For 2010, race fans at the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will notice a very familiar looking car on track with a much different tone.  In the past, when the Team Sahlen race cars went by Mid-Ohio’s Thunder Valley, fans heard a Vroom Vroom tone that is all to familiar as an American V8.  But this year, fans will be treated to the Red, Black and Yellow Sahlen racers with a rather high pitched Zoom Zoom scream of a 3 rotor Mazda RX-8.   

For the 2010, Team Sahlen will be campaigning two Mazda RX-8s.  Drivers will be the familiar pairing of the father & son duo of Joe & Wayne Nonnamaker in the #43 Mazda.  And as well, Joe Sahlen & Will Nonnamaker will renew their partnership behind the wheel for the 6^th straight season. 

“We were honored to be approached by Mazda at the end of the 2009 season to join the MAZDASPEED team in GT.  The Mazda RX-8 is a fantastic race car.  There was already a strong contingent of teams racing Mazdas, including SpeedSource, Dempsey Racing and Racers Edge Motorsports.  The goal for all the Mazda teams in GT is to win the 2010 GT Class Manufacturer Championship.  Hopefully we can do our part to make this dream a reality.” States Joe Nonnamaker.

Already this season, Team Sahlen has notched consistent Top 10 finishes vents.  This has placed the team in 7^th place in the GT Team Standings.  Additionally, Ohio native Wayne Nonnamaker leads the Bob Akin Sportsman Award, for drivers whom do not earn a living from being a professional driver.  Wayne is hoping to emulate his brother Will, who won the inaugural Bob Akin Award in 2005.

Team Sahlen had already been a long time entrant of Mazda race cars, dating back to 1994.  Recently the team had been competing in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge with a SpeedSource built production based Mazda RX-8.  For this season, Team Sahlen worked with Mazda to introduce the brand new 2010 MAZDASPEED3. 

 Drivers for the #43 Team Sahlen MAZDASPEED3 are Joe Sahlen & Will Nonnamaker.  Will is a 3x ST Class champion (1999, 2001 & 2002).  Additionally, he is one of the all time leaders in the series in race starts.

 “Developing the MAZDASPEED3 has been a lot of fun.  All the team racing the MAZDASPEED3 have been working very closely together to make this a winning race car.  That is what makes racing a Mazda so much fun, because it is all one big family. If we can secure the Manufacture title in the ST class as well, it will be a major coup for all the Mazda teams in 2010.  With Mid-Ohio being my home track, I hope that this will be a little bit of an advantage that we can use to beat out the ST class competition this weekend.” – states Will Nonnamaker

Team Sahlen though is about a lot more than just the zoom zoom of Mazdas.  This Canton Ohio based team celebrated their 25^th Anniversary in Professional Racing during the 2009 season.   And when walking by the team trailer during the weekend, you get a strong sense of family.  Beyond just the familiar driver parings, many of the Nonnamaker and Sahlen family members are actively involved in the team.  You have to look no farther than the timing stand, where Kris Nonnamaker and Anita Sahlen give out vital lap data to the crew and drivers.  And many of the crew members have been with the team for over 10+ years.

Also, during the pre-race fan walk along pit road, watch for Team Sahlen’s official mascot, Hot Dog Boy, and his faithful sidekick Ketchup.  The duo will be handing out Team Sahlen merchandise bags, as well as Team Fan Cards.  Hot Dog Boy is always open for a good high five and a thumbs up to the crowd.  Ketchup is so named as she is always trying to “catch up” to the fast moving Hot Dog Boy.

2010 marks the 3^rd Season for Hot Dog Boy as an ambassador of Good Will and Relaxation for Sahlen’s at the race track.  “Life goes by fast these days.  This is especially true at the ROLEX weekends, where the race cars go really fast.  People need to remember to relax, and enjoy themselves.  Go out, have a cook out with your family and friends, with a good Sahlen’s Hot Dog, and enjoy a few laughs along the way.”  – states HOT DOG BOY

So just remember even though the Vroom Vroom has changed to Zoom Zoom, its still the same Team Sahlen from Canton, Ohio with the familiar the Lighting Bolts on the side racing around scenic Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The 2010 Team Sahlen GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 & GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Campaigns will be supported by Mazda, Mazdaspeed, HRPWorld.com, HAWK Performance, Cool Shirt, Racetech Seats, BBS, Racing Print Media, Alcon, Mothers Polish, EMCO, TheRaceSite.com, Grassroots Motorsports, Holliday Canopies, Alcon, CM Racing, Genesis Technologies, Endurance Karting, Bell Helmets, Castrol, Ianetti Design, and SpeedSource Engineering.