All posts by Jim Dvorak

Managing Director of SOEC since 2005. Veteran of the Southern California automotive scene. Involvement with Saleen dates back to the mid 1990s.

DAVIS, LAWRENCE & TERRY ARE 1, 2, 3 FOR MORNING QUALIFIER AT WATKINS GLEN

From our friends at Saleen Automotive.

Congratulations to Brandon Davis, Cameron Lawrence, and Paul Terry for qualifying 1,2,3 in today’s morning qualifier. Here are a few looks from track-side. You can watch the first race at 12:05 EST today here: https://live.sro-america.com/saleen-cup.

Click here to participate in the discussion.

[Source: Saleen Automotive]

CUP CARS ARE READY FOR SATURDAY QUALIFIERS AT WATKINS GLEN

From our friends at Saleen Automotive.

Great day of practice out at Watkins Glen. It’s amazing to see all 12 cars out on the track. The drivers are getting dialed in and ready for qualifiers tomorrow! It’s going to be a great weekend.

A quick look around the paddock after a good day at the track. Lots of activity, and special thanks to R3 Motorsports, Inc for all of your support this weekend!

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[Source: Saleen Automotive]

TWELVE SALEEN CUP CARS ENTER WATKINS GLEN

From our friends at Saleen Automotive.

All 12 cars are getting prepped and ready at Watkins Glen as we speak. The races will be live streamed at live.sro-America.com on Saturday at 12:05PM EST and Sunday at 11:50AM EST. We’ll also be posting throughout the weekend with a behind the scenes look from the track.

Click here to participate in the discussion.

[Source: Saleen Automotive]

VIDEO: STEVE SALEEN INTERVIEW ON DRIVERS TALK RADIO

From our friends at Drivers Talk Radio.

Published on Jul 16, 2019
Drivers Talk sits down with legendary racer and vehicle manufacturer Steve Saleen for an intimate interview on his racing days and how that led to the birth of the Saleen Mustang. See pics of his infamous launch of a Shelby Mustang off a 200ft cliff, along with never before seen pics of his early racing days where he rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest racing names in the world.

Our Bring A Trailer game show “Hit the Gas or Sniffing Gas” returns and we get the results of the boys bidding on the 1973 Datsun 240z and watch them take a crack at minty 1971 Lotus Elan Sprint. Molly heads over to the Fabulous Fords Forever show and uncovers a “Hot Pants Pinto,” Sunbeam Tiger, and some other unusual Fords. Plus Drivers Talk News takes a sneak peek at the 2021 Ford F150, along with many other juicy news tidbits.

Click here to participate in the discussion.

[Source: Drivers Talk Radio]

SALEEN CUP RACING SERIES DEBUTS AT PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

S1 Cup Logo
SALEEN CUP RACING SERIES DEBUTS AT PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

Twelve drivers in two distinct classes competed in Portland, July 12-14, as part of an “arrive and drive” racing series showcasing the new Saleen 1 sports car

Brandon Davis of Sonoma, Calif. and Paul Terry of Nephi, Utah led 50-minute race, taking top podium finish during inaugural Saleen Cup event

PORTLAND, Ore. (July 16, 2019) – History was made at Portland International Raceway this week as California-based Saleen Automotive officially returned to motorsports with its debut of the Saleen Cup – an “arrive-and-drive” series designed to demonstrate the capabilities of its recently announced Saleen 1 turbocharged mid-engine sports car.

Brandon Davis of Sonoma, Calif. and Paul Terry of Nephi, Utah led a hotly contested 50-minute race on Sunday, July 14 as part of a shared team in the Saleen Cup “Pro-Am” class, taking top honors at the inaugural event. As one of the most successful marques in GT racing history, the Portland race marked a significant milestone for Saleen Automotive, led by legendary racing driver and high-performance vehicle pioneer Steve Saleen.

“We’re extremely proud of our Saleen Cup debut in Portland and our company’s official return to motorsports,” said Steve Saleen, CEO and founder of Saleen Automotive.

“This series serves as our platform to develop the Saleen 1 street model and it’s already proving to be very competitive on the track. We’re thankful for our team drivers and the Saleen crew for their major effort during this event and look forward to the next race in Watkins Glen.”

The Saleen Cup delivers a professional-quality racing experience, with a grid of fully prepared Saleen 1 Cup Cars featuring Iconic, Contemporary and Saleen racing liveries in bold, designer colorways. Full trackside support and hospitality amenities add to the professional-level racing experience. The cars are prepared and transported to each race by Saleen, so it represents a true “arrive and drive” series that offers a fast-tracked entry into motorsports.

A Pro-Amateur (Pro-Am) class invites experienced drivers to be among the first to spend time behind the wheel of the new 450hp turbocharged 2.2-liter, four-cylinder Saleen 1 Cup Car. The Pro-Am class debuts in Portland with eight drivers, including Martina Kwan; Brandon Davis; Paul Terry; Johan Schwartz; Zachary Lee; Bryce Miller and Drake Kemper – plus veteran driver and Steve Saleen’s daughter, Molly Saleen.

The Saleen Cup’s “Young Drivers” class presents a unique opportunity for prospective young drivers who are looking to start a career in professional motorsports. The four entries in the Young Drivers class at Portland include: Austin Riley; Cameron Lawrence; Hanna Zellers and Carter Fartuch.

Portland Results – Pro-Am Drivers Class:

First Place – (#4) Brandon Davis (USA) / Paul Terry (USA)
Second Place – (#2) Zachary Lee (USA) / Bryce Miller (USA)
Third Place – (#6) Molly Saleen (USA) / Johan Schwartz (USA)

Portland Results – Young Drivers Class:

First Place – (#12) Austin Riley (CAN) / Carter Fartuch (USA)
Second Place – (#71) Hanna Zellers (USA)
Third Place – (#9) Cameron Lawrence (USA)

The Saleen Cup is presented via a partnership with SRO Motorsports Group, and runs concurrently with the Blancpain GT World Challenge America. Trackside tire support for the entire Saleen Cup is provided by series sponsor Continental Tires. In addition to offering prospective drivers and enthusiasts a turnkey, once-in-a-lifetime racing opportunity, the category champions in the Saleen Cup will each secure a factory seat driving in Saleen’s GT4 entry for the entire 2020 season. The Saleen Cup schedule includes four events through October 2019:

  • Portland International Raceway (Ore.) – July 12-14, 2019
  • Watkins Glen (NY) – August 30 – Sept. 1, 2019
  • Road America (Wis.)– Sept. 20-22, 2019
  • Grand Finale (Las Vegas) – Oct. 18-20, 2019

For more information on the Saleen Cup, visit www.SaleenCup.com. For more information on the Saleen 1 model, visit www.Saleen.com, or follow Saleen on social by using on Facebook at Facebook.com/Saleen, or by using @Saleen on Twitter and @Saleen on Instagram.

About Saleen Automotive, Inc.

Saleen is dedicated to transforming the transportation experience. For over 35 years, the California-based automotive manufacturer has redefined driving through high-performing vehicles that combine championship-winning racing pedigree with innovative technology and distinctive styling.

From the first Saleen Mustang in 1984 to the legendary S7 in 2000 and the groundbreaking new Saleen 1, founder Steve Saleen has continually set the bar for vehicle design and performance engineering on streets and racetracks worldwide. In addition to its distinctive Saleen Signature and Saleen Original vehicle lines, Saleen offers a wide variety of technical parts, lifestyle accessories and apparel for those with a passion for performance. Learn more at www.saleen.com.

Contacts
Media Contact:
Saleen PR – Collin Whitley
cwhitley@Saleen.com

[Source: Saleen Automotive]

SIX CARS SET FOR SALEEN CUP DEBUT AT PORTLAND

By: JOHN DAGYS on July 11, 2019
Original Article: SPORTSCAR365.COM

Saleen Cup set for launch at Portland International Raceway…

A total of six cars are set to take part in the inaugural Saleen Cup races at Portland International Raceway this weekend.

Initially set to launch at Sonoma Raceway last month, the new single-make series featuring Saleen S1 Cup cars was postponed due to production delays of the 450-horsepower race car.

The arrive-and-drive series, running on the SRO Motorsports America weekend, will feature a number of notable sports car racing drivers, including GT veterans Brandon Davis, Cameron Lawrence and Bryce Miller as well as Molly Saleen, the daughter of Saleen Automotive CEO Steve Saleen.

Each of the six cars will carry heritage liveries from the motorsports world, including a throwback design from the Saleen Mustang racing program in the 1990s.

The Saleen Cup, as first revealed by Sportscar365 last year, will feature two 50-minute races with a mandatory pit stop and driver change.

Additional rounds are planned at the SRO America events at Watkins Glen International, Road America and Las Vegas Motor Speedway this year, with the champion receiving a fully-paid drive in the manufacturer’s planned GT4 car in the 2020 Pirelli GT4 America series.

Saleen Cup, Portland Drivers
Saleen Cup, Portland Drivers

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365 as well as the recently launched e-racing365 Web site for electric racing. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com/SPEED Channel, and contributes to other publications worldwide.

[Source: sportscar 365]