Team’s Audi R8 Grand-Am looks for another strong run, while von Molkte and Baas Are Back in APR’s ST-class VW’s in Homestead
April 23, 2012 (Opelika, Ala.) – While the beaches of South Beach aren’t too far away from Homestead-Miami Speedway, a sunny day on the beach with a Pina Colada in hand is not what the APR Motorsport team has in mind for this weekend’s Grand Prix of Miami.
APR Motorsport’s Rolex Series drivers Dion von Moltke and Dr. Jim Norman, as well as CTSCC driver Josh Hurley, call the Grand Prix of Miami their home event as all three live in Florida. Von Moltke, a student at Florida International University, lives in Coral Cables, with Norman from Tampa Bay and Hurley from Gainesville.
The no. 51 APR Audi R8 Grand-Am enjoyed a strong run at last month’s Porsche 250 at Barber Motorsports Park, employed an alternate fuel strategy that allowed the car to advance as high as second place. A late race caution negated their fuel advantage, but the team left pleased with the progress made in the break between Daytona and Barber.
Gainesville resident Josh Hurley, teamed with Nate Norenberg in the no. 161 APR VW GTI, led the charge at Barber for the team’s five ST-class cars at Barber, finishing twelfth on the strength of Norenberg’s qualifying effort of sixth. The two will be looking to repeat APR’s winning form at Homestead-Miami last year.
The team’s no. 171 APR VW GTI was retired after Aleks Altberg’s incident on the final lap at Barber. APR Motorsport has built a ‘new’ no. 171, which is actually a previous generation Mk. V VW GTI that the team raced in the 2011 season. With David Cheng unable to compete at Homestead-Miami due to a scheduling conflict, Ian Baas will partner with Altberg in to the no. 171 APR VW GTI. Baas drove to the ST-class victory at this race last year.
Von Moltke will also step back into CTSCC competition as he will partner Juan Carlos Alvarez in the no. 131 APR VW Jetta GLI. Von Moltke began his professional racing career as a member of APR Motorsport in the ST class in 2008, winning three races in 2009. Rounding out the lineup will be Hector Guerrero and Juan Pablo Sierra in the no. 181 APR VW Jetta GLI, and Daniel LaRiva and Christian Perez in the no. 191 APR VW Jetta GLI.
The Rolex Series’ Grand Prix of Miami will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, April 29. The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge’s Kia 200 will be broadcast on Saturday, May 12 at 12:00 PM ET.
NOTEWORTHY
APR Motorsport will host a Meet-and-Greet on Wednesday at local shop German Motoring, as well as several car corrals for VW and Audi owners throughout the weekend. Parade laps, paddock access, and discounts on entry are available. German Motoring is located at 3055 SW 28th ST, Miami, Florida.
Von Moltke will also host over fifty guests from Best Buddies, an organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). For more information, visit www.bestbuddies.org.
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