November 29, 2011 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Duncan Ende is proud to announce that he will contest the 2012 American Le Mans Series as he joins Henri Richard at Silicon Tech / Dempsey Racing, taking aim at the LMPC class championship. 

Ende, who callsLos Angeles,California home, comes off of a strong 2011 American Le Mans Series campaign, in which he won three races en route to finishing second in the GT-C class championship. With strong results in his first full season in the ALMS, Ende is looking forward to the new challenge in the LMPC class, which featured tight competition all year and the closest championship result in ALMS history in 2011. As part of Silicon Tech / Dempsey Racing, Ende will be making a return to prototypes after several seasons in GT cars. Ende contested the IMSA Lights championship in 2006, taking five wins.

“I couldn’t be more excited about partnering with Henri and Dempsey Racing in the American Le Mans Series next season,” said Ende. “It was a difficult decision to leave TRG after a great season with them and with Spencer Pumpelly, who is not only a phenomenal driver but a great friend. But everything fell into place to run LMPC and I’m really looking forward to this new challenge. There is no doubt that LMPC is incredibly competitive and I’m really excited to be a part of it.”

Ende and Richard have partnered once before, when the two drove a TRG Porsche to victory at the 2010 Petit Le Mans. He hopes their winning ways will continue in 2012.

“I’m very excited to see Duncan rejoin our team for the 2012 season,” Richard said. “We had a great time driving together in 2010 at Sebring and Petit Le Mans, and obviously the results at Petit spoke for themselves. Duncan is a young, talented, and extremely affable young man, and I believe he will represent the Silicon Tech Racing brand very well. He’ll be a great asset to us on and off the track, and I look forward to the coming season.”

Ende has more in common with Dempsey Racing team principals Patrick Dempsey and Joe Foster than just a passion for motorsports.  All three are also avid road cyclists, and Ende hopes join them in next year’s Dempsey Challenge, an annual ride organized and held in Maineeach October that benefits thePatrickDempseyCenterfor Cancer Hope & Healing.

“I know Henri was looking for a skilled young driver to partner him in 2012 and it sounds like he’s made a great choice in Duncan,” Dempsey said.  “He and Spencer Pumpelly got some great results last season and we’re happy to add him to the fold.”

Ende will sample the team’s new ORECA FLM09 for the first time at the annual Sebring Winter Test on February 8-9, 2012, before he and Richard tackle the 60^th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida on March on March 14-17, 2012.

Ende will continue with his partnership with STANDD.org, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of texting and driving distracted. Spectators at American Le Mans Series races will be able to sign STANDD pledge forms in the Silicon Tech/Dempsey Racing pits at each event. Also returning with Ende will be the Fox River Coffee Company with their Racer’s Roast brand.

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:

Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
STANDD, visit www.standd.org
Silcon Tech Racing, visit www.silicontechracing.com
Dempsey Racing, visit www.dempseyracing.net

Media contact:

Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net

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Managing Traffic with TRG from TRG on Vimeo.

Ride along with Duncan Ende during the opening laps of the 2011 Petit Le Mans, held at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. Driving the no. 66 TRG/STANDD.org/Racer’s Roast Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Ende competes in the GT-C class. This video graphically illustrates the differences in speed between the classes that share the track in the ALMS.

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:
Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
STANDD, visit www.standd.org
The Racer’s Group, visit www.theracersgroup.com

Media contact:
Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2011 (Braselton, GA) – Duncan Ende, along with teammates Spencer Pumpelly and Peter Ludwig, were expecting a seesaw battle in Saturday’s 14^th Petit Le Mans, the final round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series season. In the end, the no. 66 TRG / STANDD.org / Racer’s Roast Porsche 911 GT3 Cup would come across the line in third place, cementing second in the GT-C championship for Ende and Pumpelly.

Ende started the race from second place in GT-C, and throughout the next 7 ½ hours, the three main GT-C competitors – the 66 car, as well as the no. 54 Black Swan Racing Porsche and the no. 23 AJR Porsche – swapped the lead as their cars battled with traffic and cycled through all of their co-drivers and pitstops.

A pivotal moment came in Ende’s second stint, just before the race entered its ninth hour. While running in second place, Ende was pushed off track at the exit of turn 11 by a faster prototype, which sent Ende into a spin down the hill. He was able to rejoin the race, but had lost a large amount of time to the leading no. 54 Black Swan Racing Porsche and had also lost second place to the no. 23 AGR Porsche, as well as the downforce-producing front splitter on his Porsche.

After one more pitstop, Pumpelly took the car across the checkered flag in third place, down one lap to the winning no. 54 Black Swan Racing Porsche. The result was Ende and Pumpelly’s seventh podium in a season highlighted by three wins for their no. 66 TRG / STANDD.org / Racer’s Roast Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

“The championship was a long shot coming into Petit, so we were just going to go for it and be as aggressive as we could,” said Ende. “I had a great first stint and a great battle with Jeroen throughout the race, while Spencer and Peter both did a great job behind the wheel. In the entire 9 hour race, we had two problems – my spin, and we picked up a stop and go penalty for hitting someone else’s pit equipment that was left out. Those two problems meant we couldn’t battle for the win at the very end and shows how competitive the GT-C class has been all season.”

Although Ende missed out on a chance for the class championship, he leaves Road Atlanta happy with his performance and with that of his TRG team.

“I think we did a great job this season, and all of the guys were fighting and pushing until the very end,” said Ende. “Spencer has been an amazing teammate, and all of the guys who work on our TRG Porsche have done an amazing job. I’m proud of the job they have done this year and I’m looking forward to our next challenge in 2012.”

NOTES

Race Driver, Mom Team Up to Fight Distracted Driving: MyFoxATLANTA.com

Ende was interviewed by Fox’s Good Day Atlanta on Wednesday morning to talk about his partnership with STANDD.org. Throughout the Petit Le Mans weekend, nearly 400 spectators signed up to take the STANDD.org pledge in Duncan’s TRG pit.

The Petit Le Mans will be broadcast on ABC on Sunday, October 2 at 4:00 PM ET.

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:

Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
STANDD, visit www.standd.org
The Racer’s Group, visit www.theracersgroup.com

Media contact:

Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net

###

Race Driver, Mom Team Up to Fight Distracted Driving: MyFoxATLANTA.com

September 26, 2011 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – With the momentum of a victory at the American Le Mans Series’ penultimate round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca two weeks ago, Duncan Ende, with teammates Spencer Pumpelly and Peter Ludwig, the trio returns for the season-ending Petit Le Mans this weekend at Road Atlanta near Atlanta, Georgia.

Ende, a winner at Petit Le Mans in 2010 in the GT-C class, is looking to go two in a row in the annual endurance racing classic. He and Pumpelly have combined to win three GT-C races this year in the no. 66 TRG / STANDD.org/ Racer’s Roast Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, and the duo sit second in the GT-C class championship with only this Saturday’s ten hour or 1000 mile Petit Le Mans remaining in the 2011 ALMS season. With a twenty-one point deficit to Tim Pappas in the no. 54 Black Swan Racing Porsche, the duo still have an outside shot at the championship with 30 points on offer for the victory.

In last year’s Petit Le Mans, Ende teamed with Andy Lally and Henri Richard to narrowly take victory in the GT-C class – with the no. 54 Black Swan Racing Porsche close behind in second. A year later, the TRG and Black Swan teams will likely be battling for the race win again as Ende and Pumpelly look to take the championship from Pappas.

“We are going to be flat out from the drop of the green and we are going for it,” said Ende. “We’re only worrying about getting the win and if we somehow end up with the championship too, that will be great. We’re sort of in a no-pressure situation in that we have a lot less to lose than the guys in the 54 car. They have to be more careful and conservative in order to preserve their championship, while Spencer, Peter, and I can go for it and be aggressive.”

Petit Le Mans often becomes a game of dealing with traffic and pitstop strategy. This is true in any endurance race, but the fast Road Atlanta circuit means very short laptimes and extra havoc for the GTC cars which will have to contend with the factory LMP1 cars that lap up to 15 seconds a lap quicker.

“Even if we are in the lead with no pressure from behind, we still have a lot of traffic to deal with at Road Atlanta,” said Ende. “Some of the closing rates are incredibly quick and often you don’t even see what’s coming until they have gone by. You just have to be really on your toes and anticipate when the traffic is going to come by. It’s very challenging to stay out of trouble for the entire race, but having a good car like our TRG Porsche will really help us out. The guys in our pit always find a way to give us a leg up with the strategy which is key at Petit Le Mans.”

The Petit Le Mans will be shown live on Saturday, October 1, at 11:15 AM ET on WatchESPN.com. The race will be broadcast on ABC on Sunday, October 2 at 4:00 PM ET.

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:

Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
STANDD, visit www.standd.org
The Racer’s Group, visit www.theracersgroup.com

Media contact:

Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net

###

September 18, 2011 (Los Angeles, CA) – From the drop of the green flag on Saturday’s ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the no. 66 TRG / STANDD.org / Racer’s Roast Porsche 911 GT3 Cup driven by Duncan Ende, Spencer Pumpelly, and Peter Ludwig ran at the front of the ALMS GT-C field.

As pitstop cycles played out throughout the race, the no. 66 Porsche never slipped further than third place as the race played out in the Northern California afternoon. After starting in second, Pumpelly ran in second while Ende would take the lead and Ludwig would slip to third as a result of his pitstop.

Ende, the second driver in the car, would play a key part in the victory. After Pumpelly started the car and turned it over in second place, Ende was able to work his way into the lead of GT-C. Throughout the final portion of his stint, Ende battled with Damien Faulkner in the no. 34 Green Hornet Porsche but was able to keep his TRG Porsche in the lead of the race until he turned it over to Ludwig.

In the final hour, with Pumpelly at the helm, the team opted to pit for a fresh set of tires with under thirty minutes remaining. A late race caution put Pumpelly back within shot of the leading Black Swan Porsche, taking the lead back with five minutes remaining. At the end of the race, Pumpelly had a scant four seconds in hand over the second-placed Black Swan Racing Porsche.

“What a race – that was like a six hour rollercoaster,” said Ende. “We were near the front throughout the race but with the way that traffic and pitstops and yellow cautions work out, it’s difficult to be completely on top of where you are. Spencer and Peter did an amazing job today. You couldn’t ask for a better teammate than Spencer and Peter did a great job stepping in for us today. It was really satisfying to get up into the lead and battle to stay there. It was really slippery and traffic is always tough when you’re in GT-C, so I was really happy with how it went. Calling Spencer in for tires in the last hour was a gamble, I thought, but it obviously paid off and I’m excited to get another win!”

Team owner Kevin Buckler was equally thrilled about the victory for the no. 66 TRG / STANDD.org / Racer’s Roast Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

“The guys in the no. 66 drove a near perfect race,” said Bucker. “I thought Duncan’s drive today was without a doubt his best of the year. We are really looking forward to making a run at the championship in Atlanta in two weeks.”

The win is Ende and Pumpelly’s third of the year, as well as their sixth podium result in eight races. The two are still second in the championship, with Black Swan’s Tim Pappas holding a 21 point lead over in the GT-C driver’s championship with one race remaining – the ten hour or 1000 mile Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta near Atlanta, Georgia.

“For us to win the championship, all we can control is how we finish,” said Ende. “So it takes the pressure off a little bit because all we care about is going for the win. We can’t control what the other guys do, so we are just going to put our head down and go for it. Nothing would be better than closing the season out with a win for these guys!”

The ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey will be shown on Sunday, September 18, on ESPN2 at 1:00 PM ET. The Petit Le Mans, which will go green on Saturday, October 1 at 11:30 AM ET, will be shown live on ESPN3.com with a television broadcast the following day on ABC at 4:00 PM ET.

NOTES

Over the course of the weekend, Ende and his team collected 225 STANDD pledges from spectators pledging to not drive distracted. The mission of STANDD is to educate the public on the dangers of driving distracted, with pledges being accepted at the TRG pits at each American Le Mans Series race.

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:

Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
STANDD, visit www.standd.org
The Racer’s Group, visit www.theracersgroup.com

Media contact:

Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2011 (Los Angeles, CA) – Challenging for the American Le Mans Series’ GT-C class championship, Duncan Ende and co-driver Spencer Pumpelly struggled through a difficult Baltimore Grand Prix two weeks ago. After a practice crash, the pair also suffered an unscheduled pitstop during the two-hour race which left their no.66 TRG / Racer’s Roast / STANDD.org Porsche 911 GT3 Cup sixth at the finish.

The result meant that Ende and Pumpelly lost further ground to championship leader Tim Pappas in the no. 54 Black Swan Racing Porsche with two races remaining in the 2011 season. However, both this weekend’s ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patron at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, as well as the season ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, have extra points on offer as they are endurance events.

This weekend’s race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, a six-hour race that begins on Saturday at 1:30 PM PST and will finish in the darkness at 7:30 PM PST, presents an opportunity for Ende and Pumpelly to regain lost ground.

“This isn’t quite a home event as Long Beach is closer to my home in Los Angeles, but I love racing in California,” said Ende. “There is always more support from friends and family, and TRG has a large following in Northern California that always gives us a tremendous amount of support and encouragement. Of course, Spencer and I want to do the best we can – getting our third win of the year and getting some of the points back in the championship chase before going to Petit Le Mans would be huge.”

Ende and Pumpelly are currently second in the GT-C class championship at 109 points, with Pappas leading at 134. But, with two endurance races left to run in the ALMS season, Ende is confident in his team’s ability to make up the deficit.

“Whenever we’ve found ourselves in a situation where we are coming from behind, I remember that Spence is one of the best drivers you could have as a teammate and TRG is one of the best at endurance racing,” said Ende. “TRG has a long history of success at Laguna Seca, I’m looking forward to adding to it with Spence. It should be a great race and great for the fans as we race into the night.”

The ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey will be shown live on WatchESPN.com beginning at 1:15 PM PST on Saturday, September 12. The race will be broadcast on ESPN2 on Sunday, September 18, at 1:00 PM ET.

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:

Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
STANDD, visit, www.standd.org
The Racer’s Group, visit www.theracersgroup.com

Media contact:

Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net

###

September 5, 2011 (Los Angeles, CA) – The inaugural running of the ALMS race at the Baltimore Grand Prix was ultimately a hit with the teams, drivers, and thousands of new fans of the series. However, you could understand why Duncan Ende was thrilled to leave after a difficult weekend in which he and co-driver Spencer Pumpelly started and finished sixth in the GT-C class in the no. 66 TRG / Racer’s Roast /STANDD Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

In the opening practice on Friday, Ende was behind the wheel when he made a mistake through the 100 mph turn 12, backing the car into the wall and doing extensive damage to the left rear corner of the car. His TRG crew quickly had the car disassembled but would have to take it to a local body shop for work overnight, meaning Ende and Pumpelly would miss out on qualifying and the Saturday morning warmup. Missing out on valuable track time meant the drivers and teams would be setting up the Porsche based on limited track time.

The opening laps of the two-hour Baltimore Grand Prix, which would be the first laps that the car had turned since Friday practice, were anxious for Ende as he was careful to make sure that the car was working well after the extensive rebuild. While the car was mechanically okay, Ende quickly realized that setup changes were necessary as the car was wickedly loose in several parts of the 2.1 mile course.

“I could tell right away that the car was very loose, but it was also way too tight in the hairpins,” said Ende. “I just drove it as fast as I could to stay on the lead lap and relayed the information to our engineer so he could make changes for Spencer.”

A full course caution gave the crew of the no. 66 TRG / Racer’s Roast / STANDD.org Porsche the time it needed to execute a pitstop and make the suspension changes to the car. Pumpelly reported that the car was very good and was able to begin passing GT-C cars until a rear wheel came loose, forcing him back to the pits. The unscheduled stop meant he would finish the race in sixth place.

With two races remaining in the ALMS season, Ende and Pumpelly are second in the GT-C class championship, twenty five points behind leader Tim Pappas.  However, both of the remaining races are endurance races, with extra points available.

“We’re on the back foot, for sure, but there’s sixteen hours of racing left,” said Ende. “A lot can happen, but the best thing we can do is drive as fast as possible and win in Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta. Those are also two tracks I really enjoy and tracks that TRG has a long history of success at. We’re down , but we’re not out!”

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:

Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
STANDD, visit, www.standd.org
Marriott hotels, visit www.marriott.com
The Racer’s Group, visit www.theracersgroup.com

Media contact:

Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net

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September 2, 2011 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Duncan Ende is proud to announce a new partnership with Fort Wayne, Indiana based STANDD – a non-profit whose goal is to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving distracted.

STANDD was founded by Diveeta Thompson, whose son Rodney lost his life while driving. There were numerous factors that played a factor – speed, music, and texting. In an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving, Diveeta founded STANDD and has been working diligently throughout her home state of Indiana to spread the message of the dangers of distracted driving. STANDD also promotes the Rodney O. Thompson II Scholarship, which was established to help young people fulfill their goal of attending college after high school.

“I live in Los Angeles, so I know full well the dangers of people driving distracted,” said Ende. “Driving my TRG Porsche down the front straightaway at the Long Beach Grand Prix with prototypes trying to run me over is way less scary than driving down the 405 freeway when everyone around you has a cell phone in their hands. I hope that we are able to raise awareness for STANDD through our racing efforts and hopefully we are going to save lives by raising awareness of this issue.”

STANDD graphics will be prominently featured on Ende’s TRG Porsche at the final three races of the 2011 season at the Baltimore Grand Prix, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and at Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. STANDD’s partnership with Duncan Ende, and the visibility provided by the no. 66 TRG/ Racer’s Roast Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, will now give the organization a national platform to spread its message.

“I’m really excited for this opportunity to be a part of Duncan’s racing season,” said Diveeta Thompson of STANDD. “We had the opportunity to attend the ALMS race at Mid-Ohio with Duncan and it was such an eye-opening experience. Being aligned with a great driver like Duncan and his Porsche race car will be amazing for STANDD as we aim to promote the dangers of texting and driving distracted.”

To learn more about STANDD, visit their website at www.STANDD.org. ALMS fans can register their pledge to not drive distracted, and can donate to the organization, on the website.

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:

Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
The Racer’s Group, visit www.theracersgroup.com
Marriott hotels, visit www.marriott.com
STANDD, visit www.standd.org

Media contact:
Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2011 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Three races remain in the 2011 American Le Mans Series. For Duncan Ende, that means there are three opportunities to claw back the ten-point deficit that he and co-driver Spencer Pumpelly have in the GT-C class championship to Black Swan Racing’s Tim Pappas.

This weekend’s Baltimore Grand Prix will be a true team effort. As this is the first running of the Baltimore Grand Prix, Ende’s TRG team will be learning new lessons with each passing lap about how to make the no. 66 TRG / Racer’s Roast Porsche 911 GT3 Cup go fast around the twelve-turn circuit in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

At the one other temporary street circuit on the ALMS calendar, at the Long Beach Grand Prix, Ende was eliminated in a first-turn, first-lap crash that sent the no. 66 TRG / Racer’s Roast Porsche to the pits for extensive repairs. Unable to show his hand in Long Beach, Ende is eager to face the challenges of Baltimore.

“I really enjoy racing on street circuits, so it was really disappointing to get taken out of Long Beach,” said Ende. “We had qualified well and the car was going to be really good for the race. It was also our home race which made things even worse. I’m really happy with how things have gone and I know our TRG guys will give Spence and me a great car in Baltimore. It may be a brand-new circuit but these guys have so much experience with these Porsches that I know we’ll be competitive from the first practice.”

Ende and Pumpelly have scored five podium finishes in six American Le Mans Series race this year, with wins at Mosport and Mid-Ohio. However, they remain second in the GT-C class championship, and their goal, as ever, is to win in Baltimore to secure as many championship points as they can.

“No doubt, with only three races left we need to be as aggressive as ever,” said Ende. “We haven’t exactly been cruising around to collect points, but we can’t afford to let up. The Black Swan guys are always very fast and the only way to win the championship will be to finish ahead of them. We are definitely up to the challenge and the fans will be in for a great race!”

The Baltimore Grand Prix will be shown live on ESPN3.com this Saturday, September 3. The broadcast begins at 4:15 PM ET, with the two-hour race going green at 4:30 PM ET. The race will also be broadcast on ABC on Sunday, September 4, at 4:00 PM ET.

For more about Duncan Ende, visit www.duncanende.com, or follow him on twitter at @duncanende.

To learn more:
Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
The Racer’s Group, visit www.theracersgroup.com
Marriott hotels, visit www.marriott.com

Media contact:
Efrain Olivares, (818) 254-7196, efrain@shiftgroup.net