| New race team enters IMSA professional road racing with an all-star team set on winning big |
| Tampa, Florida (January 12, 2019) —FASTMD has partnered with Racing to End Alzheimer’s and Expo Systems to compete in its first-ever IMSA professional road racing series at the 2019 Michelin Pilot Challenge. The drivers of the FASTMD Audi RS3 TCR are Nick Galante, James Vance, and Jared Salinsky. |
| Each of the three drivers have earned podiums in IMSA (former) Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge (CTSC) series competition. Galante won both the driver and team championships in the Street Tuner (ST) class in 2018 with then-teammate Devin Jones. Galante and Jones also were victorious in the four-hour race at Daytona International Speedway last season, the same race which will mark the first of this team’s competitions in 2019. Vance most recently competed in the CTSC 2017 season, during which he earned a double podium finish at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in both the ST and Prototype class races. In 2018, Salinsky took the checkered flag with co-driver Mark Pombo at his home track Sebring International Raceway to stand atop the ST class podium. Lead sponsor Florida Advanced Spine and Sports Trauma centers (FASTMD) (www.fastmd.com) provides the highest level of both surgical and nonsurgical spinal care to patients by employing the most cutting-edge techniques to help manage back pain. Recognizing the need to help get patients back to work, back to play, and back to their daily lives quicker, Dr. Farhan Siddiqi, MD began working on building a practice that would provide quality care to patients without the wait. In 2016 he started FASTMD, a spine and orthopedic practice that provides same-day care. Dr. Siddiqi is Fellowship-trained in endoscopic spinal surgery and can treat spinal issues from the neck to lower back using minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Siddiqi has performed more than 20,000 spine procedures and developed a Minimally Invasive Endoscopic laser Decompression (MEND) procedure in which he is able to treat most spinal disease with only a 1/8” incision with no stitches. He is also part-owner of the only privately owned FDA-approved stem cell laboratory and storage facility in the country, where he’s been successful in using patients’ own stem cells during procedures to ensure enhanced surgical outcomes. Dr. Jared Salinsky (Trinity, FL) is an orthopedic surgeon and professional race car driver who will return for a partial season with the new FASTMD team. He and Dr. Siddiqi have been friends for many years and only recently discovered they both share a love and passion for racing. Dr. Jay introduced Dr. Siddiqi to IMSA racing and together they formed what could be the strongest team in the TCR paddock. Being part of what he believes to be an all-star team, Dr. Siddiqi is looking forward to both a successful season and the first Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR championship. “It is an honor to represent FastMD in the first season of the Michelin Pilot Challenge Championship driving an incredible Audi RS3 TCR,” said Dr. Salinsky. “FASTMD does amazing things both in the operating room and now in professional racing. It’s a privilege to be part of a team with two incredible drivers like Nick Galante and James Vance. I definitely think we will be a seriously competitive team and will win our share of races this year.” James Vance (Toronto, Ontario, CA) brings several years of IMSA racing experience to the wheel of the Audi RS3 TCR, and echoes the excitement of Drs. Siddiqi and Salinsky. “I couldn’t be more proud with what this group of amazing individuals has put together to get us on track for the 2019 season. Nick and I got a call from Jay asking what we were up to for the season and the timing just worked out. We have some amazing companies involved with us this season. My long-time partner ExpoSystems along with FEL, Nick bringing Legistics and the Racing to End Alzheimer’s charity and welcoming the FastMD guys to the racing game, we can’t wait to bring home some hardware this season! A big shout out to Chris Vallee and the Speed Syndicate guys and gals, they have been involved in IMSA competition and succeeded at it convincingly so I can’t wait to get to work with them and their outfit. We have epic partners, a wicked driver line up paired with a team that can get the job done this season. Let’s get it!” Nick Galante (Monterey, CA) rounds out the trio, adding his own championship experience and support to the team. “This season is looking to be a season of things coming full circle. When I first got into motorsports, I dreamed of racing within the Audi brand. It was my first alliance. So, this has been a long time coming, something I am looking forward to. Being paired up with James Vance ‘The Toronto Terror’ was an opportunity I jumped at. When I first got my foot in the door of IMSA racing years ago, I was paired with James a couple of times back in 2011 and 2012 with the great team Racers Edge. To be back together with him and in an Audi, it’s looking to be a team to watch this season. I am excited to be a part of this new IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season and see where we stack up against this fast growing TCR field. Not only, are we looking to run up front in this series, we are eager to keep the noble campaign of the Racing to End Alzheimer’s charity going strong. R2endAlz.org broke records for their successful charity campaign in the past two years, raising awareness for the disease that is affecting more and more families each year. We are excited again to be partners with the great cause.” FastMD Racing is joined in the Michelin Pilot Challenge effort by several successful organizations. ExpoSystems (https://exposystems.com) provides award winning exhibit design, trade show booth design and portable trade show displays for companies across North America. ExpoSystems is the largest modular trade show display manufacturer in Canada and provides exhibit design solutions for all industries and business models. With more than 40 years of experience, our exhibit design company offers a complete range of trade show display solutions and services; from exhibit design, in-house large format graphics production and display manufacturing to all show services. Rental and storage options are also available. FEL (Franczak Enterprises Ltd.- https://feldrives.com) is a learning and promotion company serving the North American automotive sector since 1986. FEL service solutions bring automotive products and the market into sharper focus for sales, press and consumer audiences. The FEL head office is located in St. Catharines, Ontario, with sales offices in Toronto and Detroit. The non-profit Racing to End Alzheimer’s (https://www.r2endalz.org/) is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the cutting-edge research, treatment and support services that will end the scourge of Alzheimer’s once and for all. Alzheimer’s afflicts 5.7 million Americans and over 50 million people worldwide, with tragic consequences for the individuals, families and societies grappling with its devastating effects. |
| The FASTMD Audi RS3 TCR team will take on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway in the team’s first Michelin Pilot Challenge event in the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge on Friday, January 25, 2019. Green flag drops live at 12:15pm on IMSA.tv. Ticket information and event schedules for this race and the entire season can be found at www.imsa.com. |
| Follow our drivers on social media: James Vance Instagram: jamesvancee Facebook: James Vance Racing Nick Galante Instagram: nickgalanteracing Facebook: Nick Galante Racing Jay Salinsky Instagram: chris_and_jay_salinsky Facebook: Salinsky Racing |
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