14.05.2005 PORSCHE VETERAN STEVE VALENTINETTI WILL BE JOINING VICI RACING AT MID OHIO

XM SATELLITE RADIO VICI RACING are pleased to announce that Seattle-based veteran sportcar driver Steve Valentinetti will be joining their racing programme in time for round two of the inaugural IMSA GT3 Challenge Cup at Mid-Ohio next weekend.

The United States-based, IMSA GT3 Challenge Cup was formed this year for identical-specification Porsche 996 series sportcars, and seeks to emulate its hugely successful, long running European counterpart, the Porsche Supercup. Prestige is guaranteed as the five-round series is supporting the American Le Mans Series this year.

Last month round one of the IMSA GT3 Challenge Cup kicked off at Road Atlanta. VICI RACING’s no11 XM SATELLITE RADIO Porsche GT3, in the hands of series 'guest' driver Alfred Renauer, raced to victory, after the 20-year-old German driver had posted the fastest times in both of the practice sessions and claimed pole position after qualifying.

For round two, which takes place at Mid-Ohio next weekend (20th-22nd May), VICI Racing will support two additional cars in a rapidly burgeoning field which now numbers thirty entries. The first of these will be for veteran Porsche driver, Steve Valentinetti, who now moves over to VICI RACING with his SVR Racing Porsche GT3, having already taken part in round one of the series at Road Atlanta, where he turned in a highly promising race performance.

VICI RACING will be bringing in from Germany additional Porsche Supercup-experienced technicians for the event to support the no2 Porsche GT3 of Steve Valentinetti. All parties are looking forward to next weekend’s race.

“We’re delighted to welcome Steve on board at Mid-Ohio,” comments VICI GROUP President Ron C. Meixner. “He brings a wealth of Porsche racing experience with him, is obviously a fast, talented driver, and someone who importantly is a team player. I think Steve will be able to surprise a few people in the IMSA Cup.”

“For us it is a logical step to tap into VICI RACING’s wealth of Porsche-based engineering experience for our IMSA GT3 Cup programme,” reported SVR Racing’s Doug Soon. “Their technical abilities, plus input in areas such as logistics, mean that all the ingredients are now in place for Steve to bid for series victories.” 

Steve Valentinetti says, “I’m delighted that VICI RACING will be supporting my racing efforts this year closely, and I’m really looking forward to getting out on track at Mid Ohio next week. I will be able to focus solely on getting the Porsche as close to the front as possible.”

The no2 Porsche GT3 of Steve Valentinetti will be additionally sponsored next weekend by Airline Shuttle, XM SATELLITE RADIO and SVR Racing.

Steve Valentinetti

Steve Valentinetti is a true Porsche racing veteran with over 20 years of racing experience in numerous sanctioning bodies such as Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Porsche Club of America (PCA) and Porsche Owners Club (POC).

Steve’s career in amateur sports began in 1972 when he started racing in motocross events throughout Washington State. He won the High School Open Class Championship in 1978, 1979, and 1980. While Steve enjoyed much success in Motocross, he also turned his hand to Go-Karting from 1977 to 1990 and still visits his local go kart track to keep his driving skills sharp.

He also enjoyed success in many other team sports in the late 1970’s and throughout the 1980’s. He was a star on the Coors Pro Slalom Ski tour and was a member of the US Ski Team, in aerobatics, from 1978 to 1983. Training for the ski season, saw Steve cycle racing during the summers from 1974 through to 1988. During his last three years of his competitive national cycling career, Steve was present at the Olympic Cycle Training Center, for both velodrome and road racing.

Although Steve had owned several street-use Porsches in the past, it wasn’t until 1993 that he bought his first dedicated Porsche race car, an RS America. With this car, and in a new category, he was to find instant racing success at both Seattle International Raceway and the Portland International Raceway.

Steve has enjoyed success in the SCCA Club series' finishing first in the Pacific Northwest area and second at the SCCA Nationals, while in 2000 he was the SCCA ‘Driver of the Year’.  He now is able to list numerous wins and podium finishes in PCA and POC events, including finishing in the top five three times in the Tribute to Le Mans race in California.

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