Holbrook, Mann to share Prestige Lamborghini at Road America

By Aug 3, 2017, 5:14 PM EDT
Photos: Prestige Performance Center
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ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Two friends and drivers who’ve worked tirelessly to make their driving dreams happen will now finally get the chance to work together.

In a last-minute program, Pippa Mann and Shea Holbrook will share the No. 11 Prestige Performance Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2, representing Lamborghini Paramus, at this weekend’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America races at Road America.

Both Mann and Holbrook have known each other in the racing world for several years, but the opportunity to work together has only come together in the last few days. The natural dynamic they have from each of their own business savvy should make it a seamless transition. Mann has two race weekends under her belt and Holbrook has tested a Lamborghini recently at Road America.

Pippa Mann (left) and Shea Holbrook (right) to share Lamborghini this weekend. Photo: Prestige Performance Center

For Mann, she’ll be looking to build on a class podium finish achieved last time out with Dion von Moltke at Watkins Glen with Prestige, where she consistently improved her times throughout the whole weekend. She wasn’t expecting to be racing this weekend owing to a lack of funding, but has been working diligently to resolve that, and has hopes of returning for at least one further race weekend this season in Super Trofeo.

“I’m so thrilled and grateful to have this opportunity to be back in Super Trofeo with Prestige Performance and Wayne Taylor Racing this weekend, and I’m so excited to partner up with Shea and BUBBA burger for the first time,” Mann said. “I am so grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to be here this weekend, and I can’t wait to be back on track in Lamborghini Paramus car to turn my first Road America laps.”

Holbrook, meanwhile, will make her Lamborghini series debut. The opportunity arose after a busy couple week working to get back in a car; her Shea Racing team is in the midst of Pirelli World Challenge’s long break in the Touring Car class schedule since late May at Lime Rock Park, with their next race set for Utah Motorsports Campus next week.

It also presents a great opportunity for Holbrook, who has been supported by BUBBA burger in recent years, to race in the IMSA paddock as BUBBA burger has enhanced its presence there. A couple weeks ago, IMSA and BUBBA burger confirmed a three-year extension that sees BUBBA burger the Official Burger of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship through at least 2020.

“What an incredible opportunity to join Prestige Performance and Wayne Taylor Racing in the Super Trofeo series this weekend at Road America,” Holbrook said. “To team up with my dear friend, Pippa Mann in the Lamborghini Paramus with added BUBBA burger livery is a dream come true. I’m grateful to all parties involved to get us to this point and look to build on the momentum throughout the weekend.”

The two races are Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT and Sunday at 10:55 a.m. CT and local time.

Ford Mustang GT3 test has Austin Cindric dreaming of Daytona: ‘I want to drive that car’

By Mar 22, 2023, 2:30 PM EDT
Cindric Ford GT3 test
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
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Austin Cindric wasn’t the “mystery” test driver behind the wheel of the new Ford Mustang GT3 at Sebring International Raceway, but the Team Penske driver desperately wanted to be.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, an amateur sports car driver himself, made the big reveal via a Tuesday tweet that provided the first video evidence of the GT3 Mustang on track.

“I’ve watched the video in question about a million times,” Cindric said Wednesday during a Ford Performance Zoom news conference to promote NASCAR’s first road course weekend of the season at Circuit of the Americas. “Definitely exciting times for sure. I want to drive that car. It suits my experience level and also the relationships that I have.”

Ford will enter the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next season with its GT3 Mustang, entering a two-car factory effort (that will be managed by Multimatic) in GTD Pro and making customer cars available in the GT Daytona category.

That increases the likelihood of seeing more NASCAR drivers crossing over to IMSA. Cindric has been the only full-time Cup driver in the Rolex 24 at Daytona the past two years, but Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook has said the GT3 Mustang will provide more opportunities.

Ford has used its GT4 Mustang as a NASCAR driver development tool in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Harrison Burton and Zane Smith combining to win the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in January.

“We’re excited about the Next Gen car and the new architecture there and the similarities between that car and GT3 and even GT4 cars,” Rushbrook said at the announcement of the Ford GT3 program in January 2022 at Daytona. “We think it’s a great opportunity and to do be able to do that in a 24-hour race and get NASCAR drivers even more time is something we need to consider taking advantage of that opportunity.”

Given his sports car background, Cindric probably still would be in the Rolex 24 regardless. He has eight IMSA starts since the 2017 season opener at Daytona, racing a Lexus RCF GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT category. The 2022 Daytona 500 winner made his second LMP2 start this year with Rick Ware Racing.

But Cindric’s preference naturally would be in a Ford, particularly with sports car racing enjoying convergence and crossovers in both GT and prototype racing.

“It’s an exciting time in GT racing, just as it is now for prototype racing with a lot of new regulations and manufacturers building new GT3 cars,” he said. “And also the opportunity with WEC (the World Endurance Championship) and Le Mans and how that all lines up for that category of car. It’s definitely an exciting time. I want to be as much of a part of that as possible.”

Though those odds seemingly will increase with multiple Ford entries in the Rolex 24 field next year, Cindric said NASCAR drivers still have to put in the networking to land rides as he has in recent years.

“Now how (the GT3 Mustang) relates to specifically NASCAR drivers and how often they want to be in the Rolex, could it be an influence? Absolutely, as far as the tie-in with the manufacturer,” Cindric said. “But the challenge and the drive and the logistics of getting an opportunity for a race like the Rolex 24 will be just as challenging as it always is to find your one-off ride for the race. At least from my experience, that’s what I still anticipate.”

It turned out the “mystery” test driver wasn’t from NASCAR (Farley revealed the driver to be 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Joey Hand after a fan asked whether it was Joey Logano).

But Cindric believes there could be more Cup drivers — and perhaps himself — behind the wheel of Mustang GT3s in the future.

“There’s definitely more of a pathway than I think there would be before as far as Ford drivers are concerned,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll get the opportunity to drive that thing. It’s obviously a great looking car. That’s the first box you’ve got to check. And it’s cool (to have) a guy like Jim Farley, no doubt he’s a racer just as much as he is steering the ship for Ford. It’s cool to see he’s just as excited as the rest of us about it.”