Despite Trouble-Free run, Ende and Teammates Richard and Lewis Finish Seventh at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

May 14, 2012 (Los Angeles, Calif.) –   At the end of six hours of racing at the American Le Mans Monterey Presented by Patron at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the no. 25 Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing Prototype Challenge car driven by Duncan Ende, Henri Richard and Ryan Lewis took the checkered flag seventh in class, and sixteenth overall.

The result was a disappointing one, as the car had run at the front of the Prototype Challenge field in the early stages of the race. However, two separate penalties assessed to the car – one for Lewis crossing the track line in turn one, and the other to Ende for an incorrect wave-by procedure – would knock the car out of contention.

“This was really frustrating, because we didn’t make any mistakes during the race,” said Ende. “I don’t think we put a wheel wrong all day, we didn’t have any spins or contact, and the guys in the pits were perfect. The penalties were really frustrating and we didn’t agree with either of them, but that’s just the way the race went for us.”

While the result was ultimately unsatisfactory for Ende, he took away some positives in the fact that the car was in contention for a podium position until the penalties dropped it too many laps down the field.

“The Prototype Challenge class is so competitive, you really can’t recover from any penalties or mistakes,” said Ende. “I don’t think we had the car to win, but if we had been able to stay on the lead lap we would have been fighting for a podium.

Before the race, Ende joined several other drivers for a bike ride around the 2.2-mile, eleven turn track – a track that is much hillier than Ende had previously thought.

“I knew that it would be a big climb from turn five to the Corkscrew,” said Ende, who completed nine laps of the track. “But the hill in turn one was really steep! It was really fun to ride on the track and see it from a new perspective. There were several other ALMS drivers out there so it kind of became a race – no big surprise!”

The ALMS will now take its early-season break to allow teams to compete in the 24 Hours of LeMans. Ende will be back with the Dempsey/Silicon Tech Racing team on July 6-7 at the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT.

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.racersroast.com.

STANDD, visit www.standd.org, and find them on twitter at @STANDD_626.
Silicon 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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Northern California track was the site of one of Ende’s three ALMS wins in 2011

May 8, 2012 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – After standing on the top step of the podium at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca last season, Duncan Ende is headed back and looking for a repeat performance this weekend.

After a troublesome start to the season at the 60^th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, Ende and co-driver Henri Richard were simply looking to finish at the series’ second round at the Long Beach Grand Prix – which they did, bringing the no. 25 Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing Oreca home in fifth place in the Prototype Challenge class. The race wasn’t smooth-sailing for the team, but after scoring their first finish of the year, Ende says the team has a podium result in its sights at this weekend’s six-hour contest at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

“We are still learning something about our PC car each time we drive it,” said Ende, who recently took part in a Dempsey Racing team test at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. “We were very happy with our race pace at Sebring, and now we’ve gotten a handle on what the car needs in a sprint race. But, I think we have a good handle on the endurance races and I always enjoy driving at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, so I am really looking forward to this weekend.”

Joining Ende and Richard for this weekend’s race will be Ryan Lewis. Lewis and Ende worked together earlier in the year in the initial tests for the Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing program.

“When we first got the car, Ryan really helped us to get it going in the right direction,” said Ende. “On the technical side he’s a big help, and anyone who has raced against him knows that he won’t quit – he just keeps digging and digging and digging. He also has a sense of humor that I’ll describe as ‘unique’ but he fits in great with the team.”

Ende will also get some extra track time as he will take part in a bike ride on the hilly 2.2-mile circuit on Wednesday afternoon.

“If you think the Corkscrew is impressive in a car, try it on a bicycle,” said Ende. “What’s even more impressive than plummeting downhill through turns nine and ten is climbing uphill from turn six to the Corkscrew!”

The American Le Mans Monterey Presented by Patron will be shown live on ESPN3.com on Saturday, May 12 at 4:15 PM ET, and will be broadcast on ESPN2 on Sunday , May 13 at 5:00 PM ET. Qualifying will be shown live on Saturday, May 11 at 7:40 PM ET.

To read Ende’s blog from the ALMS’ last race at the Long Beach Grand Prix on MotoIQ.com, visit: http://tinyurl.com/c88th9j

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
Silicon 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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No qualifying, no problem as Ende scores first ALMS points of the season

April 16, 2012 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – After qualifying was rained out and having only driven four laps in practice – in the rain – for the Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, Duncan Ende was tasked with starting the no. 25 Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing machine for Saturday’s two-hour race.

As the field was gridded based on owners points, Ende would start near the back of the Prototype Challenge field. With the bulk of the GT field breathing down his neck, Ende was in a hurry to make up positions in the opening laps, eventually moving his car up to third place in class. However, he would spin exiting turn five when he checked up for slower GT traffic, and had to take an escape road later in his stint. Despite that, he turned the car over to teammate Henri Richard in fourth place during a caution period just before the one-hour mark.

Richard would have a crazy session of his own, enduring a couple of spins before bringing the car home fifth in class at the checkered flag. After not finishing at the season-opening Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, Ende was thrilled that the team scored its first points in ALMS competition.

“It was definitely a challenging situation, but I’m really happy we got some points and made it to the finish,” said Ende. “We would have liked to have been further towards the front, and I wasn’t happy with spinning, but I just got caught out in traffic and Long Beach is a track with high consequences. That being said, we brought the car home with almost no damage and with all the traffic and walls around here, that’s an accomplishment.”

Ende’s third attempt at his home race left him with a strong result despite limited track time, and a short learning curve in how to deal with faster prototype and slower GT traffic on a street circuit.

“The traffic was unbelievable, the track was a total mess, and the car wasn’t quite where we wanted it to be – but it was great,” said Ende. “In terms of having to learn on the fly, that was the most difficult race I’ve done. Since I had no green flag running before the race started I just tried to learn as much as I could in the early laps. We had some contact but it wasn’t too bad and the car was okay. I think we have learned a lot about this car and we are in a great spot now that we are heading to Mazda Raceway.”

The next race in the 2012 American Le Mans Series season is the American Le Mans Monterey Presented by Patron on May 12, 2012, a six-hour race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. That race will be broadcast live on ESPN3.com, with a re-air on Sunday, May 13 at 5:00 PM ET on ESPN2.

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

Ende claims home court advantage at Tequila Patron American Le Mans at Long Beach

April 9, 2012 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Duncan Ende is going to face two of the world’s busiest kind of traffic next Saturday, when he competes in the Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach. In addition to having to navigate the 1.968-mile circuit on the streets of Downtown Long Beach, which will feature 35 cars in five different classes, Ende will have to travel down the notorious 405 freeway to Long Beach from his home in Los Angeles.

After a disappointing start to the season, where the no. 25 Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing PC that he shared with Dane Cameron and Henri Richard didn’t see the finish, Ende – a longtime fan of the local Los Angeles Clippers – is looking to kick start his season at his home event. With no points scored from Sebring, and a very challenging field of Prototype Challenge cars, Ende will be looking to jump back into the championship chase.

“The whole week of Sebring was definitely challenging, and we didn’t get the result that the team deserved for all the work they put in,” said Ende. “But we did come away from Sebring having learned a lot and having grown quite a bit as a team. The Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing team is new to ALMS Prototype Challenge competition but we all left Sebring very upbeat and ready to take on the rest of the year. We are all eager to show what we are capable of against a very tough field of PC cars.”

Ende has competed at the Long Beach Grand Prix twice before – in the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic race, as well as last year’s ALMS race – but is looking for his first strong result on the challenging street circuit.

“The two races I’ve had at Long Beach haven’t been particularly good ones,” said Ende. “That’s really a shame, because being so close to home, it’s the one that is easiest to get my friends and family to come to. I’d like to get on the podium so we have something to celebrate that night. I would, at least, like to make it farther than last year, when we got taken out in turn one.”

Not only will he be focused on the race, but Ende’s week will be a busy one, with several media and promotional appearances leading up to the race. In addition to visiting the Loma Linda University Medical Center on behalf of the American Le Mans and the Austin Hatcher Foundation, Ende – and the no. 25 Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing PC – will be at the Roar on the Belmont Shore festival on Wednesday evening.

“There is definitely more off-track stuff for Long Beach than any other event,” said Ende. “But that’s because this event may be the biggest party on the calendar – with all due respect to Sebring. The whole week will be a blur before we even get into the car on Friday and I’m looking forward to all of it.”

The Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach will be broadcast live on Saturday, April 14 at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com.

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

MotoIQ.com Blog

Read Duncan’s blog from the 60^th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring here – http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles/id/2460/driver-blog-duncan-ende.aspx

To learn more:

Racer’s Roast and the Fox River Coffee Company, visit www.foxrivercoffee.com.
STANDD, visit www.standd.org
Silicon 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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Team car suffers race-ending damage in seventh hour collision during 60^th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 19, 2012 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – It was the start he wanted, but not the finish, when Duncan Ende’s no. 025 Silicon Tech / Dempsey Racing Oreca FLM09 led it’s class during the opening hours of the 60^th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, but was retired after a heavy impact with the wall in turn 10 of Sebring International Raceway.

With the sun shining on the huge crowd and the sixty-three starters in the endurance classic, the red, white, blue and circuit board Prototype Challenge car that was shared by Dane Cameron, Henri Richard, and Ende started the 12 Hours of Sebring in 23^rd position overall, and third in the competitive Prototype Challenge class.

Ende would not get in the car until just past the four-hour mark, after Cameron – who started – had moved the car into the lead. As the teams in the Prototype Challenge class opted for differing pit strategies, Richard also maintained the lead until the team pitted under green-flag conditions to put Ende in the car.  While running third, Ende touched the curb on the inside of turn three, sending his Prototype Challenge car into a spin. While the spin was harmless and caused no damage, the car would not restart, causing a full course yellow and sending the car behind the wall for repairs.

“It was simply a mistake on my part,” said Ende. “I just touched the curb and instantly the car was in a spin, which was not a big problem because it got pointed in the right direction and the car suffered no damage. But when the car wouldn’t start again, we had a much more serious issue.”

The team quickly fixed the electrical problem and sent Ende back on track after losing numerous laps, but the issue would come back during a subsequent pit stop, sending the car back behind the wall for further repairs. With the car effectively out of contention for class victory, the team’s focus shifted to completing the required 70% of race distance in order to ensure points for Ende and Richard. However, it was during a restart with Richard at the wheel that he was caught out by traffic while approaching turn ten, launching the car into the outside wall. While Richard was fine, the team assessed the damage as too much to repair in time to complete the 70% race distance, and the car was retired from the race.

“Well, of course, this wasn’t the way that Dane, Henri, the team, or I wanted to finish at Sebring,” said Ende. “We had a fast car throughout the week and we were in contention for the win from the beginning. Dane and Henri did a great job throughout the beginning of the race, and our car was great during my stint. Even after the spin and the time behind the wall, the car was pretty good despite the changing conditions and all the traffic. It was unfortunate that Henri was caught out in traffic on the restart, but we will just keep focused on Long Beach.”

However, Ende took away many positives from the debut of the Silicon Tech / Dempsey Racing organization in the ALMS and Prototype Challenge classes. It was a busy weekend for the team, as not only did the organization contest its first ALMS race, but also announced a new LMP2 program for team principals Joe Foster and Patrick Dempsey.

“It’s been great adjusting to the new team,” said Ende. “It’s a very professional team with a really great atmosphere. Everyone has been great to work with, and I’m really happy that I will be racing with the team this year. It will be great to have Joe and Patrick joining us later in the year when they begin racing in the P2 class.”

The no. 025 Silicon Tech / Dempsey Racing Oreca FLM09 was officially classified in 58^th position overall, seventh in the Prototype Challenge class.

The next round of the American Le Mans Series, the Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, will be held on April 13-14. The two-hour race will be broadcast live on Saturday, April 14 at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com.

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
Silicon 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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New class, new teammates, and the biggest race of the year await Ende in Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2011 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – After several seasons competing in GT-class machinery, 27-year-old Duncan Ende will make the jump to prototype competition this weekend at the 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida. A switch to the Prototype Challenge class, and the influx of competitive teams and star drivers in the class will provide Ende a fresh challenge after his 2011 season which saw him take three victories in the GT-C class.

The challenge begins with the biggest – and longest – race on the 2012 American Le Mans Schedule. Situated on the former Hendricks Field airport in central Florida, Sebring International Raceway serves up 17 very different turns, long straight-aways, and one of the bumpiest racing surfaces in the world. Every March, the facility is transformed as thousands of spectators camp out and build temporary grandstands to take in the 12 hours of racing that starts under the Florida sun and finishes under the lights.

For Ende, who will be battling for the ALMS’s Prototype Challenge class championship in the no. 25 Future Electronics/HP/STANDD.org Oreca FLM09 with co-driver Henri Richard, the 12 Hours of Sebring is crucial to a strong championship run. Dane Cameron will join Ende and Richard for the 12 Hours of Sebring.

“The 12 Hours of Sebring is an unbelievable spectacle – it is as much a party as it is a world-class endurance race,” said Ende, who will take part in his second 12 Hours of Sebring. “It is a really fun event to be a part of, but for us, it will be all business as we want to start off the season in the best possible way – with a win. The Prototype Challenge class is full of strong teams and drivers, and we are expecting to have a huge battle which will be great for the fans. But our goal is to finish the season as champions, and with the competition we have, we can’t afford to have a bad result at Sebring. We know that the Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing team will give us a car capable of winning, and it is just up to Henri, Dane, and myself to deliver the best result possible.”

The preparation for the 12 Hours of Sebring has been extensive for Ende, who has spent much of his off season preparing for the physical demands of the Oreca FLM09. In addition to logging miles on his road bicycle and hours in the gym, he also participated in the ALMS Winter Test with his new Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing team where his car finished with the fastest time in the Prototype Challenge class. He has also been known to log laps virtually at Sebring on Forza Motorsport 4 as well.

“The off-season is way too long,” said Ende. “I want to make sure that I am doing everything I can to be ready for Sebring, as well as the rest of the season, especially as the season starts with the 12 Hours of Sebring. Not only is it a long race, but it is an extremely physically demanding circuit. Working out and getting myself into the best shape – and doing some virtual racing at Sebring – is not only good for my performance, but it helps me get rid of the nervous energy that I get in the off-season.”

Ende will be able to see if his training paid off when the 60th Anniversary of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring goes green at 10:30 AM ET on Saturday March 17. The race will be broadcast in its entirety on ESPN3.com, with qualifying also shown on ESPN3.com on Friday, March 16 at 3:15 ET. The television broadcast of the race will air on Sunday, March 18 at 12:00 ET on ABC.

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

To learn more:
Racer’s Roast, visit http://www.foxrivercoffee.com/Qstore/P__1180624646.html
STANDD, visit www.standd.org
Silicon 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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Team finishes on top of LMPC class in series two-day test ahead of 12 Hours of Sebring

February 12, 2012 (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Eager to get the 2012 racing season started, Los Angeles-based Duncan Ende was on hand for the annual American Le Mans Series winter test, held last week at Sebring International Raceway. For the first time, Ende would sample the No. 25 Future Electronics / HP / STANDD.org Oreca FLM09 while sharing the track with several of the LMPC cars that Ende, along with co-driver Henri Richard, will battle for the class honors in the 60th Anniversary of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida.

The two-day test would provide plenty of opportunity for Ende to acquaint himself with the LMPC machinery, along with his new Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing team. A collaboration between Dempsey Racing, owned by actor/driver Patrick Dempsey, and Silicon Tech Racing, owned by ALMS race winner Henri Richard, the team enjoyed a successful first official ALMS series test. With Richard unavailable for the test due to a business commitment, Ende would split time in the No. 25 Future Electronics / HP / STANDD.org Oreca FLM09 with LMPC veterans Dane Cameron and Ryan Lewis.

The car’s pace would prove strong from the moment the car hit the track, and it topped the LMPC class after the two day test. With the speed of the car not a worry, the team focused on long runs, with Ende tasked with wheeling the car through several full fuel stints to evaluate its performance ahead of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.

“We had a very strong, and very productive, two-day test in Sebring,” said Ende. “The LMPC class this year looks to be very competitive, with a lot of very strong teams and drivers, so it was important for us to get a strong start. Dane and Ryan have raced in LMPC in the past, so they were able to help me get acclimated to the car and really shorten our learning curve. I couldn’t be happier with how things went for us at the test.”

After several seasons of success in GT-class Porsche machinery, the move to the prototype ranks took some adjustment for Ende. Understanding the challenges and limitations of the GT-class cars was helpful for Ende, who finished runner-up in the 2011 ALMS GT-C class championship with three wins, as he transitioned to the faster, more powerful LMPC class.

“The first time running the LMPC car on track with traffic was interesting,” said Ende. “I was able to spend a lot of time learning how our package interacts with the GT cars, as well as with the faster LMP1 and LMP2 cars. I took a lot away about how I need to work traffic most efficiently – I am very used to it in a GT car, but things are very different in an LMPC car. But thanks to everyone at Dempsey / Silicon Tech Racing, our car was very strong and I have a lot of confidence ahead of the 12 Hours of Sebring next month.”

The 60th Anniversary of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida will go green at 10:30 AM ET on March 17, with a live broadcast on ESPN3.com.

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

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

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