Flying Frenchmen at Watkins Glen? at Sixth Gear

Henri Richards new acquisition - The Porsche GT3 Cup

It’s been 6 LONG months since Guardian Angel Motorsports finished the Rolex24hr at Daytona and not a day goes by when I don’t think about what a phenomenal experience it was or how to ensure that it happens again in 2010.

It is also the last professional race I’ve done. My races year to date have been fleeting. A May SCCA National, a Porsche Club Race; a June 12hr SCCA endurance race and July has brought a Regional SCCA race…..in other words, i’m ITCHING to try my hand at another professional race.

This week I received a call from a new racing friend asking if I’d be interested in teaming with him in August 7th’s Grand Am race at Watkins Glen. Yup was the answer in case you couldn’t have guessed.

Rene Villeneuve and Henri Richards have teamed to drive Guardian Angel Motorsports inaugural Rolex24 steed #63.

Henri has been keeping a full Ferrari Challenge schedule which has kept the team from getting any more Rolex Races in. We had met at the May Laguna Seca race when a professional development program had me about an hour away the day before….how could I not lay over and catch the excitement?

Yellow Flag Parade at Laguna Seca

At that event, I had a chance to meet Alex Roy - author of the book, “Driver“. Alex had sponsored Henri & Rene and changed the livery of 63 to imitate that of a German Police car. The team was named “Polizei 144“. It’s actually a fascinating niche that Alex has carved himself and I found the entire thing pretty entertaining. Especially when three undercover FBI guys showed up to give Henri & Rene some department patches to wear on their driving suits.

Rene Villeneuve at Laguna Seca

In 1999, René realized the first of a three-part childhood dream - competing for the first time in the prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona in a Corvette C5-R. The next goal is the 12 Hours of Sebring and the third is the most famous sportscar race in the world – the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.

In 2001 and 2002 René competed in various events in the Speed World Challenge Series and although he loves the series for its fierce competition, he still wants to continue competing in the three most famous sportscar endurance events - and complete the quest to realize a dream that has been with him since he was a boy.

At home René enjoys spend as much time as possible with his two girls; Isabella (b. 1998), and Luca (b. 2002). Isabella is so proud of her daddy, she once spent an entire day carrying around a trophy that René had earned at a race. René has recently had a new helmet painted with Isabella’s favorite color Orange, replacing the red. She is very pleased!

And so the die has been cast for Ledoux & Villeneuve (The Flying Frenchmen) to take a pass at getting together an entry for the August 7, Watkins Glen Rolex Race. We’ve been donated the car, we’ve each got enough $$ together to cover tire, gas, insurance and entry fee. The final piece of the puzzle is to find a way to cover the trackside support ($40k). We’re hopeful that Guardian Angel Motorsports friends at www.love146.org when combined with the powerful channel that Team Polizei has built might be the key to unlock our SECOND charitable race undertaking for 2009. It would be such a critical victory for the Guardian Angel Motorsports effort as it’s a NASCAR/Grand Am double header and eyeballs would be plentiful. A key ingredient for sponsors AND cause partners alike.

We’d welcome ANY creative ideas, suggestions or input…we desperately need help to make this go.

More as we get it.

Loose Bruce