Hawk Performance Enters Partnership with Park Place Motorsports

IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Porsche GTD Team

Park Place Motorsports No. 73 Children’s Tumor Foundation/Racing4Research Porsche GT America to Carry Hawk Performance Branding Beginning with Rolex 24 at Daytona

Confirming a new relationship on the debut and opening day of the new 2014 IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Park Place Motorsports team principals and officials from Hawk Performance Products Group announced today a partnership that will see Hawk Performance braking products join the Porsche team as its latest sponsor and technical partner.

The Park Place Motorsports No. 73 Children’s Tumor Foundation/Racing4Research Porsche GT America of Patrick Lindsey, Kévin Estre, Mike Vess, Jason Hart and American factory Porsche Junior driver Connor De Phillippi will race with full Hawk Performance branding beginning with this weekend’s Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The new partnership will see Hawk Performance work directly and hand-in-hand with Park Place’s technical team on brake pad and rotor development. Hawk will enlist the full knowledge and skill of the team’s technical and driving personnel to develop a premier racing product. Hawk has developed similar winning combinations through racing in other series, including Formula 1, and has now shifted the focus to premier GT and Prototype sports car racing classes.

“For Hawk Performance, we are building upon our brand’s success on the track, from our factory backed Nissan GT-R and Corvette teams in the Pirelli World Challenge Championships to our dominance at club races,” said Todd Romano, Managing Director at Hawk Performance. “Teaming up with Park Place Motorsports allows us to continue development of our products. With the speeds and the abuse that the team’s Porsche experiences in endurance and sprint races, it provides engineers necessary information to take our street and our race products to the next level.”

Lindsey and Estre will co-drive the No. 73 for the full 2014 IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season.

“Hawk Performance is one of those companies you dream about working with,” said Lindsey, who is also a Park Place Motorsports team principal. “They have a passion for motorsport that comes through in everything they do and that mandate comes right from the top in the form of CEO Dave Roberts and his team.”

In addition to the technical development and support, Hawk Performance will also provide its ample marketing, photography and video services and skills to Park Place Motorsports at 2014 racing events and beyond.

“Sponsoring a team the caliber of Park Place Motorsports provides us the ability to create amazing content before, during and after the races,” said Mike DeFord, Vice President of Marketing at Hawk Performance. “At Daytona we will be creating image galleries, video recaps every couple of hours and engaging with our friends on Facebook and YouTube, giving all of them a sense of being at the track, in the middle of the action, as it is happening while also giving away cool prizes for those that engage with the team online. This is a very exciting program for all of us at Hawk.”

The new partnership with Hawk, the ongoing relationship with Children’s Tumor Foundation/Racing4Research, and the team’s driver lineup and prospects for the Rolex 24 has Lindsey more than enthused about the 2014 season.

"I am very proud of our team and the partnerships that we have continued to cultivate with Park Place and the Children's Tumor Foundation and now Hawk Performance,” Lindsey said. “Our driver lineup is one that shows our level of commitment to achieve solid results. With Kévin and Connor in particular I see two future mega stars, and we are blessed to be able to give them a place to showcase their talents."

De Phillippi debuted as a Porsche Junior driver just last year. The San Clemente, California native won the Skip Barber National Shootout in 2008 and was the youngest winner and only second American to win the Walter Hayes Memorial Race in England.

“Becoming a part of the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports team is definitely an honor, and I’m thankful for the opportunity,” De Phillippi said. “I’m looking forward to my first 24 hour race together with them, and hopefully it’s the beginning of a healthy relationship for other races as well.”

Vess is in his second year with Park Place Motorsports.

“The team we have assembled is remarkable,” Vess said. “What can I say that won't sound trite? I sincerely feel privileged to be part of such a talented driver lineup.”

Hart is also back for a second season with Park Place and was part of last year’s maiden Children’s Tumor Foundation/Racing4Research campaign with the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports entry.

Mike Vess, Patrick Lindsey and I have raced together in the past so teaming up with them again feels great,” Hart said. “Adding top Porsche Cup driver Kévin Estre and factory Porsche Junior driver Connor De Phillippe to the lineup this year is a real treat. The strength and experience of our team and driver line up is sure to make us a contender for the Rolex 24 At Daytona win. Most importantly, we are looking forward to having all of our CTF families join our team and we will certainly put in 100% effort to get the “CTF Art Car” to the top of the podium.


Related Motorsport Articles

84,520 articles