Category: Other Series Racing

Expanded GTP program brings together experienced, championship-winning driver lineup

DETROIT (Jan. 9, 2025) – Cadillac Racing started the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with a track record in earning the pole and runner-up finish in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and closed the campaign with a track record in earning the pole and overall victory in the Motul Petit Le Mans.

Three Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) entries will aim to improve on the season-opening result January 25-26 in the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona by giving Cadillac Racing its fifth victory in the twice-around-the-clock race on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway course.

Cadillac Racing has totaled 12 podium finishes, including the overall victories in 2017-2020 and 1-2 sweeps in 2017, ’18 and ‘19, since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017.

With experienced, championship-winning teams and drivers buoyed by the strong 5.5-liter DPHC V8 engine package, prospects are bright for all three entries being in the mix for the pole and overall victory.

The heralded return of Wayne Taylor Racing to the Cadillac sports car racing program along with Action Express Racing, which will mark its 14th consecutive year with GM, and all-star driver rosters complement the on-track storylines.

Four current drivers have won the Rolex 24 At Daytona with Cadillac Racing in DPi competition: Kamui Kobayashi (2018, 2019), Ricky Taylor (2017), Filipe Albuquerque (2018) and Jordan Taylor (2017, 2019).

Additionally, the 12-driver lineup represents seven FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar/LM1 titles, 11 24 Hours of Le Mans overall/class victories, six Twelve Hours of Sebring victories and three IMSA/Grand-Am prototype championships.

On-track activity begins January 17 with the three-day Roar Before the 24, with teams returning for practice and qualifications January 23.

Cadillac Racing led all GTP manufacturers with six poles in the nine races in 2024 and swept the front row three times, including at Daytona with the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R setting the pace with a Grand Touring Prototype track-record lap time. The team went on to record the second-place finish.

Peacock (U.S.) and IMSA’s YouTube channel will stream qualifications at 2:05 p.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 23. Coverage of the Rolex 24 At Daytona starts at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 25, on NBC, with continuing network coverage on USA from 2:30-6:30 p.m. NBC will pick up the broadcast at noon Sunday, Jan. 26, for the finish. Peacock (U.S.) and IMSA’s YouTube channel will stream the entirety of the race along with the IMSA Radio broadcast at IMSA.com, Sirius 211/XM 207, locally at 93.5 FM/1150 AM and 107.9 FM at the track.

What they’re saying

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (No. 10)

Ricky Taylor, full season driver: “Usually, the Roar is a qualifying weekend so the focus is a bit more distracted, whereas this year we can focus on what is important for the race and learn our new car over the entire test. The car was very nice to drive in November. I still feel like we know very little about it and have a lot to learn. The main surprise was how differently two manufacturers approached the same problem of adapting to hybrid racing. Both strong approaches, but very different.”

Filipe Albuquerque, full season driver: “The first impression with the Cadillac V-Series.R and the people was great, but it also means there is a lot to do on the car and fine-tuning, getting to know everybody, to learn the car, to find new ways to adapt to the car — especially for the WTR drivers since we are almost all new to the car. So, we will need to take every minute on the track to learn and to be ready for the race, and even during the race we will be learning about the car. But that’s part of the game, so we are just excited to go on and get to the job.”

Will Stevens, IMEC driver: “I can’t wait to get the season going to be honest. Our first test back in November seems a long time ago now and I feel we are ready to get this season underway. It’s always nice to have a break over Christmas and the New Year to recharge the batteries ahead of a new season but I am raring to go now. At the Roar, you can just focus on making sure we are covering everything we need to as a team before we start the race week. Previously, you always have an eye on qualifying and that ultimately takes some focus away from just getting through everything so it will make the Roar a nice build up for sure.”

Brendon Hartley, Rolex 24 At Daytona driver: “Kicking 2025 off with the Roar is hard to beat. It feels like heading back to a family gathering with WTR but with excitement of a new toy in the garage. I am yet to drive the Cadillac so the Roar will be important for me to get a few laps to learn all the systems and get up to speed. I’m looking forward to it.”

Cadillac Whelen (No. 31)

Jack Aitken, full season driver: “It’s going to be bittersweet to come back after last year. I think Daytona is a great way to start the season because you come straight into one of the most important races of the year and you have to be on your A game from the get go. I hope that we can be in the mix again and go one better.”

Earl Bamber, full season driver: “I love this race and I’m hunting my first win there. I’m looking forward to joining Whelen for the whole year because I really love the IMSA paddock and the IMSA racing style. When you look at the category, it’s so competitive. With what Cadillac is doing behind the scenes, the amount of development, I think we have a really good chance to win.”

Frederik Vesti, IMEC driver: “I’ve been looking forward for a few months to get going with Cadillac and the whole Action Express Racing team after the November test. Coming back will be very exciting. Having done a test at Daytona is really crucial as a team and as a driver, especially for me who is a rookie at every race this year. The test was really positive and I’m looking forward to learning more during the first weekend at the track.”

Felipe Drugovich, Rolex 24 At Daytona driver: “The test in November was good for me as I was never on any type of banking like that and getting used to the car again, which is different from anything I drive. Last year I did Le Mans with Cadillac and this team and it was something I really enjoyed doing and I’ll enjoy the Daytona 24 with this group. It will be a good experience for me to drive in my second 24-hour race and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (No. 40)

Jordan Taylor, full season driver: “The Roar is always a fun weekend in Daytona. You get to catch up with all the guys after the off-season and see a lot of familiar faces in the paddock. I think for us, it will mainly be about getting mileage in our new Cadillac V-Series.R and understanding which knobs we need to twist and turn to get the performance out of it. We have some new drivers coming back into the team as well, so it’ll be good to get everyone together for the first time and start gelling together. I think the approach for us is the same as always. The level of competition has always been high and our job has always been to maximize what we have and what we have control of. Having said that, as the competition gets stronger, the success is always sweeter.”

Louis Deletraz, full season driver: “The GTP class keeps increasing in terms of level. You definitely cannot rest; you have to keep working hard. I think that’s something Cadillac Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing do very well; always working hard and trying to stay ahead of the game and be the best possible on track because the competitors won’t give any presents. I think that is even more exciting and rewarding for drivers. At the test in November, the first time I jumped in the Cadillac V-Series.R, I think the sound of the car — as many fans know is incredible — is even better from inside the car. Working with Cadillac Racing has been great and a very smooth integration. We are all trying to help each other and learn and move forward as fast as we can to be fast as possible on track which is all that matters. That’s actually very exciting. The car has been really fun to drive. It has been fast and has potential to do more.”

Alex Lynn, IMEC driver: “Really looking forward to Daytona 2025. It’s always a great race to start the season. I think joining Wayne Taylor Racing again, it’s a team that has a lot of success and a team that turns up to every race fighting to try to win and that’s what I am about as a driver. I’m looking forward to getting out there and helping the No. 40 car fight for a Daytona victory.”

Kamui Kobayashi, Rolex 24 At Daytona driver: “I am looking forward to this year at Daytona. We will push hard. The Rolex 24 is never easy, but WTR always has the best car and we have a great opportunity to win if we make no mistakes. This team knows how to win this race. It is my first time in the LMDh car and the hybrid is very different. Daytona’s schedule gives us time to understand the car. If we understand the car, we will be alright. I have big confidence in Wayne Taylor and his organization. His driver lineup is very strong and the Cadillac knows performance.”

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Will Return to AF Corse for the Prestigious Event

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 9, 2025) – Dylan Murry will return to AF Corse for the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona, the prestigious 24-hour sports car endurance race scheduled for January 25-26 at Daytona International Speedway.

The Cumming, Georgia resident will be piloting the #88 AF Corse Oreca LMP2, sponsored by Lumaike, along with co-drivers Luis Perez Companc, Nicklas Nielsen, and Matthieu Vaxiviere.

“It’s great to be back with this team again,” said Murry, who was part of AF Corse last season in Indianapolis. “Once you start to work with a team consistently you start to build a bond and friendship that boosts performance.”

Murry has been working hard in preparation for the Daytona race. This will be his third time competing in the Rolex 24, previously winning the Michelin Endurance Cup and finishing second in LMP2.

“There’s no doubt it can be a grueling race, so you have to be ready both mentally and physically,” added the 24-year-old. “These long races are tests of endurance, and you must keep your head level all the time. You can’t let emotions get in the way even for a split second. It’s a race of being tactical, precise, and smart. I’m confident we have what it takes to win.”

Murry is thankful he is returning to a team that has a long history of success.

“They’re a great group of guys that are hardworking and passion driven,” he said. “They have an excellent track record of success in 24-hour races, like Le Mans in 2023 and 2024. That says a lot about the team.”

About Dylan Murry

Dylan Murry made his IMSA debut in the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series in 2018 alongside his father, David Murry, a former sportscar world champion. They were the first father-son combination to race in the series. He’s also been part of Racing Team Nederland’s IMSA LMP2 team and competed in IMSA’s LMP3 class with a Riley Motorsport-run Ligier. In 2017, he finished in the top 10 in both NASCAR K&N Pro Series races that he competed in. Additionally, Murry has 12 overall championships to his credit in go karts as well as in the Pro Class Legends and Pro-Legends Winter Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Dan Knox, Scott Andrews and Eric Filgueiras Team for Five Race IMSA IMEC GTD Campaign in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Driver Ralf Aron Joins the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Team for the Rolex 24 At Daytona Opener

CRESSON, Texas (January 8, 2024) – Lone Star Racing confirmed today its driver lineup for this month’s season-opening IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Rolex 24 At Daytona and its trio of contenders that will contest the full 2025 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GT Daytona (GTD) campaign in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. Both the Rolex 24 At Daytona return and the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) efforts follow Lone Star’s 2024 debuts in both the nation’s premier 24-hour race and the five-event IMEC that awards the top performers in the year’s five long-distance IMSA WeatherTech races.

Competing in the full IMEC championship will be Lone Star Racing team owner and driver Dan Knox, returning and longtime team driver Scott Andrews and multiple GT3 and GT4 driver champion Eric Filgueiras. Knox, Andrews and Filgueiras will be joined in the 63rd running of the Rolex 24 by Mercedes-AMG Motorsport driver Ralf Aron.

Knox makes his first GTD starts since the 2017 season but more recently he has been one of the top GT2 drivers in North America in a Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT2. Knox won three-straight GT2 races last year, including a doubleheader sweep at Grand Prix of Long Beach in April and a repeat win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in October. Knox also won at IMS in GT2 in 2023 for an unmatched record of four GT2 race wins in a span of five races the last two seasons for the Texas-based driver

Professional driver Andrews has been a fixture at Lone Star Racing in both GT3 and GT4 competition in recent IMSA seasons. The Australian was the final driver to lead the GTD class in last year’s Rolex 24 before giving way to the eventual class winner just 23 laps from the finish. Andrews pitted at the same time a class-competitor came to a stop after an engine compartment fire and blocked the pit exit. The unfortunate timing set off a series of events that took Lone Star out of contention for a top-five and possibly even GTD podium finish, but the No. 80 team and drivers finished their first Rolex 24 At Daytona with a respectable eighth-place showing. Andrews also won his and Lone Star’s first IMSA pole position in the No. 80 in the season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Florida-native Filgueiras co-drove with Steven McAleer to the 2023 GT World Challenge GT3 Pro Championship and now makes his IMSA WeatherTech debut at the “World Center of Racing” with Lone Star. No stranger to debut success at Daytona, Filgueiras won in his first professional and IMSA race start on the 3.56-mile DIS road course in the highly competitive Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) class in 2022. He also has a pair of GT4 championships to his credit and steps into the cockpit of the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 after serving as a spotter for the team in 2024.

Estonian Ralf Aron joins Knox and Filgueiras in making his Rolex 24 debut. He has been part of the Mercedes-AMG junior roster since 2023 after beginning his career in European single-seater competition. He made his first major marks in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in 2023 in ADAC GT Masters and GT World Challenge, taking runner-up honors in the driver championship in the ADAC series to play a major part in the Haupt Racing Team securing the team championship. This was followed by his first successes on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 2024, taking class victories at the 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers as well as in the Nürburgring Endurance Series.

Dan Knox, Owner/Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I am excited to be back racing with IMSA and for the Michelin Endurance Cup. I feel the time is right with the team’s experience and successes over the last few years, and my schedule this year will allow me to focus on my racing. We have a great driver lineup with Scott, Ralf, Eric and myself and should have a great race and pace to be competitive and win some races this year. I am very excited to be back racing the GT3 platform again. The GT3 requires a lot more focus driving it to the limits than the GT2. It takes some time in the car again to be fast, but I am getting closer to the other drivers time around the track and more comfortable in the car with every lap. When I finally got a chance to drive the car in the day light for the first time at Daytona in December I really enjoyed driving the track and kept getting better lap times with each session. I am looking forward to actually driving in the race instead of being a spectator. This is such an iconic race, and one that I have always wanted to participate in, but I have never had the time to make it happen. This year is going to be a great year for the LSR team.”

AJ Petersen, Team Manager and Technical Director – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I am excited to be returning to the Rolex 24 At Daytona event and the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. It is great to have the continued program this year from 2024. We have a different driver lineup but we have the same car manufacturer with Mercedes-AMG and all of the key team personnel. Personally, I am looking forward to having Dan back in the car as a driver. He has been supporting us as an owner and driving in the occasional race event since 2018. I look forward to him being able to enjoy the Lone Star of 2025 and the development that we have done as a team with him in the driver’s seat. it will be great to build on the lessons learned in 2024. We have a new challenge with the energy based BoP and strategies. It is an interesting new challenge for all of the teams within GTD and GTD Pro. Our test in December was a successful introduction to it for our team. We are looking forward to the Roar test and continuing this development before the 24 Hour race.”

Scott Andrews, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “The IMSA WeatherTech series is one of the most competitive sports car racing championships in the world. It was a steep curve for the Lone Star Racing team and all of us last year, but we were able to learn a lot, and certainly by the end of 2024 we kind of understood a little bit more where some of our strengths and weaknesses were and where we could work on moving forward. The car showed great speed all year. Every time we hit the track, we were always one of the fastest Mercedes-AMGs. With a bit more experience heading into 2025, we can really hit the track running. I am really excited about our driver lineup. It is great to have Dan in the car. As the owner of Lone Star, he hasn’t done a whole lot of professional racing in the last five to 10 years, but he has had some good success recently, and he has the right motivation and mindset. I met Ralf for the first time at our December test in Daytona and he is very professional, we got along well and had similar feedback about the car, which is super important. I have also known Eric for many years, and this is a good opportunity for him to showcase his talent. I am really excited, and it is just great to be a part of this team. I really enjoy driving for Dan and AJ, and we are hoping to get some really nice results this year.”

Eric Filgueiras, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “The relationship with Lone Star Racing started with me spotting for the team last year at the Rolex 24, and that was because we were trying to negotiate a seat for me in the 2024 race. It ultimately didn’t work out, but we kept the door open and I have kept in close touch with AJ after Scott brought me to the team initially. Through them both I have been able to get to know Dan a little bit more and understand his background in the sport, how he initially got involved and how he and Lone Star Racing as an organization have evolved in motorsports. It’s just incredible to be given the chance to earn this opportunity, and it has been what I have been searching for. I am very grateful to both Dan Knox and AJ Petersen to have their belief and their backing to have me in the car and to feel that I am the right fit for the job. I am ready for it.”

Ralf Aron, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “First time for everything! This is my first time driving with Lone Star Racing and my first time driving at Daytona, and my first laps were in the dark at the December Daytona test. It was a lot of fun, and the track had a lot more grip than I expected. It was really cool, it felt quick, and the team looked like they were in a really good place. The car felt good too, so we just need to learn step by step. We have a good program of what we want to do and what we want to learn before the race, so we just need to chip away and see where we are at. I am really surprised how steep the banking was! I have been to the track before but never came close to the banking. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 is just a great platform. It holds up with the tire, the balance is good and you don’t have to fiddle around too much with the setup. You come to a race with this car and you know you will be competitive.”

About Lone Star Racing: Based at Motorsport Ranch within the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area in Cresson, Texas, Lone Star Racing is competing in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the 2025 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in the GTD class. Lone Star Racing and its team members have won races across North America spanning sprint and endurance racing formats. The crew has worked together on many different teams and various types of cars, developing a strong bond and proven capability that gives them a competitive and winning advantage. Lone Star Racing competes with the support of primary partner ACS Manufacturing, Inc. (www.ACSManufacturing.com). Look for Lone Star Racing and team owner/driver Dan Knox on Facebook and follow the team on YouTube at Lone Star Racing, on Twitter and Instagram at @LSRTeam and on the official team web site at www.LoneStarRacingTeam.com.