June 26th, 2010
by Dave Arnold/Arnold Communications
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 June 26th, 2010 • Heinricy, Torvec-Phoenix Corvette Win SCCA June Sprints "Quest for 12th Runoffs National Championship Continues" 
Eleven-time Sports Car Club of America Runoffs National Champion John Heinricy continued his goal of an invitation to this year’s Runoffs with a solid Touring 1 class win at the June Sprints, held June 26 on the world-famous Road America road course near Elkhart Lake, Wis. Heinricy and the black Torvec Chevrolet Corvette C5, prepared by Phoenix Performance, Inc., of Phoenixville, Pa., qualified second quickest in the class, took the lead on the second lap and was never challenged for the remainder of the 44-mile race. The win was the second consecutive one this year for Heinricy and the Torvec Corvette. “We have to compete and finish in a minimum of four SCCA Nationals to get an invitation to the Runoffs,” he said, “so this has us halfway home. The final weekend will be a double-header July 10-11 at Watkins Glen, N.Y., where each of the SCCA’s dozens of classes will have the opportunity to race twice. Phoenix Performance owner Joe Aquilante noted the June Sprints was selected because of the quantity and quality of T-1 class cars who use the event as a “tuneup” for the September 20-26 Runoffs. “Now we know where we are against most of the top Corvettes, Vipers and Ferraris we’ll see at the Runoffs.” “We had a good class of Ferraris and Dodge Vipers to race against today, but after the pole-sitter had a problem on the second lap, I was able to finish 1.4 seconds ahead of the second place Ferrari. “Road America has a unique combination of some very fast turns with some quite slow ones,” Heinricy added. “The IsoTorque differential gave me the stability that I needed for confidence in the fast turns while still being able to differentiate on the slow turns, thus reducing understeer.” Retired from General Motors with 38 years engineering Corvette and other GM performance vehicles, Heinricy, of Holly, Mich., has a world-wide reputation as a development driver. Heinricy is now a consultant to Torvec, in Rochester, N.Y., helping them to develop the IsoTorque differential. This fall the IsoTorque will be available for fifth and sixth generation Corvettes, followed by an application for current fifth generation Camaros. A Torvec differential was in the 2009 Runoffs-winning T2 class Pontiac Solstice raced by Don Knowles. About Phoenix Performance: Phoenix Performance, Inc., owned by Joe Aquilante, is based in a 32,000 sq. ft. race shop in Phoenixville, PA, 40 miles west of downtown Philadelphia. Phoenix Performance-prepared cars have won 18 SCCA National Club Racing Championships since 1999, two professional series Driver and Manufacturer Championships, and the GM Motorsports Winner’s Circle Award. For more information, call 610-482-0141 or visit www.phoenixperformanceinc.com and www.phoenixperformance.net About Torvec: Torvec is a leader in advanced driveline technology. Torvec’s IsoTorque differential is an evolution in differential design, allowing for maximum traction without interfering with differentiation, resulting in improved performance, handling and safety. Evaluations by four separate racing teams have all shown a reduction in lap times by one second with just installing the IsoTorque. The IsoTorque’s fully patented gear design makes this all possible without the need for complex and costly electronics and is good for the life of the vehicle. The IsoTorque is currently being evaluated by several major OEMs and will be available in the fall of 2010 for all C5 – C6 Corvettes and 5th generation Camaros. For more information on Torvec and IsoTorque please visit Torvec.com About John Heinricy: Between 1984 and 2010, John Heinricy has won 42 professional sports car races and four season driving championships, 11 SCCA Runoffs National Championships, helped set a dozen international speed records, and currently holds two class records for laps around the 12.9-mile Nordschleife circuit of Germany’s famous Nürburgring. He is retired after 38 years as an engineer at General Motors. |