July 13th, 2010
by Dave Arnold/Arnold Communications
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 • July 13th, 2010 • IsoTorque takes Heinricy, Phoenix C5 Corvette to SCCA Runoffs Team Runs the Table in Watkins Glen Doubleheader 
In a show of dominance, created by integrating the top mechanical components and personnel, John Heinricy drove the Torvec/Phoenix Performance Chevrolet Corvette C5 to a pair of Sports Car Club of America National Championship points race wins over the weekend at Watkins Glen International in upstate New York. The doubleheader weekend at Watkins Glen saw Heinricy qualify on the pole for both Touring 1 class races and lead every lap. The season began with two class wins in the SCCA’s professional World Challenge series event at Mosport Park., Ont., then SCCA Nationals at both New Jersey Motorsports Park and Road America, Wis., site of the Sept. 20-22 National Championship Runoffs where Heinricy will race for his 12th Runoffs title. “In addition to the superb preparation of my car by Joe Aquilante’s crew at Phoenix Performance, Torvec’s IsoTorque differential was put to the test on a very hot racing surface, and through numerous places on the track where there was still residue from cars leaking oil over the weekend,” Heinricy said. “The IsoTorque differential gave me the added stability I needed to maintain my pace and rhythm.” Going into the race weekend, Heinricy held the Watkins Glen track records in the SCCA’s American Sedan and Touring 3 classes, both in cars built by Phoenix Performance. He added the Touring 1 class records on Saturday with a 2:03.550 lap, and improved it Sunday to 2:03.120, an average speed of more than 98mph around the 3.4-mile track. Retired from General Motors with 38 years engineering Corvette and other GM performance vehicles, Heinricy, of Holly, Mich., has a world-wide reputation as a development driver. Heinricy is now a consultant to Torvec, in Rochester, N.Y., helping the company develop the IsoTorque differential, which will be available this fall for fifth and sixth generation Corvettes, and later an application for current fifth generation Camaros. A Torvec differential was in the 2009 Runoffs-winning T2 class Pontiac Solstice raced by Don Knowles. Torvec’s President, Keith Gleasman, attended the Watkins Glen race along with a large number of the company’s shareholders. “Joe Aquilante’s Phoenix Performance team and John Heinricy, along with great weather, made this a perfect weekend to demonstrate the IsoTorque differential’s capabilities in real-time racing conditions to our shareholders,” Gleasman said. “That we can now do this well with a trouble-free, off-the-shelf product makes us so proud to be part of this program.” Gleasman’s son, Andrew, Torvec’s Technology Manager, added, “John ran a flawless race and the differential was a ‘no-concern’ component.” “It was a good weekend,” said Joe Aquilante. “The car ran without a hitch and the IsoTorque allowed the car to ‘free-up’ through the turns and let John get the power down much quicker exiting the turns.” Now that the Runoffs presence of Torvec, Phoenix Performance and Heinricy is assured, a planned detour has been thrown into the mix. “Joe sold my race car,” Heinricy said. “One of my teammates bought it, so as of the moment I don’t have a car to race there. “Phoenix Performance is in the business of building and selling Corvette T1 racecars. Joe’s shop is so good at building these cars that they always have very consistent performance. Joe has several other T1 Corvettes, both C5 and C6, which are all great performing racecars so I know that when we get to the Runoffs, I’ll have a great performing Phoenix Performance T1 Corvette to drive.” - end -
About Phoenix Performance: Phoenix Performance, Inc., owned by Joe Aquilante, is based in a 32,000 sq. ft. race shop in Phoenixville, PA, 40 miles west of downtown Philadelphia. Phoenix Performance-prepared cars have won 18 SCCA National Club Racing Championships since 1999, two professional series Driver and Manufacturer Championships, and the GM Motorsports Winner’s Circle Award. For more information, call 610-482-0141 or visit www.phoenixperformanceinc.com and www.phoenixperformance.net About Torvec: Torvec is a leader in advanced driveline technology. Torvec’s IsoTorque differential is an evolution in differential design, allowing for maximum traction without interfering with differentiation, resulting in improved performance, handling and safety. Evaluations by four separate racing teams have all shown a reduction in lap times by one second with just installing the IsoTorque. The IsoTorque’s fully patented gear design makes this all possible without the need for complex and costly electronics and is good for the life of the vehicle. The IsoTorque is currently being evaluated by several major OEMs and will be available in the fall of 2010 for all C5 – C6 Corvettes and 5th generation Camaros. For more information on Torvec and IsoTorque please visit Torvec.com About John Heinricy: Between 1984 and 2010, John Heinricy has won 42 professional sports car races and four season driving championships, 11 SCCA Runoffs National Championships, helped set a dozen international speed records, and currently holds two class records for laps around the 12.9-mile Nordschleife circuit of Germany’s famous Nürburgring. He is retired after 38 years as an engineer at General Motors. |