Tag Archives: teams

ToyotaUk

Toyota Renews Commitment to Rebelle Rally for 2023

  • Fielding six competition teams with twelve participants in this year’s event
  • Once again, the presenting sponsor of the event’s Live Webcast

PLANO, Texas (June 23, 2023) – Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has announced that it will continue to support the Rebelle Rally, the premier women-only, off-road navigation rally. In 2023, Toyota will have a total of 12 participants forming six teams to compete in the event, doubling the number from last year. The Toyota representatives will be selected from various areas of the company, including CALTY Design, Manufacturing, Production Engineering, and Research and Development. Additionally, Toyota will once again serve as the presenting sponsor of the live webcast of the event.

Kristen Tabar, the group vice president of Advanced Mobility Research and Development at Toyota Motor North America, commented, “This event is important to us and provides a great opportunity for the women in our company. The Rebelle Rally is a unique and empowering experience that aligns with our values of pushing boundaries, learning by doing, and fostering a supportive and inclusive culture. We believe that our team members will not only have fun and learn from this adventure, but also bring back valuable insights and skills to their work and teams.”

The Rebelle Rally is an eight-day endurance event that will take place from October 12-21, 2023. It covers over 2,000 kilometers of challenging terrain in the deserts of California and Nevada. The rally stands out because competitors are required to navigate using only a map and compass, without the use of GPS or electronic devices.

As a Silver Sponsor and the Presenting Sponsor of Rebelle Rally’s Live Webcast for the second year in a row, Toyota will support the broadcast of the event on the rally’s website, YouTube, and Facebook. The coverage will include reviews of the format, standings, competitor interviews, live updates from the course, highlights, and a behind-the-scenes look at team planning and strategy.

Lisa Materazzo, the group vice president of Toyota Division Marketing at Toyota Motor North America, said, “We are excited to renew our commitment to Rebelle Rally and continue as the Silver Sponsor and the official Presenting Sponsor of the Live Webcast. This sponsorship allows us not only to showcase our exceptional Toyota trucks but also to support the remarkable endeavors of our team members. It is an honor to be associated with such an empowering event, and we are eager to contribute to an unforgettable experience.”

To follow Toyota’s teams and track their progress along with other participants as they navigate the challenging desert terrain, visit www.rebellerally.com/live.

More details about the Toyota teams participating in Rebelle Rally will be announced at a later date.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for over 65 years and is dedicated to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through its Toyota and Lexus brands, as well as its network of more than 1,800 dealerships.

In North America, Toyota directly employs over 48,000 people who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks across 13 manufacturing plants. Starting in 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will produce automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. As the automaker with the most electrified vehicles on the road, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified options.

Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights how it partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address society’s most pressing mobility challenges. Toyota believes that when people have the freedom to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

About Rebelle Rally

The Rebelle Rally is the longest competitive off-road rally in the United States. Covering over 2,500 kilometers through Nevada and California’s iconic terrain, it is an endurance competition for women that emphasizes precision driving and navigation rather than speed. The competition is innovative and unique, using maps, compasses, roadbooks, and strategies in the Rebelle Format. GPS and other electronic devices are strictly prohibited. As a remote and off-grid event for eight competition days, the Rebelle Rally serves as a proving ground for people, products, and stock manufacturer vehicles.

To learn more, visit www.rebellerally.com.

NewsNew

Factory Sherco 250 GP Bike

Privately owned race team DC Racing has achieved the goal of receiving full-factory support from Sherco for the 2023 season and beyond. This achievement is the result of years of hard work and support from team owner Dallas Chidester and his trucking company, Chidester Transportation.

Mason Ottersberg, the current AMA West Coast Hare Scramble 250 Pro-class champion, has been a member of the DC Racing family for two years. In the upcoming 2023 season, he will be competing on a Sherco 250SE in various West Coast-based off-road series. We spoke with Dallas and the DC Racing team to learn more about Ottersberg’s race machine.

The Scoop
Ottersberg is one of four riders on the DC Racing team who will be riding the Sherco 250SE. The team, based in Arizona, is focused on developing the best setup for the bike. Ottersberg’s experience in various off-road disciplines has been instrumental in setting up the new Sherco. As the first professional-level team to compete on Sherco SE models in the faster West Coast-style off-road racing series, the team had to start from scratch when it came to setup.

Precision Concepts, a prominent player in off-road racing, handled Ottersberg’s suspension needs. Team manager Scott Perkins explained, “Mason prefers a progressive suspension setting, with a softer overall feel that tightens up towards the end of the stroke. We worked with Bob Bell from Precision Concepts to find a comfortable base setting that we can fine-tune throughout the season for different types of events.”

The team will be participating in the entire AMA West Coast Hare Scrambles series, as well as select AMA National Hare & Hound and National Grand Prix Championship events. Therefore, ensuring that Mason is comfortable with a general setting is crucial.

Considering that Ottersberg will be on the bike for a minimum of 60 minutes in each race, rider comfort is of utmost importance. His bike is equipped with 12-degree low-bend Flexx handlebars, customizable elastomer grips, non-breakable levers, a smoother-pulling throttle, and a switch for on-the-fly adjustability options.

DC Racing Sherco 250

Like most race bikes, the DC Racing Sherco 250SE has undergone performance upgrades. The engine modifications are conducted by the Factory 1 Sherco crew and Race Tech’s engine department to increase midrange and top-end power. Rocket Exhaust, a reputable company that now operates under new ownership in Arizona, worked closely with the DC Racing team to develop the race team systems for the bike. The team has seen success early in the season, thanks to the high-quality Sherco 250 systems.

Other performance enhancements for the engine include Rekluse clutch components, Moto Center AZ high-pressure radiator hoses, and custom-programmed mapping. Protection is another vital aspect the team has focused on, with the use of a Reflex hand-guard system, full-coverage skid plate, rear chainguide, radiator guards, shark fins, fork lug guards, swingarm guards, and a foam-insert system called Mousse Balls to prevent flat tires.

DC Racing Team Sponsor List:

Sherco USA, FXR, A’ME Grips, Antigravity Batteries, ASV Inventions, BRP, Bulletproof Designs, DDC Racing, EPIC Garage Designs, Fasst Company, FunnelWeb Filter, GPR Stabilizer, G2 Ergonomics, Innteck USA, IWC Motorsports Tire Pros, Kenda, Matrix Concepts, Maxima USA, Modified Machine Works, MotoSeat, Mr. Wolf Solve, Precision Concepts, P3 Carbon, RAD Custom Graphics, Rekluse Motorsports, Reflex Racing, RK Excel, Rocket Exhaust, SKF Group, SXSlideplate, TrueWerk, Works Connection, Moto Center

With Sherco USA expanding their efforts beyond the successful FactoryOne Sherco Hard Enduro team and venturing into the West Coast off-road racing series with DC Racing, it’s no surprise that Mason Ottersberg and his DC Sherco have been achieving podium finishes. It seems only a matter of time before they secure a win.

Rocket Exhaust is under new ownership and working closely with the DC Racing Sherco team.

The SXS skid plate provides full coverage protection.

GPR’s Version 5 stabilizer and Fasst Company Flexx bars provide rider comfort at high speeds.

The initial engine performance package specifications are provided by the FactoryOne Sherco crew and performed by the Race Tech engine department.

BMW

BMW M Motorsport News, 6th June 2023

The BMW M Motorsport teams were busy last weekend, participating in events across Europe, Asia, and North America. BMW M Team Studie achieved its first victory of the season in the GT300 class of the Japanese Super GT Championship. The BMW M4 GT3, driven by Seiji Ara and Masataka Yanagida, won the 450km race held at Suzuka, after the race was suspended due to a crash by Nissan driver Tsugio Matsuda. The BMW team opted for an early pit stop, which helped them to claim the lead when the race was stopped. Matsuda suffered injuries but was not majorly hurt.

In the GT4 European Series, BMW M4 GT4 earned a spot on the podium. The Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport duo of Gabriele Piana and Michael Schrey, started from pole position on Sunday and finished second in the chaotic closing stages of the race held at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France. Berkay Besler and Tom Edgar battled their way back to fourth place, but were later given a 43-second penalty due to a rules violation. In the race held on Saturday, Besler and Edgar were the best-placed BMW pairing in seventh. Meanwhile, Victor Bouveng and Joakim Walde from M-Bilar Racing won the Pro-Am class in the BMW M4 GT4 and finished third in their class on Sunday.

The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge was hosted in Detroit on Saturday, where Turner Motorsport faced a scary moment when Robert Megennis crashed their BMW M4 GT4 spectacularly, taking off and skidding over the roof of a rival’s car before hitting the safety fence. Fortunately, both drivers were unharmed. The second Turner duo of Robby Foley and Vincent Barletta finished ninth in the #96 car, while the BMW M4 GT4 of Stephen Cameron Racing finished 17th.

In the world of virtual racing, BMW drivers and teams shone at the race weekend in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC) at Le Castellet. Neil Verhagen and Dries Vanthoor achieved great results in the Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series, winning for the BMW M Team WRT and ROWE Racing team, respectively. Calan Williams won the sim race in his category with the Gold Cup car for the WRT team. BMW M Team BS+COMPETITION’s Arthur Kammerer and Gregor Schill had a strong performance in the SRO Esports Sim Pro Series. The BMW M SIM Cup held its fifth round at the Watkins Glen circuit on the iRacing platform, with Team Redline winning the GT3 class and Team Apex Racing Academy clinching the victory in the GTP class.

Jesse Krohn, BMW M works driver, was a guest starter for the Century Motorsport team in the GT Cup Championship at Snetterton, helping his team-mate and British GT driver Darren Leung to better understand the BMW M4 GT3. They finished with two third-places and two fifth-places. In the British Touring Car Championship, Adam Morgan finished runner-up for Team BMW and claimed one podium in three races while fellow BMW drivers had a series of strong results.

BMW

BMW M Motorsport Struggles in the Season Opener at Oschersleben

The BMW M Motorsport team had a tough start to their title defence in the DTM season opener at Oschersleben in Germany. Despite their best efforts, the BMW M4 GT3 was unable to compete for top positions, making it difficult to make up positions on the tight circuit where overtaking is challenging.

The best results for BMW M Motorsport came from Schubert Motorsport at their home race, with René Rast finishing fifth on Saturday and Sheldon van der Linde, the reigning DTM champion, finishing eleventh on Sunday. Marco Wittmann, on the other hand, retired from both races.

Schubert Motorsport used the race weekend to treat their guests to a diverse programme of events off the racetrack, including the handover of a limited-edition BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition to van der Linde by the team’s principal, Torsten Schubert, BMW M CEO Franciscus van Meel, and Head of BMW M Motorsport Andreas Roos. The Champion Edition, based on a BMW M4 Competition, boasts a special design inspired by the colours of van der Linde’s BMW M4 GT3.

Andreas Roos, the Head of BMW M Motorsport, acknowledged that the Oschersleben race was not the start to the season that they had hoped for. He assured that they would analyse the data and prepare for the next race weekend at Zandvoort, particularly taking a closer look at the damage to René Rast’s car.

René Rast was pleased with his performance, managing to match the pace of van der Linde and Wittmann during Saturday’s qualifying session and finishing fifth on the race debut as a BMW M works driver. Sheldon van der Linde acknowledged that it was a difficult weekend for the team, and they needed to work on their qualifying performance. Marco Wittmann lamented the disadvantage caused by his car’s top speed and the penalty that impacted his chances of scoring points.