JC CONCRETE PARTNERS WITH COMPASS360 RACING

(Lawrenceville, GA) -- Compass360 Racing (C360R) today released details of the team's marketing partnership with J.C. Concrete for the 2010 season. The program includes multi-tiered promotion within the paddock and to fans.

"I'm so pleased to welcome J.C. Concrete to the Compass360 family," noted Team Principal Karl Thomson. "We believe -- and I know they agree -- that the Grand-Am paddock is a great place to develop new contacts, friendships and cultivate new business."

J.C. Concrete (http://jcconcreteonline.com) specializes in delivering high-quality builds to multi-family residential and commercial projects in the southeastern United States. A family-owned business started thirty years ago, they are as comfortable building retaining and foundation walls for a massive 400-unit apartment complex of townhomes as they are pouring the post-tension slabs for a new restaurant.

"We're thrilled to be part of the Grand-Am community with a Championship team," enthused J.C.'s Senior Project Manager, Justin Stauffer. "We are really looking forward to taking advantage of the great opportunities presented by the series to grow our business."
J.C. Concrete will be one of the primary sponsors on the team's #75 Honda Civic Si, and will be taking advantage of at-track activation and hospitality for business partners and prospects.
Remarked Thomson, "There is a surprising synergy between J.C. Concrete's core competencies and other companies who partner with Grand-Am teams. This marks the first year in a multi-year program with J.C., and we're excited to introduce a new firm to the Grand-Am community."

GRAND-AM's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge starts its year this week with Test Days at Daytona, Florida. The series' first race is on January 29th, as part of the Roar Before the 24 in support of the Rolex 24 Hours of Dayona, and will be televised, tape-delayed on SPEED TV

Compass360 Racing (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Branding Communications, a firm offering marketing expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The Championship-winning race team, with support from Honda of America, fields four front-running Honda Civic Si's in GRAND-AM's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, as well as providing technical and engineering support to numerous Honda and Acuras in Canadian Touring Car. For details visit http://C360R.com.

American Canadian Tour pays out $85,000 points fund for 2009

Waterbury, VT – The American Canadian Tour (ACT) has announced that the total point fund awards for the 2009 season will total over $85,000. The annual Banquet of Champions will be held at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in So. Burlington, VT on January 16, 2010.

The ACT TOUR will honor the 2009 Championship team of Brian Hoar and owner/crew chief Rick Paya, who also owns RPM Engines in Georgia, VT. Hoar will celebrate his sixth American Canadian Tour title, and car owner, Rick Paya, will also celebrate his sixth ACT title, having won previous titles as crew chief and then owner of the only seven-time ACT winner in its 25-year history, Jean-Paul Cyr. The RPM team will receive $10,000 first place point money at the annual festivities for their efforts during the 2009 thirteen (13) race campaign.

"This past year was a whole lot of fun for RPM racing. We kind of struggled at the beginning of the season, but most of that was trying to figure out what each of us (Hoar and Paya) needed to be successful," said Rick Paya. "Working with Brian was great, especially after we got things sorted out over the initial few weeks. We kind of entered the deal hoping to get immediate results, but I think our team is better off having to go through the learning curve we experienced. We really are excited about being together for next season, and winning the 25th anniversary title of ACT would be pretty meaningful for Brian and our entire team," concluded Paya. Both Paya and Hoar have been supporters of the ACT Late Model program since its inception in 1992.

The Thunder Road "King of the Road" title chase was another blending of veteran teams. Ironically, Jean Cyr, who won all those championships with Paya, joined the most storied crew chief of the decade at Thunder Road, Jeff Laquerre, from Barre, VT. Laquerre and his veteran father, Joey Laquerre put together a new team with the sole purpose of winning the 50th anniversary title at Thunder Road. Jeff Laquerre led the Tracie Bellerose championship chase in 2000. She was the first female to win a major division title. Laquerre followed that up with Thunder Road titles for Cris Michaud in 2004 and 2005. The Laquerre-Cyr team took a few weeks to get things sorted out, but in the end they held off Michaud, Phil Scott and David Pembroke to win the coveted 2009 title. The team will receive $5,000 in point fund money for the championship win. Total money awarded to the Thunder Road competitors in three divisions will exceed $20,000.

Previously, in November, 2009, the ACT Castrol Series awarded over $30,000 in point fund money to those that competed in the 2009 nine (9) ACT Castrol Série.

The Banquet of Champions will award trophies, prize money, and special awards to an expected crowd of 500 teams and fans. Announcements regarding the 25th anniversary season of the American Canadian Tour, along with the prestigious awarding of the annual MacTavish Award, Doc Nielsen Award, and many other special recognitions will highlight the evening's activities. Tickets are still available by calling the ACT office at 802-244-6963.

The 2010 ACT and Thunder Road seasons will offer Late Model teams in the region over $800,000 in various purse and prizes beginning with the opening event at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH on Sunday, April 18th, the New Hampshire Governor's Cup 150.

For additional information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963 or media@acttour.com 

Canadian Alex Ellis wins Jim Russell Racing School Future Driver Search 2010

Alex Ellis, 18, from St. Catharines, Ontario won the Jim Russell Future Driver "All-Rounder" for 2010, a competition looking for the best up and coming race car drivers from all over the globe. The prize is a $130,000 contract to race in the Jim Russell F3 Series in Sonoma, California. Alex was chosen out of 40 drivers from 10 countries after four days of intensive testing at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Ca. Dec.19-22, 2009.

Check out Alex at: www.alexellis.ca

From Maris Ellis

PHOTOS: Can Am Speedway - New Year Endro (January 2, 2010 - Lafargeville, NY)

Courtesy of Rick Young ..... www.rickattheraces.com

Canadian champion Richard joins Yokohama squad for 2010 rally season

LANGLEY, B.C. (4 January, 2010) – Four-time Canadian rally champion Patrick Richard will proudly carry the Yokohama colours in the 2010 Canadian Rally Championship, Yokohama Tire (Canada) Inc. has announced.

Driver Richard and co-driver Allan Ockwell captured their second consecutive national title in November with a resounding victory in the 2009 season finale Rally of the Tall Pines. Richard also won the driver’s title in 2004 and 2002. He joins Antoine L’Estage and Andrew Comrie-Picard as Yokohama Canada drivers for the 2010 season.

Richard, of Squamish, B.C., has been deeply involved with Subaru Canada, Inc. since 2001 and has spearheaded the Subaru Rally Team Canada since 2007. His Rocket Rally Racing shop was among the first to prepare the newest generation Subaru Impreza WRX STI, and has scored eight wins with the cars in the Canadian national title chase in the past two years, including a victory in its North American debut performance at the 2008 Rocky Mountain rally – the first national level win for the new model in the world.

In addition to a busy schedule in Canada, Richard has found time to win two Rally America Championships in the US (2004, 2005) and a pair of North American Rally Cup crowns since 2002.

Since he burst onto the scene in 1999, Richard has won divisional and class championships on both sides of the border and scored well in numerous international events. He is the first North American driver to score points in the prestigious World Rally Championship Production Cup.

At 35, Richard has covered a great deal of ground in a short time. He had a successful career in competitive snowboarding and was principal in a high-technology firm before discovering rallying and creating Rocket Rally, his competition car preparation shop. Rocket Rally has been appointed a Yokohama motorsport tire dealer for western Canada. Rocket Rally built two 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI competition cars for Subaru Rally Team Canada.

“Everyone in motorsport has watched Pat’s career with interest and enthusiasm,” says Jonathon Karlese, national marketing manager for Yokohama. “His committed driving style, high level of preparation and clear determination to win not only make him a great competitor, they reflect Yokohama’s approach to providing the very best tire technology in every application. He will be a terrific addition to the team.

As part of the Yokohama team, Richard finds himself lined up beside friendly rivals and Mitsubishi drivers L’Estage and Comrie-Picard. Richard’s sister Nathalie is co-driver for L’Estage, adding an element of sibling rivalry to the mix. Yokohama has been a supporter of rally motorsport in Canada for more than a decade.

The Canadian Rally Championship has been televised nationally since 1993, and the 2009 series was made available on multiple media platforms, including as downloads from iTunes, on-line on Flat Over Crest (www.flatovercrest.com) and to 80 million homes in Europe on MotorsTV. Yokohama Tire (Canada) Inc. markets and distributes a full line of tires for high performance, passenger car, light truck, and commercial truck applications, as well as off-the-road tires for mining, forestry and construction applications. It maintains distribution centres across Canada to serve more than 700 independent tire dealers.

Kawartha Speedway 2010 - Takin' the Show on the Road

You could check the temperature and find the mercury well below freezing.  When you’re looking out the window, you’ll see a wintry mix of blowing snow and freezing rain.  For 3 days in January – the 22nd to the 24th – none of it will matter as the racing world turns its collective focus to the 4th Annual Canadian Motorsports Expo at Toronto’s International Centre.  With a wide array of exhibits and events – including the NASCAR Sprint Cup racecars of Dale Earnhardt Junior and Jeff Gordon – the show will give enthusiasts their mid-winter racing ‘fix’.  Again this year, Kawartha Speedway will be part of the season preview spectacular.  General Manager and Promoter Derek Lynch says having a display at the event really is an easy decision.

“It’s not just the fans that attend these kinds of shows, but the drivers too,” said Lynch.  “The organizers have done an excellent job and this show continues to grow each and every year. Any chance we get to promote the track and possibly bring some new teams into the fold is an opportunity we can’t afford to pass up.  This is Kawartha’s 10th Anniversary season and our goal is to do everything we can to have it be a history-making campaign for everyone.”

Kawartha Speedway’s display at the Canadian Motorsports Expo will feature the #16 NAPA Auto Parts Late Model machine of Norwood, Ontario’s Ryan Kimball.  2010 will mark the 26 year-old racer’s 3rd season in the track’s headline division.  A labourer at the Darlington Nuclear Plant in Bowmanville, Kimball finished 2009 in 8th place – but just over 70 markers behind 5th place Mike Sinopoli.

“We had a great season,” said Kimball.  “All that was missing was a feature race win, but I’m sure that will come with time.  The weather co-operated, so we raced a lot.  That’s always a good thing, because track time and experience can make all the difference.  Getting the car ready for the show in Toronto will take some long hours in the garage, but I’m confident the guys and I will be able to make it happen.  We’re very honoured to be asked to represent Kawartha Speedway at an event of this size, so it’ll be worth all the time and hard work.”

Fans can pick-up a copy of Kawartha Speedway’s 10th Anniversary season schedule at the Canadian Motorsports Expo or at www.kawarthaspeedway.com.  The track will also host its inaugural $1,000.00 to win Long John 200 lap endurance event Sunday, February 7th.  Gates open at 11:00.  Practice starts at noon and racing gets underway at 1:00.

PHOTO: Ryan Kimball picked-up a late season NAPA Auto Parts Late Model victory at Kawartha Speedway. Release and Photo by Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications.

COMPASS360 RACING CONFIRMS LIEFOOGHE AND COMBS FOR 2010

(Toronto, Canada) -- Compass360 Racing (C360R) today released details on their third season-long driver pairing in GRAND-AM's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Both are newcomers to the Continental paddock but are seasoned racers who expect to make their mark in professional road racing.C360R won all three GRAND-AM Street Tuner championships (Team, Driver and Manufacturer) in 2009, and the signing of a third full-season duo represent the commitment the team has in its championship defense.

San Francisco-based Gregory Liefooghe comes to the team after a break-out season competing in a various championships from formula cars, go karts and touring cars.
Last year, Liefooghe won two races and finished third in the Jim Russell Championship, had several wins in Rotax and ICC races, finished on the podium in the Skip Barber Western series, and won the E1 class in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

Jesse Combs, who hails from Woodlands, Texas, is no stranger to close-knit sports car racing, having competed in the Mazda MX-5 Cup series, finishing fifth in the championship in 2007.
The pair will drive Compass360's #76 Honda Civic Si and bring a new marketing partner to the team in the form of Coolgas, one of the largest distributors of refrigerants in the United States.
"I'm so excited to have the opportunity to race with the championship team in my first year in GRAND-AM," expained Liefooghe. "I learned a lot over the last few years and am looking forward to testing in Daytona next week."

Combs was equally enthusiastic. "I know the team will give us a competitive package, and I'm excited to be able to share data with the other Compass360 cars. It will be great to take the next step into a pro series."

Liefooghe and Combs join Lawson Aschenbach, Ryan Eversley, Zach Lutz and David Thilenius as team-mates in the iconic bright-orange C360R Honda Civic Si sedans."Jesse and Greg will make great team-mates in #76," noted Team Principal Karl Thomson. "They're both ready to move into pro racing and we're looking forward to helping them develop at this level. A note of thanks to the folks at Exclusive Management Inc. who were instrumental in putting the program together with Greg and whom we're looking forward to working closely with in the coming years."

The team also announced the addition of a fourth car for the entire Continental Tire Street Tuner season. "We have a bunch of guys who have driven with us in the last few years who time-wise can't commit to a full season, and the fourth car will be for them." Brothers Benoit and Donald Theetge from Boischatel, Quebec, will pilot Compass360 Racing's #77 Honda at Daytona.
GRAND-AM's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge starts its year early with Test Days at Daytona in early January. The series first race is on January 29th, as part of the Roar Before the 24 in support of the Rolex 24 Hours of Dayona, and will be televised, tape-delayed on SPEED TV.

Compass360 Racing (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Branding Communications, a firm offering marketing expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The Championship-winning race team, with support from Honda of America, fields four front-running Honda Civic Si's in GRAND-AM's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, as well as providing technical and engineering support to numerous Honda and Acuras in Canadian Touring Car. For details visit http://C360R.com.