Rick Ellinger

Rick Ellinger started Mercedes Benz club track events and autocross in 1987. That same year Rick won his first autocross championship with the Mercedes club. Rick won every national event he entered from 1990 to 1994 in 3 different classes with 3 different cars in the Mercedes Benz club. In 1993 Rick Ellinger also competed in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Sports Car Clubs Autocross series where he captured rookie of the year. In 1994 Rick competed in the SCCA Solo II autocross championship winning G stock. That same year Rick again competed in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Sports Car Clubs and won that series as well. In 1994, after many months of hard work and research Rick finally got the car ( Mercedes Benz 190e 2.3-16v) approved for Pro racing in World Challenge.

In 1995 Rick ran his first full race season competing in SCCA MARRS, (Mid-Atlantic Road Race Series).The Mercedes Benz was classified in ITE, and Rick ended his first year 3rd in the points. ITE is a regional class, which is a catch-all class for pro cars such as Corvettes, Mustangs, Porsche 911's, and 944 turbo's etc. Rick also ran his first 4hr enduro race in the MBZ 190 finishing 2nd in class and 7th overall.

In 1996, friend and sponsor Potomac German Auto got involved building a second car to compete in the series with Rick. Both cars competed that year in the 4-hr enduro, both finishing in the top 10 and 2nd and 3rd in class. Later in the year Rick crewed for a BMW team at the 24-hr race at Moroso, that experience would take him to Moroso to compete the following year in his MBZ.

In 1997 a second car was built for Rick's wife to compete in the MARR'S series. This car was used as a test bed for finding the horsepower and handling needed to try and catch up with the higher horsepower Corvettes and Porsches competing in the same class. Rick won his first race at Charlotte motor speedway coming from last place due to the lack of a qualifying time to take the checkered flag after 30 minutes of door to door racing through the infield. Two events later the car was totaled due to a suspension failure that sent the MBZ careening off the track in a high speed off camber turn. The car could not be rebuilt so the back up chassis was rushed together for a 4 hr race in which Rick finished 4th even after loosing a wheel during the race. Rick also competed in the Moroso 24 hour race finishing 3rd in class and 13th overall.

In 1998 after spending all winter preparing the World Challenge Touring Car, Rick competed in his first World Challenge pro race at Lime Rock Park, Connecticut. Rick struggled with the car all year, handling and the engine management systems where just not up to par. Finally after having such a disappointing season with the car the RC Racing team scored a top 10 finish at Watkins Glen finishing 8th. This finish was a bit disappointing however because of how late it came in the season. Knowing that Rick couldn't obtain a top ten spot for the year he turned his efforts back to the endurance series he was doing so well in. The MBZ was entered in a 6 hr race with his wife and sponsor, now a part of their enduro team and finished 2nd overall and 1st in class. That same year RC Racing entered two cars in the 24 hours at Moroso event, this time assigning Tony Zelones one of Rick's long time crew members and crew chief for the pro team now a second year driver in charge of the second RC Racing team. Rick and his team finished 2nd in class and 6th overall, while Tony's team finished 3rd in class and 9th overall.

In 1999 the RC Racing team was building a new MBZ. With the help from the team, co-crew chief Tony Zelones, Bill Lear and team manager Mike Wetter completed the new car in six weeks. This was to be the year for the RC Racing team to win the championship. RC Racing did everything they could to find more power that they felt was still in the engine, and to cut as much weight as possible out of the car. Rick would run the first 2 races in the pro series but once again started having problems with the aftermarket engine management system. Disappointed with the results of the first two races Rick decide not to run the next race but instead would run the other two MBZ enduro cars in the 12 hour race at Summit Point. Again the RC Racing team would prevail, finishing 2nd overall and 1st in class and Tony's team (RC Racing II), finishing 2nd in class and 12th overall. With such a good finish in the 12-hour race Rick decided to move on to the next World Challenge race at Atlanta. After qualifying towards the front of the pack the car again started having problems, a brand new water pump drive belt failed and took the RC Racing MBZ out of the race. After going over the car it was found that a faulty tensioner bolt had caused the belt to fail and Rick was off to Canada for the next event. At Trois-Rivieres the MBZ runs great without a scratch and Rick finishes 6th, it's the first weekend the car didn't shut off during the race. Next RC Racing goes to Michigan for the Grand Rapids Grand Prix. The car is pushed into a wall during practice, both Bill Lear and Tony Zelones works with the RC Racing team to get the car back together before qualifying. The car is put back together but with only enough time for one qualifying lap that puts the MBZ 19th on the grid out of thirty-two cars. Rick drove door to door for the entire race moving up from 19th to finish 5th. Next stop, Vancouver the car runs poorly and Rick finishes in 11th. The RC Racing team replaces everything in the fuel management system and fly out to a double at Pikes Peak. Rick finished 8th and 9th at Pikes Peak. The MBZ still had some problems with the engine management system and again RC Racing replaced everything, then the car was transported to Laguna Seca for the season finale. This time the MBZ shut off completely and would not continue.

Rick still finished 9th overall in the points for the season and 3rd in the rookie points.