Sweedler and Bell return with Yokohama
PLANO, Tex., TAVARES, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2013) –
West Racing and Alex Job Racing are joining forces to compete for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT championship in 2013. The team will be known as Team West/AJR/Boardwalk Ferrari starting at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, March 16.
Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell will pilot the Yokohama-backed No. 23 Team West/AJR/Boardwalk Ferrari 458 GT in the North American based ALMS. The duo will debut the 458 GT at Sebring where they won the GTC Class in 2012.
“I’m happy that we will continue in the GT class of the ALMS through a racing partnership with Eduardo Espindola of West Racing Team,” Alex Job, said. “Eduardo has quietly assembled all of the assets required to become a championship contending race team and I’m excited that we are combining efforts to help get the team to the front. I am also excited that Yokohama will be with us again this year as well.”
“Our efforts to acquire the most competitive car to race for the championship resulted in the acquisition of the Ferrari 458 GT,” Espindola, team principal of Team West AJR/Boardwalk Ferrari said. “The car has clearly been one of the all-around leaders in the top echelon of sportscar racing around the world. Alex Job has been one of the top sports car competitors. These are the ingredients that make up front running partnerships. Along with our key sponsors and suppliers, including: Boardwalk Ferrari, Yokohama, William Rast and Motegi this represents a unique new chapter for our combined organizations. Bill and Townsend played the key role in forging this potentially long-term relationship with West Racing. We collectively look forward to racing the Ferrari in the ALMS GT class.”
“Our Team West/AJR/Boardwalk Ferrari is comprised of a group of consummate racing professionals,” Bell added. “Special thanks goes to our great partners at Motegi Racing who made the introductions that made all of this possible. This team is focused on getting to the top of the podium. The combined team has one of the best records in sportscar racing around the world. I am thrilled that I could help put these principals together to create the newly formed team. In addition, having the chance to represent such a great brand like Ferrari is simply awesome. Every driver dreams of driving a car with the prancing horse on the hood. I can’t wait for Turn One at Sebring in the new ride. Time to buckle up!”
“I am really excited about 2013 and driving with Townsend again,” Sweedler said. I’m most excited about embarking our new racing partnership. Team West/AJR/Boardwalk Ferrari has been in the works since November of last year. Yokohama is back with us as well as our marketing partners William Rast and Motegi Wheels. The team from last year is pretty much intact with several upgrades in key areas. The GT Class is the most competitive in the ALMS and we now have a platform that can run at the front. We have methodically planned the ALMS assault and can’t wait for our Sebring debut!”
“Alex Job Racing has proven throughout its history an ability to raise the level of competition and run at the front in any American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón class it races,” Scott Atherton, ALMS president and CEO, said. “It’s well documented there is no shortage of high profile, fully professional programs in the ALMS GT class for 2013. Given Alex’s championship pedigree and the enthusiasm of Eduardo Espindola’s West Racing Team, I would expect the Alex Job-led Team West/AJR/Boardwalk Ferrari team to be in the mix for podium finishes and race wins in one of the most competitive GT championships in the world.”
Alex Job Racing is one of the most successful teams in sports car racing with 68 wins (since 1995); including two Rolex 24 GT Class wins in 1999 and 2013. This record is supported by 48 pole positions and 106 podium finishes. The team has won four championships (GTC 2012, GT in 2004, 2003 and 2002) complimented by their two GT class wins at Le Mans. The team also boasts eight Sebring 12-hour wins.
The ALMS GT Class is production-based, moderately-modified, two-wheel drive race cars comprise the GT class – BMW Z4, Corvette C6.R, Ferrari F458 GT, Viper SRT and Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. The GT cars share many similarities to their showroom brands. With top speeds of up to 180 mph, these elite GTs produce between 450-500 horsepower and have a minimum weight of 1,145 kilograms (2,480 pounds). All GT race cars have green Leader Light System race position lights and green car numbers.
Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global manufacturing and sales company of premium tires since 1917. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation is a leader in technology and innovation. The company’s complete product line includes the dB Super E-spec™ – the world’s first tire to use orange oil to reduce petroleum – as well as tires for high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, and off-the-road mining and construction applications.Find more information at yokohamatire.com.
Boardwalk Ferrari, Plano, Texas, is among the top performance-oriented dealers in the famed Italian automaker’s North American fold. Boardwalk rapidly established a record of Ferrari success. Boardwalk Ferrari is committed to the Ferrari performance legacy. With racing events, rallies, concours shows and lifestyle events such as wine tastings, Boardwalk provides its clients with Ferrari ownership experiences that are second to none. For more information contact Nathan Dunning, ndunning@boardwalkag.com or vist boardwalkferrari.com.
William Rast, the ‘New America’ denim culture brand, was conceptualized and founded by business partners Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala in 2005. Originally comprised of only denim, the brand has expanded into a complete lifestyle collection. Grounded in the iconography of American denim heritage and biker culture, yet re-packaged and presented in a contemporary context, William Rast has found its place on the floors of top-tier department stores and boutiques across the globe, and has become a staple for denim fans worldwide. For more information on the complete William Rast line, visit williamrast.com.
Official Partners and Suppliers:
Motegi Racing Performance, partners with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is owned by Wheel Pros, one of the largest suppliers of branded custom wheels, performance tires and related accessories for cars, SUVs and light trucks. Find more information at motegiracing.com and facebook.com/motegiracing.
For more information about Team West Alex Job Racing and a complete team media guide, visit www.westajr.com. Visit our fan page on Facebook at Team West Alex Job Racing. Further inquiries, please contact Kyle Chura at kyle@kcapr.com or (248) 821-0468.