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| Who | Stephen Simpson |
| What | IMSA Prototype Challenge & Sport Production |
| Where | Austin, Texas, USA |
| When | 16-17 September 2016 |
Double duty for Simpson in Texas
South Africa's Stephen Simpson simply cannot wait for either of his races at the US IMSA series' penultimate Lone Star Le Mans race weekend in Austin, Texas 16-17 September. Indianapolis-based Capetonian Simpson races twice over the weekend, sharing the JDC Miller Motorsports Hi-Tide Red Line ORECA Chevrolet with Russo-Canadian Misha Goikhberg in the WeatherTech Prototype Challenge and the JDC Miller BMW 228i with disabled co-driver Michael Johnson in the Continental Tire Sports Production race.
"I'm really looking forward to climbing back into the JDC Miller Oreca-Chevy again this weekend," Stephen explained. "It's been a while since our last race where we were robbed of a certain victory after an unfortunate incident very late in the race and we need to make amends.
Stephen started the season strong with victory in the showcase Daytona 24-hour before another win at Long Beach and he and Goikhberg have been title contenders throughout the season, only to be thwarted by a series of problems in more recent races. "We are still in the championship race in spite of a run of pretty cruel luck in the last few races, so to stand on the top step at Austin would be true vindication for the whole team that's worked so hard throughout the season."
Simpson is also charged up for his IMSA Continental Tire Sports Production race in the JDC Miller BMW 228i he shares with disabled co-driver Michael Johnson, who drives with hand controls. "We have been getting stronger every race with the Beemer and Michael and I had a good outing in treacherous conditions last time out, so we're looking forward to making more good progress this weekend."
Catch Stephen Simpson in action in both the Continental Production Sportscar race, which happens Friday evening SA time16 September, and in the Wether Tech sports car race Saturday evening SA time on the 17th, vial live streaming and live timing on www.imsa.com.
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| Who | t.b.a. |
| What | IMSA Sports Prodcution |
| Where | VIR Raceway, Virginia USA |
| When | 27-28 August 2016 |
A quiet weekend for Stephen for once
South Africa's US IMSA racing star Stephen Simpson is set for a relatively easy weekend at the Virginia International Raceway over the weekend of 27-28 August as he will only be racing one car there, rather than the usual two.
"I will only be racing the BMW at VIR as the Prototype Challenge does not race at that track and our JDC Miller Motorsports Hi-Tide Red Line ORECA Chevrolet stays at home this weekend," Stephen explained. "I am however still quite excited to get back behind the wheel of the JDC Miller Motorsports BMW 228i M-Sport.
"We've been developing the car during race weekends, which is a challenge, but we're making progress and that's important. "Michael has been doing a great job, I am so impressed with his progress, he really is driving well." Simpson's paraplegic teammate Michael Johnson has the unique distinction of driving using hand controls, while Stephen drives using the BMW's regular pedals and gearshift.
"VIR is an enjoyably track to drive," Stephen concluded. "It has a mix of fast flowing corners and slower tighter bends and there's enough elevation to make it a challenge as well"
Follow Stephen Simpson and Michael Johnson in action in Virginia via live streaming and live timing at www.imsa.com through the weekend of27-28 August.
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| Who | t.b.a. |
| What | IMSA Weathertech Prototype Challenge |
| Where | Wlkhart Lake, Wisconsin, USA |
| When | 6-7 August 2016 |
Stephen hits trouble in Wisconsin
South African US IMSA Prototype Challenge racer Stephen Simpson had a difficult weekend in Wisconsin when both the cars he raced at Elkhart Lake ended their races in accidents while trying to avoid bigger trouble on track.
Stephen did not get to race in the Continental Tyre Sports Production race after teammate Michael Johnson went off the toad in the JDM Miller BMW 228i as he dodged another spinning car after a promising run, but Stephen's trip into the tyre wall six laps from the end of the Weathertech Prototype Challenge race was an even tougher pill to swallow as he was challenging for second at the time of the incident.
"Sadly that was another tough end to our day," Stephen explained. "We were running a strong second for a lot of the of the race after my teammate Misha Goikhberg recovered well from an early spin, before we dropped back as the pit stops cycled.
"Then I overtook a few cars and got us back up to third and was challenging for second with 15 minutes to go, when the Starworks car running in second suffered a mechanical problem and crashed right in front of me and in my efforts to avoid having a big crash by hitting Renger, I ended up going off and slamming pretty hard into the tyre wall.
"I am gutted for the team and all their hard work - that's a very disappointing end to what was going to be a strong result."
Saturday's result however served to shake up the Weathertech IMSA Production Challenge championship and despite the late crash, Simpson and Goikhberg were still classified seventh behind the championship leading Alex Popow and Renger van der Zande's Starworks Oreca, while Tom Kimber-Smith and Robert Alon won the race in the PR1 Mathaisen Oreca.
That leaves Popow and van der Zande in the PC championship lead ,10 points clear of Kimber-Smith and Alon, with Simpson and Goikhberg third with three races still to run. "We owe it to the team to win again," Stephen Simpson concluded. "We were on for a very good result, only for that to be nipped in the bud right at the end this weekend, now we need to take it all the way at the Virginia International Raceway in three weeks time."
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| Who | Stephen Simpson |
| What | IMSA Prototype Challenge & Sport Production |
| Where | Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin USA |
| When | 9-10 August 2016 |
Simpson craving racing on favoutrte track
South Africa's Stephen Simpson is looking forward to one of his favourite weekends on the at IMSA calendar when the series heads to Elkhart Lake over the weekend of 9-10 August.
The Indianapolis-based Capetonian is on double-race duty again, sharing the JDC Miller Motorsports Hi-Tide Red Line ORECA Chevrolet with regular Russo-Canadian co-driver Misha Goikhberg in the WeatherTech Prototype Challenge and the JDC Miller BMW 228i with disabled co-driver Michael Johnson in the Continental Sports Production race.
Simpson and Goikhberg are keen to return to their winning ways in the PC race following victories in the Daytona 24-hour and the Grand Prix of Long Beach earlier in the season: "Road America is a great track, one of the best in the country," Stephen reports. "It's a long lap and has some very challenging, fast corners. "Last time I raced there in the WeatherTech series we finished third and the JDC Miller Motorsports team has once again put in a lot of hard work and effort, so I'm determined to reward them with a great finish.
"I am also most excited to continue our good progress with the BMW in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge," Simpson added. "My teammate Michael Johnson has been doing such a good job and I'm looking forward to keeping on moving up the grid."
Catch Stephen in action in both IMSA PC and Production Sportscar races via streaming at the Wisconsin raceway at www.imsa.com throughout the weekend of 9-10 August.
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| Who | Stephen Simpson |
| What | IMSA Prototype Challenge & Sport Production |
| Where | Lime Rock, Connecticut USA |
| When | 23 July 2016 |
Lime Rock keeps Simpson busy
Stephen Simpson had a busy and emotional weekend with the US IMSA race roadshow visited Lime Rock in Connecticut over the weekend - a good race in his Sport Production BMW, a stirring comeback in the Prototype Challenge Oreca Chevy and sad news from home.
"It has been a busy 2 days at the track racing in both the WeatherTech and the Continental Tire races," Stephen admitted. "We made good progress with the JDC Miller Motorsport BMW and were able to overtake a few cars towards the second half - my teammate, Michael Johnson drove a great race and is making great improvements every time he is in the car.
"I drove the second half of the race and we ultimately finished sixteenth after the race stayed green the whole way without any caution periods, which is quite unusual!" Being disabled, US driver Johnson uniquely drives the BMW with hand controls, while Simpson pedals conventionally.
The Prototype Challenge proved a more demanding race for Simpson, Canadian co-driver Goikhberg and the Hi-Tide Red Line JDC Miller ORECA Chevrolet, but Stephen non the less drove an inspired race to wrest some most valuable points. "The PC race was a challenge," Simpson admitted. "My teammate Misha had contact with a lapped GT car early in the race which resulted in heavy damage to the rear of our car.
"The JDC Miller Motorsports guys were once again fantastic in repairing the car so quickly, which meant we were able to get back out and finish the race to earn us a valuable points haul and we also managed to make up two more positions in the race by fixing it and getting back out."
It was however a most emotional weekend for Stephen, who lost a great friend in Gugu Zulu, when the 'Fastest Brother in Africa' succumbed to altitude sickness while scaling Mount Kilimanjaro last Sunday. "My good friend Gugu Zulu has constantly been on my mind this week," Stephen rued. "I am battling to accept what has happened and what a tragedy this is - it feels unreal that 2 weeks ago Gugu and Letshego were in my mind daily as I didn't want to forget to make a donation for their Trek4Mandela trip before they left and now they are on my mind for another reason.
"I had a sticker on my helmet in memory of Gugs over the weekend. "It will have a place on my helmet for the rest of my career."
The next races in Stephen's busy double-IMSA schedule are in 2 weeks at Road America.
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What: IMSA Prototype Challenge Round 6 & Sportscar Challenge Round 5
What: IMSA Prototype Challenge Round 5
Where: Chevrolet Sports Car Classic, Belle Isle, Detroit US
There were just two hours left before the start but the JDC Miller lads took on the challenge despite the fact that the chassis was of an older specification and that IMSA rules required everything else to be transferred across from the damaged JDC Miller tub in an incredible effort that saw the rear-end of the JDC-Miller car mated with BAR1’s tub in record time with the assistance BAR1 team rivals including team owner Brian Alder.
They missed the start but the combined effort was enough to see Goikhberg on track and although he initially stopped on his out lap and later ran into the barriers, he was able to drive the minimum race time and quite amazingly bring the JDM Miller Oreca Chevrolet home a provisional sixth to claim those vital championship points for him and Simpson.
“We literally stripped our car down and rebuilt another car out of it in the space of two hours,” Indianapolis-based South African Stephen Simpson explained. “It was not a simple task to either build or drive — the steering column on the BAR1 car is or instance opposite to how it is on ours, so Misha ended up driving with the steering wheel upside down and the paddles on the wrong sides and I can tell you for a fact that it was a real handful to drive.”
“The steering wheel was upside down and the fuel pumps in that car were wired differently,” JDM-Miller team co-owner John Church added. “So the reserve pump shut off when Misha finally got out there and not having telemetry, we had no idea what was going on, but we figured it out and then stopped every 10 minutes to keep the fuel cell full. “It was a mess; there was no way to fix it and I guess it’s frustrating to have days like this, but we got those points, so it could have been worse.”
What: IMSA Prototype Challenge Round 5
Where: Chevrolet Sports Car Classic, Belle Isle, Detroit US
SIMPSON FIFTH AFTER LAGUNA SECA BRAWL
What: IMSA Prototype Challenge Round 4
Where: Monterey Grand Prix, Laguna Seca, Ca. USA
Who: Stephen Simpson
What: IMSA Prototype Challenge Round 4
Where: Monterey Grand Prix, Laguna Seca, Ca. USA
SIMPSON TARGETS ANOTHER CALIFORNIA WIN