LE MANS, Fra., ---Race week has arrived in Le Mans, France for the 84th running of the world’s oldest active sports car endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Riding the momentum of a highly successful season to date, Tequila Patrón ESM returns for their second consecutive year, entering two cars in the 60 car field. The black and white Tequila Patrón ESM Ligier JS P2 Nissans will compete in the P2 class, currently the largest field of this year’s running, with 23 cars listed.

The driver lineups for the Tequila Patrón ESM cars will remain the same, with Scott Sharp, Ed Brown and Johannes van Overbeek sharing the duties in the No. 30 car, and Ryan Dalziel, Chris Cumming and Luis Felipe “Pipo” Derani in the No. 31. Van Overbeek leads the charge for the best Le Mans finish of the No. 30 drivers after his third place finish in the GT class in 2005. This year will mark Sharp’s third Le Mans, and second for Brown, President and CEO of the Patrón Spirits Company. Ryan Dalziel is the only Tequila Patrón ESM driver to grace the top step of the Le Mans podium, winning the LMP2 class in 2012. Cumming and Derani both made their Le Mans debuts in 2015. Cumming’s race ended early with a gearbox problem, but Derani earned an impressive fourth place finish.

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Detroit, Mich. - After making a very promising start to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship visit to Detroit, Visit Florida Racing’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers took a sudden turn for the worse on Lap 10 when the No. 90 Corvette Daytona Prototype made heavy contact with the tire wall.

The contact caused significant damage to the right side of the iconic blue Visit Florida Chevrolet Corvette, and the damage was further exacerbated by a second hit when the car was hit by another Corvette DP that had no chance to take avoiding action.

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Belle Isle, Mich. (3 June 2016) – In his first-ever race at the Belle Isle street circuit, Marc Goossens put the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype on the front row for the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers. Goossens’ fast lap time of 1:23.863-seconds was just .048-seconds off of the pole time as he rounded out the all-Chevy front row at the track located in the shadow of Chevrolet’s headquarters.

Goossens and co-driver Ryan Dalziel worked with the Visit Florida Racing team to dial in the Daytona Prototype machine through two practice sessions held earlier in the day.

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DRIVING AT DETROIT: Ryan Dalziel and Marc Goossens will drive the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype.

CHEVROLET SPORTS CAR CLASSIC PRESENTED BY METRO DETROIT CHEVY DEALERS: Round 5 of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship held through the streets of Belle Isle Park, a 2.34-mile temporary street course.
 
2016 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS – VISIT FLORIDA RACING: 3rd with 117 points after 4 of 10 rounds now complete.

STRENGTH IN DETROIT: Visit Florida Racing has shown strength at the Detroit street course event ever since IMSA first visited the venue in 2012. The team has brought home three top-five finishes including the pole position and a runner-up finish in 2014. 

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RIVIERA BEACH, Fla., — This June, FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) team Tequila Patrón ESM will return to France for its second effort at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, currently the world’s oldest sports car endurance event. Paul Mitchell Systems will join Tequila Patrón ESM as the primary sponsor of the legendary race, boasting a striking black and white livery on the pair of P2 Ligiers.

“We are so excited that Paul Mitchell has finally arrived to Le Mans racing,” said Paul Mitchell CEO John Paul DeJoria. “Our world distributors are looking forward to the race, and all of us thank our family, Patrón Spirits, for making this possible. This Tequila Patrón ESM team won both Sebring and Daytona. Look out France, here we come!”

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Saturday’s race at the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps can only be described as dramatically unpredictable. The lead for the LMP2 class battle grew more intense as the hours went on, leading to a final lap battle for the podium steps. Tequila Patrón ESM earned a second podium finish of the 2016 WEC season, securing a third place finish in a tight points fight for the LMP2 class championship.

Throughout practice and qualifying the high downforce Nissan Ligiers struggled to find pace at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, despite topping the charts in the opening practice session. For the Tequila Patrón ESM Nissan Ligiers, the race began like any other, with Pipo Derani starting 8th in the No. 31, and Scott Sharp starting 12th in the No. 30. Both drivers advanced position during their opening stints, with the most impressive jump up the charts happening during the first round of pit stops. Derani pitted the car in 9th, and after a perfectly executed stop, the Brazilian left the pits four positions ahead in 5th.  During his opening stint, Sharp brought the No. 30 into the top 10 before passing the driving duties on to Johannes van Overbeek.

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Starts last, finishes second for encore podium result at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Monterey, Calif. (1 May 2016) – Visit Florida Racing showed on Sunday that even when it is raining, there is sun behind those clouds. Despite starting the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda over a minute behind the race leader, Visit Florida Racing drivers Marc Goossens and Ryan Dalziel finished the race in second place to notch the team’s best IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship result of the season so far.

Looking to make a vigorous defense of the team’s 2015 IMSA victory at the California track, Visit Florida Racing had been frustrated in the early practice and qualifying sessions during the weekend as the Corvette DP just didn't have the pace to be a front runner. But lots of data analysis, and another round of adjustments in the morning, saw the car improve come race time.

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Monterey, Calif. – Defending Continental Tire Grand Prix powered by Mazda race winners Visit Florida Racing will look to mount a strong push to the front on Sunday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as the team is set to start from the fourth row of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship grid.

The two-hour sprint will see Marc Goossens and Ryan Dalziel team in the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette DP as the duo hope to return the bright blue skies VISIT FLORIDA Corvette to victory lane for the second year in a row. With a pair of practice sessions on Friday followed by one full session  Saturday, the 15-minute qualifying session yielded a fast lap time of 1:19.652-seconds with Dalziel behind the wheel to lock in seventh on the GTLM and Prototype class field.

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DRIVING AT MAZDA RACEWAY: Ryan Dalziel and Marc Goossens will drive the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype.
 
CONTINENTAL TIRE MONTEREY GRAND PRIX POWERED BY MAZDA: Round 4 of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, a 2.238-mile track with 11 corners featuring the famous Corkscrew.
 
2016 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 4th with 84 points

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Continuing an impressive run in 2016, Tequila Patrón ESM earned a second place finish on Sunday at the World Endurance Championship (WEC) season opening race at the 6 Hours of Silverstone. The finish marks the team’s third podium finish in three races, following record setting wins at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and the Twelve Hours of Sebring in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

The team returned for a second full season in the WEC with a two car effort. Starting the event in 10th, the driver lineup for the No. 30 Nissan Ligier JS P2 consisted of Team Owner Scott Sharp, Tequila Patrón CEO Ed Brown and ESM veteran Johannes van Overbeek. Ryan Dalziel, Chris Cumming and Pipo Derani completed the team lineup in the No. 31 Nissan Ligier JS P2, leading the team qualifying effort with a 2nd place result.

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Continuing an impressive run in 2016, Tequila Patrón ESM earned a second place finish on Sunday at the World Endurance Championship (WEC) season opening race at the 6 Hours of Silverstone. The finish marks the team’s third podium finish in three races, following record setting wins at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and the Twelve Hours of Sebring in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

The team returned for a second full season in the WEC with a two car effort. Starting the event in 10th, the driver lineup for the No. 30 Nissan Ligier JS P2 consisted of Team Owner Scott Sharp, Tequila Patrón CEO Ed Brown and ESM veteran Johannes van Overbeek. Ryan Dalziel, Chris Cumming and Pipo Derani completed the team lineup in the No. 31 Nissan Ligier JS P2, leading the team qualifying effort with a 2nd place result.

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The FIA World Endurance Championship season officially begins this weekend with the 6 Hours of Silverstone, the first of nine races on the 2016 calendar. Tequila Patrón ESM is returning to the sports car endurance racing series with two Nissan-powered Ligier JS P2s, and a driver lineup to be feared.

Returning drivers Ed Brown, Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek will share the No. 30 Tequila Patrón ESM Ligier. The trio, and Brazilian driver Pipo Derani, have already enjoyed great success this season, winning the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, the first team to do so since 1998. Derani will join team newcomer Chris Cumming and ESM veteran Ryan Dalziel in the No. 31 Tequila Patrón ESM Ligier.

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Sebring, Fla. (19 March 2016) - Visit Florida Racing survived a treacherous run through the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in a race that saw variable Florida weather conditions throughout. The 64th running of the historic event opened under dry and sunny conditions, followed by race-stopping torrential rain, and finished under the always challenging Sebring blanket of darkness.

Drivers Marc Goossens, Ryan Dalziel, and Ryan Hunter-Reay persevered through some of the most challenging race conditions in Sebring 12-hour history to bring home a fifth place finish.

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Sebring, Fla. – The rich annual tradition of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring will continue on Saturday as the 64th running of the annual endurance challenge will take the green flag at 10:40 AM ET (live broadcast: FOX Sports 1, 10:30 AM ET).

The race marks Round 2 of the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as the Sebring crowd greets nearly 50 cars set for 12 hours of battle on the fabled 3.74-mile circuit.

Looking to build from a podium finish in the opening race at Daytona International Speedway,  Visit Florida Racing will start from the third row of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette DP of drivers Ryan Dalziel, Marc Goossens, and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

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DRIVING AT SEBRING: Ryan Dalziel, Marc Goossens, Ryan Hunter-Reay will drive the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype.
 
RACING AT ‘HOME’: In terms of racing at the home track, none comes closer to home than Daytona International Speedway for Visit Florida Racing. But a close second is Sebring International Raceway located some 150 miles south of the Visit Florida Racing race shop. For Ryan Dalziel, who lives just outside of Orlando, Sebring is his home track, and with Ryan Hunter-Reay 150 miles south of the Sebring road course in Fort Lauderdale, it’s also the closest stop of his four IMSA races.

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Daytona Beach, Fla.  – With scores of Visit Florida guests and hometown supporters on hand, Daytona Beach-based Visit Florida Racing drove to a third place finish after 24 hours of hard-fought racing in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. It matched the team’s best result in the race after finishing third last year on the way to taking second in the 2015 IMSA Championship.

Visit Florida Racing’s driving trio of Ryan Dalziel, Marc Goossens and Ryan Hunter-Reay proved to be a potent one as the three drivers combined to deliver a podium result in their first race together. And with the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title the ultimate goal for Visit Florida Racing, the Daytona result was a good step forward in its pursuit of the championship.

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Daytona Beach, Fla. (28 January 2016) – While Florida attracts millions every year with its warm beaches and sunny skies, fans at Daytona International Speedway got a little taste of the orange-growing Florida weather as Visit Florida Racing began its first day of the famed Rolex 24 At Daytona with two soggy practice sessions and an outright downpour during qualifying on Thursday.

Despite the deluge, Visit Florida Racing’s Ryan Dalziel secured an eighth place starting position with the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette DP he shares with Marc Goossens and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

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Daytona Beach, Fla. – Visit Florida Racing spent a productive three days testing at its home track just down the road from the team headquarters, at Daytona International Speedway over the weekend as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship staged its annual ‘Roar Before the 24’. For the Daytona Beach based-team, it was the first opportunity for its new driver line-up of Marc Goossens, Ryan Dalziel and Ryan Hunter-Reay to turn laps in the No. 90 Visit Florida Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype.

The test saw a mix of Florida weather conditions with clouds, sun, and even some rain drops throughout the test. The various conditions were beneficial in preparing for the Rolex 24 At Daytona which sees a wide range of weather conditions throughout the 24 hours of racing.

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9:00 AM - 9:30 AM Sunday, January 10
at the Visit Florida Racing transporter

Join us for donuts and coffee at the Visit Florida Racing transporter on Sunday, January 10th at 9:00 AM!

After scoring second in the 2015 IMSA Championship, the Visit Florida Racing team is preparing for an even stronger 2016 IMSA WeatherTech campaign, starting with the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Chat with Visit Florida Racing drivers Marc Goossens, Ryan Dalziel, and Ryan Hunter-Reay as well as team owner Troy Flis.

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Riviera Beach, Fla., – Nov. 19, 2015 – As the final race of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season, Tequila Patrón ESM heads to “The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East” for the 6 Hours of Bahrain. The Florida-based team wraps-up its full season FIA WEC debut at the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend.

In a season of firsts, Tequila Patrón ESM has competed on some of the most challenging tracks in the world for the first time. Of the six drivers, only one has competed in Bahrain and earned two podium finishes. David Heinemeier Hansson, co-driver of the No. 30 Tequila Patrón ESM Ligier JS P2 Honda, won the 2014 GTE AM race last year and finished second in 2013. The reigning 2014 GTE AM champion joined Tequila Patrón ESM at the start of the season is the veteran racer when it comes to Bahrain.

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