Ubantu Resort to sponsor Drewer's 'new' approach at Road America.

A change of sponsor and a change to his preparation regime have resulted in Australian Le Mans hopeful, Tom Drewer feeling more positive than ever heading into this weekend’s Road America Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase featuring the American Le Mans Series (August 13-16, USA).

His new sponsor is Ubantu, a South-East Asian resort that will feature a full racing circuit.

In his quest to be Australia’s next Le Mans Series and 24 Hour starter, the twenty four year old from Adelaide, South Australia (venue of the ALMS Race of a Thousand Years, New Year’s Eve 1999-2000), has also teamed up with Health Defence and fitness trainer Gary Daniels.

“I’m more determined than ever to reach the top. Over the last year I have received a lot of recognition from Australia’s motor racing press, and while some would consider that pressure, it fuels me to succeed.”...

Australia’s AutoAction magazine has named Tom ‘Best Overseas Rookie’ in their annual awards while prestigious Wheels magazine has put Tom in their ‘Hot Half Dozen Watch List’ for 2009. Recently AutoAction magazine’s Cartoonist John 'Stonie' Stoneham pencilled in Drewer as one of Australia’s future Le Mans winners in a cartoon.

“2009 has been rather tough as I expected, even after winning the 2008 IMSA Lites 2 Championship. I’m on a very limited budget, with no testing; I have stepped up to Lites 1 which means a different car and new circuits again, like Road America.

But I proved I had the pace at New Jersey, which I hadn’t seen before and I’m looking forward to racing on what I’ve been told is one of America’s premier road racing venues.”

Drewer took pole position for Race 2 of the New Jersey Round of the 2009 IMSA Lites Championship presented by Frisby Performance Tire with the fastest Lites 1 lap of the entire weekend.

“I’m always looking to improve as a driver and for quite some time I have been trying to find the right fitness adviser to ready myself for the next step, either ALMS prototypes or GT2, or maybe GrandAm.

I was approached by Gary Daniels of Health Defence, and he has devised a specific program taking into account the specific anatomical demands of a racing driver based on his background in professional cycling, martial arts and boxing.

He has been pushing me really hard at the gym and I can already feel the results. I think his unique background will really give me an edge - he has certainly got some demon tweaks that, I believe, no one else has.

We are also working on diet and mental strategies, and I have also recently taken up yoga. I must say I feel more positive and focused than ever heading into this weekend.”

The positive energy of change has also rubbed off elsewhere. Drewer’s new sponsor on the car for the remainder of the season is Ubantu Resort. Long time supporter John Trimble, and the Daily Planet will stay on board as a personal sponsor.

Ubantu Resort is a fully integrated major residential and hotel development in South East Asia on a subtropical island that has had minimal western influence, with a climate similar to Bali and Phuket. The self-sustaining, socially and environmentally responsible facility will work with, and benefit, the local community and will feature 5 international hotels, a super-yacht harbour and a unique motor racing circuit.

Drewer is optimistic that with these changes, will come a change in luck for the remainder of the season.

“We have made a very strong progression throughout the season, but on numerous occasions I have been robbed of my first Lites 1 podium or victory. This weekend at Road America I’m hoping to change all that.”

The long high-speed 4 mile (6.43km), 14 turn Road America circuit located at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin is one of the fastest on the IMSA Lites calendar with Drewer expecting to exceed 155mph (250km/h) at least three times per lap.

Drewer’s first ever outing on the circuit will be for first Practice on Thursday, August 13. Race 1 will be held on Saturday, August 15 and Race 2 on Sunday, August 16.