MOMO NGT Motorsport Team planning a hard charge back to the points lead at Road America

The No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsport Team of drivers Henrique Cisneros and Sean Edwards hope their on-track bad luck has vanished and they can get back to their podium finishing ways of the first part of the season at the Orion Energy Systems 245 at Road America. The race is the headliner at the joint American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Patron Tequila and Rolex Grand-Am Series double-header sports car race weekend, August 10-11, 2013 at the historic Elkhart Lake, Wisc. Circuit.

Cisneros and Edwards will compete in the two hours and 45-minute ALMS race, starting at 2:00 p.m. CDT on Sunday afternoon, August 11. The MOMO NGT Motorsport Porsche Team currently sits third in the GTC Team Championship points chase, as does Cisneros in the GTC Driver’s Championship. After two victories and a third-place finish in the first three races, Rounds Four and Five were disappointments when accidents sidelined the popular red-yellow-and-black liveried MOMO Porsche 911 GT3 and they had to relinquish their championship points lead.

The quest back to the top of the points chart is on the agenda this weekend, as the Cisneros/Edwards duo plan a hard charge against the tough competition in the GTC class on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn Road America road course.

Henrique Cisneros, No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsport driver:
The last race was challenging at Mosport. In the last 15 minutes an accident relegated your team back in the field and out of the point lead. What are you doing this weekend to get that points lead back? “Now that we are behind in the points, it completely changes our strategy from conservative to aggressive. We need to get back to the lead as quickly as possible and in order to do that, we will change everything from our driving styles to race strategy. The team will be much more offensive on track to try and maximize our points in very race.

You and Sean are known to really put out a hard charge when it comes down to it. Do you think that ability by both of you drivers will be what can bring you back into the championship? “We are both sprint drivers at heart and we like to attack. In endurance racing it’s easy to fall into a rhythm and stop pushing but when you have a championship lead on your mind, all you can do is push the car and yourself to the limit. We proved this at Laguna Seca this year where we came back from last twice after 2 pit speed penalties to win the race. I'm actually looking forward to the challenge.”

The MOMO NGT team has had to make some major repairs to your No. 30 Porsche GT3 after the past two races. Does that take its toll on the team or does it make everyone want the next victory all the more? “The team is extremely professional and repairing a car is what they love to do in the end. It's their passion and whether it’s repairing a crash or setting up a perfect car, it's just another day at the office. The team is extremely motivated and is looking forward to getting back on top.”

What have your experience/s been like at the Road America circuit and what do you like about it? “We raced at Road America last year in GTC and we had a great race. Sean qualified on pole but we were penalized due to a minimum driving time infraction during practice. We were leading the race until the last lap where we ran out of fuel with 2 corners to go, came into contact with Pumpelly and crossed the finish line in 3rd and with only 3 wheels on the car. It was one of those finishes you will never forget! It's a long fast track with great corners that are very tough to take at high speed consistently. The kink is also very interesting when you are two wide!”

What are your thoughts on the joint race weekend with ALMS and Grand-Am, especially considering that you will be one series next year? “I think it will be a great opportunity to rub elbows with the Grand-Am guys. I think ALMS and Grand-Am are two very distinct cultures and we need to start working together as soon as possible to assure a smooth transition next year.”

Sean Edwards, No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsport driver:
What do you think is the most exciting part of the GTC class in the ALMS?
“The cars are all the same and we have some of the best Porsche drivers in the world in it. It makes for great, close racing and qualifying is always really exiting. We are all pushing so hard and on the limit with these Cup cars everywhere. It's great fun. I love the ALMS. It's my favorite series in the world. Every part of it just works and it's so exciting to watch it, let alone race in it!”

The last race was challenging at Mosport. In the last 15 minutes an accident relegated your team back in the field and out of the point lead. What are you doing this weekend at Road America to get that points lead back? “Yes, that was a bad race for us. Everything was going well and we just got taken out by another class car through no fault of our own. To get the point lead back is simple, win! We have to score big points over the next few races or hope for our competitors to run into some trouble.”

You and Henrique are known to really put out a hard charge when it comes down to it. Do you think that ability by both of you drivers will be what can bring you back into the championship? “For sure, we will both fight really hard to win the championship. It means a lot to the team and Henrique so I will give it my all. It makes it more exiting like this!”

You are now headed into the second stretch of the season. What do you see lying ahead this year?
“We had a great start and a troubled middle, so hopefully a successful finish to the season. There are still many tracks I have to learn but we seem to be bang on the pace everywhere pretty quickly, which is important. It's going to be a tough fight with Alex Job and Flying Lizard right till the end. I can see it. I am looking forward to it!”

Ramez Wahab, NGT Motorsport Owner/No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsport Team Manager:
The last race was challenging at Mosport. In the last 15 minutes an accident relegated your team back in the field and out of the point lead. What are you doing this weekend to get that points lead back? “Unfortunately it happened to us twice in a row, in Lime Rock and in Mosport we got hit by another contender 15 min to go, which costs us a lot of points. Now we are third in the Championship points, and we have to play catch-up. It's less pressure and more fun.”

The MOMO NGT team has had to make some major repairs to the No. 30 Porsche GT3 after the past two races. Does that take its toll on the team or does it make everyone want the next victory all the more? “It’s part of racing and you have to deal with the unexpected. We know and proved to all that we always have a very competitive car and are able to run always up front. A setback makes us only stronger at the end.”

You are now headed into the second stretch of the season. What do you see lying ahead this year?
“It's still a long way to go, we are very confident that we will be at the top.”

What are your thoughts on the joint race weekend with ALMS and Grand-Am, especially considering that you will be one series next year? “History will be written this weekend. I think it's a great deal to see how things will evolve and we are already looking forward for next season.”

MOMO NGT Motorsport Team