Koni Challenge News

Shane Lewis Returns to Mid-Ohio with Local Entry HART Racing Team 

LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 19, 2009) - Shane Lewis returns to Mid-Ohio representing the Honda America Racing Team (HART) based in Marysville in the KONI Sports Car Challenge Street Tuner ST race, Sunday June 21.

Shane has been in intrical part of the team since 2007 when he helped drive them to two victories and one pole position in the extremely competitive KONI Sports Car Challenge series behind the wheel of the No. 22 HART Honda Accord.

On Sunday, he and long time co-driver John Schmitt of Sunbury, Ohio return to field the No. 92 HART Racing Honda Civic Si, one of the two cars HART has entered in the KONI Challenge race.

Lewis made his sports car racing debut at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in impressive style as well. In 1995, Lewis, on his way to the season-long championship, won his second Bridgestone Supercar Championship race at Mid-Ohio. Among the drivers he fought with for the victory were fellow Rolex Series aces David Donohue (winner of the 2009 Rolex 24 At Daytona), Andy Pilgrim, Randy Pobst and Hurley Haywood.  Since that win, he has achieved numerous victories in various professional and vintage racing classes at the classic Ohio road course.

“I am thrilled to be back at Mid-Ohio racing with the HART team.  These are such great people that put in many hours at the shop and at the track.  My job is to help the team develop the new Civic and then get down to business of winning the event come race day,” said Lewis.

“Team captain Kurt Baker has assembled a very talented crew.  With the positive input of fellow teammates Brian and Chad in the No. 22 car and the great driving John has always done, it makes my job even easier.”

The KONI Sports Car Challenge race starts 1:30pm Sunday and runs for 2 ½ hours.  The race marks the final event in the Grand-Am  Sports Car Series weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Live timing and scoring of each session can be found at www.Grand-Am.com or go to twitter.com/KONI_Challenge.

The personal web site of Shane Lewis can be found at www.ShaneLewis.com