Freedom Autosport Ends Season with 4th; Manufacturer Championship for Mazda

LEXINGTON, Ohio—Freedom Autosport earned their 15^th top-ten finish of the season during Saturday’s GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge finale at Mid-Ohio. The finish rounded out a season that propelled Mazda to the Street Tuner Manufacturer Championship.

“Our goal has always been to bring home the Manufacturer Championship for Mazda,” says Freedom Autosport co-owner Derek Whitis. “It was an amazing effort by Freedom and the other Mazda teams, and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of the best automaker in the world: Mazda.”

Eric Foss and Brad Rampelberg finished fourth in the No. 27 Freedom Autosport MAZDASPEED3. The top-five result comes on the heels of their third-place finish at New Jersey Motorsports Park in July.

Nick Igdalsky and Ari Straus wrapped up the season with 14^th in the No. 28 ModSpace/Construct Corps MAZDASPEED3. It was an impressive result for Straus’s first outing both with Freedom Autosport and in a front-wheel drive car.

Both of the Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5s were strong throughout the weekend, and the team’s pit strategy played out perfectly during the race. “We were hedging our bets with the strategy, guessing there would be a lot of cautions,” says Freedom’s team manager Tom Long. “There was a yellow at the 30-minute mark, so we did pit stops for both MX-5s, hoping the fuel strategy would work. It did.”

That aggressive strategy allowed Andrew Carbonell to work his way into contention for a top-five finish. Unfortunately, the No. 26 Mazda MX-5 that he shares with Rhett O’Doski retired when a power steering issue developed.

Long and Whitis had their own challenges in the No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5. Whitis qualified seventh, but the car dropped to the back of the field when the team gambled on the early pit stop. Long took over and worked his way up before another car hit him. Long recovered from the resulting spin into the gravel, only to develop a differential problem that ended his race early.

Nevertheless, Freedom Autosport was happy to deliver the ST Manufacturer Championship to Mazda. “It felt great to solidify the Mazda championship,” says team co-owner O’Doski. “Mazdas took first, third and fourth in the final race; it really proved why they deserved the title. Mazda’s John Doonan and Jim Jordan were at the awards banquet and it was great to see them accept the championship trophy for Mazda.”

Freedom Autosport’s season finale at Mid-Ohio will be broadcast on SPEED on Sunday, September 25, at 1:00 p.m. ET.

 

Freedom Autosport Poised to Deliver the ST Manufacturer Championship to Mazda

LEXINGTON, Ohio—At Freedom Autosport, teamwork is about more than just the crew and drivers. It is also about the people, companies and sponsors who support the team. During the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge finale at Mid-Ohio this weekend, Freedom hopes to deliver the Street Tuner Manufacturer Championship to Mazda.

Currently, Mazda sits in the top spot with 271 points, 17 more than second-place Volkswagen. That strong lead comes from the success of Freedom Autosport, who has amassed two wins, a second, three third-place finishes, and an impressive fourteen top-ten finishes so far this season.

Derek Whitis and Tom Long have finished in every podium position this year with the No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5. They realize the importance of delivering the championship to the manufacturer that has supported the team from the start.

“Going into the final race, our goal is the same as it was going into the first race: deliver the manufacturer’s championship to Mazda,” says team co-owner Whitis. “Freedom has been fortunate enough to score points in every race, including six podiums, to put Mazda in that position.”

“There’s been a lot of progress with our entire program,” says Long, who is also Freedom’s team manager. “We’re more consistent this entire season than we ever have been, so it’s allowed us to be in contention for more podiums and drive home great finishes for Mazda.”

Team co-owner Rhett O’Doski and Andrew Carbonell scored their first podium of the season at Virginia International Raceway in the No. 26 Mazda MX-5. They went on to win at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, giving Mazda the victory on the marque’s home track.

“Our relationship with Mazda has been an important part of Freedom’s success,” says O’Doski. “In addition to achieving our milestones in Mazdas, they’ve also been instrumental in developing talented drivers, like Mazda driver Brad Rampelberg.”

In fact, Rampelberg and co-driver Eric Foss finished third in the No. 27 Freedom Autosport MAZDASPEED3 during the previous round at New Jersey. They hope for another podium finish to end their season on a high note.

Nick Igdalsky and Ari Straus will co-drive the No. 28 ModSpace/Construct Corps MAZDASPEED3. Igdalsky qualified fourth at New Jersey, proving how well Freedom Autosport has developed the car. The entry is also testament to the important role sponsors play in any championship race.

“ModSpace is very proud of Mazda and their lead in the manufacturer’s championship as we head to Mid-Ohio,” says William Mann, Director of Motorsports for ModSpace. “As a market leader in our industry, ModSpace can relate to the countless hours Mazda and Freedom Autosport have put into this charge at the championship. The two organizations have worked in tandem to get an edge on the competition. It’s elements like teamwork that will keep Mazda out front.”

The season finale begins at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 17. Long sums up Freedom Autosport’s expectations with well-deserved optimism. “The MX-5 handles well, and Mid-Ohio is all about handling and subtle elevation changes. Between that and the strong development of the MAZDASPEED3 over the last few races, both cars will be really competitive,” he says. “We’re poised to bring this home for Mazda, and hopefully they’ll get the GT championship, too.”

Tom Long to Closeout 2011 Rolex season for Racers Edge Motorsports in the #30 GT Mazda RX8

It was announced that Tom Long will be helping aid Mazda in the battle for the manufacturer championship title, as Mazda now leads the championship with just 3 of 12 rounds remaining.  Long will be teamed with a young emerging talent from Brazil, JP Mauro, currently running in the Continental Tire Series under Racers Edge Motorsports banner in their GS Ford Mustang.

 “It’s such an honor to drive for Mazda and Racers Edge for the remainder of the 2011 season in Rolex GT competition. It’s quite an opportunity, and I’m ready to make the most of it! A sincere thank you to all who have made this possible.”

 Live Timing & Scoring and Event Info for this weekend can be found at: http://www.grand-am.com/schedule/event.cfm?series=r&eid=2360. Catch the Red #30 GT Mazda RX8 & all the action on SPEED Channel over the next several weeks.

 A 2hr “sprint” is scheduled during this weekend’s popular Watkins Glen International NASCAR Sprint Cup event. SPEED TV coverage starts LIVE 6pm ET on Saturday Aug 13^th.

Directly following the next weekend, on tap will be another 2hr race at the famed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in downtown Montreal, QC. The event will be shared with the NASCAR Nationwide Series. SPEED TV coverage will be 7pm ET on Saturday Aug 20^th.

The final round for the Grand Am Rolex SportsCar Series, will be at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course September 17^th. This will mark both finales for the Rolex Series & Freedom Autosport’s contest in the Continental Tire Series. SPEED TV coverage starts LIVE 3pm ET September 17^th. The Continental Tire Series coverage on SPEED TV will in one week’s time 12pm ET September 25^th.

 Rolex SportsCar Series TV Schedule

8/13, 6pm ET, SPEED (LIVE)

8/20, 7pm ET, SPEED (SDD)

9/17, 3pm ET, SPEED (LIVE)

Continental Tire Series TV Schedule

9/25, 12pm ET, SPEED (TD)

For more information you can go to www.grand-am.com & www.LongRoadRacing.com.

Freedom Autosport Mazdas First and Second at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

SALINAS, Calif.—Freedom Autosport driver Andrew Carbonell says Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the perfect track for the Mazda MX-5 because “the car is phenomenal through the track’s high-speed, momentum turns.”

And Freedom Autosport definitely knows a thing or two about high speed and momentum. The team took first and second in the Street Tuner class during Saturday’s 2.5-hour GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race.

Carbonell and Rhett O’Doski crossed the finish line first in the No. 26 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5. It marks the duo’s best finish this season and O’Doski’s first series win.

Derek Whitis and Tom Long took second in the No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5, fighting back from an early setback.

“On the last restart, I went to pass the leaders into turn five. We were three wide through the turn and I went from third to first in that lap,” says Carbonell, who drove the final stint in the No. 26 Mazda. “I had to win the race: we were in a Mazda MX-5 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. There was no room for error!”

“On a personal level, it feels good to finally get my first win,” says O’Doski. “But this is really a victory for the whole team. Our one-two finish and the consistency we’ve shown this year says a lot about the dedication of everyone at Freedom Autosport.”

In the No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5, Whitis felt like the car was loose during his stint. When he pitted, the reason was clear: differential oil was leaking onto the rear tires. The crew got the leak fixed without losing too much ground, and Long was able to make his way back up to second before the checkered flag.

“During that last hour I was trying to be smart and pick cars off one by one,” says Long. “I knew our Mazda was fast, and we just had to work our way back up to the front. I had a great three-way battle in the final laps to give Freedom Autosport a one-two finish.”

“Winning and taking second at Mazda Raceway with two Freedom MX-5s is as good as it gets,” says Whitis. “The Freedom crew gave us perfect cars to take the top two spots on the podium. And to top it off we had USMC Lt. Col. Tim Anderson with us for the win.”

In fact, Freedom Autosport had a lot of fans showing their support both for the team and for the military. Over 100 fans were sporting Freedom Autosport t-shirts as they cheered their team to victory.

Watch Freedom Autosport give Mazda the top two spots on the Street Tuner podium during SPEED’s coverage of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The broadcast begins at 1:00 E.T. on Sunday, July 17.

Freedom Autosport Undaunted by Road America’s Unknowns

ELKHART LAKE, Wis.—The GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge visits Road America for the first time this weekend. For Freedom Autosport, that means a lot of unknowns. The entire team will be learning the four-mile track’s nuances when the Freedom Mazdas make their first laps on Wednesday.

“There are a lot of variables,” explains Team Manager Tom Long. “How the cars will perform at the track, fuel mileage, how the tires will hold up, and what our setup will be. We’ll be trying to figure all of that out.”

Undaunted, Freedom Autosport is taking a methodical approach. Crew Chief Glenn Long says, “We really look at other tracks with similarities. We try to craft our setup to match what we know. Road America has corners similar to Watkins Glen. It comes down to a best guess, but it’s an educated guess.”

Road America’s similarities to Watkins Glen bode well for Freedom Autosport. The team had a successful race there two weeks ago. Tom Long and Derek Whitis finished third in the No. 25 Mazda MX-5, followed by Rhett O’Doski and Andrew Carbonell in the No. 26 Mazda MX-5.

“Road America is a brand new track for several of our drivers, though some of us have club raced on America’s fastest track,” says Whitis. “It’s not a track that suits the cornering or the braking of the Mazdas, but with some good drafting, we’re hoping for good results.”

One of those drivers who will be new to Road America is O’Doski. “I’ll be learning the track while the crew is developing the right setup and strategy, so it’s quite a learning curve,” he says. “Still, we’re looking forward to racing at such a historic track, and to adding Mazda and Freedom Autosport to the record books there.”

The test day on Wednesday will be crucial for getting the Freedom Autosport Mazdas dialed in. In addition to the two MX-5s, the team will also be preparing the No. 28 ModSpace/Construct Corps MAZDASPEED3 of Sam Barnett and Nick Igdalsky, as well as the No. 27 MAZDASPEED3 driven by Brad Rampelberg and Eric Foss.

“My fueler will keep an accurate lap count and track fuel usage so we can plan our strategy,” says Glenn Long of the test day’s activities. “Another factor to determine is the amount of wear on the car. Is Road America hard on brakes? Tough on tires? Do we qualify on scuffed tires or stickers? The test day is important so we can start learning all of this.”

Whatever the answers to those questions may be, Freedom Autosport will no longer be a stranger to Road America when the 2.5-hour race begins in Friday, June 24, at 6:15 p.m. CT.

Freedom Autosport Overcomes the Odds to Finish 3rd, 4th at Watkins Glen

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.—After finishing third and fourth in Friday’s Continental Tire 150 at Watkins Glen, the Freedom Autosport crew is looking forward to a few well-deserved days of rest. Less than a week before the race, the No. 26 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 wound up flipping instead of winning during a race at Lime Rock Park. The Freedom crew had to work around the clock to completely rebuild the car in time for round six at Watkins Glen. Flatout Motorsports even pitched in to help make the rebuild possible.

That hard work paid off as Andrew Carbonell—fully recovered from the concussion he suffered in the crash at Lime Rock—and Rhett O’Doski finished fourth. “It was just something I had to do for myself. I needed to get back in the saddle,” says Carbonell of racing again so soon after his crash. “I just found it incredible that the team was able to rebuild the car so fast. Not only did they put the car on the track, they put a great car out there. The team did such an incredible job, and it really shows the quality of Freedom Autosport. It was a successful weekend in so many ways, for me and the team.” “Between the ability of our crew and the strength of our Mazda, we were able to overcome everything to give the team a top-five finish,” says O’Doski. “It really says a lot about the heart and dedication of this team.” Meanwhile, Derek Whitis and Tom Long finished third in the No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5.

The podium finish comes on the heels of their win at Lime Rock, and their consistency has put them into the third spot in ST team points. “The whole Freedom crew did an amazing job getting all the cars ready in less than a week, and enabling us to earn another podium finish. Our finishes this week were all about the team,” says Whitis. Sam Barnett and Nick Igdalsky had a strong run in the No. 28 ModSpace/Construct Corps MAZDASPEED3, and the entry has been a solid performer this season. “The race at The Glen marked the halfway point in the season for Freedom Autosport,” says Director of ModSpace Motorsports William Mann. “The No. 28 team has worked hard all season and the drivers continue to improve each race. ModSpace is looking forward to a strong second half of the season from this team.” Brad Rampelberg led the Street Tuner class for a while in the No. 27 MAZDASPEED3, and he and co-driver Eric Foss were on track for a top-five finish.

Unfortunately, some minor setbacks kept them from a top finish. Freedom Autosport will take a few days off before preparing their four Mazdas for round seven at Road America, June 23-24. In the meantime, fans can catch Freedom Autosport’s third- and fourth-place finishes at Watkins Glen on SPEED. The race airs on Sunday, June 12, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Lime Rock Win Caps a Dramatic Race for Freedom Autosport

The Freedom Autosport crew has a very busy schedule this week. Even amid celebrations for Derek Whitis and Tom Long’s win in Saturday’s GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge ST race at Lime Rock, the team was already preparing for the upcoming Watkins Glen race.

With the race scheduled for this Friday, June 3, Freedom Autosport has less than a week to prep their four Mazdas for the Continental Tire 150 at Watkins Glen. After a dramatic race at Lime Rock, they have plenty to do.

Qualifying at Lime Rock was the team’s best effort this season. Whitis earned the ST class pole in the No. 25 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5, while Rhett O’Doski set the third-quickest time in the No. 26 Mazda MX-5.

After O’Doski’s solid first stint in the race, Andrew Carbonell took over in the No. 26 entry. He was battling for the lead when a collision sent him off course. His Mazda flipped half a dozen times before coming to a rest. Carbonell went to the hospital with a concussion, but he has been released and is resting at home.

It was an unfortunate end for O’Doski and Carbonell, who finished third at Virginia International Raceway just two weeks ago, but Whitis and his co-driver Tom Long were able to keep Freedom Autosport in the hunt.

Long was in third, behind Carbonell, and he moved into the lead in the No. 25 Mazda. He held off the competition to win the race by just two car lengths.

“It’s difficult to keep focused when you’ve just seen your great friend and teammate crash like that. But when I found out he was going to be okay, I just had to suck it up and keep our Mazda going,” says Long.

“This is our first win and first pole position of the season,” says Whitis. “While that’s always our goal, it’s made special to have done it on Memorial Day weekend as we thank those who’ve protected our freedom for the last 230 years.” Freedom Autosport is a proud supporter of the military and the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

Team co-owner O’Doski says that the win was bittersweet following Carbonell’s violent crash, but that the team still plans to have all four Mazdas on track at Watkins Glen. “The car is totaled but the Freedom crew started preparing right after the race to not miss Watkins Glen. With only five days to make it, they’re literally working around the clock for us to make the race,” he says.

Nick Igdalsky and Bruce Ledoux had some excitement in the No. 28 ModSpace/Construct Corps MAZDASPEED3, too. The car went off-track and turned on its side early in the race, but was able to continue after being righted. Later, the car retired when a small fire erupted.

Eric Foss and Brad Rampelberg were lucky enough to escape any dramatics, and they finished 16th in the No. 27 MAZDASPEED3.

Freedom Autosport will be ready for another win on Friday, when their four Mazdas compete in the Continental Tire 150 at 6:00 p.m.