Category: IMSA

• 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship to kick off with 24 Hour endurance at Daytona
• Motul supporting GTD Pro teams Pfaff Motorsports and BMW M Team RLL
• IMSA and Motul continue partnership for 2022 season

Singapore, Jan 28, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is set to get underway with one of the most historic races of the calendar. The 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona will mark the 60th running of the 24-hour endurance classic at Daytona International Speedway to be held on 29th and 30th January. Motul will be powering the efforts of 2 teams, Pfaff Motorsports and BMW M Team RLL with their range of high-performance racing-grade lubricants, in the newly introduced GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) category.

The 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is set to get underway with one of the most historic races of the calendar. The 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona will mark the 60th running of the 24-hour endurance classic at Daytona International Speedway to be held on 29th and 30th January. Motul will be powering the efforts of 2 teams, Pfaff Motorsports and BMW M Team RLL with their range of high-performance racing-grade lubricants, in the newly introduced GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) category.

Pfaff Motorsports secured the GTD Championship in 2021 after a dominant performance. Motul’s collaboration with the team began in 2020 and has been a fruitful one on and off the track. The #9 Motul Porsche 911 GT3 R concluded the previous season with 6 podiums and 4 unmatched class victories. They will be returning with the familiar “Plaid Porsche” livery and a brand new driver line-up featuring Porsche works drivers Matt Campbell (AUS) and Mathieu Jaminet (FRA) for the full season, along with 2-time IMSA DPi champion Felipe Nasr (BRA) for the seasons’ four endurance rounds. Pfaff Motorsports continues to place its trust in Motul lubricants for the 2022 season too.

Motul is also a long time partner of BMW M Team RLL, which will also be making its GTD Pro class debut at this event with the new and highly anticipated BMW M4 GT3. In 2021, BMW bid farewell to the M8 GTE at Petit Le Mans, which was racing in the now-defunct GT Le Mans class. Starting this season, the BMW team will be competing in the GTD Pro class with their refreshed 2-car line-up, the #24 Motul BMW M4 GT3 and #25 Motul BMW M4 GT3. The #24 will be driven by Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (DEU), Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Sheldon van der Linde (ZAF) whilst the #25 car will be piloted by Connor De Phillippi (USA), John Edwards (USA), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Jesse Krohn (FIN). 6 of the 8 drivers racing at Daytona also contested in the M8 GTE last year, with the other 2 having plenty of previous experience in the series. Both teams look strong going into the season opener, which is gearing up to be an exciting race weekend.

Motul became the “Official Motor Oil” of the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2018 to support the top teams on the grid with the highest quality of synthetic lubricants. Their proprietary 300V along with RBF 700 brake fluid and other critical lubricants are vital in a championship series that features a mix of long and short races. Motul is a major part of the series, being title sponsor for Motul Petit Le Mans along with established partnerships across seven venues and events on the calendar. The Rolex 24 at Daytona is guaranteed to showcase thrilling multi-class racing action as the teams gear up to tackle the constantly changing conditions. The round the clock race also presents Motul with the opportunity to understand how their products perform in different machinery and constantly improve formulation to bring similar performance to everyday customers.

60th Rolex 24 at Daytona Schedule (all times in GMT -5)

Race Start – 29 January | 1:40 PM | Saturday
Race End – 30 January | 1:40 PM | Sunday

About MOTUL

Motul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity. Motul offers a whole range of products for everyday car use, including the 8100, H-tech, RBF series, ATF, CVTF and DCTF among others. Motul products ensure all parts of the car are kept in pristine condition to extract maximum performance and reliability.

Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. In 2021, Motul launched the newest iteration of the 300V with revolutionary technology, setting a new benchmark for high-performance lubricants.

Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for several championship winning racing teams.

Motul is committed to its growing business presence in Asia Pacific. Over the years, the company has expanded operations significantly. Currently it has 3 major manufacturing facilities and 2 R&D centres across the region to cater to the ever-growing demand. These centres focus on refining the lubricant technology for Asian climate and driving conditions, which are vastly different from Europe.

• Cadillac Racing DPi-V.R entries run 1-5 in final practice session
• Three-time Rolex 24 winner Christian Fittipaldi relishes role with JDC-Miller MotorSports
• Earl Bamber seeks to end his chase of Rolex 24 overall victory

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 28, 2022) – Reigning IMSA DPi Driver Champion Pipo Derani sees a synergy quickly developing with Tristan Nunez, co-driver of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R.

“With Tristan coming into the team, he’s going to learn over the next two-three races as he gets used to the team how things are going to fall into place and how things are going to work,” Derani said. “Between me and him, our relationship has been great and I think we’re going to complement each other really well.

“I come from three years partnership with Felipe (Nasr) and coming into a new season with a guy you already know is easier, but not in a way that will make things so difficult for Tristan. He picks things up really quick and we’ve been working really well together.
“It will be interesting because in this sport it is important you have camaraderie between yourself, the team and the other driver because you have to give up so much for the greater benefit of the team. When you have a good relationship with your teammate, that only helps.”

Likewise, Nunez said he feels at home with Action Express Racing, the 2021 DPi Team Champion following seat time during the Roar Before the Rolex 24 weekend, including the 100-minute qualifying race.

“Pipo and I have been working well together right from the start. Action Express is a strong team that is committed to going for the win,” he said. “I’m confident going into the 24 hours that I have a good feeling for the Whelen Cadillac. The qualifying race gave me valuable experience in traffic in the car and the overall race craft of the car. We have a good team, good drivers and I am looking forward to getting to race day and go for the win.”

Cadillacs run 1-5 in final practice
Cadillac DPi-V.R entries were 1-5 on the time chart in the final test session on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course as drivers/teams completed on-track preparations.

The No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R was quickest of the contingent with a lap of 1 minute, 36.024 seconds. The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, which will start on the front row for the race, was second with a best lap of 1:35.095.

The No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R was third at 1:35.235, while the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories was fourth at 1:35.587. The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R was fifth with a best lap of 1:35.959.

Fittipaldi relishes opportunity to help JDC-Miller MotorSports
Three-time Rolex 24 At Daytona overall winner Christian Fittipaldi likes what he’s seen of the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R. Fittipaldi is a consultant for the JDC-Miller MotorSports team.

“To have the opportunity to win three times here – all within the GM family (2004, 2014, 2018) – has been big for me,” he said. “Winning Daytona is always special. It’s a survival races but you also need to be fast the whole time because the reliability of the cars in general is very high and there is little attrition.

“I’m trying to bring my experience – all the right things I’ve done and especially all the wrong things I’ve done during my racing career – to try and help the program as much as I can. Things started very well here. We were on pole for the 100-minute qualifying race and we finished second in the race. None of that counts for the real race, but it’s a good indication.”

New name for Prototype class in 2023
Cadillac Racing’s new Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) prototype entries will compete in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship beginning with the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The current Cadillacs are entered in the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class. From 1981 to 1993, IMSA GTP featured innovative prototypes from a variety of manufacturers.

Bamber seeks to end his chase
What inspires Earl Bamber, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R?

“We all come here to win. To start a new season the goal is to win the championship. It’s nice to win individual races, but the championship is an accumulation of everyone’s effort for a whole season,” he said. “Then we have the Rolex 24, which is the biggest race of the season. For me, I’ve been chasing it for seven years. I definitely want to check off that box. I have three Rolex watches; I’m just missing one from here.”
Cadillac Racing high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

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. Cadillac’s media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.

DAYTONA, Fla., (January 26, 2022) – Michelin Pilot Challenge team VOLT® Racing is back for another year of intense competition in the IMSA series, running the No. 7 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 piloted by drivers Alan Brynjolfsson and Trent Hindman. Sponsored by VOLT® Lighting, the team looks to build on last year’s success following a third-place finish in the 2021 GS class championship standings.

In their seasoned relationship together, the pair of drivers have two wins in the Michelin Pilot Challenge and another victory in IMSA’s Prototype Challenge. Brynjolfsson and Hindman have been regular visitors to the podium, keeping the VOLT® Racing within championship contention year after year.

“The team, car, and drivers were all great in last week’s test sessions at the Roar,” said Brynjolfsson. “I am happy to have championship driver and coach Trent back for another year. Looking forward to elevating our performance overall with this professional and proven team. It’s going to be a strong year.”

Motorsports has always been a passion of Brynjolfsson, who founded and transformed VOLT® Lighting from a one-man start-up into a successful industry leader. While other drivers were karting as youngsters, Brynjolfsson built a successful business and found his way into sportscar racing six years ago. After hiring a race coach and gaining valuable track experience, he joined professional racing a year later and was named rookie of the year in 2018 in Pirelli World Challenge.

“I’m very grateful to be back with VOLT® Racing and Alan for another year in Michelin Pilot Challenge,” said Hindman. “We’ve had runs of success, and a good past working together. After last year, it was clear we needed a little more firepower in order to have a real run at the GS championship with how competitive it is this year. We’re confident we’ll have a very strong program. I’m grateful to be back and looking for another successful year with Alan, and looking forward to having Wright Tuning on board.”

The 2022 season will see the Michelin Pilot Challenge visit the same circuits as the previous season, with the addition of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in July, a circuit that has not seen IMSA since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The series will return to the regular fan-favorite tracks such as Sebring International Raceway, VIRginia International Raceway, Road America, and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

The season will officially begin with the BMW M Endurance Challenge, a four-hour endurance race, beginning on Friday, Jan. 28 at 1:35 pm ET. Fans in the United States can watch on NBC Universal’s streaming service, Peacock, and international fans can tune in on imsa.tv. IMSA Radio will also offer comprehensive coverage of each practice, qualifying, and race session, free to stream online or via the Tune In app. For full event schedule information, visit imsa.com.

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
Founded in 2011 Adelie Technik, a Service Disabled Veteran Small Owned Business (SDVOB) deploys the highest caliber engineers and consultants for our customers needs. Adelie is focused on delivery of your solution to your customer on your schedule. Adelie can deliver solutions ranging from PC deployment up to full DataCentre builds and beyond. Our engineers can also migrate your environment to the cloud. For more information on Adelie Technik, see adelietechnik.com.

Fassnacht to Drive the No. 15 Sword Peformance Mazda MX-5 for McCumbee McAleer Racing Beginning this Week at Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 26, 2022) – Aidan Fassnacht, an 18-year-old second-generation driver from Madison, New Jersey, will make his IMSA debut this week in the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented BFGoodrich Tires in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Fassnacht will drive the full 14-race season in the No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 for championship-winning McCumbee McAleer Racing. The season-opening doubleheader from Daytona runs this week in advance of the famed Rolex 24 At Daytona, with 45-minute races at 5:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 27 and 10:15 a.m. EST on Friday, January 28. Both races can be streamed live at IMSA.tv.

Daytona is the professional debut for the Boston College freshman, who was a contender in 2021 for the club-level Spec MX-5 championship for the previous generation Mazda MX-5.

“Racing with McCumbee McAleer Racing has been a goal of mine since the beginning of my career, so signing that contract was pretty much a dream come true for me,” Fassnacht said. “Sword Performance, who have engineered clean and clear hydration products to keep any athlete, including myself, on top of their game is on board for a full season with myself and the No. 15 MX-5 Cup car, and I could not be more excited. It is an honor to represent a brand that is revolutionizing the performance beverage industry, especially when motorsports is such a fitting place for Sword to advertise their great products.”

Unlike many drivers these days, Fassnacht didn’t start his driving career in karting. Instead, he shadowed his father, Matt Fassnacht, through professional racing paddocks until getting on track for the first time at 15-years-old at Monticello Motor Club. From there, Fassnacht’s meteoric rise ran through the Mazda platform, beginning with SCCA Spec Miata, 2021’s Spec MX-5 effort, and now the newest challenge, IMSA Mazda MX-5 Cup.

“Mazda MX-5 Cup offers some of the tightest and most competitive racing on the planet, and I can’t wait to be a part of the series,” Fassnacht said. “We saw some crazy finishes last year at tracks like Daytona where the margin of victory was 0.238 of a second combined in both races, and I’m sure history will repeat itself in 2022. The talent in the field is particularly deep this year, especially in the rising rookie class, but I am confident that MMR and I will put the No. 15 Sword Performance MX-5 in the right position race for wins and podiums.”

While Fassnacht doesn’t have any MX-5 Cup starts under his belt, his MMR team tested at Daytona a month ago. That helped lessen the learning curve coming into the season.

“Daytona is an iconic track in North American racing for a reason,” Fassnacht said. “For how simple the layout is, there is so much character in every section. The three days I spent testing with MMR at Daytona in early December are going to prove crucial come race day, as I feel really comfortable in a new car at a new track for me. Bump drafting is something I’ve done my whole career, but I’ve never been hooked up the way I was with my teammates during testing. It took some getting used to, but I believe I’m ready to use what I learned to my advantage.”

Despite the deep level of competition, Fassnacht enters the season with a combination of realistic and high expectations, well aware that his ultimate goal will require hard work.

“My goal for the 2022 Mazda MX-5 Cup Series is to win the championship,” Fassnacht said. “I know that is a lofty goal, especially for a rookie, but I’m not showing up to be second best. Obviously, my career is young and I still have a lot to improve upon, so I’ll also be looking to get better each weekend and learn from the talented drivers around me. But, just like everyone else in the series, I am there to win. With all of the work MMR and I have done this off-season and with the support of Sword Performance, I think we are in a good position to make some noise at Daytona.”

The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup was on track for the first time in 2022 with a 30-minute practice session on Wednesday, January 26 at 3 p.m. EST. The championship returns to practice once more on Thursday morning prior to a 20-minute qualifying session at 12:55 p.m. EST, followed by the 45-minute season opener at 5:30 p.m. EST. The race event concludes before the weekend arrives at Daytona, with the second 45-minute race at 10:15 a.m. EST on Friday, January 28. Both races can be seen live at IMSA.tv.

About Sword Performance:

Sword Performance, Inc. is an American manufacturer of performance hydration beverages, built around a system of proprietary electrolyte replacement products and heat stress subject expertise. Sword Performance Inc. was founded with a purpose: to provide great-tasting, effective hydration to hard-working men and women everywhere. From stadium lights to job sites, Sword Performance hydration products are designed to work with the body to battle dehydration and fatigue. More information can be found at www.SwordPerformance.com.

About Aidan Fassnacht:

A second-generation professional racecar driver, 18-year-old Aidan Fassnacht is conducting the 2022 Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup for McCumbee McAleer Racing (MMR) in the No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 Cup. Fassnacht, a freshman at Boston College, raced a Spec Miata in Regional and National Sports Car Club of America events for two seasons before taking on the Spec MX-5 Challenge in 2021, earning a slot in the prestigious Mazda Shootout before signing with MMR for his 2022 rookie campaign.

Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo No. 62:
James Calado (GBR)
Alessandro Pier Guidi (ITA)
Davide Rigon (ITA)
Daniel Serra (BRA)

(Houston, Texas, January 24, 2022)…The Houston, Tex.-based Risi Competizione Ferrari team took their brand-new Ferrari 488 EVO to the track during the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Roar Before the 24 activities this past weekend in preparation for the 60th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona.

IMSA started the 2022 season on the 3.56-mile (5.73 km), 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course with a jam-packed field of 61 entries, including 13 in the newly formed GTD Pro class, which replaces GTLM.

The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo completed the Roar Before the 24 this past weekend with its impressive line-up of Ferrari factory GT drivers, James Calado of Worcester, UK, Alessandro Pier Guidi of Tortona, Italy, Davide Rigon of Thiene, Italy and Daniel Serra of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

(L-R) Risi Competizione drivers: Daniel Serra, James Calado, Davide Rigon and Alessandro Pier Guidi
Rigon qualified fifth in class for the Sunday, January 23 Daytona qualifying race but had an unanticipated drive train issue that had them start the race from the back of the field. In the end, he and Serra finished 11th in GTD Pro and thus will start the IMSA season opener Rolex 24 At Daytona endurance race this Saturday, January 29 from deep in the GT field, along with their two other co-pilots, Calado, and Pier Guidi.

Risi Competizione will be making the team’s 20th entry in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, with one of those a class victory in 2002. The Risi team will once again be the only Ferrari at The World Center of Racing’s twice-around-the-clock endurance race in its class.

The quad of Ferrari Competizioni GT factory drivers combines for a total of 29 Rolex 24 At Daytona starts. Calado will be starting his seventh Rolex 24 race, six of those with Risi and four finishes in the Top 5. Pier Guidi will be making his ninth Daytona 24-hour appearance, four previous with Risi, and the only current Risi driver with a GTD class victory (2014). Rigon will also be making his ninth Rolex appearance and seventh times with the Risi team. Serra will be making his eighth appearance and second with Risi.

The Risi Competizione team has been on the Daytona 24-hour podium on five occasions, most recently in 2019 with a second-place finish. Their class victory came in 2002. The other second-place finishes were in 1999 and 2003 and a third-place class finish in 2017.

Rick Mayer, Risi Competizione Race Engineer:
“All the drivers were happy with the car during the Roar sessions. We went through a run program just to make sure everyone had laps and that ergonomics are correct. We made a few set-up changes. I think we’re in a good window for the event start and we’re cautiously optimistic that we’ll do well this year.

“We’re glad to have these four drivers back – Ale, James, Davide and Daniel are all pros and know how to drive fast and how to keep a car for an endurance race.”

Davide Rigon, driver No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo:
“Our practice sessions this weekend went well. And Saturday I did the qualifying in half wet and half dry conditions. We finished P5 and were quite happy. Sunday morning we had some drive train issues so we fixed it and didn’t go out for the warm-up and started the qualifying race from the last position. Starting from the back was difficult to overtake with the large field. We were missing some speed on the straight-line and we need to work a little more on the balance of the car. The pit stop and driver change went very well, and we gained another position.

“So now the team will continue to prepare for the long race. I’m glad to have the driver line-up we have again and always happy to be back racing with the Risi Competizione team. Our goal, as always, is to fight for the victory.”

Daniel Serra, driver No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo:
“I think we have enough data to study and see where we can improve for the race. I think the Roar was a few good days of testing and each of the drivers could produce a few good laps. It was also important that we worked together with the Risi team since it was a whole year since we all worked together. I think it was a productive a few days here and now it’s time to see where we can improve for the race next week.”

James Calado, driver No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo:
“The Roar is not really relevant for the 24-hour race but it’s good. We were at the back of the grid due to some issues before the start of the qualifying race, but our main goal was to get some laps, make sure the car was okay and to improve the reliability because it’s a brand-new car. We think we’re fine for the race and we’ll see next week. We don’t know what the others are doing, as usual. Historically we’ve never really performed as well in Daytona but we’re all staying positive, and we’ll see where we are at the end of 24 hours next Sunday.”

Alessandro Pier Guidi, driver No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo:
“It was good to get some laps in and work on the set-up of the car with the team. In terms of balance and the work we did at the Roar was quite positive. We are happy with the car, even if we are not the strongest in terms of performance with the current BoP (balance of performance) and we are trying to manage some of the issues we had. It’s a new car so that was important in order to be ready for the race next weekend.

Davide and Daniel did the Roar qualifying race. There is more traffic this year with 61 cars and a larger class than in past year with the new GTD Pro class and with many manufacturers. It should be an exciting race for the fans. For the drivers passing will be more difficult for sure.”

Sponsors for the 2022 season for Risi Competizione for the Rolex 24 include Pennzoil, Ferrari of Houston, 1st Phorm, Michelin, OMP Racing and Rotiform.

Three practice sessions take place Thursday, January 27, 11:05 a.m.-12:35 p.m. (all classes), 1:00-2:15 p.m. (GTD Pro and DPi classes) and night practice from 7:15-9:00 p.m. (all classes). Friday will feature a morning practice session from 11:20 a.m. for one hour (all classes). The race starts at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 29 and runs for 24 hours.

Rolex 24 At Daytona U.S. Broadcast Schedule:
Saturday, January 29, 2022:
NBC 1:30pm-2:30pm ET
Peacock 2:30pm-4:00pm ET
USA 4:00pm-7:00pm ET
Peacock 7:00pm-10:00pm ET
USA 10:00pm – 3:00am ET

Sunday, January 30, 2022:
Peacock 3:00am-6:00am ET
USA 6:00am-12:00pm ET
NBC 12:00-2:00pm ET

Flag-to-Flag Coverage: Live on Peacock

IMSA Radio will have live coverage throughout the weekend on imsaradio.com RadioLeMans.com and SiriusXM Radio. See imsa.com for live timing and scoring.

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

Nick Boulle and Stefan Wilson Improved Four Positions in the No. 99 GridRival/GNARLY Jerky/de Boulle Porsche 911 GT3 R During the Session While Gathering Experience for Next Week With Rob Ferriol, Katherine Legge

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 23, 2022) – Hardpoint’s Nick Boulle and Stefan Wilson combined for a 14th-place finish in the GT Daytona (GTD) class on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway and the No. 99 GridRival/GNARLY Premium Jerky/de Boulle Diamond and Jewelry Porsche 911 GT3 R will start next week’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, in the same position.

Boulle and Wilson will be joined by season-regulars Rob Ferriol and Katherine Legge for the motorsports classic that begins next Saturday, January 29 at 1:40 p.m. EST. Sunday’s 100-minute qualifying race followed three days of testing and qualifying for all 61 cars entered in the race. The Rolex 24 At Daytona can be seen beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, beginning on NBC and then throughout the NBC family of networks, including USA Network, and in its entirety through the Peacock streaming service.

Boulle began the qualifying race in 18th position in his first start with the team, piloting the machine through an opening stint of 50 minutes before the green flag stop. Though his starting position was forced by contact with a barrier during pre-qualifying, Boulle cycled as high as eighth in the run before his start before passing the car to Wilson with a clean pit stop.

“We’ve improved every session this week,” Boulle said. “In the race itself today the whole name of the game is moving forward but taking zero risk. There’s nothing to be gained from any risk, even if it pays off and we did that. Stef had an awesome stint and I think we accomplished what we needed to. We’re starting higher up than we did after qualifying when we made a mistake, and we’ll move on and try to keep on moving up.”

Wilson rejoined the race running 15th after the pit stops cycled through and made up one final position before the 100 caution-free minutes expired. Wilson turned the team’s quickest lap of the race under the checkered flag as he continued to grow his comfort level in the car for the first time.

“The name of the game is just learning as much as possible this weekend and using it as a test session,” Wilson said. “I’ve got three days back in the car and got to shake off some rust, it’s been a long time since I’ve been racing and it’s good to constantly improve. We didn’t have any incidents on track and we were able to maximize our track time and figure out what we need to extract from our Porsche 911 GT3 R. It was a pretty lonely race, I didn’t get to battle anyone but I’m really excited to get into the Rolex weekend for the 60th running.”

The race completed the aptly-named Roar Before the 24 weekend, complete with four practice sessions, the qualifying and the race. The team saw progress in each session as they began to gel together, bringing in new drivers Boulle and Wilson in addition to new partners Cusick Motorsports, Meridian Veterinary Capital, Neptune Systems, Dallas Auto Exchange and Lohla Sport in preparation for next week’s season opener.

“I’m really excited to see how the team is coming together,” Hardpoint driver and team owner Ferriol said. “We’ve got a few new components and they’ve integrated really well into the team. We have Nick and Stef who have integrated really well and they did a great job today. We learned a little bit more about the car, piling on to what we already learned this week and so we’ll go into next week a bit smarter and hopefully a bit faster.”

The team returns to on-track activity on Thursday, January 27 at 11:05 a.m. ET for a 90-minute practice, as the WeatherTech Championship has four additional practice sessions in advance of the race on Saturday, January 29.

About Hardpoint:
Hardpoint was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team captured the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America Pro-Am championship in its inaugural season and competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in a Porsche 911 GT3 R with co-drivers Ferriol and Katherine Legge. More information on Hardpoint can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.