ST Racing is pleased to announce that GT4 America championship leader John Capestro-Dubets will join Samantha Tan and BMW works driver Neil Verhagen aboard the #38 BMW M4 GT3 for the 2024 Indianapolis 8 Hours.

 

The Canadian team will take on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s annual eight-hour endurance race for a third time in 2024 as it looks to secure GT World Challenge America PRO/AM Team and Drivers championships at the series’ season finale on 4-6 October. While Samantha and Neil will be making their third and second appearances respectively at the Indianapolis 8 Hours, ST Racing newcomer John Capestro-Dubets (‘JCD’) will do so for the first time, marking his first competitive outing in the GT3 ranks.

 

Samantha Tan, team co-owner / driver (#38): “We're super excited to have JCD joining our lineup for the Indy 8 Hour! As the Silver class championship leader in the GT4 America series, we know John is a strong driver and we're confident that we'll be able to fight hard for the win at the Brickyard. Can't wait to close out the season together!”

 

Jon Miller, team manager: “I’ve known and raced against JCD for many years, and we’re thrilled to finally have him racing in one of our cars at STR. His competitiveness in anything that he drives, his deep experience and understanding of the job we’ve asked him to do give us tons of confidence that he’s the best guy to have in the seat. He will be the perfect addition to our lineup to help us fight for a top result at Indy, where we aim to close out what has been our strongest season to date. We tested with him recently to give him a chance to learn the ins and outs of the BMW GT3 and he exceeded all expectations. We can’t wait to get back to work with him again soon at Indy.”

 

John Capestro-Dubets, driver (#38): “The level of excitement for this opportunity is through the roof. I want to first thank STR and Las Barrancas Golf Course for making this opportunity a reality. GT3 has been my goal since I debuted back in the former Grand-Am series fifteen years ago. In 2014 was the closest I’ve ever been to racing in GT3 and unfortunately I never got a chance to take the green flag. A lot has changed since then, the cars now have ABS, TC, paddle behind the steering wheels and this crazy thing called AC! I’m here for it. The best part about this opportunity is the people I’m getting to do it with, to join an absolutely stellar driver line up with Neil and Sam is an honor. They’ve built an amazing team over here at STR and I’m a huge fan of all their successes this season. Looking to bring that winning mentality into the Indy 8!”

 

A champion in the hotly-contested Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America in 2022, ‘JCD’ made his sports car racing debut in 2011 driving a BMW in the Continental Sports Car Challenge, JCD took two podium finishes before going on to help BMW secure the series’ Manufacturers’ Championship the following year.

 

After runs in both TC America and the Michelin Pilot Challenge, JCD made his Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America debut in 2022, taking seven wins and 10 further podiums to secure PRO/AM championship honors first time out. Now an established GT4 America frontrunner, JCD has taken four wins in the GT4 America Series so far in 2024, and currently leads the Silver-class championship standings.

 

JCD is the latest American up-and-comer to make his transition to GT3 racing with Samantha Tan Racing. The native Californian follows in the footsteps of Varun Choksey, who made his own GT3 debut with ST Racing earlier this year at Sonoma and will also contest the Indianapolis 8 Hours for the first time in the team’s sister #28 BMW M4 GT3. Varun continues his fight for the GTWC America PRO championship alongside BMW M Motorsport legend Bill Auberlen. ST Racing will announce the third driver for the #28 car at Indianapolis in the coming weeks.

 

ST Racing meanwhile made its first Indianapolis 8 Hours appearance in 2022, impressing with Silver class victory on its event debut. Having fought back to 6th in-class last year, the team will be looking to secure its second class win at the Indianapolis 8 Hours and extend its run of GTWC America podium finishes in 2024 on 4-6 October.