SUNNYVALE, Calif. (Sept. 17, 2020) – Weekends in SRO America are becoming more and more important for CrowdStrike Racing. The next-to-last event of the season takes place this weekend at Circuit of The Americas – the second visit of 2020 for CrowdStrike and its drivers to the ultra-modern circuit just outside Austin, Texas. Momentum and championship points have been coming in large amounts for CrowdStrike in GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS and the TC America series. Three CrowdStrike Racing drivers in two CrowdStrike-sponsored entries are in the thick of their respective championships heading to back to COTA. George Kurtz and Colin Braun share a one-point lead in the GT World Challenge Pro-Am Drivers Championship thanks to two victories and seven top-three finishes in its No. 04 CrowdStrike/AWS/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. In TC America, Kevin Boehm is coming off a three-win weekend at Road America – including his first victory in the series – and is only three points out of the lead in the TCA Drivers Championship during his rookie season with his No. 9 CrowdStrike/AWS/DXDT Honda Performance Development Civic Si. In addition, CJ Moses is solidly entrenched in the top-five of the TCR Drivers Championship standings in the No. 04 CrowdStrike/AWS/DXDT HPD Civic Type R TCR. In addition to its standing as a championship contender, CrowdStrike continues to display an innovative approach in its commitment to GT World Challenge America as Official Internet & Cloud Security Partner. CrowdStrike will continue to offer exclusive live streams of GT World Challenge America at crowdstrikeracing.com, as well as rewarding drivers in all SRO America series with the CrowdStrike Fastest Lap Award in each race.
There was no shortage of battles on track in Race 3 with TC America at Road America. Ride along as I fight my way to the front. Due to a crash in another class, I had been shuffled back to 6th place and needed to fight my way back into podium position. I finished in P2--and about a week later, was moved to P1 due to a competitor's disqualification.
Qualifying on pole in the rain at at Road America is hard enough--and not being able to see makes it even more interesting. It was the last lap of the session and I had one last chance to finish on top. Watch as the visibility through the windshield gets worse and worse throughout the lap as I work to post the fastest time in the TCA class.
SUNNYVALE, CALIF. (Aug. 27, 2020) – CrowdStrike is upping its commitment to military veterans with plans for long-term support of Operation Motorsport – a key program within racing that aids service members as they transition into the civilian workplace.
A pair of military veterans – Staff Sgt. Chad Failing (Ret.) and Staff Sgt. William Babineau (Ret.) – will be part of the CrowdStrike Racing crew on Kevin Boehm’s No. 9 CrowdStrike/AWS/DXDT Honda Performance Development (HPD) Civic Si effort for the remaining 2020 rounds of the Touring Car America (TCA) class, a companion series to GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS in SRO Motorsports America.
SUNNYVALE, Calif. (Aug. 26, 2020) – Following its most successful weekend as part of SRO America and GT World Challenge powered by AWS, CrowdStrike and the CrowdStrike Racing program head to one of the highlights on the race calendar in hopes of adding not just to its collection of trophies for 2020, but also its advantage in the GT World Challenge America Pro-Am Drivers’ Championship.
Cover image: Brian Cleary
Sonoma Raceway is a tricky track. As we make our way around the circuit, I highlight tips and tracks for going fast. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions and what track you would like me to make a lap guide for next.
Cover picture: Brian Cleary
Sonoma Raceway is a driver's track. With a combination of blind turns and a low grip surface, precision is a must to extract a great lap here. Take a lap with me as I push my Honda Racing HPD Turn-key Civic Si to the limit in Qualifying at the 2020 TC America event.
SUNNYVALE, Calif. (Aug. 4, 2020) – CrowdStrike Racing is gearing up for its biggest weekend of competition in SRO America – its home event at Sonoma Raceway just north of San Francisco. A new-look way of hosting guests in a virtual environment, exclusive online content and other special features will be part of the CrowdStrike experience from August 7–9. All this will be available, virtually, to CrowdStrike and AWS staff, guests, supporters, fans and executive conference attendees throughout the GT World Challenge America Sonoma 2020 Powered by AWS and Sponsored by CrowdStrike. It’s the most advanced experiential program by CrowdStrike at any motorsports event since it became active in SRO America in 2017. “This is the most unique weekend for CrowdStrike that we have ever had,” said CrowdStrike CEO and co-founder George Kurtz, who also drives for CrowdStrike Racing in the premier GT World Challenge series. “Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic forced a break in our racing, we quickly began planning how best we can educate and entertain our clients and supporters in new and interactive ways. I think it’s safe to say that what we have planned sets a new standard in exclusive, interactive content anywhere in SRO’s global platform. We are excited and proud to be associated with this historic weekend at our home track in Sonoma.”
Vrooooom. Get a passenger seat view of some close race car action during July's TC America Race 2 at VIR.
Maintaining precision and control while pushing a car as hard as it can go is a magnificent challenge. Ride along as I attempt to do just that in the July 9th, 2020 qualifying session at VIR with TC America.
ALTON, Va. (July 13, 2020) – CrowdStrike Racing celebrated its return to SRO America competition in the best way possible: its first victory in GT World Challenge Powered by AWS. George Kurtz and Colin Braun claimed a win in Sunday’s 90-minute, two-driver endurance race at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) – the first victory for CrowdStrike with Mercedes-AMG in SRO America’s highest category of racing. Not only did they claim victory in the Pro/Am class, they were overall winners as well against top-level competition. The result capped a fantastic return to racing for CrowdStrike – a competitor in three SRO America categories and the Official Internet & Cloud Security Provider for GT World Challenge. Virginia International Raceway is site of the program’s first motorsports event in more than four months. The SRO weekend will took place with CrowdStrike Racing and all series participants supporting and adhering to strict local, state and federal guidelines on medical screening, social distancing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
SUNNYVALE, Calif. (July 7, 2020) – Following the industry-wide pause in its racing schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CrowdStrike Racing returns to competition this week as SRO America and GT World Challenge America powered by AWS. It will be the second of six events on the season with CrowdStrike reaffirming its full-season commitment as an entrant and official sponsor of GT World Challenge. Virginia International Raceway (VIR) is the site of the program’s first motorsports event in more than four months. The SRO weekend will take place with CrowdStrike Racing and all series participants supporting and adhering to strict local, state and federal guidelines on medical screening, social distancing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The CrowdStrike Racing effort returns to VIR in force with a trio of race cars in two different SRO America series and three classes. Hopes are high following a stellar opening to the 2020 season at Circuit of The Americas in Austin during early March, when CrowdStrike Racing claimed three podium finishes to start the year. The June 2020 TC America race at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) has been rescheduled for July 9-12. This event will be the first race to take place since the season was temporarily suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I am very excited to return to the race track with the Crowdstrike Racing/AWS Civic Si in July," Boehm says. "VIR is one of my favorite race tracks. Extremely grateful for all of the hard work TC America, VIR, and the state of Virginia have done to make sure this event can take place safely." During the temporary suspension of the race season, Boehm has been participating in GT Rivals, a sim racing series organized and managed by SRO America, TC America's governing body.
In TC America, all the race cars are equally matched. However, each car still has its strengths and weaknesses. As you can see, the Mini JCW was faster in the straights, but I could make up that difference in drafting and turns. Unfortunately, those were not enough to get past the Mini JCW at COTA. What a fun battle! The race ended with the Mini JCW in P1. I finished in P2 in the CrowdStrike Racing / AWS Turn-key Civic Si.
Get an in-car view of the first race of the 2020 TC America season. This event was my first TC America race at COTA and the first time my CrowdStrike Racing / AWS Honda Civic Si race car was driven on track. I was conservative at the start of the race and lost a few positions. Watch to see me fight to gain them back over the course of two laps. Ultimately, I ended up with a third-place finish.
Here's some in-car video of the CrowdStrike Racing / AWS Honda Civic Si during Qualifying at the 2020 TC America Circuit of the Americas event. A bout of rain just before Qualifying made for challenging conditions on track. There was a lot of confusion between all of the drivers, teams, and staff--did we need slicks or dry tires? I decided to stay on slicks--and fortunately, the rain stopped. The track was very slippery at first, but it finally began to dry near then end. This video shows my final lap, where I am trying to use all the available grip on the track to go fast.
AUSTIN, Texas (March 11, 2020) – CrowdStrike Racing began its 2020 SRO America competition season in strong style with multiple podium finishes in two categories of racing at Circuit of The Americas over the weekend. George Kurtz, Colin Braun and Kevin Boehm each claimed trophies in CrowdStrike Racing entries before a large number of CrowdStrike supporters and guests, many of whom participated in CrowdStrike’s CXO Summit and premier hospitality program at COTA. In addition, CJ Moses made his highly anticipated debut in a Honda Civic Type R TCR, giving CrowdStrike followers plenty of content to cheer on and follow. SUNNYVALE, Calif. – CrowdStrike Racing is further broadening its motorsports plans for 2020 with the addition of a full-season TC America entry for accomplished road-racer and engineer Kevin Boehm.
Boehm will drive the No. 9 CrowdStrike Honda Civic Si for the full season in the series’ TCA category, which is for touring cars that largely retain many of their production elements with race suspension, brakes, exhaust, and safety equipment added. The Honda Civic Si race car, built by Honda Performance Development, features a six-speed manual transmission, power steering, and a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. “I am beyond excited to join CrowdStrike Racing for my debut season in TC America,” Boehm said. “On the race track, every second counts, but the work starts long before I get behind the wheel. As an engineer, it's truly inspiring to see the team prioritize the same things that I do — diligence, thoroughness, technology, and data. I look forward to joining the CrowdStrike Racing family and hope to quickly add to their history of success.”
Here is a quick look at the brakes on the Honda Racing/HPD Turn-key Civic Si race car. In this video, I'll show you the front mono-block 6-piston calipers and also show you how easy it is to change the pads.
Everyone in the TC America series must use an Optima Yellow-Top battery. Fortunately, changing the battery in the Honda Racing/HPD Civic Si race car is super easy--watch to see how I did it.
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KEVIN BOEHMTips, tricks, wins, and learnings. Go behind-the-scenes at the race shop and the track with Boehm Motorsports. Archives
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