{"id":11005,"date":"2025-04-05T18:54:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-05T18:54:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/?p=11005"},"modified":"2025-04-05T18:56:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-05T18:56:11","slug":"joe-sahlen-enters-his-20th-season-of-racing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/05\/joe-sahlen-enters-his-20th-season-of-racing\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Sahlen enters his 20th Season of Racing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">This season marks Joe\nSahlen\u2019s 20<sup>th<\/sup> year of racing.&nbsp;&nbsp;\nWhile many racers start their adventure in their early 20s, Joe Sahlen\nwas instead very busy building up and growing the Sahlen Packing Company.&nbsp; Instead, Joe took the \u201cPaul Newman\u201d route to racing.&nbsp; This is not to say that Joe did not always\nhave a passion for racing.&nbsp; Even as far\nback as the 1970s, Joe and his wife Anita would roll up to Watkins Glen\nInternational in their company econvan to campout and watch the Formula 1\nrace.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/FastCarphotos-MOCC238522-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11008\" width=\"373\" height=\"559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/FastCarphotos-MOCC238522-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/FastCarphotos-MOCC238522-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/FastCarphotos-MOCC238522-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/FastCarphotos-MOCC238522-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/FastCarphotos-MOCC238522.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 373px) 100vw, 373px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Joe\u2019s passion for racing\ncontinued to grow and then into the late 90s Joe itched his need for speed by\nattending Chin Motorsports Track Days with his trusty Ford Focus as well as Bob\nBondurant Driving School\u2019s Ford Mustangs.&nbsp;\nAs well, Sahlen Packing started their long term association with Watkins\nGlen International for the Sahlen\u2019s Six Hours of the Glen.&nbsp; This long and winding path finally reached an\napex in 2004 with a chance encounter with the Nonnamaker family and their\nEndurance Sports Car Team.&nbsp; Soon\nthereafter, Joe was behind the wheel of one of the team\u2019s Porsche 911s at Roar\nbefore the 24 Test Days at Daytona.&nbsp; Joe\nwas immediately hooked with the fast intense action of the Michelin Pilot Cup\nand started his racing adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MidOhio-helmet.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11010\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MidOhio-helmet.jpg 600w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MidOhio-helmet-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Joe contested his 1<sup>st<\/sup>\nseason in the Porsche 911 in the Grand Sports Class, as well as a Dodge SRT4 in\nthe Sports Touring Class.&nbsp; Soon Joe was\nracing on tracks all over North America, including trips to the Dominican\nRepublic plus Ontario &amp; Quebec Canada.&nbsp;\nOver the next couple of seasons Joe expanded his portfolio of race cars\nto include a Chevrolet Corvette C6, Porsche GT3 Cup, Mazda RX8, Mazda RX8 GT\nand Mazdaspeeed3.&nbsp; Then in 2013, Joe achieved\nevery racer\u2019s dream of driving a Prototype in the ROLEX 24 Hours.&nbsp; And additionally, he was able to also drive\nthis beast of a racer at his Sahlen\u2019s Six Hours of the Glen.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/AERMO2021c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11011\" width=\"301\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/AERMO2021c.jpg 516w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/AERMO2021c-199x300.jpg 199w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 301px) 100vw, 301px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Joe\u2019s on track success\nreally took off in the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> Ten Years of his racing adventures.&nbsp; In the past decade Joe has raced in the Tire\nRack \u2013 ChampCar Endurance Series, Summit Racing \u2013 American Endurance Racing,\nWorld Racing League presented by Hagerty and the Lucky Dog Racing League\npresented by Hankook Tire.&nbsp; In those\nseries Joe has raced a wide variety of machinery including the Mazda RX7, Audi\nR8 GT3 Ultra, Porsche Cayman, Porsche Cayman GT4 PDK and Porsche Boxster.&nbsp; With these Team Sahlen racers, Joe has rung\nup over 20+ victories and 40+ podiums.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1070-v2-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11015\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1070-v2-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1070-v2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1070-v2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1070-v2-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1070-v2.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">And as Joe enters his 20<sup>th<\/sup>\nyear, he is showing no signs of slowing down.&nbsp;\nIn fact, Joe recently secured the OVERALL Victory at the 14 Hours of Daytona\nin the Tire Rack \u2013 ChampCar Endurance Series. Most poignantly, occurring 20\nyears after Joe\u2019s 1<sup>st<\/sup> racing adventure that was at Daytona and in a\nPorsche as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"686\" src=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChampCarPitt2021aa-1024x686.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11016\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChampCarPitt2021aa-1024x686.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChampCarPitt2021aa-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChampCarPitt2021aa-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChampCarPitt2021aa.jpg 1161w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Joe Sahlen shared his thoughts on the past 20 years \u2013 <em>\u201cI don\u2019t believe if you ask me back in 2005 if I would still be racing 20 years later, that I would have said yes.&nbsp; But here I am, still having a lot of fun and having great success on track.&nbsp; As I reflect back on all the cars I have driven, its quite a different assortment of machinery.&nbsp; It is hard to say which is my favorite.&nbsp; I have to say though that these Porsche Boxsters we are racing now are amazing to drive.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Joe-Sahlen-2500-lap-club-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11012\" width=\"340\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Joe-Sahlen-2500-lap-club-1.jpg 569w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Joe-Sahlen-2500-lap-club-1-243x300.jpg 243w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Joe\u2019s long term co-driver Will Nonnamaker had this to share \u2013 <em>\u201cJoe and I have been driving together now for 2 decades.&nbsp; For having never raced before, Joe took to on track competition like a duck to water.&nbsp; Its funny, but like a fine wine, I think Joe is now driving as well as he ever has. And the proof in the pudding is the recent string of Overall wins that we have secured in the past year.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"572\" src=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pitt-Joe-WIll-2-1024x572.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11009\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pitt-Joe-WIll-2-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pitt-Joe-WIll-2-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pitt-Joe-WIll-2-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pitt-Joe-WIll-2.png 1457w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>2025 Team Sahlen Campaign Partners:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">honeybeeBase.com, Malco Products, Porsche Beachwood, Discovery\nParts, ECS Tuning, Tarett Engineering, Guard Transmission, HubstandsPRO, Maxima\nRacing Oil, Pagid Brakes, NGK Spark Plugs, CM Racing Products, Grassroots\nMotorsports Magazine, Design Engineering Inc., OMP Racing, Bell Racing, Forgeline\nWheels, Optima Batteries, All-Fit Automotive, Capri Tools, Fabspeed Motorsport,\nEibach &amp; Valco Cincinnati with Big Wrench Racing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_4745-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11007\" width=\"319\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_4745-1.jpg 239w, https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_4745-1-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 319px) 100vw, 319px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This season marks Joe Sahlen\u2019s 20th year of racing.&nbsp;&nbsp; While many racers start their adventure [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11006,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11005"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11020,"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11005\/revisions\/11020"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teamsahlen.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}