Ethan Low COTA Pre-Race Report

Austin, TX (9-15-15) – Ethan Low, Jason Rabe and the Bodymotion Racing team are set to build on the momentum of their 5th place finish at VIR with another strong run at Circuit of the America’s (COTA) this week.  The race starts this Friday, September 18th, at 1:40 pm EST.

The #31 Visit St Petersburg/Clearwater Bodymotion Porsche Cayman piloted by Low and Rabe stands sixth in the team point standings after their second top five finish (Sebring and VIR), fifth top 10 finish and 7th top 12 through the season’s first eight races, at VIR. This week’s race will be Low’s first race at COTA and the second and final track (other being Canadian Tire Motorsports Park where the team finished 7th) on the Conti schedule that Low will have not raced prior to the Conti race.  Low was able to log about eight hours of seat time the past couple weeks at COTA with coaching from Bodymotion’s Conti GS driver, Michael Johnson, who calls COTA his home track. The 19 year old Low continues to make an impressive showing in his rookie season in the Continental Tire Series.  Through eight races, in the ST class he has made 87 passes on track, 51 for position in class and has been passed in class 36 times.LOW ON THE UPCOMING RACE AT COTA“Im so thankful to have gotten some excellent seat time at COTA this past month.  It was definitely a benefit to receive coaching from Michael Johnson who calls COTA his home track and will be racing with us (Bodymotion) this week in the GS car.  I think having track knowledge is one of the keys here at COTA and can’t tell you how much I appreciated Michael’s help as well as some track notes and advice from other mentors who have raced the track and want to see me do well this week.”“I have had a blast learning COTA.  COTA is a fast, flowing track and definitely one of my favorite race tracks to drive.  The track, to me, is unique in how many camber changes it possesses – more than any other track I have ever been on.”“My favorite part of the track is the sector from turns 1 to 10 (COTA has 20 turns) and of course, I love the high speed turn 12 at the end of the long back straight.  Turn 12 tests your intestinal fortitude.”“We needed to regain our momentum as a team at VIR and we sure did.  Now we need to capitalize on our momentum these last two races with strong finishes and see how high we can finish for the season.  Jason and I are going to drive our hearts out these last two races with a focus to find the podium for the Bodymotion team, crew and supporters.”“I also want to thank Jason Rabe, my teammate, for working so hard to find a way to remain my teammate for the full season.  Originally we thought Jason was only going to be able to race about half the season but thanks to his hard work and the support of his sponsors, he and I get to finish out the season together.  Jason has been an awesome teammate this season and we have had a lot of fun learning and growing together!”LOW ON THE RACE AT VIR“We were really excited to see the adjustments the team had made to the car between the Road America race and VIR and they did not disappoint.  Jason had a great opening stint and the team had a great race strategy and pit stop to get me out on track and running sixth once the driver change pit stops cycled out.  We had the car set up to run strong at the end of the race and my lap times at the end of the race were consistently among the fastest on track.  We were hoping for a yellow down the stretch to bunch us up and give us the opportunity to run for the checker, but the yellow came on the white flag lap so unfortunately we did not have a chance at a final restart.”“It felt great to be back finishing in the top five of a CONTI ST class race.  After the 11th at Daytona we reeled off four straight top 10s, so after two tough finishes at Lime Rock and Road America, it was good to put our train back on the rails at VIR.”“A big thanks to Scott Barton with Proformance Coaching and RBanks Racing for providing me with great racing seat time the two weeks prior to the Conti race at VIR.  Also to Daniel Sycks and the Autoworx Motorsports team for providing Proformance Coaching great cars to race both weekends at VIR.  I feel these guys helped give me the edge to be able to run up front in the Conti race at VIR.”