From the CBC...
Woman Hit by Stray Bullet at NASCAR Race
FORT WORTH, Texas — A NASCAR fan in her recreational vehicle at Texas Motor Speedway was wounded by a stray bullet after someone apparently fired a gun into the air, police said.
A bullet suddenly pierced through the motor home's roof Sunday morning before the Dickies 500 race, hitting a woman in the right arm, relatives said.
"She immediately [screamed], 'I've been shot. I've been shot.' She took off running out the door," her son-in-law Bobby Cook told Dallas-Fort Worth television station KTVT....
... click here for the full story.
Woodbridge, Ontario - November 03, 2008: AIM Autosport announced today that Mark Wilkins is back at the wheel of the No. 61 Ford Riley and for the 2009 season he will be joined by former team mate Burt Frisselle. The pair last raced together in 2007 as Burt worked with the team through its first full season in the Rolex Sports Car Series. The twenty-seven year old Frisselle first raced in the series in 2004.
Burt has rejoined AIM Autosport with a strong desire to pick up where the team left off this season.
”I’m extremely happy to be back with AIM and partnered with Mark in the No. 61,” Burt commented. “The team had some great success this year and I am looking forward to getting back in the car. The Ford Racing program has proven to be a real winner and I hope to take advantage of that by getting victories along with Mark and fighting for the championship in ‘09.”
Mark Wilkins expressed his excitement at having Burt back in the car.
“We spent a lot of time with Burt in 2007 developing the team and developing the car. There are synergies in place already and it will be an easy transition bringing him back into the team. I’m sure we’ll get into a rythym very quickly.” Mark continued, “Burt has a lot of experience in this series and has spent time with different chassis/engine combinations and the information and experince he brings can only help the team next year.”
Burt spent the 2008 season racing the No. 47 Dallara recording seven top ten finishes. He previously earned five top tens over eigfht races with AIM in 2007. He joins AIM replacing his younger brother Brian who earned one pole and two victories in the No. 61 Ford Riley this season.
As the team prepares for the November test at Daytona, the mood in the shop is positive and the focus is very much on the championship next year. They have just returned from testing AIM’s second car, the No. 11 Ford Riley.
”We are excited to have Burt back with us for 2009” offered team principal Ian Willis. “He brings a great deal of experience in the Daytona Prototypes and as Mark mentioned, a solid history and synergy with the team. We can pick up where we left off and not have to worry about the usual adjustments that go with bringing a new member to the team.” He continued, “The entire AIM Autosport organization is confident that we can get the job done in ‘09 and we welcome Burt back to be a part of the program.
Mark Wilkins and Burt Frisselle will be at Daytona International Speedway for two days starting November 11 testing the No. 61 Ford Riley on the new Pirelli tires developed for 2009. While the No. 61 will test in its familiar black and gold livery, title sponsorship is available for the season or individual events. AIM is currently in discussions with guest drivers to join Mark and Burt for the Rolex 24 at Daytona which starts the 2009 season on January 23.
AIM Autosport Facts: Established in 1995, AIM Autosport has a mandate to identify, train and manage emerging motorsport talent. AIM has provided many young drivers with a solid foundation on which to build a career in professional racing. The success of the AIM driver development programs has been achieved through the dedication of our employees and the ongoing support of our commercial and technical partners. Away from the track, AIM Autosport serves the needs of the racing community with a purpose-built preparation shop situated in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario. AIM fields the No. 61 Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype in the Rolex Grand Am series with drivers Mark Wilkins and Burt Frisselle. The team also competes in the Star Madza Championship presented by Goodyear. AIM won the 2008 Championship with driver John Edwards.
Photo credit: Bob Chapman (Mark Wilkins and Burt Frisselle at Miller 2007; Burt at Miller 2007)
For information and hi-res photos please contact: Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications // media@aimautosport.com
<<AIM_burt_frisselle_001.jpg>> <<AIM_Mark_Burt_2007.jpg>>
November 3, 2008 - Sao Paulo, Brazil – Taking it down to the wire, Gianmarco Raimondo secured the Formula BMW Americas Rookie Championship with a fifth-place finish in the final race of the season. The seventeen-year-old St. Catharines, Ontario native lead the championship from the first race back in May relinquishing the lead just once when his closest rival finished ahead of him in the penultimate round. Gianmarco, a Formula BMW Junior Driver, would go on to run his pace in the final round and bring his No. 50 Autotecnica FB02 across the checkers to also take third overall in the series championship.
Gianmarco is the third Canadian to win top rookie status since the Formula BMW series started in North America five years ago. He follows in the footsteps of James Hinchcliffe and Daniel Morad who won rookie honours in 2004 and 2006 respectively. Morad won the overall title in 2007 following Robert Wickens, another Canadian, who took the title in 2006. All four are graduates of the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship.
"This is great" exclaimed Gianmarco over the phone from Brazil. "We worked very hard all year long and it was a tough battle right to the end. We are very thankful for all the support from team owner Enrico Diano, my engineer Simon and everyone at Team Autotecnica. We would have nothing to celebrate without all their hard work." Gianmarco continued, "I also have to thank everyone in the Formula BMW Junior program. I learned a lot this year and the experience has been invaluable. Now I have some big shoes to fill following previous Canadian champions Wickens and Morad and I will try my hardest. This series meant a lot to their future in racing, and they, along with Hinchcliffe have gone on to much higher levels of the sport. I hope to follow that path also."
The rookie championship brings with it a full Formula BMW Junior Scholarship for 2009. Gianmarco was selected as an FBMW Junior for this year based on his performance in a 2007 shootout against other racers from across North and South America. The Junior Scholarship provides partial funding for the drivers as well as enrollment in an education and coaching program.
"The scholarship certainly helps with costs," noted Gianmarco, "but it is only a fraction of what it takes to race a full season and be competitive. We are encouraged by getting the scholarship for the 2009 season but must now concentrate our efforts on securing funding to ensure we can make a run at the championship. That will start as soon as we return home from Brazil. For now though, we are going to celebrate."
Next up for Gianmarco is the Formula BMW World Final which features an international filed of drivers who compete in Formula BMW series in Europe and Asia. This event takes place in December 5-7, at the Autódromo Hermanos RodrÃguez race circuit in Mexico City, Mexico.
Driver Facts: Seventeen-year-old Gianmarco Raimondo is a 2008 Formula BMW Americas Junior. A graduate of the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship (SRFKC) where he raced Intercontinental C (ICC) shifter karts, He also raced in the Stars of Karting series with Hamilton, Ontario-based Cameron Motorsports. At the end of the 2007 racing season, Gianmarco was awarded a scholarship by SRFKC to compete in the Skip Barber Southern Region Championship where he scored a podium result in a race at Sebring in January of this year. He now races with Team Autotecnica in the Formula BMW Americas series. Gianmarco receives support from Lakeshore Cardiology and Level Ten Communications. Gianmarco is know by his friends and fellow races as Gmo (pronounced gee-mo)
Team Facts: Team Autotecnica has been in the Formula BMW Americas series since its inception in 2004 (then called Formula BMW USA). The team has recorded a number of wins and podium results in that time. Autotecnica won the series championship in 2005 with rookie driver Richard Phillipe. In 2007 the team recorded a record nine pole positions with rookie driver Esteban Gutierrez. The team also collected the rookie championship in 2007 with Gutierrez. Team web site: www.autotecnicagroup.com <http://ethreemail.com/e3ds/mail_link.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autotecnicagroup.com&i=0&d=ACC52A80-D54F-4874-82C4-2F28896B3EEB&e=greg@insidetracknews.com>
Photo credit: A. Raimondo (Raimondo_001 & Raimondo_002)
On Track Promotions (Raimondo_003)
For interviews, driver bio and photos, please contact:
Media Contact: Chris Jameson // Level Ten Communications // +1 416.284.4932 // media@gianmarcoraimondo.com <<Raimondo_001.jpg>> <<Raimondo_002.jpg>> <<Raimondo_003.jpg>>
