Shane Lewis Fontana Preview Notes
Shane Shots - Notes on Shane Lewis Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series - Daytona Prototype Class Grand American 400 - California Speedway, Fontana Calif. - March 31- April 3, 2005 No.3 PAP-PARTS / OZEXE Southard Motorsports BMW-Riley Daytona Prototype birthplace: Lancaster, Calif. current residence: Jupiter, Fla. height/ weight: 6' / 160 lbs. wife: Crystal other interests: scuba diving, boating and riding motorcycles. web site: <http://www.shanelewis.com/> www.shanelewis.com helmet: blue and white with a large, red 'S' outlined in black on each side california quote: "I grew up not too far from here. As a matter of fact, I did some of my first races just down the street at Riverside Raceway. I ran the last, last, LAST race they ever held at Riverside. The road that goes from where I grew-up in Lancaster to Fontana is where I learned to drive cars. So it's really fun to come back to California." to the point Shane Lewis is currently ranked ninth in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype points. He is 14 points out of fifth place and 36 out of the lead. single-seater Shane Lewis is an avid motorcyclists. In fact, he is such an enthusiast that he has made the cross-country trip from his native Lancaster, Calif. to his home in Jupiter, Fla. three times. Twice he has made the trip alone, once with the Uncle who first taught him to ride motorcycles. In fact, following the Fontana race, Lewis is scheduled to ride home to Jupiter on a classic, old-school chopper that he built himself. back home again Shane Lewis is a native of Southern California, born and raised in the desert city of Lancaster. He started his racing career on the dirt oval at Willow Springs but his mind was most often on the nearby road course. When he wasn't on track racing the car he and his father built for the oval, he would be at the fence watching the sports cars race on the adjoining road course. He was eventually drawn to road racing and began helping at the Willow Springs racing school. He would eventually build and race a Formula Ford winning two California regional championships and two Formula Ford Festival titles. rodeo man Shane Lewis came to racing in a unique fashion. A longtime car enthusiast he bought his first junkyard car in high school to build a racecar. He worked on the car daily until a lack of funding kept him from finishing his first racer. As fate would have it, at that same time his school's rodeo team was in need of a bull rider to fill-out its roster. Despite having no background on the ranch, the team recruited Lewis when no one else had the courage to ride bulls. His natural competitive desire made him the California state bull riding champion. But, again, fate would step in to alter his future. At a charity rodeo event for the nation's state bull riding champions, before heading to college on a bull riding scholarship, Lewis drew the toughest bull in the arena. As had become his custom he had a perfect eight-second ride. Lewis had a faultless dismount and, in true cowboy fashion, turned to tip his hat to the crowd. However, the bull made an unusual turn and Lewis woke in a hospital bed with his jaw wired shut and multiple skin graphs to his face. The personable driver-to-be had been kicked squarely in the jaw by the massive beast. While in the hospital his Dad asked what he could do to get Shane to stop riding bulls. The reply was to help him finish the racecar. Father and son finished the car and the rest is history. ### contact: Tom Moore, Shane Lewis Racing: 615-778-1614 (office), 404-229-3703(cell), tom@darkhorsecom.com