General Motors to Sponsor J-Body Bash In Ohio
DETROIT, - General Motors will provide an inside look at its new sport compact drag racing program as the official sponsor of the 5th Annual J-Body Bash at Thompsonville Raceway in Austinburg, Ohio, on July 26-28.
The J-Body Bash is an annual celebration of owners and aftermarket vendors supporting the GM J-car family: the Chevrolet Cavalier; Pontiac Sunfire, Sunbird and J2000; Oldsmobile Firenza; Buick SkyHawk; and Cadillac Cimarron.
GM will sponsor the event as part of its current production and race programs connecting with younger consumers who are looking for sleek and sporty vehicles. GM racing will make exhibition runs with their Sport Compact Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire piloted by Nelson Hoyos and Marty Ladwig respectively in conjunction with the event.
"We felt this was a great opportunity to get more involved with the sport and meet more people that have been in the sport for awhile," said Josh Peterson, GM Racing's sport compact drag racing manager. "Also it will give our cars more exposure to the public and in turn will give them a better understanding of what we are trying to accomplish out here. These owners are very passionate about their cars and the ability to interact with them is a great benefit to us. We're really looking forward to the event and having some fun with it."
The J-Body Bash originated in August 1998 with only 20 cars in attendance, but grew to more than 250 cars and 500-plus attendees in 2001. Tim Schilling, founder of the J-Body Bash and JBO Director, looks for the event to grow even larger with the new GM sponsorship.
"Attendance at the Bash has grown exponentially in past years," said Schilling. "But to have GM's support is a huge step for our exposure. We're looking forward to the event and hope the fans of drag racing are too."
The General Motors ECOTEC trailer will also be onsite for enthusiasts to get a first hand look at the engine program and get answers to frequently asked questions.
Other activities included at Thompsonville Raceway include a car show, along with quarter-mile drag racing, a rock climbing wall, blow-up sumo wrestling, a DJ and an on-site DynoJet to read cars power levels.
For scheduling, directions and pricing please visit the JBO website at www.j-body.org .