Lux, who had previously won her class at Rose Cup support races but never finished better than fourth in the main event, drove a spectacular race to overcome a substantial horsepower disadvantage. Starting fifth against the unrestricted, high-power competition, the 2003 Oregon SCCA National Driver of the Year never placed a wheel wrong during the 45-minute race. She fought her way into third-place before lap 20 when the first, full-course caution bunched the field. With such a massive power disparity, the Viper fell to fourth nearing the restart. However, the pass came while still under caution and race officials swapped the order. With the precise setup placed under her by husband/crew chief Fred Lux, the former Dodge and Mopar factory driver was able to hold-off the subsequent, unassisted assault. Lux kept third until the checkered flag fell.
Cindi Lux became the first woman in Rose Cup history to earn a podium.
Shown in the Black Rock Coffee Bar-Lux Performance Dodge Viper Comp. Coupe on the grid.
Despite always downplaying her place in the progress and success of women in motorsports, the 75-time race winner is credited with several major milestones for females race drivers. Lux bettered over 150 other drivers to win the inaugural American Le Mans Series' Women's Global GT Series championship in 1999. She was named the 1999 Pro-Driver SCCA Driver-of-the-Year and was presented the Northwest Pat Piggot Memorial Award for the most outstanding driver in 1992. She also became only the second woman in history to win the prestigious SCCA June Sprints in 2004 and repeated the feat in 2006.
The Rose Cup weekend at PIR, which supports the annual Rose Festival, was the debut of Black Rock Coffee Bar into the world of motorsports marketing. By all accounts, the relationship with Lux Performance Group was a resounding success for all concerned. Black Rock Coffee Bar, a Portland-area franchise which features premium-blend coffees sold via an easy drive-thru format, embraced the event using its social media platform, eight-area locations and a concentrated on-site program to maximize its partnership with Lux. The tie-in helped bring guests to Black Rock locations across Oregon, Washington and California as well as introduced the product to hundreds of track workers and spectators at PIR.
In addition to the Dodge Viper entered for Cindi Lux, Lux Performance Group also prepared and managed the Pirelli Cup entry for driver Steve Streimer. Streimer scored his personal career best in the one-make Porsche 911 GT3 Cup series race finishing second. The success of the weekend was not only a testimony to the driver's efforts, but to Lux Performance Group's preparation of the German car and the coaching ability of Cindi Lux who has been instructing Streimer for four years.
Cindi Lux on her way to her first Rose Cup podium finish in the Black Rock Coffee Dodge Viper. Image by Jeffrey Zurschmeide
Quotes
Cindi Lux: "I don't think I could have driven my Black Rock Coffee Bar Viper Comp. Coupe any harder in this race! I asked 110% of out of the race car for 45 minutes and she held up like a champ. I cannot speak enough about the quality prep that comes from our guys on the Lux Performance team. They gave me the best race car I have driven in a long time; it was on rails. Finishing third is respectable but only gets me fired-up to climb the final two steps in future years. I am never satisfied and always pushing myself to do better. That is especially true here, in front of my hometown crowd! Having Black Rock Coffee Bar on board this weekend was pretty cool. It kept me personally 'fueled' up and ready to attack. Overall a great weekend."
About racing her home track: "Racing in my hometown is always significant to me and I really try to juggle my crazy schedule to allow me a few days off to race the Rose Cup each year. I'm really looking forward to seeing all the Portland fans at the track. I have gotten to know so many of the fans over the years of coming here it's like coming to a family reunion. This race carries so much personal importance to me. I want to go out there and do my best for my family, for Black Rock and for the city! This is going to be like a giant shot of Black Rock espresso!"
To learn more about Black Rock Coffee Bar and national franchise opportunities, please visit: www.BlackRockCoffeeBar.com. Follow Black Rock on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/BlackRockCoffee and on Facebook at Black Rock Coffee.
Learn more about the Rose Cup, its traditions and its current races at www.RoseCup.com.
For more on Cindi Lux, please visit www.CindiLux.com. Learn more about the Dodge Viper Cup at www.ViperHeadquarters.com.
Follow Cindi on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/CindiLux and Cindi Lux on Facebook.
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