Few brands garner as much fan recognition as Valvoline™ and for good reason. Valvoline lubricated the winning car in the first U.S. auto race in 1895 in Chicago. Since then, Valvoline Racing has been involved all over the world in everything from NASCAR to IndyCar racing to NHRA drag racing to Formula 1. Now, the Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) can be added to that list.
Beginning with the 2015 season, Valvoline, a leading marketer, distributor and producer of quality branded automotive and industrial products and services, will sponsor Texan Nur Ali to challenge for the GRC Lites Championship. This sponsorship marks the first venture for both into the popular series which combines the best aspects of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition.
Ali, a resident of Trophy Club, TX, has been competing in a variety of motorsports genres for the past 17 years. He earned the distinction of becoming the first professional Pakistani-born race car driver, competed internationally in A1 Grand Prix – World Cup of Motorsports, captured two Formula Mazda Championships and two Legends Car Championships, competed in 12 countries on five continents as well as in select NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Racing Series races.
“I’m extremely honored and proud to represent the iconic red, white and blue colors of Valvoline in the GRC Lites Championship,” said Ali, driver of the No. 42 Valvoline/Tweaker Energy entry. “It’s one of the winningest and most recognizable brands in motorsports and has been for more than a century. I’m humbled to be part of its motorsports program and heritage. I look forward to representing them in GRC Lites in 2015 and beyond.”
Introduced in 2013, GRC Lites is the official driver development class of Red Bull GRC Supercars. Its races feature 310 bhp, all-wheel drive spec vehicles built to emphasize driver skill over mechanical advantage. Competing on the same courses as the Red Bull GRC, the Lites class is designed to provide future stars with the ideal rallycross training ground. The tracks feature some of the most diverse and technical challenges in the world of motorsport. Between a half and one mile in length, they feature a mixture of dirt and tarmac, as well as various other obstacles.
“For decades, we’ve been working with our racing partners, in our labs and on the track to provide the world’s top drivers with the very best in engine wear protection,” said Jamal Muashsher, Director of Marketing, Valvoline Global Brands. “We are excited to put our motor oil to the test in Global Rallycross with Ali Motorsports, and look forward to great success on the track.”
Last month, Ali announced he would be competing for the 2015 championship with San Bernardino, CA-based AFRacing. His AFRacing teammate Alejandro Fernandez finished third in the 2014 GRC Lites Championship.
The 12-race GRC Lites schedule in 2015, its longest ever, kicks off in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on May 31 and culminates in Las Vegas in November. The eight-city tour includes four doubleheader events, as well as the class’ first trip outside of the United States with an October visit to Barbados. All races will be telecast on NBCSN.
For more information on Nur Ali, visit NurAli.com
NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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