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.

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!

The post Vote for Rum Bum Racing as the Team to Win! appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.

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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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.

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Takes Second at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Third on the Grid at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.

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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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.

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Scores Slippery Sixth at Watkins Glen appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Eager for Watkins Glen Return 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.

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. (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.

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!

The post Rum Bum Racing Fourth on Monterey Grand Prix Grid appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Carrying Positive Momentum to Laguna Seca appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.

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.

The post Rum Bum Racing Scores Podium at Sebring International Raceway appeared first on Rum Bum Racing.

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.