The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

SCCA World Challenge - Holbrook Produces Dual Podiums At Mosport


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

SANTA MONICA, Jun. 29, 2012: TrueCar Racing sportscar driver Shea Holbrook had a successful weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with two podium finishes in the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car division.

Holbrook got ample testing two weeks prior to the race putting down over 100 laps at the high-speed 10-turn, 2.459-mile road course.

“The key to our success this year has been proper testing,” said Holbrook. “Canadian Tire Motorsports Park is known to be the fastest road course in North America. The large radius corners call for high speeds of on average 95-mph in the touring car division. “This track demands respect – here is where a driver’s talents are truly showcased,” said Holbrook prior to race weekend.

Saturday kicked off round seven of the Touring Car Championship where Holbrook qualified fourth directly behind two of her Compass360 Racing teammates. The start of the first 30-minute sprint race wasn’t Holbrook’s best as she fell back to sixth place. “It wasn’t my best start and unfortunately it cost me in the end,” Holbrook said. A train of six touring cars drafted one another up the back straight leaving Holbrook a few car links back to cross the finish line in seventh place. Holbrook still had the second fastest lap time of the race at a 1:33.661.“We can do better, we will do better,” said Holbrook after the race.

The Pirelli World Challenge 30-minute sprints races allow a 15-minute break between the back-to-back races. Holbrook’s team changed the left front tire enabling more front grip in the high-speed radiuses. Per the rules, Holbrook started the race in the position she finished in the previous race, seventh. A perfect line of touring cars drafting in unison made it up to turn nine of the first lap until an incident happened taking out three of the leading cars. “Sometimes it’s just a persistent waiting game and you have to be close enough to reap the reward and that is exactly what we did,” said Holbrook. She raced a clean, professional race which lead her to her first podium of the year finishing in second place. “Finally!” she yelled with a smile on her face as she ran to the podium. “Today we got the results we’ve wanted all season long because we persevered. The crew and my coach got me to this point – all I had to do was get the job done and they made it easy for me.” Holbrook had the third fastest lap of the race with a 1:34.248.

Sunday’s qualifying brought another milestone for Holbrook as she put the car on the front row at P2 for the start of the 40-minute race. When asked if Holbrook was at all nervous she replied, “No, I’m confident. I have a great team behind me calming any nerves.” As the cars launched off the grid into turn two side-by-side, Holbrook in the inside lifted to allow clearance but lost the rear end of the car and went spinning in front of her Compass360 teammates. “I was very fortunate no carnage came out of that – great driving on their part,” Holbrook said. The spin sent her to dead last. An outstanding drive by Holbrook as she fought her way back lap after lap finishing on podium again in third place. “It feels amazing. We’ve been working so hard to get these results but more importantly we know we give 100 percent every time we’re out there. I’m extremely happy,” Holbrook said. Holbrook won the Invisible Glass “Clean Pass of the Race” for her pass on Michael Cooper for third and she had the third fastest lap of the race with a 1:33.633. She now stands fourth in the Touring Car Championship with 748 points.

Holbrook praised her coaches, Michael Zimicki, and Mikel Miller for helping shape her into the racer she’s become.

“My coaches have been a critical in my success and I owe them many wins after all the time they spent with me over the past few months!”

Watch the live streaming of the races now on www.world-challengetv.com and the live broadcast on the NBC Sports Network Saturday, July 7th at 5 p.m. EDT.

Watch here for Holbrook’s fast lap at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

Next race is August 3-5th at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course alongside the IZOD IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series. Recently TrueCar Racing announced that Virgin Group, a leading global brand synonymous with innovation, entertainment, lifestyle and adventure and one of the world’s most recognized brands, is joining as an affiliate sponsor of TrueCar Racing, the world’s first all-female racing team and “Women Empowered” initiative, for the rest of the 2012 Women Empowered racing calendar. The Mid-Ohio race will be the first race the Virgin brand is displayed on Holbrook’s car.