Michigan-based and family operated Capaldi Racing is gearing up for the return of the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix this weekend.*The Detroit area team will be campaigning not just one, but three Ford Mustang Boss 302S race cars in this weekend’s two Pirelli World Challenge races.*Adding to the local color, among the three Capaldi Racing drivers will be Richmond, Michigan’s own*Craig Capaldi.*Craig, who has extensive experience in NASA American Iron and the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, will be making his World Challenge debut in his Wolverine Bronze/Capaldi Racing/Animal Aid Foundation Mustang Boss 302R.*Capaldi Racing’s primary sponsor, Roseville, Michigan-based Wolverine Bronze, will be supporting Craig in his first ever street*race.
Craig is a second generation driver following in his father Leo’s footsteps. Leo Capaldi started racing karts when he was 12 years old and founded Capaldi Racing in 1979.*Throughout the 1980’s, Capaldi Racing earned three national sprint titles, and five national enduro titles in karting.*In 1990, Capaldi Racing moved to Pro Spec Racer Fords.*From there, the team moved on to the Speed*World Challenge where they campaigned a Mercury Cougar and a Ford Focus in the Touring Car category.*Most recently, Capaldi Racing was a series regular in the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge and has been racing Mustangs in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and the Pirelli World Challenge GTS Class.
“We’re very proud to be a Detroit team, and as a Detroit team this race is very special to us. Both Craig and I were born within miles of Belle Isle and have grown up in the Detroit area” said Leo Capaldi, team principal.*“Belle Isle is a very cool place for a race with the Detroit and Windsor skylines as the back drop.*I remember watching the first Detroit Grand Prix in 1982, and thinking how*great it would be to race on our hometown streets.*It’s an amazing feeling not only to be campaigning one, but three Mustangs in the race.*I can’t thank Wolverine Bronze and Ford Racing enough for their support to help make this happen.”
In addition to Wolverine Bronze, Capaldi Racing will be working the Animal Aid Foundation, a Detroit area non-profit organization that works to place animals in loving homes and promotes educational programs about responsible pet ownership and the importance of spaying and neutering animals.*Capaldi Racing’s goal is to raise awareness of Animal Aid to help them “speak for those who*cannot speak for themselves”.