To Drive Grand-Am Cup Mustang "Boy Racer" Starting in 2006
Coming off a victory in the VIR 200 at Virginia International Raceway earlier this month, car owner and driver Tom Nastasi announced that he has signed 22-year-old Valerie Limoges to a three-year contract to drive the No. 4 Mustang GT for Blackforest Motorsports in Grand-Am Cup Series competition starting in 2006.
Limoges, of Montreal, is a four-time karting champion in F100 and F125 competition. She has also competed in Formula Ford 1600 as well as in the Canadian rounds of the North American Fran-Am Series. After securing sponsorship for 2005, Limoges competed in the Hankook Touring Car Series, compiling four top-five finishes and six top-10 results, including a run from the 27th starting spot to a ninth-place result in the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. She finished the season fourth in the championship standings.
“This is truly a dream come true,” said Limoges, who will be testing the car nicknamed “Boy Racer” for the remainder of the year in preparation for her Grand-Am Cup debut. “I’m just fortunate that Tom helped me get such a wonderful ride with a winning team.”
Limoges was one of numerous female drivers—along with three-time Rolex Series race winner Milka Duno and IRL IndyCar Series star Danica Patrick—highlighted in the four-part documentary Girl Racers, which aired on the Biography Channel starting in September and ending earlier this month.
The DeLand, Fla.-based Blackforest Motorsports team had a pair of Grand-Am Cup victories in 2005 -- in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in February and at the season finale at Virginia International Speedway -- its first year of Grand-Am Cup competition. The No. 5 Ford Credit/ DeWALT Tools/ Ramset Tools Ford Mustang that Nastasi co-drove with Ian James finished fourth in the team championship standings and Nastasi and James finished in a tie for fifth in the driver championship, despite missing a race.
“Coming off a four-podium season with two victories against strong fields and tight racing in the Grand-Am Cup Series, we’re already looking forward to 2006,” said Nastasi. “Signing Valerie only strengthens the Blackforest team and I’m confident that she’ll contribute right away.”
A co-driver for the No. 4 machine has yet to be named.
The 2006 Grand-Am Cup Series schedule kicks off on the weekend of January 26-27 with a 200-mile race at Daytona International Speedway. The event coincides with the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Rolex 24 At Daytona, North America’s premier endurance race.
