Category: IMSA

Brendon Hartley and Colton Herta Join WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP Teams for 2024

(BROWNSBURG, Indiana.) November 7, 2023 — Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) announced today that Brendon Hartley and Colton Herta will be the endurance co-drivers competing for the team in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) during the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. Hartley will join Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque in the No. 10 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 while Herta will co-pilot the No. 40 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 with Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz. WTRAndretti plans to announce additional drivers for the Rolex 24 At Daytona in the coming weeks.

First joining the WTRAndretti family for the 2022 MOTUL Petit Le Mans, Hartley continued his tenure with the team as the Rolex 24 At Daytona co-driver in the No. 10 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 earlier this year. Aside from his time with the WTRAndretti team, Hartley is a four-time FIA World Endurance Championship Drivers’ Champion winner (2023, 2022, 2017, 2015), three-time overall winner at Le Mans and former Formula One driver.

Although a driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Andretti Global, Herta is no stranger to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The California native has two class victories at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, most recently with an LMP2 overall win in 2022 and a GTLM (now GTD Pro) win in 2019. Complementing his accolades in sportscar racing, Herta is a seven-time INDYCAR race winner – including his first victory in 2019 at Circuit of The Americas which earned him the title of the youngest winner in INDYCAR.
The 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season kicks off with the annual three days of Roar Before the 24 testing, January 19 – 21, 2024, followed by the endurance classic, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 25-28, 2024. NBC and Peacock, along with IMSA.TV, will provide flag-to-flag coverage of the race on its family of networks.

If media members are interested in speaking further with the newly announced 2024 WTRAndretti drivers, please contact Megan Barnhart, mba@coforce.com, to coordinate directly.

Wayne Taylor, Team Principal, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti:
“It’s exciting that we’ve managed to get the services of Brendon Hartley again and Colton Herta as our third drivers who will be doing the IMEC. Brendon’s driven for us before, and we’ve got to know him really well. Obviously, Colton is a part of the Andretti Global group and that opened the door for us with him. From what I’ve seen and understand, he’s won Daytona in an GT car and drove a LMDh car last year and did a really good job. I’m really excited about having Brendon and Colton on board.”

Michael Andretti, Chairman and CEO, Andretti Global:
“The addition of Colton and Brendon as endurance drivers for next season will be a major boost to our already very talented IMSA driver lineup. They both have quite a bit of experience competing in endurance events and have built such strong on-track resumes across multiple series, so we’re excited to watch what they can do in 2024.”

David Salters, President and Technical Director, HPD:
“We’re delighted to have Brendon back in the WTRAndretti Acura. He was faultless last year (at the Rolex 24) and had a really excellent drive — g’day mate! Equally, we’re excited to see Colton get behind the wheel of the ARX-06. His skill and speed has been clear to all in the Andretti Honda IndyCars. Big thanks to WTRAndretti for pulling this together. Our HPD engineers can’t wait to get back on track and stretch the legs of our electrified Acura ARX-06 and entertain all of our IMSA sportscar fans.”

Brendon Hartley, 2024 No. 10 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP Endurance Co-Driver:
“I really enjoyed my time with WTRAndretti at Petit last year and Daytona this year, so I jumped at the opportunity to compete in the endurance races in 2024 when Wayne called me. WTRAndretti knows how to win and going to a two-car team will strengthen the whole operation even further.”

Colton Herta, 2024 No. 40 WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP Endurance Co-Driver:
“It’s super exciting to join such a prestigious team like WTRAndretti for the endurance events. They’ve shown how successful they can be in the past and I’m looking forward to hopefully adding to that!”

ABOUT WTRANDRETTI
In 2023, Andretti Global and Wayne Taylor Racing announced a new, long-term partnership 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) will expand to a two-car GTP program as well as compete with two cars in the GTD class. Coming off its 2023 championship winning effort, WTRAndretti will continue 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 nine 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.

Six-Event Season of Endurance Races for LMP3 Cars Debuts in March 2024 at Sebring

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (October 24, 2023) – Officials from Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) today confirmed plans for a new, six-event series for current and previous-generation Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) race cars beginning in 2024.

The series will be known as the HSR Prototype Challenge presented by IMSA. Events will be operated by HSR with oversight from IMSA – the license rights-holder for LMP3 racing in the United States and Canada.

“LMP3 continues to be a valuable IMSA platform for a variety of reasons,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “It provides an entry-level opportunity to prototype racing for drivers, teams and crew members and can be a catalyst for a career in endurance sports car racing. As part of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, which utilizes current-generation LMP3 machines, competitors are able to hone their racecraft in single-driver, 45-minute sprint races.

“Continuing to provide an endurance racing format is important to IMSA and also LMP3 competitors and stakeholders. It is a logical progression to incorporate LMP3 endurance races into our HSR platform, where many previous-generation LMP3 cars already compete. We believe the HSR Prototype Challenge presented by IMSA will be a popular addition to HSR event weekends in 2024 and beyond.”

Each event will have an endurance racing format, ranging in length from 90 minutes to three hours, with two classes of competition. LMP3-1 will include current EVO cars, with the LMP3-2 class using previous-generation LMP3 cars. A minimum field target size of 20 cars will be required for standalone races, and if not achieved, LMP3 cars will be integrated into the existing HSR Group 6 (prototype) races as they have been in recent years.

The six-event calendar opens with a two-hour race on the weekend of March 8 – 10 at Sebring International Raceway as part of the HSR Spring Fling event, followed by a two-hour event at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta as part of The Mitty event weekend on April 25 – 28. The first half of the season concludes with a 90-minute race as part of the HSR’s Classic 6 Hour at Watkins Glen International on the weekend of June 6 – 9.

The series returns to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to open the second half of the season with a two-hour race during the Fall Historics on Sept. 19 – 22, followed by the penultimate round – another 90-minute race – as part of the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona on Oct. 30 – Nov. 3. The season concludes at Sebring with a three-hour event as part of the Classic 12 Hour on Dec. 4 – 8.

“The addition of the HSR Prototype Challenge presented by IMSA feels right on schedule as a logical next step in IMSA’s ownership of HSR,” said HSR President David Hinton. “Today’s news builds on the initial offering of four LMP3 events on HSR weekends that were unveiled in IMSA’s annual schedule announcement in August, and that is in direct response to competitors in both the IMSA and HSR paddocks looking for additional and longer races.

“At the same time, adding LMP3 to HSR events will not take away any track time or alter the schedule for our existing HSR classes and championships. It is actually a benefit as all of the on-track competing series on these six weekends fall under the IMSA and HSR umbrella. We are all working together as opposed to sharing a weekend with an outside group monopolizing the race schedule and available track time.”

All cars in the HSR Prototype Challenge presented by IMSA will ride on Michelin tires and use VP Racing Fuels. Ligier and Duqueine plan to have representatives onsite for technical support at each event.

Each race will feature a timed pit stop. Teams will have the option of one- or two-driver lineups with no minimum drive times.

About HSR: An International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

• Kyle Washington Looks to Continue Porsche Single-Make Series Podium Success in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America Finale
• Blake McDonald Set for Second Porsche Carrera Cup Race with GMG Racing after Solid Debut at Rennsport Reunion in the No. 11 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
• GMG Racing Founder and Principal James Sofronas Returns to Pro Competition in No. 14 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

AUSTIN, Texas (October 20, 2023) – GMG Racing brings its biggest IMSA Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America entry of the season to the 2023 series finale this weekend at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) where America’s premier single-make Porsche series will be a featured support race for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. The Saturday and Sunday 40-minute Carrera Cup sprint races on the 3.4-mile COTA Grand Prix circuit will see GMG field a trio of 992 Carrera Cup entries to close out the team’s 2023 professional racing season on a high note.

Longtime GMG driver Kyle Washington will be looking to continue a recent run of podium success in Porsche single-make series competition in the Pro-Am class in his No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Blake McDonald runs with GMG Racing for the second-straight Carrera Cup weekend after a strong series debut last month at Rennsport Reunion in the No. 11 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

In more than a month of nearly non-stop competition starting in early September, Washington and GMG Racing have run a packed mix of both IMSA Carrera Cup Pro-Am and multiple 992 and 991 races in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America series. The hectic schedule of 10 races on a pair of race weekends at both Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca produced an amazing run of nine podium showings and counting for Washington and GMG heading to COTA.

“Kyle runs flat out in a full schedule of racing all of the time and I have been very impressed with his recent pace and performance,” said GMG Racing Founder and Principal James Sofronas. “He is literally jumping from 992 Carrera Cup cars to 991 Porsches and then back to 992 Sprint Challenge cars and not missing a beat. In fact, if he wouldn’t been taken out by another competitor in the second Carrera Cup race at Rennsport Reunion, Kyle would be a perfect 10-for-10 in Porsche series podiums over the last month or so. He has never driven better and I only see it improving.”

Third-place showings have anchored Washington’s podium haul which has been highlighted by a second-place run in the opening Sprint Challenge 992 race in early September at Laguna Seca and another runner-up result in the first Sprint Challenge 991 race at IMS earlier this month.

Ironically, the only race weekend Washington has missed recently in his busy schedule was the Sprint Challenge weekend at COTA in late August.

“I had some family obligations I wasn’t going to miss last time around so I am really looking forward to getting back to COTA,” Washington said. “That track is sick. It’s just so flowy, with elevations. It’s nice and new. It’s got to be one of the best tracks in the world. It’s really amazing with the Carrera Cup coming there, with the fans for Formula 1, the energy is going to be electric.”

McDonald runs his second career Carrera Cup weekend with GMG after the strong debut at Rennsport Reunion at WRLS. Sofronas and the team have worked closely with McDonald since he purchased a Porsche 911 GT2 RS from GMG Racing over two years ago.

“We knew Blake would be ready for Carrera Cup at Laguna Seca and he proved it,” Sofronas said. “At his young age, he was classified in the Pro category and runs in that class again at COTA, but we knew from his very first laps he was up to the challenge of being thrown into the deep end of the pool straight out of the box. He learned a lot in his debut and we will certainly build on that this weekend in Austin.”

An accomplished race and championship-winning driver in his own right, Sofronas wheels GMG’s third Carrera Cup entry this weekend in the Pro-Am class in the No. 14 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Sofronas runs his first professional race weekend since sustaining a back injury in a test session incident this past summer. Always in ready-to-race shape and fit at 55 years-old, Sofronas has made an ahead-of-schedule recovery.

“I actually made my first start in the Flacht Cup race for fairly modern Porsche GT cars during Rennsport Reunion but that race was cut short but an early incident,” Sofronas said. “Luckily I made a move for third right at that start just before the yellow flag, and getting on the podium and racing a little was just enough to make me want more. Carrera Cup at COTA will be the last chance for a professional race this year, so we jumped at it, and adding another car is never an issue. We have run up to seven competitive entries on some race weekends in 2023, and COTA will be a springboard into 2024 for what will be another full year of Porsche-spec racing in multiple series with multiple cars. Our engineering partners from Germany with Super Cup experience will be in full force and we are rolling out our upgraded hospitality and customer experience space. We are ready for 2024 and in many ways treating this weekend at COTA as the first event of next year.”

On track Carrera Cup action is underway at COTA today with a morning practice session. Following qualifying Saturday morning at 8:35 a.m. CDT, the weekend’s first 40-minute race starts that afternoon at 2:10 p.m. CDT. Sunday’s concluding 40-minute sprint at 10:50 a.m. CDT is the final race before that afternoon’s featured Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix.

Both Carrera Cup races can be viewed live at www.IMSA.com.

About GMG Racing: Founded in 2001, GMG Racing quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning facility. What began as a small 1,200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in Santa Ana, California in Orange County and with a trackside motorsports facility at 28,000 sq. ft. currently being built at The Thermal Club. The staff, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. GMG, in its early years, was located directly across the street from Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA). This close proximity allowed GMG to build a strong relationship with the legendary racing brand which has helped us support our customers to the highest level possible. From club racing to Sebring, Daytona and Spa, GMG can take you as far as you want to go. More information can be found at www.gmgracing.com.

Champions to form formidable roster in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R

DETROIT (Oct. 19, 2023) – Drivers who have won the past three IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship prototype titles are joining forces for Cadillac Racing in 2024.

Tom Blomqvist will team up with Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken to drive the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R in IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races next season. First up is the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona, where Blomqvist co-drove to the overall victory in 2023 and ’22.

“We’re thrilled that Tom is going to join our team for the IMSA endurance events,” said Gary Nelson, team manager for Action Express Racing that fields the championship-winning hybrid racecar for Cadillac Racing. “We feel that with his experience and recent successes it’s a natural fit for Jack Aitken and Pipo Derani. We’re looking forward to getting in some work this winter so we can hit the ground running when we get to Daytona.”

Derani wrapped up the inaugural IMSA Grand Touring Prototype Driver Championship on Saturday in the Motul Petit Le Mans to complement his 2021 DPi title. Blomqvist earned the 2022 DPi Driver Championship.

Derani, Aitken and Alexander Sims also secured the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Driver and Team Championships with their sixth-place finish in the 10-hour event at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R won the Twelve Hours of Sebring, earned two other podium finishes, two pole awards and recorded the fastest race lap four times.

Blomqvist, who turns 30 on Nov. 30, has five wins in 30 IMSA starts since 2019, including three in GTP this season. In addition to the 2023 season-opening Rolex 24 triumph, Blomqvist co-drove to victory at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and capped the year by co-driving the No. 60 entry to victory in the Motul Petit Le Mans.

Blomqvist, son of 1984 World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist, is looking forward to continuing competition in the classification with GTP Manufacturer and IMEC GTP Manufacturer champion Cadillac Racing.

“After another great season with Meyer Shank Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, it is an honor to be joining Action Express Racing and Cadillac for the endurance rounds of the 2024 campaign,” said Blomqvist, who recently signed a multiyear agreement with Meyer Shank Racing to compete full time in the NTT INDYCAR Series in 2024.

“It is a series I love being a part of, and I’m delighted to be returning once again. To be able to come back to the series and to try to defend my title at Daytona is a huge motivation and I can’t thank Meyer Shank Racing and Honda Performance Development (HPD) enough for allowing me the opportunity.”

Blomqvist has also co-driven an LMP2 entry this year in the FIA World Endurance Championship and will compete in the season-concluding race Nov. 4 in Bahrain. In 2021, Blomqvist and teammates were WEC vice-champion in LPM2 and runner-up in the class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He has also competed in Formula 3, DTM and Formula E.

Aitken moves into a full-season role in 2024 to replace Sims, who will remain in the GM Motorsports family to drive the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in IMSA’s GTD PRO class.

North Carolina-based Action Express Racing has earned IMSA Team and Driver Championships in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2023 as well as claiming the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023 endurance championship.

Cadillac earned a sweep of the IMSA GTP Manufacturer titles, securing its fourth IMSA prototype championship since 2017 and its fifth IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturer Championship.

About Whelen Engineering: Since 1952, the Whelen Engineering Company has been a global leader in the design and manufacturing of reliable and powerful warning lights, white illumination lighting, sirens, controllers and high-powered warning systems for automotive, aviation and mass notification industries.

• George Kurtz, Ben Hanley, Nolan Siegel drive No. 04 CrowdStrike ORECA-Gibson to season’s second IMSA win
• Kurtz earns an automatic entry to the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans
• CrowdStrike Racing by APR takes IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championship
• CrowdStrike Racing by APR confirmed for full 2024 IMSA LMP2 season

BRASELTON, Ga. (October 16, 2023) – CrowdStrike Racing by Algarve Pro Racing (APR) closed its season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with an LMP2 class victory in the 10-hour Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

It was the second IMSA win for drivers George Kurtz, Ben Hanley and Nolan Siegel in the No. 04 CrowdStrike ORECA 07-Gibson prototype. Saturday’s winning LMP2 trio combined to lead a race-high 165 of 390 laps.

With the win at Road Atlanta, Kurtz was also able to take home the IMSA Jim Trueman Award, given to the leading Bronze driver in the LMP2 class. With the award, Kurtz earns an automatic entry to compete in the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. Kurtz and APR will look to repeat their podium performance after winning the LMP2 Pro-Am class at Le Mans this year, the first time the team raced together at the French classic.

Saturday’s victory capped a highly successful season for CrowdStrike Racing. In addition to Petit Le Mans, last weekend, Kurtz won the Fanatec GT World Challenge America title in the Pro-Am category with a class win at the Intercontinental GT Challenge’s Indianapolis Eight Hours. Additionally, the CrowdStrike Racing by APR program also won in LMP2 at the Six Hours of The Glen in June.

CrowdStrike Racing by APR will soon begin preparations for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. The team will open the season with the Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 27-28 from Daytona International Speedway.

For more information, visit CrowdStrikeRacing.com. Follow #CrowdStrikeRacing on Facebook, X and Instagram for updates.

Driver quotes after Petit Le Mans

George Kurtz (#04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA 07-Gibson LMP2):

“We’ve been on an incredible journey in the first year of this program. Credit to CrowdStrike Racing, Algarve Pro Racing, Ben (Hanley) and Nolan (Siegel). Everybody did a fantastic job and executed flawlessly. To come out on top at Motul Petit Le Mans is a huge win for our new team. Although we initially set out to do the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds, we eventually decided to go for it and aim for the Trueman Award and the 24 Hours of Le Mans entry. The team was focused and worked hard this season, making these accomplishments even more gratifying.”

Ben Hanley (#04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA 07-Gibson LMP2): “Petit Le Mans was an awesome race. The whole CrowdStrike Racing by APR team did a great job to give us a package that was capable of winning, and a car I could place whenever I needed through traffic, which always makes life a lot easier around here at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Congratulations to my teammates George (Kurtz) and Nolan (Siegel), who drove brilliantly to achieve what is a fantastic result for the entire team.”

Nolan Siegel (#04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA 07-Gibson LMP2): “This is my first IMSA Petit Le Mans win and I couldn’t be happier. In fact, I’ve loved all of the endurance races I’ve done this year in 2023. It has been super enjoyable. I’ve loved competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the whole experience has been even better because I’ve done it with CrowdStrike Racing by APR, George (Kurtz) and Ben (Hanley). We’ve had a lot of success but, beyond that, it’s a great environment full of great people, and I hope to have more opportunities to race with them.”

About CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike (Nasdaq: CRWD), a global cybersecurity leader, has redefined modern security with the world’s most advanced cloud-native platform for protecting critical areas of enterprise risk — endpoints and cloud workloads, identity and data.

Powered by the CrowdStrike Security Cloud and world-class AI, the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform leverages real-time indicators of attack, threat intelligence, evolving adversary tradecraft and enriched telemetry from across the enterprise to deliver hyper-accurate detections, automated protection and remediation, elite threat hunting and prioritized observability of vulnerabilities. Purpose-built in the cloud with a single lightweight-agent architecture, the Falcon platform delivers rapid and scalable deployment, superior protection and performance, reduced complexity and immediate time-to-value.

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Learn more: https://www.crowdstrike.com/

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BRASELTON, Ga., (October 16, 2023) – As Wright Motorsports prepared to say goodbye to Alan Brynjolfsson – who closes out his professional sports car racing career – the team persevered in a challenging race, earning a third place finish at the 26th Annual Motul Petit Le Mans. Brynjolfsson, with co-drivers Trent Hindman and Max Root celebrated a second podium of the year for the No. 77 VOLT Lighting Porsche, the top finishing Porsche at one of the most remarkable races of the season.

“This third-place result is a true testament to all of the effort put in by our drivers and team over the season,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We’re sad to see Alan, his wife Trish, and their VOLT Racing program leave the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but performing so well in such an unpredictable race is a great way to close things out. We’re thankful for what we’ve been able to build together and to be a part of Alan’s growth as a driver over the years. It has been an honor.”

Alan Brynjolfsson took his final green flag on Saturday morning, from 15th position after a qualifying session that threw unexpected weather at the field on Friday morning, October 15. The Michelin Pilot Challenge champion drove one of the best stints of his career, climbing up to seventh place by the 40-minute mark. While other competitors suffered early contact or penalties, Brynjolfsson drove a clean opening segment of the race, even avoiding contact when facing heavy pressure from the GTD class champions. Instead of caving to the pressure, Brynjolfsson had a smooth pass on the No. 16 Wright entry in turn 10 A/B, and later expertly avoided a large multi-car crash in the same turns in the second hour of the race. He completed his minimum-required drive time and pitted from seventh place on lap 114 to give the VOLT Lighting machine over to Hindman. His clean and competitive triple stint around the 2.54-mile circuit closed his final on-track performance in the IMSA GTD class.

With three hours of the race complete, Hindman started his stint under caution, climbing up to sixth by passing Gunnar Jeannette’s Porsche and Bill Auberlen’s BMW, continuing the advance of the VOLT machine. He made another pass for fifth before closing out his opening stint and passing the car over to Max Root.

Root joined the race in ninth, focused on running consistent lap times and keeping the Porsche clean in what was unfolding to be an attrition-filled race for most of the field. As VOLT’s sister car took the class lead, Root continued the climb of his Porsche, sliding past the No. 66 and No. 27 to return to seventh place. An eighth full course caution assisted in closing the 5.6-second gap to the car ahead, and he pitted for Hindman to resume his driving duties with four hours remaining. Hindman rejoined and restarted from sixth place, and within an hour had cycled through to third place.

At this point in the race, various GTD cars were racing on different strategies, and nerves began to mount. Expecting there to be more cautions towards the end of the race, the Wright strategy wisely called for fuel saving with Root and Hindman alternating stints until the end of the race. The Porsche 911 race cars came alive in the cooler temperatures, and the strategy from the pit box positioned Hindman to restart from fifth place with 25 minutes remaining.

The biggest shakeup unfolded in the final 12 minutes when the No. 18 prototype stopped on track, bringing out yet another full-course caution. Jan Heylen, in the No. 16 entered by Wright Motorsports, ran second with Hindman in fourth, but on the restart, a GTD Pro car hit the No. 16 Wright Porsche in turns 10 A/B, causing a ripple effect of collisions that resulted the No. 16 and No. 80 losing their ability to fight for podium contention. The No. 96 of Robby Foley and the No. 77 of Hindman safely navigated through the scuffle as the crew watched with bated breath from pit lane.

The No. 77 VOLT Lighting Porsche finished in third place, earning the second podium of the season for drivers Alan Brynjolfsson and Trent Hindman as well as endurance addition Max Root. In a race with so many cautions that resulted in 25 percent of the GTD class retiring early, the Wright Motorsports trio took great pride in closing out the race and the season as the top-finishing Porsche.

DRIVER QUOTES

Alan Brynjolfsson

It’s great to end the season and my time in GTD with a podium finish. Everyone did such a great job, and it’s an honor to race with this group.

Trent Hindman

This was quite unexpected. Considering the year that we’ve had and the buildup to this moment, there was a lot of work being done to maximize what we can do in this race. I’m glad it all paid off. To close out the year, and end Alan’s GTD run, with a podium finish was a wish come true.

Max Root

I’m super excited for the VOLT team. We’ve definitely had our highs and lows; this high being the highest of them all. Trent and Alan did an incredible job today. Every man and woman on the team did such a great job. We got a little lucky this time and hard work paid off.

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.

About VOLT® Lighting

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, VOLT® Lighting manufactures and distributes quality indoor and outdoor lighting products and systems. VOLT® is the largest manufacturer of professional landscape lighting in the world. For more information, visit www.voltlighting.com or contact the company at customersupport@voltlighting.com or 813-978-3700.

About Adelie Technik

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Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Team WeatherTech Racing Wins GTD-Pro at Motul Petit Le Mans and Joins Korthoff Preston Motorsports in Sweeping the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GTD Championships at the Season-Ending Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

BRASELTON, Georgia – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams brought the curtain down on the 2023 North American racing season with a multiple-championship and race-winning performance Friday and Saturday at the 26th Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway. The No. 79 WeatherTech Racing/Proton Competition Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella and Maro Engel won the GT Daytona (GTD) Pro class race in Saturday’s 10-hour Petit Le Mans IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship finale and joined GTD team Korthoff Preston Motorsports in sweeping all six GTD/GTD Pro championships in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC). Saturday’s banner day followed Friday’s season-ending IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race that saw Mercedes-AMG GT4 teams secure the second straight Grand Sport (GS) class manufacturer championship and third in the last five seasons for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. A repeat title was also won by Wilsports and team drivers Gary Ferrera and Kris Wilson who captured a second-straight Pilot Challenge GS Bronze Cup title Friday in the No. 11 Wilsports Mercedes-AMG GT4.

A championship within the overall IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the IMEC awards the top performers in the year’s long-distance races at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen and this weekend’s 10-hour Petit Le Mans.

Co-driving with Cooper MacNeil – who won in his final race – Gounon, Juncadella and Engel took an IMEC GTD Pro points lead they would hold all season after a victory in January’s season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Going into Petit Le Mans with a three-point lead, WeatherTech clinched the IMEC driver, team and manufacturer titles for Mercedes-AMG at the eight-hour mark. Incredibly, WeatherTech went on to take the overall GTD Pro victory two hours later, one of the few teams in the history of the Endurance Cup to win that title while also taking a race victory in the season finale.

Gounon, Juncadella and Engel combined to lead a class-high 97 laps, including the final 41 circuits when Juncadella never faltered under pressure from the second-place finisher. The victory was the first for the Mercedes-AMG GT3 at Petit Le Mans in any class and a GTD Pro class-high fourth of the season for the WeatherTech team and drivers.

The Korthoff Preston team’s road to its first championship of any kind was a little tougher with the No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 team and drivers Mikael Grenier, Mike Skeen and Kenton Koch coming into Saturday’s race one-point out of first place in the IMEC GTD battle.

Second place points in the first segment at Petit at the four-hour mark gave the No. 32 its first IMEC championship lead of the season and they all but sealed the driver, team and manufacturer titles at the end of the race’s eighth hour when they earned the maximum five points for leading GTD at that point. From there the team focused on a clean and controlled run to a sixth-place finish while making sure they stayed ahead of or matched the final IMEC segment points of their closest competitor.

The GTD/GTD Pro IMEC sweep is the first time Mercedes-AMG GT3 teams and Mercedes-AMG have won dual IMEC team, driver and manufacturer titles. WeatherTech’s strong day also saw them move up to second in the final full-season WeatherTech Championship GTD Pro team and driver championships.

The Korthoff Preston team led three times Saturday for 58 laps in GTD, but the main class pacesetter was the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Russell Ward, Philip Ellis and Indy Dontje. The team’s 142 laps at the front of the GTD field was the fourth highest lead lap total of the 52 cars in the race, trailing only three Prototype competitors, but the run was derailed from what appeared to be a certain race victory after contact with a lapped car in the race’s closing stages. Despite the damage, Ellis brought the damaged No. 57 across the finish line in ninth place for a lead lap finish.

Saturday’s haul of six championships was preceded by a pair of titles secured in Friday’s two-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge finale. A fifth place GS finish for Bryce Ward and Daniel Morad in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 was enough to give Mercedes-AMG its second consecutive manufacturer championship and third in the six years the AMG GT4 customer racing program has been in operation in North America. The first Pilot Challenge GS manufacturer championship for Mercedes-AMG was won in 2019.

Every team competing in a Mercedes-AMG GT4 this season was a championship contributor. Winward also earned the manufacturer points with victories at Indianapolis and Detroit while Murillo Racing scored the first of three Mercedes-AMG GT4 wins this season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in May in addition to a string of other top finishes.

Lone Star Racing delivered the GS championship points at Sebring and even part time and debuting team Thaze Competition helped in the title race by garnering the points at its home race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Wilsports did its part by going a perfect two-for-two in Bronze Cup titles in the two-year history of the award that is championship within the overall GS series for “Am” or sportsman drivers. Ferrera and Wilson also won the inaugural Bronze Cup last year.

Christian Szymczak and Kenny Murillo led or challenged for the overall GS driver and team championship all season in the No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 and ultimately finished third in the final standings for the No. 72 team’s best GS season on record.

The inaugural VP Racing SportsCar Challenge season wrapped up at Petit Le Mans and Tim Probert ended the year on a high note. Probert finished second in the Bronze Cup class race in the No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 in Thursday’s opening race. He was in a position to battle for the lead in the closing stages of the 45-minute sprint only to have a late and race-ending caution period take away a shot at the victory. Probert came back with an equally strong showing in Friday’s finale for another second-place class finish to close the season with a double-podium showing.

Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing: “All in all, a great weekend for us. With the maiden win for Mercedes-AMG in Motul Petit Le Mans, our expectations were even exceeded. On top of that, there are driver, team and manufacturer titles both in GTD and GTD Pro in the Michelin Endurance Cup. We can be very, very happy with that. We extend our thanks to WeatherTech Racing, Winward Racing and Korthoff Preston Motorsports who have made this success possible and have delivered a fantastic season.”

Daniel Juncadella, Driver – No. 79 WeatherTech Racing/Proton Competition Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was a great result for the whole WeatherTech Racing/Proton team. We had a tough middle of the season, but we had a great car for Petit. It made my life easy to bring it home for the win in my last stint. It was great to win the IMEC Championship, Rolex 24 and the two sprint races and then to finish with a big win today is amazing. Thanks to David and Cooper MacNeil for all of their support throughout the year and the WeatherTech Racing/Proton crew.”

Jules Gounon, Driver – No. 79 WeatherTech Racing/Proton Competition Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Amazing! We came into this race with big hopes and happy to have Maro back with us. I had a lot of fun with my teammates, and usually when you have a lot of fun, you get some good results. We started the year with the win at Daytona and then at Sebring we did our best and finished third. Petit Le Mans is an incredible race and one that every driver wants on their C.V. None of us had won here, for me it was my first time here, and to get a win is just great. I want to thank the MacNeil family, David and Cooper, for all of the effort to build this project around us. To win Daytona, Petit Le Mans and two sprint races was great. We are proud of the WeatherTech Racing/Proton team for all their hard work.”

Maro Engel, Driver – No. 79 WeatherTech Racing/Proton Competition Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was a great race for us. For the three of us, it is all our first victories here at Petit Le Mans, and that is definitely one of those boxes you want to check in your career. Winning the GTD Pro class here means a lot. Big thanks to Mercedes-AMG, the WeatherTech/Proton team for giving us an amazing car and great strategy today, which brought us back into the game.”

Mikael Grenier, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was a good race. We led a good part of the race, running in the top three most of the race after starting P12, so it was a really good strategy from the team. My teammates drove amazing as well. In the end we had to sacrifice the race to win the championship. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 was good but it is always tricky because it was warm during the day, but you finish in the night. So, the conditions change, but the car was really good at the end. The team was great, not a mistake the entire race and the car doesn’t have a scratch on it after 10 hours.”

Mike Skeen, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “This goes to show the high level of performance these guys have and the great effort the Korthoff Preston team has put in all year. They called some great strategy to get us some track position early in the race, we ran up front, led a bunch of laps and scored points when it mattered. We kept the car clean and brought it home to the finish. It wasn’t a representative finish of our performance in the race, but we focused on getting the points we needed in the Endurance Cup, and I am super happy to bring it home and get this finish.”

Kenton Koch, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It’s pretty cool to be part of a team that has the dedication and the manpower to do as well as we have. I am pretty honored to be included for the endurance races and I just did my part. It was a team effort to be able to be in this position to win the IMEC championships. It’s also a first for me.”

Bryce Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “The good qualifying really helped and it’s really because what Daniel and I have been working on through the season on the simulator. Thanks to him and the ‘Moradness’ crew that have all been a great help and inspiration to me. A lot of restarts in my stint but I eventually got into a great rhythm and turned the car over to Daniel, I think in sixth place. The team did an amazing job on the strategy. We had a really strong end to our season, and we are already looking forward to Daytona. I am truly proud that we were able to earn the championship points for Mercedes-AMG in the year’s final races and earlier in the season. Mercedes-AMG has been a really great platform for us, and I am looking forward to continuing for many years to come.”

Kenny Murillo, Driver – No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I am just so incredibly grateful to be racing in Michelin Pilot Challenge, especially in the Mercedes-AMG GT4. The car has done wonders for us all season long and put us in a position to fight for a championship. All credit goes to the Murillo Racing crew for an incredible effort all year. I am just a small piece in this giant puzzle.”

Tim Probert, Driver – No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I was really looking forward to this last race of the season. Atlanta is a great place that I always enjoy, and the team always prepares me very well for this track. For me at least, the Mercedes-AMG GT4 works well here. I did a good job in qualifying, even in the damp conditions, and a lot of that comes down to the car itself. It does very well in the wet. I was absolutely going to make a move at the end of the first race. I was planning to do that, but we got a little cut short. But it has been a great season, two P2 results to finish and some respectable overall finishes too. I just love driving the Mercedes-AMG GT4 and Murillo Racing does a great job setting it up for us.”

Manufacturer, drivers and team recognized at IMSA event for season achievements

DETROIT (Oct. 15, 2023) – Cadillac swept top honors for the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, earning its fourth Manufacturer Championship and fifth IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup title in the prototype classification since 2017.

Participants were recognized and trophies presented Sunday during the IMSA WeatherTech Night of Champions at the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in Braselton, Georgia.

Competing in the first-year Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) classification, Cadillac Racing registered two victories, six podiums overall and two pole starts in the nine-race season to clinch the GTP Manufacturer Championship. Cadillac also won Manufacturer Championships in 2017, 2018 and 2021 in the IMSA DPi era.

Cadillac added to its IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturer Championship total as the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R topped the standings in the four-race series that was capped Saturday in the 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Cadillac previously won in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

“It’s been an incredible season,” said John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac. “On behalf of everyone at Cadillac, I’d like to thank IMSA for the incredible work they’ve done to usher in the first year of hybrid sports car racing. It’s a great honor to win the inaugural IMSA GTP Manufacturer and IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.”

Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims, drivers of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R fielded by Action Express Racing, earned the GTP Driver and Team Championship. Derani received his second Bishop-France Trophy in the past three years with Cadillac Racing.

Derani, Sims and Jack Aitken also secured the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Driver and Team Championship. They won at Sebring International Raceway and were runner-up at Watkins Glen International.

Cadillac has used two decades of racing to develop the foundations of performance driving, most notably under its V-Series portfolio that is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The track-capable CT5-V Blackwing and CT4-V Blackwing, CT5-V, CT4-V and Escalade-V seamlessly incorporate learnings from the track to the road.

The 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season kicks off with the traditional Roar Before the 24 on Jan. 19-21 at Daytona International Speedway, followed Jan. 27-28 by the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. A fifth IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup event – in September at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – and a June date on the streets of Detroit also highlight the season.

Cadillac Racing by the numbers

Cadillac Manufacturer Championships in all series: 9

IMSA GTP (2023)

IMSA DPi (2021, 2018, 2017)

Pirelli World Challenge GT (2014, 2013, 2012)

SPEED World Challenge GT (2007, 2005)

IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturer Championships: 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

IMSA GTP/DPi Driver Championships: 2023, 2021, 2018, 2017

IMSA GTP/DPi Team Championships: 2023, 2021, 2018, 2017

IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Driver Championships: 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Team Championships: 2023, 2018, 2017

The car that started it all for Corvette Racing’s quarter-century of success

BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 15, 2023) – A quarter-century after it first hit the racetrack for its competition debut, the Chevrolet Corvette C5-R has been honored as part of the inaugural class of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Hall of Fame.

The enshrinement was made official at IMSA’s annual Night of Champions banquet near Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and site of the season-ending Petit Le Mans race.

Herb Fishel, former Executive Director of GM Racing, was on-hand to mark the C5-R’s induction as one of the first racecar in the IMSA Hall of Fame. Fishel led the team at General Motors that laid the groundwork for Corvette Racing and Chevrolet’s goal of returning to top-level sports car racing at the factory level in the mid-1990s.

The C5-R was born to race, according to Fishel, and was the result of collaboration between many groups within General Motors to create a long-term, factory-level road racing program for Chevrolet. The goal was to position Corvette as competitor to the world’s best sports car manufacturers on the racetrack and in the showroom. So even before the fifth-generation Corvette rolled into dealerships, plans were well underway to return Chevrolet to professional endurance racing.

What has developed from C5-R is an on-going Corvette Racing program where increasing synergies between racing and production engineering have become the norm – the latest examples being the eighth-generation, mid-engine Corvette production vehicles and the C8.R and the Z06 GT3.R that will make its competitive debut in 2024.

“This was a very collaborative effort that established Corvette Racing as one of the premier sports car programs in the world,” Fishel said. “It started with GM and involved various groups from both production – including vehicle engineering, design and powertrain – and racing partners like Pratt Miller and Katech working hand-in-hand. Out of the efforts from each of these groups came the first factory-produced Corvette race car in almost 40 years, and one that changed the landscape of not just Corvette but sports car racing as a whole.”

The Corvette C5-R debuted in 1999 with a class podium finish at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and was a fixture of global GT racing for the next five years. From 1999-2004, Corvette Racing and the C5-R set the standard for racing success with 31 victories in the American Le Mans Series, along with an overall victory at the Rolex 24 in 2001.

Success wasn’t limited to North America. The C5-R scored the first of its three GTS victories at Le Mans in 2001, following with wins in 2002 and 2004. ALMS team and manufacturer championships came in 2001-04. Of Corvette Racing’s 127 victories, nearly 25 percent came with the C5-R.

The C5-R also helped instill Corvette drivers such as Ron Fellows and Johnny O’Connell as faces of the team and the ALMS. Fellows won 21 ALMS races in the C5-R and captured the GTS drivers’ championship three times, including twice with O’Connell. It also helped launch the sports car careers for future stars like Oliver Gavin.

“It is a tremendous honor to see the Corvette C5-R go into the IMSA Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance and Motorsports. Campbell was part of the leadership team that helped guide the C5-R to its racing debut at Daytona in 1999.

“It also is an honor to have Herb Fishel here to represent the team that brought the C5-R to the track. When you look at what Corvette Racing represents – the synergy between motorsports and the showroom – it all began with the C5-R,” Campbell added. “The fans loved it. Our Corvette owners loved it. It helped set the standard for 25 years of Corvette Racing.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. 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.