Orlando, Fla. (28 September 2015) – The 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge will close out its 2015 season this Friday at Road Atlanta after a championship season that has stretched across North America.

For Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing, the goal remains the same as it has all year long as the squad targets victory in the 2015 season-finale race.

The Orlando, Florida-based team has delivered yet another strong season in GS class competition. The No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche has led over 150 laps in nine races this year with the brother driving duo of Matt and Hugh Plumb standing on the podium five times.

Three of those podiums came in the form of a win at Daytona International Speedway, Road America, and Virginia International Raceway. With three victories in the books, Rum Bum Racing would like nothing more than to close the season in the same way it opened it: on top with a win.

The 2.54-mile road course located outside of Atlanta is one that was added to the IMSA schedule in 2013. Rum Bum Racing scored the pole and finished 10th in that first visit and then followed that up with a run to third in last year’s season-ending race.

“We’ll go into this weekend and just to do the same job that we’ve always done,” said Team Manager and driver Matt Plumb. “And that’s to perform to the best of our ability. If we have a car to win, if we have the track that suits the Porsche, we’ll go for the win. If we’re a second place car, we still want to win. We’re always trying to push a little bit further than what our car is capable of. With the team that we have, with the pit stops that we have, it’s possible. Our guys are the best in the business and we want to finish out the season on a high note.”

Rum Bum Racing will take to the track on Tuesday for a promoter test day. Official practice begins with a 45-minute session on Wednesday afternoon and another 45-minute session Thursday morning. Qualifying goes green Thursday afternoon at 5:15 PM ET.

The 2.5-hour race will begin at 12:15 PM ET on Friday with LIVE coverage on IMSA.com.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the event on Sunday, October 18 at 9:00 AM ET.

The post Rum Bum Racing Aiming High at Road Atlanta appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

Orlando, Fla. (28 September 2015) – The 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge will close out its 2015 season this Friday at Road Atlanta after a championship season that has stretched across North America.

For Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing, the goal remains the same as it has all year long as the squad targets victory in the 2015 season-finale race.

The Orlando, Florida-based team has delivered yet another strong season in GS class competition. The No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche has led over 150 laps in nine races this year with the brother driving duo of Matt and Hugh Plumb standing on the podium five times.

Rum Bum Racing was back in action for the penultimate round of IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge competition at Circuit of the Americas last weekend. Tune in this Sunday, September 27 at 1:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.

The post TUNE IN ALERT – Circuit of the Americas appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

Rum Bum Racing was back in action for the penultimate round of IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge competition at Circuit of the Americas last weekend. Tune in this Sunday, September 27 at 1:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1. **BROADCAST: FOX Sports 1, 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 27

**

Austin, Texas (18 September 2015) – In racing, even when everything goes according to plan, the racing gods occasionally step in and tear up the script.

That was exactly the case on Friday for Rum Bum Racing after what looked to be a winning run came to a heartbreaking halt with less than an hour to go in the race. Despite great team execution and outstanding race pace, and even with a healthy contingent of supporters including Jennifer Bacardi’s sister Jill on hand from Wisconsin, the championship hopes were dashed after the car was not able to finish the race.

Hugh Plumb opened the race from the front row after qualifying the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche second on the grid for the fourth time this year. He wasted no time in taking over the race lead as he maneuvered the No. 13 Porsche past the pole-sitting Mustang on the very first lap and never looked back. He had put nearly a nine-second lead over the field when Crew Chief Joe Varde brought the car to pit lane just prior to a full course caution for a full service stop about 50 minutes in.

“The car really shines in this heat,” said Hugh Plumb of the run. “It was very consistent and getting out front early, getting in the fresh air, and having the battle being behind me is everything a driver can hope for so we got a bit of a good start.”

Matt Plumb took control of the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche and once the caution period ran its course and every car made a pit stop, Plumb found himself back at the front of the field as he led the group to the green. Matt Plumb focused on tire management as well as running consistent race laps as he pulled his leading margin to nearly a four-second advantage.

A second full course caution was displayed with about an hour remaining in the race and Varde made yet another brilliant strategy call to take on four tires and fuel. The other GS competitors each took just two tires which saw Plumb exit the pit lane fifth in line.

Following the restart with 50 minutes to run, Plumb make it look easy as he made his way through the V8s of the Camaros and Mustangs to run second in line and challenge for the race lead.

Unfortunately all that championship momentum and champagne potential came to a heart breaking halt as a fluke mechanical issue came to fruition when debris punctured the radiator and left Plumb stranded at the side of the track from second place.

The IMSA Radio commentators remarked on the heads up driving from Matt Plumb as he recognized the issue and pulled off to a safe area on track.

“First of all I’d like to say what a fantastic event this is at Circuit of the Americas,” said Team Manager and Driver Matt Plumb. “The fans here have been fantastic. We’re the team coming into this as the underdog with two races to go and 10 points back. We’re surrounded by factory teams, and we’re the independent team, the little team that could. But we like to be, because we’re pretty tough underdogs. Going into this weekend, the car was fast, the Rum Bum team as usual was on top of their game. We settled into a good pace and were just very consistent. Our strategy was playing out very well, we took four tires and everyone else took two. Everything was going to plan until something came out of left field and took us out of the race. It’s a bit of a mystery but something came through and poked a hole into the radiator. It’s unfortunate that all the preparation in the world can’t account for things like that. Extremely proud of this team, I want to thank the Bacardi family, Joe Varde, and everybody on this team. Congratulations to the No. 6 on their win today.”

The 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship will commence at Road Atlanta in two weeks.

The Circuit of the Americas event will be televised on Sunday, September 27 at 1:30 PM ET.

The post Rum Bum Racing Snakebit in Texas appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

Austin, Texas (18 September 2015) – In racing, even when everything goes according to plan, the racing gods occasionally step in and tear up the script.

That was exactly the case on Friday for Rum Bum Racing after what looked to be a winning run came to a heartbreaking halt with less than an hour to go in the race. Despite great team execution and outstanding race pace, and even with a healthy contingent of supporters including Jennifer Bacardi’s sister Jill on hand from Wisconsin, the championship hopes were dashed after the car was not able to finish the race.

Austin, Texas. (17 September 2015) – Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing got off to another fast start at Circuit of the Americas on Thursday as Hugh Plumb qualified the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche second on the grid for Friday’s 2.5-hour IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race. The result marked the fourth race of the 2015 season in which the Rum Bum Porsche has started from the front row.

Hugh Plumb, who shares the car with his brother Matt Plumb, put down a fast lap of 2:23.443-seconds around the 3.427-mile road course just outside of Austin, Texas. That was enough for second on the grid, just two tenths off of the pole setting time.

The Florida-based team is aiming to add a third consecutive victory to its tally after winning the two previous events of Road America and Virginia International Raceway. Rum Bum Racing sits just 10 points out of the championship lead heading into the final two rounds of competition at Circuit of the Americas and then Road Atlanta.

“As always, Rum Bum Racing gives me 100% and they gave me a great car today,” said Hugh Plumb. “It’s great to be at this famous track surrounded by so many passionate race fans. It’s going to be hot tomorrow and it’s going to be greasy. As always, we’ll do the best we can tomorrow to put some distance between us and the (championship leading) No. 6 car. With this kind of team behind me, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I can’t thank Luis Bacardi and the whole Bacardi family enough for giving me the incredible opportunity to race for the best in the business.”

With just two practice sessions ahead of Thursday’s 15-minute qualifying run, track time was limited and Rum Bum Racing worked to get the most out of its No. 13 Porsche machine. The squad was immediately quick as Matt Plumb went fastest in the first practice session on Wednesday afternoon. A second practice Thursday morning saw the No. 13 set the fourth quickest time.

The Circuit of the Americas race goes green at 12:40 PM local time (1:40 PM ET) on Friday with LIVE video streaming on IMSA.com. The race action can also be viewed on the IMSA app.

Follow @RumBumRacing on Twitter for LIVE race updates.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the event on Sunday, September 27 at 1:30 PM ET.

The post Fourth Front Row Start of the Year for Rum Bum Racing at Circuit of the Americas appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

Austin, Texas. (17 September 2015) – Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing got off to another fast start at Circuit of the Americas on Thursday as Hugh Plumb qualified the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche second on the grid for Friday’s 2.5-hour IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race. The result marked the fourth race of the 2015 season in which the Rum Bum Porsche has started from the front row.

Orlando, Fla. (15 September 2015) – When it is time to step up to the plate, it is good to have some experience under the spotlight. For Rum Bum Racing, the stage is set as the team looks to make the most of the final two races of the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season as drivers Matt and Hugh Plumb head to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this weekend.

The team is fresh off of a huge victory in the previous round at Virginia International Raceway three weeks ago in which another brilliant strategy call from Crew Chief Joe Varde saw the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche come out on top.

With the win, Rum Bum Racing gained ground in its championship hunt and now sits just 10 points out of the top spot heading into the COTA round. The team has two IMSA Championships to its credit, and would love nothing more than to add to that legacy of success.

Rum Bum Racing has made two previous starts at the 3.427-mile Texas road course located outside of Austin which is one of the crown jewel racing facilities in North America. Starting third in both outings, Rum Bum Racing finished fourth in 2013 but suffered some bad racing luck in last year’s race after a piece of debris caused the serpentine belt to come off during the first pace lap.

But the persevering Rum Bum squad made a quick fix and lost just two laps as the team clawed back for 14th at the finish.

So far this year, the 2015 IMSA season has seen the Rum Bum team take three victories and five podiums in eight races. The organization aims to add a similar performance at COTA on Friday.

“VIR was just incredible and an awesome highlight for this entire team, but now we are all focused ahead on what we’ve got to do in these next two races,” said Matt Plumb. “As much as we want to do well in the championship, we can’t really be thinking about it. We just have to run as hard as we can these two races and execute as a group like we’ve been doing and see where things end up. COTA is a great track, and after our bad break there last year hopefully we can get a little bit better luck this Friday.”

The COTA event kicks off with practice on Wednesday, with another practice and qualifying session on Thursday. The 2.5-hour race is set to go green on Friday at 12:40 PM Central Time. The race will be streamed LIVE on IMSA.com.

FOX Sports 1 will televise the event on Sunday, September 27 at 1:30 PM ET.

The post Championship Revs Up for Rum Bum Racing at Circuit of the Americas appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

Orlando, Fla. (15 September 2015) – When it is time to step up to the plate, it is good to have some experience under the spotlight. For Rum Bum Racing, the stage is set as the team looks to make the most of the final two races of the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season as drivers Matt and Hugh Plumb head to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this weekend.

The IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race from VIRginia International Raceway airs on FOX Sports 1 this Sunday, Sept. 6 at 11 am ET. Trust us, you don’t want to miss it!

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

The post Tune in for VIR race broadcasting on FOX Sports 1 appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

The IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race from VIRginia International Raceway airs on FOX Sports 1 this Sunday, Sept. 6 at 11 am ET. Trust us, you don’t want to miss it!

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

Alton Va. (22 August 2015) – It was another big victory at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday as Rum Bum Racing delivered the team’s third win of the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season and 18th overall win since the team’s 2010 debut.

The result sees Rum Bum Racing improve in its championship fight with the team sitting just 10 points out of the championship lead with two races remaining on the 2015 calendar.

The victory didn’t come easily for brothers Matt and Hugh Plumb who drove without power steering after an issue emerged toward the end of Hugh’s first stint under the brutal warm Virginia weather conditions, but the duo persevered. Under the direction of Crew Chief Joe Varde, who called a perfect strategy that saw the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche leapfrog from fifth to the race lead when all of the other GS contenders ran short on fuel, the team came out on top.

“I think the stars aligned for us today and thankfully so, my mother was in attendance for her birthday and it was my wife and my 17th anniversary!” said Matt Plumb from Victory Lane. “Once the power steering issue occurred, I think the strategy changed to one of conservation. There is no one in the business better than Joe Varde and the Rum Bum gang to rethink a plan once a curveball is thrown. True to form, they played it right, and all I had to do was hang on to the car!”

Hugh Plumb opened from fourth on the grid and Varde called for an early pit stop under caution with about 30 minutes completed and the team pitted the car for fuel and tires.

He returned to the track and ran as high as second before pitting for a full service stop under the race’s third full course caution with about an hour and 12 minutes yet to run.

Matt Plumb immediately went into fuel saving mode as Varde called for a strategy that would see the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche save fuel and not make a late-race splash for fuel. That strategy call worked out perfectly as the race came to a close.

A full course caution was displayed shortly after the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche took the point and the race finished under caution. The Rum Bum machine led the two laps that mattered most and Matt Plumb took the checkered flag first in line.

“It was a bit grueling because the amount of force needed to work the wheel was a bit overwhelming for a while,” said Hugh Plumb. “It is just unbelievable and honestly these are the kinds of victories that make this team great. Winning when things are going right is one thing, but winning when everything goes wrong, that’s what separates the Rum Bum guys from the rest. Luis Bacardi knew what he was doing when he assembled this bunch!”

Rum Bum Racing now heads to Circuit of the Americas on September 16-18 for the penultimate round of the championship just 10 points out of the championship lead.

Notes:
– Second consecutive and third win of the season for Rum Bum Racing
– Rum Bum Racing improves in the championship hunt, now just 10 points out of the lead
– Plumb brothers three-for-three at VIR, every race at VIR they’ve run together the brothers have won
– Matt Plumb builds on his record as the winningest driver with 22 victories in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge
– Today is Matt Plumb’s 17th wedding anniversary and the Plumbs’ mother’s birthday
– With the win, Rum Bum Racing has stood on the podium in half of the races they’ve entered (62 starts, 31 podiums)
– The win is Rum Bum Racing’s 18th overall win in IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge

Catch the VIR race on Sunday, September 6 at 9:00 AM ET on FOX Sports 1.

The post Rum Bum Racing Wins at Virginia International Raceway appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

Alton Va. (22 August 2015) – It was another big victory at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday as Rum Bum Racing delivered the team’s third win of the 2015 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season and 18th overall win since the team’s 2010 debut.

The result sees Rum Bum Racing improve in its championship fight with the team sitting just 10 points out of the championship lead with two races remaining on the 2015 calendar.

Alton, Va. (21 August 2015) – Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing will start from the second row of the grid at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday which marks Round 8 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship. Hugh Plumb took the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche to a fast lap of 1:58.582-seconds around the 3.27-mile Virginia road course to a fourth place starting position.

The qualifying effort marks Rum Bum Racing’s seventh start this year among the first two rows of the grid.

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. The previous two times the Plumb brothers have teamed together at VIR, the pair has driven to victory lane.

Fresh off of winning at Road America two weeks ago and gaining ground in the championship hunt, the Rum Bum squad is looking for a repeat performance at VIR on Saturday.

“Thanks to the Rum Bum guys here they did a great job preparing the car and we have a good car for long distance,” said Hugh Plumb. “For one lap we’re not the quickest car in the field, and I’m okay with that. I know we’ll bring it to them tomorrow both on the race track and in pit lane. We’ll do what Rum Bum does best, which is go to the front and stay there.”

The 2.5-hour race is set to go green at 1:25 PM ET and will be streamed LIVE on imsa.com and on the IMSA app. Follow @RumBumRacing on Twitter for updates throughout the race!

The post Rum Bum Racing Fourth on VIR Grid appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

Alton, Va. (21 August 2015) - Luis Bacardi’s Rum Bum Racing will start from the second row of the grid at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday which marks Round 8 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge championship. Hugh Plumb took the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing Porsche to a fast lap of 1:58.582-seconds around the 3.27-mile Virginia road course to a fourth place starting position.

The qualifying effort marks Rum Bum Racing’s seventh start this year among the first two rows of the grid.

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Carries Winning Momentum to VIR appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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 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

The post Tune in for Road America race broadcasting on FOX Sports 1 appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Delivers Another Big Win at Road America appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Heads ‘Home’ to Road America appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.

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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