Rochester based Team Hard’s young rising star Damani Marcano has announced that he will be competing on two fronts in 2016.
The teenage sensation will take on a full season in both the MaximumGroup.net VAG Trophy as well as the Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup.
With renewed sponsorship from The Clever Baggers, Team HARD and RiverGlide Damani will have more time on the track and full participation in this championship.
In 2015, as an occasional guest driver in the VAG Trophy, Damani became the youngest driver ever to race in the series. He went on to become the youngest to qualify on the front row and the youngest ever to obtain fastest-lap in a VAG Trophy race.
Speaking about the potential that Damani has shown, Team Principal Tony Gilham, said: “Damani developed faster than I expected once we got him out on track for those extra rounds in the VAG Trophy last year.
“To go into any season as a novice with no significant testing beforehand or between race weekends and end the season with a front-row and a fastest lap is very impressive. To do that against experienced, adult racers, at just 16 is even more impressive. This just shows the potential we saw in Damani and we’re excited to see how he develops with the additional experience he’ll get in the car racing wheel to wheel in 2016.”
Damani’s first race of 2016 in the VAG Trophy will be on 28th March at Oulton Park, where Damani had his first taste of car racing last year. A month later Damani will compete in both the VAG Trophy and the Volkswagen Racing Cup on the same weekend at Donington Part (23rd-24th April). Both championships support similar regulations allowing Damani to use the same race-car in both series.
Giving his thoughts on racing in two series, Damani said: “With the extra backing from The Clever Baggers along with Team HARD and RiverGlide it was possible for me to increase the amount of track time I could have. Lack of track-time last year made each race weekend that much more challenging. While testing gives me more track-time, competing gives me more racing experience too.
“The team and I felt that racing experience was the most important area for me to work on this year. I will still need additional sponsorship to complete the season but this is much more likely from the extra coverage of being in two televised championships. I’m going to get in a lot of racing this season! I’m really excited about the season ahead!”
Damani has already begun physical training and spent time on the simulator with Pro-Sim. Testing on track with Team-HARD is planned to begin in February.
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