Article by Chris Starrs appearing in the Athens, Georgia USA based Athens Banner-Herald newspaper and onlineathens.com on Tuesday, May 26, 2009.
"Tom Drewer is a long way from his native Australia, but the up-and-coming race car driver is making himself right at home in Athens.
The 24-year-old, who grew up in a family of racers, sold everything he owned to move to America in 2008 to try and make his way on unfamiliar courses in an alien environment..."
"..."When I got here, I didn't know a soul and was all by myself," said Drewer, who hails from the South Australian town of Adelaide. "It's been a new experience and it's been amazing. Athens is a fantastic little town. It reminds me of some of the bigger country towns in Australia."
Drewer first set up shop in Buford and signed on with the West Race Car USA Team, winning the International Motor Sports Association's Lites 2 championship last year.
In addition, Drewer won 10 of 12 races he entered, including his maiden American run at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring event in Florida and his first Canadian race at the Mosport circuit. He also qualified on the pole 11 times and holds lap records at five North American tracks, including Road Atlanta.
His driving grabbed the attention of Athens' Kevin Kloepfer, who owns and operates Comprent Motor Sports, a full-service racing team that has piled up numerous awards in its 22 years of competition.
"Last year, Kevin and I had been eyeing each other a little bit," said Drewer in his unmistakable Aussie accent. "It seemed that we kept meeting in the winner's circle and as the year progressed, I became a viable option to move up to Lites 1. I'm trying to make the jump from semi-professional to someone who's paid to race on Sundays and Comprent is helping with my progress."
"We won the Lites 1 championship in 2008 and Tom won the Lites 2 championship with another team," said Kloepfer. "He wanted to be with somebody who knew cars and knew how to win. We talked a little bit and he wanted to move up from L1, and we were the next logical step."
Drewer races in Georgia-constructed junior prototype cars, which he terms as an "Indy car with a little more body work, essentially an open-wheel Formula car with extra bodywork over the wheels."
The cars - which are in the junior category to the famous LeMans Series - can top out at speeds of 160 mph and average some 115 mph on the circuit, which in most cases feature plenty of corner turns and chilling curves.
"Unlike NASCAR, we have corner turns in both directions," quips Drewer, who was mentored early in his career by three-time World Champion Nikki Lauda and has competed since an early age in karting, the South Australian Drivers Championship, the Australian Thundersports category and the V8 Giant Supercar Series.
He recently competed in the Utah Grand Prix, but Drewer hasn't had the same success in Lites 1 as he did a year ago.
"We've struggled a little bit but we're starting to see some results," said Kloepfer, who added most of his client drivers own their own cars, but he rents one to Drewer. "He's obviously on a tight budget and is doing what he can. He does an excellent job of promoting."
Added Drewer: "Racing is a lot different from something like golf or tennis. It's very challenging due to the role finances play. It's a big battle for any driver to find the financing he needs. It's a big investment and a big commitment.
"My mother and father are putting all their pay packets into racing and I sold everything to come here and pursue my dream. It's a tough sport - most of my time is spent trying to make the next deal to get to the next (race)."
While Drewer plans to continue participating in open-wheel races, he's not closing the door on competing in non-LeMans Circuit events.
"NASCAR is getting more interesting to Australians, and I'd love to at least try it one day," he said. "It's a different style of racing and a lot of the open-wheel drivers who have done it have struggled. It obviously takes a lot of skill. I'd also love to run the Indianapolis 500 as well. But right now I'd just like to see those styles of racing - the Daytona 500 is at the top of my list, just above the Indy 500.
"But my main goal is to emulate my fellow Australian drivers, like David Brabham, who's now racing in the American LeMans Series, (NASCAR Sprint Cup driver) Marcus Ambrose, and Vern Schuppan, the only Australian to win the 24 Hours of LeMans, which he did in a Porsche."
Besides family and friends, Drewer said the only thing he really misses from back home is the beach.
"I didn't realize how much time I spent at the beach until I got here," he said. "I miss the ocean and watching the dolphins play with each other. I like to go to Savannah and other towns on the coast so I can see a bit of the water"."
Drewer chasing a DREAM. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Brabs a Utah Saint [Utah AMLS report]. (Auto Action)
Article appearing in the May 25 edition of Auto Action Magazine.
"...Menwhile Tom Drewer was also competing at Miller Motorsports Park in rounds three and four of the IMSA Lites One series. Drewer recorded his first top six finish of the year with an impressive run..."
Click on image to read article.
Drewer scores first top-six for 2009.
Australian Tom Drewer has recorded his first top-six finish in the IMSA Lites 1 category at the American Le Mans Series Utah Grand Prix, held at Miller Motorsports Park.
Drewer pushed hard in Round 3 from 8th on the grid to move up through the field, at one stage lapping faster than the leaders, and looked set for a podium finish. However in his quest to reach the front the young Aussie began to over heat his tyres while rapidly catching his team mate, Jonathan Gore who went on to claim third. Drewer got within inches of Gore, but had extracted everything out of his Daily Planet Elan DP-02 and had to go into 'conservation mode' to bring it home.
In Round 4 after again starting 8th, Drewer struggled with car balance early on and lost track position. He battled with the car, which appeared to have little grip until the midway point of the race, when finally the chassis began to grip up. Drewer showed good pace in the second half of the race and caught 6th and 7th placed Marcelli and Gibson, passing Gibson with a lap and a half to go.
"I was pleased with yesterday's performance, but a little frustrated today. Overall we showed an improvement from Sebring and we're working hard on a few things that are keeping us from the front. I was really happy to see the team get a podium this weekend, and for my team-mate Jonathan. It shows we're heading in the right direction. Lites 1 is particularly competitive and I'm really happy to have had a top six finish in only my third race. A podium was nearly on the cards this weekend and I think that a win could be just around the corner if we continue to progress as we have."
Drewer's next race is at New Jersey Motorsports Park on June 13 and 14 for rounds 5 and 6 of the 2009 IMSA Lites Championship Presented by Frisby Performance Tire.
World's fastest Mother's Day card. (Utah Standard-Examiner)
Article by Chris J. Miller appearing in the Utah Standard-Examiner on Saturday, May 16, 2009.
"Although it's a week late, young Australian race car driver Tom Drewer is sending out his Mother's Day card.
And he's going to be quick about it.
Drewer had to spend last weekend away from home, preparing for this weekend's Utah Grand Prix.
He says his 'Mum' has always been supportive of his motor racing and he wanted to show her his appreciation..."
"...So he fastened his Mother's Day message to his racing helmet, which he'll be using in the 2009 IMSA Lites races at Miller Motorsports Park.
"When she sees it, I'll be doing around 160 miles per hour. I guess it's the world's fastest Mother's Day card," said Drewer who hopes for back-to-back Lites Championships for both himself and his Comprent team.
Qualifying and Race 1 is today, with Race 2 on Sunday, prior to the American Le Mans Series Utah Grand Prix later in the day.
For information, visit millermotorsportspark.com."
Flying the flag. (Auto Action)
Article appearing in the April 28 Edition of Auto Action Magazine. "Enough of the domestic series. How are our intrepid overseas-based Aussies stacking up as competition in the rest of the world gets underway? Phillip Mahoney presents his global form guide."
"Tom Drewer and Owen Kelly both enter their second season of racing in the USA after successful campaigns in 2008. Drewer dominated the IMSA Lites 2 category in his WEST, winning 10 of the season's 12 races and will expect to be right at the front of the IMSA Lites 1 category this season with championship-winning team Comprent Motor Sports..."
Click on image to view entire story.
World's Fasest Mother's Day Card. (Auto Action)
Article appearing in the April 28 Edition of Auto Action magazine, Australia's premier motorsport publication. "Australian IMSA Lites driver Tom Drewer has sent the world's fastest card to his mum on Mother's day..."
Click on image to read entire article.
Drewer cops a spray. (Auto Action)
Tom Drewer is looking to improve on his 2009 IMSA Lites Championship opening-round result after suffering brake issues throughout the Sebring season-opener on March 18-21.
Article Appearing in Auto Action magazine April 1, 2009. (Click on image to read article).
Drewer's spritely start at Sebring. (Auto Action)
Aussie Tom Drewer overcame overheating brakes in his IMSA Lites L1 Championship debut to finish 11th and 7th in the two Sebring races last weekend.
Article appearing in Auto Action Magazine March 29, 2009. (Click image to read article).
Hectic Time for Drewer. (The Advertiser)
Adelaide driver Tom Drewer has mixed feelings after his first race in the IMSA Lites 1 class at Florida's Sebring track.
Overheating brakes and other distractions kept him to an 11th place in Race 1 but a promising seventh in the 75-minute Race 2... Article appearing in The Advertiser Newspaper March 19, 2009. (Click on image to read article).
Drewer strong at 2009 Sebring Opener.
Tom Drewer, the 2008 IMSA Lites 2 Champion, made a solid transition to the Lites 1 class at Rounds 1 and 2 of the IMSA Lites Championship Presented by Frisby Performance Tire, as part of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Event, Florida USA.
Throughout the weekend’s practice sessions the young up-and-coming Australian, who dominated the Lites 2 class last year winning ten races in his first year of competition in America, hovered near the top of the time sheets and despite brake over-heating issues took his number 1 Daily Planet Racing / Comprent Motor Sports car to strong finishes in both races, 11th in Race 1 and 7th in the 1 hour 15 minute endurance event.
Drewer is running the number 1 plate signifying his Lites 2 Championship win and the fact that Comprent are reigning Lites 1 Team Champions.
“We were immediately around the pace and after P3 (practice session 3) I felt very positive about the speed we showed. We were third fastest for quite some time and I brought the car in relatively early, feeling I still had a little up my sleeve for qualifying.”
Drewer finished practice three 5th fastest completing only around half of the number of laps as compared to the other front-runners.
“Qualifying didn’t exactly go to plan, though we still made it into the top-ten. We had a random glitch in the car as I arrived at the form-up grid. We got dispensation to fix it and start the session from pit-lane. The team did a tremendous job to solve the issues and get the car out before 1 lap had even been completed.
As I left pit-lane I received a pit-lane speed violation, something that over half the field received throughout the session. It turns out the rule change in where the car’s timing transponder is mounted made it possible for you to switch off the speed-limiter as the front wheels passed the control-line and still have the car technically speeding by the time the transponder passed the control-line.
Then just as I got some clear track my fire extinguisher became faulty- never mind it was brand new- and I had foam spraying all over my visor as I turned through turns 4, 10, 13 and 16.”
Drewer started Round 1 in 9th position and after a blinding start, which saw him as high as 7th, he had to settle for eleventh while managing overheating brakes.
“I got an amazing start. I think I jumped two rows and as I came into turn 1, I was sandwiched between my team-mates Charlie (Sheers) and Jonathan (Gore). As we approached the corner I started to get squeezed on both sides- we were actually all touching. All I could picture in my mind was three Comprent cars in the wall on the first lap of the first race of the season. That’s no way to win a Championship and I backed out.
After that I ran slightly wide into turn seven but recovered and then my brake pedal got longer and longer as my brakes began to overheat. I pushed as hard as I could but I had to be a little careful with the brakes. It was a shame to finish slightly lower than what we started but a fantastic feeling to finish my first race in an IMSA Lites 1 car.
In the Endurance race, Round 2, I got another great start, which was important as I started in 12th position. Even though the race was longer I just tried to push as hard as I could the whole way. Unfortunately the brakes began to overheat again and it was a case of balancing how hard I could push and managing the brakes.
When I came into the pits for the fuel stop brake dust went everywhere and with the amount of heat haze and smoke coming from the front rotors I thought they were on fire.
After the stop the brakes came back for a while before I had to manage them again. I could push for a few corners and then I would have to ease my pace. Still, I caught up to sixth and seventh place. Every time I pushed just a little harder to get closer the brakes were locking and overheating and the pedal got longer and I lost a few tenths. It was quite difficult to manage but I eventually passed (Jon) Brownson for 7th, around the outside through the fast turn 1.”
The results are impressive given Drewer has only spent limited time in Lites 1 car over the off-season while the majority of the opposition are going into their second or third year of driving in Lites 1.
“This has been a really positive result. Sure it would have been fantastic to repeat last year’s success in Lites 2 and take out both rounds here at Sebring, but I’m really happy with the pace we showed and the strong top-ten result in the endurance event.
A couple of mechanical glitches probably prevented us from an even better result but as they say, ‘that’s motor racing’.
It’s just fantastic to be back here at Sebring racing for my second year in America.
I really want to thank everyone back home for again supporting me this year. I have had amazing support yet again from friends and family. I would especially like to thank John Trimble and the Daily Planet for their continued support this year.
I feel really comfortable here with Comprent. The team is so professional and well equipped. I think it’s going to be a great year and I can’t wait for Utah.”
Drewer and IMSA Lites head to Miller Motorsport Park, Utah for Rounds 3 and 4 on May 15-17.
