Orlando, Fla. (5 August 2014) – Road America is a classic and historic road course and is considered by many to be the best venue for road racing in North America. For Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing and its drivers Nick Longhi and Matt Plumb, the track is a favorite on the 2014 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race schedule – and not just because it is one at which Rum Bum has been particularly successful.
In three years of competing at the 4-mile iconic Road America circuit, Rum Bum’s Longhi and Plumb have stood on the podium every time. The group won the previous two events at the track while competing in the GRAND-AM Series and will go for three in a row on Saturday. Last year’s race came down to fuel strategy and a brilliant call from crew chief Joe Varde saw the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche take the victory on fumes.
The 2013 Road America win helped the team to secure the IMSA Championship title last year and the group hopes that another positive result at the Wisconsin road course will add to the team’s championship pursuit this year.
As the 2012 & 2013 IMSA GS Champions, Rum Bum Racing knows what it takes to win the title. While outright pace is important, many races are often won by good strategy – which is something Rum Bum Racing is known for. A venerable group of team members combine to provide a championship caliber platform.
Rum Bum Racing has been a championship contender all season long, but the squad took a hit in the previous Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge outing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Engine troubles took the No. 13 car out early leaving Rum Bum unable to collect the highly valuable and sought after championship points.
The Florida-based team now sits third in the championship, 30 points out of the lead. A third consecutive Road America victory would be a welcome championship boost as the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge enters its final run of four races.
“It was a very big setback in the championship for us to score nothing in Indy, but we’ve seen this thing go down to the wire every year so the last thing we are doing is calling it done,” said Plumb. “With Road America being pretty much a second home for this team, there is no better place to get back on the good-luck train. Jennifer (Bacardi) has so many friends and family that come out for the weekend, it’s always a lot of fun. Hopefully we can have the same kind of race results we’ve had there before, as we will need to go ‘all in’ for every race from here on out and just see where things land.”
Rum Bum Racing has extra incentive to win at Road America as the team travels to Jennifer Bacardi’s home state. Longhi and Plumb are always welcomed with a large contingent of Rum Bum family, friends, and fans at the track who would love nothing more than to celebrate in Road America victory lane for the third consecutive year.
It will be a quick two-day race event for Rum Bum Racing who will take part in two practice sessions as well as qualifying on Friday. The 2.5-hour Continental Tire Road Race Showcase goes green Saturday at 12:15 PM Central Time and can be viewed LIVE on www.imsa.com.
The race will be televised on Sunday, August 17 at 12:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.
