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Extreme Speed locked and loaded for Texas

One car entered for TUDOR Challenge race.

#2 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b: Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek

#2 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b: Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek

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#2 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b: Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek
#2 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b: Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek
#2 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b: Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek
#2 Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b: Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek
Ed Brown

Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) and Tequila Patrón are bringing Texas-sized power with them to the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race at  Circuit of The Americas (COTA)  this weekend. The Florida-based team enters the No. 2 Tequila Patrón-sponsored Honda Performance Development ARX-03b (HPD) as its lone competitor in the Lone Star Le Mans race on Saturday, but with the manpower of the full ESM team.

During last September’s inaugural sports car race at COTA, ESM co-drivers Ed Brown and Johannes van Overbeek started in the back of the field and charged to the front en route to a third place finish. Having podium success at COTA last season only increases the drive to win this year.

In May, while racing at van Overbeek’s home track of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the No. 2 team earned its first pole position and race win. The team will combine its skill with a bit of home track luck, since Brown considers COTA one of his home tracks. Brown graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, located less than 20 miles from the circuit. Brown expects to hear the UT “Hook ‘em Horns” rally motto frequently this weekend.

 The No. 2 team has a double shot of hometown power this weekend. Jim “Chachi” Malicki, the lead engineer and strategist for the No. 2 team, is an Austin resident.

Built in 2012, COTA is a counter-clockwise, 3.427-mile long, 20-turn permanent road course with an elevation change of 133 feet. The combination of high-speed turns, long back straightaway, and downforce sections prove to be demanding for drivers and teams alike. The crew is set for the challenge, ensuring the No. 2 machine has the right setup for a successful race.

COTA is one of the widest tracks on the circuit, which should allow for ample passing opportunities during the four-class race. This weekend marks the return of all four classes to the TUDOR Championship race, with 51 entrants for this weekend. ESM is one of the 10 Prototype class entries.

Brown will double up

Upon completion of the TUDOR Championship race, Brown will prepare for his second race of the day. On Saturday evening, ESM makes its debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) during the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas race. Brown will co-drive with Scott Sharp and Ryan Dalziel in the No. 30 Tequila Patrón HPD. The entire ESM team will be on-site in Austin supporting both cars in the two races.

ESM driver Sharp actively steps into his team owner role for the TUDOR Championship race. The season-long driver of the No. 1 Tequila Patrón prototype is competing in the FIA WEC race. Although not in the sister car during the TUDOR race, Sharp will strategize with the team to ensure the No. 2 Tequila Patrón HPD is primed for its second win of the 2014 season.

The two-hour, 45-minute TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Lone Star Le Mans on Sept. 19-20 is the 10th race of 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Qualifying for prototype cars takes place at 5:35 p.m. CST on Friday, Sept 19, with live qualifying coverage starting at 4:30 p.m. CST Friday on IMSA.com.

The green flag drops at 11:35 a.m. CST on Saturday, Sept 20. Television coverage of the Lone Start Le Mans starts at 11:30 a.m. CST on FOX Sports 1. 

ESM

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