Shea Racing Caps Off the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge Season on the Podium
- Nov 13, 2013
"There's definitely a different emotional feeling between being a driver and a team co-owner," Holbrook reflects. "Being a driver, there's a lot of self-gratification, because from the green to the checker, it's all up to the driver to get the job done. The saying 'there's no I in team' absolutely holds true when it comes to being a co-owner. Everything you do is just one piece of the puzzle. Being it was our first year as a multi-car effort, I honestly couldn't be happier with our end results. We proved we can run out front. We built quality racecars and never had any major issues. We had solid drivers behind the wheel, and the teams overall work ethic was fantastic. Some may say we're the underdog in this game, but we're running without a leash, and we're looking to build upon what we have for the 2014 season."
Shea Racing Team capped off their season on a high note by earning their first podium finish at the Grand Prix of Houston. P.J. Groenke, the driver of the No. 66 Mulligan Gold, Tundra Technical Solutions, Verax.ca, Honda Fit finished 4th in race one, and then secured his first Pirelli World Challenge podium in the second race with a 3rd place finish, positioning him 6th overall in the Touring Car B-Spec Championship. Groenke was also awarded the "Grassroots to Glory Award" for the strides he's made this season. "Very gratifying," was Holbrook's reaction to the podium finish. "And I'm extremely proud of the effort the whole team put in to achieve that. Many times Shea Racing drivers were in positions to secure podiums, but unfortunately the things we can't control, seemed to get us up until the last race. P.J. Groenke charged to the front in practice and in the race, and it was a very deserving 3rd place finish." In their inaugural year as a three, and sometimes four-car team, Shea Racing completed the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge season with three top-10 finishes in the Touring Car and Touring Car B-Spec Championships.
Holbrook, piloting the K&N supported No. 67 TRUECar, Hendrick Honda, Lucas Oil, Radium, Honda Fit, ran as high as 3rd in race one in Houston, before an incident caused her to slide back to sixth where she ultimately finished. Despite the first-year adjustment period of being pulled in various directions, Holbrook managed a solid 7th place finish in the championship. The team's third top-10 championship was delivered by Jon Miller, driver of the No. 68 Titan Motorsports, loudbasstard, TRUECar, Honda Civic Si. Although Miller was unable to attend the final race, he still finished 4th in the Touring Car Championship. Brian Fowler in his No. 65 TRUECar, Tundra Technical Solutions, Ford Fiesta, had his best finishes at the demanding Huston street course, securing an 11th and 12th place finish respectively. Despite running a partial season, Fowler still finished 19th in the Touring Car B-Spec Championship. "It can be pretty stressful," Holbrook remarked about her first year multitasking duties. "We definitely had more highs than lows though, which is a great thing, but there were things I came across that I'll handle better next year, having now gone through it. This year was a great learning process and I definitely know how to be better prepared for next season. When you have good people to stand with you, and they share the same vision, then collectively you can get the job done." "There's no secret that I'm always making sure our drivers and crew are being taken care of. I take pride that Shea Racing is a place where a driver can find a sense of family, increase their marketability, and to present a stage where the driver and sponsors can uniquely build their own brand using us as a platform. If we can help a young driver land a sponsorship deal to come racing with us, we'll do that. In turn, they've helped me to refocus my attention on the corners ahead, instead of just seeing the one in front of me." About the remainder of 2013 Shea Holbrook says "Racing-wise getting in the car as much as possible during the off season is crucial. I'm focusing my attention on the 2014 season, which will take up a lot of time, and we're already ahead of pace. Next year should be a really great year for me. I've been looking forward to doing some other things, and with the support from partners, my family and fans, I think we'll achieve the goals we have set out. In January I'm also re-launching the social media campaign I started this year – Steel Ovary Nation! It should be really cool!" |
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| Related K&N News Articles about Pirelli World Challenge & Shea Holbrook: Shea Holbrook Racing Earns Pirelli World Challenge Championship Points at Lime Rock Grand Prix; Shea Holbrook's Team Fast & Furious Top the Fireball Run and Raise Awareness for Missing Children; Shea Holbrook's Newly Expanded Team Starts 2013 Pirelli World Challenge Season Strong; Pirelli World Challenge Racer Shea Holbrook Prepares for 2013 Race Season |
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