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Cosmo and Extreme Speed - A Force To Be Reckoned With at Sebring

Photo by John Thawley Guy Cosmo along with Extreme Speed Motorsports, debuted a new team and two new Ferrari F430 GTs at the 58th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida. The week-long event kicked off the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron championship season. From wheels down to the checkered flag, Extreme Speed Motorsports, sponsored by Patron Spirits, leveraged their on-track performance making a clear statement to all competitors in the GT2 division, they came to race and they're prepared to win.

Driving the #02 black Ferrari F430 GT, trimmed in the familiar Patron green, Cosmo was joined by co-drivers, Ed Brown and Joao Barbosa. The trio worked the 12 hour endurance race with precision and harmony, never missing a beat or putting a wheel off while delivering a 6th place finish in their division.

"It was a very long week," noted Guy Cosmo. "But it finally provided the team with an opportunity to make real-time comparisons against the best in the GT class. We were able to make solid gains all week long - not only in the car, but also in our pit stops, teamwork and with the drivers. It was instrumental in accelerating Ed's pace and getting him more comfortable behind the wheel."

"Personally, I really enjoy driving this Ferrari F430 GT," added Cosmo.  "It's a great match for my driving style and it's the kind of car that puts a smile on my face lap after lap. Michelotto and ESM have done an incredible job building and preparing these cars. They've contributed to our confidence and made us competitive right away. And to think, this is just the beginning.  There is a lot more to learn and extract from our cars and the team. We've only just started to scratched the surface."

Late in the race the #02 Ferrari's sister car, #01 Ferrari F430 GT driven by Scott Sharp, Johannes van Overbeek and Dominik Farnbacher, experienced a fire in the rear wheel housing. Scott Sharp, who was driving at the time, had the keen sense to pull the car into a safe area, virtually delivering it to the safety crews, who got the fire under control. Scott walked away from the incident unharmed.

"I felt terrible for our teammates Scott, Johannes and Dominik," said Guy. "They were close to grabbing a podium finish before the fire took them out of the race.  The Extreme Speed crew have a tremendous task ahead of them rebuilding the #01 car for Long Beach. Fortunately, they're the right crew for the job."

"After such a long week, I'm ecstatic with our 6th place finish," exclaimed Guy. "This was our first outing and Sebring is arguably the most demanding track in the world and the 12 Hour one of the toughest races. I'm happy to have played a part pulling in a solid result for Extreme Speed, Ferrari Corse Cliente, Michelin and our sponsor Tequila Patron. Now I just can't wait for Long Beach!"

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

The Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach is the second round of the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. The race, set at the historic Long Beach street circuit, is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 15 with coverage on SPEED set for 8 to 10 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius and XM. Visit the the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

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GUY COSMO BEGINS A NEW CAREER CHAPTER AT 58th MOBIL 1 12 HOURS OF SEBRING PRESENTED BY FRESH FROM FLORIDA

When the field takes the green flag for Saturday's 58th running of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida, Guy Cosmo will shift his driving career into high gear.  Piloting a brand new Ferrari F430 GT car under the banner of Tequila Patrón Extreme Speed Motorsports, Guy will rejoin the upper echelon of sports car racing competing in America's premier sports car series, the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.

Extreme Speed Motorsports will compete with two cars, one piloted by Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek, and the other with Ed Brown and Guy Cosmo behind the wheel. Tequila Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is sponsor, along with Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire sponsor Michelin.

Sebring, a former WWII airfield, is known for it's unprecedented abuse of cars and drivers alike. It is one of the most difficult sports car endurance circuits in the world. For many, simply finishing the 12 Hours amounts to a victory of sorts. In a word, the 12 Hours of Sebring is brutal.

For Guy Cosmo, the 58th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring comes down to a lifetime of preparation.

"This is huge for me," noted Cosmo. "You think of all the corny cliches you hear athletes say in interviews, and suddenly, in a situation like I'm in today, they don't seem quite so corny."

"When you find yourself in a scenario where everything feels right, your confidence soars," explained Cosmo. "Not that you want to be over confident, but you step outside of yourself and review the task at hand. Driving in the American Le Mans Series and at this level of racing is what I've worked and trained for my whole career. Driving for a high-caliber team like Scott Sharp's Extreme Speed Motorsports is where I'm supposed to be… it's a seat I worked for and I've earned. On top of all that, I understand the professional requirements of working with a partner like Tequila Patrón. So upon personal review, I'm ready for this. This is what I've worked for and this is where I'm supposed to be."

Extreme Speed Motorsports and the Ferrari F430:

"I can't say enough about the car and the team," said Guy. "The testing and development program has gone very well. I think Scott's assembled a fantastic team and it's remarkable what they've accomplished to get us to this point. And, the cars… well, I chuckle to myself now and then… but after all, it's a Ferrari. Seriously, how can you not love driving a Ferrari. They're just great cars to drive."

Michelin Tires:

"If there is one single component on the car a driver is intimately attached to, it's the tires," expressed Cosmo. "The tires are your sensory connection to the track. They tell you everything you need to know in order for you to attack the track intelligently. The Michelins do it in spades. You can have the best car in the world, but if it's not on the right tire, it doesn't matter... "

Sebring and the 58th running of the 12 Hours:

"My first American Le Mans race ever was the 2003 Sebring 12 Hour," Guy recalled. "I've only raced in it a handful of times, so I can't wait to get another one in the log book. As a start-up team and as our first race, we are approaching Sebring with realistic expectations… from both cars. I certainly expect us to be right in the mix, contending with the best in the class and sending a message that the Patrón Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferraris are strong and the team a force to be reckoned with. We have no intentions of writing off the year simply 'coming-up-to-speed.' We're here to race."

Guy will be joined in the car by Ed Brown. Brown is formerly a Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama driver who made his debut in the American Le Mans Series in 2009 in the GT Challenge class with ORBIT Racing. Brown’s best finish in the GT Challenge class last season was in the runner-up position at Lime Rock Park.

Joao Barbosa and Dominik Farnbacher will join the team for the 58th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida, and Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans later this year.

Barbosa, who won the 24 Hours of Daytona earlier this year, will compete with Cosmo and Brown while Farnbacher, a four-time winner in the Series driving an F430 GT, will join Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek in the team’s other entry.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.


The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will open its 12th season with America’s greatest sports car race, the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida from March 17-20. The green flag will fall at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 20 with live coverage on SPEED starting at 10 a.m. ET. Live coverage also will be available on American Le Mans Radio, as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 245. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh from Florida Schedule (All times local):

Monday, March 15
10:00am - 12:00pm: Testing
3:00pm - 5:00pm: Testing

Tuesday, March 16
11:20am - 12:20pm: Testing
3:20pm - 4:20pm: Testing

Wednesday, March 17
2:20pm - 2:50pm: Testing LMP classes only
2:50pm - 3:50pm: All classes

Thursday, March 18
10:30am - 11:30am: Practice
2:05pm - 3:05pm: Practice
7:15pm - 9:00pm: Practice

Friday, March 19
9:40am - 10:40am: Practice
12:00pm - 1:00pm: Driver autograph session
2:25pm - 2:50pm: Qualifying LMP classes

Saturday, March 20
8:00am - 8:25am: Warm-up
10:30am - 10:30pm: Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida

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The Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame to Honor Guy Cosmo with the Dick Moroso Memorial Motorsports Award

On March 21st 2010, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission will honor Guy Cosmo with the Dick Moroso Memorial Motorsports Award at the Sports Hall of Fame. This award honors the person that has contributed and made a mark on motorsports in Palm Beach county.  Covering all aspects of racing, from drivers to sponsors, the Dick Moroso Memorial Motorsports Award brings awareness to the impact of motorsports while keeping alive the memory of Dick Moroso and his passion for sportsmanship and competition.

As one of the most recognizable names within Palm Beach road racing community, Guy Cosmo's hard work, self-determination and natural skill have driven him along the path of his dreams.  Guy found his calling at the early age of 14 when he started racing Karts. And while many children will tell you that they want to be a race car driver when they grow up, few actually realize those dreams. More than Guy's impressive list of successes during his young career, it is his charisma and love for the sport that truly define him as a driver of character.

As a result of his extensive background, for 2010, Cosmo will join Extreme Speed Motorsports. Under the helm of Indy Racing League champion race car driver Scott Sharp, of Jupiter, FL, Patron Tequilla Extreme Speed Motorsports has established their new state-of-the-art race shop in Stuart, FL. Guy will co-drive one of the teams two new Ferraris in the highly competitive GT class of the American Le Mans Series. The GT class attracts manufacturer-backed teams from Corvette, Porsche, BMW, Jaguar and Ferrari. The American Le Mans is a top-tier pro Series and races on road courses throughout North America.

A proven front-runner in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype category, Guy also plans to compete this year in Grand-Am's Continental Tire Challenge, driving a 911 Porsche for BGB Motorsports. He also completed the 2010 24 Hours of Daytona with Orbit Racing, of Riviera Beach.

A knack for teaching also has Guy in high demand by both driving schools and private individuals. His entrepreneurial spirit created Cosmo-Sport and COSMEDIA, two companies that cover everything from retail to driving schools.

Much of Guy's success stems from supportive family, friends and fans. He won the Formula Ford SE Division in 1997 at the age of twenty, the USF2000 American Continental Championship in 1999, the Star Mazda North American Championship in 2002, and the 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year award.

In addition to the recognition of Guy Cosmo’s accomplishments, the Dick Moroso Memorial Motorsports Award helps highlight the economic and social impact of motorsports to Palm Beach county. In addition, the Award brings awareness to the Sports Hall of Fame, paving the way for future Hall of Fame inductees from the motorsports community.

The banquet will be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center March 21, starting at 5:30 PM. Tickets may be purchased individually for $75 (members) or $85 (non-members) and are also available for full-table purchases.

Visit the website www.palmbeachsports.com for more information or contact Laura South at LauraSouth@comcast.net 561-371-7818.


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John Thawley  ~  Creative Communications Group ~ 248.227.0110




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