2008 News & Notes

4/21/08

The Margraf Racing crew was asked to assist Champ Car World Series team HVM/Minardi Team USA to run their third team car at the Long Beach Grand Prix. This would be the final Champ Car race ever as the series has merged with the Indy Racing League, which most teams will make the switch to. Seasoned veteran “super-sub” Roberto Moreno handled driving duties. Roberto was up to speed quickly in the PDVSA/Muermans Group/Jumbo Supermarkten sponsored Panoz DP01, which was no surprise since he was the development driver for this Panoz chassis.

The rigorous schedule for the weekend was made even more difficult when several crewmen and Roberto became ill from apparent food poisoning. The tremendous effort put in by the crew on Friday was extraordinary. With everyone afflicted feeling well, Saturday went much smoother, until a mechanical failure in the gearbox cut the qualifying session short.

On Sunday, Roberto was setting a fast pace trying to get to the front; he had the fastest lap time for the majority of the race. A missed opportunity to pit as the first caution flag fell put Moreno out of sequence with the leaders and back deep in the field again. Roberto made another charge for the front, only to suffer another mechanical failure in the gearbox.

6/1/08

Keith Lively was virtually unbeatable driving his Margraf Racing prepared Swift .014 to victory in every SCCA Formula Atlantic national event he competed in this year.

11/18/08

Margraf Racing, working in conjunction with Comptech USA, has successfully completed the approval process of a Honda engine for use in Daytona Prototypes of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. The Honda engine is a production based 24 valve, DOHC V6, displacing 3.9 liters.

A lengthy development process to ensure the balance of performance and reliability for endurance racing was spearheaded by Bill Margraf of Margraf Racing, Inc. and the engine development team at Comptech USA.

Bill Margraf is very excited about the potential of the Honda engine. “It took a little longer than we had hoped, but it was worth the wait”, said Margraf. “The Honda engine showed very well on the dyno. We are now seeking a long term partner to work with so we can get the engine package on the track.”

2007 News & Notes

1/8/07

The Margraf Racing crew and Grand-Am Koni Challenge FR500C Mustang arrived in Daytona Beach, FL for the first official test days of the season at Daytona International Speedway. Driver Rick Lee had a difficult time finding the fast line around the 3.56 mile 12-turn course in his beautifully prepared Centurion Boat sponsored Mustang. Hot shoe Guy Cosmo offered his services, in between his Rolex Series driving duties, to help Rick learn the track and give the team some feedback on how the car was handling. The crew was kept pretty busy repairing damage from incidental contact and off track excursion during the crowded sessions.

1/27/07

The Margraf Racing crew and Grand-Am Koni Challenge FR500C Mustang were back at Daytona International Speedway for the Fresh From Florida 200 with drivers Phil Mahre and Steve Mahre. Both Phil and Steve were putting in good lap times during the practice sessions, and it seemed the Centurion Boats sponsored Mustang would qualify well. In Friday’s afternoon session the car went off course in turn 1, striking the barrier quite hard, causing a significant amount of damage to the car. As the damaged sheetmetal was being removed to reveal the extent of the damage a plan of action was developed, with assistance from Brian Nott of Blacforest Racing. The Mustang was brought to a body shop in Deland, FL, close to the Blackforest shop, where it was put on the frame rack and pulled back into shape. Parts were sourced from the Blackforest shop, Palm Coast Ford and the Team Centurion spares. Working through the night, the car rebuilt and delivered to the track hours before the race start. After final preparations and a thorough alignment the Centurion Mustang rolled up to pre-grid, far back in the 106 car field. During the pre-race warm-up laps, it was discovered that the shifter was not working properly, a problem caused by the earlier crash. The car was brought back to the garage for repairs and returned to the track several laps down. Phil and Steve drove a stellar race and finished 75th overall on a flat left front tire on the final lap.

3/19/07

Margraf Racing and the Team Centurion FR500C Mustang completed 2 days of testing at the 2.2 mile Homestead-Miami Speedway in preparation of for the race in April. This was the first time drivers Phil and Steve Mahre had been to the facility. Both drivers put in very respectable lap times and are looking forward to the race.

4/7/07

Bill Margraf and Team Cytosport brought the Muscle Milk sponsored Lola B06/10 LMP1 car to the Reno-Fernley Raceway for a thorough shakedown. Drivers Greg Pickett and Klaus Graf had plenty of seat time to familiarize themselves with the car, as they tested until sundown. The wonderful Advanced Engine Research 3.6 liter bi-turbo V8 ran strong all day, and the team was pleased with their prospects at the Long Beach Grand Prix in the coming week.

4/16/07

The Long Beach Grand Prix weekend was shortened when the Lola B06/10 brushed the wall at the exit of turn 6 during qualifying. The resulting damage was enough to force the Team Cytosport entry to withdraw from the American Le Mans Series race.

4/17/06

The Margraf Racing Team Centurion FR500C Mustang was back at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. This time without team principal Bill Margraf, due his to prior commitments for the Long Beach Grand Prix with Team Cytosport. Drivers Phil and Steve Mahre made the best of there starting position in the rear of the field, after a post qualifying inspection revealed a rules violation for rear camber. The brothers managed a mid-pack finish.

4/23/07

The Grand-Am Koni Challenge inaugural event at the new Iowa Speedway was very well received by the fans. The Team Centurion Mustang faired well on the tight 1.3 mile course. Phil and Steve brought the back with minimal damage and the best finish of season, so far.

5/21/07

It was great to get back to the track again, with nearly a month off since the last Grand-Am Koni Challenge race. The Margraf Racing crew and Team Centurion FR500C were both thoroughly refreshed, and looking for good results at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The weekend was shortened abruptly on race day from a multi-car wreck in the early laps.

6/25/07

Back from another month off, enough time to refresh the Team Centurion Mustang. The Margraf Racing crew, and drivers Phil and Steve Mahre put in another good effort at the 15-turn 2.4 mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. A little patience paid off in big dividends for the best finish so far this season.

7/9/07

The Margraf Racing crew and Team Centurion Mustang had another good performance on the Watkins Glen International 3.4 mile long course. Drivers Phil and Steve Mahre gave another strong effort by avoiding trouble and working their way up in the finishing order.

7/23/07

Bill Margraf, with Team Cytosprt and the Muscle Milk Lola B06/10 LMP1 arrived at Mid-Ohio looking for a good solid run. Their efforts paid off with a podium, with strong performances from drivers Greg Pickett and Klaus Graf.

7/24/07

The Margraf Racing crew and Team Centurion Mustang arrive at Barber Motorsports Park, a beautiful 16-turn 2.38 mile course just outside Birmingham, AL. The only thing hotter than the temperature was the action on the track. Phil and Steve Mahre kept their cool and were driving a fantastic race when a front tire went flat, putting them a lap down. The finishing position did not reflect the strong run and solid effort put in.

8/13/07

Bill Margraf and Team Cytosport had another good outing at the Road America Generac Grand Prix in scenic Elkhart Lake, WI. With less than an hour remaining in the race a tremendous thunderstorm rolled in, creating unparalleled slick and blinding conditions. Klaus Graf capitalized on the slick conditions, giving he and Greg Pickett another podium finish.

9/1/07

Bill Margraf and Team Cytosport celebrated Labor Day weekend at the Detroit Sports Car Challenge – Belle Isle. Greg Pickett and Klaus Graf drove another smart race resulting in their third podium finish in three races.

9/16/07

Margraf Racing and the Team Centurion FR500C Mustang finished their season at the massive 24-turn 4.5 mile Miller Motorsports Park course, in the high desert of Tooele, UT. Drivers Phil and Steve Mahre, as all new comers to the track, had a bit of difficulty learning the track. Race day was extremely windy and dusty, reducing visibility and creating a slick track surface. Phil and Steve drove a strong and clean race, with another good finish.

2006 News & Notes

4/1706

Bill Margraf drove the Pickett Racing Pontiac Riley for several laps through the streets of Long Beach on press day to promote the innaugural Grand-Am Rolex Series Daytona Prototype race at the Long Beach Grand Prix. Margraf also drove the Grand-Am Rolex Series Pontiac GTO pace car on race day.

5/8/06

The Margraf Racing crew provided track support services for the Pickett Racing Pontiac Riley at the complex 11-turn Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca U.S. Sports Car Invitational. The new Hasselgren Engineering built engine ran strong all weekend, and the car looked great with the new paint scheme and Muscle Milk/ Xcyto/ Cytomax sponsorship. Drivers Greg Pickett and Scott Sharp ran well early, but a cut tire from incidental contact and a late race spin left them down a lap at the finish.

6/26/06

Margraf Racing was asked to bring the Muscle Milk/ Xcyto/ Cytomax sponsored Pontiac Riley to Infineon Raceway for the NASCAR Nextel Cup weekend to promote the inaugural Grand-Am Rolex Series race at the Grand Prix of Sonoma. The car was placed on static display for the fans to view up-close, next to the popular Wall of Fame. Bill Margraf performed demonstration laps for the capacity crowd moments before the race start on Sunday afternoon. The great folks from the San Francisco Region SCCA magazine, The Wheel, came by for an interview and photos for a segment called Meet the Team in a future issue.

8/11/06

The Margraf Racing crew provided track support services for the Pickett Racing Pontiac Riley for three test dates at Infineon Raceway. Driver Greg Pickett performed solo duty during the first two test dates. Greg, who is very familiar with the Infineon racing circuit, was becoming more comfortable in the car and the lap times reflected it.

Scott Sharp was able to break away from his busy schedule and Indy Racing League commitments to spend a full day testing. Greg helped Scott get up to speed quickly. The car performed great during all 3 tests, and the drivers are prepared for the upcoming race at Infineon Raceway later in the month.

8/27/06

The Margraf Racing crew was back at Infineon Raceway with Pickett Racing for the Grand Prix of Sonoma. Scott Sharp was doing double duty this weekend with his Rahal/Letterman Racing Indy Car and Pickett Racing Pontiac Riley. Due to Scott’s commitments with his other team, his time behind the wheel was very limited during the practice session. On race day Greg and Scott drove well, the car ran great, and had a solid mid-pack finish.