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August 31, 2008
York and Thomson Combine for Top Twenty Finish at Thunderbolt Raceway
Kevin driving the #73 GoEnzo.com C360R Acura RSX on Thunderbolt's main straight.
Kevin York and Karl Thomson drove a clean and smart race today during what was for many others, massive carnage at the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series' inaugural professional race at New Jersey Motorsports Park's Thunderbolt Raceway.
Starting from the thirty-sixth position in class, Kevin drove an aggressive, but measured first stint.
When Kevin handed the car over to Karl in seventh position in class, it coincided with a series of extended caution periods.
Once back to green flag racing, Karl battled with several ST drivers, ultimately passing under the checkered flag in nineteenth position of the ST class.
All in all, a very respectable run and finish by the grinning duo!
More details and photos to follow during the upcoming week!
Posted by YORK Group at 07:37 PM | Comments (0)
August 30, 2008
Dust and dilemma at NJMP
After missing an entire day of pre-event testing at NJMP's Thunderbolt Raceway (due to track closure after Scott Pruett's horrific crash), all the Grand Am KONI Challenge Series competitors were anxious to get on track to practice.
It's quite unique to have virtually the entire field of drivers have no prior experience of a racing venue such as we find this weekend.
One word: DUSTY!
For various reasons, the area off the track surface is not yet grassed in and the present dirt is a silt-clay combination that is NASTY.
The track surface, while brand new with it's own decent grip, is compromised with shifting dust and gravel each lap.
We at C360R worked hard to learn the track and deal with mechanical adversity with some of the cars.
The team members at C360R performed stellar work and got all the mechanical issues handled!
Saturday has us qualifying in order to form a line up for Sunday's (early!) morning race.
Posted by YORK Group at 08:14 AM | Comments (0)
August 27, 2008
Speaking Freely
"Hi, it's Kevin calling from New Jersey Motorsports Park.
We'll be racing the #73 GoEnzo.com C360R Acura RSX in the KONI Challenge Series race this weekend at the brand new track that is NJMP.
We're very excited!
I'll update you as we start practice and testing tomorrow.
Cheers!"
spoken through SpinVox
#endPosted by YORK Group at 09:20 AM | Comments (0)
August 20, 2008
Next up, New Jersey Motorsport Park's Thunderbolt Raceway!
Labor Day weekend will find us at Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the greater New York Metropolitan area.
The Aug. 30-31 event is the crown jewel on the NJMP inaugural schedule and will feature both the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and our series, the Grand-Am KONI Challenge.
Kevin York, looking forward to the event stated, "As a track owned and operated by our friends at Virginia International Raceway, I feel like it is a bit of a homecoming."
The Millville, N.J. facility, featuring the 2.3-mile Thunderbolt Raceway, is a $150 million world class Motorsports complex located on 700 acres of land adjacent to the Millville Airport. NJMP will feature road, oval and off-road racing venues, as well as luxurious spectator and participant facilities including VIP suites, shade tree garages, event garages and trackside villas.
Like its sister property, Virginia International Raceway, NJMP will mix world-class racing facilities with high-end hospitality venues. NJMP, however, will include multiple hotels and restaurants at varying price points, educational and research facilities in conjunction with Rowan University, classic car galleries and a clubhouse with pool, fitness and tennis facilities. In a nod to one of the seminal characters in the racing world, NJMP christened the media center and scoring tower the "Chris Economaki Tower" in honor of the New Jersey native.
The New Jersey Motorsports weekend event was added at the request of a number of KONI Challenge teams and participants to create exposure for the series in the greater New York and Philadelphia markets and continue to diversify the tracks that the series races on.
More information on New Jersey Motorsports Park is available at www.njmotorsportspark.com.*
*Some of this article's information courtesy of Grand Am.
Posted by YORK Group at 02:12 AM | Comments (0)
August 17, 2008
York and Johnson shafted at Trois-Rivieres
After suffering adversity in event practice and qualifying sessions, Kevin York and Billy Johnson combined to show strength of performance in Saturday's Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Street Tuner Race at Le Circuit de Trois-Rivieres.
Starting from 30th position, the York/Johnson Compass360 Racing #73 Acura RSX was well within the top-ten as the race's conclusion neared.
Sadly, a mechanical failure of a front axle shaft joint put an end to the strong run.
Compass360 Racing had a great overall team result however with Adam Burrows bringing home his and Trevor Hopwood's #76 Acura TSX with an event win!
Next up, New Jersey Motorsport Park during the Labor Day weekend.
Posted by YORK Group at 06:51 AM | Comments (0)
August 15, 2008
Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres weekend!
For one weekend each August since 1967, the streets of Trois-Rivieres turn into a racing circuit for the city's Grand Prix.
This international racing event takes place on a temporary course that many racing greats - like Gilles Villeneuve - have raced on.
This year's series are: Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series, NASCAR Canadian Tire, Star Mazda, Mazda Pro MX-5, Canadian Touring Championship, Atlantic Championship.
Our Toronto-based Compass360 Racing team - with a series-high four cars entered for this weekend - was second and third in the final overall rundown, with our top two cars in practice separated by only one thousandth of a second.
ST qualifying begins at 8:20 a.m. Saturday with the race start following at 1:30 p.m.
Posted by YORK Group at 09:28 PM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2008
York and Radisic Repeat Top-15 Result at Iowa Speedway
Kevin York once again paired with Marko Radisic for a respectable KONI Challenge Series finish of fifteenth in the ST class at Iowa Speedway last weekend.
Driving - for the final time of a temporary three-race deal- the Fountain Motorsports/Next Gen BMW 330i, Kevin qualified the reluctantly-handling car in the early Sunday morning qualifying session.
At the start of the race Kevin kept pace with the KONI field of both GS and ST classed cars as they sorted themselves out.
He engaged in a spirited battle with the "Queen of the 'Ring", Sabine Schmitz as she attempted to come to grips with the short-track length of Iowa Speedway's 1.3 mile "roval" road course.
After suffering an overheating engine - requiring Kevin to slow the pace - and a right front tire that was cut down due to track debris, a yellow caution period at approximately the one-hour mark allowed the team to call in Kevin for a fuel stop and driver change.
Marko continued in the race and ran a conservative and consistent pace to the race's conclusion.
Next up - this very weekend! - is the next KONI Series' race in Quebec Canada's Trois-Rivieres.
There, Kevin will rejoin his regular team, Compass360 Racing and be racing an Acura RSX!
Check back to this site for more details of the weekend as it draws near!
Posted by YORK Group at 06:41 PM | Comments (0)
August 01, 2008
Iowa bound!
After a short break in the KONI Challenge Series action of early July, Kevin is eager to return to racing.
August is a busy month for the KONI Challenge Series' teams with three races in four weeks!
First up is a popular event at the Iowa Speedway.
Once again, Kevin will be paired with Marko Radisic in a Fountain Motorsport/Next Generation Motorsports BMW 330i.
Fountain's past experiences at this track have been very positive and the intent is to build on that history for this exciting event.
Kevin is also eager to return to his regular team's Acura/Honda race cars. Compass360 Racing (C360R) is working hard at getting brand new race cars ready!
Stay tuned here for more updates as the racing action gets hot!
Posted by YORK Group at 12:26 PM | Comments (0)