Silverspeed Inc. - Team Stories

(OOC #1: Since I didn't see one posted here and I had something I had thought up I wanted to share.)
(OOC #2: This story is suppose to read like a feature you would see on ESPN's Outside the Lines.  Those small feature stories.)

Griffin's hands on approach to team continues to pay dividends for SI (OOC #3: Picture this as the title of the story shown on screen.)

(VO): Season 20 of the ARCSOA Elite Series had a major story that developed in the offseason.  AES legend, Kenny Myatt, was returning to full-time competition. (Imagines are shown of Myatt's return announcement are as well as footage.)  As such, this was what much of the talk was about in the off season and early races this season.  However, there was another driver returning to full-time competition for season 20.  And while he may not have the time spent nor legacy in the AES as Myatt does, he does have the title AES champion on his resume.

(Scene cuts to showing off his small classic car collection; his comments to the film crew are heard.)  

(Griffin"Yeah, that's the Mustang I got after winning it all in season 11.  Ford was happy with us after that happened. Not so much after I left for Red Bull the next season." (laughs)

(VO): Born in the shadow of the Motown, Detroit, Michigan, Griffin was almost immediately instilled with a love of cars and with that auto racing.  Working his way up short tracks and Midwest touring racing series, he finally got his big break driving the #7 car in 8th season of the AES.  (Old footage is shown of Griffin in the #7, OOC #3- I know these older season didn't show names, but I'm adding them here for background needs.)

(VO continued): Griffin moved to Ford and the #28 for season 9 and 10 of AES, but his big break came in season #11 when he join the 2nd Roush team in the #17. (Footage of press conference of announcement is shown.) It ended up being more than anyone expected.  In a season that was dominated in the races and headlines by the powerhouse Red Bull team, Griffin quiet worked on the radar waiting for his opportunity.  On a sunny afternoon in Missouri, he got that chance.

(Footage of Griffin's first win is shown including victory celebration)(VO: The win was Griffin's first AES win and to him it tasted ever so sweet.  But, the best was yet to come.  In a photo finish in the season finale in Washington D.C., Griffin edged Andreas Allen for 2nd and the championship. (Footage of race finish and champion celebration is shown.)

(Griffin): "That season was one I will never forget and in some ways I think I didn't really appreciate what had happened.  We won't suppose to be there.  That Griffin guy as champion yeah right."

(VO): The following season saw Griffin sign with the competitive and controversial Red Bull team.  After scoring 2 wins, a rain shorted race in Georgia and in Germany, he found himself once again in title contention at the season finale in D.C.  This time an attempt by his former team Roush to manipulate the outcome cost him a chance at repeating.  (Footage of race is shown including accident.)  

(Griffin): "Season 12 was hard to swallow.  At times, we seemed unbeatable, but other times we just were trying to make pace."

(VO): After the disappointing end to the season, Griffin cut ties with Red Bull opting instead to sign with the team Red Bull's former owner was creating.  However, season 13 would prove to be Griffin's last full-time season in AES competition. (Footage of Griffin in garage area in various states of disappointment are shown.)

(Griffin): "That was the hardest thing I ever had to do.  I knew I had more left to give, but I needed to step back as well."

(VO): For 5 years, Griffin was nothing more than a name in the AES record books, a footnote in racing history.  But, that was until the series came a calling once again.  Griffin was asked to drive the #87 in an attempt to qualify for both the American 700 and the Indy 250 for season 19.   Despite his doubts about coming back, he agreed.  He didn't make the 700, but had a top 10 in the 250.  That was enough to for Silverspeed Inc to come a calling.

(VO): Now, 9 races into the 20th season of AES competition, Griffin finds himself 2nd in points and those doubts he had about coming back are all but gone.  But, some things never change.

(Griffin): "Oh, the shop guys hate me at times.  (laughs)  They will come in at 7am with lists of things they have to do for the day to get the cars ready, and I'll be here and have about 3 or 4 of those things done.  But, I love what I do and I think they deep down they do too regardless of who gets us there."

(VO): These days you can find Griffin either at the SI shop helping with his racecar, or helping with his teammate, Nick Perclies's car, or just hanging out in his personal garage with his own cars.  And if the odds are ever stacked against him, he says not to worry, that's just how he likes it.

(Griffin): "That's how I won my first race, that's how I won my AES title, and that's how I want to be seen.  I want you say at the end of the day.  Many, I wish we had seen him coming."

(VO): For Outside the Racing Line (OOC #4: Outside the Lines, parody), I'm Jim Howell.


(OOC #5: Feel free to add similar stories for your drivers if you please, just not under this team page, lol.)

(OOC: So since f1fan said that inter team conflict could occur, I decided to help that along. lol.)

BREAKING STORY - SI Weekly Team Meeting Nearly Ends in Brawl

One of the big topics over this AES offseason was how Silverspeed was going to handle having two AES champions on their roster. In terms of on track performance all seemed good as Pericles and Griffin finished 1-2 in the Daytona season opener. So, one would think that the weekly team meeting following the event would be a celebratory affair. Well, reportedly, that's no what happened.

According to MotorSports Weekly Magazine, a source close to the SI organization told a reporter for the magazine that the post-Daytona team meeting nearly resulted in a big brawl. The source, who was unnamed by the reporter, stated that driver, Ryan Griffin, and Henry Stevens, car chief for the #1 of Nick Pericles (OOC #2: I just made up a new here, feel free to change it if you think of one better, Nick, lol.) got into a verbal argument that nearly came to blows. The argument reportedly was triggered by Stevens thanking Griffin for "gifting us one" and that "it's easy to see why Nick [Pericles] is the #1 driver for the team". Griffin reportedly responded to Stevens by saying "I didn't know falling into a championship made someone a lead driver" and "a big ego doesn't make you a lead team".

The source went on to say that Griffin had to be held back by his crew chief, Joey Walsh, and Stevens was held back by Pericles. The source also said that at one point the two did get into each others faces with Griffin grabbing ahold of Stevens shirt collar, but that nothing physical happened.

The team, Griffin, and Pericles have yet to comment on this report.

(OOC: Y'all already know I had to Respond with something, Kenny Needs some Juicy Storylines )


BREAKING STORY COVERAGE - Pericles Responds to Near Disaster

This weekend at the SI Brigade, there should have been celebratory congratulating from both the teams and drivers as one would think.
Finishing 1-2 in the Daytona season opener is something that should be acknowledged. Although, it wasn't exactly in any good light.
The team nearly self-destruct when Crew Chief of the #1 team, Henry Stevens, and Teammate Ryan Griffin almost had a fist fight. Sources close to Silverspeed report that it almost intensified ten-fold had they not been held back.

Pericles commented on the incident, talking to Motorsports Weekly Magazine News Reporter Jamie Finch:

"It's a shame how some people get really cocky, what Henry [Stevens] said wasn't right. I believe I did win that race completely fair, Ryan [Griffin] didn't have the run off the corner that would have the ability to slingshot himself around me to win. So really Griffin didn't gift us a win, we were the faster car running with NOPEA. I won't put it past him but I honestly see both of us struggling for the Driver 1 Spot. He's a Past Champ and I'm in my Prime. I don't know how it's going to play out but he's not a bad person at all."


This Rivalry Is bound to Continue and heat up, there still hasn't been any word from the team or Griffin. Third Driver Wilhoit has yet to say anything about the accident.

Wilhoit's #83 team right now...

GRIFFIN CONFIRMS DEPARTURE FROM SI AFTER SEASON'S CONCLUSION

Just days after scoring his 2nd top 5 of the season, SI driver, Ryan Griffin, confirmed reports that he will leave the team at season's end. In a statement released this week, the Michigan native said the following:

"In light of recent events and differences in how myself and SI see the future, we have agreed to mutually part ways at season's end. This doesn't mean that I will be leaving the [Orion] Elite Series entirely. I wish to return in season 23."

It is unknown where Griffin intends to go next season, but this definitely is the jumpstart to the silly season.