A last lap misstep by another GTC team afforded the No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsport team of Henrique Cisneros, Sean Edwards and Marco Seefreed to collect a podium finish in the 61st Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring race.
The sister car, the No. 31 MOMO NGT Motorsport Porsche, led the GTC class for a couple of hours before a small problem with the brake light derailed their chance at a podium. Kuba Giermaziak, Carlos Gomex and Mario Farnbacher were the pilots of that entry.
The podium result for the No. 30 MOMO car puts them on a good track in the GTC championship with a third place standing in the points championship
Henrique Cisneros, MOMO owner/driver No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsports Porsche GT3, who drove a double stint: “What a fantastic finish! We knew we didn’t have the car to go for the win but we were hopeful for a podium.
The team did a fantastic job on the pit stops all day. For overall time, I think we were the second or third team with the least amount of time in the pits. We were very consistent and the team did a great job.
In the end during the last hour we always said we need a little luck on our side to be able to make it to the podium and luckily, with literally three corners to go, the third place car had a problem.
I think they ran out of fuel, and we passed them on the very last lap. Obviously luck was on our side. We couldn’t have asked for a better finish. We’re proud of the work everyone did and all the other drivers. We’re leaving with a very happy third place.”
Sean Edwards, driver No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsports GTC class and starting driver: “I was pushing the last two hours like crazy. The car was amazingly quick. It was unfortunate we got hit by the 45 car.
I think it took the whole front bumper off and they didn’t even get a penalty for it which really ruined out race. Then on the last lap, I was cruising around and I saw a GTC car struggling out there so I dropped it down a gear and started pushing it.
It was the third place car. I managed to get by him with two corners to go. It was a great end to a not so good race but we’ll definitely take it for the podium. Everyone did an amazing job. Congratulations to the whole team.”
Marco Seefried, driver No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsports GTC class and Sebring rookie: “It was a very surprising race to the very end. I think the TRG #66 car ran out of fuel on the last lap. We got some luck at the end because previously we were unlucky.
I’m really happy with the podium. That’s a good result. I’m proud to be here, my first time and a podium. Thanks to NGT, thanks to MOMO and thanks to Porsche. It was really a great race and a great experience.
Kuba Giermaziak, driver No. 31 MOMO NGT Motorsport driver GTC class: “Our race was going well at the beginning. We had to struggle because we started from the back. We got back to Top 3. First we lost the lights during the day.
We don’t know how it happened, but it just fell off, probably from the vibration. Then Carlos (Gomez) got hit from the back. Luckily, we managed to fix the car under yellow.
We put the light in and fixed the rear bumper so we were sure everything was okay, but we didn’t have the brake light. We had to stop again to fix it. We were leading the race quite easily with about an eight second gap.
The crew tried to fix the light and they managed. Unfortunately, it took over 10 laps because of how they had to fix the wiring. At least we got a podium on the second car.
We should be happy for that because they drove much of the race without the front splitter, which is difficult to drive so they did a great job. This is a good finish for them for the season. For us, I think we will come back here next year and try to win it again.”
Mario Farnbacher, driver No. 31 MOMO NGT Motorsport driver GTC class and Sebring rookie: “We were leading three quarters through the race. We had a problem with the rear light and had to pit to fix it which cost us 12 laps.
It was not possible to get those laps back. It was a tough race. I think the team did a good job. Maybe at Petit we will do better and we finish on the podium.”
Carlos Gomez, driver No. 31 MOMO NGT Motorsport driver GTC class: “It has been a great experience. Obviously with what was going on in the ninth hour when we were leading the race, this is not the result we expected with that performance.
The guys did a great job in pit lane, as did my co-drivers. A little part, the brake pedal sensor, is what took us out of the race. It took the guys 30 minutes on pit lane to find and solve the problem.
Who would have thought it was that. But that’s how it is. Sometime you need a little bit of luck to win this race and we didn’t have it today.
The next race for the No. 30 MOMO NGT Porsche GTC of Henrique Cisneros and Sean Edwards will be Round 2 for the Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach race on April 19-20.
The iconic brand of MOMO is increasing its commitment to racing in 2013 with a presence in many racing series across the globe.
In the U.S., MOMO will launch a two-car assault in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at the 12 Hours of Sebring with two Porsche GT3 cars in the GTC class. The legendary No. 30 MOMO-liveried car will feature MOMO owner/driver Henrique Cisneros, Brit Sean Edwards and German Christian Englehart. The No. 31 MOMO-liveried entry has drivers Kuba Giermaziak, Mario Farnbacher and Carlos Gomez. Both cars will be expertly prepared by NGT Motorsports. The No. 30 entry will be a full-season ALMS effort with Cisneros and Edwards.
The MOMO flag will also be flown on no less than seven Porsche GT3 Cup cars, all under the NGT Motorsports stable. The cars are all competing at Sebring in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama race as follows: No. 23 Ary Krau, No. 24 Mark Llano, No. 25 Angel Benitez, No. 26 Carlos Gomez, No. 27 Daniel Duerson, No. 28 Amadeo Quiros and No. 29 Eduardo Cisneros.
Additionally, MOMO is supporting Dominican driver RJ Lopez in the Gold class of the Porsche IMSA GT3 Cup and Alexis van de Poele in the IMSA Lites L1 class events, both entered at Sebring by ANSA Motorsports. RJ Lopez is a former Dominican Republic GT champion and runner-up in the 2010 Trans Am series. Alexis van de Poele is the son of the great Eric van de Poele; a two-time 12 Hours of Sebring, three-time 24 Hours of Daytona and five-time 24 Hours of Spa winner. Eric will be present at Sebring and provide his son Alexis with precious parental advice!
Finally, MOMO will expand to Europe this year with the sponsorship of a two entries program in the Porsche Supercup and one Audi R8 in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) GTC class, both racing under the new MOMO-Megatron Racing banner. MOMO will be announcing in the very near future its full driver line-ups for these two programs.
“The new MOMO owners are clearly very familiar with MOMO’s racing heritage and they share founder Gianpiero Moretti’s racing ‘DNA’ in their passion for the brand combined with their active participation in motorsports,” said MOMO’s CEO Massimo Ciocca. “Times have changed, but for now, we have gone back to our IMSA roots through our entry in the GTC category in the ALMS, with the red and yellow color scheme that reminds the fans of the iconic MOMO colors, upgraded with 21st century graphic design technology with chrome paints and fluorescent lines. For 2013 we have also expanded to additional series such as IMSA Lites in the US, the Porsche Supercup with the brand new Porsche 991 GT3 Cup car, and the ELMS with an Audi R8, to further highlight and increase the footprint of the popular MOMO brand. Needless to say, MOMO is definitely back to professional racing and we look forward to what the future holds for the company.”
The historic 12 Hours of Sebring race will be held on Saturday, March 16.
The MOMO NGT Motorsport racing team will return to the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona race, January 26-27, 2013, with a familiar line-up of drivers.
Henrique Cisneros, the 2010 and 2011 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge champion, returns behind the wheel of the No. 30 MOMO-sponsored Porsche 911 GT3 race car. Also returning to the MOMO team for 2013 is Sean Edwards. Edwards won the 2012 running of the 24 Hours of Dubai, is a former Supercup race driver since 2008 and co-drove with Cisneros at the Rolex 24 last season. The duo, paired with Carlos Kauffman and Nick Tandy, finished 18th in class and 29th overall in the 2012 running of the Rolex 24.
Cisneros and Edwards will be joined this year by 22-year-old Kuba Giermaziak, a three-year Porsche Supercar pilot who previously partnered with Cisneros in the 2012 ALMS Petit Le Mans race for a GTC class victory. The fourth driver for the 51st Annual Rolex 24 at Daytona is Porsche factory driver Patrick Pilet. The young Frenchman has been a Porsche factory pilot since 2008 and was the 2007 Carrera Cup France champion, as well as the 2010 24 Hours of Dubai winner.
The MOMO NGT Motorsport team previewed a demonstration to their commitment to the MOMO brand and its heritage at last year’s 50th annual running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona with a press announcement and unveiling of the car in a rather familiar red, yellow and black livery that evoked memories of its founder, Gianpiero Moretti’s glory days of racing. Look for a similar livery for the car for this year’s twice-around-the-clock running of the historic race.
“We are proud to be returning to the Daytona 24 Hours this year and with an exciting driver line-up,” said MOMO co-owner and team driver Henrique Cisneros. “We had some successes last season, including our class victory at Petit Le Mans and numerous podium finishes in the American Le Mans Series. We plan to build on that in 2013 and no better place to start than Daytona.”
“We are looking forward to the upcoming 24 Hours of Daytona,” said Wahab. “We are proud to have MOMO again for 2013 and are thankful for Porsche Motorsport’s support. I’m very confident for a posi tive achievement this year as we have some of the best Porsche drivers on our team representing successes from around the world.”
The No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsport team will be present at the Roar Before the 24 Daytona Test Days on January 4-6, 2013. Drivers Sean Edwards and Kuba Giermaziak will be the only drivers represented at The Roar testing.
In Saturday’s race, the 14th in the Porsche Carrera Cup 2012, which took place on 15th September in Oschersleben, the ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’ was able to clinch victory in the team championship. The team from Lohne, together with René Rast, Sean Edwards and Klaus Bachler, have defended their 2011 title 3 races before the official end of season.
Paul Schlotmann is delighted: “Wow! We’re team champions. Yet again. And already! The performance of the boys and girls in the technical department has been amazing. They’ve delivered a top performance all through the season. You’re the best. I’m really proud of you all! And of course of the drivers. René and Sean have delivered sensational races to date. Klaus, in his first season in a Porsche, has done an incredible job. Have I already said that we’re the best!?”
Hans-Bernd Kamps said: “The ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’ says everything there is to say about what makes a team, and what friendship and working in partnership can deliver. We’ve all worked incredibly hard and have earned victory. And: It wasn’t as easy as it may have appeared. Hermes Attempto Racing, Konrad Motorsport, Lechner Racing and co are great opponents, who have shown that we can be beaten. Together, we have delivered fair and brilliant motorsport. Thank you to everyone!”
The two Porsche Carrera Cup Germany races at Oschersleben could hardly have been better for the ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’. After Saturday’s race, the team was able to clinch victory in the team championship, successfully defending its 2011 title. René Rast finished the 14th race in first position, and demonstrated his talent with a masterful start-finish victory. His teammate Sean Edwards also started on the front row and crossed the line in second position. Klaus Bachler collected further points with tenth place.
Sunday was also a success. A further start-finish victory, this time for British driver Sean Edwards, and a second place for René Rast, means that they are so far in front of the third place driver, Nicki Thiim, that only one of the two ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’ drivers can win the drivers’ championship 2012 in Hockenheim.
“Second place is also good. I’m still at the top of the table.” concluded René Rast about Sunday’s race, with his eye on the final. Klaus showed off all the experience he has gained and achieved a very good fourth place. “I started in ninth position and it was my goal to finish in the top 5, which I did. Next time, we’ll make it first, second and third” joked the young Austrian, pleased with his good result. “We still have Hockenheim.”
The team from Lohne will therefore be travelling to the big finale in Hockenheim with both titles, and must wait with baited breath to see which of the two drivers takes home the drivers’ championship. But one thing is for sure, it will be under the flag of the ’Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’.”
Team manager Paul Schlotmann is absolutely delighted: “Never before have we been able to clinch both the team championship and the drivers’ championship at such an early stage. It’s a luxurious feeling that we all have to get our heads round. Again to all teams: a great season. Hermes Attempto Racing has done a brilliant job. They fought right to the end and put on a great show. Brilliant!”
“Unbelievable!” said Hans-Bernd Kamps. “We set ourselves a difficult target, and we have more than reached it.”
Further information, results and photos can be found at www.facebook.com/tolimit and at www.tolimit-motorsport.de.
On Mondays after race weekends, the news channel N24 broadcasts a 30 minute Carrera Cup programme at 6.30pm, with reports about the race series, the drivers, the highlights and stories about the people involved in the Carrera Cup.
The Racing Calendar:
21st October 2012 DTM Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg