Team Sahlen is proud to announce that Dane Cameron will be joining their 3 car Mazda RX-8 campaign in the 2012 Grand American ROLEX Series.

Dane joins Team Sahlen after a successful 2011 campaign, where he drove for Dempsey Racing’s #41 Mazda RX-8.  Dane secured 6^th Top 5 finishes enroute to 7^th in the Driver’s Championship.   This included concluding the last 2 events with dual 3^rd place finishes.

“I am really excited to be joining Team Sahlen's for the 2012 season. They really came on strong during the last part of 2011 and I think we can carry that momentum into the current season. Team Sahlen's has been piece by piece been putting together an organization that can win the Rolex GT Championship and I am very honored to be the final piece as we push for the first GT Championship for Wayne and myself. This will be the third full season for Team Sahlen's with the Mazda RX-8 GT car as well as my third so I think both of us are ready for an all out attack for the championship.”

Dane will be teamed up with Wayne Nonnamaker in the #42 Mazda RX-8

“Dane and I co-drove together before in 2009 in a Mazda RX-8 for Racer’s Edge Motorsports.  We got along great that weekend. Our driving styles and off track personalities are very similar.  And as a bonus we are almost the same size, which will make driver changes very quick.”  Shares Wayne Nonnamaker, the 2011 Bob Akin Sportsman Award GT Class Winner.

Added Joe Nonnamaker - “It’s very exciting to have Dane with us for 2012.  For 201, we were able to have MAZDASPEED Development Driver John Edwards with us for the 2^nd half of the season.  Now we have the opportunity to continue this trend by having another successful MAZDASPEED Development Driver in Dane Cameron with us.   Dane certainly proved himself in 2011, as not only one of the top Mazda drivers, but one of the top GT drivers.”

“We had a vision for Team Sahlen at the end of 2009 to contend for the Driver’s Championship.  2010 was set to be a growing year, getting everything in place, during our 1^st season in the RX-8s.  Then for 2011, we desired to be a front line team, contending for podiums, and threatening for victories.  This was accomplished this season.  Now, hopefully everything is in position to now contend for the Driver’s Championship in 2012.  This is no easy task, as this is everyone’s goal.  Having Dane on board is the final piece to that puzzle in our pursuit of this quest.” – shared Joe Sahlen

Dane Cameron CV:

Dane Cameron is undoubtedly one of the most talented young American drivers on the racing scene today, arriving at this stage of his career by quickly distinguishing himself on every rung of the road racing ladder.

It began in 2000 with an extremely successful karting career that, over four years, included a second place finish in the Canadian National Karting Championships, a first place finish in the 2003 Jim Russell Karting 80cc Junior Shifter Championship, a scholarship to the Jim Russell Racing School and a finalist spot in the 2004 Red Bull Driver Search.

Dane continued his winning ways into 2005, when he was named SCCA Formula Jim Russell Series Champion and Rookie of the Year. As a Team USA Scholarship driver, the following year he won the 2006 Palmer Audi Winter Championship in Europe, earned honors as the 2006 F2000 Rookie of the Year and finished second in the championship.

In 2007, Dane blew the doors off the Star Mazda Championship, where he was not only named Rookie of the Year, but also Series Champion, the second driver in the Star Mazda’s 18-year history to become champion in his first season. This earned Dane a full season in the Formula Atlantic Championship Series for 2008 where he earned one pole, two podium and six top 5 finishes.

This is just the beginning for Dane Cameron. In eight short years, he has become one of the most talked-about drivers in sports car racing. And if you’ve ever seen him on the track, you can tell; he’s just getting started…

Team Sahlen CV:

Founded in 1984, had its start in Endurance Sports Car racing in the founding year of what would eventually become the Continental Tires Series.  In 2005, Sahlen’s joined the team to become a partner in the team and as presenting brand name for the team. Currently Team Sahlen campaigns 3 Mazda RX-8s (#42, #43, #49) in the ROLEX Sports Car Series.  The 2012 campaign will mark the 13 season that the team has been partnered with MAZDASPEED.

Team Sahlen race cars are famous for their Red, White & Black paint schemes with Yellow Lighting bolts.  And beyond the on track success that the team has achieved, the race fans know Team Sahlen for their off track warm and inviting family oriented environment.  This includes having their very own mascots: Hot Dog Boy and his sidekick Ketchup at the track to meet with fans.  And often the team has unique and funny sayings on their Mazdas, including the current message of “Fueled by Hot Dogs” emblazoned on the rear quarter panels.  For 2011, fans were able to become Sahlenfanatics by obtaining the crazy Hot Dog Hats that were sold at the Grand American Merchandise Trailer. 

Team Sahlen Statistics:

• 53 Victories
• 158 Podiums
• 40 Pole Positions
• 41   Fastest Race Laps
•    600+ All-Time Entries

Driver Championships

          - 7 First Place Finishes

                   1984, 1987, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

- 3 Second Place Finishes

1998, 1999, 2003

- 5 Third Place Finishes

1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002

Team Championships  

- 7 First Place Finishes        

1984, 1987, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

- 6 Second Place Finishes

1985, 1988, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004

- 4 Third Place Finishes

2000, 2002, 2003, 2004

Manufacturer Championships

- 10 First Place Finishes

1984, 1987, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2003, 2004, 2004, 2005, 2010

- 12 Second Place Finishes

1985, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2011

- 4 Third Place Finishes

1986, 1990, 1991, 1992

• 2 Rolex GT Bob Akin Sportsman Award

–    2005, 2011

• 5 Rising Star Awards

–    1991, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004

• 4 Crew Chief of the Year Awards

–    2001, 2003, 2003, 2004

• 3 Paint Scheme of the Year Awards

–    2003, 2004, 2004

• Top Team in Performance Index

–    2004

• Sony Team Management Award

–    1999

• Deringer “Forward Motion” Award

–    1999

• Sunoco Top Performing Team Award

–    1999

• 5 Most Entries in Series

–    1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011

• Series Marketing Appreciation Award

–    2000

• Amateur Regional Awards

–    1992 SCCA WOR Rookie of the Year

–    1995 SCCA NEOHIO ITE class

–    1997 SCCA NEOHIO SSA class

The 2011 Team Sahlen campaign in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 is supported by Mazda, Mazdaspeed, HRPWorld.com, Cool Shirt, Racetech Seats, BBS, Racing Print Media, Alcon, Mothers Polish, EMCO, NGK Spark Plugs, TheRaceSite.com, Western New York Flash, Grassroots Motorsports, Castrol Oil, Holliday Canopies, ASC Industries, Iannetti  Design Ideas, CM Racing