Category: IMSA

International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) news and information

  • Back with the Wright Stuff: Wright Motorsports Reveals 2021 IMSA Program

    Back with the Wright Stuff: Wright Motorsports Reveals 2021 IMSA Program

    BATAVIA, Ohio, (December 17, 2020) – Following a successful season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Wright Motorsports will return to the professional sports car racing series in 2021 with an almost identical program. Led by John Wright, the operation will see full-season drivers Ryan Hardwick and Patrick Long return to pilot the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R, again sponsored by 1st Phorm, Mountain Motorsports, and Una Vida Tequila. Jan Heylen, will again stand in as the endurance addition, and Klaus Bachler will join the team for the season-opening Rolex 14 At Daytona in January.

    “We’re thrilled to be back for another year with the same group we had for 2020,” said John Wright. “Consistency was a big part of our success last year, and we’re starting off 2021 on the right foot by continuing with our proven formula. From the drivers, to the crew and sponsors, we really created a great organization, and I’m proud to have Wright Motorsports back for another year with all these people and partners.”

    Consistency was indeed the name of the game for Wright Motorsports in 2020. The team finished just two points behind the class champions, with four podiums and eight top-five finishes. Their steady season-long progression culminated with victory at the Twelve Hours of Sebring, clinching the team’s first endurance win of its 20-year history. Although the win it itself was an impressive feat, it was not until after the race that the drivers revealed that the No. 16 Porsche suffered a broken left-rear shock for much of the race, likely failing in one of the first two stints. The race-winning result was not only a testament to the team for pressing on, racing on the bumpiest circuit on the calendar, but also showcased the reliability and competitive performance of the Porsche 911 GT3 R, out-performing a class filled with other manufacturers.

    The No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R will again sport the blue, black, and white livery, showcasing the primary sponsorship from 1st Phorm, a leader in nutrition and sports performance supplements. Mountain Motorsports, a powersports dealership owned by Ryan Hardwick, will continue its support of the team, also joined by Una Vida Tequila, who first joined early into the 2020 season.

    Together, Ryan Hardwick and Patrick long became a competitive pair, scoring two sprint podiums when just the two drivers shared the car. Jan Heylen first joined the duo at Road Atlanta’s six hour endurance race, assisting in securing the team’s first podium of the 2020 championship. At the Twelve Hours of Sebring, Heylen dominated the qualifying session, earning his first career IMSA pole position. Klaus Bachler will again support the team as an addition for the Rolex 24 only, where the team kicked off the year with a solid fourth place finish.

    The schedule for the GTD class includes 12 events across North America, returning to the fan-favorite courses across the country. The Michelin Endurance Cup will again feature four endurance races in the 12-race calendar: The Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Twelve Hours of Sebring, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, and Petit Le Mans. The 2021 season will also see the series expand from four classes to five: Daytona Prototype international (DPi), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3), GT Le Mans (GTLM), and GT Daytona (GTD). The new season will also introduce a new points incentive for qualifying, awarding 35 points for pole position, 32 for second place, 30 for third, then declining by one point with each position, down to 30th in class.

    The momentum from the season-finale victory will carry over to the new year, beginning with the Rolex 24 at Daytona, January 30-31. Introducing some new formats to the endurance classic, the starting grid for the Rolex 24 will now be determined by a 100-minute qualifying race the week before at the Roar Before the 24 test. The two-driver race will be mandatory for all Rolex 24 competitors, taking place Saturday, January 24. For all event information, visit imsa.com.
    Driver Quotes

    Ryan Hardwick | No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R
    I’m really excited to be back with the same program that had a lot of success in the first year, and I’m looking to building on that success. For me personally, I’m really focused on continuing to improve as a driver and as a teammate. We expect to continue our 2020 success. The 2021 season will be even more competitive, with even more cars, great drivers, and strong teams to compete against. We feel we’re the best prepared team going into the new season, and we’re going to capitalize on our momentum from our Sebring victory to battle for that top step at Daytona.

    Patrick Long | No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R
    I revel in the aspect of continuity. Having the band back together helps a lot with a view of keeping the momentum of where we left off in 2020. I expect the competition to only ramp up, so the work starts now and through the green dropping for the Rolex 24 in just over a month from now. Grateful to have our sponsors and partners back on board. I am looking forward to this!

    Jan Heylen | No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R
    It’s exciting to start the new season with the good momentum from last year! A strong second half of the season, ending with a win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, puts us in a good place to kick off 2021 at Daytona. It’s really special to go into another season with a team I call family, with Patrick, my best friend of 20 years, and Ryan who has welcomed me and has given me a home in his organization. I believe we have all the components to have a successful year and fight for the championship like we did last year. Porsche and PMNA played a key role in all the success we had in 2020 and I’m excited to be working with them again and their continued support going into the new season.

    Klaus Bachler | No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R
    In 2021 I will again have the honor of competing with John Wright and his amazing team for the Rolex 24. Racing in Daytona is always a very special experience. I can‘t wait to push the car to its limits on this awesome track. I am looking forward to work together with Ryan, Pat, and Jan.

    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. The 2020 season will see the team return to IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship. For more information, visit wrightmotorsports.com

  • Riley Motorsports Confirms Team Managers for 2021 Racing Programs Across Three IMSA Racing Series

    Riley Motorsports Confirms Team Managers for 2021 Racing Programs Across Three IMSA Racing Series

    • Fourth-Year Riley Motorsports Team Manager Ben Levite Shifts Exclusively to New LMP3 Two-Car IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Program
    • New Riley Motorsports Management Addition Russ Ruedisueli Named Team Manager for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Toyota Supra and IMSA Ferrari Challenge Programs

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (December 15, 2020) – Riley Motorsports has confirmed Team Managers across three IMSA racing series for 2021, with team veteran Ben Levite shifting exclusively to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and new team addition Russ Ruedisueli overseeing Riley’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA Ferrari Challenge operations.

    Fourth-year Riley Motorsports Team Manager Levite focuses solely on running the team’s two-car IMSA WeatherTech Championship LMP3 program in 2021 while veteran high-performance automotive industry executive Ruedisueli has joined the Riley organization as Team Manager for the IMSA Pilot Challenge Toyota Supra Grand Sports (GS) and IMSA Ferrari Challenge programs.

    “We have enjoyed some solid growth with our racing programs the last few seasons and further expanding with a pair of experienced and dedicated Team Managers is another step forward in our progress,” said Riley Motorsports President and Owner Bill Riley. “Ben Levite has done a great job managing the operations of several different Riley Motorsports teams in recent years and will continue to operate a multi-car team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Russ Ruedisueli is a longtime colleague and teammate that brings decades of high-performance vehicle management and a passion for all things racing to Riley Motorsports.”

    The 2021 racing season will be the third-straight year that Riley Motorsports competes in three different IMSA racing series. Riley continues its WeatherTech Championship program with a new two-car Ligier JS P320 LMP3 team in addition to debuting the new Toyota GR Supra GT4 program for the team’s third year of GS competition in Pilot Challenge. Riley is also set for its third Ferrari Challenge season in 2021.

    “When Bill gave me a call it was pretty darn exciting,” Ruedisueli said. “Both the Ferrari and Toyota Supra programs will be very challenging, but I am really looking forward to working in both series with Riley Motorsports. The Toyota Supra program is similar to what we did together with the Viper in that it is new to IMSA and we will be getting a great car up to speed. The Ferrari series sounds like a competitive and interesting format and is a great marketing tool in bringing Ferrari customers into race cars.”

    Ruedisueli joins Riley Motorsports after retiring from a more than 30-year career with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) a few years ago. He has an extensive high-performance vehicle and auto racing background within FCA and managed the factory support for multiple motorsports championships in NASCAR, NHRA, SCCA and IMSA. The IMSA success was in partnership with Riley Technologies and Riley Motorsports that collectively built and maintained the SRT Dodge Viper GTS-R and GT3-R cars that won numerous titles and championships.

    “I worked with Russ back when we ran the championship-winning Viper program in GTLM, and I had a lot of respect for him and everyone at SRT, the entire FCA corporation on how they ran things, and the overall demeanor within the company,” Riley said. “When a need came up for additional management at Riley Motorsports, Russ was a great choice.”

    Ruedisueli’s arrival complements Levite’s established relationship with Riley Motorsports, which he joined in 2012 as a Data Engineer on the Viper GTS-R GTLM program. Levite was promoted to Team Manager prior to the 2018 season, taking the reins of the WeatherTech Championship program while also overseeing the expansion into Pilot Challenge that same year.

    “This will be Ben’s fourth year as a Riley Motorsports Team Manager and he has done a great job on our WeatherTech and GS programs the last three seasons,” Riley said. “He will be primarily focused on our two-car LMP3 assault in WeatherTech with Gar Robinson and Jim Cox. That’s a fairly tall order to run two cars at these major endurance events, so that will be his main focus along with a few other special projects.”

    In addition to his high-performance automotive corporate background, Ruedisueli is also an accomplished SCCA driver. He has recorded several top-five finishes in Formula F (1600), including a career-best third place at Road America in 2012, in various appearances at the annual SCCA National Championship Runoffs over the years.

    “Calling on that combined skillset was also a fairly big deciding factor,” Riley said. “You have the corporate side, where Russ was with Chrysler for 30-plus years, and then you have his club racer side as a competitor in SCCA, which is just as hard, but it is a different set of skills. It is a good combination that helped with our decision to ask him to join our team.”

    In his new position, Ruedisueli, who also led the team that produced the Viper, Viper ACR and Hell Cat Powered SRT Chargers and Challengers at FCA, is relocating early in 2021 to the Mooresville, N.C. area from Detroit.

    Both Levite and Ruedisueli respectively oversaw the operations of the new WeatherTech Championship LMP3 and Toyota Supra GS teams in a test last week at Daytona International Speedway.

    “We have done a test together at Daytona and everything went very smooth,” Riley said. “Ben jumped right in on the LMP3 teams and from where he left off just a few weeks ago after the 2020 finale, and it seems like Russ is going to be up for the task of being the Team Manager for our Toyota Supra GS program and for our Ferrari Challenge program.”

  • Magnus Racing Partners with Archangel Motorsports for 2021 IMSA Season

    Magnus Racing Partners with Archangel Motorsports for 2021 IMSA Season

    TOOELE, UTAH. (December 7, 2020) – The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is set to begin with the Roar Before the 24, January 22-24, and Magnus Racing has big changes ahead for the approaching season. The team, who ran the year as GRT Magnus Racing in a partnership with Grasser Racing, will not partner with GRT for next season, but instead race an Acura NSX GT3 Evo together with Archangel Motorsports.

    “The Lamborghini was a good car and it was great working with their people,” said Team Somebody John Potter. “I want to thank the crew and Magnus Racing and GRT folks for their work this year. In the end, I want to change some variables. I am excited to take on something new, and I look forward to working with Acura and building on their success.”

    Andy Lally will return for another season as Potter’s co-driver, as the two take on the new challenge, racing the 2020 GTD class’s Manufacturer Champion. The Acura will primarily be run by Archangel Motorsports and some Magnus personnel.

    More details on how to follow John, Andy, and the No. 44 car will come in the coming months. Despite being less Magnus-y, John, Andy, et al. might be persuaded to do a poster for Daytona 2021. We welcome fan lobbying and ideas for poster, livery, suits whatever, via social media. They might even award prizes based on no logical criteria, and they might end up choosing their own ideas. Either way, get posting, because we’re already way behind this off season.

    “The hardest part of changing all these things year-after-year is needed to go through these painful design processes every year,” said Potter. “You know I am behind when we show up naked at the Roar.”

    The Roar Before the 24 will act as IMSA’s first official test of the 2021 season before kicking off the championship a week later with the Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 28-31. Tickets for the event are on sale now, with likely limited pit and paddock access for the general public. To stay up-to-date on all the events and COVID restrictions, visit imsa.com.

    Magnus Racing will continue to distribute brief pre-event tune in emails, but please click here to subscribe to in-depth press releases from Magnus with Archangel.

  • IMSA-Sanctioned Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series Added to Inaugural 2021 NASCAR Weekend At Circuit of The Americas

    IMSA-Sanctioned Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series Added to Inaugural 2021 NASCAR Weekend At Circuit of The Americas

    • Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series will compete during the inaugural NASCAR at COTA event, May 21-23 at Circuit of The Americas
    • Three-day general admission weekend packages are now on sale starting at just $99 at com. Fans can save an additional 20 percent by purchasing before Dec. 1.

    CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 19, 2020) – The inaugural NASCAR weekend at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) just got even bigger. The Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) will join a jam-packed weekend alongside the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at COTA in Austin, Texas, May 21-23, 2021.

    “NASCAR’s inaugural weekend at COTA will be one of the most entertaining motorsport festivals of the entire year,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “With the addition of the IMSA Lamborghinis, we’ve put together a wide-open, three-day adrenaline rush for both stock car and sports car fans.”

    Racing at COTA for the first time since 2017, the Lamborghini series will run two 45-minute practice sessions on Friday and two 50-minute races – the first Saturday evening and then another Sunday afternoon. Competition will include the four North American continental championship categories: PRO, PRO-AM, AM and Lamborghini Cup. Schedules are subject to change.

    “We are absolutely thrilled to be returning to Circuit of The Americas with Lamborghini Super Trofeo in 2021,” said Chris Ward, Head of Motorsports – Lamborghini America.

    “The circuit remains a favorite with our teams and drivers, and we are particularly excited to be returning on such a special weekend to coincide with the inaugural visit of the NASCAR Cup Series. I know our Texas Dealers are already planning their activations for what will be a fantastic weekend of on-track action.”

    Three-day weekend packages are on sale now at NASCARatCOTA.com with general admission access starting at just $99 and reserved seating starting at just $125. Fans can save an additional 20 percent on adult weekend packages by purchasing by midnight on Dec. 1.

    Fans will get their first glimpse of the weekend action as drivers from the NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series take their first practice laps on the world-renowned road course on Friday, May 21. On Saturday, May 22, the on-track action will heat up with practice and qualifying sessions for each series, NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series races as well as the first Lamborghini race. The weekend will conclude with the second Lamborghini race plus qualifying and the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA on Sunday, May 23.

    Fans who have already made deposits for weekend ticket packages will be contacted directly to finalize their seat selections, while new purchases can be made at NASCARatCOTA.com.

    Three-day weekend ticket packages are the most affordable way to catch all the action for the May 21-23 event. Single-day tickets will go on sale Feb. 1.

    Announcements regarding race length, course selection and the complete weekend schedule will be made at a later date.

    TICKETS:
    Fans can purchase a three-day weekend general admission pass starting at $99 and a three-day reserved seat starting at $125 for all practice, qualifying and race events online at NASCARatCOTA.com. LIMITED TIME ONLY — fans can save an additional 20 percent on adult weekend package purchases through Dec. 1. Fans can also purchase NASCAR at COTA or NASCAR All-Star Race tickets by calling the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at 833-450-2864.

    MORE INFO:
    Fans can connect with NASCAR at COTA and get the latest news by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.

  • Team Hardpoint Leads Laps and Earns Season Best Top Five IMSA Finish in 12 Hours of Sebring Debut

    Team Hardpoint Leads Laps and Earns Season Best Top Five IMSA Finish in 12 Hours of Sebring Debut

    Co-Drivers Rob Ferriol, Andrew Davis and Pierre Kaffer and the No. 30 GridRival/Team Hardpoint R8 LMS GT3 Scored the Young Team’s Fifth Place in the Season Finale

    SEBRING, Florida (November 15, 2020) – Team Hardpoint earned a season-best finish in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) class at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday at Sebring International Raceway. Co-drivers Rob Ferriol, Andrew Davis and Pierre Kaffer finished fifth in the No. 30 GridRival/Team Hardpoint Audi R8 LMS GT3 during the 68th running of the event.

    After an intense 12 hours of racing, the team covered 1,193 miles in 319 laps around the 3.74-mile circuit and finished just 10.085 seconds behind the class winner. The first-year team also reached other milestones during the event, with Davis earning a front-row start, Ferriol leading his first career lap after a turn one pass for the lead during the race’s second hour, and Davis led for eight additional laps during the ninth hour of the race following a full-course caution.

    “What’s really cool for me is we had our best finish in 2020 in the longest race we ran,” Ferriol said. “I think it’s a great starting point for 2021, looking back here. I led laps, Andrew led laps, those are all good news stories for us. I couldn’t be prouder of Andrew and Pierre in the car, Will Bamber and Toni Calderon calling strategy and Owen Hayes as our engineer, and our entire team. We did 11 pit stops, and all of them were perfect. I can’t say enough about this team.”

    Endurance racing comes with challenges to overcome, and that is especially true on the bumpy and treacherous Sebring surface. With three-hours, 30-minutes remaining and under full course caution, the team elected to stay on track rather than pit and move Davis to the lead. That strategy evaporated with 65 minutes remaining in the race when Davis pulled to pit lane with a punctured tire. Unfortunately, that stop was just minutes outside the fuel window to get to the finish.

    “What a day, first off,” Davis said. “This race is one of the most grueling in the world. There are longer races, but this one just beats you up. Physically, for sure, because of the nature of Sebring International Raceway, but mentally it’s very, very difficult. Especially when darkness arrives. Being later in the year, there was a couple more hours of darkness which added some complexity to it. To come out in a top five finish, I actually was really pleased with the team. The effort put forth all week just to get the car better and give us something to fight with says something about this team, who is still in its infancy as a unit. I think the sky’s the limit for Hardpoint and I’m just excited I had an opportunity to run with them during the last couple of races of the year.”

    Kaffer climbed behind the wheel for the run to the checkered flag, sitting eighth in class and still on the lead lap. In fuel conservation mode, Kaffer was unable to push the Audi to the limit. A final full-course caution with less than 30-minutes to go gave Kaffer enough fuel to get to the finish, but without enough time to make up any additional positions.

    “Thank you to the whole team, they’ve done an awesome job the whole weekend,” Kaffer, an Audi Sport customer racing driver making his first start with Team Hardpoint, said. “I felt really confident from the first moment I joined Hardpoint and tried to help with my knowledge of the car. I think we had a great car today in our hands. In the end, it didn’t pay off for the podium because the tire puncture was two laps too early. I had to save fuel in my last stint. Without that, I think we could have finished P4 or P3. The full course yellow helped us. At the end, I was able to put some pressure on the (fourth place) Ferrari. Always when I was there, there was some traffic, and then the gap extended again. In the end, overall, all of us with Rob and Andrew did a great job.”

    The fifth-place finish capped the inaugural season for Team Hardpoint, who joined the IMSA WeatherTech Championship in July with a plan to run only the sprint races. The team added Petit LeMans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring late in the season.

    “I have to say thank you to Audi for all of the support we received this year,” Ferriol said. “We couldn’t have done this without them. It makes me super proud to be able to end the year on a high note with an Audi R8 LMS GT3 having led laps at the Sebring 12 hour and finishing in the top five.”

    Team Hardpoint now turns its attention to the 2021 season and the recently announced Team Hardpoint EBM Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GTD class. The season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona is just weeks away, January 28-31 at Daytona International Speedway.

    About Hardpoint Motorsports:
    Hardpoint Motorsports was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. The Hardpoint brand brings together three distinct entities into one motorsport ecosystem. Team Hardpoint is the brand’s racing arm, providing its partners and customers opportunities to compete, brand, and promote in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona class and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. Hardpoint Outfitters helps other teams and drivers extract more value from their motorsport investment by bundling branding, activation, and digital marketing services into customized turnkey packages, including design, apparel, hospitality, and social media management. The Hardpoint Paddock Foundation is the newest element of the ecosystem, created as a charitable foundation to support out of work paddock workers through the COVID-19 shutdown. As the shutdown comes to an end, the 501(c)3 Foundation is expected to grow into a more sustained model of providing vocational and educational support services to the professional sports car paddock community. More information on all of the Hardpoint Motorsports enterprises can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

  • No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Team Clinches 2020 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Title

    No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Team Clinches 2020 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Title

    Sebring, FL (November 15, 2020) The No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R Team came to the 68th Running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with two goals: clinch the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 2013 and 2017 championship-winning team reached the first goal and achieved the Michelin Endurance Cup Crown for the first time in team history but fell just one point short of the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title.

    “It’s a strange feeling,” said team owner Wayne Taylor. “This was my last race with Cadillac. The guys did a great job as usual. Unfortunately, we got taken out by the No. 77 Mazda which really killed our race. We ended up racing against Ricky and Helio for the championship. I’m really happy to be with Konica Minolta and for all that they have done for us. This team is incredible. The drivers drove well. We just missed the big show. Anyways onwards to next year with big new things.“

    After qualifying an impressive second for the endurance-classic, Renger van der Zande took the green flag for the Konica Minolta team, immediately challenging for the lead. However, IMSA officials deemed van der Zande to have moved lanes before the start line, giving the Cadillac-powered outfit a drive-through penalty on lap four of the race, dropping the team to the back of the pack, more than 30 seconds adrift.

    Over the next two stints, van der Zande put in an astonishing drive, moving from eighth to fourth before handing the car over to Ryan Briscoe. If the team were recipients of bad luck at the start, they would see some good luck fall their way at the two-hour, 21-minute mark, with a full-course yellow falling shortly after Briscoe had made his first stop of the day. The full-course yellow vaulted the black and blue Konica Minolta machine to the front of the field, which Briscoe would take full advantage of.

    At the crucial points-awarding, four-hour mark, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R found itself in the lead, scoring enough points to clinch its maiden IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup title. The feat is particularly impressive given the Endurance Cup is comprised of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s crown jewel events including the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, Six Hours of Road Atlanta, Motul Petit Le Mans and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Thanks in large to winning the 24-hour season opener as well as the Motul Petit Le Mans, the Konica Minolta team were able to clinch the Endurance Cup title by leading at the four-hour mark of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

    With the Michelin Endurance Cup title sewn up, all eyes were on the remainder of the 12-hour race as well as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title. Unfortunately for the team, endurance-driver and six-time INDYCAR Champion Scott Dixon was hit at the four-hour, 52-minute mark, causing significant damage to the No. 10 machine. A trip back to the garage area was required as the team systematically worked to replace bodywork and a radiator. Despite the team’s heroic effort, six laps were lost while repairs were made, taking the team out of race-winning contention.

    As the sun started setting on the race as well as the 2020 season, the No. 10 Konica Minolta team’s sole focus became that of completing a clean race to maximize the points gathered. Van der Zande, Briscoe and Dixon would all take turns behind the wheel as the darkness set on the legendary venue, gaining time on the leaders throughout.

    But, after a grueling season and the second longest race of the year, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R team came home seventh, missing out on a third IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title by one single point. From a dominant Rolex 24 at DAYTONA showing in January, to consistent race finishes once the season restarted in July, the team only relinquished the championship lead for the last two events of the year.

    While adding a third IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was the ultimate goal for the team, securing the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup crown is a significant boost for the only 13-year old team, who has seen a long-standing partnership with General Motors and Konica Minolta lead to dozens of wins and three titles at the pinnacle of sports car racing in North America.

    The team now looks ahead to the 2021 season in just two months at Daytona International Speedway where they will work to achieve three Rolex 24 at DAYTONA victories in a row.

    RENGER VAN DER ZANDE, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
    “It was a tough day. I believe we had everything today to make the championship happen and we finished second. I can’t be happy with that, but we won the Michelin Endurance Cup, so at least we’re going home with a trophy and second in the championship. The No.7 car had a great year with so many poles in a row and they won many races. They’re tough competitors. They had their bad luck in the beginning, and we had our bad luck in the end. I want to say thank you to the team and for being part of Wayne Taylor Racing for three years. It’s been an amazing time and we’ve had some big wins that I will remember for the rest of my life. There is a fantastic group of people that work very closely together and that’s something that I will remember forever and thank you to the team for all their effort.”

    RYAN BRISCOE, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
    “We have to look at the whole season because we had a great year. We won some really big races and it came down to a point at the end of it all with the No. 7 car. We had a bit of bad luck today, which was very unfortunate, but all the contenders had bad luck. The No. 7 car just came out on top and they really dominated the second half of the season. We need to be proud of everything we did this year.”

    SCOTT DIXON, No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R
    “Definitely an interesting and frustrating day. It looked like it was all going so well, so to tie up Michelin Endurance Cup early on was really good. Then just got into a position with Jarvis, obviously got hit and spun. The tire and radiator which put us in a compromising situation. It was just a racing incident, but I think it was optimistic and I don’t know where he was going to go because he hit us so hard. It’s very frustrating to be in that position, especially with Renger and Ryan who are going for the championship.”

    About Konica Minolta
    Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future™ with its expansive smart office product portfolio from IT Services (All Covered), ECM, Managed Print Services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for twelve consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2017 America’s Best Employers list. The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for eight consecutive years. It partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, Linked In and Twitter. Konica Minolta, as title sponsor, highlights Wayne Taylor Racing’s existing lineup of partners that also features Cadillac V-Performance Racing, AMETEK Electronic Systems Protection (ESP /SurgeX) and Powervar, and CIT.

  • Steven Aghakhani and Jacob Eidson Dominate IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Season-Ending Doubleheader at Sebring International Raceway

    Steven Aghakhani and Jacob Eidson Dominate IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Season-Ending Doubleheader at Sebring International Raceway

    Aghakhani, Eidson and No. 6 SADA Systems US RaceTronics Lamborghini Huracán Team Keep Pro-Class Championship Pressure On to the End with Perfect Performance at Sebring International Raceway

    SEBRING, Florida (November 14, 2020) – Steven Aghakhani, Jacob Eidson and the No. 6 SADA Systems US RaceTronics Lamborghini Huracán team turned in a perfect performance this week at Sebring International Raceway where they took the battle for the 2020 series championship down to the wire with a dominating double victory in Friday’s season-ending twin 45-minute races on the 3.74-mile road course.

    While a truly perfect performance is an extreme rarity in the ultra-competitive arena of professional sports car racing, Aghakhani, Eidson and the No. 6 team pulled if off Thursday and Friday at Sebring.

    After pacing Thursday practice, Aghakhani and Eidson each won the overall and Pro class poles later that day in the split qualifying session. In Friday’s doubleheader, Aghakhani set the fastest race lap in that morning’s first race before handing off to Eidson, who took the No. 6 to the victory 3.637 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.

    Eidson in turn started Friday afternoon’s season finale and set that race’s fastest lap. Aghakhani took over and brought the No. 6 across the line with a 0.936 second margin of victory to complete the amazingly perfect performance. The fastest laps in both races were new circuit records.

    “The team did everything they could,” Aghakhani said. “They did an amazing job, the engineers did everything they could, the car was extremely fast, put down the lap record and had the fastest lap in both races. I dealt with the pressure, came out first place in both races, and we had first place in qualifying both times. It’s something to keep our heads up about.”

    At an average age of 21, the Aghakhani and Eidson duo led the 2020 Super Trofeo championship’s 10 race season with four wins and six poles.

    “I’m super proud of the team,” Eidson said. “Everyone put in a lot of effort to make this car as fast as it is, and a lot of people don’t see that. It really is a team effort and we need all of them to be this competitive. We did everything we possibly could this weekend. We got two wins and two poles.”

    The superb Sebring performance also saw the No. 6 drivers and team nearly catch chief championship rival Madison Snow for the 2020 Pro Class title. Trailing by 15 points – the equivalent of a full race win – coming into Sebring, Aghakhani and Eidson closed to within three points of Snow by the end of the doubleheader finale. If not for some setbacks in the two races leading into Sebring, the 2020 crown might have gone to the No. 6 drivers and team.

    “Obviously, we’re a little bummed out about the overall championship, but there’s only so much you can control,” Aghakhani said. “We’re just happy to be here, finally able to go racing again in a challenging year.”

    Eidson knows that he, Aghakhani and the entire No. 6 SADA Systems US RaceTronics team left nothing on the table.

    “There’s an A factor and a B factor, A is what you can control and B is what you can’t,” Eidson said. “When it comes to the A, we did a perfect job. That’s all we can do. I went to bed happy Friday night, especially knowing we came into this championship not planning on competing in the Pro class. We raised our expectations and I’m really happy and proud of our success.”

    The off-season and planning for next year starts right away.

    “I will hit the gym,” Aghakhani said. “Definitely keep a healthy diet and make sure I’m good mentally to just stay ready for next season. We’re going to do some practice in the off season. We have a little bit of a different schedule for next year at different tracks, so we’re going to try to get some preparation done for those. We’ll do what we did, the same as this year. The results show, minus a couple of issues, but there’s only so much we can control about it. Driving aspect, we did what we had to do and I have to thank the whole team for that. I’m really happy.”

    Aghakhani’s Lamborghini racing programs run with the support of several key sponsor partners in 2020. SADA Systems, Inc. is a privately-held global leader in providing business and technology consulting services that transform organizations through cloud-based solutions at www.sada.com. Insignia Mortgage focuses on providing flexible portfolio lending options for clients with non-traditional lending needs. Learn more at www.insigniamortgage.com. Magic Laundry Services (MLS) is one of the largest independently owned hospitality linen and dry cleaning operations in the country, catering primarily to the hospitality industry. Learn more at www.magiclaundryservices.com. TKX Associates specializes in consulting and staff augmentation at www.tkxassociates.com, Shegerian & Associates is a Los Angeles based firm at www.shegerianlaw.com and Equeduct provides capital funding solutions for small businesses at www.equeduct.com.

  • TPC Racing Makes Six Podium Appearances on Friday at Sebring in IMSA Single-Make Championship Finale

    TPC Racing Makes Six Podium Appearances on Friday at Sebring in IMSA Single-Make Championship Finale

    Efrin Castro Ended the Season With Victory and as the Runner-up in IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA

    SEBRING, Florida (November 14, 2020) – TPC Racing ended the 2020 IMSA single-make season on Friday with four races, six podium finishes, two Hard Charger awards and a runner-up finish in the final season-long championship standings in a busy day at Sebring International Raceway.

    The IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and the IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo each ended their seasons with single-day doubleheaders, each running a morning and afternoon round on Friday the 13th.

    Efrin Castro earned two podiums, including his sixth win of the season, and finished second in the driver’s championship as well as boosting TPC Racing to the same position in the team championship. Vernon McClure earned a Yokohama Hard Charger and a top-five finish, and Dan Hardee posted a strong run in race two after a setup change.

    Though the team added a Lamborghini Super Trofeo program late in the season, the crew pulled off a heroic effort to get the No. 38 Lamborghini Sterling/TPC Racing Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO driven by Scott Schmidt and Trevor Andrusko on course for Friday’s races. An electrical issue plagued the car during qualifying, and the team crew and Lamborghini Squadra Corsa engineers worked to diagnose the issue. The TPC Racing crew was on site until four a.m. and returned at 7:30, finally firing up the No. 38 after finding and replacing a single crimped wire just 20 minutes into the first race.

    The Lamborghini Sterling cars moved to the AM class for the first time, including the debut of Moritz Kranz co-driving with Tom Kerr in the No. 74 Lamborghini Sterling/GotVeins?.com Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO.

    Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA

    Castro’s No. 65 Fine Fare Supermarkets Porsche 911 GT3 Cup started second in the Gold Cup and jumped quickly to the lead, holding the lead until the final lap despite challenges from polesitter Richard Edge throughout the race. Castro lost the lead in Turn 1 on the final lap, then made one last effort to score a win going side by side into Turn 10. Castro was unable to make the pass, but held on for second place in Gold Cup and turned the quickest lap of the race in 2:12.072 (101.944 mph).

    McClure joined Castro in the podium celebration, earning the race’s Yokohama Hard Charger. Starting 15th on the grid, McClure made a pass in the No. 10 Main Street Homes Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for fifth in class with just six minutes to go, and then inherited an extra position for fourth when a car pulled to pit lane with just three minutes to go. More importantly, McClure’s quickest lap during the race puts him 11th overall on the Race Two grid, and fifth in Platinum Cup Masters.

    Castro’s season ended in the afternoon race the same way it began – with a win. Using the early race as motivation, Castro pulled away from the Gold Cup field and never looked back, leading the entire race distance. For good measure, Castro crossed the stripe just in front of Hardee’s Platinum Cup Masters No. 69 Vbar Live/TPC Racing Porsche, earning Castro the Yokohama Hard Charger as well as the win.

    Lamborghini Super Trofeo

    With repairs ongoing to Schmidt and Andrusko’s car at the start of the race, Moritz and Kerr appeared to have the best shot a class podium. Moritz began the race, marching as high as third overall during the pit stop window before handing the car over to Kerr. Kerr was able to bring the car home for his best career Lamborghini Super Trofeo finish, earning a second in the AM class and sharing the podium with his teammates.

    The No. 38 car was ready to go at the start of the afternoon race, and neither Kerr nor Schmidt were able to run with the class leader. They were, however, locked in an intramural battle with each other until coming to pit lane for the mandatory stop.

    With Andrusko now behind the wheel, the No. 38 car left pit lane first and held a 25 second lead on Kranz in the No. 74. Kranz used Andrusko as a carrot, slowly reeling him in over the final 25 minutes of the race. While Kranz was running lap times equivalent to the overall leaders, Andrusko wasn’t far behind and the team of Andrusko and Schmidt took their turn with a second-place finish, followed by Kerr and Kranz.

    Harris Levitas, Director of Race Operations: “It all came down to one day here. The 38 car was fastest off the truck, but then had some electrical gremlins bite them. Fortunately, we were able to get the assistance from Lamborghini, Chris Ward and the whole Squadra Corsa team. That’s the best trackside service that we’ve ever received. To have guys stay here until 9:30 at night to give us tech support, and then after that, for Chris Ward to come back around midnight and open the truck to get the parts we needed to get the car on the grid today, that’s service above and beyond. I just can’t thank that group enough. Tom Kerr and Moritz Kranz came in together for the first time, and it was the first time Tom had ever done anything like that. We ended up second and third. To finish the year like that for the Lamborghini Sterling/TPC Racing team, it was incredible.

    “In Porsche GT3 Cup, I’m incredibly proud of Efrin Castro and the performance he’s been able to put on this season. He’s a driver that has grown so much, to finish second in the championship and it come down to the last race of the year is just terrific. He’s done everything he could to get himself up there. I’m just ecstatic for Vernon. He did a terrific job. He had some great races out there. We were in a three-way battle for third, and I think some of the traffic held up Vernon a bit. He overcame a bit of that, but he had to miss most of the season this year with the revised schedule. He didn’t get to drive as much as he wanted and I’m so happy for how he handled himself. Dan made some big changes for race two today, and that helped him get more competitive. Overall, it was a challenging but really great event for TPC Racing.”

    Efrin Castro, Driver, No. 65 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “I’m very, very happy that everthing came out the way it did. I gave it a lot. We all put a lot of effort into it. It just comes down to when it’s for you, it’s for you, and when it’s not, it’s not. We had times when we took the lead in the championship, and then we lost it. Even at the end, we still had a chance until the last race. That’s how close it was. I’m very proud of what we have done as a team, I’m proud of myself, I’m proud of my family. I’m proud of everyone that helped contribute to a successful year. We did learn a lot. I feel like I learned the most I’ve ever progressed in any season of my life, not only on the race track, but outside.”

    Moritz Kranz, Driver, No. 74 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO: “For me, it was the first time racing at Sebring and also the first time working with the Lambo. In the end, I think we’ll take a lot from the weekend. Now we know what direction to go with the car, and I also know how to help Tom and improve his performance. I think the weekend was very good to learn and to improve for next season. That was the goal and I think we met that goal. It was a good weekend.”

    Trevor Andrusko, Driver, No. 38 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO: “We got here and practice one was good. We were fourth overall and first in class. So we ended the day on a high note and got here on day two and immediately started having electrical issues. The car was going into limp mode every corner and we weren’t able to qualify where we’d typically qualify because we couldn’t get any clean laps. I can’t thank Lamborghini enough. We wouldn’t have found the problems that we found without everyone’s help. It’s been one of those up and down weekends, for sure. Even when we got here this morning, we weren’t sure if we were going to be racing at all and we ended up with a double podium. It’s definitely a team effort this time, and every single person involved made it happen.”

    Scott Schmidt, Driver, No. 38 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO: “On Wednesday, we were able to do some solid testing. On Thursday, the electrical problems started popping up. We worked on those gremlins into the night, and then into the morning. It still wasn’t fixed going into the race. We got it out 21 minutes behind the start and still got a podium and then did it again in this afternoon race. It was absolutely epic, epic weekend for the way it started on Thursday.”

    Dan Hardee, Driver, No. 69 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “There’s bumps, there’s rain, there’s tire degredation, there’s puddles, it’s hot. In the end, we changed the setup on race two and I was able to hang with everybody in the field. It really helped me turn in for all the corners, and it was really nice to be able to race with the whole pack and hang with everyone. Thanks to Vbar, Riverside Café, Student Wireless, Michelin Wiper blades and Method7 Eyewear, for their support.”

    About TPC Racing:
    TPC Racing is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier maintenance, service, tuning and modification center dedicated solely to Porsche sportscars. TPC Racing specializes in R&D and sales of high-performance modifications for Porsche sports cars and race cars, offering a wide range of vehicle upgrades. Best known for a line of forced induction solutions for the Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster, a long-time focus on only one make, Porsche, has enabled TPC Racing to become experts in Porsche service, tuning, and racing. In 2000, TPC Racing began entering races under its own banner, scoring an SGS-class Championship in 2004 in the Grand-American Rolex Series and was a class winner in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and captured the 2013 and 2016 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Gold Cup Championships. More information can be found at www.TPCRacing.com.

  • Moorespeed and Riley Dickinson Close Out 2020 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup USA by Yokohama Season with Sebring Race Win and Second in Platinum Cup Championship

    Moorespeed and Riley Dickinson Close Out 2020 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup USA by Yokohama Season with Sebring Race Win and Second in Platinum Cup Championship

    SEBRING, Florida (November 14, 2020) – Moorespeed and team driver Riley Dickinson fought to the end of the 2020 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama racing season at Sebring International Raceway, scoring one race win and a runner-up finish in Friday’s doubleheader finale and securing second place in the 2020 Platinum Cup championship standings.

    Dickinson, 18, and Moorespeed started the day by racing to their fourth win of the season in the No. 53 Moorespeed Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in Friday’s first 45-minute sprint on the legendary Sebring road course.

    “To be able to come out of the last weekend of the year with a win is always good, so I can’t complain about that,” Dickinson said. “I can’t thank Moorespeed enough for what they’ve done this year. I wouldn’t be here without them, and I can’t say enough about the entire operation.”

    Dickinson raced to the lead after the first lap of Friday’s second and season-ending 45-minute sprint and had a mid-race battle with 2020 Platinum Cup Champion Jeff Kingsley. The main players all season-long in the Platinum Cup points race, Dickinson and Kingsley battled side-by-side for the better part of a lap on the 3.74-mile circuit in a fitting end to the season.

    “We got a win this morning and would have loved to finish out the season with another, but it wasn’t meant to be,” said Moorespeed President David Moore. “We still raced hard the whole way. It was good and clean. They’re competitive as hell and it’s been like that all year long. Riley didn’t give up. I thought we had a chance all the way up until the end. That’s all you can ask for. I’m really proud of his effort and we’ll get them next year.”

    Dickinson and Moorespeed wrapped up their second season together, earning victories at Road America, on two different weekends of competition at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and today at Sebring. The wins were part of a record of 14 top-three finishes in the year’s 16 races.

    “It’s funny, because it’s all about perspective,” Dickinson said. “If you had told me two years ago that we were going to finish second in the championship and get four wins and 14 total podiums, I would have been ecstatic. We still wanted that extra step, but overall, you can’t be too disappointed in it because at the end of the day, even when the results weren’t there, I was able to develop as a driver and learn so much this season. From that standpoint, this season was invaluable for me and we’ll just keep moving one step at a time.”

    About Moorespeed: Based in Austin, Texas, Moorespeed is a full-service automotive company specializing in sales, service, repairs and restoration of luxury sports cars and competition on the track in numerous North American road racing series. Founded in 1991 in Austin by brothers David and Chris Moore, Moorespeed offers comprehensive, turn-key service in which people are just as important as parts and relationships are just as vital as results. David Moore and Winslow Mankin, GM – Director of Customer Racing, welcome and work with every customer as a member of the Moorespeed family, regardless if they are racing or enjoying their sports car on the open road. Moorespeed’s road racing programs are designed for all skill levels, and driver development, both on and off the track, is a Moorespeed specialty. Moorespeed is all about the passion for high-performance automobiles and the people who drive them. A commitment to personal service and performance permeates every corner of the company. Learn more at www.moorespeed.com, and contact us at (512) 474-7223. Look for us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MoorespeedRaceEngineering and Twitter @MoorespeedTX.

  • Team Hardpoint Earns Twelve Hours of Sebring Front Row Start For IMSA WeatherTech Championship Finale

    Team Hardpoint Earns Twelve Hours of Sebring Front Row Start For IMSA WeatherTech Championship Finale

    Andrew Davis Landed the No. 30 GridRival/Team Hardpoint Audi R8 LMS GT3 Second in Friday Morning’s Session

    SEBRING, Florida (November 13, 2020) – Team Hardpoint will start Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on the front row after Andrew Davis qualified the No. 30 GridRival/Team Hardpoint Audi R8 LMS GT3 second in Friday’s 15-minute qualifying session.

    Davis turned a lap of 2:01.546 (110.772 mph) on his sixth trip around the 17-turn, 3.74-mile circuit. This is Davis’ second appearance with Team Hardpoint, joining the team previously at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the Petit LeMans endurance race.

    “These guys have been working hard, working together, working as a unit to get better,” Davis said. “It’s nice to see that positive attitude and a willingness to improve the car and improve the team. Everybody’s on the same page. I think that came together in qualifying where the Audi R8 LMS GT3 was running great, I was able to push it. We did a good job with the strategy on when to go out, to wait on the tires to come up to pressure, and then just hit it when everything was right.

    “You can say it’s a 12-hour race and it doesn’t matter where you start, but in reality, not only is it a great morale boost but you can start to control the event. Ideally when you’re up front, it’s easier. You’re in less of a mess. You’re the first one to get to the corners, you have less traffic, you can work your way through. It’s just step one of a 12-hour plan. Hopefully that plays well into our strategy and will open it up a little bit so we can hit the ground running. I’m really proud of the team, really appreciative of the opportunity from Team Hardpoint, Rob Ferriol and Audi Sport customer racing, and glad I could make the most of it in qualifying.”

    The starting position is the highest to date for Team Hardpoint in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) competition and comes just before the longest race the team has competed in thus far. The team took possession of the Audi R8 GT3 LMS just before the season resumed in July following the extended COVID-19 break, and originally planned to contest only the sprint races before extending their season to include Petit LeMans and this weekend’s 12 hours of Sebring, the season finale.

    “This is four months of effort combined into one qualifying session,” Rob Ferriol, Team Hardpoint principal and co-driver, said. “We still have 12 hours more to go, so I don’t want to read too much into it. But I’m super stoked for the team and for Andrew. For us to come into this series in the middle of the season, two weeks before a race, without any testing, and over the next four months finish the season with a car on the front row – I don’t know what else you can ask for.”

    In addition to Ferriol and Davis, Audi Sport customer racing driver Pierre Kaffer will complete the formidable lineup for the race.

    The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring gets the green flag on Saturday morning at 10:10 a.m. EST. The opening five hours of the race will air live on NBCSN before moving to NBC at 3 p.m. EST. The broadcast will move back to NBCSN at 6 p.m. EST for the run to the checkered flag.

    Noteworthy: The front-row qualifying position comes as the No. 30 GridRival/Team Hardpoint Audi R8 LMS GT3 continues to carry the banner for Audi Tire Center on the side of the car. With the partnership, customers will receive $100 off instantly with the purchase of four eligible Audi Original tires through November 15, 2020. This exclusive offer is valid on AO tires from Michelin, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, and Pirelli. These tires may be purchased at a local Audi Dealer or online for installation at the Audi dealer. More information on the offer can be found at www.auditirecenter.com.

    About Hardpoint Motorsports:
    Hardpoint Motorsports was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. The Hardpoint brand brings together three distinct entities into one motorsport ecosystem. Team Hardpoint is the brand’s racing arm, providing its partners and customers opportunities to compete, brand, and promote in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona class and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. Hardpoint Outfitters helps other teams and drivers extract more value from their motorsport investment by bundling branding, activation, and digital marketing services into customized turnkey packages, including design, apparel, hospitality, and social media management. The Hardpoint Paddock Foundation is the newest element of the ecosystem, created as a charitable foundation to support out of work paddock workers through the COVID-19 shutdown. As the shutdown comes to an end, the 501(c)3 Foundation is expected to grow into a more sustained model of providing vocational and educational support services to the professional sports car paddock community. More information on all of the Hardpoint Motorsports enterprises can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.