its class.
The factory backed GT LeMans (GTLM) class will start 5 cars. The field in that class was decreased when Ford pulled out after the 2019 season and Porsche after the 2020 season.
By far the largest class is the GT Daytona (GTD) class with 13 entries. These resemble closest the stock high end sports cars.
One of my favorite photos of the #54 CORE Autosports in action at this year’s Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. The team will not see the high banks at Sebring which is a 3.74-mile 17 turn course with many bumps set on the World War II heavy bomber training school runway. (CORE Autosports photo)
One of the LMP3 teams, CORE Autosports, has close connections with the County. Owner/driver Jon Bennett has relatives living in Aroostook County. Bennett will be competing in a French made Ligier JS 320 powered by a Nissan V8. His co-drivers include long-time friend and associate Colin Braun and Crowdstrike owner George Kurtz.
You may watch the race on NBCSN from 10:00 am to noon. NBC Sports App from noon to 7 pm and once again on NBCSN from 7 to 10:30 pm. IMSA Radio will have flag to flag coverage and will probably be what I will monitor.
Best wishes to Jon and the CORE Autosports team!
Cold Hard Art (CHA) gets photo of the week
Cold Hard Art’s owner/fabricator, Tom Patsis practice piece for welding .125 chrome moly. Even the practice piece looks great! (Cold Hard Art photo)
Let’s go racing,
Tom Hale
Soli Deo Gloria (John 3:16)