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Jesse Lazare

Jesse Lazare Podium
Lazare Takes first career GT Win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 700 447 MOORESPEED

Lazare Takes first career GT Win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Door Doctor/Moorespeed’s Jesse Lazare takes his first career GT win at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bomanville Ontario Saturday, July 12th in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama.

It was a four-man race for the most part of the race that tightened up the last few laps as the top four runners led by Jesse Lazare ran began working their way lapping the back of the field. Jesse was taken out of the Friday race by Angel Benitez Jr. sitting in second place who along with Colin Thompson and winner of race one, Sloan Urry looked for an opportunity that the young Lazare never afforded them.

Team Manager Price Cobb came on the radio, “Jess you have 10 laps to go, drive them like qualifying laps and the win is yours”. And that’s exactly what young Canadian Jesse Lazare did, taking his first win In the Porsche GT3 Challenge.

This could be the defining moment in the young Canadian’s first season with Moorespeed as he now enters the second half of the season with strong momentum and confidence that winning breeds. The remaining races are at Road America, Circuit of Americas (only 5 miles from Moorespeed’s workshop), and the final race in conjunction with Petit Lemans at Road Atlanta.

Lazare Young Canadian Star
Lazare Finds Home With Legend Cobb 601 271 MOORESPEED

Lazare Finds Home With Legend Cobb

Le Mans Winner Helps Guide Young Canadian Star

Jesse Lazare wanted to further his racing career, a challenge in its own right. But rather than just finding help, he found a mentor to push him and a series that gives him tough competition. Canadian Lazare, 17, is the driver of the No. 31 Door Doctor/Moorespeed Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car fielded by Moorespeed in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama.

Original article courtesy IMSA:

http://www.imsa.com/articles/lazare-finds-home-legend-cobb

 
The team is run by 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Price Cobb, who is much more than a general manager for Montreal resident Lazare – he’s a mentor and confidant. “Price is everything,” Lazare said. “He helps everyone out. He helps me, he helps the mechanics, and he’s even booking the hotels. It’s great to have him work with me. I never have to double-think on if he’s giving me the right information. I learn a lot from him. “He’s taught me how to give feedback to the engineers and explains exactly what I should be feeling when I’m out there in the car. There’s a lot more to it now, being in a Porsche.”

Cobb also had a hand in helping Lazare choose the series to bring the talent he showed while winning three Canadian karting championships. Cobb also has a storied past with Porsche and understands the factory’s ability to offer advice and help to developing drivers through single-make series such as GT3 USA and beyond. “I felt unequivocally that we could accelerate the decision making by putting Jess in a 911,” Cobb said of Lazare’s career path. “Porsche engineers have masterfully tuned the car to mask the fact that the engine is behind the rear axle, but it is still the defining sports car. Drive it well, and your resume will be far richer for it.”

“The Yokohama Porsche GT3 Cup series is tough. It’s at the top and runs at the most prestigious tracks alongside the series that has other cars racing where Jesse might ultimately drive as a professional.” Lazare needed a series that would promise him bright future, so he turned to sports cars. He needed a series that has successfully developed drivers, so he turned to the Porsche single-make series. More importantly, he needed competition and a healthy amount of track time, so he turned to the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama.

“We looked around, and sports cars just promised a better future,” Lazare said. “My manager hooked me up with Price, and that’s how we got started in the GT3 series.”

Lazare and the Moorespeed team enjoy the tracks in the American series, but they’re still tough to learn for the series rookie while he also balances the challenge of devising a quick setup with his engineers. “More laps you have on a track, the better,” Lazare said. “Once you know a track, you can focus on the car. That’s been the hardest part for me. I’ve never been to any of these tracks. Testing is expensive, so I rely a lot on the track walks and practice sessions.”

But the next stop in the series is familiar ground for Lazare, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama will race there July 10-12. The fearsome, 10-turn, 2.459-mile circuit is Lazare’s favorite track and the only one on the schedule on which he has raced before this year. “I have a good shot there,” Lazare said. “I’ve raced there at least 15 times in formula and stock cars. We definitely have our hopes up for that one. I’m going for the win. I have the best shot there because I finally have an equal playing field. I have a lot of experience, and I know where to pass.” Lazare put that circuit knowledge to work Friday, July 11 by earning his first career pole in the series, buoyed by plenty of support from his family and friends in the Montreal area this weekend at CTMP.

Door Doctor/Moorespeed’s Lazare Right At Home Out Front In Canada 700 505 MOORESPEED

Door Doctor/Moorespeed’s Lazare Right At Home Out Front In Canada

Lewis, Nielsen In Close Pursuit Of Teen Rookie

Jesse Lazare is the only full-time driver from Canada in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, and he put that local knowledge to good use Friday to lead the opening day of practice at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Lazare, 17, from Montreal, turned a top lap of 1 minute, 20.565 seconds in the No. 31 Door Doctor/Moorespeed Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car during the afternoon practice.

Series rookie Lazare is a three-time Canadian karting champion who considers the 10-turn, 2.459-mile circuit at CTMP as his home track. Fellow series rookie Michael Lewis was just behind Lazare in second on the speed charts, with a top lap of 1:20.584 during the morning session in the No. 98 Competition Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian entry. Lewis is third in the championship with two victories this season. Another series rookie, Christina Nielsen, benefited from track knowledge with the third-best time of the day, 1:20.935, this morning in the No. 25 NGT Motorsport Porsche. Denmark native Nielsen competed in the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin season opener in May at CTMP to learn the circuit during her first season of racing in North America. Sloan Urry was fourth overall at 1:20.985 during the afternoon practice in the No. 20 JDX Racing 911 GT3 Cup car, while Michael Schein rounded out the top five at 1:21.073 in his best lap from the afternoon session in the No. 16 Wright Motorsports entry. Platinum Cup championship leader Colin Thompson was eighth overall at 1:21.199 in the No. 14 Kelly Moss/Porsche of Bucks County entry. His closest pursuer, Angel Benitez Jr., was seventh at 1:21.171 in the No. 05 Formula Motorsport/Avid Motorsport Porsche. Thompson leads the championship standings, 116-112, over Benitez. Lewis is third with 102 points.

Qualifying starts at 10:35 a.m. Friday. Two 45-minute races are scheduled. Round 9 of the season starts at 5:40 p.m. Friday, with Round 10 at 10:10 a.m. Saturday. Both races will be streamed live at FansChoice. TV and live updates on all on-track sessions will be provided @IMSALive on Twitter.

For more information about Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, visit www.gt3cupchallengeusa.com

991 sebring
LAZARE FOURTH IN PORSCHE GT3 CUP SEASON OPENER 300 250 MOORESPEED

LAZARE FOURTH IN PORSCHE GT3 CUP SEASON OPENER

Strong drive for Canadian teenager at Sebring

Original article courtesy IMSA:

http://www.imsa.com/articles/lazare-fourth-porsche-gt3-cup-season-opener

SEBRING, FL – Canadian racer, 16-year-old Jesse Lazare from Montreal, Quebec made his 2014 racing debut this past weekend at the historic 12 Hours of Sebring. Lazare, at the controls of his new www.doordoctor.com  / Garaga sponsored 2014 Porsche GT3 Cup Platinum class car impressed in practice.

“We got this car on Monday,” Lazare said of his new Moorespeed prepared 991. “There is a lot to learn – and very little time to do it.” Lazare was stunningly quick right out of the box in his new mount.

“Jesse tested here in the 997 a couple of weeks ago, so I expected him to be quick in practice with the new car,” Moorespeed’s Price Cobb said.  At the end of the two series test session, Lazare was 2ndfastest.

A misunderstanding in qualifying concerning the Yokohama tires meant that Lazare couldn’t show his true speed in the qualifying session, where he ended up 14th. “Not what I hoped for,” the Canadian youngster said. “But sometimes these things happen, so we have to move on. What I do know is that I will have a good car for the race,” Lazare added.

At the start of the race, Lazare took a few laps to settle in. He originally dropped from 14th to 16th, but then he found his legs, and in true Lazare form – to the front he went.  Lazare methodically picked off drivers one at a time. “This is the first time I drove a GT car, so the racing is way different from what I am used to. I needed a few laps to settle in, but then I got going.”  Soon Lazare was in the top 10, then the top 5, and set to challenge for a podium. As the checkered flag fell, Lazare was on the rear bumper of the 3rd place car – he finished fourth.

“Couldn’t be happier,” Lazare said of the race. “My Door Doctor/Garaga sponsored Porsche doesn’t have a mark on it, and we were so close to a podium. I want to thank Price Cobb and the Moorespeed crew for a great car. Also, thanks to my other sponsors Yokohama and Sparco, who are supporting me this year.”

Cobb was equally happy with his young charge’s performance. “When I signed up to help Jesse, I knew from what I’d been told and had seen in earlier results that he was a talented guy. The after testing knew it to be the case. Today his performance cemented that for me – what a great drive. He has remarkable situational awareness and his ability to make on track racing choices belie his age.  The rest of the season with him will be one heck-of-a-ride”

Lazare will now prepare for the next rounds of the 2014 Porsche GT3 Cup Championship at Laguna Seca.

Jesse Lazare Quick Facts: Jesse Lazare is a 16-year-old racer from Montreal, Quebec. For 2014, Lazare competes with Moorespeed in the 2014 Porsche GT3 Cup Series in the USA and select races in Canada. In 2013, Lazare scored two podiums in USF2000 championship for Pabst Racing Services. In FF1600, Lazare competed in 16 races. He amassed five wins and seven podiums, including winning the CAN-AM CUP in the Canadian FF1600 Championship. One of his podium finishes was part of the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix weekend in FF1600. Lazare is also a three-time Canadian National Karting Champion. In 2011 he was the Canadian Junior Rotax Max National Champion and he represented Canada at the Rotax Max World Finals. In 2012, he captured his third Canadian National Championship, this time in Rotax Max Senior and again he represented Canada at the Rotax Max World Finals.

Away from the track, Lazare enjoys skiing and hockey, and he attends Lindsay Place High School, (Pointe Claire, Quebec ). For more information on Jesse Lazare, visit www.jesselazare.com, or his ‘fans of Jesse Lazare on Facebook page.

Jesse Lazare is supported by Door Doctor, www.doordoctor.com Garaga, Yokohama Canada and Sparco USA

– See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/lazare-fourth-porsche-gt3-cup-season-opener#sthash.VyDQXwFl.dpuf
Pierre 991 Sebring
LE MANS WINNER COBB HELPING MOORESPEED BACK ON TRACK 350 200 MOORESPEED

LE MANS WINNER COBB HELPING MOORESPEED BACK ON TRACK

Price Cobb won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1990. He won three consecutive North American Porsche Cup titles from 1986-88 and the Porsche Cup as the most successful privateer Porsche driver in the world in 1994. But recently he made a confession about his stellar sports car driving career.

“Quite frankly, I know I did well because I surrounded myself with stars,” Cobb said. “I know I wasn’t that good as a driver, but the effort was that good, and it made me look like a star. So today, I try to do that for others. My main deal in life today is to help others.” Cobb is doing just that for Moorespeed, an Austin, Texas-based team that is returning to competition for the first time since 2001, this season in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, starting with the first two rounds March 13-14 during the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida weekend at Sebring International Raceway.

The team is fielding two cars at Sebring, a Platinum GT3 Cup 911 for talented rookie Jesse Lazare of Montreal and a Platinum Masters GT3 Cup 911 for Pierre Mulacek of Austin, Texas.

Moorespeed has a long history of sales, service, repairs, restoration and racing with many exotic marques. Even though the team last competed in the former SPEED World Challenge in 2001, it has remained active in recent years in vintage racing events while overseeing its thriving street car business.

But Moorespeed President David Moore missed the crucible of competition. He longed for the intensity and the satisfaction of strong finishes and teamwork. He yearned for the split-second decisions and challenges for technicians, improving the breed like no other automotive discipline. Moore and Cobb are longtime friends who share the unbreakable bond of Porsche. So when Moore called Cobb last summer to ask him to move to Austin to revive his racing program, Cobb didn’t hesitate. He headed to the Lone Star State and began working with the team in August 2013. “When David raised his hand and asked for help, I was delighted to help,” Cobb said.

Serendipity then helped Cobb’s process of building Moorespeed’s Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama team. A longtime friend of Cobb’s with a sharp eye for talent called him and urged Cobb to consider three-time Canadian national karting champion Lazare, 16, for a seat. Lazare also was successful in his initial foray in cars, winning the 2013 Can-Am Cup for the FF1600 class.

Cobb brought Lazare to Moorespeed for a test, and his friend’s opinion was spot-on: Lazare was fast, right away.  Moorespeed prepared an older, Gold GT3 Cup 911 for Lazare to test Feb. 24-25 at Sebring. But the team quickly changed gears and decided to field a 2014 Platinum car for Lazare at the Sebring race after being impressed by his speed in the older car at the test.

Cobb has worked with young drivers since his retirement from the driver’s seat, helping to groom them for major series with his wisdom and contacts. Cobb led unknown Brad Coleman from obscurity at an indoor karting center in Houston to the Rolex 24 At Daytona and then a NASCAR Nationwide Series seat with Joe Gibbs Racing in just five years.

And now he sees similar star quality in Lazare.

“I believe that Jess has the talent to win, meaning win the championship,” Cobb said. “Is that an absolute must? No. But I do want him in the class that if he does well, I want him to get the attention he may not have gotten in the Gold class. If indeed he’s going to make it, make this a job moving forward, he needs to be in front of people who can see you make it.

“Part of my relationship with Porsche, I can’t imagine a better place for him to start out in cars. It’s competitive. Porsche cares. He’s Canadian. A bunch of things are going for him. A bunch of Canadians have gone on to do some pretty big things of late. Jess has a chance.”

Cobb will help Lazare with racing advice. Shifting, car setup, proper lines through corners, analyzing data and more. But he also provides another kind of help that might be even more valuable.

“What he really wants to know is the ‘rest of it,’” Cobb said. “The driving, he’s naturally gifted. There are a lot of things I can teach him. But the rest of it is what I’m trying to teach him, stuff that would take him years to learn. Behavior on and off the track, choices to be made, decisions to be balanced while he’s on the track and off the track.

“You become close to them. The last guy I did this for in very few years went from literally not having ever raced to driving for Joe Gibbs, in about five years. That was huge. I was game to do that. Before I’m pushing daisies up, I thought: ‘You know what? Someone like Jess’ talent, I’d like to do that again.’ It really revolves around my enjoyment of helping others. That’s really all it is.”

For more information about Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, visit www.imsa.com, follow @IMSA on Twitter or IMSA on Facebook.

– See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/le-mans-winner-cobb-helping-moorespeed-back-track#sthash.03h7KSz5.dpuf

Original article courtesy IMSA:

http://www.imsa.com/articles/le-mans-winner-cobb-helping-moorespeed-back-track

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