Category: IMSA

BATAVIA, Ohio., (January 19, 2022) — The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s off-season is officially over this week as all teams begin to set up at Daytona International Speedway for the Roar Before the 24, the first on-track event of the 2022 season. After winning the 2021 Michelin Pilot Challenge team and driver championships in addition to the IMSA WeatherTech Michelin Endurance Cup team and driver championships, Porsche customer racing program Wright Motorsports has great momentum heading into the season start.

As previously announced, Wright Motorsports will compete in the full GTD season, running the No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R with Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen. The pairing previously secured the 2021 Michelin Pilot Challenge championship at Road Atlanta in November. IMSA WeatherTech GTD champion Zacharie Robichon and Porsche factory driver Richard Lietz complete the lineup for next week’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, the first official race on the 2022 calendar.

“Another race season is here,” said team owner John Wright. “Our hard work and consistency paid in dividends last year across our five racing programs, and this year, we have some titles to defend. We’re proud to run Porsche machinery for another season and to have sponsors like 1st Phorm, Mountain Motorsports, and Una Vida along to support us. We’ve put together a great effort and look to continue and build upon our success into this new season.”

The team will spend almost two weeks at Daytona International Speedway starting this Wednesday with the annual three-day test, the Roar Before the 24. All 61 competitors entered for the 60th running of the endurance classic will have four on-track sessions to test their machinery, providing all four drivers ample time in the cars, and ready the crew for a busy week of pit stops and garage action. On Sunday, January 23, the entire field will participate in a 100-minute race to determine the starting grid for the Rolex 24 At Daytona the following weekend. The Motul Pole Award will begin on Sunday, January 23 at 2:05 pm eastern, airing live on Peacock.

Following the conclusion of the Roar Before the 24, the team will have two days to work in the garages before activities for the Role 24 at Daytona begin on Wednesday, January 26. The field will take the green flag for the 24-hour endurance race on Saturday, January 29 at 1:40 pm Eastern. The race will stream live flag-to-flag on Peacock, the new streaming network for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The start of the race will also air live on NBC before switching to the USA Network for select hours. For all broadcast information, visit wrightmotorsports.com.

1st Phorm
1st Phorm is a sports nutrition company based in St. Louis, MO. In 2009, CEO Andy Frisella and his business partner Chris Klein started the brand, and since then, it has become the fastest growing supplement company in the world. 1st Phorm has set the standards in the industry for quality and helping people reach their goals. This new racing partnership is not their first time in the exotic car scene either. 1st Phorm has been the title sponsor for the Gold Rush Rally for six years running. With over a million followers across social media, 1st Phorm has amassed a huge cult-like following known as, “The Legion of Boom.” They stand for a movement in the fitness world. To turn it back to what it was meant to be. Helping others improve their lives, to be a good human… and to drop the excuses and do the work. 1st Phorm is a winning brand and they don’t expect anything less when it comes to their race team. For additional info: www.1stphorm.com

Mountain Motorsports
Mountain Motorsports is a group of motorcycle and powersports dealerships with multiple locations in the southeastern United States. The company was founded by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price when they opened their first location as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1999. The company has since grown into one of the largest retailers of motorcycle and powersports vehicles in the nation, spanning nine dealership locations representing eleven of the industry’s most well-known brands. For additional info: www.mountainmotorsports.com

Una Vida Tequila
Una Vida translates to One Life. That is how this brand started. By people who want to live their “One Life” to the absolute fullest and to their highest potential. A group of guys from the Midwest who love great quality tequila, and want their One Life to have meaning and impact others.

One Life, One Tequila is our CORE BELIEF. We’re building the only tequila brand you will ever need to drink. Una Vida is bigger than just tequila we’re also building a culture of people who want to live their life to their utmost potential.

Our story begins and continues to grow bottle by bottle. It’s a life mission for us to create a community of people who all raise a glass knowing they’re living their ONE LIFE! For more information, visit unavidatequila.com

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

LMP2 class winners reveal new full-season livery

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (January 18, 2022) – IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship team Era Motorsport captured hearts around the globe last year when the team secured their first series victory at the iconic Rolex 24 At Daytona. Sporting a livery designed by a six-year-old Canadian race fan, the LMP2 team proudly demonstrated they were a force to be reckoned with. The time has come for Era Motorsport to defend their unforgettable win. This week, the team arrives at Daytona International Speedway for a two-week stay to conduct the first series-wide test of the season, the Roar Before the 24, followed by the first race of 2022, the 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona.

As previously announced, the race-winning Rolex lineup will remain the same as the previous year, with Dwight Merriman, Ryan Dalziel, Kyle Tilley, and Paul-Loup Chatin commanding the No. 18 LMP2 Oreca. Merriman and Dalziel, who will make a bid for the full LMP2 championship, hold an additional win together from the 2021 SportsCar Weekend at Road America.

The team had a whirlwind 2021 season, participating in and winning the Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 championship, running select NASCAR races, entering the world of Rally racing, and continuing the team’s vintage and historic racing programs. It has been extremely busy at Era’s Indianapolis base with a short off-season of fewer than two months to prepare for the approaching year ahead.

The 2022 IMSA WeatherTech entry will be identifiable by its light blue and grey livery, flaunting a new, flowing style with the team’s traditional colors.

The 2022 IMSA field has reached capacity, making the Era Motorsport group one of 60 entries competing in the back-to-back events. Currently, ten entries are slated to compete against Era Motorsport in the LMP2 class, with forty drivers from eleven different countries competing on Daytona’s seven-turn, 3.81-mile roval course.

IMSA 101
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Rolex 24 At Daytona will again feature five different classes competing in the same on-track event. The three prototype classes are to again be identified as DPi, LMP2, LMP3, and the two Grand Touring classes are GTD Pro, GTD. As the most technologically advanced cars on track, the DPi cars will be the fastest class and likely feature all-professional driver lineups. In the second prototype tier, the LMP2 class also runs purpose-built prototypes and provides a mixture of professional and amateur-ranked drivers. Stepping down into LMP3, these cars have slightly less power, in a class geared towards the development of amateur drivers, who share driving duties with professionals. The GTD Pro class is new this year following the departure of the GTLM class. GTD Pro will offer factory teams and all-pro-rated lineups. The GTD class will consist of the same class of cars, but the drivers will be a mixture of professional and amateur drivers.

The keys to successful strategy over the course of the 24-hour race will not only be acquiring the right combination of drivers, but the physical and mental endurance of the car, crew, and strategists in pit lane. The timing of pitstops and use of tire allocation will also be vital, along with the starting position.

Starting positions will be determined this week during the Roar Before the 24. After three unofficial test sessions, the field will qualify on Saturday afternoon for the starting grid of the Motul Pole Award 100, a 100-minute race that will determine the starting grid of the following weekend’s Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Tune In
The 2022 race season brings a new TV and streaming package, with IMSA Racing coverage residing on NBC, the USA Network cable channel, and flag-to-flag streaming moving to Peacock. Most viewers outside of the USA can stream live on imsa.tv or visit IMSA’s International Coverage page for local listings. Fans worldwide can listen to IMSA Radio’s free coverage of all WeatherTech sessions by listening online or XM 202 or the Sirius XM Web or App at 992.

The Motul Pole Award 100 will air live on Sunday, January 23 at 2:00 pm Eastern on Peacock. The Rolex 24 At Daytona will begin television coverage on Saturday, January 29 1:30 pm eastern, then channel hop to Peacock and the USA Network. Fans who want flag-to-flag coverage can stream via a Peacock Premium Subscription, and international audiences can tune into imsa.tv.

Fans can follow Era Motorsport on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for live updates and behind-the-scenes action.

DRIVER QUOTES
Dwight Merriman
Like everyone, I’m excited to get back to racing. The Rolex 24 is always a special event, and after winning last year with such a hardworking group of people was unforgettable. We have a lot of strong competition this year, so we really have to execute well and make the most of our on-track testing at the Roar.

Ryan Dalziel
I’m looking forward to getting back into the Era LMP2 Oreca. It feels like forever since Petit Le Mans. Obviously, we are returning as the most recent Rolex 24 winners and with the same car, team, and drivers, but the field is massive for 2022, so it’s going to be a really tough one. We know we are prepared and ready to defend our crown.

Kyle Tilley
To return to Daytona after such an incredible win last year is really exciting. The competition this year is going to be extremely tough, but we have assembled a great group. We are keeping my the same driver lineup which proved to be really effective, and the crew is great, so I think we have a strong chance again. It’s a 24 hour sprint race. If we keep our noses clean, we will be right there at the end.

Paul-Loup Chatin
I am really happy to join back my teammates and all the Era Motorsport crew for Daytona. The Roar will give us the opportunity to work already for the Rolex 24, which is the most important. The average level this year is higher compared to 2021. Because of that, the challenge is bigger but I am really confident because the team worked a lot the previous 12 months. We will give everything to win a second time in a row.

About Era Motorsport
Era Motorsport was formed in 2018 with the idea of providing unmatched excellence in historic racing. Just two years later, the team expanded to the world of professional sports car racing, fielding an Oreca 07 in the prolific IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2021, the team went on to win at the iconic Rolex 24 At Daytona, in what was their second attempt competing in the event. Motorsport isn’t just a hobby, it is a way of life: a passion that is in the team’s blood. Whether you find us in the IMSA WeatherTech paddock with modern prototypes or chasing down lap records in our fully restored classic sports cars, or even globetrotting to experience historic F1 at some of the world’s most iconic circuits, Era Motorsport has something for everyone. In 2021, the team secured a prestigious victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and also became class champions in the Asian Le Mans Series.

Mooresville, N.C. (18 January 2022) – As the 2022 IMSA season prepares to launch at Daytona International Speedway this weekend, Jr III Racing is proud to announce a new partnership with S2 Cyber.

Founded by Scott Seese, S2 Cyber specializes in cyber security, giving small businesses a fighting chance against today’s cyber security threats.

The new partnership adds momentum for Jr III Racing as the Charlotte-based squad has grown its IMSA operation to make a full-season campaign in the WeatherTech SportsCar championship in the LMP3 class, starting with the Sebring 12 Hour in March.

In addition to the the No. 30 Airbnb Ligier JS P320 that will compete in WeatherTech, S2 Cyber will also be featured on the Jr III Racing LMP3 entries that are set to contest the 2022 IMSA Prototype Challenge season with a two car lineup – the No. 3 Jr III Racing Ligier JS P320 that will be piloted by Terry Olson and Courtney Crone, and the No. 30 Airbnb Ligier JS P320 of Ari Balogh.

“Like in motorsports, having the right people on the right strategy executing well everyday can make all the difference when protecting small business against today’s cyber attacks,” said Seese. “Both S2 Cyber and Jr III Racing bring experience of large companies that have competed and won, enabling your team to thrive. Leveraging S2 Cyber as a strategic partner gives Jr III Racing one of the most important attributes both on the track and in business… speed. Speed is of critical importance when staying ahead of rapidly evolving threats and opportunities and is where the intersection of this partnership lives and performs.”

Seese is familiar with Jr III Racing’s focus on performance, having raced for the team in vintage competition.

“It is an honor to welcome S2 Cyber and Scott (Seese) on board as a partner this season,” said Team Owner Billy Glavin. “We have worked together in the past and he embodies everything we are as a team. His support of what we are doing and our IMSA endeavors opens up doors of growth that will help us get to the next level.”

Jr III Racing begins the 2022 season at Daytona International Speedway during the Roar Before the 24. IMSA Prototype Challenge will host a three-hour opening round on Saturday, January 22nd at 12:00pm ET.

Florida-based team aims for the new Bronze Cup in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge GS Class

ORLANDO, Fla. (18 January 2022) – The Stoner Car Care Racing fielded by Automatic Racing team makes the short drive north on I-4 to Daytona International Speedway this week, as the Roar Before the Rolex 24 begins the 2022 season for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

Team veterans Rob Ecklin, Jr. and Ramin Abdolvahabi return behind the wheel of the No. 09 Stoner Car Care Aston Martin Vantage GT4, committed to battle for the Bronze Cup title in the series’ Grand Sport (GS) Class.

The Bronze Cup award is new for IMSA this year, with podium and season-end recognition to the top Bronze-rated finishers. Every driver in each car’s lineup must be Bronze rated and while both Ecklin and Abdolvahabi know the competition will be tough, they’re excited for the prospect as preparations continue for next weekend’s season opener, the BMW M Endurance Challenge.

While the three-day Roar event offers teams the chance to blow off the off-season rust, business obligations will preclude Ecklin’s attendance at the Roar.

“I’m very disappointed that business will keep me away this weekend,” said Ecklin, president of Lancaster, Pa.-based Stoner, Inc. “It’s a holiday tradition, to head immediately to Daytona! It’s such an iconic track – we’ve been there so often but every time you go feels so special. It’s going to be stiff competition in the Bronze Cup this season, with some very fast drivers in that category, so it’s going to be fun. It’s one more challenge to go after.”

With Ecklin not on hand this weekend, the team’s former endurance driver, Brandon Kidd, will step in to test the Aston Martin on Friday and get the setup ready for Abdolvahabi.

Kidd was recently upgraded to a Silver ranked driver, taking him out of eligibility for the Bronze Cup and curtailing his race plans for the year.

Abdolvahabi will use the remainder of the sessions on Saturday and Sunday to continue setup work and to bring himself back up to speed on the high banks and tight corners at Daytona.

“2022 presents an entirely new challenge with the new Bronze Cup,” said Abdolvahabi, a neurosurgeon in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. “It’s great that our efforts to get this Bronze Cup in the series have paid off. It’s a motivation – we know that at this stage in the game, it’s unlikely that two Bronze drivers, or even a Silver and a Bronze, can go up against two Gold drivers. This gives us a level playing field and a way to get recognized for that. But for the Roar, the goal is to get back into the groove. We haven’t been in this car since Road Atlanta, so we’ll do some data gathering at Daytona and get some strategy going on. It’s a great warm up for next weekend.”

It will be quite busy in the Automatic Racing garage this weekend, as team manager David Russell will also field an Aston Martin Vantage GT4 for Paul Kiebler and Jon Branam.

“We’re looking forward to the Bronze Cup,” said Russell. “Rob and Ramin will run the full season, gunning for that title, and I think they have a good shot. The Bronze Cup concept is very popular around the world. The Bronze drivers are really the backbone of the series so I think IMSA will be surprised at how positive the outcome will be. There are so many guys who are not full-time race car drivers who are super competent on the racetrack so it’s good to recognize them.

“For the team, it’s great to start off with a home race, just 45 minutes up the highway,” Russell continued. “It’s so much more efficient, especially with the Roar and the race being back-to-back – that was a good move by IMSA. The field is super strong this year, and it’s clear that the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will continue to break records so there are so many positives right now with the extent of manufacturer involvement and the caliber of teams.”

Part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, the BMW M Endurance Challenge takes the green flag Friday, January 22 at 1:35 p.m. Eastern. The race will be live streamed in the U.S. on Peacock TV, while international viewers can watch via IMSA.tv. IMSA Radio will also be available at IMSA.com.

About Invisible Glass

Automatic Racing sees their way to victory with Invisible Glass, the top-selling automotive glass cleaner in the United States. The Invisible Glass product line includes aerosol and spray bottle cleaner, Invisible Glass with rain repellent for windshields and wiper blades. Find more online at https://www.invisibleglass.com/

About Stoner Car Care

Stoner Car Care produces high-performance car washes, waxes, polishes, and dressings for auto enthusiasts and car care professionals. The Stoner Car Care line-up includes Invisible Glass, America’s #1 Automotive Glass Cleaner, along with many other appearance products. Whether driving, washing or waxing, Performance Matters! Stoner car care proudly formulates all of our product since 1942

About Automatic Racing

Based in Orlando, Automatic Racing is one of the longest-running teams in the paddock, forming in 2001 and competing in all but one of the 11 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge races at Daytona. The team has been developing, preparing and racing the prestigious Aston Martin Vantage GT4 since 2012. Automatic Racing won the 2017 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge title.

Daytona Beach, Fla. (12 January 2022) – Jr III Racing returns to IMSA Prototype Challenge (IPC) competition with new and returning faces for the 2022 season. The Mooresville-based team will field the No. 3 Jr III Racing Ligier JS P320 of Terry Olson and Courtney Crone and the No. 33 Airbnb Ligier JS P320 of Ari Balogh in the season opener endurance race at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, January 22nd at 12:00pm ET.

Terry Olson and Courtney Crone join forces behind the wheel of the No. 3 Jr III Racing Ligier JS P320. Olson returns to the team for his first full season campaign after making two starts with the team at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in 2021. In both outings, Olson scored podium results including Jr III Racing’s first IMSA podium in team history.

“I am very excited to be with Jr III Racing for the 2022 season,” said Olson. “Everything that I experienced last year during my two weekends with the team made me want to come back and do more. Billy (Glavin) has a fantastic organization that I am thrilled to be a part of. Courtney (Crone) is an up and coming driver that is a professional to work with. I’m really looking forward to getting to the track and competing with Courtney (Crone) and Jr III Racing.”

Courtney Crone joins Olson in the No. 3 Ligier for her first season with Jr III Racing. Crone made her sports car debut last year with a full season campaign in IPC. She enters her second season in the LMP3 series and is looking forward to utilizing the Ligier platform for the first time with Jr III Racing.

“Working with Jr III Racing and Terry (Olson) is a great opportunity for me and I can not wait to get going at Daytona,” said Crone. “The entire team has been very welcoming and a pleasure to work with already. A big thank you to Cusick Motorsports, Gnarly Jerky, Lohla Sport, Myobrace and Bob Stallings Dealerships for helping me get to this point in my career and have this opportunity to compete with a highly professional team like Jr III Racing.”

Completing Jr III Racing’s Roar Before the 24 lineup, Ari Balogh will pilot the No. 33 Airbnb Ligier JS P320 solo for the three-hour endurance race. In addition to his IPC duties, Balogh and Garett Grist will campaign the LMP3 category in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship beginning at Sebring International Raceway.

The two-car squad begins the 2022 season at Daytona International Speedway during the Roar Before the 24. IMSA Prototype Challenge will host a three-hour opening round on Saturday, January 22nd at 12:00pm ET.

IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA
NO. 3 CORVETTE C8.R MEDIA AVAILABILITY TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 11, 2022

Corvette Racing drivers Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg – teammates in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R – met with members of the media during a Zoom conference call Tuesday to discuss the team’s entry into the new GTD PRO class for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the transitions to a new spec of the Corvette C8.R, the outlook for the 2022 Rolex 24 At Daytona and other topics. FULL TRANSCRIPT:

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R
HOW BIG OF AN ADJUSTMENT TRANSITIONING TO GTD PRO?
“Adding ABS is the biggest change for us. IMSA and Corvette Racing are doing a good job of adjusting a GTLM car into a GTD car. There has been a lot of work together to put together all the data and get our Corvette to the GT3 spec. The biggest difference is the tire for this year. We will have to adapt to that. A lot of the speed differences in previous years were due to the confidential tire to the customer tire, basically.”

WHAT’S MOST APPEALING ABOUT THE NEW CLASS AFTER BASICALLY RACING YOURSELVES LAST YEAR?
“It’s obviously good race against another 12 or 13 cars. When there are so few cars, strategy can go away a little bit. But now you have to pay attention to those who may not be in contention but can gamble big on strategy to come up to the front toward the end of the race. There are a lot of strategies to play there, and that’s where our engineers will be a really good tool to have. We’re very good at that. Who knows… with two Corvettes, we can split strategies like we did last year. It’s going to be tougher but it’s not the first time we have competed against a lot of cars.”

THERE ARE NOW TWO CLASSES – GTD PRO AND GTD – THAT RUN WITH IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT ON IDENTICAL TIRES. HOW WILL THAT DYNAMIC PLAY OUT?
“It will be interesting, for sure. I’m not used to that, and knowing we aren’t racing for the same result will be different. There could be a point where a GTD car is leading the GT field and end up winning the race. It will be strange for most of us. I don’t know if they are planning to split the classes in the pit stops or something. For sure, there will be a lot of play out. If you are leading, you’re going to want to have a ton of GTDs between you and the next PRO car. It’s going to be difficult to play out, especially on strategy. If you decide to stop at the same time and you end up all the way at the back of the GTD field, it will make things even tougher. We don’t know how it will play out.”

REVIEWING LAST YEAR’S FINISH AND POSITIVE COVID TEST. IS THERE A RISK OF RUNNING JUST A THREE-DRIVER LINEUP?
“It’s going to be tough for sure. The good thing about it being that late in the race, Nicky and Jordan could finish with no problem. I suspect that is what everyone is thinking. We definitely need to stay COVID-free for the next two or three weeks.”

WERE YOU SURPRISED TO LEARN NICK TANDY WAS JOINING THE TEAM FOR LAST YEAR? WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT HIM WHILE HE WAS WITH PORSCHE AND ALSO SO FAR WITH HIM BEING WITH THE TEAM?
“I raced against Nick for many years in different cars which at times made things a little bit not easy, but easier. There would be races when he would be more competitive than us or the other way around. But we kind of always found ourselves together many, many times fighting for the win. But now with Nick being in the same car makes things a little bit different in that all the advantages you had in the past, now he has them too. So it was the difference between us would be even smaller and it is trickier to find a weak point to be ahead. The addition of him on the team was great because it just gave us a ton more information and feedback. That brought the whole Corvette team further up. It also made us – Jordan, Nicky and myself – have to be even stronger if we wanted to beat them. I think overall it made Corvette Racing stronger which is the main thing.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R
ON THE SIZE OF GTD PRO FIELD FOR ROLEX 24.
“It’s super exciting. The last couple of years, the field was getting smaller and smaller in GTLM. Now with IMSA moving to GTD PRO, we’re very excited. In moving to a new class, there is going to be a lot to learn for us with our car and converting it over to the spec. But if anyone is up to the task, it’s Corvette Racing. We did a couple of days testing last year after Petit Le Mans with the car to get a better understanding of the tire, ABS and what we have to run this year. We’re also spending lots of time in the simulator as well. We’re all looking forward to it. It’s going to have the competition with lots of manufacturers in the class. Thirteen cars in the class… every one of those cars I’ve seen so far can win the race. It definitely will be a big battle. At the end of the day it’s still a 24-hour race. I’m sure with a lot of those drivers and teams, they’re going to want to lead a lot and throughout the night. We just need to rely on our history and experience and knowing that we need to be there at the end just like last year. The fight comes down to the last couple of hours. We need to get through the night with a strong, safe car and go for the win at the end.”

WHAT’S MOST APPEALING ABOUT THE NEW CLASS AFTER BASICALLY RACING YOURSELVES LAST YEAR?
“We’re looking forward to the competition. The last couple of years, we were mainly racing our teammates. BMW and Porsche were there, but when you get down to racing just your teammate, those are the toughest guys to race. They have similar equipment and the same tools as you, plus they’re great drivers. You know they’re going to get the most out of it. You also don’t want to make any mistakes rub them. I’m looking forward to having 13 cars to battle. I’ve missed battling on starts and restarts, the strategy wars… that’s my biggest thing. I missed the actual racing side of what we had in the past.”

IN BASIC TERMS, WHAT ARE THE CHANGES YOU’VE MADE TO THE CAR TO BRING IT INTO THE GT3 WINDOW?
“The biggest things are the ABS and customer tires. There are a lot of little details that IMSA is making us do to get the C8.R closer. The car wasn’t designed for the class so they’re trying to make it as even as possible. The biggest aspect is understanding the way the tire works. The team has spent so many years with Michelin to develop the confidential tire to work properly for our car. Now we’re moving to a tire that will work for a front-engine, mid-engine and rear-engine car. Understanding how the way that works and maximizing it for not just one lap but for over a stint will be a huge thing to learn. ABS is another thing to understand the brake wear with that system. It’s good to have someone like Nicky who has so much GT3 experience who can lend a hand for Antonio and I who don’t have as much experience as he does in this type of car to understand what it’s supposed to feel like and how we make the most of that. There will be a lot of learning. Antonio and I spent two days in the car at VIR after Petit Le Mans last year to get a feel for things. I’m sure the Corvette Racing guys went back, studied all the data and made their developments. There have been other drivers in the sim developing those items that we were working on since then. I think we’ll have a good package for Daytona.”

HOW DID IT FEEL TO DRIVE?
“It still felt just like a Corvette, which is nice. The C8.R has been really successful since it came out with the mid-engine layout. The biggest thing was understanding how the way the tire worked, the window that it works in, how you use it, how much you can slide it, the temperature window that it works in. Those little details are good to understand. The tire degradation is going to be a different aspect for us. The ABS was different – just maximizing it in how much pressure to use, how consistent you can be if you’re pushing the brake pedal too hard. Little details like that were good to get a feel for last year before we go to the Roar where most of the work is for the Rolex and not really for car development or driver development.”

CORVETTE RACING EXPERIMENTED WITH ABS AT DETROIT LAST YEAR. HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU HAVE NOW?
“It’s the same system but there have been more development since then. Detroit was an experiment for Antonio and me to get a feel for it, plus Nick (Tandy) and Tommy (Milner). That was a unique event for us where we didn’t have any competition and were free to do it. So we chose to get some miles on the car with it, see how we felt and see what kind of feedback we could give the team to develop it. We took that to the simulator and the VIR test, where we did some more developments to increase the capability of the system. It helped to get a little bit of a head start during the season last year, and I think we’ll still be learning and developing it through the Roar and Rolex.”

HOW MUCH HAS THE SIM HELPED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF THE ABS AND LEARNING THE NEW MICHELIN CUSTOMER TIRE?
“The drivers were probably spoiled with how good the GTLM tires could be! But at the same time it created a lot of stress during a weekend on what tire to use, when to use it, what the other car is going to do and what the other teams were going to do. Now everyone is on the same playing field. I have a big trust in the team that we are going to maximize the tire’s capability. We have a lot of smart people that can do that. I have a lot of confidence going to that spec tire that our team will do a great job with it. We work with Michelin a lot with our simulator to get a better understanding of it.”

HOW MUCH TIME ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND SORTING OUT WHO IS WHO? WHAT CARS ARE GTD PRO, AND WHAT CARS ARE GTD AM?
“We know Andy Lally won’t be letting anyone by. Other than that, we all keep track of what races are going on where and we know drivers pretty well… who to look out for, who we can trust on track and who we have to be more careful around. But there are a lot of different color cars coming and a lot of different manufacturers. I’ll definitely be studying before and during the weekend to see who’s who. Our guys usually make notes on drivers on-track of who to look out for so when we do get in the race, they will say to us we are coming up on the 18 car with this driver, be careful of them. They do a good job of helping us with that. They keep us out of trouble as much as possible. It’s the same thing with Prototypes when they are going by with who is in what car so we know who to leave a little more of a gap to than other guys.”

WERE YOU SURPRISED TO LEARN NICK TANDY WAS JOINING THE TEAM FOR LAST YEAR? WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT HIM WHILE HE WAS WITH PORSCHE AND ALSO SO FAR WITH HIM BEING WITH THE TEAM?
“I didn’t so a whole lot of racing against him over the years. We were always in a different class. But obviously I knew a lot about him before he came in and knew he would be a huge asset to the team and a huge competitor to Antonio and I for the championship, especially when it was mostly down to our two cars to win the championship. But it is always interesting to have someone new come in to the team especially with that much experience and success to see how they operate when you are so close to them and see how they work. He is definitely a hard worker. You always hear rumors about different drivers, but seeing him in person you understand why he is as strong as he is. He is always working… looking at data, looking at video trying to find every little bit which made us do the same thing last year. Like Antonio said, we had the same equipment and we were trying to find an advantage on everyone else. I looked at more data and video last year than I probably ever had trying to find little advantages in qualifying and the races to see where we could make it up. I think having guys like that elevates everyone’s game.”

IS IT MORE FUN TO HAVE A BIGGER FIELD, MORE CARS OUT THERE?
“I think it is more fun to have a high grid count with quality cars. I think it becomes more difficult when you get some filler cars with lesser drivers and teams. It makes it difficult when you have some drivers who aren’t as experienced on the track in such a high-profile event, especially when we are going to have such a competitive field in our class. Say we come through in the middle of the night with 13 GTD PRO cars and you come up on someone with lesser experience who doesn’t know how to get out of the way. It can cause a lot of confusion on-track and incidents. We do have a big, quality field with all the GTD Pro cars. They all have amazing lineups and teams. I haven’t looked too hard into the Pro-Am categories. But as Nicky said earlier, we are here to put on a show for fans as well and that creates entertainment. Sometimes you need that in a race. Sometimes you need someone slower to hold up another guy to make a pass. That creates a little more opportunity. We’re all looking forward to it. The offseason has been pretty short but at the same time it seems too long. We are all excited to get back to the track and back to racing.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R
HOW IS IT COMING BACK TO DAYTONA AS DEFENDING RACE WINNER?
“It’s not going to be easy, it seems. Like it has been said, the field is so big. There are lots more cars and not just in GTD PRO but also all the other GTDs creating one big class so we’re all driving against each other with similar speed. It will be very exciting and way more difficult to win it than last year. So let’s see. I’m excited to go again. It feels super good to already have one watch on my wrist, but let’s try to add a second one.”

WHAT’S MOST APPEALING ABOUT THE NEW CLASS AFTER BASICALLY RACING YOURSELVES LAST YEAR?
“It’s nice to have a bigger class just to have more actual racing and overtaking. In Europe, we have a couple of very big GT3 races, and I think this one is heading in that direction in terms of very big GT3 fields. It’s also a very nice thing to see for the spectators. It should be a very cool race.”

THERE ARE NOW TWO CLASSES – GTD PRO AND GTD – THAT RUN WITH IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT ON IDENTICAL TIRES. HOW WILL THAT DYNAMIC PLAY OUT?
“For me, it reminds me of what we have in Europe where you have a Pro-Am class. That makes it quite difficult because it’s hard to always know who is in the car at that time. It always feels like it is one big class together. Everyone will fight each other, so I think that is what we will see in the race. I wish that some of the Pro-Am cars in Europe sometimes would just let you pass since we are racing our own race anyway. But unfortunately it doesn’t work like that there and I don’t think it will work like that in Daytona. So I think it’s going to be a big mess but also an amazing show.”

LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CAR INTO THE GT3 PLATFORM, YOU ARE THE ONE WITH EXPERIENCE WITH ABS AND THE OTHER DIFFERENT ELEMENTS, DO YOU FEEL MORE PRESSURE THIS YEAR?
“No. Not really. I did some driving after Petit Le Mans with the car already with ABS and honestly it felt quite good straightaway. Of course, we have to do some work, but I think some of these packages in terms of hardware have been tested so much over in Europe already. I don’t think it will take so long to get so competitive. I think some of that kind of stress is already away. Of course, there are some details that need to be tweaked. But I don’t feel too much more pressure. Maybe I can give a little bit more input than before and that feels nice. But other than that, the team is full of really smart guys so they don’t really have to depend on me for that.”

YOU’VE MENTIONED THAT THE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE GTD PRO AND THE GTD AM IS GOING TO BE MUCH TIGHTER. HOW DO YOU SEE THAT PANNING OUT DURING THE COURSE OF THE RACE WITH THE DPI CARS COMING THROUGH? WILL IT BE MORE DISTRACTING AND WILL YOU BE IN RACES AROUND YOU AND THEY WILL HAVE A SLIGHTLY HARDER TIME GETTING AROUND YOU?
“Yes, I definitely think so. There are simply more cars to get around. For us to get around the GTDs – which are effectively in a different class but a similar speed – it is going to make for a lot of fighting on-track and we are going to side-by-side with DPis also wanting to pass. In the past with GTLM, the differences were bigger so it was easier to pass or to just say I’m going to wait on this opportunity and I’ll take the next one. Now I think it is going to be more do-or-die sometimes, and I think it is really important for us to contain ourselves and wait until the end of the race. But I think it is going to make for a lot of fights on-track and a lot of action on TV.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 80 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

BATAVIA, Ohio. (January 7, 2022) – The Wright Motorsports roster for the prestigious Rolex 24 At Daytona at the end of this month is complete, following the addition of Porsche Factory Driver Richard Lietz to the No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R. Lietz will join full-season drivers and 2021 Michelin Pilot Challenge Champions Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen, and endurance addition Zacharie Robichon.

“It’s great to welcome Richard Lietz to Wright Motorsport,” said Team Owner John Wright. “After over two decades of our team racing Porsche machinery, we’re honored to have a driver of his caliber join our stout lineup. Porsche is a fantastic manufacturer to be affiliated with, and they pick only the best drivers to represent their brand. He’ll be a great addition to our team. After back-to-back fourth-place finishes at Daytona, we’re very eager to fight for that top step.”

With the momentum of an incredibly successful season where the team won nine championships across its five sports car racing programs, Wright Motorsports will start the year off on the right foot with one of the strongest lineups in the GTD class. Comprised of professional and amateur drivers, the right combination of such remains a crucial piece in success not just for the whole season, but especially the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The 24-hour endurance event puts man and machine to the test, requiring the utmost from all participants.

Coming upon his 16th year as a Porsche factory driver, Lietz needs little introduction. As a six-time professional sports car racing champion, the Austrian driver also holds three wins at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. Through the years, he has represented the esteemed manufacturer in some of the best teams sports car racing has to offer, racing alongside some of the biggest names in Porsche, including recent Wright alumni Patrick Long. With over two decades of racing with Porsche, Lietz was considered a natural choice for the Michelin Endurance Cup champions.

“Wright Motorsports will be a new team for me, and I have heard nothing but the best about them,” said Lietz. “Daytona is always a nice place to race Porsches! I can’t wait to start working together with the team.”

Before on-track practice sessions for the Rolex 24 at Daytona begin on Thursday, January 27, the entire field will have three days for unofficial testing and shakedowns at the Roar Before the 24, January 21-23. The Roar will conclude on Sunday the 23rd with a 100-minute qualifying race from 2:05 pm to 3:45 pm Eastern that will set the grid for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona will begin on Saturday, January 29 at 1:40 pm eastern, concluding 24 hours later on January 30. For all schedule and tune-in information, visit imsa.com.

1st Phorm
1st Phorm is a sports nutrition company based in St. Louis, MO. In 2009, CEO Andy Frisella and his business partner Chris Klein started the brand, and since then, it has become the fastest growing supplement company in the world. 1st Phorm has set the standards in the industry for quality and helping people reach their goals. This new racing partnership is not their first time in the exotic car scene either. 1st Phorm has been the title sponsor for the Gold Rush Rally for six years running. With over a million followers across social media, 1st Phorm has amassed a huge cult-like following known as, “The Legion of Boom.” They stand for a movement in the fitness world. To turn it back to what it was meant to be. Helping others improve their lives, to be a good human… and to drop the excuses and do the work. 1st Phorm is a winning brand and they don’t expect anything less when it comes to their race team. For additional info: www.1stphorm.com

Mountain Motorsports
Mountain Motorsports is a group of motorcycle and powersports dealerships with multiple locations in the southeastern United States. The company was founded by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price when they opened their first location as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1999. The company has since grown into one of the largest retailers of motorcycle and powersports vehicles in the nation, spanning nine dealership locations representing eleven of the industry’s most well-known brands. For additional info: www.mountainmotorsports.com

Una Vida Tequila
Una Vida translates to One Life. That is how this brand started. By people who want to live their “One Life” to the absolute fullest and to their highest potential. A group of guys from the Midwest who love great quality tequila, and want their One Life to have meaning and impact others.

One Life, One Tequila is our CORE BELIEF. We’re building the only tequila brand you will ever need to drink. Una Vida is bigger than just tequila we’re also building a culture of people who want to live their life to their utmost potential.

Our story begins and continues to grow bottle by bottle. It’s a life mission for us to create a community of people who all raise a glass knowing they’re living their ONE LIFE! For more information, visit unavidatequila.com

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

DALLAS, Tex., (January 7, 2022) – IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship team NTE Sport is starting the 2022 race season off in style, switching to a new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo for a full season in the GTD class. The team’s new car will make its debut in the Roar Before the 24–the first test and qualifying event of the season–with a familiar lineup, bringing back Don Yount, Benjamin Hites, Jaden Conwright, and Markus Palttala as drivers of the No. 42 entry. The team will announce its full-season plans and lineup at a later date.

“I’ll be very excited to get the race season officially started,” said team owner Paul Mata. “We’ve had a lot of moving parts over the course of this short off-season, and I’m proud of the program we’ve put together. We’re thrilled to get to work with Chris Ward and everyone at Lamborghini Squadra Corse, and can’t wait to see what we can do with such a strong lineup. It’ll be a great season!”

With the championship ending a month later than normal in November, the shortened off-season was a busy one for the Dallas-based team as they switched manufacturers and put together a full-season effort for 2022. Using a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo provided by Star-Spangled Racing, the team hustled to assemble their 2022 programs. Building on a strong four-race debut in the IMSA WeatherTech 2021, NTE Sport will waste no time finding stride in the new machinery.

As the sole NTE driver to compete in the team’s four races last year, Don Yount has become a pillar and strong supporter of the GTD team as their reliable gentleman driver. With one win and ten podiums to his IMSA resume, Yount has earned his place in the GTD class, a field dedicated to a mixture of professional and amateur drivers racing together in professional competition.

“I’m looking forward to my seventh Rolex 24 At Daytona in a row,” said Yount. “This might be the strongest lineup I have been involved with for the 24 Hour and I’m excited to see what we can do with the NTE Lamborghini. It’s good to be back in the car with Markus after our fourth place Watkins Glen run and Benjamin had a very strong Petit Le Mans. Jaden will be ready as always for extra-long stints. It’s a strong lineup with a new car and we have a lot to prove.”

Twenty-two-year-old Chilean driver Benjamin “Benja” Hites made his NTE Sport debut two months ago at the season finale event, Petit Le Mans. He put in an impressive qualifying performance in his first-ever IMSA WeatherTech event, setting a fast pace to secure second place in a field of fifteen cars. In an exciting qualifying session, Hites came within 0.001 seconds of pole position, secured by the Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini. This year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona will be another first for the Chilean racer, though he has ample experience in endurance racing in Europe. Recently recognized for his impressive on-track performance, Hites has been selected as a Lamborghini GT3 Junior Driver for 2022, a program created by Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s commitment to the growth of young drivers.

“I’m very happy that I will take part in the Rolex 24 At Daytona for the first time,” said Hites. “It is a great effort and I’m thankful to the NTE Sport team to give me the chance to drive with them again. I know Jaden and Don, and I’m convinced that with Markus Palttala, our No. 42 Lamborghini will be a podium contender.”

Quickly earning a name for himself in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Jaden Conwright made his IMSA debut last season at Watkins Glen International and quickly established himself as a rising star to watch. In his first IMSA WeatherTech qualifying session, Conwright put the No. 42 Audi R8 LMS in a third-place starting position, grabbing the attention of his fellow GTD competitors. Conwright’s strong performance in 2021 paid off, and on January 6, IMSA announced the 22-year-old not only became the first recipient of the IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship, but he also is joining his co-driver Hites as a Lamborghini GT3 Junior Driver for the approaching season.

“It’s definitely a big deal,” Conwright said. “I’m super grateful and happy to be the first recipient of this scholarship. I’m just looking forward to working with everyone and trying to create something that will be long-term and something that will help introduce more people into IMSA. I can’t thank everyone from NTE Sport enough for the opportunity to race with them again in 2022. Participating in my first Rolex 24 at Daytona and the first 24-hour race of my career is something I anxiously look forward to. It’s been a busy and productive off-season, working with IMSA and Lamborghini for the first time, but I can’t wait to finally get the season started at one of the world’s most premier endurance sportscar races! We had amazing pace at both Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta, and I look forward to sharing the car with Don, Benjamin, and Markus again, all together at Daytona.”

Markus Palttala will complete the driver lineup, returning after first joining the team last summer at Watkins Glen International. The team put in a strong run to the podium only to be thwarted in the final 15 minutes when contact from a faster DPi class car resulted in a narrow fourth-place finish. The Finnish race car driver holds 24 wins and 68 podium finishes, bringing his veteran knowledge to the newer race team.

“I’m very happy to rejoin NTE Sport after a positive first weekend together at the Glen last June,” said Palttala. “Daytona is one of the biggest sportscar races in the calendar and the best part is to start the season already in January when everything in Europe is still hibernating. I’ve never driven a GT3 Lamborghini before but I’ve raced against it enough times to know that it is a very competitive race car. It’s fairly similar to the Audi the team was running last year, so although we are surely facing a steep learning curve, hitting the track for the first time at the Roar, I’m confident we can target a top result. It’s the first time the four of us are sharing a car, but all of us have already worked with the team. I’ve already had a bunch of good results with Don, Jaden was super at the Glen and the team really appreciated Benjamin at Petit, so I believe we have a strong driver line-up in GTD. I can’t wait to head to Florida and get the project started at the Roar!”

The Roar Before the 24 will begin on-track activities on Friday, January 21 with two test sessions, followed by two practices and a qualifying session on Saturday. The 15-minute qualifying session will set the grid for the Motul Pole Award 100, a one-hour, forty-minute race that will determine the starting grid for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 29-30. For full event information including tickets, tune in, and scheduling, visit imsa.com.

About NTE Sport
NTE Sport is based in Dallas, Texas, and first raced in 2020. Owner Paul Mata has been in the industry for over 20 years before starting his own team and has always focused on bringing together a diverse group of individuals to provide new opportunities and bring new people into the sport. Past female drivers include Sheena Monk and Ashley Freiberg, and drivers from diverse racial backgrounds include Ryan Nash, Jaden Conwright, and Kerong Li. Dedicated to bringing highly skilled individuals from various backgrounds, NTE Sport aims to continue to make North American sports car racing a fun, welcoming, supportive environment while participating in the most competitive series in North America.

About Southwest Funding
Southwest Funding began operations in 1993 under the name Dallas Residential Mortgage. We enjoyed great success early on and before long we were serving the entire state of Texas. This growth caused us to change our name to Texas Residential Mortgage.

As we continued to grow and thrive in the industry, Texas Residential Mortgage was changed to Southwest Funding to better accommodate our growing business in other states.
Today we’re still thriving, thanks in part to happy customers who have spread the word about what our company is doing to help borrowers get a home loan that fits their situation in an enjoyable and timely way. www.southwestfunding.com

About Gas Monkey Garage
Richard Rawlings, owner and founder of Gas Monkey Garage, is the star of the international hit series “Fast N’ Loud” & “Garage Rehab”. Since the inception of Gas Monkey Garage in 2004, Richard Rawlings continues to be anything except ordinary. Having built two commissioned custom cars for Hot Wheels, setting numerous world records, and cementing Gas Monkey Garage as a household name, Richard does anything but blend in!

Aside from his garage and television shows, Rawlings is a savvy businessman, turning Gas Monkey Garage into a full-fledged brand, owning multiple restaurants/venues, selling merchandise worldwide, and becoming a social media maverick boasting 20+ million followers. Learn more about Richard Rawlings and Gas Monkey at GasMonkeyGarage.com.

About Star Spangled Racing
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Star Spangled Racing is a newer sports car racing team, established in 2020 by first-generation immigrant Tiger Tari from Turkey. Tari is an accomplished businessman, race car driver, and philanthropist with big motorsport ambitions. Star Spangled Racing provides driving opportunities in the USA and Europe, currently racing in the Sports Car Club of America, the World Racing League, and American Endurance Racing, with aspirations to run in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Follow Star Spangled Racing on Instagram at @starspangledracing.

About the DropUp Agency
The Dropup Agency is a consulting firm that provides innovative technology and marketing solutions. Companies of all sizes trust us to provide modernized results with a scalable infrastructure, helping them to transform digitally. Through innovation, creative design, and passion-driven marketing, Dropup helps brands more uniquely connect with customers.
www.thedropupagency.com