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Category: IMSA

International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) news and information

  • GTP Gets Rolling at the Roar

    GTP Gets Rolling at the Roar

    Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport Kicks Off GTP Era at the 2023 Roar Before the Rolex 24 This Weekend

    (Brownsburg, Ind.) January 17, 2022 — Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) with Andretti Autosport’s No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 hits the track this weekend for the Roar Before the Rolex 24. The event is comprised of the first competitive testing sessions of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP era and capped by a traditional qualifying session on Sunday afternoon to set the grid for the 2023 Rolex 24 At DAYTONA. WTRAndretti has won the Rolex four times in the past six years, and is focused on continuing that run of success in a totally new era that resets the sport and has attracted the largest and most diverse prototype field in years.

    The blue and black Konica Minolta outfit and drivers Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, Louis Delétraz and Brendon Hartley will be joined in the pitlane by the GTD class No. 93 Harrison Contracting Company Acura NSX GT3 Evo22, piloted by WTRAndretti drivers Ashton Harrison, Kyle Marcelli, Danny Formal and Ryan Briscoe, completing WTRAndretti’s first multi-class effort at the Rolex 24. This year’s event appropriately features a 61-car grid for the 61st running of America’s most prestigious endurance event.

    WTRAndretti’s stable begins practice sessions this Friday around Daytona International Speedway’s historic 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course circuit.

    “The whole team can’t wait to get to the Roar,” said Ricky Taylor, who helped qualify the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura on pole for the 2022 Rolex 24 At DAYTONA. “We have all enjoyed the development phase and the process of building this beautiful car with Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport, HPD and Oreca. At the end of the day, we are all competitors, so we are ultimately the most excited when we get to compete. The Roar will be the first time we get to truly test ourselves and battle for the pole for the Rolex 24 in our all-new, electrified Acura machinery, and that is incredibly exciting.”

    “The new era is just starting,” said Filipe Albuquerque, who also drove a stint in the pole-winning qualifying race effort in 2022. “We have been testing the new car a lot. It’s a great regulation that is being introduced, the car is very exciting to drive and we just can’t wait to start. Less than a week to go—I’ve been so engaged by the process of developing a car with my teammates. We can’t wait to see what all the other manufacturers brought and what ideas they have. It’s a new program with the hybrid engine and qualifying will be different than past years at the Roar. With a combustion engine, we were solely focused on the balance of the car, but now with a new chassis there are other concerns and priorities. I’m training hard and as excited as I was when I started karting!”

    “I’m really excited for the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA!” said Louis Delétraz, 2022 ELMS Champion. “It’s a new category, new cars, new opponents, and the first time with our new partners Andretti Autosport. So many things to look forward to, and it’s the culmination of so much testing and development. The whole team, Acura and HPD have worked hard the last few months and we still have a lot to do and learn, but I feel ready. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of the Acura ARX-06.”

    “I have had a really nice break back in New Zealand with family,” said 2022 WEC Hypercar Champion, Brendon Hartley. “As much as I have enjoyed it, I’m looking forward to getting back to the racetrack. It’s going to be exciting to see all the new cars lined up at the Roar heading into the new era of sports car racing. I’m so pleased to be joining WTRAndretti and Acura. They know how to win this race and I feel as though I’ve fit right into the team together with Ricky, Filipe, and Louis. I have had a little track time in the car already and feel we are well prepared to tackle the week at Daytona.”

    “We’re excited to go to the Roar and it’s the first time the world will see the new partnership between Wayne Taylor Racing and Andretti Autosport,” said six-time Rolex 24 At DAYTONA winner, Wayne Taylor. “HPD has been working so hard behind the scenes and our team has been working flat out. There have been supply chain issues and hurdles, but we are ready to go to put the car on the track. We’ll use the practices to prepare for qualifying and understand the electronics even better. We’ve done as much testing as possible, but you always want more. The Roar will be a bit of a test, and we’ll go as hard as we can for qualifying and see where we come out.

    “We’ll be running a GTD car as part of the Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport team, with John Mirachi and Racers Edge Motorsports. Ashton Harrison, Ryan Briscoe, Danny Formal and Kyle Marcelli are a great lineup and it’s nice to have to be competing in two different classes with two chances to win! Having Harrison Contracting Company sponsor the car is great for our team and for them, and I couldn’t be more excited.”

    The Roar Before the 24, the qualifying event for the 2023 Rolex 24 At DAYTONA, runs January 20th-22nd with qualifying at 1:25 p.m. ET on the 22nd. Full coverage can be streamed on IMSA.TV starting at 1:20 p.m. ET. Practice for the Rolex 24 starts on January 26th, with the green flag for the legendary endurance race waving on the 28th at 1:40 p.m. Live coverage is available on Peacock for the full 24-hour cycle, alternate coverage on USA Network, and the final hours and victory celebrations available on NBC starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on the 29th.

    ABOUT KONICA MINOLTA
    Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the workplace to achieve true connectivity through the Intelligent Connected Workplace. The company guides and supports its clients’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), intelligent information management, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fifteen consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2021 America’s Best-in-State employers list. The company received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. The company recognizes 150 years in global business in 2023. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.

    The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 effort and Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport is supported by an outstanding lineup of partners including Harrison Contracting Company, Acura Motorsports, Honda Performance Development and Hammer Nutrition .

    ABOUT KONICA MINOLTA
    Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the workplace to achieve true connectivity through the Intelligent Connected Workplace. The company guides and supports its clients’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), intelligent information management, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fifteen consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2021 America’s Best-in-State employers list. The company received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. The company recognizes 150 years in global business in 2023. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.

    The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 effort and Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport is supported by an outstanding lineup of partners including Harrison Contracting Company, Acura Motorsports, Honda Performance Development and Hammer Nutrition .

  • Cadillac V-LMDh aims to make noise at the Roar

    Cadillac V-LMDh aims to make noise at the Roar

    Hybrid race car ready for its competition debut at prelude to Rolex 24 at Daytona

    DETROIT (Jan. 17, 2023) — Before the aggressive and distinctively Cadillac V-LMDh rounds into view, the unmistakable throaty sound is its calling card. Authentic American V8.

    Cadillac, the only LMDh manufacturer with a naturally aspirated engine, will seek to build on its legacy of success in the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona — the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season and introduction of the hybrid race cars in the Grand Touring Prototype class.

    Three Cadillac V-LMDh race cars will make their debut this week at the Roar Before the Rolex 24. Cadillac will seek its fifth overall victory in the race 2017.

    The twice-around-the-clock race is Jan. 28-29 at Daytona International Speedway. The prelude Roar commences with the first of five on-track practice sessions at 11 a.m. ET Jan. 20.

    The starting grid will be determined by the qualifying format used at other IMSA races – a 20-minute session — on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course. Peacock will provide streaming coverage of qualifying starting at 1:20 p.m. Jan. 22.

    “Everyone wishes they had an extra month or two and it’s just the way of the new formula. I guess the best way to do it is to rip the band aid off and get racing.”

    — Earl Bamber, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac V-LMDh

    “Two years of planning, preparation and perseverance have brought Cadillac Racing to this place and time – the start of a new and exciting era for the brand, IMSA and the WEC,” GM sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser said. “We’re thankful for the cooperation and consideration of dozens of GM personnel, our teams, partners, suppliers, the sanctioning bodies and the other OEMs to get to this point.

    “This has been an intense process, but an extremely rewarding one. Our development process has been like running the Rolex 24 at least five times in a row. It felt like almost every test we were running a 24-hour race with the hours we were at the track and how hard everyone was working. We’re now looking forward to seeing the Cadillac V-LMDh cars on the racetrack in competition and, of course, in the winner’s circle.”

    Since its shakedown in early July 2022, the Cadillac V-LMDh has completed more than 12,000 miles of on-track development in addition to numerous hours of development of the 5.5-liter DOHC V8 on dynamometers at the GM Performance and Racing propulsion facility in Pontiac, Michigan.

    “Everyone wishes they had an extra month or two and it’s just the way of the new formula. I guess the best way to do it is to rip the band aid off and get racing,” said Earl Bamber, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac V-LMDh.

    Since 2017, Cadillac has been competing at the forefront of American sports car racing in the IMSA prototype class. In the 2017-2022 DPi era, Cadillac Racing achieved 27 wins (most of any manufacturer), 84 podium finishes, plus:

    • Winning the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship three times: 2021, 2018 and 2017
    • Winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona four times in a row: 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017
    • Winning the Michelin North American Endurance Cup four times: 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017
    • Winning three Team and Driver Championships

    Prior to competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Cadillac competed in the World Challenge Championship, earning five Manufacturer Championships (2014, 2013, 2012, 2007, 2005) and five Driver Championships (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2005).

    What Cadillac Racing drivers are saying

    No. 01 Cadillac V-LMDh

    Resource: Driver bios

    Sebastien Bourdais: “For us, it’s still early days. Everything is new and yet the race is just around the corner. Usually, you spend a lot more time trying to refine the set-ups and everything going into a race, especially being the biggest race of the year. But we’ll have a couple of days during the Roar and then we’ll go racing. We want to see Cadillac win it and we’d love to be the car to win it. I fully expect the one who wins will be the one with the fewest amount of problems, so we’ll keep it clean, go fast and make sure we don’t run into troubles.”

    Renger van der Zande: “The test days at Daytona were a time to get reliable you’re your car and get that bit of speed out of the car by working on set-ups. We’ll continue that during the practice days at the Roar. The mental aspect is to focus on your job and trust the others to do well. The only thing you can focus on is that little piece that you’re contributing to the whole team. You’re relying on your teammates, you’re relying on the strategy, you’re relying on the mechanical side of your car. To get everything right is not easy. I’m with an amazing group of drivers and amazing group of people I work with who are to be trusted.”

    Scott Dixon: “I’m looking forward to the Roar. Being part of the program a good amount in the off-season, I’ve seen a lot of great development with the car. It’s going to be good to have two cars running at the same time. I’m ready to kick off he season strong. On the Cadillac front I think all the driver lineups are fantastic, the car has been fast, they look like winning cars. All the manufacturers coming in have brought a new intensity to IMSA, which is great for the race itself and the long term.”

    No. 02 Cadillac V-LMDh

    Resource: Driver bios

    Alex Lynn: “As a crew, we’re ready to perform. It’s the biggest race on the American calendar, so from that side all three of us have experience and we know what it takes to get it done. We need to stay calm with a brand-new car and make sure we arrive on race day with the best possible chance of winning.”

    Earl Bamber: “I think having a regular qualifying session instead of a race this year is good for all the GTP class cars. Everyone wishes they had an extra month or two and it’s just the way of the new formula. I guess the best way to do it is to rip the band aid off and get racing. This first Daytona race is going to be a real endurance race of who car finish the race cleanly without any mechanical failures. The guys at GM, Cadillac and Chip Ganassi Racing have put a huge amount of work and effort into where we are and I think everyone is excited to get the car on track and see what we’ve produced in the last year and a half.”

    Richard Westbook: “It’s been a race against time with the development of the Cadillac V-LMDh. It’s a whole new class, whole new formula and everyone was wishing they had more time. But it is the way the American season works in sports car racing; the first round is a 24-hour race and that’s brutal. We have to be ready and I think round one is going to all be about reliability. We had a very successful 24-hour test and a good test at Daytona in December, so that puts us in good stead.”

    No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-LMDh

    Resource: Driver bios

    Pipo Derani: “I think there’s always a big excitement coming into a new season, especially with the first event so big. After you do this for a few years, you learn how to control your emotions. Everything just falls into place. You just do what you have to do. Once you focus on that and know you have that support from the team, then you’re also more relaxed. There’s really nothing different to do than what you’ve already done and those things have worked because we’ve won races and championships. That also helps you calm down and focus on the important things. Come race day and come Sunday afternoon, you hope everything fell into place and you have the shot at victory in this event.”

    Alexander Sims: “A lot of preparation has gone into the car and it’s getting down to crunch time. It’s a huge challenge ahead of us firstly just to complete the race with a brand-new car, brand-new set of technology in the car that everybody is learning about and haven’t been raced in anger up and down the paddock by anyone before and then to try to be fast and competitive at the same time. We’re fully up for it. It seems like we’re in a good spot. I remain cautiously optimistic.”

    Jack Aitken: “I’m super excited. I’m comfortable in the car. For everyone, it’s a massive challenge and seeing the way everybody has been fighting to get ready for the race is pretty cool. I think we’re in a good spot. It’s just ironing out those little niggles you get with a new car. I don’t think we’ll get that feeling that we’re 100 percent ready, but I don’t think anybody really is. If we can get there 99 percent ready, I’d say we’ve done a good job.”

    About Cadillac

    A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com.

  • The Heart of Racing Ready for IMSA Season Opener Rolex 24

    The Heart of Racing Ready for IMSA Season Opener Rolex 24

    Daytona, Fla. (17 January 2023) – 2022 GTD Champions The Heart of Racing (THoR) will look to open the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign with the series’ opening round at Daytona International Speedway this month.

    Preparations for the Rolex 24 At Daytona will launch this weekend with the annual Roar Before the 24, which features three days of practice ahead of Sunday afternoon’s qualifying session to set the grid for the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona (1:20 pm ET NBC; flag to flag coverage on Peacock TV).

    With a mixture of familiar and new faces on The Heart of Racing driver roster, the team will once again field two entries racing in GTD PRO and GTD.

    Alex Riberas (ES) and Ross Gunn (UK) will return to the No. 23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 GTD PRO entry and will be joined by David Pittard (UK) for the 24-hour classic. Pittard most recently ran in the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season with Aston Martin, earning a win at the 1000 miles of Sebring in March of 2022.

    With two wins (Acura Long Beach Grand Prix, Sahlen’s 6 Hours of the Glen) and four podium finishes on the season, the No. 23 Aston Martin team raced to fourth in the 2022 GTD PRO class standings. Riberas and Gunn finished fourth at Daytona and will look to open the new season with a run to the podium.

    Reigning IMSA GTD champion Roman De Angelis (CA) will return to the No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with a new co-driver this year, as he is joined by 2022 FIA WEC LMGTE-AM champion Marco Sorensen (DK). THoR team principal Ian James (UK) and Aston Martin factory driver Darren Turner (UK) will return to the cockpit of the No. 27 Aston Martin for the Rolex 24.

    De Angelis scored wins at Watkins Glen International and Canadian Tire Motorsports Park last season, backing those results up with three second-place finishes (Raceway at Belle Isle Park, Lime Rock Park, and VIRginia International Raceway) on his way to the title.

    Sorensen enters 2023 riding the wave of last season’s FIA WEC LMGTE-AM Championship win as well as victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 6 Hours of Fuji on board an Aston Martin Vantage. The 61st Rolex 24 outing will be his third, having debuted in the 2017 edition with a run to 12th in an Aston Martin and taking 10th in 2022 on board a Corvette.

    UK native Turner also readies for the Rolex with considerable momentum, having taken second in the British GT Championship in a GT4 spec Aston Martin Vantage on the strength of wins at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, while team principal Ian James will look to add to his remarkable roster of results that included a run to victory with the team at Watkins Glen last year.

    De Angelis and James have already got one race under their belts this year, having contested the 24H of Dubai this past weekend as part of the 24H SERIES powered by Hankook, where THoR placed third in class.

    Follow along on THoR’s Instagram (@theheartofracing) and Facebook (The Heart of Racing)

    About The Heart of Racing

    The Heart of Racing races to raise funds and awareness for Seattle Children’s Cardiology Research. The team competes internationally with concurrent campaigns in IMSA, SRO, Formula Drift and the 24H SERIES. Last season The Heart of Racing won the IMSA GTD Championship title in the No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3. The Heart of Racing team hosted their first all-female driver shootout in November of 2022, bringing to the team Hannah Grisham and Rianna O’Meara-Hunt for the 2023 SRO GT4 America season. To contribute to The Heart of Racing’s fundraising efforts please visit: https://give.seattlechildrens.org/fundraiser/3642390

    Driver Quote Board:

    Ian James – “Having both cars and crews together again to compete at Daytona creates an exciting energy within the team. Our goal this year is to keep developing our program and strive to always execute at a higher level than the last race. The Rolex 24 is an event that puts every team to the test.”

    Roman De Angelis – “It’s always exciting to start a new season, a new chance. The team finished 2022 on a high note with winning the GTD Championship so I am excited to use that momentum to launch us into the Rolex 24.”

  • CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: 25th Year Starts at a Familiar Place

    CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: 25th Year Starts at a Familiar Place

    No. 3 Corvette C8.R begins another full-season championship challenge in GTD PRO

    DETROIT (Jan. 17, 2023) – Corvette Racing is back where it all started a quarter-century ago as the team returns to Daytona International Speedway for its two-week, season-opening event in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

    First up is the Roar Before the 24 – three days of official testing that culminates in qualifying for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The Roar runs from Friday through Sunday with practice starting for the Rolex 24 on Thursday, January 26.

    This season marks the second for Corvette Racing in the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category. This year’s lineup features the two-time IMSA championship-winning pair of Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor – challenging for another full-season title – and fellow Corvette Racing veteran Tommy Milner in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.

    While this is the first race together for the trio, one has shared the cockpit of a Corvette with the other on multiple occasions. While Garcia and Taylor are full-season teammates, Milner was a full-time Corvette driver in 2011 with Garcia as his long-distance teammate. Coincidently, they went on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans that year.

    Fast-forward to 2015 and Taylor was the third driver at Le Mans with Milner and Oliver Gavin as the trio won their class in a storybook ending for Corvette Racing.

    Daytona was the site of Corvette Racing’s first event in 1999. In its 12 Rolex starts since then, the program has won the race four times – the most recent coming in 2021 when Garcia, Taylor and Nicky Catsburg led a 1-2 Corvette Racing finish in the final Rolex 24 for the GT Le Mans (GTLM) category.

    There are eight entries from seven manufacturers in GTD PRO for this year’s Rolex 24. Combined with the regular GTD field, Corvette Racing will be in a fight among 23 production-based cars around the 3.56-mile, eight-turn circuit that combines Daytona’s super-speedway oval with its infield road course.

    The Roar Before the 24 is set for Friday-Sunday with GTD qualifying for the Rolex 24 scheduled for 1:25 p.m. on Sunday. The session will stream live around the world on IMSA.com.

    ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Going for the second time in GTD PRO at Daytona will be a little bit different. We have a year of experience now. A year ago, it was hard for us and hard for IMSA to know what to expect from the performance of our car. I hope we are in a better position this time around, especially at Daytona. We were lacking a ton of performance and we were not competitive and couldn’t fight for wins. I hope things change. The team has one year of experience in this category. We know our weaknesses and where we are strong. I hope we have a chance to win.”

    “For Corvette Racing, Daytona is a key part of our season. We’ve been lucky enough to win it a few times. Last year wasn’t a great year for us but I hope we have a chance to be up there, work for it and maybe win the Rolex again.”

    “It’s great to have Tommy back. I was still a third driver when he joined the team and I was able to be in the car with him for a year. We won Le Mans together, so I think it’s a good moment to get together again and win all the other big races we can win. I haven’t won Daytona or Sebring with him, so this is a good chance to try for that.”

    JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Heading into the season, the motivation is win as much as we can. That starts with the Rolex 24. Last year we had a tough race in our first event in GTD. Getting an understanding about what the car needs and what the drivers need is a lot to learn. Having done the whole season a year ago, we can take what we learned into practice and hopefully we can hit the ground running strong at Daytona.”

    “With the GTD PRO class growing as much as it has, Daytona will be such an important event for us. We’ve got so many manufacturers from around the world, and it’s a big deal to represent Corvette and Chevrolet on our home turf. We won the race in 2021 and hopefully we can come back with a strong car in GTD after learning what we did a year ago. We’re definitely hoping for another watch this year.”

    “It was kind of sad not having Tommy in the IMSA field last year. He’s been a staple in this sport for so many years. I know he enjoyed WEC and exploring the different tracks. For us, it’s nice to have him back home. The last time we drove the same car, we won Le Mans back in 2015 so we have a lot of good history and good memories. We had a good battle back in 2021 around Daytona. He’s one guy you’d rather have in your car than racing against. Hopefully we can go win some more races together.”

    TOMMY MILNER, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “The team had a pretty tough year last year. They won at Sebring and were competitive at some places, but for the most part the first year bringing a GTLM car down to GTD was challenging, for sure. I would say expectations for Daytona, we go there to win. That’s why we race. Last year was a big challenge for us. We were very slow in a straight line, hopefully that will be better. The goal is to win the race and winning a championship.

    “Daytona itself is a huge part of the IMSA championship and endurance racing around the world. It kicks off the racing season around the world. The track itself is not crazy difficult, but the race itself is challenging. You have to have a car that is good in all kinds of conditions. It can get pretty hot in the daytime and also super cold at night. The oval itself poses its own challenges. It’s one car from each manufacturer and great driver lineups with great teams. So it’s a challenge for all of us as drivers and a team to compare ourselves to some of the best in the world. It’s a challenge that Corvette Racing is always up for. No matter what hand we’re dealt, we’ll work our magic to get our Corvette up front.”

    “I enjoyed my time last year in WEC to go all around the world and represent Corvette Racing. To go around the world and show off this Corvette to a lot of fans who have never seen the car before was special. As an American kid, being at home is quite nice and the chance to race the three major races in the IMSA championship is fantastic.”

    Photos: Richard Prince, Chevrolet Racing

    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. It is the closest finish in race history.

    • 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car going on 25 years: Corvette Racing and Chevrolet.

    • 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: Rolex 24 wins for Corvette Racing: 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)

    • 14: 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.

    • 70: 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.

    • 122: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 113 in North America, eight at Le Mans and one in the FIA WEC

    • 266: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999

    • 54,436.60: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing at Daytona. That’s more than two full trips around the Earth at its equator (approx. 24,900 miles).

    • 348,756.01: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. 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

    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

    Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

    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.

  • Lone Star Racing Returns to IMSA Competition with Anton Dias Perera and Scott Andrews for Mercedes-AMG GT4 Michelin Pilot Challenge Campaign

    Lone Star Racing Returns to IMSA Competition with Anton Dias Perera and Scott Andrews for Mercedes-AMG GT4 Michelin Pilot Challenge Campaign

    Perera and Andrews Set for Majority of 2023’s Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) Races in No. 27 Lone Star Racing/Bluff City Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4

    CRESSON, Texas (January 13, 2023) – Winning Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team Lone Star Racing returns to IMSA competition for the first time since the 2019 season this year with a Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) program for third-year co-drivers Anton Dias Perera and Scott Andrews in the No. 27 Lone Star Racing/Bluff City Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.

    Perera and Andrews contest their first race with Lone Star in the four-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) Friday, January 27. The team also plans to compete in March’s second Pilot Challenge race of the year at the 12 Hours of Sebring to kick-off a select schedule of events that will see the Lone Star/Bluff City No. 27 compete in at least the majority of this season’s GS races.

    “I am very excited for 2023,” Perera said. “Our Mercedes-AMG GT4 was a blast to drive last season and I think we have a strong package. Lone Star Racing is a top level team and Mercedes-AMG is in their DNA.”

    Michelin Pilot Challenge competition is new to Lone Star Racing but the team is highly experienced with the Mercedes-AMG GT4 and GT3 platforms. The team purchased a Mercedes-AMG GT4 in its first year of availability in North America in 2018, and it is rare to not find at least one of the cars in the team’s race shop in Texas as they maintain and prepare several AMG GT4s for customers.

    Lone Star has also won North American GT races with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and amassed a solid string of victories and podium results with the cars in several series. The most recent victory came in last October’s Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8 Hour where Lone Star provided its Mercedes-AMG GT3, technical and logistics support and all paddock and pitside support equipment for a championship-clinching victory by Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing and co-drivers Raffaele Marciello, Daniel Juncadella and Daniel Morad.

    “All of us at Lone Star Racing are excited to be able to partner with Anton and Scott to continue the development of the Bluff City Racing car and drivers,” said AJ Petersen, Lone Star Racing Team Manager and Technical Director. “This is our return to IMSA competition for the fist time in a few seasons. The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series is a first for us, but we know the game and are certainly not new to firsts. We have been running in different racing series the last couple of years with successful outings, race wins and a string of podium finishes. I’ve been impressed with Anton’s and Scott’s approach and enjoy working with them. We are all pulling in the same direction and will continue to establish a strong foundation.”

    After running a Mercedes-AMG GT4 in his IMSA debut three years ago, Perera returned to the “Silver Star” with Andrews for the final three races of the 2022 season and immediately impressed.

    Perera drove competitive opening stints in all three rounds and joined Andrews in concluding the year with a best finish of fifth in the season-ending race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. One race earlier at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), Andrews was leading on the last lap only to run out of fuel with the waving checkered flag in sight. The team’s first race back in the Mercedes-AMG GT4 was at Road America where Andrews was battling for a top-five and even podium-finish in the late stages before the car lost a rear wheel.

    “I am really looking forward to getting back into IMSA racing, especially with the Mercedes-AMG GT4,” Andrews said. “We had some great results with the car at the end of last year. Anton seems to gel with the car, and his pace was fantastic as his development keeps skyrocketing. I am really excited to be with Lone Star Racing and have been really pleased with AJ’s attention to detail so far. I really think that we can enter the season at Daytona kind of where we left off in 2022.”

    Andrews has seen some recent success at Daytona, including co-driving to the Rolex 24 LMP3 class victory in 2021. He secured another Rolex 24 podium showing with a third place GTD-class finish last year in a Mercedes-AMG GT3. Both years Andrews also raced with Perera in the four-hour GS race that is the Friday feature event of each year’s Rolex 24.

    “There will be a lot more competition I think in GS racing this year with the so called ‘Pro-Pro’ driver lineups,” Andrews said. “So, it will be a big challenge for us, but I have faith in Anton, in the team and certainly the car, and we will see how we go. Overall, I am very excited.”

    After previously adding a third driver to the team for the four-hour Daytona opener, Perera and Andrews compete as a duo this year.

    “For me and Scott Andrews, this is our third season in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series,” Perera said. “I have full confidence in our team manager AJ Petersen’s ability to execute at a high level. The objective is always a full season campaign, but we will see how we start off in Daytona and then in Sebring.”

    Lone Star Racing competes in the 2023 season with the support of ACS Manufacturing and Bluff City Racing.

    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. 27 Lone Star Racing/Bluff City Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series. 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.

  • Cadillac reveals liveries of its three V-LMDh race cars

    Cadillac reveals liveries of its three V-LMDh race cars

    Bold colors on the new hybrid prototype represent Cadillac V-Series emblem

    DETROIT (Jan. 12, 2023) — Cadillac today revealed the liveries for the three all-new electrified V-LMDh race cars that will make their competition debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona this month.

    The three distinctive designs represent the teams campaigning the all-new Cadillac V-LMDh, each with a different bold color from the Cadillac V-Series emblem.

    “Cadillac is ready to compete against the very best in North America and internationally — including one of the world’s toughest races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Global Vice President of Cadillac Rory Harvey. “As Cadillac builds toward an all-electric future, the all-new V-LMDh furthers our dedication to exploring new advanced performance technologies.”

    Cadillac Racing will be competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the No. 01 Cadillac Racing and No. 31 Whelen Engineering V-LMDh cars and in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the No. 2 Cadillac Racing V-LMDh. The three liveries share a V-Series graphic-and-color theme. Each car wears one of the primary colors of the V-Series logo, including No. 01 in gold, No. 2 in blue and red on the No. 31.

    The V-LMDh is powered by Cadillac’s all-new LMC55R 5.5L DOHC V-8 that’s paired with the LMDh common hybrid system. Developed in-house, the naturally aspirated racing engine is rated up to 670 horsepower, per series specifications, and is backed by a seven-speed sequential gearbox.

    Co-developed by Cadillac Racing, Cadillac Design and Dallara, the final Cadillac V-LMDh design was informed by the Project GTP Hypercar that debuted in June 2022. It incorporates distinctive Cadillac design elements such as vertical lighting and floating blades.

    “From an aesthetic point of view, the LMDh regulations allowed us to create a vision for the car that is clearly Cadillac,” said Chris Mikalauskas, lead exterior creative designer, Cadillac. “And that’s really exciting for fans and for people who are true enthusiasts, every car is unique.”

    The team

    Each Cadillac Racing driver contributed to the V-LMDh’s development. Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook will co-drive the No. 2 Cadillac V-LMDh in FIA WEC competition, including the centenary Le Mans 24 Hours, and the Rolex 24 At Daytona, where the car will compete as No. 02. The No. 2 is in homage to the first Cadillac entry at Le Mans in 1950, Briggs Cunningham’s “Le Monstre.”

    Additionally, Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande will drive the No. 01 Cadillac V-LMDh in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. They will be joined by six-time INDYCAR champion and four-time Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Scott Dixon for the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

    Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims will drive the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-LMDh in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Throughout the season they will be joined by Jack Aitken.

    A history of racing success

    Cadillac’s expanded 2023 racing program builds on a long history of racing success. In fact, Cadillac is the only high-volume luxury American manufacturer to compete at Le Mans for the overall win since 1969.

    The brand has competed since 2017 at the forefront of American sports car racing in the Cadillac DPi-V.R. Before that, Cadillac Racing scored several wins in the Pirelli World Challenge. Recent highlights include:

    • Winning the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship three times: 2021, 2018 and 2017
    • Winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona four consecutive times: 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017
    • Winning the Michelin North American Endurance Cup four consecutive times: 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017
    • Earning five Pirelli World Challenge Manufacturer Championships (2015, 2014, 2013, 2007 and 2005) and five Driver Championships (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2005). This rich history influenced the Project GTP Hypercar that previewed the all-new Cadillac V-LMDh prototype race car. It is Cadillac’s third-generation prototype race car and represents the start of the fifth generation of the brand’s storied V-Series.

    Since 2004, V-Series has embodied Cadillac’s commitment to performance, on and off the track. When it comes to road-going models, the lineup has grown recently to include the 2023 Escalade-V. It joined the CT4-V and CT5-V, along with the track-capable CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing.

    The Rolex 24 At Daytona kicks off an action-packed racing season that will see the trio of race cars continue to compete around the world. Following Daytona, Cadillac Racing will compete at the 1000 Miles of Sebring on March 17 with the No. 2 car, with the No. 01 and 31 competing in the Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 18.

    About Cadillac

    A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com.

  • Automatic Racing Returns to a Two-Car Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Team for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Four-Hour Season-Opening Race at Daytona International Speedway

    Automatic Racing Returns to a Two-Car Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Team for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Four-Hour Season-Opening Race at Daytona International Speedway

    Jim Jonsin, Tom Long and Brett Sandberg Co-Drive No. 9 “No Limits” Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Alongside Automatic Racing Regulars Rob Ecklin and Ramin Abdolvahabi in No. 09 Stoner Car Care Aston Martin Vantage GT4

    ORLANDO, Florida (January 11, 2023) – Automatic Racing returns to a two-car team for this month’s season-opening IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge four-hour race at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) where the trio of Jim Jonsin, Tom Long and Brett Sandberg will co-drive the No. 9 “No Limits” Aston Martin Vantage GT4 alongside Automatic Racing’s longtime lineup of Rob Ecklin and Ramin Abdolvahabi in the No. 09 Stoner Car Care Aston Martin Vantage GT4.

    “We are super happy to have Jim Jonsin with Rebel Rock join us for the Daytona opener,” said Automatic Racing Team Owner David Russell said. “Jim and I have been talking about putting something together and I have always had a lot of respect for what he’s been able to do in the past. He’s a super entrepreneur and understands how to properly assemble business-to-business platforms in the motorsports paddock.”

    The No. 9 Aston Martin will be the on-track centerpiece of a soon-to-be-announced promotion for a Jonsin-produced upcoming album on the Rebel Rock/EMPIRE label. Jonsin is an accomplished and Grammy Award winning record producer, songwriter, DJ and music industry businessman who added motorsports a decade ago to his successful Rebel Rock lineup of enterprises that includes Rebel Rock Entertainment and Rebel Rock Productions.

    “I have to say, I’m more than excited to be back racing with my friends at IMSA,” Jonsin said. “I love being at the races and spending time watching as a fan, but to be able to get behind the wheel again with seasoned drivers such as my friends Brett Sandberg and Tom Long, I couldn’t think of a better way to get back into racing. Not to mention my favorite event is the Rolex 24 weekend, at my favorite track, Daytona International Speedway. I am thankful for the opportunity to race an Aston Martin GT4 in the Pilot Challenge, prepared by Automatic Racing and David Russell. Racing and music have always been huge passions of mine and I am looking forward to both driving and sharing some news about our latest Rebel Rock release at Daytona that brings these two passions together. I already have to give big thanks to my friends and sponsors at zMax, Podium 1, EMPIRE and Rebel Rock Productions in addition to some other great groups and people we will acknowledge and recognize at next week’s press conference at Daytona.”

    Russell is a long-time IMSA, GRAND-AM and international sports car racing competitor as both a team owner and driver. Under his leadership, Automatic won what was then the GRAND-AM Grand Sports (GS) class championship in 2007 and finished third in GS in 2008. Long and Sandberg have been among Russell’s drivers over the years and, along with Ecklin and Abdolvahabi, return to a familiar team at Daytona.

    “We are equally excited to have my good friends Tom Long and Brett Sandberg join Jim as co-drivers and coaches,” Russell said. “It is also fantastic to have Rob and Ramin back this year between Michelin Pilot Challenge and the new VP Racing SportsCar Challenge series. I am fortunate enough to have Rob drive with us for 12 years now and Ramin for seven years. Let’s go!”

    Long raced early in his career with Automatic racing and scored a Michelin Pilot Challenge class victory at Daytona in 2018 in addition to co-driving to a third-place GT finish in the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

    “I’m honored to be back with Automatic Racing and Jim Jonsin in the No Limits Aston Martin Vantage,” Long said. “I’m fortunate to have a long-standing history with David Russell and Automatic Racing, as they were my first full-time professional ride in the series. I’ve shared the track with Jim and Brett over the last 10 years, and it’s a great fit. All the pieces of the puzzle have their own unique story and history to me, and now we’re putting them all together to complete a very exciting partnership. I have to give a special thanks to David and Jim for allowing me to be a part of this opportunity.”

    Sandberg returns to Automatic Racing after last racing with the team nearly a decade ago.

    “I am really looking forward to coming back to Automatic Racing,” Sandberg said. “It has been a long time since I was last in a car with them. We’ve always had good experiences together, and I have nothing but great things to say about the team and Dave Russell’s program that he has been running for the last few decades. I’m thrilled to be back in the car with Jim, and I am eager for the program to get underway. Looking forward to these upcoming weekends at Daytona!”

    Pilot Challenge teams and Drivers will be on track for five practice sessions during the Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona test session weekend, January 20 – 22. They will be back on track on Wednesday, January 25, for the start of the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. The four-hour Michelin Pilot Endurance Challenge opener is scheduled to start at 1:45 p.m. EST on Friday, January 27th.

  • Bijoy Garg Joins Jr III Racing in VP Racing SportsCar Challenge

    Bijoy Garg Joins Jr III Racing in VP Racing SportsCar Challenge

    Mooresville, NC (11 January 2023) – Rising open wheel talent Bijoy Garg will join Jr III (“Junior-Three”) Racing for four rounds of the new IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge (VPSC) driving the No. 3 S2 Cyber Ligier JS P320. The new IMSA championship will feature two 40-minute sprint races each weekend that will see two classes in action with fields comprised of both LMP3 prototypes and GS-class machines. The first-ever VPSC race will take place at Daytona International Speedway as part of the Roar Before the 24 event January 20-22.

    Garg’s move to Jr III Racing will be one of several firsts for the 20-year-old California native as he will make his sports car debut as well as turn his first-ever laps at the fabled Daytona International Speedway. Garg is also slated for Jr III Racing’s VPSC entry at Sebring International Raceway, Lime Rock Park, and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta as he builds his racing resume to include multi-class competition in 2023.

    “I feel confident about what we can accomplish this season,” said Garg. “I’m looking forward to developing in the LMP3 car and as a racer in general. Before Daytona, I was able to get more test laps in the car, giving me a better opportunity to fully understand the car and all the little things this car does versus an open-wheel car.”

    Garg started racing go-karts and made his professional racing debut in 2020 with the US F4 Championship alongside a select schedule of outings in the USF2000 Championship. Garg competed in the 2021 and 2022 USF2000 Championship seasons, racing his way to two podium finishes with DEForce Racing in 2022.

    “We are excited to have Bijoy join the team,” said Billy Glavin III, owner of Jr III Racing. “I think he’s a great young talent with a lot of potential. We were able to get some testing in for Bijoy before we head down to Daytona, so he was able to get some time behind the wheel to get him more comfortable in the car. Overall the whole team is excited for the first VP Racing SportsCar Challenge race.”

    Jr III Racing will also return to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar competition in the LMP3 class starting with the Sebring 12 Hour event in March as the Charlotte-based team continues to diversify its professional racing offerings in parallel with a continually growing roster of client programs that focus on vintage competition.

    Round 1 of the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge will kick off at Daytona on Friday, January 20th. The weekend will feature two 40-minute races with the first on Saturday January 21st at 2:05 PM ET and the second on Sunday January 22nd at 12:20 PM ET. Both races will have live coverage available on Peacock TV.

  • New Look for a New Era

    New Look for a New Era


    Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport Rings in GTP New Year in Konica Minolta Blue and Black Livery

    Brownsburg, Ind. (January 11, 2022) — Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport unveiled their full-season livery for the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 set to make its GTP debut at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s season opener, the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, later this month at Daytona International Speedway.

    “Our partnership with Andretti Autosport is a fantastic way to kick off the new season and the new era of GTP racing,” said Wayne Taylor, six-time winner of the historic 24-hour endurance event. “It is exciting to see our black and blue livery accenting the new lines of the Acura ARX-06 hybrid. Since our partnership with Konica Minolta began in 2014, our team has become well known by fans and drivers alike for our black and blue livery. Black has always been an intimidating color on track, especially when it is coming up behind you in your mirrors. What a great race this is going to be!”

    Commemorating Konica Minolta’s ninth year partnering with the team in America’s pinnacle sports car series, the fan favorite blue and black livery of the No. 10 Acura ARX-06 will also sport the tech company’s signature green leaf, a symbol of Konica Minolta’s commitment to achieving Carbon Minus status by 2030, twenty years ahead of its initial goal. With the introduction of the LMDh hybrid technology, Konica Minolta joins IMSA and its stakeholders as the first in North America to embrace electrified technology in race competition.

    “Our partnership with Wayne Taylor Racing is near and dear to my heart, and along with Acura we have very strong synergies, with similar cultures, desires and goals, the most important being our commitment to sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint,” said Michael Mathé, Chief of Operations and Sales Enablement, Konica Minolta. “Going hybrid is something we have wanted to do for quite some time, and we are proud to be a leader in making the series more environmentally friendly.”

    The Roar Before the 24, the qualifying event for the 2023 Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, runs January 20th-22nd with qualifying at 1:25 p.m. ET on the 22nd. Full coverage can be streamed on IMSA.TV starting at 1:20 p.m. ET. Practice for the Rolex 24 is set to begin on Thursday, January 26th. Green flag for the legendary endurance race waves on the 28th at 1:40 p.m. with live coverage on Peacock for the full 24-hour cycle, alternate coverage on USA Network, and the final hours and victory celebrations available on NBC starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on the 29th.

    ABOUT KONICA MINOLTA
    Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the workplace to achieve true connectivity through the Intelligent Connected Workplace. The company guides and supports its clients’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), intelligent information management, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fifteen consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2021 America’s Best-in-State employers list. The company received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. The company recognizes 150 years in global business in 2023. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.

    The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 effort and Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport is supported by an outstanding lineup of partners including Harrison Contracting Company, Acura Motorsports, Honda Performance Development and Hammer Nutrition.

  • RISI COMPETIZIONE ANNOUNCES ENTRY IN GTD PRO CLASS WITH FERRARI 296 GT3 AND DRIVER LINE-UP FOR 2023 RUNNING OF ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

    RISI COMPETIZIONE ANNOUNCES ENTRY IN GTD PRO CLASS WITH FERRARI 296 GT3 AND DRIVER LINE-UP FOR 2023 RUNNING OF ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

    Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 No. 62:
    James Calado (GBR)
    Alessandro Pier Guidi (ITA)
    Davide Rigon (ITA)
    Daniel Serra (BRA)

    Houston, Texas (January 10, 2023) … Risi Competizione is proud to announce their return to Daytona International Speedway for the 61st anniversary of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 28-29, 2023.

    The Houston, Texas-based Risi Competizione team is the 2022 IMSA Michelin Endurance Champions in GTD Pro class and will compete in a brand-new Ferrari 296 GT3 in the GTD Pro class at Daytona. The drivers for the 2023 Rolex 24 edition will all be Ferrari GT factory drivers, who completed and led many laps last year, finishing in second place in the 2022 Rolex 24 running. The returning drivers, who are all very familiar with the Risi team, include World Endurance GT champions James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi and IMSA Michelin Endurance GTD Pro Champions Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra.

    (L-R) Risi Competizione drivers for the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona include Daniel Serra, James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Davide Rigon

    Risi Competizione, who counts this year as its 22nd entry in the historic twice-around-the-clock Florida endurance race, has competed with Ferrari models since its start in 1998. The team’s inaugural year featured a Ferrari 333SP in the WSC class. Their GT racing successes, starting in 2003, includes competition with the Ferrari 360, 430, 458 and most recently 488 Prancing Horse models. Team Principal Giuseppe Risi now continues his Ferrari racing legacy in America with the newest GT addition to the Ferrari race family, the 296 GT3.

    For more information, please go to www.risicompetizione.com and follow us on Facebook/RisiCompetizione, Twitter @RisiComp and Instagram @RisiComp.