GOOD TURNOUT AT ROAD AMERICA

Courtney Disappointed with Finish
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (August 16, 2009) – Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe entertained sponsors and friends at his home track of Road America this weekend at the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship. Things didn’t go as planned and Courtney finished 13th after a 12th place start. Kuno Wittmer, driver for the RealTime Acura Touring Car team, also became Courtney’s teammate in the GT race with the No. 13 Viper. He had trouble with a suspension part and was unable to finish the race.
“I really have compassion for the team including Jeff and Kuno,” said team owner Bob Woodhouse. “Jeff worked hard for his sponsors and friends to place a great weekend in front of them. Then to have the race turn out with these results, we all need to shrug it off, say ‘that's racing,’ and move forward.”
“I was off my game this weekend,” said Courtney. After Friday morning’s practice session, Courtney needed to have his clutch replaced in his No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. The team worked hard late Friday night to replace the clutch, missing the final and most important practice session. As the cars lined up on the grid, Courtney prepared for the standing start by pulling the slack from the clutch when the car crept forward few inches prior to the start. He was penalized for that roll forward before the lights went out. During the race he was required to come into the pits for a quick stop-and-go.
“When I heard about the penalty, I was really frustrated,” said Courtney. “I radioed back to the team that I wanted to wait and try to come in under a yellow. I was distracted going into turn 14 and spun the car.” Courtney’s No. 99 Viper spun out on the grass and returned to the track, backwards. Spectators held their breath as Tony Gaples’ Corvette headed right towards him. “Tony had a great last minute maneuver, a big thanks to him for excellent driving around me. I don’t even want to think about what could have happened,” said Courtney. Both cars were unscathed.
After that, there was little Courtney could do. He reported to the pits for the penalty and returned to the track, but the race went green from flag to flag so there was no opportunity to make headway on the leaders.
Wittmer in the No. 13 car was also dealt a poor hand. Making his debut in the SCCA SPEED GT Championships, Wittmer qualified for second on the grid. After a great start and some promising first laps where he was able to pull out the lead, Wittmer was forced back to the pits due to a broken upright, part of the rear suspension. “It’s too bad for Kuno. When he approached me a couple weeks ago about a ride in the No. 13 Viper, I wasn’t very sure we could get it to happen,” said Woodhouse. “That was before Peter Cunningham [RealTime team owner] said, ‘Bob, I really think a lot of this kid and his talent. Let’s see if we can find a way.’” After the fog of the Grey Goose wore off, Woodhouse found himself driving an Acura TSX in the SCCA SPEED Touring Car race on Saturday and Wittmer racing the No. 13 Viper on Sunday for round eight of the SCCA SPEED Championship races.
Watch the race, and the spin that left us all on the edge of our seats, on September 11 at 2:00 p.m. (EDT) on the SPEED Channel.
As the season nears the checkered flag of its own, one cannot help but note that the Vipers have been curiously missing from the podium throughout this 2009 season. In fact, in all of the 24 podium positions of the season, a Viper has only been represented once. An unusual statistic when considering Dodge Vipers tend to make up about one third of the grid. One would expect their statistic to mimic Porsche’s, who have stood on the podium nine times this season, or even Ford, a single car entry that has been on the podium six times this season. When we go back to the 2008 season, the statistics remain stark, Vipers, a main competitor in the SCCA SPEED GT races, were represented on the podium only three times. As race fans all know, this series attempts to level the playing field by adjusting the weight and air intake restriction of each brand. The question looms on about the Vipers; are they getting a fair adjustment? Shouldn’t the competition staff identify the restrictions to the Vipers as unfair? This writer cannot help but notice these discrepancies, and finds it odd that no one else has reported on them. Am I breathing too much exhaust from an idling Viper? Perhaps not.

COURTNEY CONTINUES TO CLIMB

#99 Finishes 6th at Mid-Ohio
Lexington, Ohio (August 9, 2009) - Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe locks in his season's best finish this weekend in round seven of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship. With three races left to go, the heat is on to build on success and make the climb to a podium finish.
"It was a great weekend, I'm really thankful for the additions to the team that came on board for Mid-Ohio," said Courtney. The Woodhouse Performance Team now includes team engineer Matt Bejnarowicz along with Charlie Putman, driver of the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. "Charlie was impressive, at his first time out on the GT circuit he had a top ten finish." Putman finished just behind Courtney in seventh place.
Courtney qualified for the tenth position, "I was off a bit in qualifying from last year, in my opinion, Series adjustments to the Vipers are not allowing us to compete with the front running cars at this point. But I was happy with how the car handled."
After a strong start, Courtney felt the heat from behind as defending champion Randy Pobst moved through the field from his last place start position. "I had a good multi-lap battle with Pobst, in the tight part of the track he just wore me and the rear tires of my Dodge Viper out as that all-wheel drive Volvo can come off those corners so strong. I could stretch out on him on the straight-aways, but in those tight areas he had the advantage," said Courtney. "I felt good about our finish as the team received the top two finishing positions of the six Vipers entered at Mid-Ohio."
The August heat and humidity didn't dampen the record crowd that turned out in support of their favorite teams. "It was great to see so many people out there, it was especially important for me to see so many of the KENDA faces again. I would just like to thank KENDA again for all their support on and off the track," said Courtney.
There is very little turn-around time for the Woodhouse Team, who are making their way to Elkhart Lake for round eight. "Road America is my home track and I'm really looking forward to a good race there. Some of the high-speed turns at Road America should suit the Viper well," said Courtney. "I feel like our team is really coming together, now we need to make things happen."
"I'd also like to thank Woody Alverson of Accurate Metal Products for coming on board as a race sponsor for the Road America Grand Prix," said Courtney. Courtney and the Woodhouse Performance team will be entertaining friends, family, and local sponsors for this next race.
The Toyo Tires World Challenge GT Mid-Ohio Grand Prix will be broadcast on the SPEED channel on September 1, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT).
Catch the local action at Road America in Elkhart Lake this weekend, August 14-16. Courtney gets the green light at 9:35 a.m. on Sunday.

KENDA TIRES ROLLS OUT RED CARPET

Jeff Courtney Returns to Mid-Ohio
Milwaukee, WI (August 5, 2009) - KENDA customers, employees, family and friends will be in attendance at the Mid-Ohio race as KENDA Tires rolls out the red carpet in support. There will be 75-100 guests in attendance, all cheering and pulling for Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99
KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. "I really want to thank KENDA Tires, they've been a long-time sponsor of mine and I cannot thank them enough for all they do," said Courtney.
Courtney and the Woodhouse Performance Team are preparing to return to the track at Mid-Ohio for the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship race. In 2008, Courtney had his best qualifier here, starting in 3rd place. The loss of transmission oil in Courtney's No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe killed any chance of a podium finish.
"That was a bad break for us last year," said Courtney. "But I love this track and I can't wait to give it another go."
Last season, teammate Tommy Archer took the checkered flag at the Mid-Ohio race, this year the No. 13 car will be driven by Charlie Putman. "It's great to have Charlie on board, this will be a fabulous venue to have him join the team," said Courtney. Courtney and Putman raced together in the Grand Am and Panoz series. The past few years, Putman has raced in the TC class, Mid-Ohio will be his first GT start.
Also new to the Woodhouse Performance Team is Matt Bejnarowicz. Bejnarowicz was instrumental in the tuning of the Viper Competition Coupe and the new Viper ACR street performance model.
Courtney was interviewed recently on Jim Tretow's Racing Roundup which airs on ESPN Radio 540 am, taped live from Paulie's Pub & Eatery located across from the historic Milwaukee Mile to promote the upcoming race at Road America. "I was excited to be asked to help promote the upcoming Road America event," said Courtney. "Jim's a great guy I had a lot of fun on the show." Courtney's spot on the show was arranged by Julie Sebranek, communications director for Road America. Racing Roundup makes the most of every opportunity to support local tracks and highlight local drivers. Check out Racing Roundup at www.racingroundup.net.Watch live moment-by-moment racing recaps at www.world-challenge.com. Courtney gets a green light at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 9.