Preparation and Luck Finally Meet at Motoplex Speedway for Cornett-Ching

Impressive 2nd Place Feature Finish and Heat Race Win  For the Snap-On Tools Cadillac

The August 25 Hot August Nights race was a testament to how hard the team works, there had been  considerable damage done to the car in a pileup accident two weeks prior, where the back half of the car had been destroyed. The two weeks leading up to the race saw the team in the shop every night getting the car back into winning shape. Upon arriving at the track the team continued to chase issues and work out the kinks on the newly repaired car.

After not competing in the first practice session due to an unstable car, the team worked feverishly to get it to a more drivable state. In second and third practice despite the car still being a handful the #99 Snap-On Tools car was second on the speed charts.

"I think everyone was fighting the track in practice it was really green and the setups that were working here at the start of the year werent translating well here today." Said the determined youngster.

When qualifying time rolled around, the team made a big swing at the car with adjustments in the back end. Ending up third in qualifying of 10 cars, the car had gone from loose all day in practice to tight in qualifying which hurt the speeds a little but it was a good sign that they were closing in on the setup.

The first heat race was a dominating win, starting from 6th spot Sarah drove the 99 car straight to the front and took the lead with an outside pass on lap 5. After the ten lap heat race Cornett-Ching crossed the start finish line with a full second lead.

Starting the main event from mid pack, getting out front as soon as possible would be key.  The top three cars broke away in a pack and it was a three way battle until pit stops began around lap 20. The 99 team had a strategy to stay out as long as possible before pitting which ended up being around lap 45.

The pitstop was a huge success and on the stopwatch the fastest of the night, after a caution when the field lined back up for green the Snap-On Tools car was sitting in second place. After a hard fought battle on the outside Sarah fell back into line in 3rd place. The top two cars were battling for position keeping the 99 bottled up in 3rd.

When the front cars fell back into single file Sarah began working on moving to the front. When she made it around the 2nd place car taking the spot there were only 7 laps left in the 100 lap feature and not enough time to chase down the leader.

The team couldn't have been more happy with the finish considering how badly the car had been wrecked two weeks prior.

"It really says alot about the determination and heart of my team, especially my dad who really is the driving force behind this team. With more time between now and the next Arca race I wouldn't count us out, we have what it takes to win here."

A Special Thanks to: Snap-On Tools; Bill Smythe, Mike Ernst, Paul Wedlake, Jason Anderson, Melissa Hunt, Holly Parker, everyone else who has helped us out along the way, and most of all my dad Joe Cornett-Ching.

Cornett-Ching, one to watch in 2012

Arca Season Opener May 12, Motoplex Speedway, Vernon, BC

The first race on the Arca Ok Tire Series schedule had the teams travel to Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, BC. With countless laps and experience in Vernon Sarah and the #99 team always look forward to the events there. The team had been testing out a new setup which at the last practice session had been working extremely well and had everyone looking forward to competing with.

"I can't wait to try our  new setup against all the best talent in the province" said Cornett-Ching in the days leading up to the event. " We have been researching what we want and last practice gave me a lot of confidence in what we've been working on. Not only are we one of the only competitive teams who setup our own cars, but being able to compete for a win on any given night is a great feeling."

The first practice was a sign of good things to come as Sarah posted the third fastest speed of 21 cars. "The car was turning well but we needed more bite off the corner" said the talented young racer. The team didn't find the rear grip they were looking for in time ins which put them in p10.

With the invert in the field the #99 Snap-On Tools car would start on the pole of the fast 10 heat, with a great start and the rear grip the were looking for now in the car Sarah drove away with the race winning the 10 lapper by 4 car lengths. " It is a great feeling to put our car in victory lane to show our sponsors, crew and everyone who supports us we have what it takes, it also doesn't hurt to put a little fear in the competitors minds either!" said Sarah.

The Lordco 100 started off cleanly and Sarah got out to 2nd place right away. The field stretched out and she held the 2nd position for the first 60 laps. Sarah got a great start on the first restart of the day and held her spot but the second restart on the outside saw Sarah fall back in the outside lane.

Holding her line on the outside waiting for a spot to sneak back to the bottom would be where the trouble started for Cornett-Ching. A competitor a few car lengths back over drove into the 3/4 corner and slide up in the the side of the #99 car and that started a chain of events which ended with Sarah hitting the inside wall on the front straight away.

The car re-fired and Sarah was able to re join the field, unfortunately after the incident the car was no where near as quick as it had been in the beginning, finishing on the lead lap, keeping the car clean and passing a few cars in the closing laps would be the dashing end to a promising night for Cornett-Ching and her crew.

" Im disappointed with the finish but I can honestly say I can't wait for the next race May 26 in Williams Lake, BC we have a race car that's faster than a jet fighter and it will be in Victory Lane yet this year"

Check out www.sccracing.com for more updates and like www.facebook.com/sccracing for everything Sarah Cornett-Ching racing.

Become the Opportunity: part III – Three steps to creating productive relationships

by Adam Ross

If finding marketing partners for your racing career was easy - everybody would do it. Sure it’s not exactly the way the phrase was designed, but it applies. Every time I failed on the race track the same words fell out of my dad’s mouth; if it was easy, anybody could do it.
I can’t even describe the anger I would feel listening to it, but as time went by I understood what he meant more and more. As a young racer it’s hard to comprehend that you’re not as good as you’re going to get. In a sport that requires confidence to succeed it seems contradictory that you also need patience and humility.
Whether you race five times a year or 50 times a year I can assure you that you get more practice improving your racing skills than you do perfecting your marketing skills. Following that logic many racers never do succeed finding marketing partners because they never take the time to learn how. It’s not easy, and not anybody can do it. That’s precisely why you should learn how.
The phrase ‘Become the Opportunity’ was chosen as the theme for my series of blogs for a simple reason. If you change the way you look at ‘sponsorships’ (and I despise that word more every day in a racing context) you will realize that you’re not asking for sponsorships when you become the opportunity. When approaching a potential partner you are presenting an opportunity for them to market themselves. You are the opportunity, and they are the entity that will capitalize on you. You will receive their investment and offer them great return.
The entire process of creating a partnership takes time, and you have to invest energy, enthusiasm, creativity, and skill to make the partnership work. More than anything you need a plan, and your plan needs to have a goal. Whether you’re pitching an interview to the media, creating marketing partnerships, or even interviewing with a potential new team – you need a plan with goals. Why? How on earth will you know if you were successful if you didn’t set a goal and achieve it?
There are three basic steps you can apply to every relationship and every activity you create from a motorsports marketing standpoint:

1. Introduction
2. Call to action
3. Engagement

With your plan in place to nurture success you are ready to embark on your marketing journey. Media interviews, networking opportunities, trade shows, and daily activities will provide you ample opportunity to introduce yourself to potential partners. Without understanding that the introduction is merely the first of three steps it’s easy to shake a hand and walk away before realizing you left opportunity behind. Don’t leave opportunity behind.
Your introduction is the perfect opportunity to plant a proverbial seed. You not only want to introduce yourself, but you want to introduce a ‘call to action’. Simply stated – the call to action can be almost anything, but in this case you want the call to action to lead to further encounters. It’s hard to build a relationship when all you do is introduce yourself.
The call to action varies depending on the nature of the introduction, but it needs to lead directly to the engagement of your new relationship. If you are able to engage your new partner, then chances are you have earned the right to present an opportunity.
What’s your opportunity? That’s not for me to know, and it changes frequently. The opportunity is limited only by your imagination and the quality of the partners you have been able to harvest. What I can tell you is that the opportunity leads you back to step 1. When you ‘introduce’ the opportunity, it will again lead to a ‘call to action’, and once you are able to ‘engage’ your partner you can hope it leads to a marketing agreement.
The knowledge here doesn’t help you as a racer. Knowing how to apply the knowledge is where you will be able to achieve more than you thought possible.
Become the opportunity. Understand your potential. Seek guidance, and then go out and harvest relationships that lead to achieving your goals. If it was easy, anybody could do it. Good thing it isn’t easy because it’s worth knowing how do to it effectively.
For more information on the topics discussed in my blogs, email me at adamrossenterprises@gmail.com . If you’re interested in the RACE 101 program where we teach these principles among many others, visit us online at http://www.race101.net/ . Stay in touch for upcoming seminars in your area! Until then, work hard towards Becoming the Opportunity.

RACE101 Graduation Weekend (Premier Driver)

I had long anticipated the graduation weekend for RACE101 that took place last weekend. With hopes high to win the highly regarded Premier Driver Award my mother Elaine, father Kevin and crew member Dustin began our 14 hour drive south toward race city USA. I spent Thursday and Friday touring NASCAR race shops and taking in all that the motorsports oriented area had to offer. Saturday was of course the big day that all the RACE101 students of 2011 and 2012 had been waiting for. Who would be the next representative for RACE101 and who were the new RACE101 prospects for 2012?

As the evening drew nearer I relaxed and took the time to reflect on my time spent at RACE101 and all the accomplishments I had secured over the 2011 season as a result of the mentorship and knowledge I obtained in the program. I realized very quickly that no matter what the outcome and no matter how the awards were distributed I had already achieved my goals I had set at the beginning of the year.

The ceremony began with wise words from Adam Ross, Annamarie Strawhand and Tony Blanchard, mentors and founders of the RACE101 program. The energy was high in the room as parents and friends eagerly awaited for Adam to announce the graduates and award winners. My parents and I mingled with the Gage family over supper and talked racing for the minutes remaining. By this point my heart was racing and I had a feeling that I may be the one to shake Tony Blanchard's hand and receive the premier driver award. Although there was many other very deserving and hard working students I believed I had the extra edge needed to perform and represent the premier driver position. After a quick introduction of the premier driver award my name followed. " We ask you to please join us in welcoming.... Luke Whitteker." At this point I felt a huge sigh of relief. I did it! I had reached my goals and then some!It still feels a little surreal right now but I am motivated and ready to attack any task and take on the responsibility of being premier driver. I hope I make everyone proud!

I know that the students of RACE101 will go on to represent themselves and there racing careers to great success. They have all the strength and tools to reach any goals that they apply themselves to. As a representative of the RACE101 program and of RACE101 students I believe we are breed of our own and a forced to be reckoned with in the motorsports world. Keep an eye on each and every student!

Please visit www.lukewhitteker.com, http://www.facebook.com/lukewhittekermotorsports, https://twitter.com/#!/lukewhitteker

2012 RACE 101 Awards Gala & Dinner Recorded Broadcast from 2/11/12

 

Watch the entire broadcast from the 2012 RACE 101 Gala Awards Dinner and Graduation Ceremony. Originally streamed LIVE from the LaQuinta Inn and Suites in Hickory, NC on Saturday, February 11th 2012.   The event included the Graduating Class of 2011, plus special awards being presented to students and alumni as well as the naming of the 2012 Premier Driver. Also included is the introduction of the new 2012 class.

RACE 101 Gala and Graduation ceremony just days away; Event to stream live online at www.race101.net

February 7, 2012, DENVER, NC – RACE 101’s inaugural Gala Dinner and Graduation ceremony will be streamed live Saturday night from Hickory, North Carolina. The cybercast can be seen at www.race101.net, and it will start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday evening featuring the announcement of 2011’s graduating class along with special award recipients.

For the first time RACE 101 combined the graduation ceremony with the official introduction of the new class.

“It was important to us to combine a number of celebrations into the same event,” said RACE 101  co-founder and instructor Tony Blanchard. “We are honouring our graduates from last year’s class, but we also plan to introduce significant improvements to our program moving forward, and we wanted to include our new group as well.”

The program’s next Premier Driver will be introduced during Saturday’s Gala, and the faculty admits the decision was tough. One student among the graduating class will be named to compete in the RACE 101 Howe super late model for selected events in 2012.

“We learned that there’s no limit to what our students can achieve,” said co-found Anna Marie Strawhand. “They blew us away with their ambition and their ability to make great things happen. We have high expectations of all our graduates, but only one can be named Premier Driver. I’m confident that we made a great choice, and I’m excited to watch what all of our graduates achieve this year.”

Students from across North America attend RACE 101. It’s a program designed to assist young racers in their areas of need as they progress in the sport. The curriculum is balanced between technical understanding of a race car and its dynamics along with the marketing and media relations skills required to be successful.

“The Premier Driver is something every student wants to win,” said co-founder and instructor Adam Ross. “When you put a group of racers together and create a prize they’re going to compete for it. The Premier Driver is really a tool for us to promote the school, and it’s the best way for us to reward excellence. We believe every graduate should be excited for what lies ahead.”

Along with the Premier Driver title the school will name award winners in the categories of mechanical excellence and  marketing excellence along with a few categories that won’t be announced  until Saturday.

“The awards have great meaning to us,” said Blanchard. “We’re going to recognize some fantastic achievements, and we’re going to announce an initiative to keep our past graduates involved with the program. The knowledge we share is meant to help our racers throughout their careers even though the program is a one-year course.”

To stay informed on RACE 101 and its many students and graduates, visit www.race101.net. For interview requests or specific information, please email pr101@race101.net or adamrossenterprises@gmail.com .

Race 101 2011 Class Graduation Ceremony

Sarah Cornett-Ching Recaps her Year with Race 101
Summerland, BC, February 6th 2012   
    After what seemed like the quickest year ever, the 2011 Race 101 students are now taking the knowledge they have accumulated and putting it to the test on their own. Out of the 15 students in the class one will be chosen as the 2012 Premier Driver at the Graduation Ceremony on Saturday February 11th. For the first time the new class of 2012 will be there to join last years class and be introduced at the end of the Ceremony.

    Everyone is hoping to be named the 2012 Premier Driver and work with Tony Blanchard and the Race 101 house car next year but only one person will take the title.

   " It seems like it was just yesterday I found out I had been accepted into the program and would be making my first trip down to North Carolina, and now it has come time to chose next year's Premier Driver."
    "This past year is a blur, I know I tried my best at every assignment and had great success in my career due to that, but I can only hope it's enough to win the Premier Driver Award." Says the exuberant Cornett-Ching

    Learning something new about nearly every aspect of the race car doesn't even begin to encompass what was taught at the Race 101 shop in Denver, NC last year. After a weekend of classes to actually retain any of the information, vigorously taking notes and re-reading was a must.

   Sarah is proud to be graduating with her fellow students this weekend and has no regrets about her experience at Race 101. She will take everything she has learned with her wherever she races next and she will be able to use it to advance for the rest of her life. Race 101 is an amazing program designed to help young racers in their areas of need and it certainly does just that.

   

Champion Spark Plugs

Always a Champion Competition

Be sure to support Race 101 student Sarah Cornett-Ching in this competition by voting once a day and don't forget to leave a comment about her video!

http://contest.alwaysachampion.com/contests/showentry/1011998

RACE 101 kicks off third year announcing diverse group of students; New ‘Premier Driver’ to be named at inaugural Gala Awards Dinner

January 10, 2012, DENVER, NORTH CAROLINA – The inaugural RACE 101 Gala  Awards Dinner in February will feature graduation ceremonies for the class of 2011 along with the introduction of the 2012 class. Graduates are eager to learn who earned the vacant ride in the school’s Howe super late model with the title of Premier Driver.

Thirteen students completed the course in 2011, and they are being replaced by 18 eager racers from five states and two Canadian provinces.

“The selection process was harder this year than ever,” said RACE 101 co-founder and instructor Tony Blanchard. “We had more applicants than last year, and the overall quality of their resumes is impressive.”

RACE 101 welcomes its oldest student yet as 28-year-old Scott Wylie from Blasdell, New York, accepted his scholarship offer, and four female racers make this year’s group more diverse than years past.

“This will definitely be a competitive group,” said co-founder and instructor Anna Marie Strawhand. “We’ve all met online, and their enthusiasm to get started is overwhelming. I look forward to meeting them at our February class.”

The second weekend in February marks the first time two full classes converge. New students will spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday learning while graduating students will arrive Saturday for the Gala Dinner and Graduation.

“We want an event that celebrates what we are,” said co-founder and instructor Adam Ross. “Our goal is for every class to network together. The program is one year, but we have made life-long friends. We’re so proud of the racers we’ve had the opportunity to work with. We’re excited for this event.”

The Gala Dinner will showcase various award recipients, and it will also feature a surprise announcement or two.

 “We welcome anyone interested in knowing more about the program to attend the Gala Dinner,” said Blanchard. “Tickets are $25, and you can find information at race101.net. Tickets are only available in advance.”

Graduating students include: Daniel Alvarez - Chappells, South Carolina; Brandon Atkinson – Statesville, North Carolina; Sulo Burbank – Gorham, Maine; Sarah Cornett-Ching – Summerland, British Columbia; Mike Mahaney – King Ferry, New York; Bryce Malcolm – Simpsonville, South Carolina; Anthony Perez – Suffolk, Virginia; Shayne Pierce – Welland, Ontario; Derek Robbie – Bellingham, Massachusetts; Trevor Sanborn - Limerick, ME; Tommy Stilphen- Kennebunk, ME; Jerry Tunney – Clark’s Summit, Pennsylvania; and Luke Whitteker – Iroquois, Ontario.

The new class features: Shane Billings – Carleton Place, Ontario; Jordan Gahan – Fredericton, New Brunswick; Ian Isringhausen – Mooresville, North Carolina; Trey Jarrell – Martinsville, Virginia; Kase Kallenbach – Charlotte, North Carolina; Katelyn Kane – Syracuse, New York; Zach Knowles -  Mooresville, North Carolina; Kameron Kocarik – Fonthill, Ontario; Austin Kochenash – Danielsville, Pennsylvania; John Lowinski – Milford, Massachusetts; Garrett Marchant – Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina; Ryan Morris – Honeybrook, Pennsylvania; Tabatha Murphy – Prescott, Ontario; Casey Pierce – Lenoir, North Carolina; Steven Shaw – Merlin, Ontario; Caley Weese – Carrying Place, Ontario; April Wilson – Joyceville, Ontario; and Scott Wylie – Blasdell, New York.

The Gala Dinner and Graduation will be streamed live online at www.race101.net , and the ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 11th.

For more information on RACE 101 or Gala tickets visit www.race101.net . Information on our students can be found on the website. For interview or ticket requests, or for any information not found on the website please send inquiries to pr101@race101.net .

Photo: The Class of 2011 poses in front of the RACE 101 Shop/School during classes held last November, in Denver ,NC. This class will be graduating on February 11^th 2012 at The RACE 101 Gala Awards Dinner. The event will be streamed live via Race101.net  that evening and showcase various award recipients, including the naming of the Premier Driver, as well as introduce the new students. (Photo By Pam Russ)

Mike Mahaney - Perseverance

In November, we held our last class for the 2011 students, and one of the things we did was hold 'mock' sponsorship interviews. When I asked the question from each student to say one word that describes them at the end of the interview, student Mike Mahaney said 'Perseverance'.

I asked him to elaborate a bit on that and later I thought it would be good for him to put this in writing and send it to me. I was very impressed, I think you will be too, so I will share it with you here---

FROM MIKE MAHANEY:

"More than half my life has been devoted to fulfilling my dream: to race for a living. I grew up helping my Dad, the "Workshoe," with his dirt modified, learning everything I could. For years I was his only pit crew while really wanting to get behind the wheel myself. At age 14 I started driving everything I could get into - sometimes three days a week in four different classes! I have raced over twelve diffent types of cars: sprint cars, late models, modifieds, you name it. I went to college for a degree in Motorsports just to get the advantage of knowing every aspect of the cars. I'm currently enrolled in RACE101 to learn all I can improve that edge. I am constantly thinking about ways to go faster in a race car. I have worked in race-related jobs - sometimes three at a time - on top of maintaining my own cars, to keep learning while earning money to race. I then even quit a job building race engines that I enjoyed, to work closer to my shop and make more money to keep racing.

Many have told me there is nothing wrong with getting a good job and racing for fun. They could be right but I want to give 100% focus on winning races. All I want to do is race; it's what I love. Now at 22 years old I have 8 years behind the wheel with tremendous improvement and much success, but still no full time ride. My parents have been fully supportive of my goal but they can't afford to fund my racing forever, and they can't sell their farm when Marcos Ambrose offers a ride saying I have heaps of talent...just bring heaps of money. I was praised throughout Richard Petty's Driver Search but came in second to a driver with more pavement experience. I could have given up right there and said maybe I'm just a weekend hobby racer, but I just can't let it go. I will never give up my dream. I will earn a living racing cars someday. That's Perseverance." 

Mike Mahaney is currently in the RACE 101 class of 2011 and will graduate from our program in February, when we hold our Graduation and Awards Ceremony.  Learn more about Mike Mahaney and all our students on our Class Roster: http://www.race101.net/roster2011.html

Marketing yourself in racing; Become the 'Opportunity' Part I

by: Adam Ross

Opportunity is knocking somewhere. If you’re listening for it you’re on the wrong side of the door.
By nature most people want opportunity to knock. Who doesn’t? But if you put in the effort to make yourself and your racing endeavour the appealing entity it should be then you can become the opportunity for somebody and their business or organization.
I plan to write a series of blogs to share my experiences in the racing business. In many regions of North America motorsports at the grassroots level struggles to get the attention it deserves. In some areas racing is featured at nearly every level of the media. People aren’t that different across our land. If we put in reasonable effort to promote ourselves and our sport we can make a difference. We can each help the industry succeed, and in turn we help ourselves.
You’re likely familiar with the expression ‘opportunity doesn’t knock twice’. The truth is opportunity rarely knocks even once.
Racers and promoters often tell the same story when talking about sponsorship and advertising. They’ll work hard to promote their sponsors with websites, press releases, newsletters, car appearances, new professional car designs and the list goes on. In most cases they never get the chance because they’re never given the opportunity.
Step one towards improving your overall racing experience is to change your mindset. Rather than wait for opportunity to appear you need to become that opportunity. We all know people who are successful in racing - whether a driver or a track promoter or even someone operating a racing business. Why does one succeed while others struggle? While there’s no single answer to all of racing’s challenges there are recurring themes.
From here forward I’ll refer to the racer, promoter, or racing business person as the ‘Opportunity’. If we stop waiting for someone to recognize us for the greatness that we are and start to position ourselves the way we want to be, we then can become the Opportunity.
About Adam Ross
I plan to write blogs to include my experiences and some of the things we teach through RACE 101. To give some background I have been involved in motorsports my entire life. My parents met at a speedway, and I’ve had the racing bug as long as I can remember.
After a brief racing career consisting of kart racing and open wheel modifieds I turned my attention to motorsports public relations, writing, announcing, broadcasting, and marketing. My educational background is public relations, but like many in the motorsports industry I’ve received much of my education on the job.
I co-founded the motorsports educational program RACE 101 (an acronym for Research, Analyze, Consult, Educate, 1 on 1), and I instruct in the program with Tony Blanchard and AnnaMarie Strawhand. I’ve announced the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series since its inception in 2007, and I’m proud to also work as a play-by-play voice on many of its television broadcasts. I am co-owner of an online magazine Dirt Track Digest where I provide editorial content and race coverage, and I’m a proud partner of Motorsports Consultant Services.
If you have any questions or comments, please direct them to adamrossenterprises@gmail.com. For more information on any of the items I discuss please visit www.race101.net, www.dirttrackdigest.com, or www.motorsportsconsultantservices.com.

RACE 101 faculty faces difficult decision choosing next ‘Premier Driver’; Numerous students deserving of vacant position

December 16th, 2011, DENVER, NC - RACE 101’s next ‘Premier Driver’ will be announced during the annual RACE 101 graduation ceremony in Feburary. The ceremony will fill the spot left vacant since RACE 101 released current Premier Driver Trevor Edwards today.

“Choosing the right Premier Driver is a challenging task,” said RACE 101 founder and instructor, Tony Blanchard. “When you go to the races it’s easy to determine a winner. We use far more than results to determine our Premier Driver.”

RACE 101 was founded in 2009 by Blanchard along with seasoned public relations and marketing specialist AnnaMarie Strawhand and motorsports commentator and public relations specialist Adam Ross. An acronym for Research, Analyze, Consult, and Educate, 1 on 1 – the program was designed to offer aspiring racers the education they need to advance their careers.

“Racing has evolved to the point where a driver has to be their own best salesperson, spokesperson, and ambassador,” said AnnaMarie. “The days of a driver just getting behind the wheel are over.”
 

Our students have worked hard this year and applied what they have learned to their own racing careers.

RACE 101’s inaugural class graduated at the end of 2010. The class knew that one driver would be named Premier Driver, and that student would drive the RACE 101 Howe super late model in selected races the following year. The competition motivated students to execute the skills they learned through attending classes at RACE 101’s Denver, North Carolina, headquarters, and through online webinars throughout the year.

“Earning the Premier Driver title is definitely motivational for the students,” said Ross. “But I think often times they put too much emphasis on the title when they should be celebrating their achievements. “Only one student will get that title, but we’ve already seen that our graduates accomplish great things with or without our race car.”
 

Graduates from the 2010 class have made significant waves in their respected areas. Florida’s Michael Cenzi entered the program with no concrete racing plans in 2010. The family owned a late model, but the series he hoped to compete in struggled to form a schedule. Cenzi focused on a safe-driving campaign that drew the support of the American Automobile Association among other businesses. He campaigns throughout Florida educating young people on not texting while driving.

RACE 101 Alumni driver, Amanda Ferguson, speaks to this year's class at our open house in November.

Amanda Ferguson left sprint car racing for super late models, and the young Florida racer also makes frequent public appearances to promote herself and her sponsors. Virginia native and RACE 101 graduate Clifton Savage won the program’s public relations award in 2010. The youngster organized and executed a successful charity race while attending RACE 101, and the second annual event in 2011 was even more successful.

The RACE 101/Howe Super Late Model Debuted this past spring at the PASS 150 event at North Wilkesboro Speedway with driver Trevor Sanborn. The car was fast right out of the box, and Sanborn offered good feedback on the car that helped all season.

 “The RACE 101 car is important because even though we teach principles that apply to any division and any driver we still need to perform on the track as well,” said Blanchard. “We took our car to North Wilkesboro with Trevor Sanborn as the driver this spring, and I think we turned some heads when we were fastest in practice.

“We need to combine the success of our students in the program with success on the track. That’s why we’re making a few adjustments for 2012.”

Sanborn relocating to North Carolina to work full-time in RACE 101 shop:

2011 RACE 101 Student, Trevor Sanborn has opted out of the Premier Driver contention. He has come on board with RACE 101 as an instructor, mechanic and R&D driver for RACE 101 owner Tony Blanchard. Here he is shown working with one of Tony Blanchard's younger drivers as an assistant driving coach a few weeks ago.

Trevor Sanborn earned a scholarship to the 2011 RACE 101 program. The 23-year-old Maine native arrived with impressive credentials. He has won numerous super late model races including PASS events, but he knew there was still plenty to learn.

Sanborn and Blanchard recently agreed that Sanborn should remove himself from contention for the ‘Premier Driver’ title. In January he will move to North Carolina to work full-time in Blanchard’s shop helping with the RACE 101 car and with Blanchard’s numerous clients.
Sanborn will serve as a mentor and driving coach in 2012. He will also compete in Blanchard’s super late model and serve as test driver.
“Trevor’s ability behind the wheel will be an asset to my business,” said Blanchard. “Not only will he be a huge help to our next Premier Driver, but he will also help us maintain our race cars. The competition will have to watch out.”

The RACE 101 house car competed just a few times this year. Edwards drove at Winchester Speedway, South Boston Speedway, and most recently at Hickory Motor Speedway where he enjoyed his best finish of 10th place.
Edwards was released as RACE 101 Premier Driver this week after a series of decisions the faculty agreed were unbecoming of RACE 101’s core values. The role will remain vacant until the February graduation ceremony.

Students in contention for the title include: Daniel Alvarez, Chappells, South Carolina; Brandon Atkins, Statesville, North Carolina; Sulo Burbank, Gorham, Maine; Sarah Cornett-Ching, Summerland, British Columbia; Mike Mahaney, King Ferry, New York; Bryce Malcolm, Simpsonville, South Carolina; Anthony Perez, Suffolk, Virginia; Shayne Pierce, Welland, Ontario; Derek Robbie, Bellinngham, Massachusetts; Tommy Stilphen, Kennebunk, Maine; Jerry Tunney, Clark’s Summit, Pennsylvania; and Luke Whitteker, Iroquois, Ontario.
 

To learn more about RACE 101 and the students competing to become the next Premier Driver, visit www.race101.net. For interviews, please contact race101pr@gmail.com.
 

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HOLIDAY OFFER!! - RACE 101 BUMP STOP INSTRUCTIONAL DVD

RACE 101 is offering our new bumpstop instructional DVD for pre-sale to racers and racing families looking for the perfect last-minute stocking stuffer for their Christmas and Hannukah shopping this season.

 

   

Special Holiday pricing of only $39.99 includes free USPS Priority mail shipping!

 

>>CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR DVD AT RACE101.NET<<

Bubba Pollard WINS with RACE 101 Bump Stops! 

Bubba Pollard - 2011 Snowball Derby Polesitter and 2011 CRA South Champion

Click here to order our revolutionary 101 designed Bump Stops.

VIDEO - RACE 101 DOCUMENTARY - BUILDING A BETTER DRIVER

Documentary video about the RACE 101 Program. Learn more about our current class of up and coming race drivers, what they have learned to better their own racing programs this year on both the mechanical and marketing side. Meet the faculty and see our alumni racing student success stories. Now accepting applications for our 2012 racing scholarship program - apply online: www.race101.net

Premier Driver Prediction Poll Closed

We were experiencing technical difficulties with the poll so we chose to close it this morning. We want to thank you all for voting and the students who worked very hard to gain votes - you really impressed us.  At the end, Daniel Alvarez, Luke Whitteker and Sarah Cornett-Ching were all running within a few votes of each other!

Here was the final poll tally as of this morning:

Daniel Alvarez- 166 (20%)

Brandon Atkinson - 7 (0%)

Sulo Burbank - 85 (10%)

Sarah Cornett-Ching - 168 (20%)

Amanda Lynch- 1 (0%)

Mike Mahaney - 5 (0%)

Bryce Malcolm - 111 (13%)

Anthony Perez - 49 (5%)

Shayne Pierce - 6 (0%)

Derek Robbie- 21 (2%)

Trevor Sanborn-  27 (3%)

Tommy Stilphen - 0 (0%)

Jerry Tunney - 6 (0%)

Bryan Ward- 1 (0%)

Luke Whitteker -167 (20%)

Premier Driver Prediction Poll Update

UPDATE: The poll is set to only allow ONE vote per PERSON. Not one vote per day. We apologize for any confusion.  Our students are doing a GREAT job garnering votes for themselves so keep checking back to see who is in the lead!

DISCLAIMER: This POLL does not have any bearing on who will be chosen as the 2012 Premier Driver. This is for the drivers/students to use their promotional skills to garner votes for themselves and for RACE 101 to get a feel for what drivers/students are most interactive and in touch with their fan base.

Thanks for participating in our poll!

~*~SARAH CORNETT-CHING~*~

I am writing this blog to convince all you voters coming to this page that I am the driver you should vote for!

This year I have put together a strong season from marketing to charity work to on track performances. With my first win in a Limited Late Model and two podium finishes I proved myself a competitor every race day. I also made my debut in the Nascar Canadian Tire Series and ran in the top ten until a flat tire relegated me to 14th.

Vote for Sarah Cornett-Ching!

**LUKE WHITTEKER** RACE101

Luke Whitteker & RACE101 Students "Race" to the Polls

I'm sure you've heard already that RACE101 has set up a polling block on the right of the RACE101 blogger homepage. Here you will find all the students who received scholarships to the 1 year program held in Denver, North Carolina. The poll was put in place to see how loyal each racer's fan base is. This poll does not decide the winner of the Premier Driver award but merely measures the strength of the relationship between fan and driver. This is a great opportunity to show you support for your favorite driver and give them a boost of confidence that they can carry into their next season of racing and beyond. I am very grateful for all of the support I have received so far from my fans and I hope I can continue to build stronger relationships and continue to impress!

My time at RACE101 has been an amazing learning experience. I have learned many great marketing tips and gained self confidence that has helped me exceed my expectations for myself. I have learned how to think outside the box and how to be more patient with myself. I owe a lot of my success to my mentors at RACE101 for giving me the tools to improve myself as an individual and as a race car driver. I recommend the RACE101 program to any young racer looking to take their careers to the next level.

Take our online POLL: Who do you predict will be named the 2012 RACE 101 Premier Driver?

IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS A POLL ONLY - NOT A CONTEST. WE ARE ONLY USING THIS TO SEE WHAT FANS HAVE BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF EACH STUDENT/DRIVER'S PROGRESS IN OUR PROGRAM. IT HAS NO BEARING ON WHO WILL BE CHOSEN AS PREMIER DRIVER.  SCROLL OVER TO THE SIDEBAR ON THIS PAGE TO TAKE POLL.  ONE VOTE PER PERSON. POLL OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 1ST.

To learn more about each driver currently in our program please see the 2011 class roster:


http://www.race101.net/roster2011.html

The RACE 101 Premier Driver is a student chosen from each yearly graduating class by the RACE 101 faculty. This student must have fully completed the program and worked hard to complete all assignments and attend all classes throughout the year. This student must show improvement in a variety of skills and have implemented these skills on all levels of our curriculum. He or she must be a leader, mentor and positive representative for the program and fellow students. The Premier Driver will be named at the Official Graduation and Award Ceremony in January. The Premier Driver is awarded the opportunity to drive in selected events in the RACE 101/Howe Super Late Model House Car, and officially represent and make appearances on behalf of RACE 101, and our program sponsors and partners.

Please feel free to comment below on any student/driver in our program and why you feel that they would make a good candidate for the 2012 RACE 101 Premier Driver.

Our Students are down to the final homestretch - who will earn the Premier Driver Title and Drive the RACE 101 House Car in 2012?

School is out for RACE 101 Class of 2011;
Final project will determine RACE 101’s next Premier Driver

November 10, 2011, DENVER, NC - RACE 101 held its final classroom sessions of 2011 last weekend in Denver, North Carolina. The battle to earn Premier Driver for 2012 is intense with just weeks until graduation.
“In racing you’re generally measured by your results on the race track,” said program founder Tony Blanchard. “We look for much more from our Premier Driver. We will choose a driver who is balanced with technical, marketing, and media skills, but most importantly we will choose a driver who exemplifies the core values of RACE 101.”
The students were overwhelmed with studies of chassis dynamics, geometry, and impromptu interviews at RACE 101 headquarters. The group also enjoyed a review of goals surpassed during the year.
“The upcoming Premier Driver is going to have a great deal of responsibility,” said instructor Anna Marie Strawhand. “We’ve discovered that our students learn a lot from each other, and it has been exciting to see relationships develop.
“Our Premier Driver will need to manage his or her own career while serving as a role model for current, former, and future students.”
The Premier Driver will also have the opportunity to test and race the RACE 101 Howe house car with McGunegill horsepower in 2012.

RACE 101 Ambassador program introduced
Faculty also introduced the RACE 101 Ambassador program which will keep graduated students actively involved for years to come.
 “We have been honored by our students from 2010 who want to stay involved with the program mentoring current students and speaking to current and potential students,” said instructor Adam Ross. “We’re proud of every graduate of the program, but we’ve recognized an opportunity for certain graduates to stay involved. There is nothing more rewarding than knowing that we’ve touched lives.”
RACE 101’s Premier Driver will be introduced during the graduation ceremony in January of 2012, but not before students complete their final assignment which embodies all of what they have learned during the program.
For more information on RACE 101, visit www.race101.net . Each student has a blog along with their own profile page. For interview requests, please contact pr101@race101.net .