Orlando, Fla. (17 August 2015) – As the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge enters the final three races of the 2015 Championship, Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing is targeting a third IMSA title. The Orlando-based squad currently sits second in the championship standings – 15 points back – and travels to Round 8 at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend carrying winning momentum.

Two weeks ago, Rum Bum Racing scored a dramatic and record-setting win at Road America when drivers Matt Plumb and Hugh Plumb combined to lead 37 laps in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche en route to the victory.

The result was Rum Bum Racing’s second victory and fourth podium result of the year. The victory not only bolstered the championship situation, but it also marked a new record as Matt Plumb became the winningest driver in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge history with 21 wins.

With Hugh Plumb qualifying and starting the car this year and Matt Plumb anchoring the No. 13 Porsche to the checkered flag, the Rum Bum Racing team has been a championship contender all year long.The Plumb brother pairing has proven to be a successful combination at VIR in the past. The brothers have teamed together at VIR twice before, and won both times (2006 ST – Acura RSX-S, 2008 GS – Mustang GT).

Rum Bum Racing scored a podium on the 3.27-mile road course nestled in the scenic Virginia countryside in 2010 with Matt Plumb and Gian Bacardi scoring third place.

Another strong result at VIR would launch the Rum Bum Racing team into stronger championship position with just two more races remaining on the 2015 calendar.

“Winning at the home race for Jennifer Bacardi at Road America, that was huge for the team and hopefully it is the start for us make a big push in these last three races,” said Matt Plumb. “Road America showed how everything—pit stops and strategy and making the most out of the Continental Tires—has to go just right to be there at the end to fight for a win. Hugh and I have had some good runs at VIR, and we’d love to have one again this weekend!”

A promoter test day is scheduled for Thursday and will be followed by official practice and qualifying on Friday. The 2.5-hour race is set to go green at 1:25 PM ET on Saturday and will be streamed LIVE on IMSA.com and on the IMSA app.

Follow live timing and scoring throughout the weekend at scoring.imsa.com and follow @RumBumRacing on Twitter for live updates.

The VIR event will be televised on Sunday, September 6 at 9:00 AM ET on FOX Sports 1.

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The IMSA Continental Tire Challenge race from Road America will broadcast on FOX Sports 1 on Monday August 17th. 2015, at 8 PM ET.  You don’t want to miss it!

http://www.foxsports.com/watch/foxsports1

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Elkhart Lake, Wis. (8 August 2015) – It was another huge result for Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing at Road America on Saturday as the team delivered its 17th overall IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge victory. The result marked Rum Bum Racing’s third win in four years at Road America and saw the squad close the gap to the championship leader with just a provisional 15-point separation between first and second in the standings.

Wisconsin is the home state of Jennifer Bacardi, so with both Luis and Jennifer Bacardi on hand as well as a big crowd of Rum Bum supporters, the celebration was extra special for the entire organization.

Matt Plumb, who partnered with his brother Hugh Plumb in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche for the run to victory, became the winningest driver in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge history with a total of 21 wins.

“The whole Bacardi family is here to see us and be a part of this which is huge,” said Hugh Plumb from Victory Lane. “I couldn’t be happier for Matt (Plumb), who is the guy to have in the car at the end, and to celebrate with all of these people. Matt did an absolutely incredible job there. I just can’t say enough about everybody on the Rum Bum crew. It’s unbelievable, they deserve this.”

Hugh Plumb opened the race from the front row after Friday’s qualifying session was rained out and the grid was set by championship point order. Starting second, Hugh Plumb wasted no time in moving forward as he took the lead into Turn 1 and didn’t look back.

He had extended his leading margin to a 10-second advantage when a full course caution was displayed about 30 minutes into the race. The Rum Bum team took the opportunity to pit for four tires and fuel and Hugh Plumb remained in the car. When the race went back to green, Hugh Plumb restarted 10th in line but was back up to third in the order in a matter of laps. He regained the lead an hour into the race and remained there until slipping to second with just over an hour to go.

With 55 minutes remaining in the race, Crew Chief Joe Varde called the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche to pit lane under green flag conditions for the team’s second and final stop. A perfectly executed full service stop ensued with Matt Plumb taking control of the car and returning to the field eighth.

Matt Plumb moved to the front of the pack with just 43 minutes to go, and held off the vigorous charge from a Nissan with fresher Continental Tires to score a dramatic victory on the team’s adopted home track.

“The Nissan had fast pace, even at the beginning of the race you could see it clicking off fast laps when it was free of traffic,” said Team Manager and driver Matt Plumb. “I knew that once they got clean of traffic and were in sight they had a really good chance of out pacing us. As I looked in my mirrors and saw Trent Hindman battling to keep the Nissan behind him I just kept saying to myself ‘keep ahead because as soon as Zacharias breaks free he’s going to run me down’. For the last five years I’ve been really truly honored to be a part of this Rum Bum team. I couldn’t be happier to be in the position I’m in at the moment and I’m certainly enjoying it.”

Rum Bum Racing will look to carry its winning momentum into the next round of IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge competition at VIRginia International Raceway on August 21-22.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the Road America event on Monday, August 17 at 8:00 PM ET.

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Road America Results:
2011 – Started: 1st Finished: 3rd
2012 – Started: 3rd Finished: 1st
2013 – Started: 7th Finished: 1st
2014 – Started: 8th Finished 17th (ball joint failure)

Orlando, Fla. (4 August 2015) – There is no place like home, and when Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing travels to Road America each year, it feels like a homecoming for the team and its drivers Matt Plumb and Hugh Plumb. Wisconsin is the home state of Jennifer Bacardi and a large contingent of Rum Bum supporters are always on hand at the legendary Road America road course in Elkhart Lake.

There is another big reason for the team to call Road America home, and that is the performances the team has put in at the high-speed track through the years.

Over the past four races at the circuit, Rum Bum Racing has claimed three podium results, including two victories. Rum Bum was poised for its fourth consecutive Road America podium last year when a rare ball joint failure cruelly took the team out of third place with just three laps to go in the race.

Rum Bum Racing seeks redemption this year, as the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship enters its final four races of the season. The Rum Bum team currently sits second in the championship standings, 24 points back from the top spot with 171 points. Following the Lime Rock round two weeks ago in which the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche was hit out of contention while running second, the Rum Bum squad is all the more hungry for another trip to the Road America podium.

“Wisconsin is a bit of a home track for us, because Jennifer Bacardi’s family is there and we have a lot of great superfans there that come out year after year to support us,” said Team Manager and driver Matt Plumb. “It’s an added bonus when you have people that are cheering you on and it helps bring our A-Game to everything that we do. Hopefully we can have the same kind of race results we’ve had there in the past. The goal is to pick up as many championship points as we can in each race from here on out and there’s no better team out there than the Rum Bum guys to do just that.”

The Road America event gets underway with a Promoter Test day on Thursday. Official practice and qualifying is set to take place on Friday with the 2.5-hour race set to go green on Saturday at 12:20 PM Central Time (1:20 PM ET). IMSA.com will have LIVE streaming of qualifying and the race.

Fans can also watch via the IMSA app. Scoring.imsa.com will have live timing and scoring throughout the weekend.

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Lakeville, Conn. (25 July 2015) – With scores of home track fans on hand in support of Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing at Lime Rock Park, the team was aiming for another big result on Saturday. Rum Bum Racing has claimed three victories in the past four years at the track and was going for its fifth consecutive Lime Rock Park podium finish in the Northeast Grand Prix. The team looked poised to do just that until the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche was hit off track while running second.

Rum Bum Racing and drivers Matt Plumb and Hugh Plumb sat second in the championship heading into Round 6 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship and were looking to build on that at a track where the strength of the Rum Bum team shines.

Hugh Plumb opened the race from second and spent nine laps leading the field when he and the No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro battled for the race lead with the third place No. 6 Camaro just behind. The run showed just how well-prepared the Rum Bum car was for the quick 1.5-mile bullring circuit when it ran the fastest lap of the race on Lap 13.

As the front of the GS field encountered ST traffic through Big Bend, the line of cars checked up and the championship leading No. 6 Camaro hit the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche from behind with about 45 minutes completed in the race.

“We got checked up in traffic in Turn 2 so I had to slow up and I guess the Stevenson car behind me didn’t realize that we were all going to be checked up and he drove into me,” said Hugh Plumb of the incident. “It’s such a shame for our Rum Bum guys. As you see, the Rum Bum guys put the car back together, we go several laps down and they (No. 6) get a drive through penalty and stay on the lead lap. It’s unfortunate, it really is. A big thank you to our Rum Bum guys, that’s all I can say. Luis Bacardi, and this whole team, they’re just an amazing bunch of guys. Once again Rum Bum Racing gave me a fantastic car. It’s such a privilege to have the opportunity to drive for this team.”

The hit punted the car into the tire barriers, damaging the left front suspension which left the car undriveable. But the perseverance of the Rum Bum Racing squad was on full display as the team members hurried to make a quick repair on what typically would be a long fix. The No. 13 Rum Bum car went 17 laps down during the green flag laps that clicked off at less than a minute a lap.

Matt Plumb returned the car to the track with just over an hour remaining in the race with the goal to complete as many laps as possible and pick up as many points toward the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship that he could.  Hugh Plumb drove the car in the final minutes of the race in order to make the minimum drive time requirement and together the Plumb brothers drove the car to a 10th place finish and salvaged some points for the championship.

“What a shame for the team and the fans and really the drivers, that we weren’t able to battle there at the end with everybody,” said Team Manager and driver Matt Plumb. “I know it was not intentional and I’m sure the guys at Stevenson feel bad. So we’re going to move on and focus on the fact that we’ve been doing a really good job of getting the car in the right place at every track we go to. This is just another challenge that we had to face and overcome, we’re not out of it (the championship) yet, it’s just going to be that much more difficult.”

Despite the setback at Lime Rock Park, Rum Bum Racing remains second in the championship standings, 24 points back. The team next heads to Road America in two weeks for Round 7 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship.

“Wisconsin is a bit of a home track for us as well, because Jennifer Bacardi’s family is there and we have a lot of great superfans there that come out year after year to support us,” added Matt Plumb. “It’s an added bonus when you have people that are cheering you on and it helps bring our A-Game to everything that we do.”

The Northeast Grand Prix will be televised on FOX Sports 1 Sunday, August 2 at 12:00 PM ET.

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Vote here: http://bit.ly/1Vm5vWj (note: you must fill out the security code when prompted in order for your vote to count)

Orlando, Fla. (22 July 2015) – Following the team’s podium performance at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing has been nominated for the Microsoft Visual Studio Team to Win Award.

We need your help as the battle is getting tight. Every vote counts. Team to Win voting remains open until THIS FRIDAY, July 24 at 12:00 PM ET.

Vote once daily on each of your devices such as laptop, computer, phone, tablet, etc. Fans can vote here: http://bit.ly/1Vm5vWj

Thank you for voting and as always, thanks for your continued support of Rum Bum Racing!

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Orlando, Fla. (20 July 2015) – Rum Bum Racing will kick off the Lime Rock Park festivities early as the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche heads to New York City on Wednesday, July 22. Driver and Team Manager Matt Plumb will be on hand with the car as the squad joins several other IMSA teams for a promotional event in the heart of the city hosted by Esquire Network, Lime Rock Park, Seize sur Vingt, and TUDOR Watches.

Located just 100 miles south of Lime Rock Park – the next stop on the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge calendar – the ‘Racers in SoHo’ event will take place at 78 Greene Street and will promote the Northeast Grand Prix event. A two-hour press luncheon is scheduled from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM with music and cocktails to follow from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

“It is great to have IMSA and Lime Rock Park team up to create this kind of event, and we are lucky to have a team owner in Luis Bacardi who understands how to build our audience and reach new fans,” said Matt Plumb. “It’s amazing that just two hours away from downtown New York City, there is this incredible track out in the countryside and we are happy to help get the word out.”

It’s an exciting kick off to the race weekend as Plumb, who resides in Newport, Rhode Island, returns not only to his home track of Lime Rock Park but also to a place that has seen Rum Bum show incredible strength.

Over the four previous years, Rum Bum Racing has claimed victory at Lime Rock three times (2011, 2012 & 2014) and finished third in 2013 on the way to a second consecutive IMSA team championship. Last year’s win saw the No. 13 Porsche lead 60 laps en route to victory lane.

This year’s race, which marks Round 6 of the championship, will have an added twist as IMSA recently announced that the GS and ST classes will race in a combined event, rather than separately which has been the case in previous years at the quick 1.5-mile bullring road course.

“Lime Rock is always a special place for me, having grown up in New England it is my home track,” said Matt Plumb, who shares the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing with his brother and co-driver Hugh Plumb. “We’ve always had a very good set up there. Joe (Varde, crew chief) with his circle track experience does a very good job of reading that track. We always come off the rig perfect and then are able to fine tune for the conditions. Combine that with our strategy and our quick pit stops on that short track we have a definite advantage.”

The team will look to add to its incredible history at the track, but knows that the competition has been gaining speed with every race.

“The strength of all these new cars has shown over the course of the season,” said Plumb of the factory-backed Mustang and Camaro campaigns. “All the new cars are very strong and the Mustangs have come on incredibly well. So it’s going to be more challenging than in previous years. We’re coming from a different place competition-wise, but we’re going to make the most of it and definitely take advantage of our comfort level at that track.”

Just like the laps on the diminutive 1.5-mile circuit, the Lime Rock Park race weekend is a quick one. A 15-minute GS-only practice will be held Friday morning followed by two combined class practice sessions. Qualifying is set for 4:40 PM ET on Friday.

The Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park goes green at 10:00 AM ET Saturday morning. The event will be streamed LIVE on IMSA.com.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the race on Sunday, August 2 at 12:00 PM ET.

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Third podium of the year for Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing

Bowmanville, Ont. (11 July 2015) – Heading north of the border for Round 5 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship, it was another big outing for Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing on Saturday as the team mixed lightning quick pit work, great race strategy, and some strong driving to earn a second place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Saturday.

The result is the third podium of the year for Rum Bum Racing drivers Matt Plumb and Hugh Plumb and saw the team pick up a healthy haul of points to remain second in the championship standings with five more races yet to run.

Hugh Plumb started the race from third on the grid in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche, making a quick pit stop 25 minutes into the race during a full course caution as the Joe Varde-led squad helped him move up the order while also taking on a fresh set of Continental Tires. He used those to excellent effect with some big moves on the outside of the high speed corners to move up to third ahead of his second pit stop to turn the car over to Matt Plumb.

“The first stint was just like qualifying laps one after the next in order to stay with the twoMustangs in front of us,” said Hugh Plumb. “I just wanted to keep them in sight and give Matt (Plumb) a nice clean car. We had some traffic when we went through the ST field, so it was tricky and you had to really pick your spots. But it was another textbook performance from the Rum Bum Racing guys, it is awesome to have that kind of team behind you.”

The well-oiled Rum Bum Racing crew completed a quick service as Matt Plumb took to the wheel and strapped in for the second half of the race, returning to the track fourth in line. After moving to the lead, Plumb had to fend off the charges of the all-new Multimatic Ford Mustang. Using every inch of the 2.459-mile circuit, Plumb held the point for several laps before eventually being overtaken for the lead with just over 30 minutes to go.

“Our car was great and the balance was good all week long,” said Matt Plumb from the podium celebrations. “We worked up to the perfect car, so a huge thanks to the team. We were the little Porsche that could and we were fine when we had clear track but when we would get behind some of these cars that have some muscle off the corners,  we didn’t have the pace that they did in some places.”

Plumb was pleased to make another podium appearance, and the team is already thinking about getting back on top at Lime Rock Park.

“It’s nice to gain a few points on the (championship leading) Camaro,” said Plumb. “They looked like they had a plan and executed it as well. We couldn’t be happier with today’s result and now we look forward to Lime Rock, a place where we’ve done well before. Congratulations to the Multimatic guys on their win, they’ve done their homework with that Mustang and it shows. We are looking forward to the new competition and can’t wait for Lime Rock.”

Rum Bum Racing next travels to Matt Plumb’s home track of Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut for Round 6 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship in two weeks.

The Canadian Tire Motorsport Park event will be televised on Sunday, July 19 at 12:00 PM ET.

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Bowmanville, Ont. (10 July 2015) – Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing will start Saturday’s IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) from the second row after Hugh Plumb qualified the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche third on the grid during a 15-minute qualifying session on Friday.

The result is the fifth consecutive top-five starting position for the team this year.

The Florida-based squad arrived at CTMP fresh from a sixth place finish at Watkins Glen. Both Hugh and his co-driver and brother Matt Plumb participated in a promoter test day on Thursday and worked through a variety of set-ups on the Porsche machine.

The car was well-prepared when official practice got underway on Friday and the Rum Bum team was credited with the third quickest time in the first practice and then posted the fifth fastest time in the second session.

Hugh Plumb strapped in for the qualifying run and put down a lap of 1:27.568-seconds which was enough to secure a starting spot on the inside of Row 2. That lap time was the fastest of the day for the No. 13 Porsche. Hugh Plumb will open the race before turning the car over to Matt Plumb who will anchor the car to the finish.

“The Rum Bum car has been better and better every session and I am sure that trend will continue for the race,” said Hugh Plumb. “It is going to be difficult to outpace some of the new cars but the Rum Bum crew never fails to execute on preparation, setup and strategy. It really is a pleasure to be a part of it and can’t wait to put on a show tomorrow.”

The 2.5-hour Canadian Tire Motorsport Park race will go green Saturday at 1:25 PM ET with LIVE coverage on IMSA.com.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the event on Sunday, July 19 at 12:00 PM ET.

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Orlando, Fla. (7 July 2015) – Looking to make a mid-season surge, Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing travels to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) this weekend for Round 5 of the 10-race 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship.

Rum Bum Racing opened the year with a victory and the team has remained a championship contender throughout the first four races as the Canadian visit marks the half-way point of the season.

Rum Bum Racing drivers Hugh and Matt Plumb enter the CTMP round second in the championship standings – just 19 points out of the lead.

The Plumb brothers backed up the victory at Daytona with a run to the podium at Sebring. A fourth place finish at Laguna Seca saw the team remain second in the standings.

In the previous IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge outing at Watkins Glen, the Florida-based squad looked primed for a sure podium finish, if not a win, before treacherous rain conditions caught the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche out. After having led 26 laps in the race, rain started to fall heavily around the circuit and while battling for second, the Rum Bum Porsche slid wide. Matt Plumb’s fast reactions and even faster hands were on full display when he saved the car on the wet grass and kept from hitting the wall.

Avoiding calamity and keeping the track position loss to just sixth place, Plumb didn’t get the chance to fight back to the front after a red flag was thrown for track conditions and then a subsequent full course caution period saw the checkered flag fly under the yellow.

The group looks to rebound from the Glen event and add another podium to the team’s tally (28 podiums earned since the team’s 2010 debut) at CTMP.

“Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was a tough track for us last year but hopefully we can start the weekend on the right foot with a quick car,” said Matt Plumb, who also serves as Team Manager. “The car has been very good in the last few rounds and I think it’s getting better every time out. Even when we don’t have the quickest car, the pit work from the Rum Bum guys is always on point so I’m hoping we’ll be right up there at the end. It would be great to close the gap in the championship and build to a very big end of the season.”

The action kicks off at CTMP on Friday with practice and qualifying. The 2.5-hour race is set to go green at 1:25 PM ET on Saturday. The race can be watched LIVE on imsa.com or via the IMSA app.

The CTMP event will be televised on Sunday, July 19 at 12:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

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Watkins Glen, N.Y. (27 June 2015) – Despite leading a race-high 26 laps, the hoped-for result that Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing was targeting on Saturday didn’t come at Watkins Glen in the Continental Tire 150 at The Glen.

The race began under light rain, with the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche leading the field just a few laps in. But as conditions worsened, the race was eventually red-flagged and the checkered flew under caution due to the large areas of standing water.

Those conditions made for some exciting IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge racing, especially in the early stages with Hugh Plumb opening the race from third on the grid. He wasted no time in moving forward and took over the race lead in a matter of laps.

The No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche carried the lead of the race into the  team’s first pit stop when Crew Chief Joe Varde called Hugh Plumb to pit lane at just past the half-way point of the race. A quick stop by the Rum Bum crew of fuel, tires, and a driver change, saw Matt Plumb emerge back on track with the race lead over the No. 6 of Robin Liddell.

As conditions worsened, Plumb and Liddell battled for the point with Liddell just slipping by as Plumb remained on his bumper in second. The slippery track conditions caught the No. 13 Rum Bum Porsche out though, as the car slid wide in the Carousel. With two wheels on the slippery tarmac and two on the even more slippery grass, Plumb still managed to maintain control and avoid contact.

“We decided to change tires on the pit stop, which turned out to be a little tough for me in the first couple of laps,” said Matt Plumb. “Whether it was just getting them up to temperature or pressure or what, but it was a tough time. I couldn’t quite get into a rhythm and when I finally did, the race went yellow. I’m not quite sure what happened. I was in the outside lane, had great grip, and the (No. 6) Camaro underneath me got a little bit loose and I think I made some adjustments that got my car a little loose and walked it up to the edge of the track. I thought that I could get it straight once I went over the curb, but then it hooked me and I flip flopped back and forth in the grass and almost hit a wall.”

Fortunately, Plumb managed to keep the Porsche off the wall and returned to the track sixth, but his intention to move back to the top was halted when the race was red-flagged due to track conditions.

The race finished under full course caution and Rum Bum Racing took sixth at the checkered flag.

“I’m bummed for the team because they deserved a better finish than this,” added Matt Plumb. “I think we had a good car and had the race gone green and had we had a chance to fight with the Camaro we would have had a little something for them.”

“I had a good stint and it wasn’t raining as hard for me as it was for Matt (Plumb),” said Hugh Plumb, of his opening stint. “I had pretty clear visibility. I just kind of put my head down once I got out in front and got the most out of the Rum Bum Porsche. I just wanted to kind of continue to figure out the ever changing race track. That was the biggest hurdle. The car was good, the guys did a great job today.”

Rum Bum Racing will be back in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge action in two weeks at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

The Watkins Glen event will be televised on FOX Sports 1 at 10:00 AM ET on Sunday, July 5.

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Watkins Glen, NY (26 June 2015) – Returning to a track at which the team has some champagne-soaked history, Rum Bum Racing’s Hugh Plumb got a fast start to the Continental Tire 150 at The Glen race weekend on Friday as he scored third on the grid at Watkins Glen in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche.

Hugh Plumb, who posted a fast time of 2:01.542-seconds during the 15-minute qualifying session, will open the race before handing the car over to his brother and co-driver Matt Plumb. The result is the fourth consecutive top-five qualifying effort for Hugh Plumb through the first four events of the season.

The third place starting spot marks the team’s best qualifying result at the track since its Watkins Glen debut in 2010. Rum Bum Racing has done well at Watkins Glen in the past and has claimed a podium finish at the historic facility in each of the previous three years of IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge competition which included a win in 2012.

“The car is very good and, as usual, the Rum Bum guys did an amazing job giving me a great car to put us in thetop three,” said Hugh  Plumb. “Thank you to Luis Bacardi for putting an amazing team together. It looks like it could be a rainy race tomorrow. If we just stay clear of the melee we can come out on top, which everyone at Rum Bum deserves.”

With rain forecasted for Saturday’s race, the event promises to be an exciting one with different strategies put into play. Veteran crew chief Joe Varde, who is known for his canny race strategy, will be the one calling the shots from atop the Rum Bum Racing pit box.

The Continental Tire 150 at The Glen goes green at 12:25 PM ET and will be carried LIVE on IMSA.com.

The race will be televised on FOX Sports 1 at 10:00 AM ET on Sunday, July 5.

The post Hugh Plumb Pushes Rum Bum Racing Porsche to Third on Continental Tire 150 at The Glen Grid appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

Orlando, Fla. (23 June 2015) – Watkins Glen International has long been a fan and driver favorite. And it’s safe to say that with a sterling record of success at the undulating 3.4-mile New York road course, it’s also a favorite of Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing too.

The Florida-based team is targeting its fourth consecutive podium result at the track after having won in 2012 and placed second and third in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Brothers Matt and Hugh Plumb are on a hot streak in 2015 and after nearly a two-month break on the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race calendar, the driving duo is eager for the return to Watkins Glen for the Continental Tire 150 At The Glen.

Rum Bum Racing, which is led by crew chief Joe Varde, enters Round 4 of the IMSA championship second in the standings – just nine points shy of the top spot. The team has had a strong start to the 2015 season with the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche having been qualified by Hugh Plumb among the top-five in each race so far. The team also kicked off the year with a big win at the team’s home track of Daytona.

The group followed up that season-opening win with a third place result at Sebring International Raceway and then a fourth place finish in the previous round of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

“For whatever reason, Watkins Glen has been good to us through the last few years so we’ll just go back and do what we always do and hopefully come out of it with another big result,” said Matt Plumb, who also serves as Team Manager for Rum Bum Racing. “Joe Varde always seems to have a new strategy up his sleeve, and this crew is incredibly hard working. So we’re optimistic about the Glen and very ready to get back to the track and compete. It’s been a long break and we’re ready to get after it!”

When the Continental Tire 150 At The Glen goes green on Saturday, Hugh Plumb will open the race before handing the car over to Matt Plumb who will anchor it to the finish.

A single practice session will be held Thursday afternoon to begin the Watkins Glen event. Another practice and qualifying will take place on Friday with the 2..5-hour race set to go green on Saturday at 12:25 PM ET.

Tune into imsa.com for the LIVE broadcast of the event.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the Watkins Glen event on Sunday, July 5 at 10:00 AM ET.

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Monterey, Calif. (2 May 2015) – Rum Bum Racing continued its positive start to the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship by taking a fourth place finish at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Drivers Hugh and Matt Plumb opened the season with a victory at Daytona and then a podium result of third at Sebring, and Saturday’s fourth place finish brought in a healthy haul of points toward the team’s 2015 championship run.

While happy with the championship points collection, the team was left wanting more after a repeat trip to the podium was thwarted with some bad luck timing during the race’s four caution periods.

Hugh Plumb opened the race from fourth on the grid and wasted no time in making his way forward. He took over third position on the first lap and had moved into second within the first 20 minutes of the race. On a track that tends to suit the large-displacement V8s of the Camaros and Mustangs, Hugh Plumb put on quite a show by staying within tenths of the leading No. 9 Camaro during the opening run.

The No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche inherited the lead around the 1 hour 10 minute mark when the race leader took to pit lane. Hugh Plumb led until Rum Bum Racing Crew Chief Joe Varde called him to pit lane on the following lap for fuel, tires, and a driver change.

“My stint was very good,” said Hugh Plumb. “The car was well-balanced and I didn’t over use anything because I knew that the race would come to us. The Rum Bum guys gave me a great car to work with and it was fun to be back racing here at this beautiful track.”

Matt Plumb returned to the fray fourth in line and had a good run with the mix of cars at the front of the field as different fuel strategies played out. The team brought the No. 13 Porsche back to pit road to top off on fuel with just under an hour remaining and Plumb re-entered the track fifth in the order.

Shortly thereafter, Plumb reported the car felt a little bit off, but the veteran driver continued to run hard – swapping positions at the front of the field. And in the final stages, Matt Plumb made his way up to fourth and found himself not only chasing down the leaders, but also defending against the cars behind.

He was able to hang on for fourth at the checkered flag after 2.5-hours of hard racing.

“I’m happy for the fourth place points, but I know that these guys (Rum Bum Racing crew) are worth more than a fourth place finish today,” said Matt Plumb. “All in all it was a good day, but we always want more. The car felt good for the first 20 minutes of my stint but something went off after that and it just wasn’t handling the way we needed to. On our last pit stop we chose to not take tires, because the (leading) Stevenson car had pitted early and if it had gone green for remainder of the race, we would be too far behind. Everyone else we were running with there at the end was on fresh tires, so it was a fight to hang on for fourth. As always a big thanks to Luis Bacardi for giving us this opportunity and for all of the Rum Bum guys’ hard work this weekend.”

With three top-five finishes in the first three races of the season, Rum Bum Racing remains in good shape in the 2015 championship standings. The squad targets a return to the podium at the next race at Watkins Glen International which will be held June 25-27. The organization has finished on the podium at the upstate New York road course in each of the three previous IMSA events at the track and will look to make it four-in-a-row this year.

The Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca event will be televised on May 17 at 9:00 AM ET on FOX Sports 1.

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Monterey, Calif. (1 May 2015) – Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing No. 13 Porsche will start from the second row of the grid at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Round 3 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge on Saturday following a 15-minute qualifying session Friday evening. Hugh Plumb took the Porsche to a fast lap of 1:36.064-seconds around the picturesque California road course.
The qualifying session was quite the competitive one with the top-11 cars all within one second of each other. The second through fourth place cars on the grid were separated by just two-thousandths of a second of one another.

Hugh Plumb will open the 2.5-hour IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race before turning the No. 13 Porsche over to his brother and co-driver Matt Plumb who will take the car to the finish. Having stood on the podium in the opening two races of the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, the duo looks to make it three-in-a-row once again on Saturday.
“It’s a good start for tomorrow,” said Hugh Plumb following the qualifying session. “Rum Bum always prepares a great car and Matt (Plumb) always does a great job setting the car up. Fourth is very respectable today. I like Laguna Seca. It’s a great atmosphere for sure and has a lot of corners with a whole lot going on. Everything is a little different. The temperatures are always changing and the track is always changing, so it’s a fun challenge.”
The Rum Bum racing Porsche machine rolled off the trailer well-prepared for the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit as the team set the fastest lap of the first practice session Friday morning and was fifth in the second practice of the day.
The 2.5-hour race is set to go green at 1:00 PM local time (4:00 PM ET) and will be streamed LIVE on imsa.com. Follow @RumBumRacing on Twitter for updates throughout the race!

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Orlando, Fla. (28 April 2015) – Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing is looking to go three-for-three this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The Orlando, Florida-based team has opened the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship with two podium runs in the first two races which included a victory in the Daytona season-opener and a third place finish at Sebring.

Rum Bum Racing and its brother driving pairing – Matt and Hugh Plumb – sit just two points out of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship lead with 65 points and are hopeful that a good outing at Laguna Seca will leapfrog them to the top.

The team is pursuing its third championship title in its sixth season of competition. The organization took the top honor in 2012 & 2013 and a positive run at Laguna Seca would certainly help add to the championship tally.

Matt Plumb and former co-driver Nick Longhi, who now serves as Rum Bum Racing’s Technical Director, drove to a podium finish of third at Laguna Seca in 2011, but bad racing luck has plagued the team at the track ever since.

Hugh Plumb has scored multiple podiums at the scenic 2.238-mile northern California road course in his extensive racing career. That experience combined with Matt Plumb’s driving expertise and Joe Varde’s strategy atop the pit box has the team eyeing a return to the top.

“We haven’t had very good luck at Laguna in the past couple of years, but it’s such an amazing venue that we forget all the issues we’ve had there,” said Matt Plumb who also serves at Rum Bum Racing Team Manager. “For us, the toughest part of the track is getting the gearing for the hill. With the Porsche, we don’t have the torque some of the other cars do, so when we can’t make it up through the corners and can’t get it in the right gear we tend to be a little bit behind. But we’ve gotten better on all fronts – power and handling – so we should be fine. I find the Corkscrew (the track’s signature turn) a little surreal. When you’re in the race car, you don’t realize how extreme that elevation change really is. It isn’t until you get outside of the car and watch someone else go through it that you realize how crazy it is.”

Rum Bum Racing will participate in a promoter test day on Thursday followed by two official practice sessions and a 15-minute qualifying session on Friday. The 2.5-hour IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race will go green at 1:00 PM PST (4:00 PM ET) on Saturday with LIVE coverage at www.imsa.com.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the event on Sunday, May 17 at 9:00 AM ET.

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Sebring, Fla. (20 March 2015) – Rum Bum Racing continued its championship momentum at Sebring International Raceway on Friday as Hugh Plumb and Matt Plumb combined to take third at the iconic Florida road course. The event marked Round 2 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and after claiming victory in the opening round at Daytona, Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing team remains well positioned in the 2015 championship standings.

It took a mix of strategy, teamwork, and hard driving to deliver the podium performance and there was a big crowd of supporters on hand as Jennifer Bacardi and her family celebrated with the team following the race.

Hugh Plumb opened the event after qualifying the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche fifth on the grid for the 2.5-hour race. It was a hot and balmy Florida afternoon which made for some brutal conditions behind the wheel of the racecar. But undeterred by the heat of the day, Hugh Plumb drove a strong first stint before handing the car over to his brother Matt Plumb with just under an hour remaining.

When Rum Bum Racing called Matt Plumb to pit lane for the team’s final pit stop under green flag conditions, he had made his way up to third in the running order. The squad made quick work of adding fuel and tires to the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche and Plumb returned to the fray 13th in line.

In traditional Matt Plumb fashion, he wheeled the Porsche all the way up to third in the final segment and developed a significant gap over fourth place. Despite pushing the Porsche to its limit, the 3.74-mile Sebring road course favors the V8 machines of the Stevenson Camaros who ran 1-2, and the No. 13 Porsche was unable to catch them with Matt Plumb taking third at the checkered flag.

“Congrats to Stevenson Motorsports – they are a professional team and they’ve got great drivers, there’s no reason they shouldn’t finish 1-2,” said Team Manager and driver Matt Plumb. “I would have liked to be a little bit closer to them in the end, but it’s alright, we’ll get them next time. The team was flawless and the car ran perfectly.”

“Once again we did everything we could do given what we have,” echoed Hugh Plumb. “The Rum Bum Racing guys (crew chief) Joe Varde, Matt (Plumb) and (Technical Director) Nick Longhi, once again just did an awesome job. We just didn’t have the overall pace that the Camaros did. I’m so happy for the team, a first (at Daytona) and a third, what more can I say? The Bacardi family makes this possible. My thanks goes out to them for making this happen, what a great opportunity for me.”

Next up, Rum Bum Racing will travel across the country to California for Round 3 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca which takes place May 2.

Rum Bum Racing fans can catch the Sebring International Raceway event on FOX Sports 1 at 9:00 AM ET on Sunday, April 5.

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Orlando, Fla. (16 March 2015) – In Round 1, the Rum Bum Racing magic mix of talent and hard work generated another huge victory for the team at Daytona, and the squad is looking to repeat the feat this Friday.

When Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing travels to Sebring International Raceway for Round 2 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Championship, the team won’t have far to go. The Florida road course is as close to home as it gets for the championship team, located just 90 miles south of the Rum Bum Racing shop in Orlando.

Rum Bum Racing opened the season with a big victory at the team’s “other” home track, as Daytona International Speedway is just an hour’s drive north of the race shop. Drivers, and brothers, Matt Plumb and Hugh Plumb led 34 laps in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche to claim the Daytona victory and are targeting a repeat performance in the 2.5-hour Visual Studio 150 (FOX Sports 1 broadcast, April 5 9:00 AM ET).

The Florida team showed podium potential in its Sebring Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge debut last year, only to settle for a 10th place result following a trivial pit call that ended up having a huge affect on the result. Though Hugh Plumb will take his first competitive laps in the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche around Sebring this year, he teamed with Matt Plumb as well as Jan Heylan and Madison Snow last year when Rum Bum Racing campaigned the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GTD class with a run to ninth place in the iconic race.

In the two months since the Daytona victory, Rum Bum Racing has been hard at work during the break and is well-prepared to take on one of the toughest tracks on the 2015 calendar. The 3.74-mile, 17-turn former airport road course is a very bumpy and physically demanding circuit which requires not only strong racecraft, but also strong car preparation.

“It was just incredible to open this year with a win and it was the perfect way to launch the season,” said Plumb. “But we saw in Daytona how this series has gotten even more competitive—which is something I didn’t think was possible. So we know after winning the first race that we’ll have targets on us and the Camaros and Mustangs will be strong. Racing in Florida, in front of the fans that you only find at Sebring, is a blast for us and we’d love to add to the Bacardi’s history of doing so well in the home state!”

Rum Bum Racing Crew Chief Joe Varde, who is well known in the IMSA paddock for his leadership atop the pit box, is a five-time IMSA Champion and has a long history at Sebring. He has several victories at the Sebring circuit which included the GTU class victory in the 1994 running of the 12 Hours of Sebring while driving a Porsche.

IMSA.com will carry a LIVE broadcast of the Sebring event beginning at 1:05 PM ET on Friday as well as timing and scoring throughout the weekend.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the race on Sunday, April 5 at 9:00 AM ET.

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Media Notes:
– Third win for Rum Bum Racing at Daytona, 16th overall IMSA win
– Matt Plumb ties Sylvain Tremblay for most wins in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series (20)

Daytona Beach, Fla. (23 January 2015) – It was a familiar sight for fans of Luis Bacardi’s hometown team at Daytona International Speedway, as brothers Matt and Hugh Plumb delivered Rum Bum Racing its third victory at the 3.56-mile road course. The result kicked off the 2015 IMSA Continental SportsCar Challenge in a big way for the championship winning organization who won back-to-back championships in 2012 & 2013.

The victory marked Rum Bum Racing’s 16th overall win as Matt Plumb firmly planted his name in the record books by tying Sylvain Tremblay for the most wins in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge competition.

“Our boss Mr. Bacardi puts so much faith in us, so much trust in us, making this plan work,” said Matt Plumb, who also serves as Rum Bum Racing’s Team Manager. “We had a rough season last year, and he stuck with us. We’re just so glad we could win this for him.”

Hugh Plumb opened the 2.5-hour race at the iconic track from the front row after a strong qualifying run on Thursday. In an effort to err on the side of caution as the GS class field funneled down into Turn 1, the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche slipped to fourth in line.

 have to be in clean air and we have to be out in front so it’s really the crew’s responsibility for our success,” added Matt Plumb. “If I had been stuck in traffic, it would have been very difficult for me to keep moving forward. Hugh with an amazing driver handoff made it so much easier. The biggest plus for us today was toward the end of the race when it started to sprinkle. It was just enough to make the driving conditions a little tricky. As soon as that happened, I knew we were golden. Our car has always been very good in the wet and I very much enjoy driving in the rain.”

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Daytona Beach, Fla. (22 January 2014) – When Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing takes the green flag for the Daytona 200 on Friday, starting driver Hugh Plumb will have a prime view after he qualified the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche on the front row for tomorrow’s 2.5-hour IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race.

A 15-minute Thursday afternoon qualifying session saw Plumb post a fast time of 1:56.779-seconds on his first flying lap as his ‘eyes in the sky’ Nick Longhi coached him for a good gap in traffic.

The No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche scored good draft on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, helping Plumb score some precious tenths on the way to his fastest lap of the weekend so far. The effort was enough to secure second on the grid for 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season-opening event.

“With this sort of team, I expect to be on the front row and I think if it was anything less, I would have let the team down,” said Hugh Plumb. “Thank you to the Bacardis, Rum Bum, and the whole team for making this happen.

Luckily, I was able to find a car to help us out on that lap because our car is good in the draft. And that’s what we needed. I think we’ll be right there at the front again tomorrow.. The plan is to give the car to Matt (Plumb) without a scratch and we’ll be all good.”

Hugh Plumb will open the race before handing the car over to his brother Matt Plumb, who also serves as Rum Bum Racing Team Manager, to take to the checkered flag.

Daytona International Speedway serves as Rum Bum Racing’s home track, with the team shop based in nearby Orlando, Florida. Having won the Daytona event twice before, the Rum Bum Racing squad is eager to return to Gatorade Victory Lane for a third time in front of their hometown fans.

“We didn’t have the car we really wanted after the practice sessions on Wednesday, but the guys put a ton of work in overnight to make a lot of changes, and that was clear in Hugh’s quick times,” said Matt Plumb. “It’s great to be starting with good track position and hopefully we can come out of here with a big result to kick off the year.”

The race will be streamed LIVE tomorrow on www.imsa.com beginning at 1:45 PM ET.

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Plumb was among 15 new members who were voted for the honor by current Road Racing Drivers Club members.

Orlando, Fla. – Having scored multiple championships and a category-leading count of race wins, Rum Bum Racing driver and Team Manager Matt Plumb recently earned a new accolade as he was voted into the Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC) as a member of the 2014 class. Plumb was among 15 new members who were voted for the honor by current Road Racing Drivers Club members.

“This year’s lineup of new Regular Members includes professional racing champions past and present, amateur racing champions, and drivers with stellar racing credentials,” offered RRDC president Bobby Rahal. “And, of course, each driver has demonstrated his or her outstanding conduct on and off the track, a quality the RRDC members take into consideration when voting in new members.”………

To read more visit www.motorsport.com from the link below:

http://www.motorsport.com/imsa/news/rum-bum-racing-s-matt-plumb-voted-into-road-racing-drivers-club/

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Braselton, Ga. (3 October 2014) – Beating the odds in an extremely competitive field, Lu Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing closed out the 2014 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship with a third place finish at Road Atlanta on Friday.

Starting in last place due to unfortunate circumstances in qualifying, a combination of gutsy strategy, super-fast pit work, and an ironman performance by Matt Plumb produced a podium finish to end the 2014 season on a positive note.

Crew Chief Joe Varde’s call to pit starting driver Brandon Davis under green on Lap 2 set the team on a strategy that ultimately paid dividends by relying on consistent pace on track and an exceptional set of pit stops by the Rum Bum Racing crew.

“The strength of Rum Bum Racing is knowing that we can rely on the performance of every member and every part of this team” said Team Manager and lead driver Matt Plumb. “It was pretty lonely just putting in the laps early in the race at the back of the field, but unless I’m wrong, we jumped five positions on our first pit stop and six on our second; just a monster performance by our boys. At that point the race was truly on.”

The last 40 minutes turned into one of the most exciting races of the season with exactly the kind of action the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge is known for. Through the chaos the familiar yellow and blue No. 13 Porsche emerged to score a third place finish in the race, and hoist the reigning Drivers’ and two-time Team Champions to fourth place in the 2014 IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Team Championship.

“I’d like to thank all of our fans, supporters, partners, and especially our crew, Joe Varde, and Lu and Jennifer Bacardi for their guidance and support during this past season. It is a such pleasure to work with this awesome group of people, and a privilege to do it with all of our supporters across North America” added Plumb. “We’re already working on 2015 and we can’t wait to get started again in January at Daytona.”

The Road Atlanta event will be televised on Sunday, October 12 at 12:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

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Braselton, Ga. (2 October 2014) – Rum Bum Racing will look to move forward in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race at Road Atlanta on Friday after some bad luck caught the team out during qualifying on Thursday.

Brandon Davis, who is debuting with Rum Bum Racing this weekend, was all set to wheel the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche around the quick and challenging 2.54-mile road course during Thursday’s 15-minute qualifying session only to have qualifying go under a red flag for nearly the entire session. Unfortunately the squad wasn’t able to get a lap in and will be forced to start the 2.5-hour race from the rear of the field.

Fortunately, Rum Bum Racing is known for its strategy and that, combined with the driving combination of Team Manager and driver Matt Plumb and sportscar veteran Davis, has the team optimistic about Friday’s race.

“It’s been great working with Rum Bum Racing and I thank them for the opportunity to drive this weekend,” said Davis. “Qualifying didn’t go how we wanted it to. The car was really good and it looked like the one lap that we actually started would have put us right up there. But unfortunately when the red flag came out we hadn’t logged a lap yet so we just have to deal with the consequences of that. It might rain tomorrow which I’m fine with. It’s a great car and these Rum Bum guys do a great job. We’ll have a good car for the race and we’ll just work our way forward and go from there.”

The Road Atlanta event will go green at 1:15 PM ET on Friday and will be streamed LIVE on imsa.com. FOX Sports 2 will televise the race on Sunday, October 12 at 12:00 PM ET.

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Orlando, Fla. (29 September 2014) – Every team needs a Closer—the guy that everyone can count on to deliver a big performance right at clutch time. Whether that is the last pitch thrown in the World Series, or the final fish caught to make a winning difference in a tournament, Closers always count.

While many Rum Bum Racing fans might fondly recall the way the team burst on to the racing scene with a big victory in the season-opening race at Daytona in 2010, a look at the team trophy case points to an incredible record of performance in the final race of the season for the Luis Bacardi-owned squad.

The team won the final race of the season in 2010 (Salt Lake City), again in 2011 (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), and then once again in 2012 (Lime Rock Park) to secure the 2012 Championship.

The 2013 season-finale at Lime Rock Park once again saw a big performance as the team scored third place to lock in a second consecutive IMSA Championship.

So heading to the final race of the 2014 IMSA season this Friday at Road Atlanta, Rum Bum Racing will look to once again play the role of closer.

The 2.5-hour race will mark the end of what has been a frustrating season for the team, which despite a cloud of tough racing luck in 2014, saw the group make multiple front-row starts as well as continue to show themselves to be winners. Of the 690 laps that the team has completed so far this year, Rum Bum Racing led over 20% of them.

Rum Bum Racing drivers Matt Plumb and Brandon Davis will share the No. 13 Porsche Rum Bum Racing entry as Davis makes his debut for the squad. Friday’s race will culminate not only a season of racing, but also a busy four-day stretch of on-track practice and preparation. Longhi qualified the Porsche on pole and led the opening 10 laps for this race in 2013 and will look to continue to have a positive impact on the team this weekend.

“We are looking for Lady Luck to return our phone call this weekend!” said Plumb. “Everything has been business as usual this year, but luck has not been on our side. We have continued to elevate our game in the meantime even more than ever, when things do change on the luck front we will capitalize!”

Rum Bum Racing will have a promoter test day on Tuesday, one practice session on Wednesday as well as practice and qualifying sessions on Thursday with the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche ahead of the Friday race, which will last 2.5-hours starting at 1:15 PM ET. The Road Atlanta event will be streamed LIVE via imsa.com and will re-air on FOX Sports 1, Sunday October 12 at 12:00 PM ET.

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Austin, Texas (19 September 2014) – Seven time World Champion and Hall of Fame American sailor Paul Cayard said it best: “When life’s easy anyone can drive, but when it’s tough, the people who excel can make a difference.”

Reigning and two time defending IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Champions Rum Bum Racing lived up to that quote at the Circuit of the Americas round of the 2014 IMSA Championship in Austin, Texas. After record breaking seasons of success with 15 wins, the sheer bad luck that has followed the team in 2014 reared its head again before the green flag even flew. After a great third place qualifying effort by starting driver Hugh Plumb, a freak occurrence saw the engine’s serpentine belt come off on the first pace lap.

Post-race analysis pointed to a piece of debris causing the issue, but this potentially race-ending situation was attacked by the Rum Bum crew who got the car back in the race with a loss of only two laps, an amazing performance in itself. In very difficult weather conditions, the team clawed back to a 14th place finish on pure speed and determination.

Consistently the fastest car for the final hour of the race, lead driver Matt Plumb caught and passed the entire field including the overall leader, to get one of the two laps back. Crew Chief Joe Varde needed only one caution period for his one-stop strategy to play out and get the fan-favorite number 13 Porsche 911 back in contention for the win, but unusually for this series, that caution never came.

“That was one of the most challenging races I’ver ever driven” said Matt Plumb of his final stint. “There were a half dozen different ‘climates’ from corner to corner. It would be light drizzle, totally dry, then pouring rain in different places shifting around the track. I had some great coaching from our spotter MHP which was a huge help in those conditions”.

“What happened on the pace lap was completely unpredictable, just a continuation of the odd run of luck we have had this season” said Rum Bum Racing Technical Director Nick Longhi. “There is nothing anybody can do about it. Apart from that, and looking at what we could actually affect, the performance of the team today was stellar. By the numbers, we were in contention for the win, just a great effort from an exceptional group of people, from Lu Bacardi on down. When our luck comes back we’re going an a tear because every member on this team is looking for blood.”

Rum Bum Racing next travels to Road Atlanta in two weeks for the final race of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Brandon Davis will join Matt Plumb in the No. 13 Porsche for the season-finale event.

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