There are many second-generation drivers in motorsport. Darren Law is taking it a turn further this weekend, racing with a second-generation co-driver. Law, of Phoenix, will drive the No. 00 CKS Autosport Camaro Z/28.R with Ashley McCalmont of Ancaster, Ontario, in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at Road America on Saturday. Ashley is the daughter of Mike McCalmont, Law's co-driver in the series forerunners, Motorola Cup and Grand-Am Cup.
"It sounds like I'm old," Law laughed. "Or maybe ageless ..."
Law and Mike McCalmont teamed up in 2000 for a Motorola Cup class win at Sebring International Raceway and a second-place finish at Daytona International Speedway. They continued to notch podiums together through 2005.
Law coached both father and daughter at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Phoenix, where he is now chief operating officer. His day job produced a welcome bonus this month, as he was able to use the school's Camaros and multiple track configurations to prepare for the 4.0-mile Road America road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
"At the Bondurant School, we have the SS 1LE Camaro, which is just one step down from the Z/28," he said. "So every day, I'm going out and putting in laps in a Camaro. It's a great asset to have since the Continental Challenge cars are essentially modified street cars, so this gives me a better familiarity with that type of vehicle. I've got the whole track and several cars at my disposal, so I have been using them pretty hard the past week!"
Law will be on double duty at Road America, also providing coaching support to Kelly Moss Motorsports. The team has entered six cars in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA, which will present three rounds at Road America. Law knows how to maximize performance in Porsche race cars – he drove them for many years in the American Le Mans Series and earned a strong second-place finish in the international Porsche Cup standings in 2007. He also knows the team, after working with Kelly Moss vice-president Jeff Stone for the past decade.
race details (EDT)
The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 9, on the 4.0-mile Road America road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The two-hour 30-minute race will start at 12:15 pm, with live telecast and timing/scoring links available on imsa.com. A delayed show will air on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, Aug. 17, at 12 noon.
