I've always loved racing and I've always loved Ford GT's - this purchase seemed logical! However, along with a friend, we decided to purchase all 4 Matech Ford GT1 cars. Here's a pic that Steven Nesta took dragging his camera on the ground during our visit a couple of weeks ago:
Greg, my partner, and I plan on bringing the cars to the Rally this year as well. We're excited to be working with Dave and the Ford GT Forum team on this event. So be sure to register for this awesome event in the near future, we're looking forward to meeting some new friends and catching up with some old friends along the way. I'm still pinching myself... I'm like a little kid in a candy store!
Here's a recent press release we launched a few minutes ago (Full PR with pictures: click here):
Rare Ford Racing GTs to Debut on U.S. Soil at the Carlisle Ford Nationals
See a Quartet of Matech GT1 Fords at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds in June
Thursday, May 1, 2014
For months, the talk of the town has been just how massive the Carlisle Ford Nationals will be in 2014. This year’s show, June 6-8 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds, was already going to be more than just an event, it was slated to be an automotive happening. As Carlisle Events celebrates its 40th Anniversary and the weekend honors 110-years of Ford as well as 50-years of the Mustang, over 3,000 cars are expected with nearly 50,000 enthusiasts to boot. So what could make it even more epic? The answer to that question was recently revealed during a Carlisle Events staff meeting in late April.
Straight off a cargo ship from Europe and in the United States for the first-time ever, Ford lovers can see the only four Matech Ford GT1 cars in the world! These cars aren’t just any run of the mill GTs, these particular GT1 cars were designed by Matech Concepts in 2009, using the initial design of the modern Ford GT as the basis for this full on race car. It was the ambition of Matech’s team owner, Martin Bartek, to have the Ford GT race once again at the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans, and while Matech was already a highly successful manufacturer and race team, having designed and raced the Matech Ford GT3 cars, the GT3 cars were not eligible for Le Mans. The Matech Ford GT1 project was born with the primary aim of competing at Le Mans.
This dream became reality when in February 2010 invitations were received from the Le Mans’ organizers to enter the toughest and most famous endurance race in the world. Coincidently, this is the same 24 hours of Le Mans that Carlisle Events’ co-owner Lance Miller attended as part of “The Quest,” a touching film by Michael Brown that chronicled Miller’s desire to fulfill his late father’s (Carlisle Events’ co-founder Chip Miller) dream of returning his legendary Cunningham racing Corvette and its equally legendary driver to the same track where it won first in class 50 years earlier in 1960.
During the visit with his Corvette, Miller quickly took notice to the Matech GTs, due in part to their return to Le Mans amid a rich history of competition at both the 24 hours of Le Mans and in the FIA GT1 World Championship. This history included an impressive 1-2-3 finish in the grueling 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, plus stunning wins in the hands of Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean at both Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, and Brno in the Czech Republic.
Owned in part by Miller and long-time friend Greg Boehme, the four GT1s were previously owned by the highly successful European team, MarcVDS Racing from Belgium. Thanks to the team and their meticulous attention to detail, the cars are now presented once again in their stunning 2010 race liveries.
“While I grew up surrounded by Corvettes, the early GT40s have always been my ultimate dream car; however; as time moved on so did the values with good reason,” noted Miller. “In the early 2000s when Ford announced that the potential new supercar called the Ford GT could become a reality, I was beside myself and in 2005, when I saw the first production Ford GT, it was love at first site,” continued Miller. “Once I met the designer, some of the team members and learned the sheer passion behind the build of the Ford GT, I fell in love! I have a racing background and when I saw Matech build the GT3 cars I was impressed, but once I saw the GT1 cars that were made specifically for the 24 hour of Le Mans, I knew one day I HAD to own one! My dad had his dream car, the 1960 Le Mans-winning Cunningham #3 Corvette and it’s ironic that while I was helping bring his dreams into reality in 2010 at Le Mans, at the same time, I was seeing my dream car in person for the first time. I'm literally pinching myself in disbelief because to me, these are the ultimate racers of today and I'm privileged to be a caretaker!” Miller concluded, “I feel strongly that these cars should be on U.S. soil and I'm thrilled they will be seen at the world's largest all-Ford-themed event, the Carlisle Ford Nationals at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds beginning June 6, 2014. I’d like to offer a special thanks to my partner with the cars Greg Boehme. Fortunately for me, he carries the same enthusiasm for these incredible cars as I do and we were able to bring them home together!”
About the Cars: Underneath the paint, the performance specifications are just as impressive as the looks, with 650 horse power delivered from an all-American 5.3 liter V8 built by renowned engine builder Roush-Yates. Huge carbon brakes, capable of lasting an entire 24-hour race provide the stopping power, and a full carbon fiber body reduces the race car’s weight to a paltry 2600 pounds. Coupled to the engine is a 6-speed sequential gearbox, allowing ultra fast clutchless gearshifts and propelling the car up to 200 mph in its Le Mans low down force configuration.
These four cars are the only remaining Matech Ford GT1s in the world, as two others were destroyed during competition in 2010. As part of American racing history, these treasures will be unveiled for the first time to the American public at the Carlisle Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on Friday, June 6 at 12 p.m. near the Red 102.3 stage. At that point, they will undoubtedly draw huge crowds and make thousands of new fans, just as they did during their triumphant return to Le Mans in 2010. In addition to unveiling and showcasing the cars, there will be regular engine runs throughout the weekend. The display and audio showcase will ensure they remain one of the most exciting attractions of the show…ear plugs are strongly encouraged!
Photo Credits - Steven Nesta
# # #
Journalist note: Information about Carlisle Events, its event listings, auction offerings and the Carlisle Expo Center is available to journalists by phone:
Michael Garland
Media Specialist
717-243-7855 ext. 133
michaelg@carlisleevents.com
# # #
- See more at: http://carlisleevents.com/carlisle-...iew.aspx?PRDetailkey=807#sthash.xD9GFpWw.dpuf
Greg, my partner, and I plan on bringing the cars to the Rally this year as well. We're excited to be working with Dave and the Ford GT Forum team on this event. So be sure to register for this awesome event in the near future, we're looking forward to meeting some new friends and catching up with some old friends along the way. I'm still pinching myself... I'm like a little kid in a candy store!
Here's a recent press release we launched a few minutes ago (Full PR with pictures: click here):
Rare Ford Racing GTs to Debut on U.S. Soil at the Carlisle Ford Nationals
See a Quartet of Matech GT1 Fords at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds in June
Thursday, May 1, 2014
For months, the talk of the town has been just how massive the Carlisle Ford Nationals will be in 2014. This year’s show, June 6-8 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds, was already going to be more than just an event, it was slated to be an automotive happening. As Carlisle Events celebrates its 40th Anniversary and the weekend honors 110-years of Ford as well as 50-years of the Mustang, over 3,000 cars are expected with nearly 50,000 enthusiasts to boot. So what could make it even more epic? The answer to that question was recently revealed during a Carlisle Events staff meeting in late April.
Straight off a cargo ship from Europe and in the United States for the first-time ever, Ford lovers can see the only four Matech Ford GT1 cars in the world! These cars aren’t just any run of the mill GTs, these particular GT1 cars were designed by Matech Concepts in 2009, using the initial design of the modern Ford GT as the basis for this full on race car. It was the ambition of Matech’s team owner, Martin Bartek, to have the Ford GT race once again at the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans, and while Matech was already a highly successful manufacturer and race team, having designed and raced the Matech Ford GT3 cars, the GT3 cars were not eligible for Le Mans. The Matech Ford GT1 project was born with the primary aim of competing at Le Mans.
This dream became reality when in February 2010 invitations were received from the Le Mans’ organizers to enter the toughest and most famous endurance race in the world. Coincidently, this is the same 24 hours of Le Mans that Carlisle Events’ co-owner Lance Miller attended as part of “The Quest,” a touching film by Michael Brown that chronicled Miller’s desire to fulfill his late father’s (Carlisle Events’ co-founder Chip Miller) dream of returning his legendary Cunningham racing Corvette and its equally legendary driver to the same track where it won first in class 50 years earlier in 1960.
During the visit with his Corvette, Miller quickly took notice to the Matech GTs, due in part to their return to Le Mans amid a rich history of competition at both the 24 hours of Le Mans and in the FIA GT1 World Championship. This history included an impressive 1-2-3 finish in the grueling 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, plus stunning wins in the hands of Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean at both Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, and Brno in the Czech Republic.
Owned in part by Miller and long-time friend Greg Boehme, the four GT1s were previously owned by the highly successful European team, MarcVDS Racing from Belgium. Thanks to the team and their meticulous attention to detail, the cars are now presented once again in their stunning 2010 race liveries.
“While I grew up surrounded by Corvettes, the early GT40s have always been my ultimate dream car; however; as time moved on so did the values with good reason,” noted Miller. “In the early 2000s when Ford announced that the potential new supercar called the Ford GT could become a reality, I was beside myself and in 2005, when I saw the first production Ford GT, it was love at first site,” continued Miller. “Once I met the designer, some of the team members and learned the sheer passion behind the build of the Ford GT, I fell in love! I have a racing background and when I saw Matech build the GT3 cars I was impressed, but once I saw the GT1 cars that were made specifically for the 24 hour of Le Mans, I knew one day I HAD to own one! My dad had his dream car, the 1960 Le Mans-winning Cunningham #3 Corvette and it’s ironic that while I was helping bring his dreams into reality in 2010 at Le Mans, at the same time, I was seeing my dream car in person for the first time. I'm literally pinching myself in disbelief because to me, these are the ultimate racers of today and I'm privileged to be a caretaker!” Miller concluded, “I feel strongly that these cars should be on U.S. soil and I'm thrilled they will be seen at the world's largest all-Ford-themed event, the Carlisle Ford Nationals at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds beginning June 6, 2014. I’d like to offer a special thanks to my partner with the cars Greg Boehme. Fortunately for me, he carries the same enthusiasm for these incredible cars as I do and we were able to bring them home together!”
About the Cars: Underneath the paint, the performance specifications are just as impressive as the looks, with 650 horse power delivered from an all-American 5.3 liter V8 built by renowned engine builder Roush-Yates. Huge carbon brakes, capable of lasting an entire 24-hour race provide the stopping power, and a full carbon fiber body reduces the race car’s weight to a paltry 2600 pounds. Coupled to the engine is a 6-speed sequential gearbox, allowing ultra fast clutchless gearshifts and propelling the car up to 200 mph in its Le Mans low down force configuration.
These four cars are the only remaining Matech Ford GT1s in the world, as two others were destroyed during competition in 2010. As part of American racing history, these treasures will be unveiled for the first time to the American public at the Carlisle Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on Friday, June 6 at 12 p.m. near the Red 102.3 stage. At that point, they will undoubtedly draw huge crowds and make thousands of new fans, just as they did during their triumphant return to Le Mans in 2010. In addition to unveiling and showcasing the cars, there will be regular engine runs throughout the weekend. The display and audio showcase will ensure they remain one of the most exciting attractions of the show…ear plugs are strongly encouraged!
Photo Credits - Steven Nesta
# # #
Journalist note: Information about Carlisle Events, its event listings, auction offerings and the Carlisle Expo Center is available to journalists by phone:
Michael Garland
Media Specialist
717-243-7855 ext. 133
michaelg@carlisleevents.com
# # #
- See more at: http://carlisleevents.com/carlisle-...iew.aspx?PRDetailkey=807#sthash.xD9GFpWw.dpuf
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