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< Back to News Home Home Race, Family and Friends Party and Championships all on the line for Team Sahlen at Grand Am Grand Finale at Mid-Ohio

Posted (08/29/2011) -

It’s hard to pick the single item that is creating the big excitement for Team Sahlen at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

 

Pick the Story Line and it is exciting:

-      Ohioans Joe, Wayne and Will Nonnamaker racing in their home state race in the final event of the 2011 Grand American ROLEX season

 

-      Team Sahlen having their annual home race blow out party for Family and Friends

 

-      ROLEX Manufacturer’s Championship is on the line, with Team Sahlen working to assist Mazda in repeating their GT crown from 2010.

 

-      Wayne Nonnamaker in contention to claim the GT Class Bob Akin Sportsman Award

 

-      Sahlen’s Western New York Flash celebrating their Professional Women’s Soccer Championship they won in Penalty Kick shootout 2 weeks ago

 

The Nonnamaker family is no stranger to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Father Joe Nonnamaker 1st raced at the track in 1974 in his Ford Pinto.  As the years progressed, both Will and Wayne ventured to the track to assist their Dad as part of his crew.  Then as each brother reach of age, they too took to the track to race around the twisty road course in central Ohio.  Through the years the three Nonnamakers have enjoyed reaching victory lane in many different categories of Sports Car racing.

 

For 2011, Wayne Nonnamaker is hoping to reach Victory Lane one more time at Mid-Ohio.  If Wayne can accomplish the goal of Victory at Mid-Ohio in the GT class of the Grand American ROLEX series, he will be able to check off to significant awards in one stroke – Win the Bob Akin Sportsman Award and most importantly secure Mazda the ROLEX GT class Manufacturer Title. 

 

“For our team, the goal at the start of the 2011 season was to be of assistance in assisting Mazda in repeating as the GT class Manufacturer’s Champion.  I can think of no better way to ensure that goal, than to secure a victory at Mid-Ohio.  On a personal level, it would be great to be able to secure the Bob Akin Sportsman Award.  I am currently leading the standings, so finishing 1st would guarantee winning the award.  This would be extra special, since I would be the exact same age as my brother Will was when he won the award in 2005.” – shared Wayne Nonnamaker

 

Driving the Team Sahlen #42 Mazda RX-8 with Wayne Nonnamaker will be John Edwards - "Mid-Ohio is a great track! The Mazdas were fast there last year, and I was even leading until I got hit and knocked back to P2 near the end of the 2010 race. I am sure we will be fast again in the Sahlen Mazda, and hopefully can score a win to close out the season!"

 

“Mid-Ohio is the home track for this team so there is some pressure to perform. The car has shown speed all year with two poles and 2nd place finishes. This track has a little bit of everything and we look to carry the momentum into the weekend and really hope all our hard work pays off!” – Catherine Crawford Wallace – Lead Engineer for Team Sahlen

 

Besides starting the #42 RX-8, Wayne will be a busy driver, as he will be finishing the Team Sahlen #43 entry that will be started by the patriarch of the Nonnamaker family – Joe Nonnamaker.  Joe shares his thoughts on the weekend - “We are very excited to be racing at Mid-Ohio as the season finale.  For years the SCCA Runoffs where held here in September.  So this track is no stranger to being the capstone to a season long adventure of racing.  Team Sahlen always has lots of family and friends at this event every year.  We throw a big party, with a cookout. Sometimes we see people at this race we have seen in years.  Its great.  This is a wonderful track, and to have it in our own back yard makes it perfect.  Hopefully we can go out and put on a good show for our fellow buckeyes.”

 

Team Sahlen will also be entering a 3rd Mazda RX-8 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.  The #49 entry will be driven by Joe Sahlen and Will Nonnamaker.  For the entire 2011 race season, the #49 entry has been branded with the “Flashy” Western New York Flash Soccer paint scheme.  This cross promotional marketing was a tie-in for Sahlen’s and Mazda.  The Western New York Flash are owned by the Sahlen organization, and for the 2nd straight year, MAZDA USA were the primary presenting sponsor for the soccer team.  This included having the Mazda logo on the front of the players jerseys.  The #49 paint scheme even included the roof being decaled as a soccer ball to integrate the cross promotion.   In 2010, the Flash won the Division II W-League Women’s National Title.  Then for 2011, Sahlen’s stepped the team up to the Premier Division Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS).  During the rookie year in the league, the Western New York Flash held tough with the competition, and at the end of the year, secured the regular season title.  Then to cap off the year, the Flash defeated the Philadelphia Independence in the Championship game to be crowned the 2011 WPS Champion.  At this weekend’s Mid-Ohio race, the Championship trophies garnered by the Flash will be on display for fans to see.

 

“It was a very exciting season for the Flash. Moving up to the Women’s Professional Soccer was a big step for the organization.  But the entire group at the Western New York Flash stepped up and did a great job.  With the Women’s World Cup going on this summer , our head coach Aaran Lines did a great job in juggling a roster of different players throughout the season.  To win the title on Penalty Kicks was very stressful, but we made it through and were able to secure the title.  Now its fun to be at Mid-Ohio and celebrate that championship with the Team Sahlen crew, family, friends and fans.”  – shared Joe Sahlen

 

The Grand American ROLEX event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will be televised live on SPEEDTV at 3 pm et., September 18th.

 

The 2011 Team Sahlen GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 is supported by Mazda, Mazdaspeed, HRPWorld.com, Cool Shirt, Racetech Seats, BBS, Racing Print Media, Alcon, Mothers Polish, EMCO, NGK Spark Plugs, TheRaceSite.com, Western New York Flash, Grassroots Motorsports, Castrol Oil, Holliday Canopies, ASC Industries, Iannetti  Design Ideas, CM Racing


 

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