Through an eventful 2011 season of GTC competition, the JDX Racing squad rolled through the highs and lows of racing. Finishing fourth at Sebring, narrowly missing the podium by just a few seconds in their first ever event was the highlight of the season. The low point was not taking the green flag at the season-ending Petit Le Mans race after their #11 GTC Porsche was hit and totaled by an errant LMP car during a practice session. The JDX team used the winter season to rebuild their car and make improvements at all levels of the organization.

Team co-owner, Harrison Brix said “ We are excited to be back in the ALMS paddock this year and I believe that our new driver line up with Chris Cumming, Michael Valiante, Mark Bullitt and Kévin Estre, is going to give our team plenty of time at the front of the GTC field. We’ve maximized our time in the shop, focused on car development and improving all of our processes. We learned a great deal during the 2011 season and we are looking to carry that momentum into 2012.”

Chris Cumming, a veteran IMSA Challenge Porsche GT3 Cup driver, who drove with JDX Racing for three events in 2011, added, “I’m thrilled to be returning to JDX for a full ALMS GTC season this year. We’ve worked hard over the winter to put together a strong program. I couldn’t ask for two better teammates than Mark and Michael and I’m looking forward to showing what we can achieve in 2012.”

Michael Valiante, one of open-wheel racing’s brightest young stars as well as an accomplished endurance racer continued “I worked with Chris last season in a driver coaching role when he competed in GT3 Cup and have known him for many years racing Karts. He knows this Porsche very well and is fast and smart behind the wheel. I have not driven with Mark before, but I know he and Chris were front running drivers in the GT3 Cup class. I believe we can challenge for the podium at every event.”

Adding to the driver roster for the long distance events is Mark Bullitt, another veteran of the IMSA Challenge Porsche GT3 Cup series. Bullitt remarked, “I’m looking forward to running with JDX in this upcoming GTC season. We have a strong and well-prepared team as well as fast and reliable drivers. Chris and I had some good battles in last year’s GT3 series and I’m happy to have him as my teammate. Michael has an excellent record and I know he will help us get the most out of the car and ourselves. With Kevin filling in for Michael at Sebring, I’m confident this team will execute on all levels and we have a good chance of finishing on the top step.”

Kévin Estre commented, “I’m really excited to be part of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring – plus I am very proud that JDX Racing has the confidence in my ability to offer me a chance to race with them in America’s most historic endurance race.” Estre continued, “I’ve had some time testing with Chris and Mark recently and have total confidence in my co-drivers, the car and the team”

The green flag for Round 1 of the American Le Mans Series’ 2012 season flies at 10:30 am Eastern Time on Saturday, March, 17^th. The race will be streamed live on www.espn3.com starting at 10:15 am Eastern. The race will be broadcast on tape delay, Sunday March 18 on the ABC Network beginning at 12:00 pm Eastern Time.

About JDX Racing:  Founded in 2008 and based outside of Denver, CO, JDX Racing represents the very best in professional motorsports. As part of the American Le Mans Series, JDX Racing competes in 10 events throughout North America. JDX Racing 2012 is a one-car team featuring world-class drivers, outstanding crewmembers and progressive marketers from Champ Car, IndyCar, NASCAR, Trans-Am and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship series.

For more information, please visit www.jdxracing.com

Facebook – JDX Racing

Twitter – @jdxracing

Mosport is a track that is on the short list of many drivers’ “must drive” list. With its incredible speed and high level of difficulty, the 2.459-mile, 10-turn layout is one of only a handful of racetracks in the world that is largely unchanged from its 1960s-era original design. The track has some of the quickest and most daunting turns on the ALMS calendar, demanding the most from car and driver. With a track surface that flows over the natural hills and valleys of the Ontario countryside, every corner is a spectacle to watch and appreciate the skill level of the drivers running flat out and wheel to wheel.

JDX Racing driver Nick Ham commented, “As a driver, this track is incredibly fast and the consequences of putting a wheel wrong can be high. There’s no racetrack we go to that requires a higher level of commitment from the drivers, which I personally relish. Qualifying well and staying out of trouble is going to be our key to finishing well here this weekend. The race is only 2 hours and 45 minutes, so there’ s no time for mistakes.” Ham continued, “ This car gets better every time I drive it. That’s what makes this team great; we’re constantly improving and looking at every piece of the car to figure out how we can improve its performance

Chris Cumming, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, drove with the JDX squad back in March at Sebring International Raceway for the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring and has been actively competing in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge series since that time.

Cumming said about Mosport, “As a Canadian driver, every trip to Mosport is a special experience. I haven’t been in the JDX Racing Porsche GTC car since March at the 12 hours of Sebring. Since then, I know the entire JDX team has been working overtime to extract every ounce of speed from their Porsche 997 Cup car, so I’m excited about my reunion with JDX Racing.”

JDX Team Principal, Harrison Brix added, “We are excited to have Chris back in the car with us this weekend. He did a great job in his first GTC race at Sebring back in March, and he’s coming off a strong second place finish at Lime Rock two weeks ago in the IMSA GT3 Challenge series. We are also very excited to be announcing our partnership with Gold Touch Inc. and to be showcasing their very unique, spray-on chrome process on our all-gold Porsche racecar. Thanks to Gold Touch, the on-track presence of the JDX #11 Porsche  will be even more brilliant than it has been so far in 2011. The fans are going to love it!”

Terry Collins, President of Gold Touch, Inc., said “ We are thrilled about our new partnership with JDX Racing. We are always eager to showcase how our spray chrome and gold products are unquestionably the best on the market. The Cosmichrome finish on the JDX Racing Porsche GTC car will provide a beautiful and durable finish that will shine-on, even in the incredibly harsh environment of ALMS endurance racing.”

Round 4 of the American Le Mans Series’ 2011 season will be streamed live on www.espn3.com starting at 2:45 p.m. EST on Sunday, July 24. The race will also be broadcast on a same-day,  tape delayed basis on ESPN2 from 10:00 p.m. to midnight EST.

About Gold Touch, Inc.: Founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1993, Gold Touch, Inc. is the market leader in ecologically advanced spray chrome and gold paint systems for the automotive, industrial, architectural, jewelry and fashion industries. Marketing products under the Cosmichrome, Tiva and InstaGold trade names, Gold Touch, Inc. has a broad product line for professionals and consumers alike. For more information, visit www.goldtouchinc.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Cosmichrom

About JDX Racing: Founded in 2008 and based outside of Denver, CO, JDX Racing represents the very best in professional motorsports. As part of the American Le Mans Series, JDX Racing competes in 9 events throughout North America. JDX Racing 2011 is a one-car team featuring world-class drivers, outstanding crew members and progressive marketers from Champ Car, IndyCar, NASCAR, Trans-Am and the ChampCar Atlantic Championship series. For more information, please visit www.jdxracing.com

Driver Scott Blackett took the green flag at the start and ran a solid pace early on until his front splitter was torn off over the curbing at Turn Five. There was no other damage to the car, but the loss of the front splitter greatly affected the handling of the car especially down the long front straight – which is not actually straight, it has a bend in the middle of it, compromising a corner that is taken at 150 MPH – before getting to the actual Turn 1. Blackett managed to complete several more laps while the JDX Racing crew prepared another splitter in the pits. Blackett pitted for tires, fuel and a driver change on lap 25. With Nick Ham assuming driving duties and the front splitter replaced, the team was ready to get back to the fight, although the change was quick, the short lap times around the 1.9 mile Long Beach track meant the Porsche went a lap down to the other GTC competitors.

After getting out of the car, Blackett exclaimed, “Wow! You’re really busy on this street course! With all the pavement surface changes (asphalt & concrete), crowns in the road, and camber changes to contend with, combined with managing the traffic, you never get a break. Driving the #11 Porsche with no front splitter was a handful down the long front straight and into Turn 1, but after a couple laps I knew how the car was going to react, so I adjusted my driving style to compensate for the lack of front grip.”

Shortly after taking over driving duties, Nick Ham suffered a puncture in the left rear tire just past the pit lane exit. Ham had to gingerly limp the Porsche around the track for essentially one full lap, being careful not to further damage the car or get caught up with any of the other 30 cars on track. After a quick stop for tires, Ham got the #11 Porsche right back into the GTC race, running a solid fifth place, but four laps down due to the slow progress around the circuit on the shredded tire. All was not lost though, as the fight up the road for third and fourth position in GTC was very intense. That battle created the luck that Ham needed and later capitalized on. In the closing minutes of the race, the fourth place Porsche went into Turn 8 too fast, locked the brakes and hit one of those unforgiving Long Beach walls. Ham drove past, moving the JDX Porsche to a hard earned fourth place finish.

At the conclusion of the race, Nick Ham commented, “What an incredible setting. I’ve heard people refer to Long Beach as the US version of Monaco, and I would definitely agree. This was one of those races where almost every law Mr. Murphy wrote came true. The loss of the front splitter, the poor handling without the splitter, the bizarre flat tire, going four laps down. This team is amazing. They never gave up and fought hard until the end. That tenacity really paid off for us today.”

JDX President, Jeremy Dale, said, “We were excited to get a good result for our new commercial partner, Petropavlovsk PLC. The eye-catching gold livery on the car really turned heads and we had people coming by the paddock all weekend to check out “the gold car.””

Dale continued, “It was a weekend that saw plenty of adversity, but I knew the team wasn’t going to give up. We’re in the race to win and we won’t quit or throw in the towel until the checkered flag falls. The drivers adapted to a car that was tough to drive, the crew was fantastic in keeping our pit stops as short as possible and for all our work and effort we were rewarded with a strong fourth place finish.”

About JDX Racing: Founded in 2008 and based outside of Denver, CO, JDX Racing represents the very best in professional motorsports. As part of the American Le Mans Series, JDX Racing competes in 9 events throughout North America. JDX Racing 2011 is a one-car team featuring world-class drivers, outstanding crewmembers and progressive marketers from Champ Car, IndyCar, NASCAR, Trans-Am and the ChampCar Atlantic Championship series. For more information, please visit - www.jdxracing.com

About Petropavlovsk PLC: One of the largest gold producers in Russia, Petropavlovsk has operated there since 1994, demonstrating its ability to develop assets from ‘greenfield sites’ through to successful world-class producing mines. The Group’s third gold mine, Malomir, was commissioned in August 2010. This key strength has driven year-on-year production growth and the Group’s rapid expansion. Petropavlovsk PLC is listed on the Main Market on the London Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of $US 3 Billion and also traded via an American Depository Receipt, managed by the Bank of New York. For more information, please visit - http://www.petropavlovsk.net

JDX Racing is proud to introduce a new commercial partner this weekend – Petropavlovsk PLC.

Petropavlovsk PLC is the third largest gold mining company in Russia, with 2011 expected production of 600,000 ounces (c. US $840 million). Traded on the London Stock Exchange and as an American Depository Receipt managed by Bank of New York, Petropavlovsk PLC is globally recognized for their commitment to performance, sustainability, environmental responsibility and best mining practices.

Peter Hambro, Chairman / Co-Founder commented, “Petropavlovsk PLC is a leader in low-cost, high-yield, sustainable gold mining and JDX Racing is emerging as a leader in ALMS GTC racing. The blend of our two companies, combined with the global interest of the American Le Mans Series, creates an international reach that is important to a company like ours.”

Debuting at Long Beach, the #11 JDX Racing Porsche GTC, with the help of JDX Racing partner Trick Technologies, will appear as if dipped in pure gold.

JDX Racing team owner Jeremy Dale said, “I am very pleased to welcome Petropavlovsk PLC as a partner to JDX Racing and to the American Le Mans Series. We are excited to show off our striking new gold livery to the capacity crowds at Long Beach. Our Porsche is going to shine as bright as the California sun and deliver a unique “wow” factor I’m sure race fans will find unforgettable.”

Hambro added, “What particularly attracted us to this sponsorship was the innovative showcase of our principal product; pure gold. The Petropavlovsk Porsche will bring real brilliance to Long Beach. We hope to see our golden GTC lead the class, just as gold itself has outperformed money as a safe investment haven in these economic times.”

In addition to its commercial news, JDX Racing has been working tirelessly to enhance its chassis setup and to shave time off pit stops. In a short, two-hour race like Long Beach, starting up front on the grid and spending less time in the pits will be key to a successful weekend.

Lead driver Nick Ham spoke, “The narrow track, tight corners and long straights combined with a 30-car field are going to make for some very intense racing this weekend. I’m really looking forward to wheeling this incredible new livery through the streets and with some work and a bit of racing luck, to a podium finish.”

The American Le Mans Series takes to the streets of Long Beach on Saturday for a 2-hour race with the green flag at 4:30 PM PST. The Long Beach American Le Mans Series event can be seen live on ESPN3.com, starting at 4:15 PM PST, Saturday, April 16. The race replay will air on ESPN2 at 2 PM PST, Sunday, April 17. Viewers outside the United States can watch all qualifying and racing live, free of charge, at www.americanlemans.com.

About JDX Racing: Founded in 2008 and based outside of Denver, CO, JDX Racing represents the very best in professional motorsports. As part of the American Le Mans Series, JDX Racing competes in 9 events throughout North America. JDX Racing 2011 is a one-car team featuring world-class drivers, outstanding crewmembers and progressive marketers from Champ Car, IndyCar, NASCAR, Trans-Am and the ChampCar Atlantic Championship series. For more information, please visit www.jdxracing.com

About Petropavlovsk PLC: One of the largest gold producers in Russia, Petropavlovsk has operated there since 1994, demonstrating its ability to develop assets from ‘greenfield sites’ through to successful world-class producing mines. The Group’s third gold mine, Malomir, was commissioned in August 2010. This key strength has driven year-on-year production growth and the Group’s rapid expansion. Petropavlovsk PLC is listed on the Main Market on the London Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of $US 3 Billion and also traded via an American Depository Receipt, managed by the Bank of New York. For more information, please visit www.petropavlovsk.net

The lead driver of the #11 JDX Porsche 997 GT3 Cup car will be two-time Sebring GT class winner Nick Ham. Alongside Ham will be drivers Chris Thompson and Scott Blackett.

JDX Racing, based in Loveland, is co-owned by Jeremy Dale and Harrison Brix. Dale, a well known and popular Canadian driver in the IMSA paddock of the 80′s and 90′s, achieved multiple IMSA wins, including two World Sports Car (WSC) victories at the Daytona 24-Hour race. After stepping out of the driver’s seat and into team management roles in open-wheel racing, Dale felt the time was right to transition from team management to team ownership.

Brix grew up in the IMSA paddock, including when Dale drove for Brix Racing, owned by the late Harry Brix. Harrison raced sports cars professionally from 2003-2008, including an ALMS season co-driving a Ferarri F430 GT2 car in 2008.

“I am extremely excited to be partnered with Jeremy creating a solid, professional and talented team and we look forward to developing a great enterprise,” Brix said. “Jeremy and I believe in organizations where like-minded people work together building strong partnerships and JDX Racing will translate this philosophy into great success on the race track.”

“I’m incredibly excited to begin another chapter in my wonderful motorsports career and I’m especially excited about getting back to the IMSA paddock after so many years away,” Dale added. “Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure to meet and work with some of the best and most talented people in every facet of motorsports and the core group at JDX Racing is no exception. Having Nick lead our driver lineup, Chris Lerch engineering the car and Larry Ellert in the role of crew chief, I feel as though the knowledge base and foundation of JDX is deep and strong.”

“I am very excited about getting back in a Porsche race car, especially being supported by such an experienced group of career racers,” Ham said. “The teams and drivers in the American Le Mans Series are exceptional and I know we have our work cut out for us, but none of us are bothered by the idea of hard work and strong competition. That’s why we all love this sport.”

The JDX Team makes its debut at the 59th running of the Mobile 1 12 hours of Sebring March 16-19. It will be televised on ABC March 20 from 10:30-12 p.m. MDT.
For more information, e-mail info@jdxracing.com.

JDX Racing, based in Loveland CO, is co-owned by Jeremy Dale and Harrison Brix. Dale, a well-known and popular Canadian driver in the IMSA paddock of the 80’s and 90’s, achieved multiple IMSA wins, including 2 World Sports Car (WSC) victories at the Daytona 24 Hour endurance event. After stepping out of the driver’s seat and into team management roles in open-wheel racing, Dale sees 2011 as the right time to transition from team management to team ownership.

Jeremy Dale – “Our future in motorsport is ahead of us and I want JDX Racing to play an active role in helping the sport I love move forward. Team ownership gives me the best opportunity to help our patrons, partners, and supporters.”

Harrison Brix grew up in the IMSA paddock alongside his father, the late Harry Brix, owner of Brix Racing where Dale had great success as a driver. Harrison himself raced sports cars professionally from 2003 to 2008, including co-driving a Ferrari F430 GT2 car in the 2008 ALMS season. “I am extremely excited to be partnered with Jeremy in creating a solid, professional and talented team. We are looking forward to developing a great enterprise with like-minded people working together to build strong partnerships. JDX Racing will translate this philosophy into great success on and off the race track,” said Brix.

Dale adds, “I’m incredibly excited to get back to the IMSA paddock after so many years away. I’ve had the pleasure to meet and work with some of the brightest and most talented people in every facet of motorsports and the core group at JDX Racing is no exception. Having Nick Ham lead our driver lineup, Chris Lerch engineering the car, and Larry Ellert in the role of crew chief, I feel as though the knowledge base and foundation of JDX is deep and strong.”

Nick Ham commented “It’s great for me to get back into a Porsche race car, especially being supported by such an experienced group of career racing professionals. The teams and drivers in the American Le Mans Series are exceptional, so I know we have our work cut out for us. None of us are bothered by the idea of hard work and strong competition. That’s exactly what we love about this sport”

Dale continued, stating, “After all my years in racing, it’s hard to believe this is my first experience working with Porsche Motorsport North America. Their reputation for racing support is unmatched and it goes without saying that the 2011 GT3 Cup car is a phenomenal piece of engineering. We’re looking forward to working with Porsche, Yokohama and other American Le Mans Series partners throughout 2011, and we can’t wait for our inaugural race, the 59th running of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.”