 Impressive Start for Team MGR Racing-WOT Performance at Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ, February 17, 2008. Team MGR Racing-WOT Performance started the 2008 ASC Racing Series with two poles, one win and a new record qualifying lap for the ASC Racing Series at Phoenix International Raceway. Although the #27 Ford Taurus suffered an unfortunate mechanical failure half-way through the second race, the team’s success at PIR’s season opener brings the Phoenix based race team great motivation for the rest of the season.
“The car was just fantastic from the very beginning. Pete Andreas (Team’s Technical Director) did a phenomenal job getting it ready for this weekend. I was a little concerned because due to scheduling conflicts, this is the first time that I’ve had to start the season without any prior testing. But after the first practice session, I was really very impressed about our performance,” said Manuel Gil del Real, driver and team owner.
Manuel set a new personal record on Saturday with a 1:03.75 qualifying lap around PIR’s 1.5 mile road course while earning his first pole position of the season. At the drop of the green flag, the #27 WOT Performance Ford Taurus, also displaying a new paint scheme and graphic layout, led the field uncontested all the way to the checkered flag.
“I couldn’t have dreamed of a better start for us,” said Pete Andreas. “We’ve worked countless hours at the shop getting the car ready for our first event, but still, you never know how things are going to go until you hit the track…, I think this is going to be a great season for our team.”
But if Saturday showed the speed potential of the WOT Performance racecar, Sunday’s better track conditions brought new lap records for the team. On Sunday morning practice, Manuel set a new lap record with a 1:03.680, even faster than Saturday’s qualifying lap. Determined to squeeze out any speed left on the car, three hours later, he set a new ASC record with a 1:03.495 qualifying lap. What made this record more significant is the fact that it was set with the same tires that the team had already used during Saturday’s qualifying and race sessions and not with new or “sticker” tires.
“That was a real flying lap! I must admit that I scared myself a couple of times! With so many concrete walls around this track, we know that PIR has very little margin of error, but I guess those scary moments also gave me the couple of extra tenths that earned us our third lap record this weekend and our second pole of the season,” said an exuberant Manuel Gil del Real as he stepped out of his race car.
The only glitch for the MGR Racing-WOT Performance team came half way through the second race. While on the lead, the #27 Ford Taurus started to suffer a vibration from a loose bracket holding the exhaust assembly. The bracket finally broke and the muffler assembly came loose, forcing Manuel to retire with 12 laps to go. Nevertheless, the team qualified the weekend as a great success as they now get ready for their next event.
The next two races in the ASC Racing Series will take place at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Bakersfield, CA, on March 15-16, 2008.
For more information about the Team's 2008 schedule, please visit www.MGRRacing.net or www.WOTPerformance.com.
About WOT Performance:
Based in Riverside, California, since its inception in 2001, WOT Performance (WOT) has had the privilege of working directly with celebrities' cars, fleets and individuals to provide services from oil analysis and speed limiting to wheels-up drag racing to wheel to wheel short track, dirt, and road racing. Among other features, WOT's facilities include Fuel Injection services and a chassis Dyno bringing their passion for technology and custom tuning to continue "Taking Performance to the Next Level".
© 2009 MGR Racing. MGR Racing and the MGR Racing logo are trademarks of MGR Racing. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. |
