Samuel Hübinette Racing

Hübinette Wraps Up Inaugural GRC Season with Top-Three Finish in Championship Standings

admin — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 18:06:50 +0000

Newport Coast, Calif., Nov. 7, 2012 – Samuel Hübinette once again demonstrated why he’s considered one of the most versatile drivers in motorsports, taking a fourth-place result in the season-ending Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) event held on Oct. 30 during the 2012 SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. With his strong finish, Hübinette completed his inaugural GRC season with an impressive third-place spot in the final GRC title standings.

Hübinette, a former two-time Formula DRIFT champ, winning TORC Series off-road racer and X Games bronze medalist in Super Rally, decided to test his skill in the 2012 GRC Series. When his planned ride fell apart at the last minute, the “Crazy Swede” was forced to scramble, hooking up with the #77 Car of ENEOS Motor Oil/ Scott-Eklund Racing the night before the first GRC event at Charlotte.
Lacking any practice time in his new ride, Hübinette was competitive from the moment he hopped behind the wheel, scoring a top-five finish in the Charlotte opener. The high point of Hübinette’s season occurred in the New Hampshire race, where he finished second on the podium, battling race winner Travis Pastrana. Considering his newcomer status and lack of pre-season prep, Hübinette’s top-three finish in the final standings is yet another testament to the “Crazy Swede’s” driving talents.

“We had a little drama to begin the season, as some sponsor conflicts forced us to find a new ride,” said Hübinette, who works as a Hollywood stunt driver in films and commercials when he’s not racing. “I was very excited to team up with Eklund Racing to compete with them for the 2012 season in GRC in their second car. With such a challenging start to the season, I was very proud to end the season third in the championship standings, without any preseason testing at all.
“We overcame those challenges and had fun. I believe GRC will continue to grow in popularity, especially next season, with four XGames events on tap. We’re working hard to get a top flight program put together during the ‘Silly Season,’ so we can come back next year and be even more competitive, and perhaps even claim that top spot on the championship podium for the 2013 season.”

For more information on the Global Rallycross Championship, visit http://www.global-rallycross.com. For more information on Samuel Hübinette, visit www.hubinetteracing.com.

HÜBINETTE SECURES FIRST GRC PODIUM

admin — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:36:32 +0000

Newport Coast, CA July 20, 2012; Samuel Hübinette secured his first podium in the Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) with a fighting second place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday July 14.

Samuel Hübinette, driving the Eneos Motor Oil-backed Saab 9-3, finished second in his qualifying heat to advance into the final for the fourth time this year and after a battle with Travis Pastrana crossed the line just over a second adrift at the flag. After a strong finish both in Charlotte and Texas, the result puts Hubinette into second place overall in the points table.

At the start, Hübinette made a good getaway and was immediately pushing hard for the final podium spot. With both Scott and Hubinette electing to take the joker lap early on, it allowed them both to put in a charging performance over the remaining laps, with the X Games bronze medallist soon up into second place, and Scott in eighth. A determined effort by Hubinette saw him draw alongside Pastrana to move ahead as they entered the cross-over, but as the pair ran nose-to-tail, Hubinette was tapped from behind and forced wide, allowing Pastrana through and into the lead which he held to the flag.
A solid drive by Scott, with the steering not fully operational, netted a strong sixth place to move him up to eighth place in the points, just 12 points adrift of Hubinette.

Samuel Hübinette – ENEOS Motor Oil/ Scott-Eklund Racing, Car #77:

“I had a good battle with Travis, although he took me out in the corner, it was back and forth there. He did a good job, he took me out in the corner but it was nothing brutal, it was just good racing. I got moved back for a bad start in the first race, but I thought you know what, let’s think positive. So I did the joker lap right away, which helped me a lot, and after I moved past Tanner Foust I could see it was only Travis ahead, I was looking for Deegan, but he wasn’t there.

“To have only signed the night before the first race and get a podium in the fourth race is fantastic. It’s a great result for my sponsors, and the whole Scott-Eklund Racing team, who have worked so hard and once again did a great job. The Saab 9-3 with Eneos Motor Oil was flawless and showed its potential once again to be a race winner.”

Per Eklund – Scott-Eklund Racing Technical Director:
“Samuel drove very well, he was chasing Pastrana and took the lead until Pastrana tagged him and put him wide, but to get our first podium is a great result and we’re all very happy. Now we can look forward to the next rounds and hopefully we can continue that form and take some more.

“It was a bad start for Andy, he was on the second line, but he was still up to the front until Block came in and crashed into him. I knew this sort of accident would happen when you have five or six cars going off together where there’s only space for one car into the first chicane. Nobody lifted but then that’s racing. He broke the steering and we just about fixed it but there was no time to complete it, so to finish sixth was great performance and to have both cars in the final again shows the pace the Saabs have.”

Hübinette keeps his momentum in X Games 18

admin — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:54:59 +0000

Newport Beach, CA – July 6, 2012
Samuel Hübinette continues to show his pace against the might of the manufacturer-run teams in round three of the Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) in California this weekend.

Double Formula Drift Champion and 2010 X Games bronze medallist Samuel Hubinette made light work of his rivals in the opening four-lap heat, taking an immediate lead which he extended to over two seconds on lap one. A dominant performance by the Swedish/American, in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, allowed him to power his Eneos Motor Oil/Scott-Eklund Racing Saab to a convincing win, finishing eight seconds ahead at the flag to earn a place in the final.

In the six-lap Final, Hubinette lined-up alongside eight-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb, making a one-off appearance in the GRC. A lightening start by Hubinette allowed him to challenge for the lead into the first corner, until the red flag was thrown to retrieve a stranded car.

A false start at the next attempt necessitated a third restart and again, Hubinette made a great getaway to place third into the first corner. However getting rear ended by another car dropped him down to seventh and a punctured left rear tire sustained in the incident, saw him parked up by the side of the track, bringing his chances of claiming a medal to an early finish.

“I’m very excited once again to bring home a first place in the heat. I made a great start but after two laps my clutch started to go away, but luckily I had enough of a lead to keep Ken Block behind me. I’ve been fortunate now to win all my heats so far this season so that’s a great testament to the performance of the Eneos Motor Oil/Scott-Eklund Racing Saab.

“But unfortunately in the final we had a red flag and while I was running third and feeling very strong about challenging for second, I got smacked from behind into the wall. That was very frustrating being a victim of such aggressive driving causing a punctured tire which meant I had to park the car and miss out on a chance on a medal. But overall I’m happy with my performance and the car’s performance, the gear changes we made overnight were great, and having rally legend Per Eklund alongside me has been fantastic. I can’t wait for the next round and hopefully that will be my time to get on the podium.”

X Games Checkpoint: Samuel Hubinette

admin — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:19:29 +0000

We’re only two races into this year’s Global Rallycross Championship, and already Samuel Hubinette’s season has elicited the gamut of emotions.
Hubinette comes into X Games fifth in points for Scott-Eklund Racing, having won two heat races and scoring two top-seven finishes in main events. But he also had a chance to score a podium finish at Texas Motor Speedway, shadowing Marcus Gronholm through much of the Hoon Kaboom final before car trouble eliminated him in the race’s closing laps.
“I’m proud that I could keep up with him,” Hubinette said. “What people don’t know is that after lap two of the first heat, I lost power steering. My power steering pump overheated and broke, so I had to run all those extra heats with no power steering and was still managing to keep up with Marcus in a very competitive Ford Fiesta car, so that was pretty cool to see.
“Unfortunately, (on) the end lap, we broke a propeller shaft, so I had to pull off to the side. We don’t know what happened. It could be because of the high jumping we did, the first race put too much stress on the material of the car and they haven’t had those types of jumps before, those vehicles. They came from the European rallycross.”
Competing for podium finishes is a far cry from how Hubinette started the season; until two days before the season-opening event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, “The Crazy Swede” didn’t even have a ride. It was only late on the Thursday night prior to the event that he inked a deal to join Scott-Eklund in their vacant second car, and at that point, it remained a one-race deal.

“Basically, our deal happened on Thursday night prior to the race and the start of Friday,” Hubinette recalls. “We discussed it in the day, but it wasn’t a clear direction that we were going to join, but then at night I found out I couldn’t go with Dodge. So we came up with an agreement basically over an hour we had done the negotiations and shook hands, me and Scott-Eklund Racing.
“And after that, the actual race itself, we discussed the weekend after and agreed to continue the rest of the season in 2012 with ENEOS Motor Oil joining me.”
Though Hubinette may be best known for his tenure in Formula Drift, where he won the 2004 and 2006 championships, and stunt driving gigs in major Hollywood productions, he’s had no problem adapting to rallycross, in which he won a bronze medal at X Games in 2010.
“There’s definitely some difference here because in drifting, your goal is to go sideways the whole time, and basically you are scrubbing off speed going sideways. As well it’s a judged sport, trying to go as quick as possible sideways around your competitors. Here, we’re driving all of the cars with really grippy tires trying to basically avoid going sideways because that’s not the fastest way in there.
“Sometimes you want to get the car with a little oversteer into the corners to go quick, but it’s really important not to go too sideways because you end up overheating the tires and losing momentum.”

Hubinette took last year’s X Games off as a competitor, but attended the race as a spectator. This year, he’ll be competing on a new course, but more importantly, with a new car; his bronze medal run came at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Evo 10, but this year’s challenge will be mounted with Scott-Eklund’s Saab 9-3.
“The Evo 10 was not a purpose-built rallycross car, it was an old rally car that I had borrowed. So it was quite far away from the performance you need to be in the medals of GRC. But still, I was managing to get a bronze medal, so I was very proud. It was the biggest third place I had ever gotten in my life, so that was pretty cool.
“I’m going to try to get on the podium now with the Saab. The Saab is bigger than the Evo was, so it’s a little tough to drive through corners. So you have to kind of aim the car out, try and outbrake other guys the way that they come out of the corners. Specifically, X Games is a very tight track, so it definitely benefits the smaller cars like the Ford Fiesta.”
That being said, Hubinette has helped establish the 9-3 as one of the most competitive cars in the GRC through the first two rounds. Combine that with his skills as a driver, some of which translate from drifting, and he has plenty of reason to be confident in his chances in Los Angeles. “You know, in both drifting and rallycross, you’re going close to walls here, specifically at X Games. In drifting, you go next to walls sideways, so that’s kind of how I see it.
“I know I can be up at the top battling, so if the car holds up I’m gonna be able to compete for the podium.”
- Chris Leone – US Race Report

Hübinette chasing 2nd place finish at Texas Motor Speedway

admin — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:58:16 +0000

Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth – Saturday, June 9, 2012: Scott-Eklund Racing showed its class against the manufacturer-backed teams in round two of the Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) at Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, today (Saturday, June 9), with a second successive heat win for Samuel Hübinette and second place for Andy Scott.
The results, which come on the back of double heat victories last time out in Charlotte, cement Scott-Eklund Racing’s credentials as a front-running team, against the might of manufacturer entries such as Ford, Dodge, Subaru, Hyundai and Citroen, with the privateer team’s invitation into the X Games LA 2012 now also confirmed.
Hübinette, facing Ken Block and David Binks among the five-car line-up, and a lightening start allowed him to place second on lap one. Leaving his joker lap to the very last minute, the ‘Crazy Swede’ took the lead on the penultimate lap to snatch his second victory in the ENEOS Motor Oil/Scott-Eklund Racing GRC car, and with it a place in the final.
Following a successful seeding session on Friday, Team Principal and lead driver Scott took up position in the first of four qualifying heats ahead of the all-important final and immediately made the most of the Scott-Eklund Racing Saab 9-3’s awesome 600bhp to get the jump on Travis Pastrana for second place, and slot in behind Marcus Gronholm.
Negotiating the mega 70-foot-gap jump, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Beast’, proved entertaining for the crowds but troublesome for Scott, when the rear window of his Scott Trawlers-backed Saab 9-3 flew out during one of the jumps. Despite that the Dumfries fisherman brought his car home in the runner-up spot to earn a place in the final for the second race in succession.

The enthusiastic Texan crowd were treated to one of the most exciting, close-fought battles in three, six lap finals, following two restarts due to incidents. The first race saw Hübinette line up on the front row, with Scott just behind, and both made great starts to run third and fifth prior to the first stoppage. Restarting from their original grid positions for the second attempt, the duo quickly showed their consistent pace, equally matched and battling for second place.

Such is the nature of the ultra-competitive Global Rallycross Championship, the cars inevitably run in close contact and on lap four the pair touched which, combined with a heavy landing over the jump, broke the front steering arm on Scott’s Saab 9-3, and pitched him into the tyre wall. This caused the race to be stopped for the second time, and at the third restart Hubinette made another good start to move into second, but a broken power steering pump, together with the effects of the jump, took it’s toll on his car, breaking the propshaft and forcing retirement three laps from the finish.

After two positive events in Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, the Scott-Eklund Racing Team is now among the eligible entries for X Games LA 2012 and will head back to it’s US base at Pompano Beach, Florida to prepare the two Saab 9-3s for the GRC’s flagship event, which takes place over the weekend of June 29-July 1.

Samuel Hübinette – ENEOS Motor Oil/Scott-Eklund Racing, Car #77:
“I think we had a great weekend. The ENEOS Motor Oil/Scott-Eklund Racing GRC car ran really good, I made some good changes for it after Charlotte and we got even faster to qualify fifth, which I think is a good statement after just one race in my pocket. We were running really well in the final and I was in second place battling behind Marcus Gronholm but unfortunately the propshaft broke and I had to pull to the side.

“I’m very happy with my performance and the crew all worked so hard and I’d like to thank ENEOS Motor Oil again for supporting me in my GRC adventure here. Now I’m going to come back even stronger and fight even harder at the X Games at the end of June, so make sure to support us and I look forward to battling again.”

Andy Scott – Scott-Eklund Racing Team Principal & driver, Car #26:
“It’s been a fantastic weekend. The Texas Motor Speedway has put a lot of effort into the event, publicising it well and a lot of enthusiastic fans turned up, with a lot of people really behind Saab. All of us at Scott-Eklund Racing really appreciate their support. The first heat was a tough one, I got alongside Travis (Pastrana) and behind Marcus (Gronholm), but I didn’t want to make it hard for myself again, like Charlotte, to go through from the last chance qualifier, and I knew I had to finish first or second to go straight through. I managed to take the start behind Marcus and leave Travis behind me, so naturally I’m really happy with that.

“In the final I was in a good position when they red flagged it the first time and got a good start for the second too. I had a good fight with my team-mate (Hubinette) but unfortunately I broke the car when we landed on the jump. But we’ve learnt lessons from that so we won’t have the same problems at X Games. For a team that was only formed at the turn of the year, it’s very rewarding, it’s been a lot of hard work, but hopefully the results on the track have paid everybody back for it. I hope our new sponsor TiAL Sport are equally happy with the results.”

Per Eklund – Scott-Eklund Racing Technical Director:
“We had two cars in the final and Hubinette was second in the last start, with no power steering at all, it was impossible to drive the car. Then from the front gearbox to the differential, the shaft has twisted, due to lack of grip on the tarmac and the jump, which put him out in the final.
“Andy was very quick all day, and he had a good fight – a team fight I call it, he was together with Samuel for the small jump, Andy missed the jump, he went outside and went along the straight to the big jump and they were still fighting. He was flying over the jump, but the steering arm was broken and had no steering when he landed and went straight into the tyre wall.”

-Ends-

SAMUEL HÜBINETTE SIGNS FULL GRC SEASON WITH ENEOS MOTOR OIL AND SCOTT-EKLUND RACING

admin — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:38:11 +0000

Texas, Dallas (US) – Wednesday, June 6, 2012; Scott-Eklund Racing is pleased to confirm the signing of Samuel Hubinette for the remainder of the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship, as the privateer team prepares for the second round series battle at the inaugural Hoon KaboomTX event at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.

Hubinette joined Scott-Eklund Racing on a one-deal drive at the eleventh hour ahead of the opening GRC round at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Crazy Swede only drove the ENEOS Motor Oil/Scott-Eklund Racing GRC car for the first time in official practice and seeding in North Carolina, yet he seamlessly gelled with both the car and the team.

The two-time Formula Drift Champion and double FD Vice-Champion clearly set-out his series potential by building on his impressive eighth-place qualifying form to seal second in his first GRC heat. The 2010 X Games bronze medallist then took the team’s first ever heat race win to automatically qualify for the final where he finished fifth, helping to cement a double top-five finish on the team’s debut.

Racing alongside Team Principal and lead driver Andy Scott, the pairing have already proved that they will be a force to be reckoned with this year as they head into the second round at Texas Motor Speedway hunting for Scott-Eklund Racing’s first outright podium.

Hubinette will return to the wheel of his #77 ENEOS/GRC car in practice at 20.30 (local time) on Thursday, June 7, ahead of Saturday’s showdown where competitors will not only be vying for race results but for an all-important place on the grid at the GRC’s flagship event, the X Games on June 28-July 1.

Official practice and seeding sessions will take place from 10.00 on Friday, June 8, around the custom-built .77-mile circuit incorporating the frontstretch and pit lane, a 70-foot gap-jump, a 100-foot long jump, car wash and compulsory joker lap. Race activity starts at 15.30 on Saturday, June 9, ahead of the Firestone 550 IZOD IndyCar event. (All times are provisional and subject to change).

Tickets, including admission to both the Firestone 550 IndyCar Series Race and the Hoon KaboomTX Global Rallycross round, are priced at $35 plus taxes, or two for $49. To purchase tickets, call the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500 or visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com/hoon

Samuel Hubinette – ENEOS Motor Oil/Scott-Eklund Racing, Car #77:

“I am stoked to sign with Scott-Eklund Racing for the 2012 GRC season and very proud to bring ENEOS Motor Oil as my partner to the series and the team. To have ENEOS Motor Oil at this level of motorsport, believing in my skills, is just fantastic, while I also have to thank my long-term partners Sparco, MagnaFlow and Replay XD. It’s the start of an exciting new partnership and I look forward to a very successful season.

“We had a good opening round in Charlotte. We had to be very happy with running in third on the last lap, unfortunately I got spun out but Andy and I finished fourth and fifth so that was a good sign of very good things to come from a full season with the team. Everyone has connected really well; Per Eklund is a Swedish legend and a hard-core racer. We speak the same language and Andy adapts really well to working with a group of Swedes! Scott-Eklund Racing is a smooth operation.

“Now I look forward to getting some testing time and adapting the car to my driving style, to make me and the Scott-Eklund Racing ENEOS Motor Oil car even more competitive. I see great potential in the GRC and look forward to seeing how it continues to grow, with exciting racing, a lot of cool cars and talented drivers.

“My goal every time I race is to win. I know it’s going to be a challenge to do that, you definitely have to earn it in this field, but I know I can do it for ENEOS and the team.”

Andy Scott – Scott-Eklund Racing Team Principal & driver, Car #26:

“We are delighted to welcome Samuel on-board for the remainder of the 2012 season. It was a pleasure to work with him during the first round at Charlotte Motor Speedway where he instantly fitted into the team. He’s a really professional driver with an excellent profile, particularly in the US, while his Swedish connection also couldn’t be better for the Scott-Eklund Racing team.

“I have no doubt that Samuel will be at the forefront of the season battle and that he will help the team to secure another double top-five result in Texas, if not our first podium.”

Per Eklund – Scott-Eklund Racing Technical Director:

“I am very happy to welcome Samuel to the team. He is a good person and a very experienced and talented driver. He is very well known in Sweden and the US, so he will be an asset to the team. Scott-Eklund Racing was already looking strong this year, but Samuel’s signing cements us as a top team.

“Samuel drove the ENEOS/SCOTT-EKLUND GRC car for the first time in practice at Charlotte. He listened to everything I told him and was immediately on the pace and driving perfectly. He is a very clean driver, his lines are very precise every lap, just perfect. I can tell that he only does things 100 per cent and I know we can expect even bigger and better things from him once he has had a chance to settle in the car.”

Fans can follow the Scott-Eklund Racing drivers via their social media portals. Just follow @AndyScottRX on Facebook and Twitter, and link to @SamuelHubinetteRacing on Facebook and @SamuelHubinette via Twitter. For further information about ENEOS Motor Oil visit www.eneos.us

Samuel Hübinette to race with Scott-Eklund Racing in the opening GRC round at Charlotte Motor Speedway

admin — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:50:54 +0000

“Crazy Swede” to complete its two-car Saab 9-3 attack on the opening GRC round at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Newport Beach, Calif. May 25 – Nicknamed the Crazy Swede, Hübinette will race this weekend with Scott-Eklund Racing boasting an enviable CV stretching across the echelons of international motorsport. A bronze medalist at the 2010 X Games Super Rally, a renowned two-time Champion and two-time Vice-Champion Formula Drift star, the Newport Beach, CA, resident is widely celebrated as the most winningest driver in FD series’ history. Hübinette also earned 7 podiums out of 14 in the 2011 Traxxas Torc Offroad series in his Pro Light truck last year.

Hübinette, Scott-Eklund Racing Saab 9-3 with ENEOS Motor Oil, Car #77:

I’m very excited to be getting involved with the Scott-Eklund Racing team for this opening event, and I’m very proud to introduce my new partner ENEOS Motor Oil to the Global Rallycross Championship. This is without doubt a very interesting deal, coming together so late just one day before competition starts. Unfortunately it didn’t work out with the Dodge team for this event, so a partnership with Scott-Eklund racing for the GRC opener is a great solution. It really is a privilege to be involved with the legend that is Per Eklund, also from Sweden, who I grew up watching in rally and rallycross when I was a child.

To be racing alongside Andy Scott, who is without question one of the quickest drivers in Europe, is also a privilege and I’m really looking forward to driving with him this weekend. I have not yet driven the Saab 9-3, which will be a great challenge for me. But together as a team we can get up to speed very quickly and with my experience we can hopefully look forward to a good result here at Charlotte Motor Speedway.”
Photo caption: (from left) Per Eklund, Samuel Hübinette and Andy Scott © QBA/ERC24

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Samuel Hübinette Announces Change of Focus for 2012 Formula Drift season

admin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:26:52 +0000

Press release by Formula Drift:

Long Beach, Calif. – March 15, 2012 – The 2-time Formula DRIFT champion, Samuel Hübinette has announced today that he will not be returning for the full 2012 Formula DRIFT pro championship season.

After 8 seasons with the Series, Hübinette will not be competing in the full Formula DRIFT schedule due to sponsors’ changing interest. Team Samuel Hübinette Racing will continue to participate in Formula DRIFT international demos and is still working on participating in some Pro Championship events. Hübinette will concentrate on other racing opportunities for 2012.

“Two of our main sponsors changed their marketing direction, so we decided that the best thing to do with the Dodge Challenger SHR drift car is to focus on doing demos. For competition, we’re pursuing opportunities in rallycross and off-road truck. We hope to run a round or two of the Formula DRIFT competitions for 2012, but won’t know for sure until things settle down,” said Samuel Hübinette, professional driver and team owner of SHR. “It has been such a good time to be part of the Formula DRIFT Series from day one and to be the inaugural Series champion means a lot to me. Drifting and Formula DRIFT has given me many opportunities in my career including stunt driving in movies and car commercials. “

In 2011, Hübinette drove in both Formula DRIFT and the Traxxas TORC Series ending up with a few conflicts that resulted in missing a couple rounds in Formula DRIFT. The highlight of the season was gaining a first qualifier spot in the Samuel Hübinette Racing Dodge Challenger at the —– round. With 2 championships and 9 event victories, Hübinette maintains the record for most Formula DRIFT victories.

“We will miss having a competitor like Samuel this season,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “We know that when the funding and sponsorship re-align, Samuel will be able to return to the Series and continue to be a competitive driver.”

For more information visit: HYPERLINK “http://www.formulad.com” www.formulad.com.

Victory, Fourth Spot in Standings Ends Hübinette’s Rookie TORC Campaign

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:38:18 +0000

Newport Coast, Calif. Oct. 19 – Mopar® Ram BFGoodrich Tires driver Samuel Hübinette ended a superb rookie season in the Traxxas TORC (The Off-Road Championship) Series by claiming a victory in the opening race of the season-ending two-day event at Cycle Ranch MX in Floresville, Texas on Oct. 15-16. The man known as the “Crazy Swede” wrapped up his inaugural TORC campaign with four wins, seven podium finishes and the fourth spot in the final PRO Light class standings.

A veteran two-time champ in the extreme sport of Formula DRIFT but a newcomer to TORC competition this year, Hübinette posted his Jenkins Brothers Racing-prepped Mopar Ram second to start the 16-lap PRO Light opening event on Saturday, Oct. 15. The Newport Coast, Calif. resident seized the lead on the opening lap, briefly relinquished it to fellow Mopar Ram pilot Andrew Caddell, then grabbed it back when Caddell got upside down.

Hübinette paced the field for the mandatory competition caution, but competitor C.J. Greaves took the spot on the restart. Undaunted, Hübinette charged back into the lead on the 11th lap and held his grip on the position until the checkered flag fell to score the fourth victory of his rookie TORC season.

“Four wins in our first season — Wow!” said Hübinette. “It was a fantastic result for the Jenkins Brothers Racing Mopar Ram team. I’m proud of our organization, and the way we ended the season strong, just like we started it. These tracks are new to me, but I think I’ve held my own, and then some.”
Hübinette was poised for a runner-up finish in the PRO Light standings heading into the Cycle Ranch finale on Sunday, Oct. 16, but the fates had other ideas. On the very first lap Hübinette tangled with Casey Currie on a jump. The ensuing contact resulted in a flat rear tire and ended Hübinette’s hopes for a Cycle Ranch sweep and a runner-up finish in the standings.

“It would have been a great accomplishment to take the second spot in the PRO Light championship, but I’m very proud of our fourth-place finish,” remarked Hübinette. “We started out the season with two wins, and I kept on learning from there. It was a bit challenging to balance my Formula DRIFT and TORC racing schedules, but I wouldn’t trade this year for anything.
“I want to thank all those who helped and supported me this year, including Mopar, Ram, my Jenkins Brothers Racing team, Sparco and BFGoodrich. They took a bet on me as a newcomer to TORC, and think I gave them some highlights and demonstrated this team has something to build on in the future. I look forward to next year, and maybe even possibly advancing up into the PRO 2 ranks, if all goes well. The first taste of TORC competition has me wanting to accomplish even more next year.”

Hübinette Finishes Strong with No. 1 Qualifier Spot at Formula DRIFT Season Finale

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:21:50 +0000

Newport Coast, Calif. (Oct. 12, 2011) — Samuel Hübinette enjoyed a strong finish to the 2011 Formula DRIFT (FD) season for himself and his Samuel Hübinette Racing (SHR) squad. The two-time FD champ powered to his first pole of the season and a spot in the Top 16 in the season-ending event at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 8, while his young SHR driver Dean Kearney qualified an impressive 14th and also advanced to the Top 16 round.
Hübinette kicked off the week’s action with a strong practice session on Thursday, Oct. 6 in his Dodge Motorsports SHR Dodge Challenger, as did Kearney in his V-Leds SHR Dodge Viper SRT10. Later that night, Hübinette hosted an SHR “Sponsor Night” event to thank the individuals and companies that supported his team throughout the 2011 campaign. After a welcome reception, Hübinette wowed attendees with thrill rides on the Irwindale course in his Dodge Drift Cab, a Dodge Charger SRT8 powered by a Mopar HEMI and custom-built to accommodate three passengers — and a “Crazy Swede” behind the wheel!
Fun and games were over the next day and it was time for Hübinette to go to work — which he did with an exclamation point. The Swedish native and U.S. citizen claimed his first No. 1 position of the year with a top score of 92.7, which he earned on a flawless second and final qualifying run in his Dodge, tuned by crew chief Brad Manka and prepped by the SHR team.

In Saturday eliminations Hübinette made quick work of No. 32 qualifier Pat Mordant, while “Karnage” Kearney kept his Viper clean in an opening round win over Ryan Kado. The two SHR stars then took part in a fan autograph session during the half-time break, with fans packing the Dodge Motorsports/V-Leds pit area.

After the break, Hübinette battled it out with Chris Forsberg in one of the hardest-fought drift matches of the weekend. The two former FD champs were evenly matched on their first two tandem runs, prompting the FD judges to call for a “One Time More.” Hübinette led first on the extra tandem laps, hitting each clipping point perfectly and putting his Dodge Challenger exactly where it needed to be.

When it came time for Hübinette to shadow Forsberg, the “Crazy Swede” had his Dodge Challenger right on the door of Forsberg’s Nissan during the tandem battle — perhaps too close. Hübinette nicked a track barrier, causing a small correction. The crowd cheered loudly for the two talented competitors, but the judges awarded the round win to Forsberg. Kearney also fell in the Top 16, losing to eventual event winner Tyler McQuarrie.

“We finished the year up very strong by qualifying No. 1,” said Hübinette. “It feels good to end the year on a strong note. Both my Dodge Challenger and the Dodge Viper were strong all weekend. Dean did a great job at this event. I had a tough, hard-fought battle with Forsberg in the Top 16. It’s always hard to come out on the losing end, but hearing the crowd cheer in appreciation after our match made me feel very proud.

“It was also so cool to have the chance to thank my sponsors and spend time with them during our special SHR sponsor night at Irwindale. I’m so grateful for all their support; I think we gave them a good show at Irwindale. We’ve learned a lot this year, we’ve battled, and I feel like this event will send the SHR team into next year on a very positive note. We have a great organization here and I am really looking forward to 2012.”

With the book closed on his 2011 FD campaign, Hübinette will change gears to compete in his final Traxxas TORC event of the year at Cycle Ranch MX in Floresville, Texas, Oct. 15–16. Hübinette has won three times in his rookie season, garnering six podium finishes in his Jenkins Brothers Racing Mopar Ram. He’s third in the PRO Light standings heading into the event and is looking to claim the runner-up spot in the championship fight (his teammate Andrew Caddell has already clinched the PRO Light title).

“I’m excited to head to Cycle Ranch and take the wheel of my Mopar Ram Truck in off-road competition,” said Hübinette. “It’s a new track, so all the drivers will have a bit of a disadvantage. We’re fighting for the runner-up position in points, and we have the inaugural $15,000 to-win Traxxas PRO Light Cup as well, so there’s quite a bit on the line. I feel like I have some good momentum heading in there. I want to end my first TORC season in the winner’s circle.”