gotoracing

Scotts Valley CA - GOTO:Racing to Enter USTCC at Infineon Raceway

GOTO:Racing, one of the main competitors in NASA NorCal's Honda Challenge Series, has this month announced it's intention to enter the US Touring Car Championship(www.ustcc.com) mid-season. The family owned and operated team will begin it's campaign at Hyperfest at Infineon Raceway, September 11-12.

Making his professional debut will be Brian Lock 22, who will strap on the DMS Subaru WRX for the first time at the series event in September. Brian's short career in road racing has seen many accomplishments, including multiple wins and poles in the West Coast Honda Challenge series, and a win at the prestigious US Air Force 12 Hours of Thunderhill. In 2004, he has captured the win at every Norcal Honda Challenge event this season (eight as of August) and every pole except one(mechanical) in the extremely competitive H4 class. When asked why he would leave a series without locking up the championship, Brian replied, "It was a timing thing. The H4 championship meant alot to me, since I didn't complete a full season last year either. But since the beginning, this team has had it's sights set on USTCC. When the opportunity arose, we took it, and it required some sacrifices. Luckily, I am not interested in trophies as much as I am accomplishments, and I think that anyone would say I accomplished something in Honda Challenge this year." Brian's decision to pursue a career in touring cars comes only a few months after a brief look at open wheel racing, where he received interest from many US teams, was scouted by BMW for their new Champ Car support series, and tested in a Formula Renault 1600 for NASA's Formula TR series. "Probably the most exciting offer was from BMW," says Brian, "who had a team lined up for me with almost full sponsorship, but it still would have been very expensive for me to come up with the balance of the funds. My test with Paladin Motorsports was amazing. I loved the Renaults. But without sponsorship, winning the ride at Paladin was going to be almost as expensive as Formula BMW. I tried to generate some additional sponsor interest, but struck out. Considering the sponsorship offers and interest we have received for the WRX so far, I think I made the right decision to follow this path."

GOTO:Racing's USTCC platform should be a familiar sight to series fans. The 2004 Subaru WRX was purchased from Team SMR. Current Audi Grand-Am driver Gary Sheehan campaigned this car in USTCC for a number of seasons, and added a USTCC Championship to it's pedigree. The blue and yellow Subaru had been a virtual icon of NASA's pro series, though it had been conspicuously absent since Team SMR stopped running it this past season. GOTO:Racing Team Owner Steve Lock, "We couldn't have chosen a better car. I have always loved the WRX." Added Crew Chief Mike Lock, "Our team has always tried to stand out from the crowd when building race cars, using models of cars that were different from the status quo. One of the reasons we waited so long to enter USTCC was because we wanted to have a car that was as original, as eye popping, and as fast as the WRX. Who would have thought we would be building a program around that actual car?" Mike points out that, while it is the same car that Subaru fans are used to seeing, the team is already changing the car. "This car is FAST!" was the comment Brian made after a test session at Infineon this month, "But it could be faster." "Alot of the changes we make will depend on what kind of vendor support we receive in the coming weeks. DMS is already onboard, supplying us with their WRX strut package", said Steve, "For now the car will LOOK very similar to the what it used to, but next season it will get a new look to reflect the changes going on underneath the skin."

GOTO:Racing is in it's 3rd year of road race competition in Northern California. Along with building the fastest Hondas in the region, GOTO:Racing is the main suppliers of roll cages and safety fabrication to the Norcal Honda Challenge Series. Now interested in moving upward from it's Grassroots origin, the team has set new goals for itself in Road Racing. "As a business, I’d like to see GOTO:Racing's work in more cars and series, and the quality of the work recognized. This is already starting to happen, but having a car in USTCC is still a great way to gain exposure." Says Co-Founder Chris Lock, "But in the end, we are racers, and our aspirations are more competitive then entrepreneurial. In the near future, I would like to continue the legacy Brian left, and dominate H4 in our new del Sol. I also want to continue our success at NASA's 25 Hour enduro, and someday land the overall win. Of course, we want Brian to win a USTCC Championship, and as for plans on the horizon, I see us hitting a Speed World Challenge race or two next year, provided we can get the WRX up to speed. If we continue to chance upon opportunity and exploit the talents of this team, who knows what we might accomplish."

GOTO:Racing was founded by friends and family in 2001 to share the love of speed. We provide Custom Roll Cage and Race Prep service for all types of Road Racing, AutoX, Circle Track, and Drag. Please visit us at USTCC(www.ustcc.com) and Honda Challenge (www.hondachallenge.com) Events or at our web site, www.gotoracing.com.

Chris Lock
Driver/PR
GOTO:Racing Fabrication LLC