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February 1, 2022
Following a busy week leading up to the race event including the "Roar Before the Rolex 24" test days, and the Hyundai Drivers' Camp, the official start of the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge kicked off with the BMW M Endurance Challenge on Friday.
The four-hour season opener at Daytona International Raceway is traditionally one of the most demanding on teams and equipment of the 10-race IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge schedule. On par with tradition, the race featured plenty of action on the racetrack and in the pits, totaling 106 laps with 27 under caution.
Mason Filippi and Mark Wilkins kicked off their first season as co-drivers on the podium, finishing third after a hard-fought battle against the #73 Honda and the #61 Audi. With Bryan Herta calling strategy and Chris Finch engineering, the #98 Elantra N TCR was one of the first teams to make the driver change. Wilkins took over for Filippi with over 2.5 hours remaining. It was the final 30 minutes that counted most. Wilkins took the race lead with just under 30 minutes remaining, he paced the field on the final restart and held the lead for 15 laps. He was eventually overtaken by the winning Audi, and the second place Honda, but held on for third position for the second year in a row. It was Filippi's first podium finish at the famed speedway.
Harry Gottsacker and the #33 Elantra N TCR team moved to the front from their fifth place starting position in in the first hour. All was well with consistently quick laps by Gottsacker and perfect pit stops from the #33 team. Co-driver Robert Wickens took over before the halfway point in what was on pace to be another perfect pitstop before his pit crew identified a loose exhaust pipe. The broken exhaust hanger and its repair cost the team two laps. Wickens regained one lap and took the checkers in sixth position. It was Wickens' first time driving to the checkered flag since returning to competition using hand controls.
Kicking off the season as the defending series champions for the second year in a row, Taylor Hagler and Michael Lewis finished 8th. Hagler had a solid stint, but Lewis was quickly sidelined with mechanical issues after taking over the cockpit. The #1 crew met the car in the garage and worked diligently to return the car to competition. After some quick work by the BHA team, Lewis returned to the race and was able to bring the car home in eighth position.
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge action resumes in six weeks' time at Sebring International Raceway. The Alan Jay Automotive takes place on Thursday, March 16th. NBC's streaming app Peacock is the home to IMSA racing, carrying live, flag to flag coverage of all 10 rounds of the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. If you missed the opening round at Daytona, replays are also available on Peacock.
#1 Hyundai Elantra N TCR
2021 and 2022 Drivers/Team CHAMPIONS
Started: 11th Finished: 8th Championship Standings: 8th
Taylor Hagler: "Our title defense hasn’t started off like we expected at Daytona and our finish doesn’t show how great our #1 Hyundai Elantra N was. It has been great to be back with the team and get back into the swing of things. We finished on the podium at Sebring last year and I’m looking forward to getting after it in March."
Michael Lewis: "Our team worked so well this week and we just had some bad luck in the race. I was so impressed with how the team got our car back on track to finish P8. They are the heroes. On to Sebring!"
#33 Elantra N TCR
Started: 5th Finished: 6th Championship Standings: 6th
Harry Gottsacker IV: "We put up a good fight today and had great pace, but a small issue cost us a few laps. The team worked hard, and we were able to get a few laps back, but ended up stuck one lap down in P6. We have a great base to work with during the rest of the season and I’m looking forward to getting back out there and fighting at the pointy end of the grid."
Robert Wickens: "It wasn't the Daytona we had hoped for. We had a great car; Harry had a great first stint and gave me the car in the lead. It was looking like a great pit stop and then we couldn't leave the pit box because our exhaust pipe had come loose. We ended up two laps down, and managed to get one back and salvage a sixth-place finish. It was just one of those days. Hopefully, this is the worst of it for us this year. Great job by everyone at Bryan Herta Autosport throughout the ten days at Daytona."
#98 Elantra N TCR
Started: 6th Finished: 3rd Championship Standings: 3rd
Mason Filippi: "I had a great stint. Our #98 Elantra N TCR car was fast, I have to hand it to our engineer Chris Finch. I was just trying to stay out of trouble with a car that good; I knew we could finish up front if we kept it clean. As this four-hour always is...lots of attrition and Mark just killed it out there, it wasn't easy. I also want to give a shout out to the Florida N Club who joined us at Daytona, their enthusiasm is worth some horsepower for sure."
Mark Wilkins: "Mason drove a great stint. I've really enjoyed the last few weeks first with the Roar, then all the team building with the Hyundai Driver's Camp and now finishing with a podium. It was honestly tough. We just didn't have the pace and then we were struggling with a little issue at the end. I was just hoping our Elantra N TCR would make it, and it did. We had no hope of a win today, but a podium is a great result, great for points and a good way to start our season together. I feel like a podium at Daytona is like a win for us, and we'll just build from here."
Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian
Founded in 2009, Bryan Herta Autosport has grown from a single car Indy-Lights team into a multi-championship winning auto racing franchise. Led by IndyCar and Sports Car star Bryan Herta, Bryan Herta Autosport has won races in every discipline they have entered, including Indy Lights, Indy Car, Global Rallycross, and championship titles in Pirelli World Challenge and IMSA. BHA rose to prominence after winning the 2011 Indianapolis 500 in what was the final race of the Centennial Era, a celebration of 100 years of racing at The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with driver Dan Wheldon. Five years later, BHA partnered with Andretti Autosport, and defied the odds again, winning their second Indianapolis 500 with rookie driver Alexander Rossi. In 2018, BHA entered the American Sports Car scene beginning its immensely successful partnership with Hyundai. Together, BHA and Hyundai have won five championships in as many seasons, including four consecutive team and driver championships, and three consecutive (2020, 2021, 2022) manufacturer's titles in IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge. For more information, visit: www.BryanHertaAutosport.com.
BHA/Hyundai Customer Support: Bryan Herta Autosport is the U.S. sales agent and part support representative of Hyundai TCR and TCA race cars for customer teams. The BHA/Hyundai Customer Support Team offers trackside engineering support, setup and tuning advice, and part and order fulfillments for the Hyundai Veloster N TCR and TCA teams and drivers from the BHA’s headquarters in Speedway, IN. Since its North American debut in 2019, the Hyundai Veloster N TCR has scored 27 race wins, and three TCR championship titles.
Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America focuses on ‘Progress for Humanity’ and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles. Our 830 dealers sold more than 724,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.
Canadians In BOLD
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- Category: Road Racing
January 30, 2023
Another fantastic year of racing is set to go green for Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), Canada’s Legendary Home of Motorsport in Bowmanville, Ontario.
At Canada’s biggest sports-car racing weekend of the year, IMSA returns to CTMP in 2023 for the Chevrolet Grand Prix, and it’s set to be an event for the history books. The re-establishment of the historic “GTP” class and moniker, has the racing world buzzing with excitement. Built to the new FIA LMDh spec, these new prototype cars are simply spectacular. Will the track record finally be broken?
As always, the Corvette C8.R will battle against a healthy field of GTD cars from a spectrum of international manufacturers in the exciting multi-class format. Also featured on this weekend will be the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, featuring a number of Canadian drivers including last years winners Robert Wickens and Mark Wilkins. Finally, the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge will complete the weekend schedule with a double-header of 45 minute sprint races and a renewed multi-class structure designed to test drivers on North America’s top racing circuits.
In May, CTMP’s kick-off to the season begins with Castrol Victoria Day SpeedFest, featuring the exciting action of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series in the eBay Motors 200. This weekend continues to celebrate the very best in Canadian auto-sport with the FEL SportsCar Championship Canada, Emzone Radical Cup Canada, and the Super Production Challenge filling the event roster.
Back again on Father’s Day Weekend is the VARAC Vintage Grand Prix presented by eBay Motors, the perfect time to visit the track with dad and the family. This weekend features beautiful vintage cars restored to their former glory on our legendary Grand Prix Circuit.
The season shifts to two wheels for the Canadian Superbike Championship, which rides into CTMP for the Superbike TripleHeader Weekend in August. This weekend truly produces some of the closest and most exciting racing on our calendar. Don’t miss the sight and sound of motorcycles screaming up the Mario Andretti Straightaway at 300 km/h!
Finally, the CTMP Labour Day Sprints will once again finish off the major event schedule with an all-Canadian lineup of racing action. The NASCAR Pinty’s Series returns for its second stop of the year at CTMP with the main event WeatherTech 200 race on Sunday. Joining the ground-pounding NASCAR field will be the FEL SportsCar Championship Canada, Emzone Radical Cup Canada, Nissan Sentra Cup, and Toyo Tires F1600 Championship.
Here are the official dates for the 2023 season:
Castrol Victoria Day SpeedFest, May 19 - 21
VARAC Vintage Grand Prix presented by eBay Motors, June 16 - 18
Chevrolet Grand Prix, July 7 - 9
Superbike Tripleheader, August 18 - 20
CTMP Labour Day Weekend Sprints, September 1 - 3
Tickets for the 2022 season will go on sale shortly. For more details and information on tickets, camping, and more, please visit our website! And be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @CTMPOfficial to stay up to date on promotions, updates, and more!
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January 26, 2023
The Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia (VRCBC) is very pleased to announce that the 34th running of its annual marquee race weekend, the British Columbia Historic Motor Races (BCHMR) hosted by the Speed-Fanatics Motorsport Club will be held on May 13-14, 2023 at the Speed-Fanatics Motorsport Circuit at Mission Raceway Park in Mission British Columbia.
Western Canada’s Biggest Vintage Motorsport Event The first BCHMR was held in 1981 at the famous Westwood track in Coquitlam. After several years, it was moved to its current home at the multi-purpose racing complex in Mission. The BCHMR is the largest vintage race event in Western Canada and a significant one in the Pacific Northwest, with typically 100 vintage and historic racing cars and several thousand spectators in attendance.
On-Track Excitement For 2023, the BCHMR plans to again feature 3 race groups, the very quick open wheel racing cars, and 2 race groups for the vintage sedans and sports cars that many fans remember from their younger days. The sedans & sports cars are split into two groups (fast & faster) with a combined final race on Sunday with both groups combined.
Classic Cars, Vendors and Food Concessions The BCHMR is always popular with classic car enthusiasts. A big car display will be featured in a special spectator area, known as “The Field of Dreams”, creating a unique show of its own. Also adding to the overall festive atmosphere are the many sponsors’ booths offering everything from automobilia and artwork, to automotive product displays. The food concessions, informative track side commentary and excellent grandstand viewing, all make this an entertaining weekend for families as well as long time motorsports enthusiasts. Enjoy the race weekend by getting your tickets in advance at www.eventbrite.ca or at the gate on race weekend.
Who We Are
The VRCBC is a non-profit club of enthusiasts that organizes a series of racing related activities and events, including the annual BCHMR weekend. The purpose of the VRCBC is to encourage the restoration, racing and exchange of information concerning vintage sports and racing automobiles. The Club’s objective is to encourage participation, sportsmanship and display of these vehicles in their natural state - on the race track! The VRCBC is supporting 2 charities in 2023, the Mission Hospice Society and the Greg Moore Foundation with funding from the BCHMR race weekend event. For more information on the VRCBC, including how to become a member, go to www.vrcbc.ca.
For business owners interested in reaching B.C. Motorsport enthusiasts through advertising and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.bchmr.ca for more details.
Stay Tuned!
The VRCBC is working on a full line up of interesting racing cars, racing celebrities and fun activities for the 2023 BCHMR. For more information about the big weekend visit www.bchmr.ca and www.vrcbc.ca
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January 26, 2023
Burlington, Ontario — REV TV Canada, YOUR MOTORSPORTS & AUTOMOTIVE DESTINATION 24/7, is extremely excited to announce that the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is set to return for the 2023 season.
This year marks the beginning of an incredible new era for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the introduction of the all-new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP)—a name very familiar to race fans as it harkens back to the “golden era” of sportscar racing from the 80s and 90s—category that replaces the outgoing Daytona Prototype International class as the top category in the series. These beautiful and unique racers from OEMs Acura, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche, represent the future of racing and automotive technology with their incredible hybrid power plants, cost effective chassis design and drop-dead gorgeous looks. By recalling their past, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has their eyes firmly on a sustainable, and very fast, future.
“Sports car fans in Canada have been clamouring for the return of North America’s premier championship to REV TV since we began broadcasting it last year," said Ed Kanerva, Director of Programming at REV TV. "We have incredibly knowledgeable fans who recognize the significance and excitement surrounding this new era for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and we cannot wait to share this exciting season with them.”
“IMSA has been visiting Canada since 1975 and over the years we have come to appreciate just how much Canadians love our series and its history,” said David Pettit, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Business Operations for IMSA. “The return of the GTP class and our exciting new hybrid era in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is sure to thrill race fans across the nation as they tune into REV TV, and we can’t wait to see them in person when we visit Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in July.”
REV TV will begin airing the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starting with the crown jewel of endurance racing in North America, the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, presented in its entirety starting at 1:30PM ET on Saturday, January 28th.
About IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
IMSA’s flagship series competes at 11 of North America’s leading sports car venues. Competition takes place in five classes—Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2, Le Mans Prototype 3, GT Daytona Pro and GT Daytona— and brings together renowned drivers with leading manufacturers for some of the world’s biggest sports car events, such as the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Follow and join the conversation with #IMSA.
About REV TV
YOUR MOTORSPORTS & AUTOMOTIVE DESTINATION is available to over 8 million households across Canada and features over 200 races from around the world and right here at home. From two-wheels to four and so much more. REV TV showcases all forms of high-octane racing, such as MotoGP, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Monster Jam, World Rally Championship, INDY NXT, World RX Championship, WorldSBK, along with news coverage such as The Inside Line (F1), Winged Nation (winged sprint cars) and PASMAG’s Tuning 365. We also have a slate of original programming with REV Culture with Todd Lewis that features interviews with motorsports luminaries, All North Racing which focuses on grassroots racing, a slew of how-to and behind-the-scenes programs, and so much more. REV TV is your MOTORSPORTS & AUTOMOTIVE DESTINATION 24/7.
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January 23, 2023
Toronto, Ontario - JMF Motorsports is excited to announce that Michai Stephens and Jesse Webb will be teaming up to drive the #34 JMF Motorsports / Conquest Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 for the 2023 SRO America GT4 Championship.
Michai Stephens enters his 3rd season of SRO GT4 competition with JMF Motorsports and will be joined by 18 year-old Canadian Jesse Webb, from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. Jesse joins Michai for the entire season, competing in the SRO GT4 America Championship in the Silver class.
Jesse started his career in karting and quickly moved up to see success in Nissan Sentra Cup as well as a highly ranked stock car racing series in British Columbia.
“It is an honour to be part of the JMF Motorsports family,” said Jesse. “Mr. Farrow [owner of JMF Motorsports] is really committed to supporting young drivers, and I would love to reward him, and the team, with some great results and, ideally, a Championship title!” He also added, “It is a privilege to work with a talent like Michai, and it will really help me navigate my way through the early days of competing in this fantastic series and set us up for success.”
“I am proud to be back with JMF Motorsports and Conquest Racing to fight for the overall championship in 2023,” said Michai. “Having Jesse join me is fantastic news! We have tested together several times and, not only is he fast, but we also have great chemistry.”
John Farrow said, “It was really an easy decision to have Michai back for this year, as he is such a natural talent and a proven race winner with us. Jesse also comes to us with a successful background in Canadian motorsport and a lot of potential. It is going to be an exciting year for us!”
About JMF Motorsports
JMF Motorsports is a Canadian-based organization which works with Indianapolis-based Conquest Racing to field the #34 Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the SRO GT4 America Championship. The team finished 2nd overall in the 2022 GT4 Championship with multiple podiums and race wins. JMF Motorsports is a division of John Farrow Holdings Ltd and is an organization that supports and develops talented young drivers, by providing them access to a top-level racing program. Along with the SRO GT4 America program, JMF Motorsports also fields a Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the Canadian-based FEL Sports Car Championship for rising star, Demi Chalkias.
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