1985 Porsche 930 Euro on 2040-cars

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The art of being teammates

Returning home from a successful event for our CJ Wilson Racing team I couldn't help to think about just how many people are involved to support the drivers that stand on the podium. Friends of 15 to 20 years are actively involved in my life in motorsports and it amazes me daily. I'd like to think that I possess the right blend of passion and humility to make racing for a living a successful career, and each year the ups and downs of motorsports takes a toll on even the savviest racer. Having been a race driver for the past several years, I had long ago stopped taking for granted just how important friendships & relationships are in life. In motorsports we have a large array of relationships we build, from the perspectives of business, crew, competitors, spectators and of course, teammates. For any young racer or driver that is struggling to stay an integral part of the racing community, I can't stress enough just how important relationship building is and in our world of multi-class & multi-driver line-ups, the "teammate" is a big one. Now in my fifth year with CJ Wilson Racing, I started the season with my 10th different teammate, most of which, came in the first season as we were developing into a program that could operate a two-car effort. These are people that I have coached, improved with and become, in a way, brothers. Most I consider friends, people I actively stay in touch with – not out of obligation, but because they are like family to me. They have been a teammate – and in this industry and our series in particular – there has to be something more cohesive than just sharing a car. Standing on the podium with all of your teammates like we did in this year in Monterey (our #33 ONE Capital / MotorOilMatters and #35 Safecraft Safety Equipment Porsche Caymans finished 2nd and 3rd) is one of those moments that you don't forget, in part, because you get to share it with ones you typically spend the most time. I watched both Danny Burkett and Till Bechtolsheimer go to the front after the green dropped and drive perfect opening stints. Sure, while cameras were rolling I played it cool, but as soon as they turned away I was a beacon of giddy pride like I was watching a little brother riding his bike without training wheels for the first time. When it came my turn to get behind the wheel, I knew that one of my closest friends, Tyler McQuarrie, would be in our sister car.

Kia leads J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study for 2022

For the first year ever, Kia leads J.D. Power's annual Vehicle Dependability Study with a score of 145 problems per 100 vehicles. Buick (147) and Hyundai (148) round out the top three. The highest premium brand on the list is Genesis, with a score of 148. It's common for so-called "mass market" brands to lead this particular study, according to J.D. Power, as "premium" brands "typically incorporate more technology in their vehicles, which increases the likelihood for problems to occur" and aren't necessarily built to a higher standard that less-expensive brands. The highest-rated single nameplate is the Porsche 911. It's the third time out of the past four years and the second year in a row that Porsche's quintessential sports car has taken top honors. Porsche as a brand sits in seventh place (162) just behind Lexus (159) and ahead of Dodge (166). At the very bottom of the list is Land Rover with a dismal score of 284; the SUV specialist held the same unfortunate distinction on last year's list. Ram (266), Volvo (256), Alfa Romeo (245) and Acura (244) also performed poorly. The overall industry average score sits at 192 — mass market brands average a score of 190 while premium brands sit 14 points lower at 204. While Tesla is unofficially included in some of J.D. Power's results, the agency says the sample size it has access to for this study is too small to include. As has been the case for the past several years, infotainment systems dominate the list of problems reported by owners. Popular (or unpopular, depending on your point of view) complaints include built-in voice recognition (8.3 PP100), Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity (5.4 PP100), built-in Bluetooth system (4.5 PP100), not enough power plugs/USB ports (4.2 PP100), navigation systems difficult to understand/use (3.7 PP100), touchscreen/display screen (3.6 PP100), and navigation system inaccurate/outdated map (3.6 PP100). While problems with the car's infotainment and technology packages are indeed bothersome, it's important to remember that such issues aren't usually leaving owners stranded with an immovable vehicle like a broken transmission or blown engine would. Culling infotainment complaints from the results would reduce the average problem-per-100-vehicle score by a staggering 51.9 points. The vehicles included in this study are from the 2019 model year. That means owners have had three years to get to know their cars and trucks. It's the 33rd year that J.D.

Juan Pablo Montoya tests Porsche 919 Hybrid in Bahrain

Sealing the FIA World Endurance Championship wasn't the only thing that Porsche did this past weekend in Bahrain. Alongside its rivals from Audi and Toyota, the German outfit also participated in a test session for potential new drivers, including Juan Pablo Montoya. Driving the Le Mans- and championship-winning Porsche 919 Hybrid at the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend, Montoya set the fastest time of the day. His "qualifying" lap was clocked at 1:40.86, barely more than a second behind the 1:39.67 lap that earned Timo Bernhard pole position in the previous day's race – and a second faster than the fastest lap set in the race by Neel Jani in another 919 Hybrid. That's a mighty impressive feat for a driver relatively unaccustomed to driving a modern hybrid LMP1. Racing fans will know Montoya as a multi-talented driver. The Colombian has competed successfully in Formula One, Indy, NASCAR, and sports prototypes, winning races in all disciplines. Aside from the International Formula 3000 title, three outright victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona, and a handful of NASCAR street-course races, Montoya can count among his many achievements the CART title, two Indianapolis 500 wins, and the checkered flag at the Monaco Grand Prix (along with six other F1 races). Those victories have brought JP among the closest to winning the Triple Crown of motorsports of any driver in racing history, and he's still competing. For those unfamiliar, the Triple Crown is an unofficial measure to gauge the diverse talents of professional racing drivers in three disciplines: Indy, F1, and Le Mans. To win, a driver has to win the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and either the Monaco Grand Prix or the Formula One World Championship. Graham Hill is the only driver in history to have swept all the categories, but others have come close. The list of near-winners includes Tazio Nuvolari, Mike Hawthrown, Phil Hill, AJ Foyt, Bruce McLaren, Jim Clark, Mario Andretti, and Emerson Fittipaldi. The only contenders still active are Montoya and Jacques Villeneuve, who won at Indy in '95, the F1 championship in '97, and came second at Le Mans in 2008. Villenueve could still steal the crown if he gets another shot at Le Mans, but the more likely scenario would be to see Montoya rise to the throne. Especially if this test session is any indication. Also driving the Porsche was in the rookie test session was Mitch Evans, a former GP3 champion and GP2 race winner from New Zealand.