Category: IMSA

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (January 19, 2024) – After a brief but busy off-season, the drivers and crew at Wright Motorsports are descending on Daytona International Speedway to kick off the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. This week, January 19 – 21, the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R and its drivers will take part in the Roar Before the 24, the first full-season test of the 2024 WeatherTech season before official sessions get underway in preparation for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 27-28. The team has put great preparation into the event, eager to repeat their 2022 GTD class win at the iconic event.

While the co-drover combination of Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer is nothing new, the pair are set to make their IMSA WeatherTech and Rolex 24 At Daytona debuts this weekend. The pair have previously celebrated success together in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America series, as well as the Michelin Pilot Challenge. In 2023, the duo were leading the season-opening Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Daytona International Speedway when a mechanical issue dashed all hope of victory. The racing craft and speed they demonstrated sets a strong done for the beginning of 2024.

Wright Motorsports veteran and Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Jan Heylen will join as the third driver in the lineup, and the trio will contest all five races in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, in addition to April’s Long Beach Grand Prix. A Florida native, Heylen has celebrated victory on the top step of the grueling endurance race once in 2022 with Wright Motorsports and finished in third place both in 2014 and 2015. Heylen has been a longtime member of the team, acting as a coach and driver for many seasons. His experience and leadership will be an important key to the weekend as they enter an exciting new season ahead.

Porsche factory driver Fred Makowiecki completes the team’s stout lineup, also in the hunt for his first Rolex 24 win. The 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans race winner has participated in the race six times, each time racing a Porsche 911. He holds three podium finishes at the event, with his most recent, 2020, resulting in a third place. This season marks his 10th anniversary as a Porsche Motorsport factory driver, bringing to the team extensive experience with the German manufacturer.

On-track test sessions for the Roar Before the 24 begin on Friday, January 19, and go through the afternoon of Sunday, January 21. That afternoon starting at 1:55 PM ET, all entrants will then qualify by class to set the grid for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. A free and live stream for the qualifying session will air globally on IMSA.TV. For fans in the USA, the entire Rolex 24 At Daytona event will stream live on Peacock, or cable subscribers can watch intermittent hours on NBC (1/27 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM, 1/28 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM E) and USA (1/27 2:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET, 10:00 PM – 11:59 PM, and 1/28 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM. IMSA Radio will continue their free and live audio coverage, available on imsaradio.com. for full event information, visit wrightmotorsports.com or imsa.com.

DRIVER QUOTES

Adam Adelson

Coming into 2024, I never thought I’d be participating in my first Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. I’m beyond excited to start this new chapter of my career, and to be able to do it with such incredible talent in Elliott, Jan, Fred, and the whole Wright Motorsports crew makes it all the more special. We’ve been putting in the work in the offseason to make sure we’re coming into this race in top form, and I’m excited to see how all of that hard work will pay off.

Elliott Skeer

It’s finally here, the 2024 season, and for me to call this year special would be an understatement. It is such an incredible feeling to not only make it into the big show and race in the events I’ve grown up watching every second of, but to do it alongside Adam and with the race team I call family. The Roar will be a great test for us to show how all the work over the offseason has paid off, but it is more about gelling with Jan and Fred, and being as prepared as possible for what lies ahead the week after.

Jan Heylen

I’m really excited to be going back to Daytona with Wright Motorsports, Porsche, and my new teammates Adam, Elliott, and Fred. We have a year under our belt with the new car and feel good about the work we’ve done as a team to develop the car. As always, the team is super well prepared, and I feel confident that we can come away with a good result. I’m excited for Adam and Elliott to be doing their first Daytona with us and I hope they will enjoy it as much as I have over the years. I’m also looking forward to be sharing the car with Fred and working with him over the next two weeks.

Fred Makowiecki

I’m very happy to join Wright Motorsports for this race. The Rolex 24 At Daytona is one of the big endurance races in the world and I never got the chance to get this race win, though I have finished several times on the podium. We have a very strong package and I’m looking forward to fighting on track, and to finally be there in the last hour to fight for the win.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

January 17, 2024 – The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup series continues to add world-class partners to its ecosystem by welcoming Michelin as the official tire supplier for the one-make championship. With an unparalleled level of support, Michelin additionally becomes the presenting sponsor for Mazda MX-5 Cup.

Joining other IMSA-sanctioned series such as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge, Mazda MX-5 Cup cars will now be outfitted with Michelin tires. Every vehicle in the series is now required to run Michelin Pilot Sport Competition 20/61-17 racing slicks on all four corners.

MX-5 Cup previously raced on BFGoodrich® tires, a company owned by Michelin, making the transition an easy one.

“We are thrilled to continue being a part of the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup with the Michelin brand as the new tire supplier for the series,” said Jason Anzalone, director of North American Motorsports for Michelin. “It is an honor to be a part of the development and growth of these drivers and teams, and we are excited to support another season of action-packed racing.”

Michelin approaches motorsports as a way to develop and prove its technologies in a wide variety of cars, circuits and conditions. With a heritage of endurance racing, including 26 consecutive overall race wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Michelin constantly challenges itself to achieve continuous improvement. As the Official Tire of IMSA, Michelin is a technical partner for many of the world’s top vehicle makers.

“Having Michelin join the Mazda MX-5 Cup family is a perfect fit,” Mazda Motorsports Senior Program Manager Jonathan Applegate said. “The quality of their product is what our drivers need for the close, door-to-door racing the series is known for. Michelin’s sizeable presence in IMSA makes the change seamless for our competitors.”

The new Michelin tires will make their Mazda MX-5 Cup debut in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, January 24 – 26 as part of the Rolex 24 at Daytona event. Race One takes place Thursday, January 25, at 4:15pm ET. Race Two is scheduled for Friday, January 26, at 10:15am ET. Both races will be streamed live on RACER.com and imsa.com/tvlive.

About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, AWA to debut Corvette Z06 GT3.R (Fixes driver quotes)

DETROIT (Jan. 16, 2024) – A new season of racing marks a new start to the Corvette Racing program. The three-day Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway is the annual preview ahead of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, which will look very different for familiar with the Corvette brand.

Instead of one or two Corvette GT cars running around the 3.56-mile infield road course as has been tradition for the 25 years, a quartet of the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecars are set for the Roar – one week before the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The quartet of Corvettes will be spread out in two classes of the WeatherTech Championship: Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in GTD (GT Daytona) PRO and AWA in GTD. Nine GM factory drivers dot the roster of four cars.

· Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Daniel Juncadella (No. 3 Oshkosh / Mobil 1 Corvette); Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Earl Bamber (No. 4 Oshkosh / Mobil 1 Corvette)

· AWA: Orey Fidani, Matthew Bell, Lars Kern, Alex Lynn (No. 13 Corvette); Anthony Mantella, Nico Varrone, Thomas Merrill, Charlie Eastwood

The official competition debut of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R comes almost 15 months from the first time the initial test car turned its wheels for the first time on a track. Since that time, continued testing and development has come at circuits around the United States and at Chevrolet’s Driver in the Loop (DIL) simulator.

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R is Chevrolet’s first car built to global GT3 regulations. It’s based on the production Corvette Z06 supercar with the two sharing a significant amount of DNA.

The racecar is built on the same production aluminum chassis frame – from Chevrolet’s Bowling Green (Ky.) Assembly plant – as the road-going Z06. Similar carbon-fiber splitters for front downforce, and the surface area from the top of the windshield to the rear of the Z06 remained intact on the Z06 GT3.R. That includes side air ducts behind the doors — directly inspired by Z06 production road car — that help to cool the engine, transaxle and rear brakes.

The similarities carry over to the hand-built 5.5L, flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine in the Z06 GT3.R. Both original from the Bowling Green factory with the racing version sharing 80 percent of the production content from the Z06, including the crankshaft, connecting rods, cylinder heads, fuel injectors, coils, gaskets and a variety of other sensors.

Corvette’s latest racing challenger benefits from a legacy of previous race- and championship-winning racecars. Three previous generations of Corvette – C5-R, C7.R and C8.R – have visited Victory Lane at Daytona with the program claiming four previous class victories. The goal for this year’s Rolex is to claim Victory No. 5… and No. 6.

The Roar Before the 24 is set for Friday-Sunday with GTD PRO and GTD qualifying for the Rolex 24 scheduled for 1:55 ET p.m. on Sunday. The session will stream live around the world on IMSA.com.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’ve raced the Rolex 24 many times but I think I’m looking forward to this year more than almost any previous ones. Obviously we have the new Corvette to debut in a race for the first time, and that is exciting for all of us. It’s a new chapter for us as drivers and everyone at Corvette and Pratt Miller. The Z06 GT3.R has a lot of potential as we’ve seen in testing so let’s see how things play out first at the Roar. Sharing the No. 3 car with Alexander and Dani also is something new for me, and I’m very happy about it. Of course Alex has a good history with this team, and Dani is a very tough and fast competitor as he has proven against us in the past. I’m happy to race with him and not against him!”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’ll be great to do some more laps in the new Corvette and get a better feeling for it following the testing we’ve already had. We keep improving things, which is what you want. There are some things that I’m still trying to get my head around like the ABS, so having some more laps is always a good thing. It’s cool and exciting to get the season kicked off. The Roar is a nice, soft start to the year with three days at Daytona. Hopefully the weather is friendly for us. It should be nice. Overall I’m looking forward to getting everything kicked off with Antonio, Dani and the team. I’ve never worked directly with Antonio, Dani or Andy Ramsey, our engineer. So it will be nice to start working together in a more competitive environment as the season progresses. So far it seems like it is a recipe for good things to come.”

DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s a very special week coming up for me. It’s a new challenge and new beginning in my career to join one of the biggest brands in the racing world. Being part of this lineup in the No. 3 Corvette and all the legacy behind being a Corvette factory driver and joining such an experienced and successful team like Pratt Miller Motorsports is very special and very unique. I’m massively excited for everything. The year starts with a big highlight because you could say this is our biggest race of the year. That makes it even more exciting on top of it. Also with the Z06 GT3.R… when you add all these things together, I really have to come into these weeks controlling my expectations and motivations. It’s like when you’re young and back for the first day at school. I have to control this excitement and focus and go day by day. I’ve enjoyed this process and working with this group that I got to know in December. I feel very good within the team. I’m excited and looking forward to jumping on track and seeing how things are at this Roar.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m ready to go racing. With 2023 being a little bit different year for me with more testing and less racing, coming to Daytona I’m even more anxious and geared up to go racing full-time. There has been a lot of simulator testing – just about a year before the car first hit the track – which is similar to what we did with C8.R. The level of anxiousness for me is a little higher because I’ve not raced full-time for more than a year. This should be a fun year racing with Nicky and adding Earl at the longer races. This team operates as one team and there’s always been collaboration between both cars. It’s a great atmosphere within the team, and I’m happy that’s continuing with the guys we have this year.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m looking forward a lot to starting my first full season in America and with Corvette in IMSA. It’s a big challenge starting with Daytona and such a big race. It will be extra-tough for us because we are coming with a new car built to the GT3 regulations. We will use every single minute at the Roar that we can to improve the cars for the Rolex 24. I’m massively looking forward to working again with the Corvette team, with Tommy and Earl. I also can’t wait to see the GTD PRO class to see where we stand in that field to see if we will be competitive.”

EARL BAMBER, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m really looking forward to the Roar and of course the Rolex 24. This is a big moment for Corvette in debuting the Z06 GT3.R. I was really lucky to be a tiny part of the development, and from what I’ve experienced so far the entire group has done a fantastic job. I’m keen and eager to get on the track and work with the team at Pratt Miller. There were many years where I battled and fought them throughout GTLM. In joining them, I can see why they put up such a tough challenge. It’s a great organization. Joining my good friend Nicky, with whom I won the Nurburgring 24 Hours so there’s a lot of great vibes there. And having Tommy with all his experience with this car through the test and development program is great as well. It’s eyes forward into Daytona, and we’ll give it our best shot.”

AWA PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

ALEX LYNN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m really looking forward to the Roar and the Rolex 24. Of course it’s the racing debut of the new Corvette, and there has been a ton of work put in by Corvette, Pratt Miller and GM. It’s a thrill to play a small part of it and get the enjoyable job of driving. It’s a fantastic car, and we’re excited to start off 2024 with one of the biggest races in the world. It’s a huge honor. Every time you drive in a Corvette, you fight for the win. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going there with the dream of coming home with a new watch. Going into the Roar, there is still a lot to learn and see and size up the competition. The emotions are a lot of excitement of getting Stateside and getting going.”

NICO VARRONE, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m super excited to go back to the Roar – this time with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R. It’s the first time for us in official sessions, and it will be awesome to see the results of the work of a lot of people over the last couple of years. As a team, AWA we haven’t had as much running as we would have wanted, but the car is well-developed with a lot of running and testing. For us, both the Roar and Rolex will be races against the clock to find out what the car likes and doesn’t like in terms of setup, electronics and other things we need to work on and catch up in order to be a contender. But this will be an exciting challenge and super fun. I like our lineup. so everything goes well, we should have a good couple of weeks.”

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “For both AWA and myself, we’re still relatively new to the Z06 GT3.R. We still have plenty to run through. Ultimately the Roar is an event in its own right, but really it is a test item for the big one the next week for the Rolex 24. We have plenty of testing items to go through, all the drivers need more time in the car, but already things are in a fantastic place from the test we did before December. I’m looking forward to getting back into the car and into my first event and race weekend as a Corvette factory driver. It should be a good one.”

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS AT DAYTONA

• 0.034: As in seconds – the winning margin of victory in Corvette Racing’s 1-2 finish at the 2016 Rolex 24. Up until last year’s LMP2 finish, it was the closest finish in race history
• 1: Rolex 24 class win for AWA; the team won in LMP3 in 2023. Current team drivers Nico Varrone, Anthony Mantella and Thomas Merrill were part of that lineup
• 2: Number of the overall winning Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon completed 656 laps for 2335.36 miles in the winning effort
• 4: Number of Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries for the 2024 Rolex 24 – two from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (GTD PRO) and two from AWA (GTD)
• 4: Rolex 24 wins for Corvette Racing as an entrant: 2001 overall, 2015 GTLM (Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Ryan Briscoe), 2016 GTLM (Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler) and 2021 GTLM (Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg)
• 9: Corvette/General Motors factory drivers piloting the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in this year’s race: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Dani Juncadella, Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Earl Bamber (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller) plus Charlie Eastwood, Nico Varrone and Alex Lynn (AWA). Bamber and Lynn also are Cadillac Racing factory drivers in FIA WEC
• 14: IMSA Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001
• 24: Drivers who have driven for Corvette Racing at Daytona – Justin Bell, Ryan Briscoe, Nicky Catsburg, Kelly Collins, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcel Fässler, Ron Fellows, Franck Freon, Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin, John Heinricy, Chris Kneifel, Robin Liddell, Jan Magnussen, Tommy Milner, Simon Pagenaud, John Paul Jr., Andy Pilgrim, Mike Rockenfeller, Scott Sharp, Alexander Sims, Marco Sorensen, Nick Tandy and Jordan Taylor
• 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Fuji Speedway, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
• 32: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999
• 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year
• 127: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 115 in North America, nine at Le Mans and three in the FIA WEC
• 284: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999
• 99,600: Total number of racing laps completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Barring any issues, the program will go over the 100,00-lap mark at the Rolex 24 of Daytona
• 361,990.52: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles

Corvette Racing at Daytona (wins in bold)

1999

No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 3rd in GTS

No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 12th in GTS

2000

No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 2nd in GTS

No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 10th in GTS

2001

No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Chris Kneifel/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS (overall win)

No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2nd in GTS

2014

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 10th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 5th in GTLM

2015

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen fastest race lap)

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 3rd in GTLM (Gavin pole)

2016

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 2nd in GTLM (Garcia fastest race lap)

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (Winner by 0.034 second)

2017

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 9th in GTLM

2018

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLM (Magnussen pole)

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GTLM

2019

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 6th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM

2020 (Rolex 24 – January)

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 7th in GTLM

2020 (WeatherTech 240 – July)

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 1st in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM

2021

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 2nd in GTLM

2022

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 6th in GTD PRO

No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Marco Sorensen – 10th in GTD PRO

2023

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Tommy Milner – 2nd in GTD PRO

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

(BROWNSBURG, Indiana.) January 16, 2024 — Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) heads to Daytona International Speedway to begin the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with a new full-time entry in the GTD class. The No. 45 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 team will make its’ debut with the Roar Before the Rolex 24 as part of the newly WTRAndretti expanded fleet alongside a factory two-car Acura ARX-06 effort. Dressing the No. 45 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 will be the sharp design of black and red of WTRAndretti partner, DEX Imaging.

Familiar faces of the WTRAndretti family of drivers and Lamborghini Squadra Corse are reigning Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America PRO Champions Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal who will handle the full season driving duties for the No. 45 team. Rookie Graham Doyle will make his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut as the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup driver while Ashton Harrison will return for her second Rolex 24 At Daytona to round out the driver lineup behind the wheel.

Action for the Roar Before the Rolex 24 weekend will begin with the first on-track session on Friday, January 19th at 11 a.m. ET. The Roar Before the Rolex 24 will conclude with qualifying set for 1:55 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 21st, broadcast on Peacock. Green flag for the 62nd Running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will fly at 1:40 p.m. ET with NBC and Peacock providing flag-to-flag coverage on its’ family of networks.

Wayne Taylor, Team Principal, WTRAndretti: “This year is a totally different year for this team because we’ve always run one car, now we have three including GTD. Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal, who have been with us for a while now and have won many races with us in Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, will do the full championship. An exciting part is adding Graham Doyle, only 17-years-old, never driven anything in life before getting into a 600 horsepower Lamborghini and winning races last year, and then coming on board for the long-distance races in IMEC this year. Ashton Harrison who has been with us for about four to five years now, will get her second chance at a Rolex this year. I think we have a strong lineup across the team and contend for the win. I want to thank DEX Imaging for their continued support as well as Harrison Contracting Company and Gainbridge.”

No. 45 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2
Kyle Marcelli, 2024 Full Season Co-Driver: “IMSA is thriving right now. We are seeing maximum capacity grids filled with the best teams, drivers, and manufacturers. A whopping 36 cars combined in GTD and GTD Pro, wow! This race will be more difficult than ever to win, but, with so much that can and will happen in 24 hours of racing, it’s everyone’s race to win and everyone’s race to lose. WTRAndretti is one of the best in the business and have been working tirelessly to prepare. I’m very confident in our entry and with that, I’m also very excited to kick off the 2024 season. There’s a lot of positive energy inside WTRAndretti right now, we are all eager to get going.”

Danny Formal, 2024 Full Season Co-Driver: “2024 is upon us and the dream about to begin. To be a part of WTRAndretti and start the season off at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona with the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, it’s a dream come true. I’ve been in the Lamborghini family now for a couple years and so excited to start my career in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a GTD. Super grateful for Wayne, Travis, and DEX Imaging for this opportunity. Super excited to share the car with Kyle Marcelli, Graham Doyle, and Ashton Harrison. I think we have a great team in WTRAndretti. Excited to get going and hope we have a great qualifying – I know it’s a 24-hour race, but these races have become a 24-hour sprint.”

Graham Doyle, 2024 Endurance Co-Driver: “It’s truly hard for me to put into words how excited I am to get to Daytona for both the Roar and especially the Rolex 24 At Daytona. This race has always been special to me, and I cannot wait to participate and be a part of it with such a great team in WTRAndretti. Working as a team at the December test and at the Roar, I believe we are truly going to be able to make strides in our setup of the car and as a team to set ourselves up as a candidate to hopefully do well come race day.”

Ashton Harrison, 2024 Rolex 24 Co-Driver: “The WTRAndretti team has so much experience and success at the Rolex, it’s benefited us in the GTD program. We’ve been able to get straight to business and focus on the key items that help us to dial in our Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2. With this only being my second attempt at a Rolex, I’m looking forward to continuing to gain experience and work together with my teammates for the overall goal to win a Rolex. For me personally, I want to become the first woman to win the Rolex 24 which is a task all in itself. There is something about the Rolex that sticks with you all season, rather if you win or lose, you learn something new every lap.”

ABOUT WTRANDRETTI
Andretti Global and Wayne Taylor Racing announced a new, long-term partnership in 2023 that combines the resources of the two championship-caliber teams to compete in IMSA’s top classes. In 2024, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) has expanded to a two-car GTP program as well as competes in the GTD class. Coming off its 2023 championship winning effort, WTRAndretti continues its Driver Development Program competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series with a full stable.

WTRAndretti’s global motorsports enterprise boasts two IMSA driver championships (2013 and 2017), and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021) which contributed to nine IMSA manufacturer championships for Acura, Pontiac, Corvette and Cadillac. In its brief 17-year history, WTRAndretti has accumulated multiple victories in sportscar racing’s most iconic events: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Six Hours of The Glen. With its back-to-back PRO Class Championship wins (2022, 2023), WTR also has ten North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship titles and a Lamborghini World Finals title.

Andretti Global, a Championship-winning motorsports organization, competes in additional racing categories worldwide, including the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Extreme E, Australian Supercars and the Mexico SuperCopa Championship. Additionally, the racing enterprise commits to driver development through competition in INDY NXT by Firestone and through support of Sebastian and Oliver Wheldon’s racing careers.

WTRAndretti’s long term partnerships include Lamborghini Squadra Corse, DEX Imaging, Harrison Contracting Company and Gainbridge.

(BROWNSBURG, Indiana.) January 16, 2024 —Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) will make the team’s multi-car debut as the factory outfit for the duo of Acura ARX-06 GTP entries this weekend at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 event. The 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season kicks off with the Roar Before the Rolex 24 weekend which is comprised of three days on-track with six testing sessions for the GTP field. The weekend concludes with the traditional qualifying format of a single 15-minute session in an effort to collect pole position honors for the 62nd Running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

As a newly expanded two-car team, WTRAndretti’s stable features a stout roster of drivers in each Acura ARX-06 GTP entry. The No. 10 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 will continue to bolster the iconic blue and black livery alongside tenured WTRAndretti partner Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA. The No. 40 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 will feature a bold red and black scheme with DEX Imaging as the primary partner.

Returning to the No. 10 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP lineup are Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque as the full season drivers. Taylor and Albuquerque will be joined by 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona teammate and reigning World Endurance Championship Hypercar Champion, Brendon Hartley, as the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) driver for 2024. Rounding out the roster of drivers for the No. 10 Acura ARX-06 is 2022 Indianapolis 500 Winner and newly announced NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver for Andretti Global, Marcus Ericsson.

Joining the WTRAndretti team for 2024 is the No. 40 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP entry. Piloting the new No. 40 Acura ARX-06 GTP entry includes 2023 IMEC driver for WTRAndretti, Louis Delétraz, and the return of Jordan Taylor to the family team as the full-time drivers. In addition to Delétraz and Taylor for the No. 40 stable, Andretti Global NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver, Colton Herta, is set for the IMEC events throughout the upcoming IMSA season. Entering his first Rolex 24 At Daytona, Formula One Champion, Jenson Button, completes the No. 40 Acura ARX-06 lineup as Button reunites with his NASCAR Garage 56 Driver Coach, Taylor, to add another accolade to his extensive racing resume.

Action for the Roar Before the Rolex 24 weekend will begin with the first on-track session at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, January 19th at 11 a.m. ET. The Roar Before the Rolex 24 concludes with qualifying set for 2:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 21st, broadcast on Peacock. Green flag for the 62nd Running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will fly at 1:40 p.m. ET with NBC and Peacock providing flag-to-flag coverage on its’ family of networks.
Wayne Taylor, Team Principal, WTRAndretti: “This year is a totally different year for this team because we’ve always only run one car. We’ve always wanted to run two and now we have the opportunity to do that. It’s made everybody really excited internally that we can now go compete against the big teams with two cars. We just have to do the best job in executing everything. I feel really good about the people we have hired and our existing people that we’ve had for a while – everybody seems very motivated. Having a two-car factory program, you really are now racing the whole field. I’m really looking forward to Daytona. I want to thank Acura, HRC, Konica Minolta, DEX Imaging, Harrison Contracting Company and Gainbridge for their continued support as our team grows and goes for the win.”

No. 10 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers (Key Partner: Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA)
Ricky Taylor, 2024 Full Season Co-Driver: “Everyone at WTRAndretti, Acura, HRC, and Oreca did an amazing job in year one to develop a brand-new race winning car, we beat the others in the development race to win on debut. This year returning to Daytona everyone has had a full season to learn about their cars and try to catch up. We cannot assume that we will have that same advantage coming in this year and we have also been working hard to maintain the edge. We will have to execute on our plan perfectly to beat the others this year without any mistakes. The team has been working tirelessly in the offseason to prepare for the Rolex 24 this year. Having a second car as an ally will be a fantastic tool not only in the lead up to the event when further developing the car, but also on track during the race strategically. A WTRAndretti team win is the most important thing this year.”

Filipe Albuquerque, 2024 Full Season Co-Driver: “And just like that, we are starting a new season. As always, we’re very motivated to go for another Daytona win. Daytona is always special, especially now with the Roar. There’s lots of new additions, new things going on, even entering the second year of GTP. A lot of new things going on at WTRAndretti, so looking forward to working with the whole team. We have a lot of drivers, a lot of people, a lot of big changes in the team. The Roar is going to be getting used to everybody around and fine-tuning the cars as always. The excitement is always big and being united with everybody is just awesome.”

Brendon Hartley, 2024 Endurance Co-Driver: “I’m excited to be back at Daytona with WTRAndretti. It’s a great crew of drivers across both cars and believe we have a crew and car that can give us a shot at victory. First priority will be getting everyone comfortable and the car in window at the Roar. I’m sure the team will roll the car off in good shape but there is always something to fine tune and also make sure we are prepared for everything the Rolex 24 at Daytona throws at us.”

Marcus Ericsson, 2024 Rolex 24 Co-Driver: “It’s very exciting to be back at Daytona again following the holidays. It’s been a lot of preparation and focus on this year’s Daytona and everything starts with the Roar. I know that Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, HRC and Acura have done a lot of work and preparations, so have we as drivers in the team as well. Excited to hit the track again and start working, start preparing for the big race.”

No. 40 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers (Key Partner: DEX Imaging)
Louis Delétraz, 2024 Full Season Co-Driver: “The Roar and Rolex 24 are such iconic events, and I can’t wait to get started. It will be the start of my first full-time GTP IMSA campaign with WTRAndretti which is exciting. As a team, we now have two Acura ARX-06 GTPs, we can work together and it’ll make us stronger. It also brings a lot of new things which we worked on during the off season to be as ready as possible. We have an amazing lineup; an amazing team and we are all determined to start the season on a high!”

Jordan Taylor, 2024 Full Season Co-Driver: “Daytona is my favorite event of the year. We’ve been prepping for a few months now through the off season and the buildup to the event is always exciting. We had some good days of testing in December and followed that up with some time in the simulator, so I feel like we are as prepared as we can be coming into the event. There is still a lot for us to learn, coming in for the first time as a two-car team, but everyone at WTRAndretti, Acura and HRC have been working well together to maximize what we have. We have an amazing group of people, so I can’t wait to get there and get started.”

Colton Herta, 2024 Endurance Co-Driver: “Daytona’s always an amazing event to kick off the year of racing, and this year should be no different! I’m really looking forward at the chance to go for an overall win at this year’s race. It’s been great to work with the WTRAndretti team and teammates so far and am really looking forward to more of it.”

Jenson Button, 2024 Rolex 24 Co-Driver: “After a good couple of days with Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti testing at Daytona and a really useful simulator day, I feel ready to take on the Roar. This 24-hour race is one that I’ve wanted to do my whole racing career. So, finally, the opportunity has come with such an iconic team. A team that has fought for victory many times over the years and won on multiple occasions here at the Rolex 24. Hopefully after a few good days at the Roar, a good qualifying session, we can be in good shape for the ‘Big One’. The rapport in the team is great. Eight drivers racing for WTRAndretti in the top category of GTP, that’s a big deal! And what’s great is we all come from different backgrounds, but we all get along really well and the team atmosphere is really good. Looking forward to putting that into practice this week.”

ABOUT WTRANDRETTI
Andretti Global and Wayne Taylor Racing announced a new, long-term partnership in 2023 that combines the resources of the two championship-caliber teams to compete in IMSA’s top classes. In 2024, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) has expanded to a two-car GTP program as well as competes in the GTD class. Coming off its 2023 championship winning effort, WTRAndretti continues its Driver Development Program competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series with a full stable.

WTRAndretti’s global motorsports enterprise boasts two IMSA driver championships (2013 and 2017), and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021) which contributed to nine IMSA manufacturer championships for Acura, Pontiac, Corvette and Cadillac. In its brief 17-year history, WTRAndretti has accumulated multiple victories in sportscar racing’s most iconic events: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Six Hours of The Glen. With its back-to-back PRO Class Championship wins (2022, 2023), WTR also has ten North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship titles and a Lamborghini World Finals title.

Andretti Global, a Championship-winning motorsports organization, competes in additional racing categories worldwide, including the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Extreme E, Australian Supercars and the Mexico SuperCopa Championship. Additionally, the racing enterprise commits to driver development through competition in INDY NXT by Firestone and through support of Sebastian and Oliver Wheldon’s racing careers.

WTRAndretti’s long term partnerships include Acura, Honda Racing Corporation US (HRC), Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, DEX Imaging, Harrison Contracting Company and Gainbridge.

Reigning GTP champion looks strong for second season of IMSA competition

DETROIT (Jan. 15, 2024) – All roads (primarily Interstate 95) lead to Daytona Beach, Florida, and the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona, where Cadillac Racing will seek to jump-start the bid to successfully defend its Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) championships.

The prelude to the Jan. 27-28 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opening event is this weekend’s Roar Before The Rolex 24, which includes a 15-minute GTP qualifying session Jan. 21 to set the field for the twice-around-the-clock test on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway course.

Ten hybrid GTP racecars are entered, including the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande, Scott Dixon and Alex Palou, and the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken and Tom Blomqvist.

Shortly after Cadillac swept the titles in mid-October at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, teams began preparations in earnest for the second season of IMSA GTP competition. That included an early December IMSA-sanctioned test at the racetrack where Cadillac Racing won the Rolex 24 At Daytona four years in a row in the DPi era.

Go behind the scenes

Two-time Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Renger van der Zande is featured in the first episode of “IMSA Driver Stories.” WATCH/SHARE

“I hit the reset button the Monday after the IMSA banquet in October,” said Chris Mitchum, director of race team operations for Action Express Racing that runs the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. “You always want to improve and it’s not only with the car.”

Knowledge, data acquisition, contingency preparation, communication and a host of other crucial elements were gleaned from the first season of competition, which early on had been an extension of testing the new racecar.

“There has been a huge advantage from where we were 12 months ago to where we are now,” Mitchum said. “In racing years – if you can compare it to dog years – I think we’ve achieved at least three years’ worth of work in one year’s worth of time across the Cadillac program. We’re equally prepared to go to Daytona now as we were in every other championship year we’ve had.”

Cadillac has won the overall Rolex 24 title four times since the inception of the DPi era. Van der Zande is a two-time winner (2019, 2020) with Cadillac Racing, while third-year teammate Bourdais is also a double winner (2014, 2017). Blomqvist, endurance driver for the championship-winning No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, has won the Rolex 24 the past two years. He drove to the pole in 2023.

“The 01 Cadillac team is anxious to kick of the 2024 IMSA Weathertech season. We are ready to build on our Rolex 24 At Daytona success with the Cadillac V-Series.R after finishing third and fourth there in its debut race in 2023,” said Mike O’Gara, director of operation and race strategist for the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R run by Chip Ganassi Racing.

“It has been a few years since Chip Ganassi Racing has won overall at Daytona, but we feel confident that we can compete for another win and add to our eight victories there. We have been working hard in the offseason at the racetrack testing, as well in the race shop, to be ready. It’s exciting to be returning with our IMSA veteran drivers Renger van der Zande and Sebastien Bourdais, and it is great to have Scott Dixon back again and then with a pleasant surprise in being able to add Alex Palou to lineup this year, as well. Having the opportunity to work with drivers, engineers and a crew of this caliber is an honor.”

Qualifying Jan. 21 will be streamed on Peacock and IMSA.com beginning at 1:55 p.m. ET.

Cadillac Racing Roar Before The Rolex 24 roster

No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R: Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou

Van der Zande and Bourdais are in their third season as teammates for the full IMSA Grand Touring Prototype season. They won the IMSA GTP race at Laguna Seca in May 2023 and teamed with six-time INDYCAR champion Dixon to place third in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona and runner-up in the season-concluding Petit Le Mans. The trio also finished fourth overall in the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. … Bourdais, van der Zande and Dixon are Cadillac Racing teammates for the Rolex 24 for the third consecutive year. … In 2022, van der Zande and Bourdais co-drove the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R to three victories — at Long Beach, at Belle Isle and at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park — starting from the pole in the former two. … Laguna Seca 2023 was the 19th IMSA victory for van der Zande and 11th for Bourdais. … Bourdais is a four-time INDYCAR champion. … van der Zande is in his 11th season of IMSA competition. … Palou is the reigning and two-time INDYCAR champion. He teamed with the stellar trio in 2022 for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. In total, the lineup represents 12 IndyCar championships.

No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken, Tom Blomqvist

Derani is reigning and two-time IMSA Driver champion. He teamed with Aitken and Alexander Sims to win the 2023 Michelin IMSA Endurance Championship. … The trio co-drove to victory March 18 in the Twelve Hours of Sebring. The No. 31 Cadillac started from the pole. Also earned pole at Road America. … They also placed 10th in the Hypercar class in the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans. … Derani is in his sixth season with Action Express and Cadillac Racing. … Derani, who has four overall wins at Sebring, has 12 IMSA wins and eight poles. … Aitken, a Williams F1 reserve driver in 2020-22, moves to full-season driver in 2024. … Blomqvist, the 2022 IMSA DPi Driver champion, won the 2023 and 2022 overall Rolex 24 titles and drove to 2023 pole start. … He will compete in endurance races for the team in addition to a full-time INDYCAR schedule. … Action Express Racing has earned IMSA Team and Driver Championships in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2023 as well as securing the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023 Endurance Championships titles.

• Rolex 24 Co-Drivers Include International Endurance Race Winners Salih Yoluç, Rui Andrade, Scott Andrews and Adam Christodoulou
• Rolex 24 At Daytona Kicks Off Planned 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GTD Campaign with Yoluç, Andrade and Andrews

CRESSON, Texas (January 11, 2024) – Lone Star Racing makes its IMSA Rolex 24 At Daytona debut in the 62nd running of the nation’s premier 24-hour sports car endurance race this month on the 3.56-mile road course at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). A winning lineup of international sports car drivers that have each captured major endurance race victories around the globe has come together to co-drive the No. 80 Lone Star Racing/ACS Manufacturing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT Daytona (GTD) class in the season-opening IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race.

The driver lineup includes 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner Salih Yoluç, Petit Le Mans class victor Rui Andrade, Rolex 24 class champion Scott Andrews and overall 24 Hours of Nürburgring 2016 winning co-driver Adam Christodoulou.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona begins next weekend, January 19 – 22, with the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 three-day test session at Daytona International Speedway that includes qualifying to set the starting grid for the 62nd running of the twice-around-the-clock race on January 27 – 28.

”Our first Rolex 24 At Daytona campaign marks another milestone for Lone Star Racing and we are ready for the challenge,” said AJ Petersen, Lone Star Racing Team Manager and Technical Director. “Our best result of the 2023 season was a close runner-up showing in our Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the four-hour endurance race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That same weekend, we returned to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition with Scott Andrews co-driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 and we are ready for more. We have had some success with our Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars in a support role with international teams in recent years, including a victory in the 2022 Intercontinental GT Challenge 8 Hours of Indianapolis and a second-place finish in the same race at the Brickyard last year. We have been fortunate to assemble a top group of drivers that know how to win on the worldwide international sports car endurance racing stage and we know we will give them a competitive Mercedes-AMG GT3 that will keep them in the hunt in Daytona.”

Yoluç made history in 2017 as the first Turkish driver to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and later the first driver from his country to win the prestigious French endurance race with a GTE Am class victory in 2020. He began his international sports car racing career in 2015 and co-drove to a victory in his first year of competition in the 24 Hours of Dubai. He has experience in everything from the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) to the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) to the Asian Le Mans Series. He won an ELMS championship in 2022, an Asian Le Mans title last year – both in the LMP2 class – and a Blancpain Endurance Cup championship in 2019 in Pro-Am Cup. He finished fourth in LMP2 in his only previous start in the Rolex 24 in 2021 and his most recent IMSA start was with Tower Motorsports at last year’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen filling in for John Farano.

“I am very happy to be back in IMSA with Lone Star Racing,” Yoluç said. “It was on my bucket list to do the IMA Endurance Cup full season so I’m happy that is coming true now. I am very excited to be starting in the Rolex 24, which is “the” 24 hour race I want to win personally, I cannot wait to get going and have a successful season with Scott and Rui and with Adam on the team at Daytona.”

A native of Angola, Andrade first raced in the Rolex 24 in 2022 as part of a season-long IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) LMP2 campaign with Tower Motorsports. A third-place finish in the Daytona opener set the tone for a competitive run for Andrade in the four endurance races that culminated with a victory in the season-ending Petit Le Mans and runner-up finish in the final IMEC P2 standings. The same year, Andrade and his teammates co-drove to a 2022 WEC victory in the 6 Hours of Monza, making Andrade the first Angolan to win an FIA-sanctioned World Championship race. He also wrapped up a successful 2023 campaign by winning the WEC LMP2 title in the final year of the championship.

“IMSA is one of the coolest series I’ve raced in,” Andrade said. “I love racing in the U.S. and I am excited to be back with Lone Star Racing. It will be quite a challenge to switch to GT mode after three seasons in prototypes, but I am looking forward to it. We have an epic calendar, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which has been on my bucket list for a long time.”

Returning to Lone Star after a full season as the team’s lead professional driver in 2023, Andrews won in his Rolex 24 debut in 2021 in the LMP3 class. He returned to the Rolex 24 the following year in the Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 and finished third in his Rolex SportsCar Championship GTD debut. After the 2021 victory, Andrews went on to win the Michelin Endurance Cup LMP3 Championship with his Riley Motorsports teammates. He co-drove to last year’s Pilot Challenge Indy 4 Hour second-place finish and was closing on the leader when time expired.

“I can’t thank Dan Knox and AJ Petersen enough for all of their hard work and not giving up on this program,” Andrews said. “For sure, in November and December it looked like we probably weren’t going to be on the grid in any sort of shape or form in 2024. Plans can fall through, but to literally start entirely from scratch in November is hard. We all put our heads together, and I suppose I tried to take on a bit more of a role as not just a driver on the team but being there for AJ and doing everything I can to possibly help him. It’s really exciting to finally make Lone Star Racing’s debut at the Rolex 24. I have been fortunate to stand on the podium at this race twice, and one of those times in a Mercedes-AMG GT3. I am really excited to get back to this famous race. It is such an amazing atmosphere. It really is the biggest race of the year.”

Christodoulou also has Rolex 24 podium success on his resume, co-driving to a third-place GTD finish with the Riley team in the debut race in North America for the Mercedes-AMG brand in 2017. He has seven 24-hour sports car race wins to his credit, including co-driving to the breakout 2016 victory in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring that anchored a dominating performance in that race with a Mercedes-AMG GT3 sweep of the overall top four and five of the top-six finishing positions.

“I am really looking forward to joining the Lone Star Racing guys,” Christodoulou said. “I was really happy when I got the call from Mercedes-AMG and AJ. I think it is a great opportunity. The last few times I raced in Daytona I have finished sixth, fourth and third, so it is one of those where you want to be fighting for the top spot like everyone. It’s the biggest race to the start of the year.”

Lone Star Racing competes in the 2024 season with the support of ACS Manufacturing, Sonangol and Visit Angola.

About Lone Star Racing: Based at Motorsport Ranch within the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area in Cresson, Texas, Lone Star Racing is competing in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing/ACS Manufacturing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in the GTD class. Lone Star Racing and its team members have won races across North America spanning sprint and endurance racing formats. The crew has worked together on many different teams and various types of cars, developing a strong bond and proven capability that gives them a competitive and winning advantage. Lone Star Racing competes with the support of primary partner ACS Manufacturing, Inc. (www.ACSManufacturing.com). Look for Lone Star Racing and team owner/driver Dan Knox on Facebook and follow the team on YouTube at Lone Star Racing, on Twitter and Instagram at @LSRTeam and on the official team web site at www.LoneStarRacingTeam.com.

ST. CHARLES, Ill., (January 9, 2024). – As the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech season sets to kick off this month at Daytona International Speedway, AO Racing is proud to reveal the livery for their new LMP2 entry in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Today, the team introduces fans to Spike, the purple and orange dragon as the new mascot of the No. 99 LMP2 Oreca race car.

With his endearing charm, adorable demeanor, and a touch of ferocity, Spike is set to capture the hearts of racing enthusiasts around the globe. Spike embodies the spirit of speed and excitement, eagerly awaiting the action of the racetrack. Beneath his cute exterior lies a ferocious determination, symbolizing the relentless pursuit of victory that AO Racing stands for. Get ready to embark on an exhilarating journey with Spike, as he brings a perfect blend of cuteness and tenacity to the world of multi-class racing.

“After many months of incubation, we are finally ready to hatch Spike to the world of racing,” said Team Principal Gunnar Jeannette. “Rexy has been such a big hit across the globe in his debut year, that we wanted to give all the fans a dragon to cheer for in LMP2. We hope that everyone will give Spike a warm welcome to the IMSA paddock.”

As previously announced, the No. 99 LMP2 entry will be driven by PJ Hyett, Paul-Loup Chatin, and Matthew Brabham, and Alex Quinn for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, beginning with the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The iconic endurance race will begin Saturday, January 27 at 1:40 PM Eastern, with all 24 hours streaming live on Peacock Premium.

2024 Schedule

ROAR BEFORE THE ROLEX 24
JAN 19 – JAN 21
Daytona International Speedway

ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA
JAN 25 – JAN 28
Daytona International Speedway

MOBIL 1 TWELVE HOURS OF SEBRING
MAR 13 – MAR 16
Sebring International Raceway

SAHLEN’S SIX HOURS OF THE GLEN
JUN 20 – JUN 23
Watkins Glen International

CHEVROLET GRAND PRIX
JUL 12 – JUL 14
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

IMSA SPORTSCAR WEEKEND
AUG 2 – AUG 4
Road America

TIRERACK.COM BATTLE ON THE BRICKS
SEP 20 – SEP 22
Indianapolis Motor Speedway

MOTUL PETIT LE MANS
OCT 9 – OCT 12
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

Just kidding. We’re excited to officially confirm that we’re ready for the new year ahead of us with the announcement of the same driver lineup as last year in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: John Potter, Andy Lally, and Spencer Pumpelly will continue their run as the three Magnus Racing drivers in all five rounds of the Michelin Endurance Cup, with the legendary mane of Nicki Thiim again joining us for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

“We already had the WhatsApp chat setup with these drivers, so it seemed easier to continue as is,” said Team Somebody John Potter. “Our goal at Daytona is also the same as last year, move up only one position from the year before. I’m excited to be back with these guys and so much of the same crew and with AMR again!”

“Woooooooooooooooooooooot,” said Andy Lally as his 2024 contract was signed. He continues to hold the record for most consecutive participations in the Rolex 24, with this year marking year 22. He continues to be the winningest active driver at the iconic event with five wins to his name (2001, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016).

Another longtime staple of Magnus Racing, bringing Spencer Pumpelly back was a no-brainer. He’s finished second with us in 2020 and 2022, and we probably couldn’t get rid of him even if we tried. This race will mark Spencer’s sixth Rolex 24 with our merry little band of rebels.

“I’m excited to begin another season with Magnus,” said someone of the Pumpelly family pretending to be Spencer. “We have traditionally started strong at the Rolex 24 where we have finished on the podium three of the last four years. It’s a great team of guys and bringing Nikki back is just frosting on the hair cake.”

Aston Martin factory driver Nicki Thiim wouldn’t be reached for comment, as he was probably too busy getting his hair ready for the exciting new season ahead. Given that his hair likely gives him superpowers, we approve of his priorities.

We feel like our 14th year of racing is the lucky one as we aim to one-up our multiple second-place finishes at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the first race of the season on January 27th and 28th. This year, the Michelin Endurance Cup—the endurance championship within the full season championship—will expand from four races to five, with the addition of the Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, joining the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Six Hours of the Glen, and Petit Le Mans.

The No. 44 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 remains our reliable steed, but with some exciting new Evo updates. We have a new livery in store, but it remains under wraps (get it??) for a little longer.

DENVER, CO. (December 21, 2023) – Anticipation is building as the countdown to the commencement of the 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge race season reaches just 30 days. The high-stakes racing action is set to kick off at the renowned Daytona International Speedway, where Todd Coleman Racing, under the expert management of Archangel Motorsports, is poised for another thrilling and competitive year.

The effort will reunite the driver duo of Todd Coleman and Aaron Telitz for a full-season campaign. The team will navigate ten races across North America in the No. 88 eStruxture Data Centers Aston Martin Vantage GT4. This season marks a reunion for the pair, whose last collaboration took place during the 2022 SRO America series.

Having participated in eight of the 11 Michelin Pilot races in 2023, Todd Coleman brings valuable experience from his rookie season, achieving a commendable eighth-place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

“Last season was a great learning experience for me in Michelin Pilot Challenge,” said Coleman. “Given we are competing against some of the best GT4 drivers in the world, my expectations were fairly measured last year. This season, we are committed to raising the bar. Working with an experienced group like Archangel Motorsports, with the leadership of sports car racing veteran Mike Johnson really adds to the strength of the program. Aaron Telitz has been a great friend and coach over the years, and I’m excited to bring him back into the fold. We’ll certainly have some fun this season.”

DENVER, CO. (December 21, 2023) – Anticipation is building as the countdown to the commencement of the 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge race season reaches just 30 days. The high-stakes racing action is set to kick off at the renowned Daytona International Speedway, where Todd Coleman Racing, under the expert management of Archangel Motorsports, is poised for another thrilling and competitive year.

The effort will reunite the driver duo of Todd Coleman and Aaron Telitz for a full-season campaign. The team will navigate ten races across North America in the eStruxture Data Centers Aston Martin Vantage GT4. This season marks a reunion for the pair, whose last collaboration took place during the 2022 SRO America series.

Having participated in eight of the 11 Michelin Pilot races in 2023, Todd Coleman brings valuable experience from his rookie season, achieving a commendable eighth-place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

“Last season was a great learning experience for me in Michelin Pilot Challenge,” said Coleman. “Given we are competing against some of the best GT4 drivers in the world, my expectations were fairly measured last year. This season, we are committed to raising the bar. Working with an experienced group like Archangel Motorsports, with the leadership of sports car racing veteran Mike Johnson really adds to the strength of the program. Aaron Telitz has been a great friend and coach over the years, and I’m excited to bring him back into the fold. We’ll certainly have some fun this season.”

A five-time race winner in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Aaron Telitz joins the team with an impressive track record and extensive knowledge of the circuits featured in the 2024 season. Telitz, who is also racing in his sixth season with Vasser Sullivan Racing, recently closed out the 2023 season with a third-place standing in the GTD class. This will be his first time competing in the Pilot Challenge, the support series for the IMSA WeatherTech championship.

“I’m really looking forward to racing with Todd Coleman and Archangel Motorsports in the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series in 2024,” said Telitz. “It’s going to be a lot of fun getting to work with Todd again! It’ll be my first try at the GS championship. I know we’ve got our work cut out for us as it’s super competitive with lots of teams and drivers with tons more experience but we’re ready to take on the challenge!”

With a recent successful test session, the team is gearing up for the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway from January 19-21, serving as the inaugural series-wide pre-season test. The official sessions for the Rolex 24 race week will commence on January 24, with the four-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge At Daytona beginning on Friday, January 26, at 1:45 PM ET. For more information and to tune in, please visit imsa.com.

About Todd Coleman Racing

Todd Coleman Racing was founded in 2022, the passion product from entrepreneur Todd Coleman. He began his racing career in 2020, racing at an entry-level before working his way up to the professional ranks. He continued to learn the ropes of the business of motorsport, partnering with championship-winning sports car teams and professional coach/drivers. He founded Todd Coleman Racing as the next step in racing toward his dream; to create his own championship-winning race team.

About eStruxture Data Centers

eStruxture is the largest Canadian data center provider with locations in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. Headquartered in Montreal, eStruxture provides access to an ecosystem of almost 1,200 customers that trust and depend on our infrastructure and customer support, including carriers, cloud providers, media content, financial services, and enterprise customers. eStruxture offers colocation, bandwidth, security and support services to customers across Canada in its carrier and cloud-neutral facilities.

About Archangel Motorsports

Established by Mike Johnson in 1998, Archangel Motorsports is a championship-winning racing team in IMSA competition. Originally based in Atlanta, the team began with formula cars before transitioning to sports car racing from 2000 to 2004. While creating a legacy in SRPII competition, Archangel Motorsports earned two GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car championships [2000,2001] and a Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona victory [2001]. The fifteen years to follow saw Johnson take to management, spearheading operations, such as Stevenson Motorsports, to four additional championships and a slew of race wins, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Retaking to team ownership in 2020, Johnson brought Archangel Motorsports home to St. Louis, Missouri with its sister company, Victory Raceway.