Racing – AMF | Automotive Lifestyle Magazine

June 12, 2013

Bentley Continental GT3 Project Powers Ahead

Filed under: News — Tags: bentley continental gt3, FIA, Le Mans, Racing, V8 — AutoMotoFoto @ 10:00 AM

First Bentley racer for a decade almost track ready
Bentley’s 4.0-litre V8 engine powers the new GT3
Essence of iconic Continental GT taken to the extreme

Since the world debut of Bentley’s GT3 Concept Racer at the Paris Auto Salon in September 2012, a dedicated team of Bentley engineers has been developing the Continental GT3 in preparation for Bentley’s highly anticipated return to the track. Building on a rich racing heritage spanning ninety years, the new Continental GT3 is set to explore the extreme potential of Bentley’s iconic Grand Tourer and exploit the performance DNA contained within every Bentley.

With expert guidance and cooperation from Bentley’s GT3 technical partner, M-Sport Ltd¹, the race-ready version of the Continental has been taking shape over the last six months. Leading the project is Brian Gush, Bentley’s Director of Motorsport, who took the company to victory at Le Mans in 2003. He comments: “Motorsport is an integral part of Bentley, and the performance and endurance qualities of all of our road cars reflect this racing heritage. Not one single part of the GT3 has escaped our attention, and the result is a car that can compete with the field in terms of factors such as power, weight and aerodynamics.”

Powered by a race-configured version of Bentley’s highly efficient 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, the GT3 puts its power to the road via a six-speed sequential racing gearbox. Double wishbone suspension, four-way adjustable dampers and competition brakes make up the chassis system, while more than 1000 kg of weight has been saved over the Continental GT road car by removing the equipment and parts that make the road car such a luxurious and refined Grand Tourer such as double glazing, over fifty ECUs and extensive electrical systems. The exquisitely trimmed Continental GT doors have been replaced by race versions, weighing just 12% of the originals.

The iconic silhouette of the road car is retained as the main body shell is almost a direct carryover, while doors, boot lid and bonnet are now hand-crafted in carbon fibre. The bodyshell itself benefits from a comprehensive FIA-specification roll cage, more than doubling its stiffness. Meanwhile, the carbon fibre racing seat has been trimmed by the craftsmen and women of the Crewe factory, who have also meticulously stitched the racing steering wheel and door pulls, just as they would on a Continental GT road car.

The Continental GT3 will soon be ready to begin a test programme ahead of its race debut. More details and specification of the Continental GT3 will be released soon.

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June 7, 2013

SGR Carts and Coffee – Round 2

Filed under: Events — Tags: Brampton, carts and coffee, formula kartways, go-karting, Racing, sgr, sweetie girl racing — Giancarlo Pawelec @ 3:00 PM

SGR Carts and Coffee – Round 2
Formula Kartways
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
June 6 , 2013

As a proud media partner for the SGR Carts and Coffee – Toronto series, AMF was once again back at Formula Kartways for round 2 of this great event. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t cooperating this day with showers and a gloomy sky since early morning. Although the go-kart racing was still head on, the show ‘n shine competitors were shy to come out this time around.

The line up of cars on the lot of competitors were impressive ranging from your usual sport compact Mazda3 to a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

Inside Formula Kartways, registration filled up fast for what would be a great evening of racing split in two groups.

The first group were geared up and ready to go at the flag drop with a grid of six karts.

Right from the get-go, the two lead drivers brought their game face spreading the pack soon after the initial laps.

The second group of racers lined up on the grid for the flag drop and unlike the first, seemed even more competitive by nature.

Up until the third lap, the pack of karts were neck and neck with each other. Some of the best go-kart racing I’ve ever witnessed happened moments later as the first and second place drivers battled it out through all the possible passing zones – as if it were a scene from the good old days of Formula One racing.

A big congratulations go out to the winners of round taking home some goodies from fellow sponsors, over points standings, and the irresistible bragging rights! 1st place was awarded to Kirt, second to Andrejs, and third went to Matt. Be sure to come out on July 4th, 2013 for round 3 and what is expected to be the fiercest of all battles for the points race.

For more information, please visit Carts and Coffee – Toronto and to register please visit Cars & Coffee – Registration

Check out our past coverage:
SGR Carts & Coffee – Round 1

Words & Photos: Giancarlo Pawelec

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June 6, 2013

Why driver training is a good idea!

Filed under: Blog — Tags: apex driver training inc., Ariel Atom, blog, cayuga, driver training, Mosport, Motorsport, Racing, Shannonville, skidpad — Adam Gordon @ 11:00 AM

“If you’ve never been to a track, or you’ve never pushed your car to its limits, you are not as good of a driver as you think you are, and you’re going to hit your own limit before you reach your car’s.” These are the chilling and insightful words of wisdom from a 5+ year driving coach who teaches driver training at local tracks, and they are as true as ever. After being in a car accident as a passenger which was totally preventable, Greg saw an opportunity to take preventative action.

I recently sat down with Greg Bachmann, Driving Coach at Apex Driver Training Inc, to get an idea of what makes driver training an important investment for any driving enthusiast. I should clarify that driver’s education and driver training are two different things. While driver’s education seeks to give drivers their basic skill set for navigating the road, driver training seeks to improve the skills of the driver as a whole, based on their current skill level, and make people better drivers overall.

Apex Driver Training is held at Mosport, Shannonville and Cayuga race tracks, but according to Greg, “the purpose [of driver training] isn’t to make you a faster driver. It’s about making you a better driver in general, and that will naturally make you a faster driver around the track”. He made a comparison to golf: “You can hit the ball as hard as you want, but if you don’t know how to hit it, you’re not going to be accomplishing much”.

The program has seen everything from Ariel Atoms to high-end exotics and everything in between, but the type of car doesn’t determine the driver’s skill. Classes are divided by driver level, and monitored by a team of driving coaches with years of real racing experience in everything from go-karts to formula cars. Regardless of skill levels, each participant in driver training gets a look at some basics of track driving that are often left out by driver’s education instructors, such as seating position, line of sight and the breakdown of a corner. From there, the group is divided into sections based on their skill level, and the real exercises begin.

For the novice group, the morning starts off with the skidpad, braking and accident avoidance exercises. The purpose of this is to give less experienced drivers a sense of what it feels like to lose control. They need to experience understeer / oversteer in an environment other than empty, snowy parking lots. Ultimately, the goal is to have the driver comfortable enough to remain calm in any situation in the car, even during a loss of control. The intermediate classes have the option to partake in the novice morning exercises if they desire, but since the track is free of newbies in the early morning while they’re doing basic exercises, most of the intermediate drivers are keen to get on the track.

The focus on the intermediate group is to really fine-tune the driving experience. The instructors will focus on some more advanced aspects of driving, such as gearing, clutch action and different ways to approach different corners. Many intermediate drivers are looking to shave a few seconds off of their track times, and driver training constantly proves to be a successful avenue for doing just that. No matter how good a driver you are (or think you are), there is always room for improvement. Greg tells me that he has never had a student leave without learning something new, and that he himself is still learning after all these years as a driver.

Ultimately, every serious car enthusiast should look into a driver training session at least once. It’s an invaluable experience that will stick with you through the rest of your life as a driver, and give you an advantage on time-attack track days. Most importantly, it does make you a safer driver overall, and that can end up saving your time, money and life. If you plan on spending a lot of time at the track, or even a lot of time driving on public roads, driver training is a worthy investment for any driver.

Words: Adam Gordon

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June 5, 2013

SGR Carts and Coffee – Round 2 on June 6th!

Filed under: News — Tags: carts and coffee, formula kartways, Racing, sgr, Show n Shine — AutoMotoFoto @ 12:00 PM

Round 2 of the SGR Carts and Coffee kicks off tomorrow (June 6th) at Formula Kartways! Want to get behind the wheel of a go-kart and get your aggression out? Awesome. Want to get behind the wheel of a go-kart, talk some smack, and lap your buddies? Even more awesome.

Aside from the racing on track, we will be scouting for some awesome cars to feature in our coverage during the show ‘n shine competition so be sure to come out and show your support! One lucky person will also take home an AMF Prize Pack and that could be you!

The AMF crew will be on hand to provide awesome event coverage and meet fans! Be sure to FOLLOW US on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates all day long!

What: SGR Carts and Coffee – Round 2
Where: Formula Kartways (79 Bramsteele Rd Brampton, Ontario, Canada, L6W 3K6)
When: Thursday, June 6th, 2013
Time: 7:15pm – 8:30pm
Admission: Registration (for Racing only!)

For more information, please visit Carts and Coffee Toront
Follow them on Twitter: @TeamSGR | @SGRnews | @CartsCoffeeTO and use Hashtag #cartscoffeeTO

Check out our past coverage for SGR Carts and Coffee – Round 1

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May 31, 2013

LIVESTREAM | Formula Drift – Palm Beach

Filed under: Videos — Tags: daigo saito, darren mcnamara, Drift, Drifting, florida, formulda drift, formuldad, Live, livestream, Motorsport, palm beach, Racing, vaugh gittin jr. — Giancarlo Pawelec @ 1:00 PM

Round 3 of the 2013 season of Formula DRIFT takes place at the Palm Beach International Raceway (formerly known as Moroso Motorsports Park). Marking the third year return to this great race track, the competition is set to be fierce with a 16-points spread between the the leader Vaughn Gittin Jr, Daigo Saito, and Darren McNamara.

The LIVESTREAM (see below) begins at 3:30pm EDT (Friday, May 31st, 2013) and continues all weekend long from qualifying to race! So sit back, grab your favorite beverage and enjoy!

For more information, visit Formula Drift

Words: Giancarlo Pawelec

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May 30, 2013

CSCS 2013 – Round 1 (Season Opener) on June 2nd!

Filed under: News — Tags: #teamAMF, Canadian Sport Compact Series, cayuga, Contests, CSCS, drag, Drifting, prize pack, Racing, Show n Shine, tickets, Time Attack, toronto motorsports park, Tuner Scene — AutoMotoFoto @ 10:00 AM

Who’s ready for some racing action this weekend? If you’ve been stuck in the fetal position under a rock over the cold winter months, rest assured that the tuner motorsports season is back on! Kick things off with a bang is the Canadian Sport Compact Series (better known as CSCS) Season Opener event happening this Sunday, June 2nd, 2013 at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario, Canada.

As the leading motorsports series in Canada for the tuner scene, AMF is once again proud to be the official media partner for 2013! We will be continuing to provide to very best event coverage from each and every round recapping it all – from the show ‘n shine, drag racing, time attack, and of course drifting competition.

Giving back to the fans, AMF will also be running contests before each round for a chance to WIN Tickets and a Prize Pack!

We will also be debuting Team AMF bit by bit, so keep an eye out for the cars / members and be sure to FOLLOW US on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates!

What: CSCS 2012 – Round 1 (Season Opener)
Where: Toronto Motorsports Park @ Cayuga, Ontario, Canada
When: Sunday, June 2nd, 2013
Time: 9:30am – 6:00pm

For more information, please visit Canadian Sport Compact Series

Check out our past coverage for the CSCS 2012 – Round 1 (Season Opener)!

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May 4, 2013

SGR Carts and Coffee – Round 1

Filed under: Events — Tags: carts and coffee, formula kartways, go-karting, hyundai sonata, Racing, sgr, Show n Shine, sweetie girl racing — Giancarlo Pawelec @ 1:00 PM

SGR Carts and Coffee – Round 1
Formula Kartways
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
May 2, 2013

As a proud media partner for the SGR Carts and Coffee – Toronto series, AMF was on hand providing event coverage and live social media updates. This unique series incorporates both a show ‘n shine and go-karting scattered throughout the months with the grand finale held on October 3rd, 2013. Like any other event, registration began sharp at 6:30pm as the on-track time was scheduled for 7:00pm.

Whether you’re a novice driver or experienced, the event caters to all levels pairing everything from friendly rivals against each other to even seasoned track racers. The cost you ask? Only $59 (at the door) and less if you pre-register!

As the series title states, it is all about Carts and Coffee and one couldn’t exist without the other. Just outside the front door were the friendly SGR staff cooking up the usual BBQ fixings and there was plenty of Canada’s favorite dark beverage – Tim Horton’s coffee!

For those seeking an extra buzz before hitting the track, Hype was also available with an assortment of their energy drinks and newly released Aqua Hyrdate water – which might I add was truly refreshing!

The selection of cars for the show ‘n shine was fairly small this time (as expected), but the variety was interesting ranging from clean Volkswagen Golfs, a modified Hyundai Sonata and even a black Toyota Corolla Type S with carbon fiber hood, wheels, suspension work, exhaust and more. Unlike other events, anyone and everyone is encouraged to show up – just like the good old days!

Back inside, the first round of drivers got strapped in for what would be a testosterone-filled battle of the male gender. Can you sense the intensity?

Every driver had their usual racing line with some incorporating body-leaning as if it were a cut-throat competition.

Two wide heading onto the short front straight was happening almost every lap with drivers passing each other within mere inches. Sure these may only be gas powered go-karts, but they’re still fairly quick in their own right.

The highlight of the go-kart race by far was in the final laps when drivers were going three wide into the first corner and not letting up at all. For a hairpin turn, three wide is a bit of a challenge but incredibly entertaining to watch.

The winner for the show n’ shine round 1 competition at Carts and Coffee – Toronto is this modified Hyundai Sonata which seemed to have almost every single part replaced in one way or another. Sure some might not be a fan of the full size sedan, but at least it is purely original and done tastefully! Kudos to the owner for the win!

For more information, please visit Carts and Coffee – Toronto and to register please visit Cars & Coffee – Registration

Words & Photos: Giancarlo Pawelec

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April 8, 2013

Audi starts into DTM with strong partners

Filed under: News — Tags: Audi, DTM, Racing, rs5 — AutoMotoFoto @ 3:00 PM

Mattias Ekström and new signing Jamie Green form Red Bull double
Audi Financial Services advertises on Filipe Albuquerque’s RS 5 DTM
Exhaust expert Akrapovič extends its commitment to Audi Sport

In the 2013 DTM season, Audi Sport can rely on strong partners. Numerous renowned companies with worldwide operations have commitments alongside the brand with the four rings, including global players such as Red Bull, Schaeffler or Audi Financial Services. At the Hockenheim tests starting on April 9, four other RS 5 DTM cars will be sporting their final graphics on the race track for the first time.

In 2013, the fans of the most popular international touring car series will again be seeing two cars of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline in the colors of Red Bull. Alongside Mattias Ekström, new signing Jamie Green now belongs to the energy drink producer’s driver family. Clearly visible red (Ekström) and yellow (Green) markings make it possible for fans to quickly tell the two drivers apart who will be sharing a garage in the pit lane.

Audi Financial Services has extended its commitment. The financial services provider will be featured on Filipe Albuquerque’s Audi RS 5 DTM. “We’re supporting Audi in the DTM because we’re firmly convinced of this strong squad’s success,” says Managing Director Anthony Bandmann. “For us, a commitment in this multi-faceted sport together with this superb Audi team is a natural choice.” Albuquerque’s team-mate in Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Edoardo Mortara, will be on the grid sporting the colors of quattro GmbH and Playboy magazine like last year.

Audi Sport Team Phoenix is adding even more color to the DTM in 2013. While Mike Rockenfeller again drives the race car featuring the yellow-green graphics of the Schaeffler Group with its INA, FAG and LUK brands, Miguel Molina in a fiery-red car advertises the production counterpart of his race car: the Audi RS 5. “I find my Audi RS 5 DTM in this color simply great,” says the pleased Spaniard. “This way, I’ll always be easy to spot in the DTM field.”

Timo Scheider’s large fan community will also have to get used to a change. Although the special-interest magazine AUTO TEST continues to partner with the two-time DTM Champion the basic color of his RS 5 DTM now is black. The color change was a personal wish expressed by Scheider: “I clinched both of my titles in a black car – maybe that’s a good omen for the new season.” Together with Scheider, Adrien Tambay competes for Audi Sport Team Abt. Like last year, his RS 5 DTM displays the Audi ultra logo as a reference to AUDI AG’s lightweight design technology.

Akrapovič as a long-standing partner of Audi Sport has further extended its commitment this year. Since 2009, the company has been supplying the exhaust systems for Audi’s sports prototypes. Six of the RS 5 DTM cars will be competing with the Akrapovič logo. “After our successful cooperation in the sports car area, it was actually just a question of time when we’d be working together in the DTM as well,” says Managing Director Uroš Rosa.

Alpinestars, the leading company for high-performance motorsport wear, Audi Top Service, watch manufacturer TAG Heuer, the sports magazine Kicker, the Würth Group plus spring manufacturer Eibach and wheel expert O.Z. together with the Gerolsteiner and Hofmühl beverage brands as co-sponsors complete the list of partners.

“I’m proud of the diversity of our sponsors and would like to thank all our partners for supporting our DTM commitment,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “Without the backing of these strong partners we wouldn’t be able to be active in motorsport on this level. I’m particularly pleased to see that the companies truly ‘live’ the DTM topic and are involved with passion – this provides our teams and drivers with a big dose of additional motivation to reciprocate this enormous trust by delivering good results.”

The Audi teams in the 2013 DTM

Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline
Mattias Ekström (Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM)
Jamie Green (Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM)

Audi Sport Team Abt
Timo Scheider (AUTO TEST Audi RS 5 DTM)
Adrien Tambay (Audi ultra RS 5 DTM)

Audi Sport Team Phoenix
Mike Rockenfeller (Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM)
Miguel Molina (Audi RS 5 DTM)

Audi Sport Team Rosberg
Edoardo Mortara (Playboy Audi RS 5 DTM)
Filipe Albuquerque (Audi Financial Services RS 5 DTM)