Detroit is hosting the fourth meeting of the Pirelli World Challenge season, a temporary street course at Belle Island.
Race 1 has already been held today, with some good performances from the GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS cars. The Detroit race weekend has a smaller grid when compared to the previous rounds, with only 9 cars in the upper GT class. Right from the start the safety car made its appearance after a KIA crashed on the front straight. The cars were forced to stay behind the safety car for several minutes. The race went back to green and James Sofronas, the series leader with his #14 Audi R8 LMS, started to battle with Cadillac's Andy Pilgrim for third place. A few minutes later there was another crash and the safety car was deployed again, for a long yellow flag period. When the race resumed Sofronas was very fast and continued to push Pilgrim, but the Audi driver was simply out of time. James Sofronas finished the race in fourth. The race win went to Johnny O'Connel in the Cadillac CTS-V ahead of Randy Pobst's semi-works Volvo S60 in second and Andy Pilgrim's Cadillac CTS-V in third.
Another GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS doing well was the #24 car of Duncan Ende. Despite being far from the leading group, Ende battled well for fifth place against a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and a Porsche 997 GT3. Ende finished the race in seventh place.
Race 2 is set for tomorrow, a 50-minute sprint format. We wish the best of luck to James Sofronas and the whole GMG Racing Audi team.
GMG Racing introduced the Audi R8 LMS in the Pirelli World Challenge during 2012. That was the first North American appearance for the all-conquering Audi GT3 racer. This year GMG Racing is fully committed to the SCCA sanctioned series, with no less than four to five cars, achieving brilliant performances and results.
So far so good for Audi in the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge. James Sofronas, the team co-owner and driver, is leading the points standings. Sofronas, with his #14 Audi R8 LMS, won three out of the first five races so far this year. Victories in race 2 at St. Petersburg, at Long Beach and race 2 at the Circuit of the Americas. At first it looks easy for Sofronas, however the leading Audi driver is facing fierce competition from the full factory Cadillac CTS-Vs and the semi-works K-PAX Volvos S60s. All the races so far have seen great battles on track between the three brands, in a very competitive GT class field.
James Sofronas is currently ranked first with 661 points, ahead of the Cadillac duo of Andy Pilgrim (481 pts) and Johnny O'Connell (461 pts). In the manufacturers standing Audi is first with 43 points, Cadillac in second with 35 points and Volvo in third with 25 points. This is the first time that the Audi brand has been at the top of the SCCA World Challenge since the Champion Racing era with the Audi RS 6.
The other GMG Racing drivers are improving as well. Duncan Ende is seventh, Alex Welch is ninth and Bret Curtis is tenth. Jeff Courtney (JCR Motorsports), who is running the only Audi R8 GRAND-AM in the field, is currently twelfth overall.
The next round of the Pirelli World Challenge will be at the Grand Prix of Detroit. Audi, GMG Racing and James Sofronas will try to keep their lead against the locals and arch rivals from Cadillac.
AUSTIN, Texas (May 19, 2013)- In what has been an unbelievable 2013 Pirelli World Challenge Season, GMG’s James Sofronas took his third victory of the season during this weekend’s fourth and fifth rounds at Circuit of the Americas.
“Wow, what an incredible day,” stated Sofronas. “Yesterday’s race with Johnny showed we knew we had a good car, and once again luck was on our side today. The key to this entire season has been having a reliable and consistent car in the Audi R8 LMS, and a crew that has been relentless in looking over every detail. The support we’ve had from Audi on this program has obviously been instrumental, and the guys have been working non-stop to get us here. I’m glad we can celebrate with all of them.”
Following a successful test at the brand-new Austin, Texas facility, the entire Global Motorsports Group (GMG) came in to this weekend’s rounds of the championship knowing that they had a team capable of victory. With a series-record seven cars entered by the team, five of them being the Audi R8 LMS, Sofronas never lost a step in pursuit of his first series championship.
Starting Saturday’s fourth round from the second position, James’ No. 14 Mobil 1 / Children’s Tumor Foundation Audi R8 LMS had a fairly quiet race. Falling back during the standing start, a spirited battle between Sofronas and the No. 8 Cadillac of Andy Pilgrim as well as GMG teammate Duncan Ende led to race-leader Johnny O’Connell building a healthy lead over the field. While Sofronas would comfortably place himself in second during the later stages of the race, the pace of O’Connell’s No. 3 Cadillac was simply too much, with James finishing second; his fourth straight podium.
During today’s fifth round, however, the race would take a significantly different turn. Starting on the front row, the Audi R8 LMS would fall back to third behind the leading Cadillacs. By lap three, the Cadillac of O’Connell would pull to the side with mechanical gremlins. With Sofronas now in second, the balance over the course of the race for the Audi allowed the No. 14 to gain ground on the now-leading Cadillac of Pilgrim. Over time, the consistency of the No. 14 was simply too much for Pilgrim, with Sofronas taking the lead on lap eight and never looking back.
It would be the third victory in five races for James’ 2013 effort, and the Villa Park, California resident has never been off the podium this season.
For Duncan Ende’s No. 24 STANDD / Merchant Services, Ltd. Audi R8 LMS, a seventh and fifth-place finish were not indicative of the Californian’s overall showing.
After qualifying seventh for Saturday’s round, Ende made immediate work of the field in front of him, eventually finding himself glued to Sofronas’ rear-end during the middle stages of the race. Fighting his teammate hard for a podium position, a late re-start would allow Alex Figge’s No. 9 Volvo to put Ende behind, eventually fading back to seventh in the mix, and literally finishing 0.1 seconds behind Mike Skeen’s No. 2 Corvette in a last lap drag race.
For today’s round, Ende was determined to translate his third starting position into his first career Pirelli World Challenge podium. For much of the race it looked like that would finally materialize. Never losing site of his teammate, Ende pursued Sofronas during the entirety of the race. Finding himself in third after O’Connell’s retirement, Ende would spend a good deal of the middle portion of the race battling with the Cadillac of Andy Pilgrim, eventually making the pass with less than 10 laps to go. Sitting in second, a late-race caution would put Duncan right behind race leader James Sofronas for a three-lap shootout to the end. Unfortunately, a punctured left rear tire prior to the caution would create a handful for Ende, eventually leading to Pilgrim passing him on the re-start. Ende would nurse the car home for the final laps, eventually settling for fifth.
“Another crazy weekend, what do I say?” stated Ende. “I was disappointed with Friday’s qualifying, so it was great to come back on Saturday and immediately catch up to James. We didn’t have any mechanical issues and we were finally able to show our ability, but I just caught some bad breaks in traffic and fell back. Today was another great race, we just slipped at the end with the tire. I was really hoping to race James at the end and finally come home with some hardware, but I went wide to avoid crashing into Andy, and from there I was just trying to nurse the car home. It’s disappointing to miss the podium again, but at least we were in contention all weekend and free of mechanical issues.”
For Alex Welch’s No. 08 Spyder / Lasso Audi R8 LMS, a quiet weekend would net two top-10 finishes for the Colorado resident. On Saturday, Welch would run consistent and trouble free to an eventual ninth-place finish. Running one of the fastest laps in the field, Alex was part of a massive mid-field battle, never putting a scratch on the car in the process.
Looking for another top-10 on Sunday, Welch set his fastest lap of the weekend during the race’s third lap, once again fighting hard with the Corvette of Mike Skeen and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 of Tim Pappas, eventually taking sixth.
“I’m pretty happy with the weekend,” stated Welch. “The strength of James’ and Duncan’s runs showed just how good the program is, and with a little less traffic I think we could have the No. 08 right there. It was great to run clean with Tim and Mike, and I think we found a few things that will help us this season. I definitely have my eyes set on a podium at my next race.”
For Bret Curtis, a mixed weekend was on hand for the Westlake Village, California resident. After showing strong during practice, Curtis showed the potential of the No. 32 Spectra Resources Audi R8 LMS by qualifying the car in fifth on Friday.
Unfortunately, the highlights stopped there as Curtis had a difficult race on Saturday. On lap five, an errant Porsche crashed hard in to the No. 32, causing unrepairable damage to Curtis’ vehicle and retiring in 16th place.
Hoping for better results on Sunday, a hard weekend of car repairs by the GMG crew would give Curtis another great car, however unfortunate luck would rear its head again. On the first turn of the race, another incident would cause damage yet again, this time allowing Curtis to continue on, though wounded, to a quiet ninth.
“We definitely could have used a little better luck out here,” stated Curtis. “I was really pumped after Friday. To qualify in fifth we showed our potential, the guys really gave me a good car. Saturday’s incident was really unfortunate. The other driver’s move was nothing I would have expected, and pretty frustrating. The guys did a great job getting the car turned around. Unfortunately, contact again today before I was out of the first turn kind of ruined any hope of doing well, but at least we were able to get a top-10 out of it. The potential is definitely there for some great results, hopefully it will show soon.”
Running a forgettable weekend was team newcomer Mike Hedlund. Driving the No. 40 Audi R8 LMS, the Woodside, California native showed considerable ability in a car he’d never driven prior to this weekend. Qualifying at a similar time to his teammates, Mike went in to the weekend with high expectations. However, a series of mechanical problems would prove otherwise. During Saturday’s race, an overheating issue while in sixth place would cause Hedlund to retire, eventually credited with 15th. Twenty-four hours later, the driver would retire again with gearbox issues.
“It definitely wasn’t the weekend we had wanted,” stated Hedlund. “It’s part of racing to have mechanical gremlins like this, hopefully it’s all out of the way now for next time. I really appreciate all the effort that the GMG guys put into the car, and it would have been nice to have had some results. Regardless, I appreciate the opportunity, and wish the team the best for the year!”
Finally, Bill Ziegler’s No. 95 Swisher Racing Pontiac would also have a very mixed weekend in the GTS category. Continuing to develop their machine, a promising series of runs in practice and qualifying were unfortunately marred by mechanical retirements on Saturday and Sunday.
“It definitely wasn’t the weekend we’d hoped for,” stated Ziegler. “Development is a big part of this program, and unfortunately it means you can have weekends like this one. I appreciate all the work that the GMG guys did to get us here, and we’ll get them at Detroit.”
With the team putting a very strong stamp on the Pirelli World Challenge GT Championship, there is little time to relax as the team prepares for the next round in just two weeks. The Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix will hold the sixth and seventh rounds of the championship on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2.
NBC Sports Network will feature television coverage of this weekend’s race at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, June 16, at 5PM ET.
About GMG
Founded in 2001 by James Sofronas and Fabryce Kutyba, GMG has quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning and racing facility. What began as a small 1200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in (Orange County) Santa Ana, California. The staff's experience, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts world wide. Whether you want to maximize the performance of your street car, or race wheel-to-wheel on both amateur and professional racing series across North America, GMG’s reputation for service and quality is unmatched. Learn more at www.gmgracing.com
About Mobil 1
Conventional oil is simply refined crude oil. Mobil 1 synthetic oil, however, is not only refined, but it is also distilled, purified, and broken down into its basic molecules. It is then rebuilt and added to, so that it can better protect against wear, high heat, cold weather and sludge buildup. Ultimately, this process helps your car’s engine run better for longer. You can explore more about these benefits below. Learn more at www.mobiloil.com
About Lasso
Lasso is a request-based, sharing network predicated on a very simple idea: You have something that I want—and you may not even know it until I ask for it. With so much content cluttering our phones, tablets, PCs and social networks, it can be difficult to seek out and find the specific items of interest to you. Friends or colleagues may not share this content with you directly because they’re drowning in data overload themselves. Often, these friends aren’t sure exactly what you want. Lasso makes it easy for you to round up the digital content you want from friends—simply by asking for it. By putting the onus on the requester, instead of the person holding the content, you’ll be in a much better position to actually receive the digital content you’re interested in.
Learn more at www.lasso.me
About Merchant Services Ltd.
In 2001 Merchant Services Ltd. was founded with three basic principles in mind: quality, service, and commitment. Inspired by our racing heritage we pride ourself in providing the highest level of customer service and support 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Merchant Services Ltd. develops long term relationships with both our merchants and banking partners allowing us to have the highest customer retention rate in the industry. Founded by a professional race car driver, innovation and efficiency have always been our core competencies, ensuring that our merchants receive the cutting edge solutions their businesses need.
Learn more at www.merchantservicesltd.com
About Spyder
Spyder was founded by avid skier and outdoor athlete David Jacobs. He rose to world-class rankings as a competitive skier, and stayed connected to the sport he loves by coaching, designing related products, and building one of the most powerful brands in the industry. His dedication to the sport of skiing and the Spyder brand is as inspiring as it is intriguing. Spyder's growth exploded over the turn of the century, and the company is now the largest ski-specialty brand in the world. David has recently discovered the adrenaline rush in racing classic Formula One cars, finding success - not surprisingly - in this new pastime. For a man who's thrived on sports, technology, and professional advancement, the world is sure to see David go a few more times around the track.
Learn more at www.spyder.com
About Spectra Resources
Spectra Resources is a specialized trading company designed for buyers and sellers to purchase and sell steel in any part of the world efficiently and economically.
Learn more at www.spectraresources.com
About STANDD
Stop Texting And Distracted Driving (STANDD) was founded by Diveeta Thompson, whose son Rodney lost his life while driving. There were numerous factors that played a factor - speed, music, and texting. In an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving, Diveeta founded STANDD and has been working diligently throughout her home state of Indiana and nationally through Duncan Ende's motorsports program to spread the message of the dangers of distracted driving. STANDD also promotes the Rodney O. Thompson II Scholarship, which was established to help young people fulfill their goal of attending college after high school.
Learn more at www.standd.org
Learn more at www.racersroast.com
About Swisher
The company began in 1861 when David Swisher received a small cigar business in settlement of a debt. Back then, cigars were only a sideline for Swisher and his four sons, just one of many products that they hawked across the Midwest for the “rolling stores” or wagons. Today, Swisher International, Inc. is a leader in the tobacco business, accounting for one-third of the United States' cigar sales and is America’s largest cigar exporter.
Learn more at www.swisher.com
About United Steel Supply
United Steel Supply is a leading distributor and processor of steel products dedicated to the metal building industry in the United States. Learn more at www.unitedsteelsupply.com
LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 22, 2013)- In yet another wild round of the Pirelli World Challenge, GMG’s James Sofronas came away from yesterday’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach with his second consecutive victory of the season.
“Wow, I am the luckiest guy in the world,” stated Sofronas. “I never want to see bad luck take anyone out, but at the same time it was a huge coup for us to win at our home track. We probably didn’t have the fastest car, but somehow Lady Luck gifted us another one today.” With the entire GMG organization being based just 30 minutes south of the famed Long Beach street circuit, Sofronas came in to the weekend looking to really deliver in front of his clients, family, and friends. Qualifying the car on pole position, today’s race was anything but smooth for the Newport Beach resident.
As the green flag fell for the series’ signature standing start, Sofronas’ no. 14 Mobil 1 / Children’s Tumor Foundation Audi R8 LMS had a solid run headed in to the first turn, but was no match for the Volvo S60 and Cadillac CTS-V.R entries, who have spent several seasons refining their ability to launch from a standstill. With the field settling in to its pace for the opening laps, Sofronas was in a familiar top-five position behind the leading no. 9 Volvo of Alex Figge and no. 3 Cadillac of Johnny O’Connell.
As the race progressed, Sofronas established a comfortable pace in third, however the Audi did not appear to have anything for the two leaders in front of him. The race nearing the end, Sofronas appeared to simply settle in to a third-place run, opting to preserve the car and focus on valuable championship points.
However, with four laps to go, the race would take a chaotic turn. Headed in to the first corner, a major mechanical failure on the rear end of race leader Alex Figge would send the no. 9 Volvo in to a dramatic spin down the corner’s escape road. With GTS driver Andy Lee incurring an unrelated accident simultaneously, the race would fall under caution.
With Figge out, Johnny O’Connell assumed the lead, with Sofronas now in second. A significant amount of track cleanup would be required and it was expected that the race would stay under caution until the end, thereby gifting O’Connell the victory.
With the Cadillac team on the cusp of their first victory in the 2013 season, a bizarre change of fortune would occur. As Figge’s Volvo suffered from its rear-end failure, pieces of debris from the car punctured the trailing Cadillac’s radiator, meaning O’Connell was losing water fast as his car circled during the final caution laps. With Sofronas not allowed to pass under caution, the Californian simply had to spend the final laps watching a smoking O’Connell limp his way to the finish.
However, with only a half-lap left, O’Connell’s engine finally gave up entirely, with the Cadillac driver being left with no choice but to pull over and get out of his retired car. Sofronas would cruise home to victory in the final five corners, literally taking the lead on the last lap, and under caution.
Furthering his championship point lead, Sofronas took his fifth career victory and second at Long Beach. “I absolutely hate it for Johnny and Alex, they were both the class of the field,” stated Sofronas. “However, everyone at the team deserved this. The guys put a lot of time in to making a great appearance at our home race, and we couldn’t have had a better result. We have such great momentum for Austin, but first I want to enjoy today with my family.”
Also finishing in the same position he started was Los Angeles-native Duncan Ende. However, much like Sofronas, Ende’s path to finishing where he qualified was not exactly easy. When the race started for Ende’s no. 24 Merchant Services Ltd. / STANDD Audi R8 LMS, a mechanical issue at the start would slow the car significantly for the opening lap. Driving with a handicap that essentially held back the cars overall speed, Ende found himself languishing at the back of the field by time he approached his second lap.
By time his second lap began, the issue had cleared itself, forcing Ende to once again fight his way from behind. Ende made impressive work of the field in front of him, steadily gaining position lap-by-lap, eventually finding his way to fourth at the finish.
“That was probably the hardest I’ve ever driven to finish where I started,” stated Ende, who took his first-ever Long Beach podium yesterday during his race in the American Le Mans Series. “We had a bit of an issue at the start and that really held me back, but luckily the issue cleared itself out. We had quite a few little hiccups during the course of the race, but somehow our good luck matched our bad to finish where we started. We’re one step closer to a podium, and I think the race in Austin should suit us well.”
Also taking his first top-five of the season, Bret Curtis would represent well for his home race. After being penalized for a rules violation at the start, Curtis joined Ende in making a brilliant come-from-behind drive in his no. 32 Spectra Resources / United Steel Supply Audi R8 LMS to finish fifth.
“The car next to me began to lurch forward during the standing start, and it tricked me in to doing the same,” stated Curtis. “As soon as I realized the race hadn’t started I immediately stopped the car, but it was too late. Once the race got going, I was actually happy with everything. We ran some really fast times, and chipped away at everyone in front of us. A top-five after all of that is a great finish, so I’m pretty happy.” Rounding out the team’s GT entries were drivers Brent Holden and Alex Welch. Holden had his career best finish in the Pirelli World Challenge, driving a steady and fairly quiet race to put his no. 44 machine in seventh. Welch was well-positioned to take a top-five, if not better, before a gearbox issue would relegate the Colorado-native to 12th.
For the team’s lone GTS driver, Bill Ziegler, another error free run would net the Floridian a 14th place finish. Driving the no. 95 Swisher Pontiac Solstice, Ziegler’s primary goal was to continue with the car’s development and have a solid run.
“It was a pretty steady race for us,” stated Ziegler. “With the yellows we learned a lot about how the car is with tire cycles. If we’d had a couple more laps I think we could have had a couple of the guys ahead of us, but we’ve definitely progressed with the program.”
While there is some celebration within the entire GMG organization, the party can’t last for long as they prepare for their next round just a few weeks away. Shipping out to the brand new Circuit of the Americas facility in Austin, Texas, the entire Pirelli World Challenge paddock is set for an exciting new venue in partnership with the Australian V8 Supercars series.
Television highlights of today’s victory at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach can be seen on Sunday, May 5, at 2:00PM on NBC Sports Network.
The series fourth and fifth rounds at Circuit of the Americas will take place on May 18 and 19.
ONG BEACH, Calif. (April 20, 2013)- With track position at a premium on the twisty confines of tomorrow’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, James Sofronas and GMG will start on the pole position in tomorrow’s Pirelli World Challenge event.
Qualifying his no. 14 GMG/Mobil 1 Audi R8 LMS in first with a time of 1:21.087, Sofronas made best use of his tires late in the qualifying session as the track began to warm. Driving in front of his home crowd, the Newport Beach resident will have the best view of the track.
“The car was absolutely perfect,” stated the Californian. “After yesterday’s practice we knew we would be close, but the competition is so tight in this series you never know what will happen in qualifying. To do this in front of our home crowd is a great start, but of course the race is what we came to win, tomorrow will definitely be tough.”
Also turning in a stellar performance was fellow Southern Californian Duncan Ende. Hailing from just up the freeway in Los Angeles, Ende turned in the best performance of his brief Pirelli World Challenge career, qualifying fourth with a time of 1:21.542.
With a significant presence this weekend from the Stop Texting And Distracted Driving organization (STANDD.org) on hand to support the no. 24 machine, Ende was extremely pleased with his performance.
“This is definitely a great weekend so far,” stated Ende. “I was very happy with the car, and it was great to finally to capitalize on the potential we knew we had. Between yesterday’s ALMS qualifying and today’s Pirelli World Challenge, it’s been a great weekend!”
For today’s American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race, Ende will start his Prototype Challenge machine in first position.
Third among the GMG boys and sixth overall, Alex Welch also made good work of his no. 08 Spyder / Lasso Audi R8 LMS. Qualifying with a time of 1:21.917, Welch will start tomorrow from the third row.
“I’m pretty happy with today, this is always such a fun event,” stated Welch. “It’s always a crazy race so we’re hoping for a good clean run.”
Rounding out the GMG Audi lineup was Bret Curtis, who also kept the car in the top ten. Living in nearby Westlake Village, Curtis will start the no. 32 United Steel Supply / Spectra Resources Audi R8 LMS on the outside of the fifth row.
“What a great day for the entire team,” stated Curtis. “It’s always good to have a top ten qualifying, and with the attrition of this race anything is possible. I’m very excited to race in front of my home crowd.”
With the downtown streets of Long Beach packed with over 150,000 people this weekend, the entire team at GMG is looking forward to racing in front of their home crowd. The race will take place tomorrow at 4:30PM, with television coverage on Sunday, May 5, at 2:00PM.
About GMG Founded in 2001 by James Sofronas and Fabryce Kutyba, GMG has quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning and racing facility. What began as a small 1200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in (Orange County) Santa Ana, California. The staff's experience, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts world wide. Whether you want to maximize the performance of your street car, or race wheel-to-wheel on both amateur and professional racing series across North America, GMG’s reputation for service and quality is unmatched. Learn more at www.mobiloil.com
About Mobil 1 Conventional oil is simply refined crude oil. Mobil 1 synthetic oil, however, is not only refined, but it is also distilled, purified, and broken down into its basic molecules. It is then rebuilt and added to, so that it can better protect against wear, high heat, cold weather and sludge buildup. Ultimately, this process helps your car’s engine run better for longer. You can explore more about these benefits below. Learn more at www.gmgracing.com
About Lasso Lasso is a request-based, sharing network predicated on a very simple idea: You have something that I want—and you may not even know it until I ask for it. With so much content cluttering our phones, tablets, PCs and social networks, it can be difficult to seek out and find the specific items of interest to you. Friends or colleagues may not share this content with you directly because they’re drowning in data overload themselves. Often, these friends aren’t sure exactly what you want. Lasso makes it easy for you to round up the digital content you want from friends—simply by asking for it. By putting the onus on the requester, instead of the person holding the content, you’ll be in a much better position to actually receive the digital content you’re interested in. Learn more at www.lasso.me
About Merchant Services Ltd. In 2001 Merchant Services Ltd. was founded with three basic principles in mind: quality, service, and commitment. Inspired by our racing heritage we pride ourself in providing the highest level of customer service and support 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Merchant Services Ltd. develops long term relationships with both our merchants and banking partners allowing us to have the highest customer retention rate in the industry. Founded by a professional race car driver, innovation and efficiency have always been our core competencies, ensuring that our merchants receive the cutting edge solutions their businesses need. Learn more at www.merchantservicesltd.com
About Spyder Spyder was founded by avid skier and outdoor athlete David Jacobs. He rose to world-class rankings as a competitive skier, and stayed connected to the sport he loves by coaching, designing related products, and building one of the most powerful brands in the industry. His dedication to the sport of skiing and the Spyder brand is as inspiring as it is intriguing. Spyder's growth exploded over the turn of the century, and the company is now the largest ski-specialty brand in the world. David has recently discovered the adrenaline rush in racing classic Formula One cars, finding success - not surprisingly - in this new pastime. For a man who's thrived on sports, technology, and professional advancement, the world is sure to see David go a few more times around the track. Learn more at www.spyder.com
About Spectra Resources Spectra Resources is a specialized trading company designed for buyers and sellers to purchase and sell steel in any part of the world efficiently and economically.
Learn more at www.spectraresources.com
About STANDD Stop Texting And Distracted Driving (STANDD) was founded by Diveeta Thompson, whose son Rodney lost his life while driving. There were numerous factors that played a factor - speed, music, and texting. In an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving, Diveeta founded STANDD and has been working diligently throughout her home state of Indiana and nationally through Duncan Ende's motorsports program to spread the message of the dangers of distracted driving. STANDD also promotes the Rodney O. Thompson II Scholarship, which was established to help young people fulfill their goal of attending college after high school. Learn more at www.standd.org Learn more at www.racersroast.com
About Swisher The company began in 1861 when David Swisher received a small cigar business in settlement of a debt. Back then, cigars were only a sideline for Swisher and his four sons, just one of many products that they hawked across the Midwest for the “rolling stores” or wagons. Today, Swisher International, Inc. is a leader in the tobacco business, accounting for one-third of the United States' cigar sales and is America’s largest cigar exporter. Learn more at www.swisher.com
About United Steel Supply United Steel Supply is a leading distributor and processor of steel products dedicated to the metal building industry in the United States. Learn more at www.unitedsteelsupply.com
