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Daily Blog |
Jon Krolewicz One Lap of America History
2003
Vehicle: 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII
Team: David Jordan Motorsports, Jim Hudson Mitsubishi
Crew: Jon Krolewicz, David Jordan and Brian Dowling
Finish: 16th overall and 3rd in class
When Jon’s friend David Jordan called him in January of 2003 to ask him to drive in One Lap of America, Jon didn’t waste any time saying, "yes." They put together a sponsorship package and got help from Jim Hudson Mitsubishi in Columbia to enter the event.
For the event, David and Jon brought along mutual friend Brian Dowling to help with road-driving duties and loaded up the bone-stock Evo for the event that started at Watkins Glen and visited Indianapolis Raceway Park, Road America, Hallett, Memphis Motorsports Park, Carolina Motorsports Park and BeaveRun before coming back to “The Lodge on the Green.”
Highlights of the week included a seventh place finish at Road America in the rain, a tenth at BeaveRun on a drying track, and a pair of top-fives on the kart track at BeaveRun on the way to a podium finish and top-20 overall.
2005
Vehicle: 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII
Team: Automotosports
Crew: Jon Krolewicz, Martin Musial, Ray Krolewicz
Finish: 7th overall and 2nd in class.
After sitting out 2004, Jon’s name was passed along to Automotosports – AMS – as a potential hot-shoe for a One Lap of America effort. AMS tested Jon in February and decided to go for it. This time it wouldn’t be a stock Evo but a 500+whp beast. AMS, known for their drag racing triumphs, was venturing into races with turns and Jon led the way with a strong effort in the 2005 One Lap of America.
Coming along for the ride this time was Martin Musial, AMS owner and engineer/tuner, and Jon’s dad Ray Krolewicz.
In the converted drag car Jon and AMS finished with a strong top-10 despite fighting a blown head gasket late in the week. The class win slipped away from them, but highlights of the week included a few top-fives and a second place in the drag race.
2006
Vehicle: 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII
Team: Automotosports
Crew: Jon Krolewicz Martin Musial, Ray Krolewicz
Finish: 3rd overall, 2nd in class
With a year of roadracing under their belts, including being crowned overall champion at the "Winged Warrior II" Event in Indiana, AMS and Jon teamed up again for the 2006 One Lap of America with an all-new AMS Evo “time attack” car. Armed with more tuning, a more sorted suspension and a gutted and caged road course monster Jon and Martin brought along Ray again for the effort that netted them a third place finish overall.
Late-week rain helped the effort when many of the top ten fell back because of their performances in the wet. The highlight list was topped with a series of top-five finishes in the Evo on wet tracks at Putnam Park and Road America. (Trivia: as of 2007, Jon has run Road America twice on One Lap, both ended up being wet events)
2007
Vehicle: 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Team: Boxer4Racing, Continental Tires
Crew: Steven Rankins, Jon Krolewicz Dale Teague
Finish: 10th overall, 3rd in class.
2007 started out with Jon on the entry list for Mongoose Motorsports in their Corvette GTP replica kit car. At 2500lbs and 500hp, it looked to be a formidable entry for the twenty-fourth running of One Lap of America.
It wasn’t to be as the transmission failed to shift out of first when Jon went to drive it to South Bend. In a last-minute deal Steven Rankins brought Jon on board to co-drive in the Boxer 4 Racing Subaru Impreza WRX STI. After a brake-failure at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah Jon and Steve had to fight their way back to the front for a top-10 finish. For Jon the high point of the week was a 2nd place overall finish at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Tulsa, Oklahoma in a wet run only behind the AWD multi-time One Lap champ Mark DaVia.
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