RealTime Racing promotes Busalacchi

RealTime Racing veteran crewman Michael Busalacchi has been promoted to Crew Chief of the defending SCCA Speed World Challenge Touring Car Championship Acura effort.

Busalacchi, 36, of Milwaukee, first joined the RealTime team in 1992.

Most recently, Busalacchi was the car chief for Peter Cunningham's Acura TSX, providing the eventual 2005 Touring Car Drivers' Champion a speedy and reliable mount. For 2006, he will lead the five-car Acura TSX and RSX program, supervising each of the individual car chiefs and rest of the skilled RealTime squad. His goal as Crew Chief is to guide Acura to its record-breaking sixth Manufacturers' title.

"It is an honor to be asked to officially lead this championship-caliber outfit," said Busalacchi. "The competitive environment in Touring Car will not make my job easy, but we have all the ingredients needed within the team to continually up our game. Our winter development program has gone well and our cars will be strong. With all of these good people--between the experienced crew and the returning five drivers--we're confident RealTime will be in a position to secure another championship for Acura!"

Cunningham recalled Busalacchi's early days with the team, "Mike and I first worked together in 1992 in the SCCA PRO Rally Championship. After finishing second in the '92 Production Championship, he helped us win the 1993 title," said Cunningham. "He was also a part of RealTime's debut season of World Challenge racing before leaving us for a time to pursue his passion for rallying. He returned to the RTR family in 2003, bolstering the crew's talent pool and displaying leadership qualities that helped the team grow. As crew chief, I'm confident Mike will take this organization to a new level and achieve more than it could without him."

RealTime Racing has 18 SCCA World Challenge Championship trophies displayed at its headquarters. Nine of those are for drivers and nine more for manufacturers. In its 13 seasons of World Challenge competition, RealTime has won 58 races--44 in Touring Car and 14 in the GT division.

"Much of RealTime's success in World Challenge occurred under the leadership of my good friend Jerome Zimmermann," Busalacchi added. "His untimely death in July of 2003 left a big hole in this team that will never be completely filled, but to be asked to wear the hat he once wore is an honor and a challenge I cherish."

-rtr