Live Search Racing: Team Seattle

Quick Results Post

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 03:25:54 GMT

There are plenty of articles online about who won, etc… (couple good ones here and here)…and we hear from Mike that MSN Autos has coverage coming this week. Having been up 23 of the 24 hours (had to nap and dry out 4am-5am after the back stretch shenanigans - see Doc and Crew video below for details there) your author doesn’t have much left in the tank to write a full recap from the fan’s perspective (Ross is promising a driver’s recap soon too)…but promise more pictures and summaries this coming week for all of you following along (and thanks for joining us!!).

Officially (according to the Daytona press release):

The Live Search Car #85 started 30th in class (54^th overall) and finished 21st (35^th in class) having completed 572 total laps.

Drivers: Ross Bentley, Don Kitch Jr., Steve Miller, Chris Pallis

The Kid's Country Learning Centers Car #84 started 33rd in class (61^st overall) and finished 13th (24^th over all) having completed 619 total laps.

Drivers: Chris Bingham, Bill Cotter, Chris Pennington, Don Pickering

This was Team Seattle’s 12^th and final year at Daytona for the Rolex 24 Hour and raised in excess of $440,000 for Children’s Hospital this weekend,well over $3,000,000 in 12 years...so while we didn't finish in first place, one could argue we truly won it for the kids and that is why we were here.

ALSO NOTE: The check presentation isn't for a few weeks so there is still time to donate...click the link in the upper left of the page here...every penny helps.

More posts coming this week...good night.

Ross at the end of the Daytona race

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:47:33 GMT

No, that's not Johhny Rotten, that's Ross in some seriously bright sunshine on pit row moments before the end of the race.

Video: Ross at the end of the Daytona race

Live Search & Team Seattle - Racing For a Cause

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:48:00 GMT

By Stacie Suzuki

On January 26th and 27th, Team Seattle will race the Live Search Porsche race car at Daytona, and they're partnering with Live Search to raise per-lap donations for Children's Hospital. To promote this great cause, we've organized two fun events which will take place this week:

The Microsoft Campus Party will be held on Tuesday, January 8th from 12-3pm in building 33 McKinley. Come meet the Team Seattle drivers and check out the Live Search Porsche race car. You can race on our mini slot car track or play Xbox racing games and win cool Team Seattle and Live Search prizes. Lunch and drinks will be provided.

The Team Seattle Send Off Party will take place on Saturday, January 12th from 6-9pm at Park Place LTD in Bellevue. Join other car enthusiasts, team supporters, car clubs, and sponsors for live music, food, drinks, show cars, and cool Team Seattle giveaways. Challenge the Team Seattle drivers to a race with their virtual reality video game - so realistic, you'll think you're actually racing at Daytona!

We need your help to reach our goal of $1,000 per lap - all proceeds benefit Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center. Please stop by one (or both) of these events to show your support and have a great time doing it!

Team Seattle Raises $474,000 for Effort at 2007 24 Hours Daytona

Sat, 19 May 2007 05:59:26 GMT

by Justin Osmer

January 30th, 2007 - Live Search and MSN Autos helped sponsor Team Seattle's efforts to benefit Children's Hospital for the 24 hour endurance race held in Daytona (the Rolex 24 Hour). Primary support was behind the #82 GT Porsche and secondary support was for the #83 GT Porsche...here is a quick update from their weekend in Daytona.

Once the green flag flew at 1:30pm Eastern both Team Seattle cars immediately started gaining positions through the GT class. For the first half of the race the #82 Live Search car was doing quite well, keeping pace with the competition.

As night fell there was a significant possibility of rain coming sometime after midnight. Just before the rain and just before 1am the #82 car was routinely exiting turn one and accelerating to approach turn two with Chris Pallis at the wheel. Suddenly he was tapped from behind by a Prototype car (a faster class car that share the track with the GT class cars throughout the entire race) which sent the car hard into the guardrail. The car went airborne and rolled at least once.

Fortunately Chris climbed out of the car without a scratch, however the car was a total loss. The race was immediately "red flagged" (stopped) to allow course workers to clear the debris and repair the guardrail. Now down one car the focus shifted to making sure the #83 machine made it through the night and the repeated rain showers that persisted until 8am. The #82 team passed the baton to the #83 team and they ran with it.

All was certainly not lost as the team exceeded the their goals and raised $474,000 to benefit Children's...between the two cars they completed 768 laps and the #83 car made it for the full 24 hours crossing the finish line just after 1:30pm on Sunday. There was also increased media interest in Team Seattle's efforts referenced frequently throughout the race on the cable channel Speed which carried a vast majority of the race live. We are also expecting in the coming weeks a story to air on Evening Magazine (KING-5/Seattle) about the team and will feature the #82 car extensively.

The trip to Daytona is no easy feat and fielding two cars (and their teams) for a full 24 hours is another. It was truly amazing to see the community of people supporting the team from the garage to the grid to the finish line, many of them volunteering their time to make it all come together. And all for a good cause in Children's Hospital which has touched some many people around the world and across the Puget Sound.

More: MSN Autos coverage of the race itself and the Team Seattle effort.

Justin Osmer