• Nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen has been knighted by Danish Queen Margrethe in recognition of his motor sport accomplishments. The Audi factory driver was presented with the Order of the Dannebrog in Copenhagen. In addition to his Le Mans successes, Kristensen was also American Le Mans Series champion in 2002, and champion of the FIA World Endurance series in 2013. “I am very proud,” said Kristensen. “It is a great honor to know that the Royal Family has been following my career and recognizes me as a sportsman and ambassador of Denmark.”
• Porsche’s South African arm, Porsche SA, has purchased the Kyalami Racetrack at auction for R205 million (US$19.5 million). The 4.26-kilometer/2.66-mile circuit—which hosted the South African Grand Prix for Formula One between 1967 and 1985, and then again in 1992 and ’93—sits on a 178-acre property in Midrand, just north of Johannesburg, and early reports say that Porsche intends for the facility to benefit all motor racing enthusiasts. No specific plans have yet been announced by the circuit’s new owners, but it is believed that racing will resume before the end of the year.
• Two American safety equipment manufacturers have merged in pursuit of more efficient manufacturing operations and more effective customer service. MasterCraft Safely and Impact have joined forces to form Impact Racing Inc., a California corporation with manufacturing facilities in Indianapolis on the existing Impact campus. Both brands and logos will remain intact with the intention of serving the different demographics of the two existing companies. For more information, please visit www.impactraceproducts.com
• Dave Causey, a frequent top-10 finisher in the original Can-Am series, has died at the age of 84 at his home in Carmel, Indiana. Causey campaigned a variety of Lotus, Jaguar, Maserati, Porsche, Elva, McLaren and Lola entries during his nearly 20-year career, often co-driving with his brother. His top Can-Am finish was 2nd at Road Atlanta in 1970, his best season, when he finished 4th in the final point standings with his self-run Lola T163.
• Former European Touring Car Champion Martino Finotto has died at the age of 80 following a long battle with cancer. With co-driver Carlo Facetti, Finotto won the 1979 ETCC driving a BMW 3.0 CSL entered by the Jolly Club. He then turned his attention to sports car racing and became a regular fixture in the FIA’s World Sportscar Championship, and at the classic American endurance races at Daytona and Sebring—topped by a runner-up finish at Daytona in 1977 driving a Jolly Club Porsche 935 shared with Facetti and Romeo Camathias.
• Andy Bell of Ecurie Bertelli is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Blakemore as co-director. This appointment strengthens the management structure of Ecurie Bertelli and takes the company forward as the premier and most experienced organization selling, servicing and providing parts for pre-1940 Aston Martins.
