By alley - Nov 4, 2016, 3:35 PM ET

CJ Wilson: In the strike zone

Within the vast area that is the field of play in Major League Baseball, pitchers focus on a diminutive rectangle known as the strike zone. Get more pitches in this area past the batter, and you're a two-time All-Star like CJ Wilson, recently of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Wilson is also the team owner and founder of CJ Wilson Racing, winners of the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Street Touring (ST) Class championship. For 2016, they stepped up to the faster Grand Sport (GS) class with a new Porsche Cayman GT4.

"As a professional athlete, and race team owner, I'm focused on winning," says Wilson. "Our goals over the long-term are to get to the top of sports car racing. But, we have to do it in a responsible and sustainable way."

As Wilson speaks about his racing goals, that precise focus on what is right for his organization parallels the pitcher's focus on the strike zone. Wilson's team has a plan, and they're sticking to it.

"I expect to win every time we are on track. Sometimes others will be better on the day, or other times, things will happen that are out of our control," says Wilson. "But, I want to be considered perennial winners – that on any given day, we're the team to beat. It's not easy when teams like MultiMatic and Rum Bum have already proven they can win."

Wilson's automotive business interests, including four Mazda plus six motorcycle dealerships, and eventually, an after-market street tuning line, are all integrated with the race team.

"It's a symbiotic relationship," explains Wilson when asked if racing or the other business lead the way. "Everything is linked. Without success in one area, success in the others will be limited. Winning races both as a driver and team owner certainly helped my ability to buy the first dealership, and grow our network.

"Take our newest relationship with

Forgeline Motorsports

. We've found that the Porsche Cayman GT4 is fast and well-sorted right out of the box. But we have to maximize any advantage, and with Forgeline, we found a great technical partner. Not only are their wheels incredibly high quality, but also, the wheel we use has proven to be a big advantage in pit stops due to what they call an Open Lug design. As a result, we can change wheels faster and with less probability for error.

"The great thing is that the relationship goes beyond racing. Now, we have a connection that allows us to sell Forgeline wheels through the dealerships. Forgeline and Mazda are great examples of how the relationships go beyond the racetrack and help feed the other businesses that, in turn, feed the race team. That's how we are building for a sustainable future. It means we aren't looking for drivers who can bring a budget, but for drivers that can compete at the highest level."

Wilson is the first to say he won't play baseball forever. So, he's well on the way to building his post-baseball life with motor racing at the heart of it. For now, he's not only ready to throw strikes, he's ready to strike for opportunities in racing that will ensure his team is around for the longterm.

This advertising feature originally appeared in RACER magazine issue 276, May 2016.