In its inaugural season, Kia Motors America and Kinetic Motorsports fielded two Forte Koup racecars in the 2010 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, Street Tuner (ST) Class. The goal at the start of the season was simple: be a strong competitor while learning the ropes – um, roads. Decorated drivers Nic Jönsson, Andy Lally, Trevor Hopwood and Adam Burrows got behind the wheels of Kia’s racing machines, providing the insight and feedback necessary for Kia and Kinetic Motorsports to constantly refine the Forte Koup’s track manners and improve performance. Through brutal tests and the rigors of endurance road racing, the drivers’ input dramatically improved critical components from the car’s brakes to its transmission. With performance tweaks being made before, during and after each race, and with support from sponsors Infinity Audio, HD Radio® and Mobis, Kia’s racing team continued to climb the standings race after race.
In the last race of the season, the Salt Lake City 200 at Miller Motorsports Park, both Forte Koups finished in the top ten, giving Kia six top finishes in its first season. This final race also pushed the fast Forte Koups above the likes of Mini and Porsche in the manufacturer standings in the Street Tuner class.
The 2011 season begins with the Grand-Am 200 from January 27-28 at Daytona International Speedway in Florida. If you’d like to try keeping up with all the high-speed action, including live race posts and updates, follow the Forte Koups on Facebook at facebook.com/kiaracing.
Kia Motors Open Road Issue 7, Winter 2011
