Darkhorse Autosport Celebrates 11th Year

by Thomas Moore

FRANKLIN, Tenn., November 12, 2008 – Darkhorse Autosport, based in Franklin, Tenn., celebrates its 11th year, fifth year of incorporation, today. Founded as Darkhorse Communications in 1997, the incorporation and name change came at the demand of clients looking for the then sole proprietorship to expand from its core media relations efforts to include a full collection of motorsports business and consulting services. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Thomas “Tom” Moore incorporated the firm in November, 2003. Since its inception, Darkhorse (www.DarkhorseAutosport.com) has worked in multiple motorsports series and areas of promotion, marketing and consulting. In that time, Darkhorse has represented teams, drivers, manufacturers and marketing partners in 14 national or international championship efforts, over 40 race wins, more than 60 podiums and well-over 100 Top Ten finishes across 20 series. Clients have twice stood victorious at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and competed in events ranging from the Indianapolis 500 to dirt short tracks, the grueling Dakar Rally to the street course of Long Beach, Calif. “Founding” clients still utilizing Darkhorse Autosport today include open wheel standout Jimmy Kite (Indianapolis), sports car winner Shane Lewis (Jupiter, Fla.), two-time Le Mans and American Le Mans Series champion White Lightning Racing and SPEED World Challenge driver Cindi Lux (Aloha, Ore.).

Having made his first foray into motorsports media relations in sports car racing in 1996, Moore formed Darkhorse Communications the following year. 1998 brought Moore back to sports car racing working public relations for the race organizer of the Inaugural Petit Le Mans. By virtue of his work there, the University of Georgia graduate joined the Series’ media staff for the first season of the American Le Mans Series in 1999. He maintained ties to open wheel racing debuting the same year at the Indianapolis 500 with Kite. Darkhorse grew its open wheel presence in 2000 and 2001 in IndyCars while continuing work in sports car and short track racing. In 2001, Lewis began his longtime association with Darkhorse joining with Kite and Terri (Hundertmark) Popielarz (Brownsburg, Ind.) as core clients of the growing motorsports concern. Darkhorse has since represented Kite in IndyCar, NASCAR, ARCA, USAC and World of Outlaws and Lewis in NASCAR, IndyCar, American Le Mans, Grand-Am and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Nürburgring and eight Rolex 24 At Daytona.

With its incorporation in 2003, Darkhorse added one of its most successful, long term partnerships with the introduction to Dale White (Bozeman, Mont.) of White Lightning Racing. The collaboration of White Lightning and Darkhorse has helped generate two 24 Hours of Le Mans GT2 victories, two American Le Mans Series Championship seasons and 10 American Le Mans Series class victories.

Additional titles came as Darkhorse Autosport supported the Grand-Am Cup and Rolex Series GT championship runs of Craig Stanton (Long Beach, Calif.) as well as SCCA T1 Club titles with NayKid Racing and Cindi Lux and the 2007 Atlantic Series and 2008 Indy Lights top honors with Raphael Matos (Brazil). Over time, the Darkhorse client list grew to include Richie Hearn Motorsports and a variety of specialty events and clients seeking consulting and program management.

In 2008, Darkhorse Autosport Inc. clients included American Le Mans Series GT2 championship runner-up and four-time race-winning Tafel Racing, regular Top 10 finisher and race leading Grand-Am Daytona Prototype competitors Southard Motorsports, the Mopar factory team of Lux Performance Group, LLC. in the SCCA World Challenge GT with driver Cindi Lux, Grand-Am sanctioned event winner Shane Lewis, promoted the biography on motorsports pioneer Edgar Otto; Edgar Otto, NASCAR’s Silent Partner, Petersen Motorsports’ 2008 International Rally-Raid effort and 2008 IndyCar Indy Lights Champion Raphael Matos.

In total, principals of Darkhorse Autosport have worked in the IndyCar (IRL), NASCAR, American Le Mans Series/IMSA, Grand-Am, Grand-Am Cup/KONI Challenge, SCCA Club and Professional Racing, ARCA, USAC, NAMARS, the World of Outlaws, the Ferrari Challenge, the Women’s Global GT Series, the Historic Stock Car Racing Association, the World Karting Association, the Dakar Rally and in the world of offshore powerboats among others.

Darkhorse Autosport, Inc., a motorsports business management and consulting organization, works with each client to establish strong, long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Darkhorse strives to create an image that is ‘right’ for the client; be it leading-edge or traditional, high-profile or low-key, through complete services or focusing on one area of Darkhorse Autosport’s expertise. Darkhorse seeks to bring a higher level of recognition to our clients while making their duties simpler. Although an outside firm, Darkhorse acts as an ‘in-house’ media relations and marketing department and media contact giving the appearance of a seamless department to the media and public. Darkhorse, a member of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, has become sought-after for its insight on the media needs at the annual American Le Mans Series Promoters’ meetings and the American Le Mans Series Green Challenge PR Initiatives Board.

Through its technology initiatives, Darkhorse has brought innovations to motorsports media relations in its first five years including being the first in the American Le Mans Series and the second in Indy Racing program to provide CD-Rom media kits as well as other advances in online information distribution.

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