Hello 2016 Racing Season!

Move over March as the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) season once again starts with racing at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) track at Austin, TX. Heading into the race weekend, the number one person I wanted to see at COTA was Mr. Robert Stallings. While the Red Dragon (DP) is gone, I am very happy to see Bob Stallings and GAINSCO Auto Insurance return to racing in the PWC series and in a McLaren 650S GT3 no less! Bob comes back in a big way.

Good thing I was able to touch base with Bob Stallings on Saturday because on Sunday GAINSCO had over 150 people at the track and decked out in “The Red Dragon Returns” t-shirts. It was a sea of red on the fan walk and seeing Bob’s smile made my day.

Since the Grand-Am days, I have always enjoyed chatting with Bob Stallings in the paddock and I am sure all racing fans held their breath when the #99 Red Dragon driven by Memo Gidley hit the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari during 2014 Rolex 24 race. For more updates on Memo, I invite you to visit the Sportscar 365 page http://sportscar365.com/tag/gainscobob-stallings-racing/

The accident ended Memo’s racing year and quite possibly career, and it also was an incident from which the GAINSCO team could not recover. On a wilder note, I will always remember the 2013 race at Kansas Motor Speedway where #99 DP driven by Dan Gurney lost the driver side door. You don’t see that every day! But enough with taking a trip down memory lane…. Let’s talk racing!

Over the weekend, racing was basically in one of four groups and yes, everything is bigger in Texas, especially the entry list. Here was the breakdown from the February 29 entry list: GT: 19; GTA: 8; GT Cup: 7; GTS: 19; TC: 24; TCA: 15; TCB: 11.

All classes held Round 1 and round 2 races as the season kicked off with:

• GTS (Grand Touring Sport)

• GT (Grand Touring)/GTA/GT Cup where all of the vehicles in GT are rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. GTA driver classification part of GT class for professional drivers that do not make their primarily living from racing.

• TC/TCA/TCB: TC (Touring Car), TCA (Touring Car A), and TCB (Touring Car B-spec)

What a range of manufactures, everything in the alphabet soup from Acura, Aston-Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge Viper, Ferrari, Ford, Ginetta, Honda, Kia, Lotus, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes, McLaren, MINI Cooper, Nissan, Porsche, and two which are new to me SIN and XBow! Yes, when I arrived to the track, I went immediately to the haulers to check out the new kids on the block.

While I was very impressed with the SIN cars, and enjoyed learning more about the cars from team owner, Jon Mirachi, it was sad to see the team tweet on Sunday (below).

RacersEdgeMotorsport @RacersEdgeMS

Tough weekend for our team! Both cars suffered crash damage and will be

unable to race today.

I met Jon many years ago when he raced with Mazda’s with a driver by the name of Jordan Taylor. Jon has been with several manufactures over the years and I always wish him much success. If you are looking for a team to follow and cheer for, please consider Racers Edge Motorsports.

With the number of cars and classes at COTA for the weekend, there are always cars on the track. Between practice, qualifying, and races the engine hum can be heard from morning to dark. For me the action started on Friday with TC-TCA-TCB holding the first of two races for the weekend. While the other classes conducted practice and qualifying, Saturday TC-TCA-TCB led the day’s events and even holding the 2nd and final race of the weekend.

Saturday the fun continued with GT-GTA-GT Cup holding their first race at 2:30pm. The day wasn’t over, at 4:15pm the GTS class took to the track for their first race. Yes, folks that is 3 races all different cars in one day. Sunday bring another doubleheader day with GTS racing in the 11am morning and GT-GTA-GT Cup with their 2nd race Sunday afternoon. I’m not sure what the price of admission is, but it’s worth it.

While at COTA I had the pleasure to visit again with long-time friends Dinah Weisberg of BERT Racing and Lara Tallman of CA Sport. I met Lara Tallman and the racing couple, John and Dinah Weisberg, several years ago when CA Sport and BERG racing were both competing in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series. In 2015, while at the PWC opening race at COTA, I had the pleasure to interview both teams and included my chat in my article from last year.

I was very happy to see both teams again this year and catch up. CA Sport and Lara had a great Friday taking 1st and 3rd on the podium while Dinah’s car had oil issues and the car was retired before it really got started.

After recently suffering heavy rains and flooding, the track and facility looked remarkably great. The media center still had areas needing repair. Scaffolding is starting to reappear (still gone at turn one) in preparation for the Moto GP event. The weather was perfect and it was nice to see picnic tables in the paddock area allowing for more families to sit and eat their Bubba Burgers!

Other than the first day confusion on the admittance to the media center and the Saturday long shuttle bus ride because the driver didn’t know where the media parking lot was located, the weekend went pretty smooth. I tried, but I can’t do much complaining about this race weekend. I will hold off mentioning the live streaming issue on Sunday but thank goodness for Erica Baldwin and Periscope!

Ok, now the real reason you are here….the interviews with my normal hard-hitting questions!

Photo credit: Brian Cleary BCPIX.COM

Let’s meet Derek DeBoer driver of the #09 TRG-AMR Aston Martin Vantage G4

Favorite food: Italian

Favorite band: Currently listening to Eagles and Death Metal

Q. If you could go to one track as a fan, what track and what series would you watch?

A. Derek admitted he could not handle going to the track as a fan. He wants to be racing. He did attend 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona and it just about killed him to be there and not racing.

Q. If you could be part of any team, what track and race would be on your bucket list to race?

A. The track would be Circuit de Spa Francorchamps and with team Aston Martin. While Derek raced in open wheel Formula Renault, it wasn’t until he raced in the Continental Tire Series where he went three wide and headed down the famous cork screw at Laguna Seca that he had a big smile on his face which hasn’t left him. Sports car racing is in his blood to stay. While Derek loves his Aston Martin GT 3, he personally tools around town in his Chevrolet Volt!

Q. If you could spend the afternoon with anyone, who would it be and what would you do?

A. Derek would spend time with his wife on the water. Just a quiet simple afternoon with no responsibilities and no place to be.

Derek’s wife is a film maker currently involved with producing documentaries for non-profit organizations in their home town in Oregon. Derek is very proud of his wife and spoke of her filmmaking with his big “Laguna Seca” smile. Please check out her company at http://www.chopchopproductions.com/

Q. What is one fact you can share with fans that might surprise us?

A. Derek is antsy! He is all about time, he is never late, and he arrives 5 minutes before something starts. (I am a witness to this. I first met Derek in the COTA media center Friday morning. I figured the best time to find a driver is on their way to or from the driver’s meeting. Derek was prompt to the meeting!)

Maybe his passion for being on time, which being a prompt person myself I admire, helped him to become the brand ambassador for B.R.M. Chronographes. To learn more about this company please check out Twitter @BRMamericas and the website http://www.brm-manufacture.com/

Even though Friday was Derek’s birthday, I was very honored at the length of time he spent chatting with me which I thoroughly enjoyed. Here are a few videos of Derek where he answered fans questions and talked about his helmet… I hope you enjoy!

Derek answers fan, Michael Goodwin, question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8QztMB6_GQ

Derek answers fan, Sarah, question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEe-9IwCAZ4

What’s on Derek’s helmet? Find out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKOriSA-0j4

Cancer has touched everyone’s life, please watch how Derek is #CateStrong and Racing for Cancer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t51DblPmQE4

So how did Derek race on Saturday? Derek started 12th and worked his way up through the pack to finish an impressive 5th! For his racing Derek received the Best Start and Hard Charger awards for the race.

Derek shares the car with Jason Alexandridis who raced on Sunday. To meet Jason, please watch his video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPj6_CXQEmk

I encourage you to learn more about Derek his team The Racer’s Group at the track or

Website: http://www.derekdeboerracing.com/

Twitter: @4derekdeboer

Website: http://www.theracersgroup.com/

Twitter: @theracersgroup

Photo credit: Vickie Miller

I also had the pleasure of chatting with Martin Barkey, driver of the #80 Mantella Autosport KTM XBow GT4. Let’s meet Martin!

Favorite food: Chocolate

Favorite band: Pink Floyd

Q. Why the KTM XBow GT4 car?

A. Martin has raced Camaro’s and was tired of getting beat up by BOP so he looked for a different car and manufacturer. Martin went to a local Brussels Belgium track, where (due to heavy rains) the two days of testing was reduced to 6 laps and Martin was there less than 3 hours. The cars next went to Sebring International Raceway where the rains followed Martin and he also got in 6 laps when the engine mount broke. Martin enjoyed those 12 laps enough to order the car and get it delivered in time for COTA. The laps on the track at COTA was the first time Martin’s car was on any track.

Q. So how did you introduce KTM XBow to the PWC series?

A. Any of the technical specifications were handled between Mantella Autosport Inc and Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). SCCA is the sanctioning body for the PWC series. So when the car appeared at the first tech inspection, the SCCA officials would know what to expect. Martin said PWC series was very open to bringing in a new manufacturer and work with his team to make this happen. When comparing PWC to other “support series” in regards to future and number of cars on an entry list, Martin made the comment, “I would rather be P10 out of 24 cars, than P3 out of 6 cars.” (Very true, and I agree.)

Q. If you could go to one track as a fan, what track and what series would you watch?

A. With this being Martin’s only 4th year in racing, he replied he would love to watch ALMS at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (his home track). (I loved this answer since I also would love to see ALMS race again.)

Q. If you could be part of any team, what track and race would be on your bucket list to race?

A. Martin did not hesitate. The race is Rolex 24 and a team with Kyle Marcelli (which is not optional) and in a new McLaren.

Q. If you could spend the afternoon with anyone, who would it be and what would you do?

A. Martin would hang out with Christ. Martin would ask him some questions and then just shut up and listen!

Q. What is one fact you can share with fans that might surprise us?

A. Martin is really the guy next door. He understands he is very fortunate to be able to enjoy his lifestyle and race, but really just wants to hang with family and enjoy the simple things of life.

What’s on Martin’s helmet? Find out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ceXQOZoGp4

So how did Martin race at COTA? Martin started Saturday 6th and finished 12th. On Sunday Martin started 7th and finished 16th.

Please visit Martin and learn more about Martin Barkey Racing, please check out

Website: http://www.martinbarkeyracing.com/index.php

Twitter: @martinbarkey

Now for my “revealing” commentary on a “skimpy” topic!

While I snap many photographs during a race weekend and post on various social media platforms, I will not be posting any podium shots from COTA from PWC race event. Why, you may wonder. Indulge me while I provide a little background.

For some unknown reason race teams or product sponsors feel it is beneficial to employ young women dressed in inappropriate (or lack of) clothing to stand beside the team car or drivers. Over the years, I have consciously chosen to try not to post photos of the ladies. I am disappointed to see more teams/sponsors take this negative marketing approach.

I have, however, made notes to myself of the companies involved in this practice. So when I am faced with a decision to buy a product, follow a team on social media or interact with a team, I refer to my list before making my choice.

Some teams it's easy to distance myself from but other decisions are difficult. For example, Leh Keen and Cooper MacNeil are incredibly respectful and kind to me for years, however I struggle with posting photos of the WeatherTech car.

So why mention all this? During the PWC podium celebrations, the lady representatives from the series and from series sponsor, Pirelli Tire, stayed on the podium stage for all photo shots. At least in the IMSA and Continental Tire series, the lady representatives are brought onto the stage for a shot or two, but do not remain.

As I travel to many race tracks watching various race series, I am very disappointed in this policy from PWC. I am encouraging fans not to post photos of these girls, and mention the practice to the teams as a negative impact. I am not opposed to the concept at all, it is just the lack of clothing. What is wrong with a nice t-shirt tucked into a pair of jeans, not the spandex onesies?

Thank you all for reading and I welcome your comments. I have no affiliation with PWC, COTA, Mantella Autosport Inc., The Racers Group, etc. just a fan. There are many blogs and websites where you will find statistics, results, and scoring from the race; this is just my view.

Got a response? Follow and tweet me @viclovesracing

And look for future “Vickie’s Trackside Report” coming to a track near you!

#VickiesTracksideReport #PWC