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Park Place Motorsports To Debut in 51st Rolex 24 At Daytona

No. 73 Porsche GT3 fielded by Park Place Motorsports in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. (Photo Credit: Park Place Motorsports)
No. 73 Porsche GT3 fielded by Park Place Motorsports in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. (Photo Credit: Park Place Motorsports)

Park Place Motorsports To Debut in 51st Rolex 24 At Daytona

New Team To Field Porsche GT3 in GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT Division with

Drivers Patrick Long, Spencer Pumpelly, Patrick Lindsey, Jason Hart and Daniel Graeff

 

Park Place Motorsports’ ‘Arrive & Drive’ Program Offers Full-Service Support for Motorsports Enthusiasts

 

DALLAS (Dec. 18, 2012) – Park Place Motorsports will make its GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series debut in the 51st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona Jan. 26-27. The former Horton Autosport team is an extension of Dallas-based Park Place Dealerships, which represents upscale manufacturers Porsche, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Lexus, Bentley, Maserati, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Volvo and Smart.

Park Place Motorsports will campaign a Porsche GT3 in the 24-hour marathon around the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with an impressive driver lineup that includes three Rolex 24 victories. Porsche factory driver Patrick Long headlines the effort, along with Porsche specialist Spencer Pumpelly, Patrick Lindsey, Jason Hart and Daniel Graeff.

Long, the only American factory driver for the German manufacturer, is a three-time American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT2 champion (2005, 2009 and 2010) and winner of the 2009 Rolex 24 in a Porsche GT3. That victory completed Long’s cycle of winning each of sports car racing’s modern endurance classics, as the California native claimed victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring (2005), 24 Hours of Le Mans (2004 and 2007) and Petit Le Mans (2005, 2006 and 2007).

Joining Long will be Pumpelly, who owns two Rolex 24 wins (2006 and 2011), both in the GT category. They are among 19 professional victories Pumpelly has scored in GRAND-AM and ALMS competition. A degree in economics from James Madison University makes Virginia-born Pumpelly equally eclectic as Long, who is fluent in English, German, French and Italian.

Continuing the worldly attributes of Park Place Motorsports’ driver lineup is Californian Lindsey, whose day job is working on Wall Street as he balances a burgeoning racing career that has taken him to GRAND-AM. In 2012, Lindsey co-drove the No. 73 Horton Autosport Porsche GT3 to six top-12 finishes in 11 outings.

Hart was born into a Porsche racing family in Northern California. He has been racing Porsches and countless other makes since his career started in 1995. Ready to race anything anywhere, his motorsports background includes ASCS Sprint Cars, USAC Midgets, go-karts, sports cars, vintage racing cars and even off-road vehicles, as the versatile driver scored a victory in the Class 4 division of the 2011 Baja 1000

Graeff rounds out the team’s Rolex 24 effort. The California native will make his fifth career Rolex 24 start in 2013. In addition to his sports car racing experience, Graeff has raced everything from motocross to stock cars, recently competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

Park Place Motorsports augments the unparalleled service its dealerships provide by offering customers a premium level of support in relation to their motorsports activities. It’s why the team partnered with Horton Autosport, an innovative operation that incorporated leading-edge technologies to quickly rise from start-up outfit to experienced contender.

“In our dealerships and on the racetrack, we’re committed to the highest quality standards. Our driver lineup for the Rolex 24 At Daytona is a perfect example of that commitment,” said Alex Whitman, director, Park Place Motorsports. “We go above and beyond our competitors and focus each and every day on the hundreds of details that add up to an unparalleled ownership experience. And for many Park Place customers, that experience involves motorsports. It’s in the DNA of the cars we sell and in the DNA of our customers.”

Beyond its flagship racing team that will compete in the twice-around-the-clock endurance race at Daytona, Park Place Motorsports delivers a line of full-service solutions to motorsports enthusiasts at every level, from the racing novice to the experienced professional racer, all at a level of service consistent with the exceptional customer experience Park Place dealerships have provided for more than 20 years. Offerings include:

Service and Repair: Park Place Motorsports mechanics will service motorsports-related vehicles as needed or in conjunction with existing service intervals. The broad scope of service and repair Park Place Motorsports offers clients range from basic fluid replacement to complete repairs, including vehicle body and structure.

Driver and Racecar Support: Park Place Motorsports manages as many processes as the client wishes, from one-off support such as racecar setup, to all-encompassing arrive-and-drive-programs.

Parts Engineering and Distribution: Park Place Motorsports has a line of Park Place Motorsports-branded parts, specifically engineered for high-performance and racing applications.

These services will be authentically promoted by Park Place Motorsports’ GT team in GRAND-AM. The same Porsche 911 GT3 Long, Pumpelly, Lindsey, Hart and Graeff will race at Daytona was built and maintained in the same facility as Park Place Motorsports’ customer cars.

“Having an in-house race team exposes us to emerging technologies in real-time while providing real-world applications for those technologies,” Whitman said. “What we learn with our race team and the experience our engineers and professional drivers can provide to our customers is unmatched. It allows a Park Place customer to get the most out of his or her car and the most out of themselves. And the best part is that all of our expertise is under one roof and available to our customers.”

Park Place Motorsports is a unique offshoot for a car dealership. But with its lineup of high-performance cars in a region where there are more than 250 Porsches licensed to race by Porsche Club of America, creating a division catering to racers who buy their personal cars and racecars from Park Place Dealerships is not only a sound business decision, but a savvy one, as well.

“Having qualified support at and away from the track is one of the primary detractors in motivating new entrants into motorsports. We fill that void by managing any and all wants of the customer,” Whitman said. “We have a centralized location, a dynamic product line, an unmatched client experience and an unrelenting effort to become a leader in the racing industry. It’s what makes Park Place Motorsports stand out.”   

About Park Place Motorsports:

Park Place Motorsports is an extension of Dallas-based Park Place Dealerships, which represents upscale manufacturers Porsche, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Lexus, Bentley, Maserati, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Volvo and Smart. Park Place Motorsports augments the unparalleled attention its dealerships provide by offering customers a premium level of support in relation to their motorsports activities. Services include maintenance and repair, driver and racecar support, and parts engineering and distribution. These offerings are authentically promoted by Park Place Motorsports’ flagship GT team in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.

 

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Plano I.S.D. Education Foundation and Park Place Lexus Join Forces to Support School System and Community

On November 14, 79 Plano Independent School District classrooms received a major shock when Park Place Lexus Grant Patrol teams showed up with pom-poms, noisemakers and, more importantly, grant checks.

For the seventh year running, the PISD Education Foundation has partnered with Park Place Lexus and several other sponsors to provide need-based grants for teachers who create unique, innovative programs aimed at helping their students and community. $100,000 was issued to 32 Plano ISD schools by way of 79 grants to teachers through the annual Grants to Educators program.

The Grants to Educators program assists teachers and schools in creating a better learning environment for students when tax funding falls short. Since its inception, the PISD Education Foundation has donated nearly $800,000 through the program. A panel of judges, appointed by the Education Foundation, considered each teacher’s application with a fine-toothed comb, funding 79 grants to 32 different schools. That help goes to 29,562 students and families in the Plano community reached by the grants.

Central Market hosts the Grants to Educators event each year.  On this day, everyone involved with the Foundation, PISD, and the Grant Patrol assembled early in the morning at the Coit Road location for complimentary breakfast and lunch for all volunteers.

Plano ISD superintendant Richard Matkin led off the event by remarking on how appreciative the district was for the grant program and stressed its impact on the the schools. He noted that the program encourages teachers to think outside of the box and find ways to create a more conducive environment, not only for learning classroom material, but also for real-world knowledge and core values.

Teams rode along in seven brand new Lexus Grant Patrol vehicles, provided by Park Place Lexus to distribute checks to unsuspecting faculty members throughout the 100 square-mile area. Park Place has been a supporter of the Grants to Educators program for seven years running, providing vehicles and monetary donations every year.

Riding in the lead car was Park Place Marketing Director Rob Sumner, PISD Education Foundation Executive Director Carlos Sastoque, and Education Foundation Board Member Harvey Fishero.

All it takes is one look at the teachers’ reactions to understand what this event is all about: The sheer excitement and joy on many of the instructors’ faces, not to mention the jumping around and hugging, might make a grown man’s eyes water.

The kids ate up the surprise just as much as the teachers. Even the youngest screamed, clapped, and laughed along. The older kids who did understand the significance of the grants made it clear how grateful they were.

While cruising to Centennial Elementary School in our 2012 Lexus RX, Harvey Fishero said something that will not be soon forgotten:  He commented on the amazing nature and character of teachers, pointing out that they acted as “parents, referees, and lawyers, while somehow still managing to teach on top of all of that.” Who better to receive help than the instructors who are trying to find better ways to mold our youth into productive, knowledgeable people?

It was easy to see that the teachers honored truly care about what they do. They care about their students and want to see them succeed, not just in the classroom, but in their community as well. The winning grant programs were based on ideals such as promoting family bonding, healthy lifestyles, helping those in need, community involvement, improving literacy, preparation for higher learning, and focus on the arts and sciences.

These teachers who were chosen to receive grant money are truly inspirational role models. Park Place Lexus is so glad to be fortunate enough to be a part of this program and show its generosity for the Education Foundation and its sponsors. Everyone involved in the Grants to Educators program deserves recognition and we hope to see more outstanding education and community-oriented programs like this in the future.

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Park Place Dealerships Named In Dallas Morning News’ Top 100 Places To Work 2012

For the third consecutive year, Park Place Dealerships is honored to be named in the Dallas Morning News’ Top 100 Places To Work. With more than 1400 members, Park Place took the number 4 spot in the large company category for the second year in a row, up from the number 5 spot in 2010.

This year’s field included 276 companies who agreed to participate, with surveys being sent to more than 120,000 employees. The results of those surveys make up the scoring system for the Top 100 list, and give great insight as to what it is like to work for each company on the list.

Park Place Dealerships is built upon a foundation of dedicated and talented members, who strive every day to work as a team, serving our clients and helping the organization grow as a whole.

If you are looking for an exciting career with a great team of devoted individuals in one of the top companies to work for in the DFW area, browse our current job listings on our careers site at Jobs.ParkPlaceTexas.com!

See the rest of the Top 100 list at DallasNews.com

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Park Place Jaguar Plano Announced As The Best Dealership To Work For By Automotive News

Best Dealership to work for Jaguar Plano

On Wednesday October 17th, 2012, during an evening ceremony at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago, Automotive news announced the rankings for their “100 Best Dealerships To Work For.” We are honored to say that not only was Park Place on that list, but Park Place Jaguar Plano landed at number one!

Best Dealership to work for Jaguar PlanoSince welcoming the Jaguar Plano dealership into the Park Place family, there have been drastic changes in the way the dealership looks, feels, and most importantly, how it operates. As you walk through the dealership, you will meet an incredible team of Park Place Members who are devoted to serving our clients with the utmost in care and integrity, with a focus on our continuous goal of being “Experts in Excellence”. Everyone knows that there are a lot of moving parts to make a client’s experience outstanding, from the moment they pick up the phone to talk with us or walk into the dealership, to the time they leave with a smile, and this award is an astounding testament to the fact that providing an excellent experience cannot be achieved without stringent hiring practices, training, and guidance that allows a team to work as a whole towards a common goal.

To be known as the number one dealership to work for in the country is truly an amazing accomplishment for us and we are thankful for the team that helps us achieve it every day. In the words of Park Place Dealerships’ Founder and Chairman, Kenneth Schnitzer, “You can have the prettiest buildings in the world and the best cars in the world, but if you don’t have people who are knowledgeable and well trained to deliver outstanding client service, then you’re wasting your time.”

We are so proud to receive this recognition, and hope that you will visit us at Park Place Jaguar Plano to see for yourself how special a dealership experience can truly be.

For more information about Automotive News’ “100 Best Dealerships To Work For”, you can read about the award at the Automotive News website.

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Park Place Volvo Show & Shine benefiting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation November 10th, 2012

Park Place Volvo Show & Shine benefiting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Saturday, November 10, 2012 

 Park Place Volvo, Dallas Volvo Club and Volvo Club of America are hosting a car show 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, November 4, featuring an amazing line up of classic to current Volvo vehicles. The event is free and open to the public.

Participants can register their Volvo at http://parkplacevolvoshowandshine.eventbrite.com, and attendees can RSVP and share the event with their friends on the Park Place Dealerships Facebook event! Registration is free but limited to the first 50 vehicles.  Arrive by 9 a.m. for registration and palcement. For more information about registering a vehicle or other event details, please contact Kara at kconnor@10.2.54.33 or 214-224-1971.

Awards will include the Road Warrior for the Volvo with the highest mileage; Best in Show and the People’s Choice. The public can vote on the People’s Choice award by donating $1 per ticket to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. In addition to the proceeds from the Show & Shine event, Park Place Volvo will make a donation for every Volvo sold from now through the end of the year. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation caught the attention of Volvo when Alex received an inaugural Volvo for Life award nomination in 2003. The award program honors hometown heroes doing extraordinary things in their communities.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. More info at http://www.alexslemonade.org.

Cole Luxury Homes offers custom luxury homes throughout North Texas. Cole Luxury Homes was started in the late 1950’s by JC Cole. This is a third generation family run business which is now managed by grandson Chuck Cole and Carey Caldwell, who bring innovation to the longstanding tradition of Custom Home Building. More information at http://www.coleluxuryhomes.com.

Park Place Volvo is located at 3515 Inwood Road & Lemmon Avenue, Dallas 75209, near Love Field. Celebrating 25 years as “Experts in Excellence,” Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 by Ken Schnitzer. Today Park Place Dealerships operates 17 full-service dealerships representing Bentley, Jaguar, Infiniti, Lexus, Lotus, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, smart, Volvo and Rolls-Royce. In addition, the dealership group includes two Park Place Bodyworks locations. For more information about Park Place Dealerships, visit http://www.parkplace.com

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Park Place Porsche Launches Park Place Motorsports

Dallas Porsche Racing

A New Program Supporting Performance and The Porsche Driving Experience

Dallas Porsche Racing

Park Place Porsche, an award-winning Porsche dealership in Dallas, has worked behind the scenes for years supporting Porsche racing enthusiasts through Porsche Driving Events and club racing in North Texas. Now, with the launch of Park Place Motorsports, Park Place will be helping clients and Porsche lovers take their driving experiences to a new level.

As a Porsche dealer, Park Place Porsche continues to provide sales and service support, and genuine Porsche parts and accessories and Techquipment. Park Place Motorsports will focus more on technical performance, track-side support, driver education events, and specialty and aftermarket performance parts and enhancements for Porsche clients.

Park Place Motorsports is backed by factory certified technicians, who have been rigorously trained in Porsche Driving Event classifications and regulations. Three levels of support will be offered so that drivers can opt for a certified technician to be present with them for the duration of a driving event to help keep their vehicle running at its peak performance on the track.

Park Place Motorsports is located at 6219 Peeler Street in Dallas. Track information, directions and a calendar of events, as well as photo galleries, downloadable desktop wallpapers, and videos can be found on the Park Place Motorsports website – www.ParkPlaceMotorsports.com.

Celebrating 25 years of “Experts in Excellence,” Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 by Ken Schnitzer. Today, Park Place Dealerships operates 16 full-service dealerships representing Bentley, Jaguar, Lexus, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, smart, Volvo, and Infiniti. In addition, the dealership group includes two Park Place Bodywerks locations in Texas. For more information about Park Place Dealerships, visit parkplace.com.

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Park Place Jaguar Plano Named One of the Best Dealerships to Work For by Automotive News

Best-Dealership-to-work-for-Dallas-2012

Best-Dealership-to-work-for-Dallas-2012

Only Local Dealership to be Recognized

PLANO, TX (July 16, 2012) – Park Place Jaguar Plano earned the distinction of being named one of the Best Dealerships to Work For by Automotive News in 2012.  Automotive News partnered with Best Companies Group to identify 100 dealerships in the U.S. and Canada that have excelled in creating quality workplaces for employees. The program measured workplace satisfaction through a confidential survey of employers and employees.

“This recognition reinforces our commitment to hire and train individuals who enjoy being a part of a bigger team who ultimately provide the client with a great experience,” said Jordan Case, president of Park Place Jaguar Plano. “Our members have created a culture that is one-of-a-kind and centers around teamwork and strong leadership.”

The list of the 2012 Best Dealerships to Work For was published in the July 9 issue of Automotive News. The top 100 dealerships will be ranked and revealed at the Best Dealerships to Work For program and gala awards dinner on Oct. 17, 2012 at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago.

For complete information about the Best Dealerships to Work For from Automotive News visit www.autonews.com/bestdealerships.

Looking to join a great team and work at one of the Top 100 Best Dealerships to Work For? Check out our careers page and get started! http://jobs.parkplacetexas.com/

 

 

 

 

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Park Place Jaguar Plano and Lotus of Plano names General Manager Mike Cuzzo

Jaguar Plano General Manager

Plano, TX (July 13, 2012) – Mike Cuzzo has been named General Manager of Park Place Jaguar Plano and Lotus of Plano. Cuzzo joined Park Place Dealerships, Dallas/Fort Worth’s premier luxury automobile group, in August of 2010 as General Sales Manager of Park Place Lexus in Mission Viejo, California. Cuzzo then moved to Park Place Lexus Plano where sales, member morale, and client satisfaction soared.

During his tenure at Lexus Plano, Cuzzo served as a leader in the Circle of Excellence program, a group whose charter is to raise money in support of local community charities. Within the first six months of his leadership, this group has more than doubled charitable contributions.
 
Cuzzo has worked for almost two decades in the automotive industry. He started his career in 1994 as a salesman for a Honda dealership in Orange County and was quickly promoted to Sales Manager. In 2005, Cuzzo became General Manager of Ford and Mazda of Orange. Cuzzo joined Park Place in 2010 at Park Place Lexus Mission Viejo.
 
Mike Cuzzo lives with his wife and two sons in Frisco.
 
Park Place Jaguar and Lotus of Plano are located 4422 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093.
Jaguar Plano General Manager
Mike Cuzzo; The new general manager of Jaguar Plano and Lotus of Plano
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Park Place Dealerships Adds Infiniti Brand To Dealership Group

Nevada’s Business Friendly State Major Factor in Purchase

DALLAS (July 2, 2012) – Park Place Dealerships, a luxury automobile group based in Dallas, announced today it has acquired Towbin Infiniti of Las Vegas for an undisclosed price. The dealership, located at 5605 West Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas, has been renamed Park Place Infiniti (parkplaceinfiniti.com).

“Nevada is a ‘business-friendly’ state which is important to our company when we consider expansion opportunities,” said Ken Schnitzer, founder and Chairman of Park Place Dealerships. “The Infiniti brand is a terrific brand and has tremendous long-term potential. Infiniti recently launched two new 2013 models – the 3-row/7-passenger Infiniti JX luxury crossover and the IPL G Convertible. In May, The Robb Report placed the Infiniti JX on its “Best of the Best” list of sport utility vehicles for 2012.”

Situated on six acres, Park Place Infiniti includes a 40,000-square-foot facility with a six-vehicle new car showroom, 26 service bays, a make-ready and detail area, and a six-vehicle pre-owned showroom. Renovations to the facilities will begin soon.

The company has named Stephen James General Manager of Park Place Infiniti. James transferred from Park Place Jaguar in Plano, Texas and was also a part of the Park Place Lexus team that was awarded the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the highest recognition a business can receive from the President of the United States.

“Stephen is a great asset to Park Place and will extend the culture and community of our company to residents of Las Vegas,” said Schnitzer. “We are excited to bring the Park Place brand to Nevada and look forward to being a part of the landscape for many years to come.”

On June 1, Infiniti reported U.S. sales of 10,592 units for the month of May, an increase of 65.8 percent versus 6,389 units a year earlier. Infiniti sales have increased 7.2 percent to 43,941 vehicles for the first five months of 2012.

“With a sales increase of more than 65 percent, May was a fantastic month for Infiniti, our best since 2007,” said Ben Poore, vice president, Infiniti Americas. “Our retailers reported strong traffic in their showrooms, not only for the all-new Infiniti JX, which has successfully fulfilled customers’ desires for a unique, new take on a luxury crossover, but for our Infiniti G and M lines as well.”

Total Car Score, a leading automotive ranking and comparison website, recently recognized Infiniti as the number one scoring brand on its listing of the “Top 10 Best Car Brands for 2012.” The study, which focuses on the strength of a brand’s overall product range, is based on numerical ratings for 2012 model year vehicles by independent automotive media and reviewers.

Infiniti offers a full-line of luxury performance automobiles, including the G Coupe, Sedan and Convertible, Infiniti M sedan, EX and FX crossovers, the QX full-size SUV and the all-new JX luxury crossover.

 

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Generations of Baird Family Enjoy Years Of Lexus Quality and Park Place Hospitality

Everyone knows that at Park Place, we work hard to enhance the ownership experience. We do this by building lasting, meaningful relationships with our clients. Last week, Park Place Lexus Grapevine Sales Consultant Troy Griffin sold long-time client Billie Baird her 4th Lexus GS. Ms. Baird took delivery of her first brand-new GS in 2002, which a few years later she passed down to her son.  The second Lexus GS was a 2006 model year, which she passed down to her son; at which time, he passed the 2002 Lexus GS to his own son. The third Lexus GS was only 2 years ago, in 2010 which Ms. Baird passed down to her son, and he passed the 2006 to his son, and the 2002 was recycled again within the family. The fourth was the 2013 Lexus GS,  and of course – the passing down continues.

A special thanks to Ms. Baird and her family for being a part of the Park Place tradition of excellence, and for making Lexus a family tradition of their own.