Sim-Racing Diaries: The Who

Shawmut Racing partners

Shawmut Racing has great partners and it's their branding we feature on our race cars. You can say its a family conglomerate of sorts. However, it is not like the owners of the Genco Pura Olive Oil Company. Nevertheless, I am proud to be racing their brands and colors. We begin with the company that has the closest ties with Mr. Ramen and Shawmut Racing, Soridas. 

Soridas is a holding company wholly owned by Lisbeth Jara Soriano and Pietro DaSilva III. Soridas has various assets including M&S Seafood and Poultry and Sacsayhuamán Credit Union. Also, Soridas has a minority stake in Shawmut Racing and its branding is on virtually all Shawmut Racing entries. Soriano is a direct descendent of Sapa Inca and her shrewd business and financial acumen is unparalleled. She has always been able to secure favorable deals for Soridas and subsidiaries with offers that could not be refused. Pietro made his living as a consultant in the human services industry in addition to providing those services to Granite Man Logistics, AMD Antiques, Donna Power & Light and its subsidiary Madbolt Conduits. Additionally, Pietro is my 6th cousin, and truth be told, it probably is the reason Mr. Ramen signed me as a driver. Soridas and Shawmut Racing share the same fonts for letters and numbers. This is a cue to ownership stake that Soridas has in SR.

M&S Seafood and Poultry is a grocer once owned by step siblings Mr. Mulder and the late "Baby Girl" Scully. M&S's focus is supplying the highest quality fish and chicken products to producers of cat food, but also to provide those products directly to the consumer with the simple philosophy: if its not good enough for us, its not good enough for your kitty. In 2021, Mr. Mulder retired after Scully's passing and sold his interest in M&S to Soridas so he could focus his time on bird-watching and tend to his catnip garden. M&S appears on multiple entries such as Mazda Cup, NASCAR and IndyCar.

Sacsayhuamán Credit Union is a financial institution based out of Lima, Peru. The name and Sunbird branding is representative of Sacsayhuamán, a citadel on the outskirts of Cusco, Peru, the historic capital of the Inca Empire. The name is understood to be Quechua for falcon. The sun is representative of Inti, the ancient Incan sun god. The specific image of the sun is reverently integrated from the banner of Sapa Inca, one of Ms. Soriano's ancestors. As the name implies, SCU exists to watch over and protect the financial interests of it's members, which includes individuals and small businesses. Also, SCU provides free financial literacy courses helping to shine a light on the importance of wealth management. SCU is Ms. Soriano's pride and joy and appears on many SR cars.

The Lyons Group was conceived in the 1990's by Domhnall and Grace A. Lyons and formalized as an consulting firm in 2001. TLG's areas of expertise include applied sciences, engineering, graphic design, accounting, archive/record preservation techniques, masonry & construction among other interests. Their daughters participate in the organization's operations and integral to their strategic plans of world domination. The stylized lion head branding is simple and also a play on duality. Presented in the colors of Black and Old Gold, the Lion is representative of not only the family surname, but that of the Sphinx.  The lion also represents majesty, strength, courage and justice. Their branding appears most prominently in GTE and Porsche Cup.

Zaylen Cakes International is a global confectionery company owned and operated by master chef and confectioner, Chef Bee DaSilva. ZC make handcrafted cakes, cupcakes, and confections for the right occasions and those special moments. They are made from the heart and styled with passion. I can vouch that the product is otherworldly. The organization's name is inspired by her lovely daughters. The Zaylen Cakes iconography includes one of the company's tag lines: Taste the Love. Also, the logo includes a toque blanche to signify Ms. DaSilva culinary expertise and a representation of one of their products on offer. Zaylen Cakes International branding appears in GTE and GT3 entries. 

Donna Power & Light is a sole proprietorship operated by Dr. P. Henriques DaSilva. Dr. DaSilva has intricate knowledge of power transmission systems and focuses on bringing commercial technology to residential applications at affordable prices. In his spare time, he does consultant and contract work with other electrical companies which includes his own subsidiary company Madbolt Conduits, operated by his partner Beau D. Donna.  DP& L name and iconography is a stylized image of Dr. DaSilva rolling up his sleeves, ready for work, complete with tattoos. The company carries the name of the afore mentioned Beau D. Donna. Dr. DaSilva brings light and power to all his customers as indicated by the stylized representation of sunlight. DP&L branding appears in GT3 and GTE. 

Granite Man Logistics is a transportation and logistics company providing expertise in construction, transportation of goods and delivery services. Granite Man logistics is the brainchild of Placido DaSilva who has over 40 years experience in the fields of trucking, delivery and customer service. It is understood that he provided consultation to Amazon as they were standing up their delivery services. All Shawmut Racing partners collaborate with GML to address their transport and delivery needs. The company iconography is representative of Mr. DaSilva's experience in the trucking world and that he is always moving. He parlayed this experience and work ethic into this global powerhouse of freight transport.  GML branding appears in GT3 and on our LMP cars. 

AMD Antiques is a private clearing house that deals with rare antiquities. Operated by Annika Marie DaSilva, she and those under her preview, have an eye for antiques, collectibles and rare artifacts. The AMD exhibition hall boasts a collection of fine china, glassware, furnishings, manuscripts, and Persian rugs. AMD is known to be very generous with the collection in that many items are available for donation. Shawmut Racing employees have been known to peruse the gallery and find hidden treasures. However, the value of the collection is not publicly known and is a closely guarded secret by Mrs. DaSilva. The logo is representative of an antique picture frame with Mrs. DaSilva's initials prominently displayed. As with GML, AMD branding also appears in GT3 and on our LMP cars.  

It is of note, that Granite Man Logistics and AMD Antiques owners, Placido and Annika are married and have been for about 50 years. Their companies are the subsidiaries of the parent company, 54 Gazebos Inc.