2014 Daytona International Speedway - Continental Sports Car Challenge

In 2013, there were negotiations were underway that resulted in the merging of the Grand American Road Racing Association and the America Le Mans Series. There was little impact on the Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge (CTSC) – the series continued with the same classes but ran as a support event for the new Tudor United Sportscar Championship. The amalgamation resulted in the CTSC championship competing at some new venues.

The 2014 season consists of twelve race weekends. It starts in January at Daytona International Speedway, followed by the series’ first visit to Sebring International Raceway since the days of the Motorola Cup in 2000. In May, teams travel to the West Coast for an event at California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The championship will then return to the East to make a stop at Lime Rock Park during the Memorial Day weekend. Two weeks later, the series moves on to Kansas Speedway, followed by Watkins Glen International. Round seven takes place north of the border at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. At the end of July, teams make their way to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Next on the schedule are Road America and Virginia International Raceway. The penultimate round will be held at Circuit of the Americas with the finale taking place in early October at Road Atlanta.

The cars are relatively unchanged from their road-going versions – modifications are mandated mainly for safety – roll cages, window nets, etc. They also use spec DOT-approved tires produced by Continental. Based on performance potential, the cars are divided into one of two groups:

Grand Sport (GS): The quicker of the two classes - the group features the larger displacement engines as well as smaller four-cylinder motors with forced induction systems. The power-plants produce between 400 and 500-horsepower. Minimum weights range between 2,900 – 3,300-pounds, which are dependent on the motor configuration and displacement. This class includes cars such as the BMW M3, Aston Martin Vantage, Ford Mustang Boss 302 R, Porsche 997, Porsche Carrera, Chevrolet Camaro GS.R and Nissan 370Z.
Street Tuner (ST): The smaller displacement cars compete in this class in which engines typically produce between 220 and 280-horsepower. Popular vehicles found in this group are the Nissan Altima, Porsche Boxster, Mazda Speed 3, Mazda MX-5, Honda Accord Si, BMW 328i, Volkswagen Jetta and BMW 128i.

Round one of the 2014 Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge was held at Daytona International Speedway. Competitors would race around the twelve-turn, 3.56-mile roval for two-hours and thirty-minutes in The BMW Performance 200.

The start of the Grand Sport class for race one of the 2014 Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge at Daytona. On the pole is Jade Buford in the No. 15 Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang Boss 302 R. Sharing the front row with Buford is the second-fastest qualifier, Nick Longhi, driving the No. 13 Rumbum.com sponsored Porsche 997. A total of twenty-six Grand Sport entries competed in the opening round.

Shelby Blackstock and Ashley Freiberg were declared Grand Sport class winners for round one – this was the first series victory for both drivers. They shared the No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports / Starstruck BMW M3, which was gridded twelfth for the start. During the event, the paired moved up the race order and inherited the top spot when the No. 96 BMW M3 of Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana failed the post-race tech inspection.

In the Street Tuner qualifying session, the fastest driver was Jeff Mosing piloting the No. 56 Murillo Racing / Mosing Motorscars BMW 328i – this was his first series pole position. Sharing the BMW with Mosing was Eric Foss. Foss drove the final stint and was second in class when he passed Greg Liefooghe with fifteen-minutes remaining in the contest. He was able to maintain the spot and earn the pair’s first CTSC victory.

Last year at Daytona, the drivers of the No. 81 BMW 328, Gregory Liefooghe and Tyler Cooke finished second in class. Until the final fifteen-minutes of the BMW Performance 200, it appeared that they might redeem themselves. Cooke qualified and started the contest. Liefooghe was the closer, but he could not hold off a hard-charging Eric Foss and finished in the runner-up spot for a second consecutive year.

Fall-Line Motorsports prepared three BMW M3 for the BMW Performance 200. Sharing the No. 46 Trim-Tex / Atlas Acon / DFL Interiors sponsored entry were Trent Hindman and John Edwards. Hindman performed the qualifying duties and was third fastest. Edwards crossed the finished line in third, but he and Hindman were awarded the runner-up spot after the disqualification of the Turner BMW.

The Grand Sport podium for round one of the Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge, prior to the post-race technical inspection. First across the finish line were Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana. Unfortunately, their car was disqualified. Ashley Freiberg and Shelby Blackstock standing on the right side of the rostrum, were declared the winners. Moving to the runner-up spot were Trent Hindman and John Edwards.

Thirty-eight Street Tuner entries received the green flag for the start of round one for the 2014 Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge at Daytona International Speedway. Pacing the field is the pole-sitter, Jeff Mosing in the No. 56 Murillo Racing / Mosing Motorcars BMW 328i. On the outside of the front row is Chad Gilsinger driving the No. 93 HART Honda Civic Si. Behind the leaders are Tyler Cooke and Brian Heitkotter.

Canadian Paul Dalla Lana shared the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 with sportscar veteran, Bill Auberlen. Dalla Lana started the race and maintained pace with the leaders during his stint. Auberlen drove the last half of the contest and moved into first place with three laps remaining. He was in the lead at the checkered flag, but the car failed the post-race technical inspection and the pair were disqualified.

Sharing the No. 24 Hastings Fiberglass / Mac Papers sponsored Porsche Cayman were Cory Friedman and David Baum. Baum qualified the Autometrics prepared Porsche and was gridded thirty-ninth overall and tenth in the Street Tuner category. After changing drivers, Friedman chased down the class leaders and would finish third. This was the first series podium result for the two drivers.

Last season at Daytona International Speedway, Jade Buford drove the Multimatic Motorsports prepared Aston Martin Vantage and captured the overall pole position. In 2014, Buford repeated his performance, but did it in the No. 15 Ford Mustang Boss 302 R. Co-driving the Mustang with Buford was the series veteran, Scott Maxwell. Unable to keep pace with the leaders, they finished seventh in Grand Sport.

In addition to the Dalla Lana / Auberlen BMW, Turner Motorsports entered an M3 for Michael Marsal and Tom Kimber-Smith. Marsal drove the car during the qualifying session and recorded the tenth fastest time. The duo maintained contact with the front-runners and crossed the finish line in fourth place. But like all Grand Sport competitors, they moved up a position when their Turner teammates were disqualified.

The Street Tuner podium for round one of the 2014 Continental Tire Sportscar Championship at Daytona International Speedway. In the center are the first time series winners from Murillo Racing, Jeff Mosing and Eric Foss. On the right side of the rostrum are this year and last season’s runner-ups, Greg Liefooghe and Tyler Cooke. Completing the podium are the third-place finishers, David Baum and Cory Friedman.

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	GS	Blackstock / Freiberg	BMW M3	54	-
2	GS	Hindman / Edwards	BMW M3	54	-
3	GS	Marsal / Kimber-Smith	BMW M3	54	-
4	GS	Grala / Plumb	BMW M3	54	-
5	GS	Janco / Davison	Aston Martin Vantage	54	-
6	GS	Carter / Sandberg	Porsche 997	54	-
7	GS	Maxwell / Buford	Ford Mustang Boss 302 R	54	-
8	GS	Bize / Levine	Ford Mustang Boss 302 R	54	-
9	GS	James / Johnson	Ford Mustang Boss 302 R	54	-
10	GS	Ecklin, Jr. / Espenlaub	Aston Martin Vantage	54	-
11	GS	Curran / Aschenbach	Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R	54	-
12	GS	Riddle / Wilson	Aston Martin Vantage	54	-
13	GS	Rezzetano / Calvert	Ford Mustang Boss 302 R	54	-
14	GS	Plumb / Longhi	Porsche 997	54	-
15	GS	Click / McGovern	Ford Mustang Boss 302 R	54	-
16	GS	Mason / Winchester	Subaru WRX-STI	54	-
17	GS	Baxter / Lewis / Bavaro	Porsche 997	54	-
18	GS	Lawrence / Plato	Chevrolet Camaro GS.R	54	-
19	ST	Mosing / Foss	BMW 328i	54	-
20	ST	Liefooghe / Cooke	BMW 328	54	-
21	ST	Friedman / Baum	Porsche Cayman	54	-
22	ST	Nonnamaker / Nonnamaker	Porsche Cayman	54	-
23	ST	Weisberg / Vance	Porsche Boxster	54	-
24	ST	Borcheller / LaMarra	BMW 128i	54	-
25	ST	Strelzoff / Bloum	BMW 128i	54	-
26	ST	Gleason / Fergus	BMW 328i	54	-
27	ST	Giovanis / Murry	BMW 328	54	-
28	ST	Landy / Buras	Hyundai Genesis	54	-
29	ST	Ruscitti / Isman	Porsche Boxster	54	-
30	ST	Pobst / Carbonell	Mazda MX-5	54	-
31	ST	Schmitt / Boehm	Honda Civic Si	54	-
32	ST	McAleer / McCumbee	Mazda MX-5	54	-
33	ST	Moxlow / Carpentier	BMW 128	54	-
34	ST	Cattaneo / Trinkler	Honda Civic Si	54	-
35	GS	Bertheau / Pumpelly	BMW M3	54	-
36	ST	McQuarrie / Miller	Mazda MX-5	54	-
37	ST	Probert / Mosing / Piscitell	BMW 328i	54	-
38	ST	Jonsin / Freeman Jr.	Porsche Cayman	54	-
39	ST	Murcott / Machavern	BMW 128	54	-
40	ST	Pombo / Pombo	Mazda MX-5	54	-
41	ST	Kennedy / Kennedy	Honda Civic Si	54	-
42	ST	Musacchio / Picut	Honda Civic Si	54	-
43	ST	Golinello / Thilenius	Hyundai Genesis	54	-
44	ST	Abdolvamabi / Conway	Hyundai Genesis	54	-
45	GS	Montgomery / Tarpley	Chevrolet Camaro GS.R	54	-
46	ST	Seguin / Miller	Honda Civic Si	53	-
47	ST	Kozarov / Heitkotter	Nissan Altima	53	-
48	GS	Mantella / Wilkins	Aston Martin Vantage	52	-
49	ST	Clay / Briedis	BMW	52	-
50	ST	Straus / Masessa	Porsche Boxster	51	-
51	ST	Gimple / Eversley	Honda Civic Si	50	Not Running
52	GS	Bell / Cameron	Nissan 370Z	49	-
53	ST	Gilsinger / Valiante	Honda Civic Si	48	Not Running
54	GS	Lally / Bell	Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R	48	-
55	ST	Leroux / Leroux	Honda Civic Si	41	Not Running
56	ST	Head / De Barros	Mazda Speed 3	40	Not Running
57	ST	Sahlen / Nonnamaker	Porsche Cayman	39	-
58	GS	Liddell / Davis	Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R	38	Not Running
59	ST	Jones / Kanavas	Nissan Altima	34	-
60	GS	McCalmont / Michaelian	Chevrolet Camaro GS.R	32	Not Running
61	ST	Blanchet / Sharpe	Honda Civic Si	28	Not Running
62	GS	Barkey / Marcelli	Porsche 997	23	-
63	ST	Theetge / Theetge	Honda Civic Si	22	Not Running
64	GS	Rezzetano / Aquilante	Ford Mustang Boss 302 R	21	Not Running
65	GS	Zacharias / Jaeger	Nissan 370Z	21	Not Running
66	ST	Rogers / Thomas	BMW 328	4	Not Running
67	GS	Farano / Empringham	Nissan 370Z	1	Not Running
68	GS	Auberlen / Dalla Lana	BMW M3	0	Excluded

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