NAPA VALLEY NATIVE, LORENZO TREFETHEN, RACING AT HOME THIS WEEKEND
Lorenzo Trefethen came back from Salt Lake City Sunday night, after competing in the Ford Grand Prix of Utah at Miller Motorsports Park, rounds 14 and 15 of the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge (GT-Cup class). Throughout the race weekend in Utah, Trefethen, driving the No. 13 Trefethen Family Vineyards/750 Group/BRM Chronographes/PitStop Furniture/Durango Operating Porsche GT3 Cup, scored a sixth-place finish in race 1 and a fourth place in race 2 on Sunday.
Trefethen’s race 1 on Saturday was marked by a couple of unexpected racing incidents that forced him to pit and retire, just a lap before the end of race 1, due to front-suspension and wheel-hub damage. He still managed to finish ahead of the driver ranked fourth in the championship, Preston Calvert. In race 2, Trefethen had a much better race and finished fourth after passing his direct competitor of the day, Phil Fogg, in the last lap of the race.
August 28-30, GT/GT-A/GT Cup and GTS competitors return to California's beautiful, 2.52-mile road course at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., along with IndyCar, as part of the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend.
Entering his home race weekend at Sonoma Raceway, Trefethen remains third in the driver point standings of the Pirelli World Challenge GT-Cup class -- a great performance that the driver from Napa Valley would not have dreamed of, when he signed his first professional racing contract with ANSA Motorsports in January. Trefethen had a very good season and scored great results, including his first professional win in May in Canada.
“I’m so excited for this weekend!” said Lorenzo Trefethen. “Though we had some bad luck in Utah, I had good pace, and I’m feeling confident rolling into my home race. Can’t wait to fly in front of so many friends that are coming out to the race - hopefully I’ll be able to spray them with some good Northern California sparkling wine at the end!”
Trefethen is very excited to race at home and is hoping to stand on the podium on Saturday and Sunday in rounds 16 and 17 of the Pirelli World Challenge GT-Cup class. Trefethen lives only minutes away from Sonoma Raceway, a track that he knows by heart.
Racing is in the blood of Lorenzo and his father, John Trefethen. Both are avid racers, Napa wine- industry movers and shakers and, together with Janet and Hailey, work for their family-owned winery, which is one of the most recognized and successful in the Napa Valley. In 1968, Eugene and Catherine Trefethen purchased seven farms surrounding a magnificent, but run-down, 19th-century winery in southern Napa Valley and created Trefethen Family Vineyards. The couple’s intention was to sell all their grapes, but their son, John, had other ideas. In 1973, aided by his new bride, Janet, John produced Trefethen Vineyards first commercial wine. True to the family’s vision of creating an acclaimed wine estate, they have never purchased outside grapes and are leaders in sustainable wine-growing. Today, the Trefethen family’s third generation, Loren and Hailey, assist their parents in continuing the family tradition of passion for the land, its people and the art of crafting exceptional Napa Valley wines.
John Trefethen, who competed last weekend in the Porsche Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA, his wife, Janet, and Lorenzo’s sister, Hailey, will be at the track on Saturday and Sunday with dozens of Trefethen family Vineyards guests, family members and Trefethen Wine Club members, to support and cheer for Lorenzo’s No. 13 Trefethen ANSA Motorsports Porsche GT3 Cup.
“We are so happy that we finally made it to Lorenzo’s home race,” said ANSA Motorsports team owner Alain Nadal. “We’ve talked about this race, since we confirmed him as our driver for 2015. We, as a team, are very motivated to give him the best race car to compete, we hope, with Colin Thompson and Sloan Urry, who are first and second in the championship, and for Lorenzo to score a podium finish on Saturday and Sunday in one of the toughest classes of the Pirelli World Challenge.”
The GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend starts on Friday, Aug. 28, with two 30-minute practice sessions at 9:20 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Qualifying is set for Saturday, Aug. 29, at 12:30 p.m. Race 1 is also scheduled for Saturday at 4:50 p.m. and race 2 on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 10:55 a.m. (All PDT times).
The Sonoma Raceway racing weekend presented by KIA will air on CBS Sports Network Sunday, Sept. 6, at 5 p.m. EDT.
Watch Live Streaming from The Pirelli World Challenge Sonoma event at www.world-challengetv.com.
Trefethen’s race 1 on Saturday was marked by a couple of unexpected racing incidents that forced him to pit and retire, just a lap before the end of race 1, due to front-suspension and wheel-hub damage. He still managed to finish ahead of the driver ranked fourth in the championship, Preston Calvert. In race 2, Trefethen had a much better race and finished fourth after passing his direct competitor of the day, Phil Fogg, in the last lap of the race.
August 28-30, GT/GT-A/GT Cup and GTS competitors return to California's beautiful, 2.52-mile road course at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., along with IndyCar, as part of the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend.
Entering his home race weekend at Sonoma Raceway, Trefethen remains third in the driver point standings of the Pirelli World Challenge GT-Cup class -- a great performance that the driver from Napa Valley would not have dreamed of, when he signed his first professional racing contract with ANSA Motorsports in January. Trefethen had a very good season and scored great results, including his first professional win in May in Canada.
“I’m so excited for this weekend!” said Lorenzo Trefethen. “Though we had some bad luck in Utah, I had good pace, and I’m feeling confident rolling into my home race. Can’t wait to fly in front of so many friends that are coming out to the race - hopefully I’ll be able to spray them with some good Northern California sparkling wine at the end!”
Trefethen is very excited to race at home and is hoping to stand on the podium on Saturday and Sunday in rounds 16 and 17 of the Pirelli World Challenge GT-Cup class. Trefethen lives only minutes away from Sonoma Raceway, a track that he knows by heart.
Racing is in the blood of Lorenzo and his father, John Trefethen. Both are avid racers, Napa wine- industry movers and shakers and, together with Janet and Hailey, work for their family-owned winery, which is one of the most recognized and successful in the Napa Valley. In 1968, Eugene and Catherine Trefethen purchased seven farms surrounding a magnificent, but run-down, 19th-century winery in southern Napa Valley and created Trefethen Family Vineyards. The couple’s intention was to sell all their grapes, but their son, John, had other ideas. In 1973, aided by his new bride, Janet, John produced Trefethen Vineyards first commercial wine. True to the family’s vision of creating an acclaimed wine estate, they have never purchased outside grapes and are leaders in sustainable wine-growing. Today, the Trefethen family’s third generation, Loren and Hailey, assist their parents in continuing the family tradition of passion for the land, its people and the art of crafting exceptional Napa Valley wines.
John Trefethen, who competed last weekend in the Porsche Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA, his wife, Janet, and Lorenzo’s sister, Hailey, will be at the track on Saturday and Sunday with dozens of Trefethen family Vineyards guests, family members and Trefethen Wine Club members, to support and cheer for Lorenzo’s No. 13 Trefethen ANSA Motorsports Porsche GT3 Cup.
“We are so happy that we finally made it to Lorenzo’s home race,” said ANSA Motorsports team owner Alain Nadal. “We’ve talked about this race, since we confirmed him as our driver for 2015. We, as a team, are very motivated to give him the best race car to compete, we hope, with Colin Thompson and Sloan Urry, who are first and second in the championship, and for Lorenzo to score a podium finish on Saturday and Sunday in one of the toughest classes of the Pirelli World Challenge.”
The GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend starts on Friday, Aug. 28, with two 30-minute practice sessions at 9:20 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Qualifying is set for Saturday, Aug. 29, at 12:30 p.m. Race 1 is also scheduled for Saturday at 4:50 p.m. and race 2 on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 10:55 a.m. (All PDT times).
The Sonoma Raceway racing weekend presented by KIA will air on CBS Sports Network Sunday, Sept. 6, at 5 p.m. EDT.
Watch Live Streaming from The Pirelli World Challenge Sonoma event at www.world-challengetv.com.