Justin Bell Sweeps Pirelli World Challenge GTS Races in St. Petersburg for Children’s Tumor Foundation / Racing4Research and eBay Motors and Mobile
Late Pass Gives Bell Second Weekend Win and First Career Sweep in the No. 50 Tiger Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302S
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (March 25, 2012) – Justin Bell scored the first race-weekend sweep in his 25-year motorsports career in the season-opening event of the Pirelli World Challenge at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg where he backed up yesterday’s opening race win with an equally convincing victory Sunday morning in the No. 50 Tiger Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302S.
The victories are Bell’s first in World Challenge (WC) competition in addition to being firsts in WC for the Children’s Tumor Foundation's (CTF) Racing4Research program and Bell’s partners eBay Motors and Mobile.
Like yesterday, when he won from seventh on the starting grid, Bell had to race through the field again on Sunday. Although he started second, a stalled car in front of him as the green flag dropped quickly put Bell outside of the top-10 in the running order.
“Yesterday was full of unknowns for me,” Bell said. “I had the element of surprise on people and they didn’t know what I was going to be up to. Today I had a car stall in front of me right at the start and I may have been as far down as 12th into the first corner. I was really motivated, after dropping to like the sixth row right at the start, to come back and at least get a podium for the team.”
Bell began to pick up positions before zeroing in on race leader Peter Cunningham just as he did in Saturday’s race. His winning pass once again came in Turn 1, but this time it was less than two laps from the finish, the only race laps Bell led all day.
“The overtaking I had to do was just right on the edge of not being able to make it,” Bell said. “The smallest gap they gave me I went through, but Cunningham was incredibly fair. He went wide, I was actually going to set him up for Turn 4, but he suddenly went wide in Turn 1 and I was like, ‘that’s it, I am done.’ I don’t know who would have come off worse if we hit, but he was incredibly fair and I think he may have known I had him at that point.”
Bell is substitute driving in 2012’s opening WC rounds for reigning class champion and Tiger Racing manager Paul Brown, who is recovering from minor surgery. Bell brought both the backing from eBay Motors and Mobile and his partnership and relationship with the CTF / Racing4Research program with him to the team.
“I am just incredibly happy and thankful to Paul Brown for putting me in the car,” Bell said. “For eBay Motors and Mobile for inviting me and, of course, for these great CTF kids wandering around and supporting us when they have so much else going on, it was all just fantastic.”
About two dozen young NF patients, or “heroes,” and their families visited with Bell and other WC teams at the track this weekend. The CTF / Racing4Research program increases awareness of neurofibromatosis (NF) and raises funds for research to find effective treatments for the debilitating disorder. Donations for the cause can be made at www.ctf.org where additional information on the program, the Foundation, and NF can also be found.
Bell first joined the CTF / Racing4Research program this past January, co-driving a Porsche GT3 in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and was honored to be racing for the cause again this weekend.
“We came off Daytona on an emotional high if not a success high,” Bell said. “This makes up for a bad result there in the Rolex 24.”
Bell is currently preparing for his second season as the host of The World’s Fastest Car Show Hosted by Justin Bell, a unique web, mobile and app-accessible show available only at eBay Motors and on eBay Mobile.
Next up for Justin Bell and the No. 50 Tiger Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302S team is Round 2 of the Pirelli World Challenge at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 13 – 15.
About the Children's Tumor Foundation and Racing4Research: Developed by the Children’s Tumor Foundation, the Racing4Research (R4R) program utilizes competitive, professional auto racing as a vehicle to increase awareness of neurofibromatosis and raise funds for research through corporate sponsorship, personal donations, and individual fundraising by NF Heroes: children and adults from around the country who live with neurofibromatosis. NF affects one in every 3,000 children, more than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease combined, and can lead to a wide variety of complications, including blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities and excruciating and disabling pain. The Racing4Research program offers children and families living with the disorder a uniquely empowering weekend, and has raised over $1.5 million dollars since its inception five years ago. Donations can be made at www.racing4research.org.
Presli's Dad remarked that he’s, "never seen her smile or be as happy as she was that weekend." Presli's Mom continued, “I can’t even express how grateful we are for the opportunity she’s had [and] the joy she’s had."
