WOODHOUSE PERFORMANCE TEAM TURNS IN TOP PERFORMANCES

Wittmer Takes the Checkered Flag and Courtney Finishes 4th at Season Finale Tooele, Utah (October 4, 2010) – Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupeheld his own in a hungry field to finish 4th at the final race of the 2010 season of the World Challenge GT Championships. Teammate Kuno Wittmer, driver of the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe turned in fantastic times and captured the checkered flag, the first win for the team since Long Beach in April.

“What a fantastic result to the year end,” said Wittmer. “My Dodge Viper was simply outstanding.”

“Right out of the box, the cars were set-up great,” said Courtney. “The team did an excellent job, again, of preparing the cars for Utah. All weekend, I was really happy with my car and the set-up.”

After a couple of media rides in both the No. 99 and No. 13 cars, trouble reared its ugly head. Courtney’s No. 99 car dropped a cylinder and Wittmer’s No. 13 car needed a rear differential replacement. It would be another all-nighter for the Woodhouse Performance Team of Rick Maxwell, Matt Bejnarowicz, Todd Albrecht, Jack Kulick and Mark Barton.

“We could not have been successful without the hard work of this team” said Courtney. “The team worked throughout the night to change the rear differential in the No. 13 car and put a backup motor in my No. 99 car.”

Expectations were high after Courtney qualified for a 4th place start and Wittmer qualified for 2nd. “I got a fantastic start and a great run down the inside, but a good blocking move on the inside by one of the K-Pax Volvos killed my momentum, forcing me to drop back, creating a gap I could never close.” After an intense race, Wittmer pulled off the win and Courtney finished in a season-best 4th.

“The race was a nail-biter for these 1000 plus Viper fans,” said Wittmer, “but for me it was a lot of fun. I live for racing hard!” With this win, Wittmer sealed his 2nd place position in the Drivers’ Championship as well. “Finishing 2nd in points was a great ending to our year. It really proved that our team is capable of winning a championship. We got close, next time it’s ours!”

The Woodhouse Performance Team really came together over the weekend, dealing with mechanical issues and coming out ahead. It was a Viper weekend to remember, with huge Viper fan attendance, a win for the Woodhouse team in a go-karting event, and Crew Chief Rick Maxwell walked away with the prestigious Zimmerman Cup for outstanding performance as crew chief. The Zimmerman Cup is an annual award presented in the memory of multi-time Championship winning crew chief Jerome Zimmermann (1967-2003) at season’s end to the crew chief that best exemplifies the similar passion, dedication and success Zimmermann had in the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge.

“Rick certainly deserved this award, which basically amounts to a Crew Chief of the Year award,” said Team Owner Bob Woodhouse. “I am incredibly proud of Rick, and the entire team, for this year’s accomplishments.”

“Congratulations to Rick,” said Courtney. “After all we’ve been through this season, no one deserves the award more than him. All-in-all, this weekend was a lot of fun,” said Courtney. “It was a great way to end the season. Thanks to the team, and to all our sponsors, KENDA, RecStuff, Dodge, Coins of America, JG Wheels, Oakley Performance, G-Speed, Bell Helmets, and Foerster Signs.”Watch this nail-biting 2010 season finale on Versus on Saturday, October 30 at 3:00 pm (EST) and stay tuned to http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4721060:7099589632:m:1:191896110:2486F4EF02F44D2990B2814AAD06BBC2 and http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4721061:7099589632:m:1:191896110:2486F4EF02F44D2990B2814AAD06BBC2 for all the latest racing info.

Wittmer Caps World Challenge Season With Victory

TOOELE, Utah – SCCA Staff - Montreal’s Kuno Wittmer grabbed a season-ending World Challenge GT victory during the Toyo Tires Utah Grand Prix Presented by Bondurant at Miller Motorsports Park on Sunday. Peter Cunningham, of Milwaukee, Wis., and Robert Stout, of Brownsburg, Ind., capped GTS and Touring Car Championship seasons with wins in their respective classes.

Wittmer’s No. 13 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Viper started second and held that position through the first corner, chasing polesitter Randy Pobst. After falling behind by just over a second early in the race, Wittmer took the lead from Pobst, the newly crowned Drivers’ Champion, on lap nine as the pair encountered traffic in Turn Five. That pass earned Wittmer the MTM Special Ops Watch Best Move of the Race.

Once in the lead, Wittmer had a mirror full of Pobst’s No. 6 K-Pax Racing/Safe + Secure Volvo S60 and his teammate, Andy Pigrim, just behind. Pilgrim, of Boca Raton, Fla., moved his No. 8 K-Pax Racing/Safe + Secure Volvo S60 past Pobst on lap 12, and from there set sail to challenge Wittmer for the lead.
Wittmer and Pilgrim pulled away slightly from Pobst, and the remainder of the race was a two-car, nose-to-tail battle between the Viper and the Volvo. Wittmer ran a mistake free race, however, and finished the 22-lap, 67.056-mile race ahead by just 0.346-second.

It was the second win of the year for Wittmer, who finished the season second in the Drivers’ Championship. Wittmer averaged 90.941 mph in the race, which ran caution-free.

“We’ve been fighting all season-long to win this Championship,” Wittmer said. “We couldn’t win it, but we were able to get second place, so what could be better than Champion than being vice-Champion. We’re really, really proud. This Viper has been really fast and consistent all season long. We’ve had highs and lows, but it’s been mostly highs. To win at Long Beach and then to finish off with a win it just shows how outstanding this team has been.”

The Viper’s win came on a weekend that was shared with the Viper Owners’ Group and their annual gathering.
“We’ve got a thousand-plus people here supporting us,” Wittmer said of the seemingly endless parade of Vipers at the facility. “It’s just incredible. I’ve met so many people over the course of the weekend and they’re incredible, family people and that is just great for the [Viper] product.”

Despite a valiant effort, Pilgrim fell just short of his second-consecutive World Challenge win. Pilgrim’s seventh podium of the season left him fourth in the Drivers’ Championship.

“Randy did a brilliant job getting pole, but with all that REWARDS weight, he was going to come back and it was going to obviously hurt his tires,” Pilgrim said. “It was up to me to try to stay with Kuno. He got caught in traffic and I’d catch him up. I’d get caught in traffic and he’d pull away a little bit. It was definitely a concertina deal. He had good straightaway speed, so I couldn’t make anything up there. But I seemed to have better brake and turn-in. I could stay with him, but to try to pass him would have taken a real low-percentage move and it probably would have taken us both out.”

Pobst, of Gainesville, Ga., finished third to end a season that included his fourth World Challenge GT Championship and a boost, with Pilgrim, to Volvo’s first Manufacturers’ Championship. Pobst also turned the fastest lap of the race around the 3.048-mile, 15-turn “Outer Course” at Miller Motorsports Park with a time of 1:58.936 (92.258 mph).

Jeff Courtney tied a career-best finish of fourth in his No. 99 Kenda Tires Dodge Viper, joining his teammate Wittmer as the second Viper in the top four positions.
James Sofronas finished fifth in the No. 14 GMG Porsche 911 GT3 to become the top-finishing Porsche and finish third in the Drivers’ Championship.
Jason Daskalos (No. 5 Daskalos Developments Dodge Viper) and Rob Morgan (No. 46 TruSpeed Motorsports/Querencia Porsche 911 GT3) crossed the finish line in sixth and seventh.

Fred Roberts (No. 89 Direct Energy Home Services Dodge Viper) tied his career-best finish with an eight-place and clinched the GameStreamer GT Rookie of the Year title.

Cunningham ended his record-setting season with eight wins after his 3.810-second victory in the GTS class at Miller Motorsports Park.
Starting on the GTS pole in his No. 43 Acura/RealTime Racing Acura TSX, Cunningham fell back to sixth in class on the standing start going into Turn One. Cunningham had made three of those positions back by the end of the first lap, but when the No. 79 UPR.com/Jamison Eng Chevrolet Corvette of Kyle Kelley went by on lap two, Cunningham was back in fourth. Both Kelley and Cunningham passed the No. 27 Winkler Automotive Service Ford Mustang FR500S of George Winkler, from Frederick, Md., on lap four.
When Kelley’s tire went down on lap six, Cunningham was in second and set sail for Ben Crosland in the No. 25 RPMotorsports Ford Mustang FR500S.
The 17-year-old Crosland, running his third World Challenge race less than 30 miles from his home in Salt Lake City, held off the six-time World Challenge Champion until lap 13.

Once Cunningham went by Crosland, he opened up a slight gap to the checkered flag for his 40th career World Challenge win, extending his record.
“It was tough, for sure,” Cunningham said. “I got shelled at the start. I don’t know how far I fell back at the start—maybe eighth place, but I got a few back right away. I started to pick them off one at a time. Some were more difficult than others.

“Ben Crosland raced me very clean and was doing an excellent job keeping the tires underneath his car—congratulations to him and that team. Congratulations to Acura to finish out the year on a strong note and to RealTime Racing for giving me a car that didn’t fail me.”

Crosland held on for a second-place finish, topping his previous best of fourth at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August.

Winkler held on to finish third, the second of the Mustangs converted from the recently-completed Ford Racing Mustang Challenge based at Miller Motorsports Park, to cross the finish line.

Nick Esayian capped a career-best runner-up season in the Drivers’ Championship with a fourth place finish in Utah. Driving the No. 34 Acura/RealTime Racing Acura TSX, Esayian also teamed with Cunningham to bring Acura a record ninth World Challenge Manufacturers’ Championship, breaking a tie with Porsche.

Oli Thordarson finished fifth in his World Challenge debut behind the wheel of the No. 23 Alvaka Networks/Exposites.com Chevrolet Corvette.
Ernie Jakubowski was one of the cars who passed Cunningham at the start from his sixth position on the GTS grid, but cut a tire on lap one and finished 13th in GTS. That finish, however, clinched the GameStreamer GTS Rookie-of-the-Year award for Jakubowski.

Stout’s Touring Car win in the Series finale was an exclamation point to the rookie’s first season of professional racing.

Stout started sixth in the Touring Car class and got a tremendous launch from the standing start, propelling him past polesitter Taylor Hacquard, Jeff Mosing (No. 08 Frank’s International Mazda RX-8), Eric Meyer, Pierre Kleinubing, and Robb Holland and into the lead on the opening lap to earn the Optima Batteries Best Standing Start award.
In the lead, but not clear of the field, Stout’s No. 18 DG-Spec/Scion/TRD/Lucas Oil Scion tC, locked into a wheel-to-wheel battle with Hacquard’s No. 31 Mazda/Cybernation MAZDASPEED3 and Holland’s No. 22 3Zero3 Motorsports/Track Pro/Emich VW Volkswagen GTI. Hacquard officially led lap five, and the trio continued to battle – so closely that Stout’s right-side mirror was knocked loose.

Stout and Hacquard swapped positions numerous times, with the 18-year-old Stout claiming the Invisible Glass Clean Pass of the Race award on lap seven with a Turn 15 pass for the lead. Holland remained just behind, ready to capitalize on any mistakes the leaders may have made.

Bad luck struck Hacquard and Holland in separate lap 10 instances, however. Holland had the hood of his VW fly open on the front straight and pulled off the track in Turn One, while Hacquard was shown a mechanical black flag and forced to pit to repair defective rear brake lights. The developments essentially left Stout alone on the track and relegating the two front-runners to the end of the Touring Car field at the finish.

Despite the No. 1 Mazda/Cybernation MAZDASPEED3 of Kleinubing lurking seconds behind for most of the race, Stout maintained his lead and crossed the finish line with a 6.909-second margin of victory. Stout also earned the Sunoco Hard Charger award for improving eight positions overall from start to finish.
The win punctuated a season that saw the 18-year-old become the youngest World Challenge Drivers’ Champion, the GameStreamer Touring Car Rookie of the Year, clinch a Team Championship for DG-Spec, and a Manufacturers’ Championship for Scion.

“This has been such a fantastic season,” Stout said. “Lucas Oil and Rockstar Energy have been so supportive of us and helped us win the Championship, Rookie of the Year, the Team and Manufacturers’ Championships. Almost everything you can get, I was able to claim this year and I couldn’t do that without so many people helping me out.

“I got a great start, and didn’t expect to have the first spot in Turn One, but I managed to. Rob Holland and one of the I-MOTO cars [Hacquard] were right there and we were swapping positions left and right. Next thing I know, the I-MOTO car is getting black flagged and Rob had some technical trouble and I just was able to pull a gap over Kleinubing and we came out with the victory. What a fantastic way to end the season.”

Kleinubing, of Coconut Beach, Fla., finished second in his first race in the World Challenge Championships in 2010. Kleinubing was, however, entitled to run the No. 1 plate as a nod to his 2009 Touring Car Championship.
Meyer, of Indianapolis, Ind., finished third in the race behind the wheel of his No. 32 XOWii/Samaritan’s Feet/Delvira Mazda RX-8, leaving him second in the Drivers’ Championship.

Tom Lepper, a teammate to Stout, finished fourth in the No. 36 DG-Spec/Scion/TRD/Lepper & Associates Scion tC, followed by Branden Peterson in the No. 64 Competition Clutch/Supertech Performance Honda Civic Si.
Michael Pettiford (No. 41 Go 4 It Racing Schools/Hawk Volkswagen Jetta GLI) finished sixth, followed by Mosing.

The Toyo Tires Utah Grand Prix Presented by Bondurant will be broadcast along with the doubleheader from VIRginia International Raceway on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 3 p.m. (Eastern) on Versus

WOODHOUSE TO ROCK THE HOUSE

Courtney and Wittmer Head to Miller Motorsports Park for Season Finale Milwaukee, Wisconsin (October 1, 2010) – Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe is energized and ready for the 2010 World Challenge GT Championships Utah Grand Prix Finale at Miller Motorsports Park this weekend, October 1-3. Teammate Kuno Wittmer, driver of the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe is also coiled and ready to unleash his Viper fangs on the 4.5 mile, 24 turn course.

“I’m really hoping that the track will be a good match for the Viper,” said Courtney. “A good track may help even out the playing field a bit. The last time we were here, in 2008, I clocked in the fastest race lap and my teammate at the time, Tommy Archer, won the race. Hopefully, we can do even better this weekend.”

“I’m looking forward on returning to Salt Lake, I like this place a lot,” said Wittmer. “It has a variety of different corners, so our Dodge Vipers should be great here.”
The higher elevation of the mountain-top course should also be beneficial to the Vipers, or at least give them less fits than the rest of the field, including the turbo-charged Volvos.
Courtney is holding onto a 6th place position in the 2010 Championship Points Race and Wittmer is clinging to 3rd, hoping to move into 2nd.

“I want this 2nd place in the championship race more than anything. This will be a hard race as it is the last one of the year and all of the competition will be going all out.” Leaving no choice for the Woodhouse Performance Team but to leave it all on the track as well.

“There are so many Dodge events planned throughout the weekend and with all the Dodge fans that will be in attendance, should bring great inspiration,” said Courtney. “I think I can speak for both Kuno and myself when I say that we are going to hang it all out this weekend.”

“A victory would be solid in front of our loyal Dodge Viper owners,” said Wittmer. The Viper owners and fans will be out in droves as this weekend is the Viper Owner’s Invitational and Dodge Viper Cup. If you can’t get trackside at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah this weekend, check out http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4691576:7044404641:m:1:191896110:52FC4905528A6747C409CF1381EDC1D7 and http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4691577:7044404641:m:1:191896110:52FC4905528A6747C409CF1381EDC1D7 for all your Viper action and moment-by-moment racing information. Drivers will be getting the green lights for their standing starts at 2:55 (MST).

HATS OFF TO WOODHOUSE PERFORMANCE CREW

Courtney and Wittmer Praise the Team Effort Alton, Virginia (September 13, 2010) – Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe has nothing but good things to say about the Woodhouse Performance Team after their spectacular display of teamwork and effort put forth at this weekend’s Round 10 and 11 of the World Challenge GT Championship at Virginia International Raceway. Despite chasing car setups, the team was also handed multiple mechanical issues to deal with. Due to the huge efforts by the crew, Courtney was able finish 7th on Saturday and 6th on Sunday, moving him up to 6th place in the Drivers’ Points championship after starting the weekend in 9th. Teammate Kuno Wittmer also owes the Woodhouse Performance Team a debt of gratitude after their hard work on his No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe helped him earn a 4th place finish in Saturday’s race.

“I have always had the utmost respect for the Woodhouse Performance Team of Rick Maxwell, Matt Bejnarowicz, Todd Albrecht, Jack Kulick and Mark Barton,” said Courtney, “But after the difficulties at VIR, they impressed me with their professionalism and their dedication to the team. They worked virtually around the clock to get the cars set-up after running into some problems.”

“It was a roller coaster weekend,” said Wittmer. “The team worked late all weekend long.” Friday night went into 3 AM (Saturday) as the team changed the motor in the No. 13 car for Saturday morning’s race. “During Saturday’s race, it began to sprinkle on certain parts of the track. I was pushing hard and didn’t see the wet area ultimately tagging the tire wall.” Despite this, we were able to end strong with a 4th place finish.” The Woodhouse team had another long night of repairs ahead.

“I felt a win in Sunday’s race would reward the team for all this hard work,” said Wittmer. “Unfortunately, after the first lap I was about 8 seconds back of the leader and managed by lap 9 or so to be .5 seconds back, pushing hard, unfortunately I tracked off course and tagged the wall.”

Courtney also struggled with getting everything he could out of the powerful Dodge Viper and the team chased the setup all weekend. “I question whether we ever really got the setup, or if we are just pushing the car too hard to compete. I feel like we are having to drive our cars 110%, 100% of the time, trying to make our cars competitive. Even with the 50-pound weight reduction we received, there is no doubt in my mind that we are having to overdrive and hang it out on every lap in every turn to stay competitive.”

Courtney, along with the entire team, is now focused on the season finale in Utah. “When I think of Utah, I can think of no other crew I’d rather go with.” Wittmer agrees, “Our goal in Salt Lake will be to secure the second position in the driver’s championship. This is professional motorsports and things don’t come easy, but with a team like ours, we can do it!”

On Sunday, as the team prepared to leave, team engineer Matt Bejnarowicz turned to team owner Bob Woodhouse and said, “Bob, you should be proud of your team, we gave it our all, and despite everything these cars got to the pit with a good setup every time.” Woodhouse remembers that moment with emotion, “My eyes watered up, not because of the disappointing results, but because of the pride in these people who rose to the occasion and kicked the tar out of every challenge. Here’s an example: a noisy rear differential was discovered 30 minutes from qualifying. In 28 minutes the No. 99 Dodge Viper Comp Coupe and Jeff Courtney were taking their position on pit lane with a fresh differential in the car.”

Watch these amazing races, and this fantastic team, on VERSUS on October 30, 2010 at 3:00 pm (EDT). Catch all the latest news on the World Challenge GT Championship 2010 season at http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4630152:6927803499:m:1:191896110:21CC3A6D919BC8D8A7FDC4D66891CE35.

WOODHOUSE PERFORMANCE TEAM HEADS TO VIR

Courtney and Wittmer Plan for the Podium September 9, 2010 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) – Jeff Courtney is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of his No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe for Rounds 10 and 11 of the 2010 World Challenge GT Championship at Virginia International Raceway this weekend. Teammate Kuno Wittmer, driver of the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe is also excited to improve on the team’s standings, and his own second place position.

“I recently had my first experience racing at that track,” said Courtney, referring to his debut as owner/driver in the Viper Cup Series on July 10th and 11th of this year where he earned a second place finish. “It was a fast track, I really enjoyed racing there and after getting a taste of the podium, I’m looking to return to the podium this weekend.”

“We are looking forward to VIR,” said Wittmer. “It's a fast track with a lot of high speed corners. The Dodge Viper loves these types of corners."

Wittmer, along with crew chief Rick Maxwell and team engineer Matt Bejnarowicz, made a special trip to the Virginia track to do some advance testing and make preparations for the upcoming race. Expectations are running high as opportunities to advance are slipping by. “The championship will come down to the line in Salt Lake. Randy [Pobst] has not won this battle yet and we are nowhere close to giving up! We’ve got three races to go, anything could happen,” said Wittmer.

Team Owner Bob Woodhouse is also enthusiastic and optimistic for the upcoming race, “As for our drivers, Jeff and Kuno, they both love this track, have plenty of time on it and I doubt you can find drivers that are quicker.”

Woodhouse was also happy to report that the Vipers have found some relief on restrictions. “After an excruciatingly painful long length of time, the tech department has issued a 50 pound reduction in the base weight of our Dodge Viper Competition-Coupe. We are grateful for this, yet we know that it is too late to be significant in our chase for the championship. But don’t think otherwise, the pedal is on the floor and we’ll deliver all we got!”

It will be a double-race weekend and with so much on the line, fans everywhere will be excited to see who walks away with the checkered flags.

Cars will get the green light for their standing start of these World Challenge races on Saturday, September 11, at 2:35 (EST) and Sunday, September 12, at 1:35 (EST). Be sure to catch moment-by-moment racing action at http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4601591:6879717564:m:1:191896110:DE905CF9BA3DBAA94630BA46248139D1.

TOP FIVES ALONG WITH A FEW BRUISES FROM MID-OHIO

Woodhouse Performance Team Fights Hard in Rounds 8 & 9 Lexington, Ohio (August 11, 2010) – The Woodhouse Performance Team was well-prepared for the Optima Batteries Mid-Ohio Grand Prix but after some brushes with bad luck, they fell short of their podium finish goals. Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe finished 13th in Saturday’s Round 8 and returned to finish 5th in Sunday’s Round 9. Teammate Kuno Wittmer, driver of the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe finished 4th on Saturday and was unable to finish the race on Sunday due to an incident with a touring car.

Highlights of the weekend include support from KENDA Tires owner, employees, and fans. “I always look forward to having the KENDA people out in person at this Mid-Ohio event,” said Courtney. “ I appreciate the fact that owner Jimmy Yang was able to take time out of his busy schedule to make the Saturday event along with family and friends.”

Unfortunately for the Woodhouse Team, the podium eluded them this time. “I felt the cars were good, good enough to podium,” said Courtney. “On Friday, I didn’t hit the qualifying, but in Saturday’s race I had an awesome start and picked up three positions by turn one where I tucked in behind teammate Kuno Wittmer. I felt confident we would continue to pick up positions.”

Things then went awry, “That’s when, in my opinion, Tony Gaples made a very low percentage move on me entering the keyhole where we had contact and it forced me to pit to change a tire. I had to re-start at the back of the pack.” Courtney charged through the pack, but was only able to push his way up to a 13th place finish.

Sunday’s race brought much better results for Courtney. “Matt [Bejnarowicz] and Rick [Maxwell] made a few more adjustments to the car and it was handling fantastic. I think we really nailed the set-up this time, the car’s balance was good beginning, middle and at the end of the race. I felt that the only thing stopping us from the podium was heavy traffic.” Courtney charged to a 5th place finish after starting 10th in the 40-car field. “I really wanted that podium, we just ran out of laps.”

Things went well in Round 8 for Wittmer. “On Saturday, we had a great blast to the front of the pack. The team knew what had to be done after qualifying in order to make the Viper work great. I battled hard all the way to the end, putting pressure on Dino [Crescentini] for the majority of the laps. I finally passed him in the last corner of the last lap.” That last pass put Wittmer within striking reach of a podium finish, but he was forced to settle for 4th place.

“In the Sunday race, things were working out great,” said Wittmer. “My car was ever so sweet as we just passed 3rd place with about 10 laps to go. Unfortunately, a racing incident with a slower touring car placed us out of the race with a broken rear knuckle.” Wittmer, ever positive, is not going to let this slow him down for the remainder of the season, “This is motorsports, and issues like these do arise. We just need to learn from them, turn the page and move on. I have more fire in my eyes than ever to win this championship. We are heading into the last stage events and they will be great! I am looking forward to the next events now more than ever.”

Don’t miss these two exciting Sports Car Wars on the VERSUS channel, broadcasting on August 28, 2010 at 4:30-6:00 pm (EST). Check out all the latest news and action at www.world-challenge.com. The Woodhouse Performance Team will be back, better than ever, for their next race at Virginia International Raceway on September 10-12, 2010.

WORLD CHALLENGE SPORTS CAR WARS AT MID-OHIO

We are ready for World Challenge Sports Car Wars at Mid-Ohio, rounds 8 and 9
Rounds 8 and 9, back to back races of the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge are about to happen this week end August 6 and 7th at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. I love this event, 125,000 people on grassy knolls, drinking a cool one and watching Sports Car Wars from World Challenge, the Indy Racing League and American Lemans. If you love road racing, this is an incredible event. But it's not all ooh and aaawe for Woodhouse Racing. We came to work, (some of you may not call it that), there are a couple of Dodge Vipers that need to be up front and that takes more than you want to hear about. I do hope you have been following the slaughter we are experiencing on our quest for the Championship. If not you could catch up by backtracking on the site here or www.world-challenge.com. We have had some good success too; now it is time to combine our efforts with some luck. This is where you and the Viper Nation come in. There is no better way to bring us luck, than attending, cheering, following us on twitter, facebook and being a Dodge lover. OK, about keeping up, we are fighting for a GT Championship against Volvo, Corvette, Porsche, Nissan and others. Kuno Wittmer; driver of the #13 car is second in points with Jeff Courtney in 9th. Can't stress enough how hard they have both worked to be there. But it is time for a bit of luck, these guys are talented drivers, no question, so are another two dozen guys in this series. Bring us your support, even if it is putting www.viperheadquarters.com in your browser favorites so you can check it often. Need another teaser? Here is an example of what happens when you get involved in the Viper Nation and come to World Challenge events. Back at Long Beach a Dodge dealer got involved in the Grand Prix festivities and before he could leave he said "Bob, let's make a World Challenge Edition Viper ACR for the street". This is the result of that conversation:
Two of these are our Competition Coupe race cars and two are 640hp street going bad boys licensed by World Challenge. Send an email for details bobwoodhouse@woodhouseperformance.com and I will hook you up.
Thanks for taking your precious time to follow this. Bob Woodhouse

WOODHOUSE PERFORMANCE TEAM IS HUNGRY

Courtney and Wittmer Prepare to Take Charge at Mid-OhioMilwaukee, Wisconsin (August 5, 2010) – Jeff Courtney , driver of the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe is gearing up for rounds 8 and 9 in the exciting Sports Car Wars of the World Challenge 2010 season. The entire Woodhouse Performance Team, including teammate Kuno Wittmer, driver for the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe has spent the last couple of weeks preparing the Vipers for a double-header race weekend in the World Challenge Championships at the famed Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and they are looking to produce some strong finishes.

“I’m really looking forward to this double race weekend,” said Courtney. “We’ve had some past successes at this track and we are looking to be more competitive here this weekend. I’m particularly excited to be right in KENDA’s backyard.” KENDA Tires, a long-time sponsor of Courtney, is located in Columbus, Ohio. “It is going to be great to have the KENDA people out and I’m looking forward to putting on a good show.”

Wittmer is also excited for the upcoming races, “I’m looking forward to the Mid-Ohio road course; this type of track should be good for our Dodge Vipers. This competition will be harder than ever, but I have been training hard for this championship. It will pay off!”

When asked about the team’s readiness for the Mid-Ohio races, Team Owner Bob Woodhouse responded with typical gusto, “Mid-Ohio, a double race weekend in front of 125,000 people. Are we ready? Dang right we are! This Volvo dominance is getting really old and we need people to see a couple of well cared for Dodge Viper Competition Coupes driven by a couple of the best drivers just standing on the gas and out in front. Ron Fellows has been doing an incredible job as well with that Corvette he’s driving, I need to walk over there and look for the “press to pass” button.”

“We are not far off the top spot in the points race,” said Wittmer. “As a team, we are tight—tighter than ever and we really want this. It’s time to turn up the wick on this competition and fight them hard.”

The Woodhouse Performance Team is bringing both barrels to the track this weekend, and you will not want to miss the action from the standing start to the flying finish.

Catch all the action at http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4483816:6704678421:m:1:191896110:6C2B242ADBAACC9801114567418C8C58, races start at 10:15 on Saturday, August 7, and at 11:00 on Sunday, August 8, (EST). Stay tuned to cheer on Dodge and the Woodhouse Performance Team and hear all the latest news.

WOODHOUSE RETURNS TO BATTLE

Courtney and Wittmer Take on TorontoToronto, Canada (July 16, 2010) – Jeff Courtney returned to the wheel of the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe last weekend for Round 7 of the 2010 World Challenge Sports Car Wars after a bruising run at Watkins Glen. Teammate Kuno Wittmer was also back in his completely remade No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. Courtney earned an 8th place finish while teammate Wittmer finished 6th.

“Things were looking up for the Woodhouse Team when we got to Toronto,” said Team Owner Bob Woodhouse. “Watkins Glen left us with two cars not fit to be seen on the bad side of town, it is times like this where a team’s strength is really shown. Huge thanks go out to the team, first to Crew Chief Rick Maxwell, then Engineer Matt Bejnarowicz and many other key people for their incredible rebuild of the No. 13 Viper. It was a day and night scrambling to make the repairs and be at Toronto on time. I am just delighted to be around such smart and committed people.”

Wittmer echoed the praise. “The team deserves a big reward. They basically built a brand new car for me, amazing effort! My Dodge Viper was well set up all weekend.”

Courtney looked forward to returning to the Streets of Toronto course, “It’s been a while since I’ve raced here and I was really looking forward to the track. It was good to be back in a Viper again.”

Wittmer was also enthusiastic about the course. “The Streets of Toronto has always been a favorite street course for me but last weekend the tight streets of Toronto were very hard to get around. The pavement seemed to have been more favorable to our competition.”

Mid-way through the 2010 season, the competition really heats up. “The Volvos with the engine, brakes and AWD advantage were hard to beat, just like the past six events,” said Wittmer. “The championship is our goal. We will try to bring our A game to the table in every remaining event in order to gather all those vital points. Woodhouse voiced his frustration with the results of Toronto and is focused on the future. “The Honda Toronto Grand Prix tied us in knots. After Rick Maxwell, Matt Bejnarowicz and the rest of the team made an incredible re-incarnation of Kuno's #13 Dodge Viper Competition Coupe we felt we had a pair of top five cars. Jeff has been simply smokin’ off some great lap times, in the zone let’s say, and Kuno, well few drivers have more laps in and know more about the surface of the Toronto course than he does. The two of them were chasing each other finding more and more speed on the course by the time qualifying showed up on Saturday. So you can see why we had lofty hopes for great finishes.”

Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed. “Both of our drivers lowered their times substantially in qualifying, problem was, the Volvo's literally blew everyone off the asphalt. This is getting irritating, I can't say that any nicer,” said Woodhouse. “We had two incredible cars for the race with two well driven races, no flaws existed other than how we finished, 6 and 8. We felt we came with more than that. This course did not respect our big bad Vipers; it favored the short wheel base, lower center of gravity cars. We fell back in the short square and slow corners. Stay tuned, this is not acceptable.”

Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Hilton Toronto, Toronto’s premier, urban, contemporary Hotel in the heart of Toronto sponsored Courtney, Wittmer and the Woodhouse Performance Racing Team last weekend at the Acura Sports Car Challenge of Toronto.

“We were honored to have the Hilton Toronto and Ruth’s Chris Steak House as a sponsors and part of our racing family last weekend,” said Courtney.

Edwin Frizzell, Hilton Toronto General Manager said, “We were excited and proud to partner with Woodhouse Performance Racing Team and we extended our support and visibility at Toronto’s premier racing event while at the same time we supported Jeff Courtney and one of Canada’s top drivers, Kuno Wittmer. Many of our current customers and staff are huge race fans. This partnership offered a unique opportunity to support fans and the racing community at large.”

Ruth’s Chris Steak House, official sponsor of the Woodhouse Performance Dodge Viper Competition Coupes of Jeff Courtney and Kuno Wittmer for the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto & Acura Sports Car Challenge is pleased to serve guests the finest aged, corn-fed, USDA Prime beef available. Enjoy award-winning cuisine and gracious hospitality .The meat is cooked to perfection in broilers at 1800 degrees and served sizzling. In addition to USDA Prime beef, they offer Veal Chop, Chicken, Lamb Chops, Lobster, Crab Cakes and much more! Private Dining is available for lunch or dinner with seating for 10-100 guests.

Watch all the racing action of this hot street course on VERSUS on July 31, 2010, 3-5 pm (EST) .

DODGE VIPER CUP DEBUT

Debut Has Highs and Lows at Virginia International RacewayMilwaukee, Wisconsin (July 16, 2010) – Jeff Courtney played the dual role of both owner and driver July 11th and 12th at Virginia International Raceway in the debut of the Dodge Viper Cup and climbed the podium to the 2nd place position on his first race of the series. In the second race of the series, Courtney ran into some trouble with his No. 99 JCR Motorsports Dodge Viper ACR-X and was unable to finish.

“Saturday we started out pretty good,” said Courtney. “I thought we had a shot at winning it, the first lap of the race opened up an opportunity that as I look back I wish I would have taken.”

This was Courtney’s first time racing at the well-known Virginia International Raceway (VIR). “I’ve had multiple opportunities to run the track, but something always came up. I’ve seen the track on TV, and I’ve always wanted to run it. This is also great experience for me when I return here in September for the World Challenge race.” Courtney will be driving the No. 99 KENDA Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe in rounds 10 and 11 in the World Challenge Sports Car Wars on September 10-12.

“Being new to the track, it was great to have a friend to help me out a bit. Tom Long really gave me some good advice on his home track,” said Courtney.

On Sunday, Courtney was looking to improve on his 2nd place finish, but things did not work out as planned. “We qualified 3rd, but then the car was too low so I had to start from the back. It was frustrating, we kept trying to adjust for the car settling, but we could never get it adjusted up enough.”

Courtney started at the back of the pack and made some good headway as he charged through the field. Things were looking positive, Courtney was hoping for a return to the podium. “The car just got too hot, I had to pull off and take the DNF.”

“I want to give a shout out to Todd Albrecht and Cindy and Fred Lux and all the guys at Lux Performance,” said Courtney, who paddocked with Lux Performance. “These guys worked really hard, and although we thought we were better prepared, you don’t really realize until you get there how much you weren’t prepared!”

Look for an announcement soon on who will be driving the No. 99 JCR Motorsports Dodge Viper ACR-X in the next event of the Dodge Viper Cup series at Hallet Raceway on August 14-15, 2010.

DRIVER AND NOW OWNER

Courtney Switches Gears Milwaukee, Wisconsin (July 9, 2010) – Jeff Courtney is announcing his entry as car owner in a hot new racing series: the Dodge Viper Cup. Courtney will open the 10-race, five-event series by driving the No. 99 JCR Motorsports Dodge Viper ACR-X at the Virginia International Raceway (VIR) July 10-11.

As a driver in various racing series for many years, 4 years under the direction of team owner Bob Woodhouse and the Woodhouse Performance World Challenge Team, Courtney is now playing the dual role of both driver and owner. “My commitment is still to Woodhouse Performance and World Challenge,” said Courtney. “Bob and the whole Woodhouse team have been very helpful in guiding me on this new venture.”

It was an opportunity that Courtney said was too good to pass up, “Dodge has put out an excellent new Viper in the ACR-X and this spec series has a lot to offer for drivers, owners, and fans. We have a great package, including VERSUS TV coverage and the same production as World Challenge.”

The spec series will showcase a field completely comprised of 2010 Dodge Viper ACR-X vehicles, allowing for head-to-head competition between drivers while keeping costs down.

The series will run two 30-minute sprint format races per weekend and will be sanctioned by the North American Road Racing Association (NARRA). The rules and technical aspects of the series have been established by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).

After the first race at VIR on July 10-11, the season continues at Hallet Raceway on August 14-15, Pocono Raceway on September 11-12, the Miller Motorsports Park on October 2-3, and will culminate in the final race of the 2010 season at Spring Mountain Raceway, October 23-24.

As Courtney dips his toes into the owner’s pool, questions remain as to who will be driving the No. 99 in future races. “It’s still an unknown at this time,” said Courtney, “but watch for some big name drivers to bring the No. 99 to podium in the balance of events.”

For Dodge and racing fans everywhere, this series is sure to become a must-see favorite. Stay tuned for racing action and updates!

WATKINS GLEN NY PIT REPORT

World Challenge Round 6, Woodhouse Pit Report from Watkins Glen, NY 7/3/2010

We have all had one of those days: The mood is buoyant, the world is full of sunshine; suddenly.......... crash; we are talking literal here. Friday July 2nd at Watkins Glen Int. Raceway was that day. Not just one Woodhouse Performance/ Dodge Viper Competition Coupe hit the wall; two. Within 15 minutes of each other both of our cars were wounded in separate one car incidents. What are the odds?

The drama began with Dodge Motorsports manager Gary Johnson and yours truly chasing to the Kuno Wittmer crash site just in time to witness the ambulance with lites flashing boiling down the gravel road to the medical facility. After a quick corner worker interview to get their take on "What happened?" We are off to see Kuno at the medical building only to find him AWOL; released, what a relief. (Later when we caught up to him we learned a sore neck, stiffness, and some swelling at the juncture between his legs was the extent of it. The situation earned him a new nickname by the Realtime AcuraTeam; "Walnut", Draw your own conclusions.)

Arriving back at the transporter we locate the red #13 Dodge Viper CC looking like a Humvee after an encounter with a land mine. This focused our attention so much that it left no room for the brain to process the blue #99 Dodge Viper sitting just feet away on the alignment rack appearing as if a Grizzly attacked it sitting there with half the nose and splitter lopped off.

This is racing and stuff happens; but let me explain why this was a defining moment: We are in this to bring our drivers and Dodge Motorsport a Championship. This is midpoint in the season with driver Kuno Wittmer ranked #2 in points and Jeff holding top ten as well. If we DNF this race we are no longer a contender for the 2010 season.

No time to dally. Need a game plan. Qualifying is one hour away. From the team meeting came a decision by Jeff Courtney to put Kuno Wittmer in his #99. That was a huge decision on his part. My eyes got watery. By doing that he gave teammate Kuno a shot at the championship.
Every member of the team spoke few words for the next 60 minutes as drivers and crew focused on mending the nose and splitter of the blue #99 Viper Competition Coupe and converting it to #13 car for Kuno. The car made pit lane with 3 minutes to spare and as qualifying runs closed Kuno was sitting in 4th and Jeff was sitting on his thumbs. OK time to fix that, off I go to shop for a suitable rent-a-race-car for Jeff. With less than 24 hrs until the race, this would be a daunting task.
Our competitors Tony Gaples, owner/driver and Ray Sorenson crew chief of Black Dog Racing served up a Corvette and the deal was sealed. It just doesn't seem right to have a good Viper driver in a Corvette but hey, ya do what ya gotta do. First you put on our sponsor lettering, KENDA tires, then you take a large Dodge label and place it on the rear end over the Corvette name. Done in fun but you should have heard the Corvette fans howl. All Images © SCCA Pro Racing, Inc.

So what happened that both of these Viper beasts that they would crash at nearly the same time? Coincidence mostly, Jeff and the blue #99 had an "off" in the "bus stop" portion of the track while working on an alternative line. In the case of Kuno and the red #13 car, the data retrieval told part of the story. People like Kuno Wittmer are rare human beings. They get all the goodie out of a car at every brake zone, every corner and every straight, and do this lap after lap. If a car makes a hiccup, there is no safety net or 5% window left for recovery. A wheel speed sensor decided not to participate for whatever reason. When that happens the ABS brain says this is getting complicated so it drops out of the game leaving less stopping power.

After putting closure on the Friday from Hell, the team focused on getting a good result out of round 6 of the Sports Car Wars brought to you by World Challenge on Saturday the 3rd at 4:15. Kuno finished 2nd behind Ron Fellows and in front of Randy Pobst the points leader. Jeff did all he could with a car he sat in for the first time that day and brought it home 12th, both maintaining their position in the points chase. The end result brought a good feeling for stepping on the gas when one of life's speed bumps pulls you off the road. Find more at www.world-challenge.com. Next.............we have seven days to make this all good and be in the paddock at the Toronto Grand Prix. Lets hope Dodge and all of you will stay our friends and support us through this. Thanks for being there Dodge people. Stay tuned to see if we make it.

Bob Woodhouse of Woodhouse Performance Racing Team.

WATKINS GLEN THROWS UNEXPECTED PUNCHES

Woodhouse Performance Team Remains Standing Watkins Glen, New York (July 3, 2010) –There were some bumps in the road for the Woodhouse Performance Team this weekend at Round 6 of the Sports Car Wars at Watkins Glen. Both drivers, Jeff Courtney in the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper Competition Coupe and Kuno Wittmer in the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge /Viper Competition Coupe sustained damage to their cars during practice rounds. Just moments before qualifying, the No. 13 car was not drivable. True to form, the Woodhouse Team rose to the challenge and worked as a team to put two drivers in the race on Saturday, and Courtney and Wittmer retained their hard fought for top-ten positions.

“It was quite a weekend,” said Courtney. “We had some car issues right out of the box on the first day, and just when we thought we had things worked out, more issues came up on day two.”

During the last practice before qualifying was when the team hit the wall, literally. “I was coming through the carousel into the laces when I saw that Kuno had hit the wall,” said Courtney. “I slowed down to see if he was alright before I went on. I needed to make one more check on my car, and it was on the next lap when I was coming out of the carousel again that I brushed the wall. Thankfully, the damage to my car wasn’t as severe as Kuno’s.”

The Woodhouse Team found itself approximately 1 hour before qualifying with two damaged cars. The team gathered to determine what, if anything, could be done, and Courtney made the decision to focus on the No. 99 car—for Wittmer to drive.

“To me it was a no-brainer,” said Courtney. “He is currently 2nd in the drivers’ standings, with a legitimate chance to win the 2010 championship; it is just the best thing for the team. Giving up my car was just the right thing to do.”

The Woodhouse Team went into overdrive, scrambling to fix the damage on the No. 99 car and changing stickers for Wittmer. Team Owner Bob Woodhouse, never one to sit still, arranged a last-minute deal for Courtney: he would drive Tony Gaples back-up Corvette. Literally, minutes before the race, Courtney was introduced to a completely new car.

“I’d never driven the Corvette before, and there is definitely a learning curve!” said Courtney. “If I’d had had a couple of more laps to get the braking system down, we could probably have done better.” Without an ABS system, Courtney had issues with locking up the brakes and flat spotting his tires. “Eventually, I figured it out, but by then my tires were pretty square.”

Despite being physically battered from his earlier crash, Wittmer ran another fantastic race, climbing the podium yet again to 2nd place. “I drove one of my best races to date this year. Trying to pass the Volvos has become a very difficult thing, especially on speed and braking. My plans are now stronger than ever to try and win this championship," said Wittmer.“

All things considered, we did surprisingly well,” said Courtney. “Watkins Glen threw its best punches at the Woodhouse Team, and we are still standing.”

Racing fans need to watch this race. Broadcast time is set for July 17, 2010 at 11:00am-12pm on VERSUS.

READY FOR ROUND SIX

Courtney and Wittmer Return to World Challenge Sports Car Wars at Watkins Glen Milwaukee, Wisconsin (July 2, 2010) – World Challenge drivers around the country are ready for Round Six of the 2010 World Challenge GT season at Watkins Glen International during this holiday weekend. Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe is prepared to snatch a top-five finish to build on his consistent top-10 finishes in the first portion of the season. Teammate Kuno Wittmer, driver of the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe is also excited to build on his impressive start to the 2010 season where he currently holds the 2nd place position in the Championship Points’ race.

“It has been a long break,” said Courtney. “The beginning of the season is always a little hectic, and this mid-season gap has been good for the entire team, the opportunity to take a deep breath and focus on the rest of the season.”

“In our last race in Mosport, we came out scoring some good points. We are very pleased with that,” said Wittmer. “A podium effort is what we are looking for at Watkins Glen. The Porsche's will be fast on this course and so will the Volvos, but we have the best product in our hands with the Viper Comp Coupes. We should be able to run constant laps back to back all weekend and walk away with our plan achieved. "

The Woodhouse Performance team has really raised the bar this season; things have been working smoothly allowing Courtney and Wittmer to turn in some terrific times. “Rick and Matt have been really spectacular this season,” said Courtney. “I know they have continued to work hard over this bit of a break, fine-tuning the cars and doing some testing so we have our game face on for the rest of the season.”

“The race at Watkins Glen this weekend should be thrilling; when drivers return after a long break it tends to produce some surprises, both ways if you get my drift,” said team owner Bob Woodhouse. The standing start for this Sports Car War will be at 4:15 (EST) on Saturday, July 3. Catch the moment-by-moment racing action at http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4372955:6538341211:m:1:191896110:8A703B9586E684723D5A8821FC6AFEE1 and cheer on Courtney and the Woodhouse Performance Team.

TEAM WOODHOUSE COLLECTS FOUR MORE TOP TENS AT MOSPORT

Mosport, Canada (May 23, 2010)— Jeff Courtney drove the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe to two top-ten finishes this weekend at Round Four and Round Five of the 2010 World Challenge GT season. Courtney finished in 6th place and 7th respectively. With these finishes, Courtney stands in 9th place in the drivers’ points race. Teammate Kuno Wittmer, driver of the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe also turned in good results, coming in 2nd and 4th in rounds four and five, respectively. Wittmer is currently in second place in the drivers’ point race.

“It felt really good being back on home soil,” said Canadian native Wittmer. “This track has such legendary traits, it’s always a blast to drive fast—the faster we go, the bigger my smile gets!”

“It was a busy weekend with a packed schedule,” said Courtney. “The entire team really worked hard to put two excellent cars on the track. On test day, we felt as though we had the cars to beat. Then in qualifying, as well as the race, things didn’t work out as planned.”

Wittmer battled with Randy Pobst in the No. 6 Volvo for the checkered flag on Saturday. “Randy set a blistering pace during the race, but my Woodhouse Performance prepared Dodge Motorsports Viper was reeling him in,” said Wittmer. “In the last 10 laps my power steering pump broke, forcing me to use much greater physical force than normal. Still, a 2nd place finish feels really good! Two podiums in four races!”

The double-header was a widely anticipated battle in the Sports Car Wars and things on the track heated up fast. “I had expected traffic to be a major factor on the street courses of St. Petersburg and Long Beach and I was surprised that traffic was much more of an issue here at Mosport,” said Courtney. The speed differential between the various classes has provided opportunities for some drivers, struggles for others, and has certainly made racing action exciting for spectators. “It definitely makes it interesting!” said Courtney.

Courtney and Wittmer are steadily racking up points, both in the drivers’ points race and in the manufacturers’ points race. Dodge is currently sitting in the number three spot with 26 points, just two points behind Porsche and nine behind Volvo.“I feel very positive about our team right now and I expect that we will continue to improve throughout the season,” said Courtney.

Watch the Mosport double header on VERSUS July 31, 2010, 3pm-5pm (EST). Don’t forget to follow all the racing action at http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4281642:6383917594:m:1:191896110:A4FAB4216FA6C1824EF4B8D382112F99.

WOODHOUSE TEAM PREPARES FOR MOSPORT

Courtney and Wittmer Aim for Podium Milwaukee, Wisconsin (May 20, 2010) – Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe is preparing to return to the track in this season’s second double header at Mosport Victoria Day Speedfest this weekend, May 21-23. Courtney and teammate Kuno Wittmer, hot off his flag-to-flag win at Long Beach, look to be strong contenders for the podium again this weekend.

“Mosport is a fast track,” said Courtney, “I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel this weekend. Since Mosport is considered Wittmer’s home track, I’ll be looking to my teammate to give me some magic track tips,” joked Courtney.

“Home track? Yeah, I guess you could say that!” joked Wittmer. “It will not be an easy event, as a matter of fact, none of these World Challenge events are easy in any way. Home track advantage, when running up against world-class drivers doesn’t really mean much.” Wittmer and Courtney are relying once again on the standard of excellence supplied by the Woodhouse Performance Team.

“We will need to push hard from the start of the weekend,” said Wittmer. The schedule for this weekend is tight; there will be almost zero time between sessions. There won’t be any time to make adjustments. “The team has really done a great job preparing and adjusting the cars for this weekend,” said Courtney. “I am very confident that the brake issues I struggled with at Long Beach have all been resolved, we will be ready to take on the competition at Mosport.”

Even though the competition will be fierce, and there has been a lot of talk in the Sports Car Wars about bragging rights between popular Canadian natives, Wittmer in the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe and Ron Fellows in the No. 2 Corvette. “I will have a lot of fan support coming up to cheer me on. I cannot express how much I appreciate that,” said Wittmer, “but focusing on the team and the race will remain my top priority.”

The Woodhouse team is focused and prepared for both wet and dry conditions. “When you are racing Mosport in May, you need to be prepared for rain,” said Courtney. “It seems like every time I’ve been there, rain has been a factor.”

Let’s hope that the weather is as sunny as the team’s outlook for this upcoming race. Driver’s will get the green light for rounds four and five of the World Challenge 2010 season at 2:50 on Saturday, May 22 and at 12:45 on Sunday, May 23. Find moment-by-moment racing action at http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4245986:6326396286:m:1:191896110:DA8AE2955D96283CA7F942006709E93B.

LONG BEACH PIT REPORT

Wittmer Wins From Pole in Mopar-Powered Dodge Motorsports Viper Comp Coupe at Long Beach 4-19-2010 - Dodge Motorsports driver Kuno Wittmer led flag-to-flag to claim victory at the Toyo Tires World Challenge at Long Beach Presented by Bondurant, the final race of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 18. The native of Montreal, Canada is now second in the World Challenge GT standings, just one point out of the lead.
Wittmer’s race weekend was nearly perfect in the Mopar-powered No. 13 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, as he earned the pole with a new track record and cruised to an 8.475-second margin of victory. He averaged a record 80.787 mph over the 29-lap, 57.072-mile race. Wittmer also turned the fastest lap of the race at 1:25.797 (82.576 mph), a new Long Beach race record.
Jeff Courtney placed seventh in his No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse Dodge Viper Comp Coupe. Jason Daskalos improved five positions on the opening lap in the No. 5 Daskalos Developments Viper Comp Coupe to earn the Optima Batteries Best Standing Start and ended the event in the No. 12 spot. Fred Roberts steered his Viper to a sixteenth-place finish.
The race from Long Beach will be broadcast May 1 at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) on Versus. The World Challenge Championships return to action with a doubleheader at Mosport International Raceway, May 21-23.

COURTNEY AND WITTMER HEAD FOR THE BEACH

World Challenge Round 3 at Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (April 15, 2010) – Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe is preparing for round three of the 2010 World Challenge season held on the historic Long Beach street course. “I’m very excited to be heading to Long Beach again,” said Courtney. “It is one of the coolest overall events on the circuit. It has a 36 year history and they do an excellent job of engaging the drivers and teams with the fans.”

Kuno Wittmer, driver of the No. 13 Woodhouse Performance/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe is also enthusiastic about the next round. "I drove there, about 10 years ago in an open Formula Atlantic car,” said Wittmer. “Coming off a recent street course race, things are still fresh in mind and the team has been working hard in the past 2 weeks. The most important thing this weekend will be to maximize on the short 20 minute sessions. A podium effort would be a superb goal! "

Activities start on Thursday night with a free street display called "Thunder on Pine" where the fans enjoy a race car display from the three main race series of the weekend, driver interviews and autograph signings and a chance for teams to interact with the fans. At least one Woodhouse Performance/Dodge/Viper Competition Coupe will be in the display representing the World Challenge GT Series that will race at 4:15 Pacific on Sunday the 18th.

There will be plenty for Dodge fans to absorb over the long weekend. Executives from Chrysler Group LLC will be in attendance including Dodge President and CEO Ralph Gilles who will be visiting with owners in the special reserved parking Corral for registered Dodge or SRT owners.

“It’s a great event,” said Courtney, “with a huge following of over 100,000 attendees, a historic venue, what’s not to like?”The Woodhouse Performance Team has been working since the opening of the season at St. Petersburg to apply all the power from the Vipers. It has been a challenge getting off the tight turns on the street courses; the competition that has all wheel drive or an engine over the rear wheels seem to do better in that parameter. Between races, the Woodhouse Performance Team has worked hard to improve corner exit acceleration for the upcoming Long Beach street course.

“I want to thank the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort for joining with us for this race, we really appreciate their support,” said Courtney of one of the finest hotels in the area. Dodge owners will also enjoy a cocktail party at the Hilton on Saturday night. The Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort of Huntington Beach California has joined with Jeff Courtney/JCR Motorsports and the Woodhouse Performance Team for the Streets of Long Beach race.

"This is as close to a "dream team" as I have been with in my career." said Bob Woodhouse, team owner. "Every member of this small overworked and understaffed team has exactly the skill set and is the kind of person that we need. We have talent in every corner; we are all bent on getting the job done. Come and watch this incredible season unfold, you'll be glad you did."

World Challenge brings you the Sports Car Wars from the Streets of Long Beach on Sunday, April 18, 2010 at 4:15 pm (Pacific). Catch the racing action on http://webmail.woodhouse.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4142914:6152428696:m:1:106282691:ABFA90370748864D8358DE23FB1C9470 or the live broadcast on VERSUS May 1, 4:30-6:00 pm. # # #

Jeff Courtney RacingN174 W21030 Alcan Dr.Jackson, WI 53037Business: 262-677-9381Mobile: 414-651-1160
http://www.jeffcourtneyracing.com/

Jeff Courtney Racing Sponsors:

Kenda Tires – A leading manufacturer for specialty and automotive tires. www.kendausa.com Dodge Motorsports – www.dodgemotorsports.comRecStuff.com– Features a complete selection of boat, snowmobile, horse, stock, camper, and utility trailer OEM and replacement parts. www.recstuff.comCoins of America– Specializes in collectible coins, commemoratives and fine jewelry. www.coinsofamerica.comJG Wheels – Manufacturer of specialty steel wheels.Oakley – Oakley was created for world-class athletes, those who see the limits of possibility as just another challenge. www.oakley.comG-Speed – For Marketing and Hospitality Partnership Opportunities contact Berle Smith Marketing Director: Jeff Courtney Racing 425-478-704 berle7@hotmail.comBell Helmets – More world champions have worn Bell Helmets than all other helmet brands combined. www.bellbikehelmets.comFoerster Signs – Custom signs, car graphics and more. www.foerstersigns.com

About Woodhouse Performance – Woodhouse Performance is a two-car race team competing in the World Challenge GT Series, the Pro-Racing division of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Woodhouse Performance is in its seventh consecutive season of competition in the road-racing series with the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. Woodhouse Performance runs the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Dodge Viper and the No. 13, Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper. Woodhouse Performance is in Blair,NE www.woodhouse.com www.woodhouseperformance.com.

PIT REPORT - PRE LONG BEACH

4-14-10 Its 4:30 am, I hear the clank of Viper parts packed inside my luggage as I drag it out the door headed for the plane to LA. This will be the 36th running of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, considered America's # 1 street race. If you won't be there, tune in to VERSUS at 2pm on Sunday, the 18th. That way you will understand why my luggage has clanking metal sounds. You will be watching World Challenge present Sports Car Wars at St Petersburg FL. That happened two weeks ago. Since then the Woodhouse Performance team has been hell bent on squeezing a couple drops of Venom from our Dodge Viper Competition Coupes. Being astute race fans that you are; in the show you may notice we weren't exiting off the corners well. (We are the Red and Blue Vipers.) Street courses with slow speed corners offer the all wheel drive and rear engine cars the upper hand. Thus this short two weeks our whole team has been humping full out; thus what prompts the noisy luggage. Yup; this Sunday Long Beach is a tight cornered street course. I'm just sayin; Viper guys; we are taking this fight serious; Dodge deserves to be up front. It takes your help. If you can't be there, get connected; support Dodge baby and watch this war unfold. If you need help, email me or somebody for goodness sake and get in the game.

Bob Woodhouse of Woodhouse Performance.
http://www.blogger.com/www.world-challenge.com

PIT REPORT ST PETERSBURG GRAND PRIX POST RACE

3-30-10 I'm four stories up on open air grandstands at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. You can see most of the track from here. It is 30 minutes into the second World Challenge race of the weekend. I am adrenaline dizzy like a teenager on his first date. My chewing gum is so flat you could roll a joint with it. This is intense. Did I mention I "live" for this?

Both of our Woodhouse Team Dodge Vipers are running 10 tenths, battling for their piece of real estate in the 31 car field. Jeff Courtney in the blue and white 99 KENDA/Dodge/Viper Comp Coupe is in 9th position, off his rear bumper is the Nissan GtR of Tony Rivera acting like a male dog sniffing a bitch in heat. Kuno Wittmer in the 13 Dodge Viper Comp Coupe is behind the Jason Daskalos Viper keeping his nose ever so politely in the back side of his crotch.

My adrenaline attack peaks when Kuno gets a run on both Jason and one of the Porsches going into turn one, he squeezes into an inside line ahead of the other two, right on the butt of Andy Pilgrim in the Volvo, the double pass is in the bag, or is it, Pilgrim "brake checks" allowing the outside double line through the corner to pull away. I surmise a bit of Washington politics in Mr. Pilgrim, you owe those that helped you get there. Aargh!! This is killing me, but hey; see for yourself, you don't have to put up with my tirade.

Watch it on VERSUS, April 18th at 2PM. Is this stuff good or what? You will see Patrick Lindsey's Porsche get punted from behind and turn full sideways in the middle of the field creating a ski jump for the punter, Mr. Ott in a Nissan GtR. He all wheel drives up the side of Lindsey's Porsche showing his underbelly to the crowd before landing on the far side. Hollywood, you cannot outdo this. Watch it. If you can't then go to www.world-challengetv.com and pick it up on line a bit later. Viper Racing, Yeah Baby! Series details at www.world-challenge.com

Bob Woodhouse 402 657 5613bobwoodhouse@woodhouseperformance.com

WOODHOUSE PERFORMANCE TEAM OFF TO GOOD START AT SEASON OPENER IN ST. PETERSBURG

Courtney and Wittmer Turn Out Four Top-Ten FinishesSt. Petersburg, Florida (March 28, 2010) –The Woodhouse Performance Team put up some respectable numbers in the World Challenge 2010 season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg with four top-ten finishes. Jeff Courtney in the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge finished 10th after a 12th place start in the first round on Saturday. On Sunday, on the second round of the WC season, Courtney moved up the field to finish 9th after again starting in the 12th position. Teammate Kuno Wittmer made an impressive debut with a 6th place start on both Saturday and Sunday, he maintained his position to finish in 6th on Saturday, and improved on it on Sunday, finishing in 5th. Wittmer has racked up 155 points in the Championship race, Courtney has earned 124.

The WC season opened on the sunny streets of St. Petersburg with a crowded field. This year the series has included all three divisions, GT, GTS, and TC, in one race. “With the new added twist of all three classes running together, sometimes traffic is you friend, sometimes not, but at the end of the day you just hope it all balances out,” said Courtney.

“It was great to be back in the car,” said Courtney, who has not been behind the wheel of a racecar since October of 2009. “Thanks to the Woodhouse Performance Team for getting these cars ready on very short notice,” said Courtney. “St. Pete is a great event, with a lot of 2nd gear turns, we struggled all weekend to get the power down.

”Wittmer was also pleased with the season opener, "This is a great start to the season; the Woodhouse Performance Team did a great job getting the cars ready for both races. We were reliable, fast and consistent on this tight, tricky street course."

The Woodhouse Performance Team has a short break before their next race in Long Beach, California, April 16-18, 2010.

Courtney, Wittmer and the Woodhouse Performance Team would like to thank the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park again for their support and hospitality.

Watch the exciting Streets of St. Petersburg races, round 1 and 2, on VERSUS on April 18, 2010, 2 pm – 3:30 pm, after the initial broadcast, you can catch the racing action at http://webmail.woodhouse.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4103450:6095077283:m:1:106282691:06B22594A65E01EEB92453C650EF1638 . Follow round 3 on http://webmail.woodhouse.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/4103451:6095077283:m:1:106282691:06B22594A65E01EEB92453C650EF1638 on April 16-18, 2010. # # #

Jeff Courtney RacingN174 W21030 Alcan Dr.Jackson, WI 53037Business: 262-677-9381Mobile: 414-651-1160

Jeff Courtney Racing Sponsors:
Kenda Tires – A leading manufacturer for specialty and automotive tires. www.kendausa.com Dodge Motorsports – www.dodgemotorsports.comRecStuff.com– Features a complete selection of boat, snowmobile, horse, stock, camper, and utility trailer OEM and replacement parts. www.recstuff.comCoins of America– Specializes in collectible coins, commemoratives and fine jewelry. www.coinsofamerica.comJG Wheels – Manufacturer of specialty steel wheels.Oakley – Oakley was created for world-class athletes, those who see the limits of possibility as just another challenge. www.oakley.comG-Speed – For Marketing and Hospitality Partnership Opportunities contact Berle Smith Marketing Director: Jeff Courtney Racing 425-478-704 berle7@hotmail.comBell Helmets – More world champions have worn Bell Helmets than all other helmet brands combined. www.bellbikehelmets.comFoerster Signs – Custom signs, car graphics and more. www.foerstersigns.com
About Woodhouse Performance – Woodhouse Performance is a two-car race team competing in the World Challenge GT Series, the Pro-Racing division of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Woodhouse Performance is in its seventh consecutive season of competition in the road-racing series with the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. Woodhouse Performance runs the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Dodge Viper and the No. 13, Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper. Woodhouse Performance is in Blair,NE www.woodhouseperformance.com.

VIPERS COILED AND READY TO STRIKE

Courtney and Wittmer Head for the Streets of St. Petersburg for 2010 Season Opener Milwaukee, Wisconsin – (March 24, 2010) – Jeff Courtney, driver of the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Woodhouse/Dodge Viper has his engine revved and ready to take on the twists and turns of the Streets of St. Petersburg this weekend along with teammate Kuno Wittmer in the No. 13 Woodhouse/Dodge Viper. “After a long off-season, I’m excited to get back behind the wheel,” said Courtney. “I haven’t been at St. Petersburg since my rookie year in ’06, I’m anxious to go back, this time in a Dodge Viper.”

Wittmer is just as enthusiastic. "After having driven this wild street course back in 2006, I look forward to coming back and tackling every session alongside my new teammate,” said Wittmer. “The Woodhouse Performance Team has put in a lot of hours over the winter season and I couldn't be more pleased to be working with a great group of people.

"The Streets of St. Petersburg provide racing at its best, with unforgiving corners and straight-aways that run between tall apartment buildings along the waterfront including the long runway of a small airport. The views around this St. Petersburg street course are fabulous.

Team Woodhouse has been working overtime to get these cars prepared for the WC opener. “The cars were completely disassembled and every part scrutinized for their integrity to make our machines hug the asphalt and get maximum speed out of the corners,” said Team Owner, Bob Woodhouse. “All of this is pointed at helping to bring Dodge a manufacturers’ championship this year —they deserve one.

”You might not recognize the Woodhouse Performance Vipers this year; they’ve made some visual updates for 2010. Courtney’s No. 99 will be a metallic blue with white racing stripes, Wittmer’s No. 13 is identical, but in red. “There are a lot of new changes for this season. If all goes to plan, the Woodhouse Vipers should be very recognizable after this event,” said Courtney.

“I’d also like to thank and welcome aboard the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park for their support for this race,” said Courtney. The Hilton Carillon Park welcomes Jeff Courtney/JCR Motorsports during the St. Petersburg Grand Prix the weekend of March 27-28. "Our hotel has been ranked the #1 Hilton in the Americas for the past three years for customer loyalty, satisfaction and product." The staff welcomes teams and fans alike. Located only fifteen minutes from the track, you can learn more at www.hiltonhotelstpete.com or by calling 727-540-0050.

Check out www.world-challenge.com for live moment-by-moment racing action that begins with the green light this Sunday, March 28 at 10:15 am (EDT), the race will also be broadcast on VERSUS and SpeedCast.com on Apr. 18, Sun 2 pm.

Jeff Courtney RacingN174 W21030 Alcan Dr.Jackson, WI 53037Business: 262-677-9381Mobile: 414-651-1160
http://www.jeffcourtneyracing.com/

Jeff Courtney Racing Sponsors:
Kenda Tires – A leading manufacturer for specialty and automotive tires. www.kendausa.com Dodge Motorsports – www.dodgemotorsports.comRecStuff.com– Features a complete selection of boat, snowmobile, horse, stock, camper, and utility trailer OEM and replacement parts. www.recstuff.comCoins of America– Specializes in collectible coins, commemoratives and fine jewelry. www.coinsofamerica.comJG Wheels – Manufacturer of specialty steel wheels.Oakley – Oakley was created for world-class athletes, those who see the limits of possibility as just another challenge. www.oakley.comG-Speed – For Marketing and Hospitality Partnership Opportunities contact Berle Smith Marketing Director: Jeff Courtney Racing 425-478-704 berle7@hotmail.comBell Helmets – More world champions have worn Bell Helmets than all other helmet brands combined. www.bellbikehelmets.comFoerster Signs – Custom signs, car graphics and more. www.foerstersigns.com
About Woodhouse Performance – Woodhouse Performance is a two-car race team competing in the World Challenge GT Series, the Pro-Racing division of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Woodhouse Performance is in its seventh consecutive season of competition in the road-racing series with the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. Woodhouse Performance runs the No. 99 Kenda Tires/Dodge Viper and the No. 13, Woodhouse Performance/Dodge Viper. Woodhouse Performance is in Blair,NE www.woodhouse.com www.woodhouseperformance.com.