Track Talk: What’s new in 2019
Feb 4, 2019

N90 A3374 2 960Px

It’s a “new year” in more ways than one for the Legistics racing team. New car. New class. New sponsors. New drivers. Not to mention exciting new developments in our Racing to End Alzheimer’s fundraising campaign.


New car: The #23 Speed Syndicate Audi RS3 LMS (TCR class), sponsored by Legistics, Racing to End Alzheimers, FastMD, FEL and Expo Systems. New tactics: For the first time this year, Racing to End Alzheimer’s honorees will be featured on the car’s livery throughout the season.

Race 1: Daytona

Building on the momentum from last year’s winning season, the Legistics/Racing to End Alzheimer’s racing team (with new co-sponsors FastMD, FEL and Expo Systems) was raring to go at the start of the first race of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series on January 25th at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

A late entry to the field, the #23 Speed Syndicate Audi RS3 LMS was something of a wild card with its freshly assembled drivers and crew. Driver (and orthopedic surgeon) Jay Salinsky – in the first of two races he’ll helm this season – started things off with a clean qualifying run and handed the car off to veteran driver Nick Galante 45 minutes into the race. Tearing out of the pits, Galante put his head down and outmaneuvered the rest of the TCR class to take the lead, battling the #37 Honda of Shelby Blackstock through every scorching turn of the track.

The switch to co-driver James Vance of Toronto, Canada, came at the halfway point in the four-hour race. Exiting the pits in 6th place, Vance worked his way back into the lead with just 14 minutes remaining on the clock. In a race heavy with yellow flag caution periods, the final caution to remove a disabled car proved to be one too many. On the restart, the #23 Audi faced relentless pressure from the #37 and #73 Hondas, ultimately crossing the line in third for a hard-earned podium finish.

New team: Drivers Nick Galante, James Vance and Jay Salinsky earned a spot on the podium in their first race together at Daytona Speedway.

Catch the race on NBCSN Thursday, February 7, 2019 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM EST

And stay tuned for highlights from the team’s 9 remaining races in the action-filled 2019 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.