INVST car and driver Jack Harvey roll into New Orleans tailgate event and the Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis, Indiana---INVST is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet for the Indianapolis 500 and participation in a tailgate event before the NFL championship game in New Orleans.

The race car driven by Jack Harvey reflects INVST’s bold green, white and black theme colors at the 109th running of the famed Indianapolis 500. Harvey and his race car will be in New Orleans at an exclusive “Player’s Tailgate” celebration featuring world class chefs, celebrities, music and fun. INVST is pleased to be part of the excitement and display the car before thousands of fans.

INVST founder and CEO Scott Jarred explained, “Jack came from a small farm town to become one of the top 33 drivers in the world. There is an art to the impossible that reflects the INVST approach of helping clients, investors, collaborators, and vendors come together to win.”

Harvey scored a top ten finish in the 2020 Indy 500. The English driver also won the British Formula 3 championship in 2012 and is a veteran IndyCar series racer and winner at the Brickyard in the Indy NXT series.

“I am very excited to have INVST as a partner with DDR/Cusick Motorsports at this year’s Indianapolis 500,” said Harvey. “I have worked closely with INVST staff for the past few years and greatly appreciate their passion for the financial world as well as the biggest race in the world in their background in Indianapolis. Teaming with INVST and DRR/Cusick Motorsports for the 109th Indy 500, I feel we have a strong combination to be a contender in this year’s race.”

“We are extremely pleased to partner with an Indy-based company in INVST,” team owner Dennis Reinbold said. “INVST is an innovative, aggressive company that matches up well with the fastest race in the world at the Indy 500. INVST brings a variety of ideas and strategies to the NTT IndyCar Series and helps give Jack and our organization a strong effort for the 109th edition of the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’

Harvey joins 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay on the team. Qualification speeds at last year’s race exceeded 230 mph.

The world’s largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500, is scheduled for Sunday, May 25, 2025, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

INVST is a financial services company helping clients with financial strategies. For more information about INVST click here: Make Money Work For Your Business | INVST

The racing sponsorship referenced above is funded by INVST Racing LLC, a separate legal entity from Invst, LLC. No Invst client assets or Invst business capital are used in this sponsorship. Any investment in INVST racing LLC is solely the personal investment of Founder and CEO, Scott Jarred.

(Important note to media covering the Super Bowl: For those wishing to schedule a video or still shoot of the car in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9 and arrange interviews with Indy 500 driver Jack Harvey or INVST, please contact Brian Trauring at 419-261-2116 or briantrauring@yahoo.com.)

Comeback Fourth-Place Finish for Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Team Winward Racing at the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – A comeback GT Daytona (GTD) fourth-place finish for Winward Racing and a debut fifth-place GTD Pro showing for Bartone Bros. Racing with Team GetSpeed were the highlight results for Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing teams in this weekend's 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona at Daytona International Speedway. The hard-earned results capped a dramatic and emotional stretch of racing and testing at the "World Center of Racing" that began with the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test two Thursdays ago. Perhaps the biggest achievement of the nearly two-week long IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Racing season-opening event was the competitive showings in the Rolex 24 At Daytona race weekend by all five competing Mercedes-AMG customer teams in the debut of the newly mandated torque sensors to equalize the competition balance in IMSA's pair of GTD racing classes.

Mercedes-AMG was the only manufacturer in the large GTD and GTD Pro field that never had the opportunity to previously compete with the sensors, but progress was made at the Roar in what was Mercedes-AMG’s first experience in official international competition with the driveshaft-mounted torque-detecting componentry.

Mercedes-AMG and its partner worked non-stop back home in Germany and in Daytona with the five competing teams throughout the Roar and straight through the Rolex 24 race. Successfully overcoming a software data transfer issue on the first day of the Roar that had essentially made the team's competing Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars undriveable, the teams were able to maximize their performance for the remainder of the Roar and straight through opening practice and qualifying a few days later on Rolex 24 weekend.

All involved stayed focused and positive as daily "fine-tuning" of the system delivered a raceable solution that remarkably saw all five Mercedes-AMG teams complete the entire Rolex 24 At Daytona without a single torque-sensor related issue.

With the torque sensor hurdle cleared and ultimately not an issue, all five competing Mercedes-AMG GT3 teams took the green flag to start the Rolex 24 Saturday at 1:40 p.m. EST with their focus firmly on race strategy and anticipating the myriad of typical endurance race issues that inevitably emerge in top-tier sports car racing competition.

Reigning Rolex 24 race winners and 2024 IMSA WeatherTech GTD Champions Winward Racing made the first competitive move when full-season Winward driver Russell Ward took the GTD lead for the first time in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the race's second hour.

A few minutes later, Maro Engel stepped up to take the GTD Pro class lead in the No. 75 Team 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3, but he and the No. 75 team soon joined Winward in realizing leading early at this year's Rolex 24 may not have been the positive move it appeared.

Engel handed the No. 75 off to team owner and driver Kenny Habul only to see the car have an engine belt failure early in the team owner's driving stint. The 75 Express team crew quickly returned the car to the race after a trip to the garage only to have it retire shortly thereafter due to engine component technical issues apparently resulting from the thrown belt.

Meanwhile, Ward pitted from the lead later on Saturday afternoon but was back in the pits just a lap later after the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 slowed with a throttle assembly issue. The Winward crew was quick to make repairs and the team and drivers spent the majority of the Rolex 24's remaining opening 12 hours earning some of the seven laps lost in the garage. In the early morning Sunday hours in the race's second half, Ward, full-season co-driver Philip Ellis and their teammates Lucas "Luggi" Auer and Indy Dontje successfully worked their way back to the lead lap after nearly 12 hours of hard-charging driving.

With 75 Express sidelined and Winward spending the remainder of the race's first half climbing through the field, debuting GTD Pro competitors Bartone Bros. with Team GetSpeed joined the renamed Korthoff Competition Motors team in stepping up to lead the Mercedes-AMG contingent overnight Saturday.

The Bartone Bros. GetSpeed team ran its first North American race with debuting Rolex 24 driver Anthony Bartone co-driving in GTD Pro alongside his AMG Performance Driver teammates Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz. All ran competitively in a climb through the field from the drop of the green flag to secure the eventual fifth place GTD Pro finish.

The No. 32 team has run under several different names the last few seasons, but the debuting Korthoff Competition Motors era began at the Rolex 24. Rookie debuting team driver Seth Lucas led his first IMSA race laps on Saturday while his teammates Kenton Koch, Daniel Morad and Maximilian Götz were also on pace throughtout the race.

Götz was at the wheel of the No.32 for the final run to the finish early Sunday afternoon and battled for the GTD lead and top three for the majority of the race's second half. Unfortunately, in the frantic fight to the finish, Götz was charged with an incident responsibility penalty with another competitor, and the ensuing delay dropped the No. 32 to an eventual ninth-place finish.

The fifth competing Mercedes-AMG team, Lone Star Racing, joined Winward in mounting its own comeback through the field after shaking off some early race penalties to get back on the lead lap overnight Saturday. The No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 was co-driven by Dan Knox, Scott Andrews, Eric Filgueiras and AMG Performance Driver Ralf Aron.

Andrews was at the wheel Sunday in the 8 a.m. hour when the team's collective hard charge through the field was interrupted by a incident in the DIS infield. The damaged No. 80 was repaired back in the DIS garages, returned to the race after falling more than two dozen laps down and was later retired with only a few hours left and no chance to gain any significatnt points or positions.

By the time Lone Star's race was over, the three remaining Mercedes-AMG entries were already locked in lead pack fights in their respective classes.

Winward Racing appeared to have the best chance to win at Daytona for a third time but a late caution that closed the pits gave the team no choice but to take emergency service for an overdue scheduled fuel stop. The ensuing penalty for entering a closed pit knocked the No. 57 out of winning contention late in the race, but closing driver Auer kept a charge on to the finish to score the Mercedes-AMG race-high fourth-place finish.

Winward Racing also led the Mercedes-AMG GT3 contingent in laps led in the race, pacing the GTD field for 102 circuits, but all five entries across the GTD Pro and GTD field led the race at some point for a combined 120 laps led.

Christoph Sagemüller, Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport: "We had some pretty tough days here at Daytona, facing lots of technical challenges, but all of the teams worked together very well. Long nights and lots of hard hours, and still we created a competitive package here for the 24 hours. This shows the team spirit we have. We share when we work together. Ending up on the podium or even winning the race, I wouldn't have expected this, so we are very happy for the results as we had the pace and have been very close to this. Very thankful to all the teams that are involved and that worked so hard the last couple of days."

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: "I’m super proud of everyone. I just have to thank not only our team here at Winward Racing, but also to the guys at AMG for putting us out there and being relatively competitive. A week ago it was a big unknown of where we would be. Then we had our own mishaps anyway with the throttle early in the race, and then being seven laps down and then coming back. The emergency fuel at the end basically took us out of the race, and then we were spun out. It's like everything that could have went wrong did go wrong at the end. So, in the end I think fourth is a good result if you look at all the circumstances, but it's a bitter taste after leading so much again. We were looking like it was going to be our third Rolex this year, but it's all about good points too, with qualifying especially, so nothing's lost. This race itself, it stings a little, but we have a good start to the season. We'll just continue from here."

Indy Dontje, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: "It was a short preparation with the new torque sensors, but I think Winward played a great part in this. They prepared it really well, especially with this new system, and together with Mercedes-AMG we found a solution to be really competitive in this race. I don’t think ever in my career that I’ve had this many setbacks, but also have never had those great comebacks, from seven laps down to going to the lead and then having a drive-through penalty. Then coming back again. From all the drivers to all the pit stops, a mega job by all. I just want to say thank you to Winward, to my teammates, to the partners of Winward and also to AMG for their hard work during these weeks. It was not an easy one, but in the end we made it work."

Kenton Koch, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Competition Motors Mercedes-AMG GT3: "Three years in a row, we've been in the top-five fighting for a win, but in the end just unfortunately we came up short on this one. It's not for a lack of trying and effort from everyone. Unfortunately, there was an incident that occurred in which we have no idea what happened. They gave us a penalty, I didn't see it on TV, but that took us out of the race. We kind of had some hope there at the end with our track position and that last yellow. It kind of brought us into the fight, but then with the penalty we got taken out of it again. It was mayhem out there. You saw the GTD Pro and GTD guys just getting after it. No one had any penalties regarding the new torque sensors. It's a testimony to Mercedes-AMG to be able to get this entire program going so quickly."

Luca Stolz, Driver – No. 69 Bartone Bros. Racing with Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3: "Definitely, I am really, really proud of the team. It's a joint venture between the Bartone Bros. and GetSpeed, and we raced IMSA for the first time. We were always in the game, always around the top five and even in the lead sometimes. The guys made a really nice strategy call with one hour to go. They basically rolled the dice and it was the right decision. We were still in it at the end, it wasn't quite enough, but I’m still proud to finish the fight. Fabi managed it all really well."

Fabian Schiller, Driver – No. 69 Bartone Bros. Racing with Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3: “When we came here, we knew it would be a hard couple of weeks as it is our debut with the new torque sensors. Since the Roar and the practice days, we made some good steps forward with GetSpeed and Mercedes-AMG engineers. Going into the race, we knew we were on the backfoot. At night we had great pace and the usual great handling from the Mercedes-AMG GT3. We thought we might have a shot at it, but when the sun came out and warmed things up it was a little tougher for us. We didn’t have enough to fight for the podium, but fifth place is what we had today."

Ralf Aron, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: "I think it's very, very bittersweet! I know everybody's happy that we got to prove what we could do, but to be honest, the first time I sat in the car in December I came out smiling because I knew what we could do. Lone Star has done a great job, the car is mega. Also, a big thanks to AMG as well because, at the beginning of the week, there was all this talk about torque sensors. Definitely, we were the manufacturer that needed to catch up, and the guys basically pulled a miracle because we were super competitive in the race and had cars fighting for wins at the end. I’m just really happy to be here, I'm super happy I got the opportunity. I mean, we were flying on track. We were in the lead pack in the fight for the win, which is all I wanted. Sometimes things go like this and unfortunate events happen. I guess we just have to move on and hopefully I get invited back here."

Debuting and Revamped Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Teams Lead the Charge as the Rolex 24 At Daytona Cruises Into the Race's Final Half at Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – A debuting Rolex 24 At Daytona team and another that went through a major off-season revamp have emerged as the leading Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing contenders early Sunday morning at the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona at Daytona International Speedway The No. 69 Bartone Bros. Racing with TeamGetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 makes its first IMSA race start this weekend while the Korthoff Competition Motors No. 32 Mercedes-AMG GT3 team competes with its new name for the first time in the Rolex 24.

As the Rolex 24 cruised through the halfway mark at 1:40 a.m. EST on Sunday, both the Bartone Bros. GetSpeed entry and the renamed Korthoff Competition Motors team have run in the lead group in the GTD Pro and GTD classes respectively since Saturday evening.

Bartone Bros. with Team GetSpeed runs its first North American race with debuting Rolex 24 driver Anthony Bartone co-driving in GTD Pro alongside his AMG Performance Driver teammates Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz. All have run competitively in a climb through the field since the drop of the green flag, with Stolz running a close second behind the GTD Pro leader in his Saturday evening stint.

The No. 32 team has run under several different names the last few seasons, but the debuting Korthoff Competition Motors era is getting off to a great start in the Rolex 24. Rookie debuting team driver Seth Lucas led his first IMSA race laps on Saturday while his teammates Kenton Koch, Daniel Morad and Maximilian Götz have all been on top pace in the No. 32.

Meanwhile, defending Rolex 24 At Daytona and IMSA GTD Champions Winward Racing and second-year IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup contenders Lone Star Racing have mounted comebacks entering the second half of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Full-season Winward Racing driver Russell Ward pitted from the lead Saturday afternoon but was in the pits just a lap later after the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 slowed with a throttle assembly issue. The Winward crew was quick to make repairs and the team and drivers spent the majority of the Rolex 24's remaining first 12 hours earning some of the six laps lost in the garage back. Early in the race's second half, Ward, full-season co-driver Philip Ellis and their teammates Indy Dontje and Lucas "Luggi" Auer were just one lap down.

Lone Star mounted its own comeback after shaking off some early race penaltiies to get back on the lead lap and actually pace the GTD field for a lap or two early in the race's second half. No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 is co-driven by Dan Knox, Scott Andrews, Eric Filgueiras and AMG Performance Driver Ralf Aron.

The GTD Pro-class No. 75 Team 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 also led early in the hands of two-time Rolex 24 winner Maro Engel only to see the car suffer an engine belt failure soon after team owner and driver Kenny Habul took over. The 75 Express team crew quickly returned the car to the race only to have it retire shortly thereafter when some related engine components failed after apparent damage resulting from the thrown belt.

The flagship NBC network features the closing two hours of coverage around the race finish Sunday from Noon to 2 p.m. EST. The race can be seen in its entirety in live flag-to-flag coverage on NBC’s Peacock live streaming network.

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I am super proud of the guys. We earned so many laps back with half the race to go, so I would say we are back in the race, to be honest. It all proves to me we are one of the best in the IMSA paddock again. The crew put us back in the game again. Luckily, it was early in the race and we have time to make up for it. I think we have a good car to go for the podium once again."

Daniel Morad, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Competition Motors Mercedes-AMG GT3: “There is so much racing still left to go. We are just trying to get everything dialed in and ready for the end of the race. The drivers are doing a great job, the crew is doing awesome on the pit stops, we are just trying to get the car ready for the end of the race."

Eric Filgueiras, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Dan Knox, our driver/owner, had a great drive at the start. Just a fantastic job. My goal, as well as Dan's I am sure, is to just keep the car clean. I know that I am going to be doing the grunt work at night. We need to help get the car to the end, keep it as clean as possible and just not make any mistakes. We had some issues early on, some penalties, but we were able to claw our way back. This team never gives up, and that's why I wanted to be here."

Reigning IMSA Champions Winward Racing Qualify on the Outside Pole in the GT Daytona (GTD) Class for the Rolex 24 At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Defending IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GT Daytona (GTD) champions Winward Racing picked up right where they left off at the end of 2024’s season of domination with a front-row qualifying performance Thursday for this weekend’s 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona. With longtime Winward team member and AMG Performance Driver Philip Ellis at the wheel of the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, the reigning WeatherTech and IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) GTD champions nearly won the class pole position with a last-lap flyer as the checkered flag flew.

Following the team’s disciplined and competitively cautious approach that was a key part of last year’s championship-winning dominance, Ellis cruised at the lower end of the time charts early before a pair of late flying laps. The Winward No. 57 jumped from last to fifth of the 21 GTD cars on track with two and a half minutes remaining before Ellis mounted his biggest charge of the 15-minute session coming down to the checkered flag.

Ellis was on a pole-winning pace as he drove through the high-banked NASCAR Turns 3 and 4 section, but a move around a slower car just ahead was enough for the No. 57 come up just short on opening the 2025 season with a pole. Ellis secured P2 on the GTD grid with a lap time of 1:46.652 (120.166 mph), a scant 0.18 of a second behind the pole winner.

Ellis co-drives in the Rolex 24 with full-season teammate Russell Ward, returning team IMEC driver Indy Dontje and AMG Performance Driver Lucas Auer.

Winward and Ellis were the top qualifiers of the five Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries competing across the GTD and GTD Pro classes this weekend.

In the 15-car GTD Pro class, the No. 75 Team 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 was the fastest of the two competing Mercedes-AMG Motorsport entries. Two-time Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Maro Engel clocked in ninth-quickest in the No. 75 with a lap time of 1:46.613 (120.210 mph).

The No. 75 will start on the inside of Row 5 in the GTD Pro field, just ahead of the No. 69 Bartone Bros. Racing with Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3. AMG Performance Driver Luca Stolz qualified 11th in the No. 69, which will be the debut Rolex 24 At Daytona for both Bartone Bros. and Team GetSpeed.

Another debut this weekend comes from Dan Knox who runs in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 that he owns and co-drives. Knox qualified the No. 80 Thursday 18th in the GTD class.

The No. 32 Korthoff Competition Motors Mercedes-AMG GT3, with team driver Maximilian Götz at the wheel, was credited with the third fastest GTD lap at the checkered flag but was moved to the back of the GTD field after IMSA invalidated the team’s top laps after they exceeded the new Controlled Powertrain Parameters in place for the first time this weekend.

The 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona begins this Saturday, January 25th at 1:40 p.m. EST. An opening hour of live coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. EST on the flagship NBC network, which returns for a final two hours of coverage around the race finish Sunday, January 26th from Noon to 2 p.m. EST.

The balance of the race will be broadcast on the NBC family of networks, with USA taking over Saturday’s live coverage from 2:30 p.m. EST until 6:30 p.m. EST. The race can be seen in its entirety in live flag-to-flag coverage on NBC’s Peacock live streaming network.

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: "Of course, it's a good starting position, but it doesn't mean much for the 24 hours. The main thing is that it's nice to see that we have worked well, especially over the last week, seeing where we were then basically starting from scratch on a new system. Everybody stuck their heads together, especially here at this team, and also with other teams. These guys here have been working day and night. It's a bit like last year. They make it easy for me. It's been a really good car. We're not quite where we want to be yet. We still have a lot of work to go before we get into the race and, of course, the rest of the season, but it's a great starting position."

Maro Engel, Driver – No. 75 Team 75 Express Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Everyone is working very hard, and we know that the other manufacturers have had a year under their belt, but for us it's the first race with the torque sensors. So, we're still finding our way and trying to find the best balance and the best way forward with the torque sensors. A big thank you to everyone for their hard work, and we move forward trying to keep improving the car and hopefully in the race we'll be there. Every lap is progress for us. We keep doing our thing and relying on the great expertise of Mercedes-AMG together with our 75 Express team. We keep working, keep chipping away and we have a strong team. We know we can rely on that, and we will just make sure we prepare as best as possible and try to have the fastest possible car."

Luca Stolz, Driver – No. 69 Bartone Bros. Racing with Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3: “We have a good car. I have a lot of confidence in the GetSpeed team and my co-drivers. We have another practice Thursday night to fine tune for Saturday. Twenty-four hours is a long race, but I think we will have a good race car.”

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Teams Persevere and Prepare at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 At Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Five Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams persevered through the annual Roar Before the 24 test event last weekend at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in preparation for this weekend’s 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona. America’s premier day-long endurance race once again opens the annual IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season that this year will see Mercedes-AMG and its customer racing team partners defend last year’s clean sweep of all six championships awarded in the GT Daytona (GTD) class. Returning team Winward Racing also won the GTD class in the 2024 edition of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the team’s second success in the race after scoring a victory in its debut attempt in 2021.

The first order of business, however, will be implementing the IMSA mandated torque sensors introduced as a mandatory component beginning this season in IMSA’s GTD classes. Mercedes-AMG is the only manufacturer in a large GTD and GTD Pro field that has never had the opportunity to compete with the sensors, but progress was made at the Roar in what was Mercedes-AMG’s first experience in official international competition with the driveshaft-mounted torque-detecting componentry.

Successfully overcoming a software data transfer issue on the first day of the Roar, Winward and the four other competing Mercedes-AMG GT3 teams were able to maximize their on-track performance on Saturday and Sunday.

The Rolex 24 At Daytona begins this Thursday, with GTD and GTD Pro qualifying sessions running in succession beginning at 2:10 p.m. EST.
The 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona begins this Saturday, January 25th at 1:40 p.m. EST. An opening hour of live coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. EST on the flagship NBC network, which returns for a final two hours of coverage around the race finish Sunday, January 26th from Noon to 2 p.m. EST.

Winward defends its Rolex 24 win and IMSA WeatherTech and IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) GTD championships with the returning full-season driver lineup of Russell Ward and AMG Performance Driver Philip Ellis. Indy Dontje is back as the third driver in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the five-race IMEC while AMG Performance Driver Lucas “Luggi” Auer joins the team for this weekend’s Rolex 24.

The No. 32 Korthoff Competition Motors No. 32 Mercedes-AMG GT3 joins Winward as a returning GTD full-season team in 2025. The year-long driving duo of Seth Lucas and Kenton Koch will be joined by a pair of AMG Performance Drivers for the IMEC rounds. Returning team driver Maximilian Götz contests the full IMEC championship in the No. 32 while Daniel Morad - a co-driver on the victorious Winward team in 2024 - joins Korthoff Competition for this year’s Rolex 24.

The third GTD entry at the Rolex 24 is returning IMEC campaigners Lone Star Racing. The trio of Dan Knox, Scott Andrews and Eric Filgueiras will contest the five endurance races with AMG Performance Driver Ralf Aron in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the Daytona opener and his first Rolex 24 start.

A pair of one-off Rolex 24 entries in the GTD Pro class complete Mercedes-AMG Motorsport’s five-strong customer racing effort at Daytona. Team principal and driver Kenny Habul returns with the No. 75 Team 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 and will be joined by the AMG Performance Driver trio of Maro Engel, Jules Gounon and Mikaël Grenier. Engel and Gounon were part of the WeatherTech Racing GTD Pro winning team in 2023, and Engel also co-drove with Winward in GTD in 2021 for the first Rolex 24 At Daytona Mercedes-AMG victory.

Bartone Bros. Racing with Team GetSpeed runs the first North American race for the successful collaboration with debuting Rolex 24 driver Anthony Bartone co-driving the No. 69 Bartone Bros. Racing with Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 in GTD Pro. Bartone competes alongside his AMG Performance Driver teammates Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz. Recent AMG Performance Driver addition Martin will drive at Daytona in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the first time.

Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing: “As expected, the Roar weekend was very intensive. In the area of torque sensors, we had to solve a communication problem with individual control units at short notice. Compared to the manufacturers who started in the FIA WEC in 2024, we lack experience in dealing with the new sensors. As a result, I don't initially see us as favorites despite our victory last year, but I have to say a big 'thank you' to all the people working on this project overnight in Germany and taking the load and developing new software. Also, the whole process here integrating our guys coming from HWA Germany to help the guys from HWA in the U.S in supporting our five customer teams has been great. And a special 'thank you' also to all our customer teams, which remained patient. It is difficult having minimal driving time due to the issues, which was not an easy one for all of us. However, as I can rely on the strengths of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and the professionalism of our teams, I am very confident.”

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “We had a fantastic 2024 season with Winward Racing, and it will be difficult to top what we have achieved. As a team, we are approaching this very realistically, but also extremely motivated. Of course, the aim is to start with a win at Daytona and to defend the title. The fact that Indy, Russell and I are once again part of the line-up, supported this time by Luggi, is certainly an advantage as we have the same understanding and trust each other.”

Daniel Morad, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Competition Motors Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Everyone has worked hard to get the new system up and running. It’s quite a change compared to what we’ve been driving so far, but the balance of the car is pretty good. Most of the teams have raced here in recent years, the tires are the same and the track feels very consistent, so it’s really just about getting the car’s performance on track in the race.”

Dan Knox, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “The Lone Star Racing team has been working so hard to get the car ready. There was a lot waiting around that we’ve had with all the issues that have gone on with the torque sensors, but it was just good to get back in the car. In the last session Sunday, I got into a rhythm and had a chance to really understand the track and get around it. It’s really good and I’m looking forward to the race!”

Scott Andrews, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Obviously it’s really tough for us as a manufacturer going up against everyone who’s done the World Endurance Championship for the last year. They pretty much have a head start, so we have basically a year’s plus worth of learning to do in two days. It started off not so smooth sailing, but we got there in the end. It’s fortunate that Lone Star Racing prepared such a good car because by the time all the systems were working, everything on the car was in such a good window. We’re really happy with it and I’m really happy with that pace and the car is good on the long run. The ultimate pace is good for the car too, and all the drivers are really happy with it. By the time we were able to sort the issues out with the torque sensors and run the car as it’s intended to run, we were right there. We’re pretty happy and it’s a pleasure to be back. I’m really enjoying also just driving for Lone Star Racing, and especially now that we’ve got a year under our belt. Everything is just sort of flowing a bit better, the people are great and it’s just a pleasure to be with this group.”

Ralf Aron, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It is my first time racing in Daytona, and I can’t wait for it. It was super cool to see so many fans already during the Roar. The weather has been challenging so far, but the race week looks to be dry. Lone Star Racing has a very quick Mercedes-AMG GT3 and obviously the expectations are pretty high. It is important to approach the race step by step. We have to make sure that we are in a good position to fight for victory right to the end.”

Kenny Habul, Driver – No. 75 Team 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Thanks to Mercedes-AMG, we made a big step Sunday. The car felt more like what we’re used to. Still a lot of work to do, but the car was pretty much in the window for me and was fun in the wet. We still have a lot to do just to figure out the power and spiking and different things, but we’ve come a long way from yesterday so I’m happy. We got all the superstars in the new car. We lead this race every year, and every year we come up short. I’m just hoping we stay out of trouble and the car stays together and we’re there at the end, but we have had more bad luck Daytona than we normally do, so we are hoping for that to change.”

Maro Engel, Driver – No. 75 Team 75 Express Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “The 24-hour race is an absolute highlight on the motorsport calendar. The atmosphere, the track layout, the field of drivers, the duels, the restarts - all of this is unique. I have a strong, competitive lineup at Team 75 Express. We did some very good groundwork at the Roar, first and foremost to gain valuable experience with the torque sensors. We will only see what the relative strength actually is in the race.”

Maxime Martin, Driver – No. 69 Bartone Bros. Racing with Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It’s quite nice to be able to drive the Mercedes-AMG GT3 finally for the first time, and I am looking forward to the race. I already feel that the base and the pace of the car are really good. There is still a lot to do until the weekend, but even with the experience of Mercedes-AMG and team GetSpeed I am pretty sure that we will have a competitive package for the race. My biggest challenge is to adapt perfectly to the new environment, but I know Daytona well, which is certainly an advantage.”

Kristen Hammer, a 15-year-old racing prodigy from Indianapolis, Indiana, has been a remarkable force in the world of motorsports for the past eight years. In her view, racing provides a much-needed escape and focus away from life's challenges, allowing her to immerse herself in the thrill of the track and the cars surrounding her. Kristen stands out as one of the few consistent female racers in her series, aspiring to propel her career into the ARCA car or truck series while inspiring younger drivers, especially at her local track. With the support of her community and a strong online presence, Kristen serves as a powerful role model, demonstrating that women can excel and break barriers in the traditionally male-dominated racing industry.

Forte Racing Returns to VPRC with Entries for the ROAR

Thienes Qualifies Fourth Overall - First in Bronze Class

Daytona Beach, Florida (Saturday, January 18, 2025) - Forte Racing is fielding two Ligier JS P320 cars in the P3 category for this weekend’s ROAR Before the 24. Brian Thienes is back on track behind the wheel of the No. 77 Forte Racing Thienes Engineering Ligier LMP3 for the season opener. He is joined by Jon Hirshberg who is making his first start at Daytona International Speedway this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 86 Forte Racing JR286 Motorsports Ligier LMP3.

Thienes, who has been successful in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge finishing 3rd in the points his first two seasons racing in this series, had an excellent qualifying session this morning, topping the Bronze class and qualifying 4th overall. Thienes has experience in several different disciplines having driven for Shane Seneviratne’s teams in multiple series including the Atlantic Championship Series, Lamborghini Super Trofeo before moving to the VPRC series where he is competitive at every event.

“I am looking forward to being back in the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge with Forte Racing powered by US RaceTronics,” Thienes said. “We are hoping to continue the momentum from last year winning the bronze championship and third in the overall championship in the prototype class. I am grateful to be a part of a very successful team that always provides a very competitive race car. I am looking forward to working with the team again this year, especially our engineer Pete Jacobs who is a rockstar race car engineer. I am confident that with Forte Racing I will have another successful year.”

On his qualifying efforts, Thienes said, “Although our fourth place qualifying was not at the pace we had expected, I’m more than happy with it. Starting fourth place, we expect to have a good race. Hopefully we can more the car up through the field and get on the podium.”

Having joined Forte Racing’s VPRC program at the end of 2024 for the VIR and Road Atlanta events, Hirshberg is relatively new to the series and is competing at Daytona International Speedway for the first time. Hirshberg has been consistently competitive while competing with Forte Racing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series. He is excited to be joining the team for his first ROAR Before the 24 and is looking forward to the challenges he’s facing this weekend.

"I am very excited to be joining Forte for another season in VP Challenge,” Hirshberg said. “I am really enjoying learning the LMP3 platform as well as learning multi-class racing and traffic management. Yesterday was my first day at Daytona as well, so getting comfortable on the high banking here has been a challenge. I am happy to be able to also represent JR286 Motorsports with Dakine, Nike, and Vertra."

Hirshberg was disappointed with qualifying but is looking forward to his first race at the iconic speedway. “It’s super fun here at Daytona,” he said. “It’s an amazing track. The guys are doing a great job getting the car ready and making sure it’s all set for the start of the race. Super fun multi-class racing. We’ll see how this first race goes.”

Forte Racing VPRC Program Manager David Cozart’s thoughts on this morning’s qualifying session. “We arrived to a wet track this morning,” Cozart said. “The GT cars dried it out some, but it was still damp in the bus stop and unfortunately Hirshberg had a slight incident. The car is easily repairable and we expect him to be competitive in this afternoon’s race.”

“We’re extremely happy with Brian’s qualifying result,” Cozart added. “He’s been very consistent in the Ligier P3 car and we expect him to have another good showing today.”

You can watch the action LIVE on Peacock, IMSA.TV and YouTube starting at 1:55 p.m. ET.

*Photos by Brayan Castiblanco

Forte Racing and Huntress Gear Up for the Iconic Rolex 24 at DAYTONA

Monrovia, California (Tuesday, January 14, 2025) – Huntress Founder & CEO Kyle Hanslovan is set to accelerate the cybersecurity game by teaming up with Forte Racing’s IMSA WeatherTech Lamborghini GTD entry at this month’s iconic Rolex 24 at DAYTONA. The Rolex 24 at DAYTONA is a test of endurance and precision, and Forte Racing is ready to push limits with the support of Huntress.

“Partnering with Forte Racing is an exciting opportunity for Huntress. Success in both cybersecurity and motorsports relies on strategy, precision, and constant vigilance. Just as protecting digital landscapes demands quick thinking and adaptability, so does making split-second decisions on the racetrack. Together with Forte Racing, we’re proud to unite our passions and support a team that embodies our shared values of determination and excellence,” said Kyle Hanslovan, Founder & CEO, Huntress.

Forte Racing, in partnership with Huntress, is bringing the heat with an all-star lineup. Rolex 24 veteran Misha Goikhberg will be joined by two-time IMSA WeatherTech Champion Mario Farnbacher, Big Machine Racing ace Parker Kligerman, and Lamborghini factory driver Franck Perera. Perera, a former Formula 1 Toyota test driver, who won the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2018 and celebrated victory in the GTD Pro class at the 2024 Petit Le Mans. This talented roster will pilot the Huntress-branded Lamborghini, showcasing that innovation and grit drive success both on the track and in cybersecurity.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Huntress, a leader in cybersecurity. Just as our team pushes the limits on the track, Huntress relentlessly defends against cyber threats, allowing us to focus on winning while they safeguard our data. Together, we share a commitment to precision, speed, and excellence—whether in motorsports or digital defense,” said Shane Seneviratne, Team Principal, Forte Racing.

In the world of motorsports, where data and technology play a critical role, the partnership with Huntress ensures that Forte Racing stays ahead, both on and off the track. This partnership goes beyond branding—it’s a bold statement that with Huntress, businesses of all sizes can leave cyber threats in the dust. Buckle up, hackers. Huntress is here to win.

Follow Forte Racing at Daytona on the team’s Instagram and on the live broadcasts. There are multiple ways to watch the action unfold live.

Coverage begins Thursday, Jan. 23 at 2:05 p.m. ET with WeatherTech Qualifying live on Peacock(U.S.), IMSA.com (Global), and YouTube (International). NBC Network covers the start and conclusion of the race with air times Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1:30 p.m. ET and Sunday, Jan. 26, at 12 p.m. ET, while USA Network coverage is Saturday, Jan. 25, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. For live flag-to-flag coverage, tune into Peacock (U.S.) and YouTube (International), starting at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Stay tuned and don’t miss a moment of the action! If you'd like to meet Shane or Kyle at the race track to learn more about this partnership, please contact Trish at trish@usracetronics.com.

*Designs by Andy Blackmore

Mallett Making Chili Bowl Nationals Debut With Ride From Sammy Swindell

Inside Line Promotions - GREENBRIER, Ark. (Jan. 8, 2025) - Jordon Mallett is eager to embark upon his Chili Bowl Nationals driving debut next week.

Mallett has landed a ride with Sammy Swindell, who owns the most Chili Bowl Nationals victories with five, for the marquee midget event at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. Mallett's preliminary night is Thursday, Jan. 16.

"I got a phone call from Sammy one evening wanting to know if I'd be interested in running his other car," he said. "We talked for a while and I'm really excited to jump on the opportunity."

Not only will this mark Mallett's first time competing in the event, it will be his first time racing a midget.

"I don't have any expectations because I've never even set in a midget before," he said. "If things go well, that's great. We want to perform and I'm not going there to not run well, but realistically there aren't high expectations. One of the best to ever do it is my car owner and in my corner. That should help expedite the learning curve. I want to put myself in a good position and capitalize when I can and just race smart. I want to represent his team and the people who support him well."

Mallett, who is a winged sprint car driver, has attended the event multiple times.

"Me and my dad normally went," he said. "We'd go up and walk the pits and watch, making it a day trip on Saturday. It was always in the back of my head that I wanted to run the event, but I didn't own midgets and wasn't one who was interested in trying to rent a ride. It's always been, I will take a ride if a ride presents itself and the right opportunity was going to have to present itself.

"I want to thank Sammy for the opportunity. I'm excited to practice next Sunday and then race on Thursday. It will be a big challenge, but one I'm looking forward to."

Swindell, whose preliminary night is Wednesday, and Mallett are two of the 380-plus entrants. All drivers are placed into a preliminary night leading up to the finale on Saturday, Jan. 18.

"I've run (sprint cars) with him some the last couple of years," Swindell said. "He does most of his own stuff and knows he can't tear it up. I've been giving some people a chance in the other car and we've had some good ones drive. I wanted to give someone a chance around here trying to race on their own and someone who is on the lighter side. He fit both of those pretty easy and thought he'd do a decent job. They are good people, too."

UP NEXT -

Jan. 16 and Jan. 18 at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla., for the 39 th annual Chili Bowl Nationals presented by NOS Energy Drink

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://jordonmallett.myracepass.com

X: https://twitter.com/jmmotorsports14

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jordonmallettmotorsports

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Water for Christ

Water for Christ was established from the joint passions of sharing the Gospel of Christ and supplying clean water to villages in developing countries. For more information, visit http://www.WaterForChrist.com .

"Water for Christ goes to Africa and other third-world countries to drill fresh-water wells where there is no access to fresh or clean water," Mallett said. "We're trying to raise awareness so they can continue to do what they do and hopefully on a larger scale."

Mallett would like to thank Awakening Events, Awakening Foundation, Water for Christ, Porter Commercial Refrigeration, Red River Rack Co., D&K Farms, Powers HVAC, DHR Suspension, Racing Optics, Triple X Race Co., T&A, KSE Racing Products, FK Rod Ends, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Sinco, Inc., Autometer, Callies Performance Products, ISC Racers Tape, Lone Star Super Gas (Sunoco), HRP Wings, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Race Products, Smiley's Racing Products, MotorState Distributing, DMI, Superior Bearing and Supply, Moss Racing Engines, Twin S Tool Corp., JET Graphics and AR Dyno Specialty for their continued support.

Four-Time Indy 500 Winner Hélio Castroneves

To Drive Trackhouse’s PROJECT91 Entry in Daytona 500

Will Drive the No. 91 Wendy’s® Chevrolet with Darian Grubb as Crew Chief

CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA – When you’ve won the Indianapolis 500 four times, the 24 Hours of Daytona three times and over 30 major open wheel races, you’ve realized most of your racing dreams.

But for Hélio Castroneves there’s one more entry he’s about to add to his hall of fame resume – NASCAR’s Daytona 500. He and Trackhouse Racing announced today the Sao Paulo, Brazil native will drive Trackhouse Racing’s PROJECT91 entry in the 2025 Daytona 500 on Feb. 16.

The No. 91 Chevrolet will carry the Wendy’s® livery during the 2025 Speedweeks as he seeks to join Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt as the only drivers to win the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing,” said Castroneves.

“This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down. I am so thankful to Wendy’s for allowing me to wear their uniform and drive their car, (Trackhouse owner) Justin Marks and everyone that made this happen. I wish the race were tomorrow!”

Castroneves

Marks created PROJECT91 in 2022 intent on expanding the organization’s global reach by fielding a Cup Series entry for renowned international racing drivers. Castroneves will join Trackhouse fulltime Cup drivers Daniel Suárez, Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen.

The season-opening Daytona 500 will mark Castroneves’ first NASCAR Cup Series start and the fifth race for PROJECT91 after appearances by 2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International and Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2022 as well as Van Gisbergen’s races at the Chicago Street Race and the Indianapolis Road Course in 2023.

Van Gisbergen became the first driver since 1963 to win in his Cup debut when he won at the Chicago Street Course. The victory launched his move to America and a full season in the Xfinity Series in 2024 and his move to fulltime Cup racing in 2025.

Castroneves said expecting a victory in his debut might be unrealistic but knows he will have the equipment to succeed.

“I know how much of a challenge this is going to be, but I also know the type of people and team Trackhouse Racing will bring to the effort,” said Castroneves. “I can’t wait to get to the Trackhouse race shop in North Carolina to meet everyone and prepare for Daytona. There is so much I must learn and I’m ready to get started.”

Darian Grubb, a 24-time winning crew chief who won a Cup Series title with Tony Stewart in 2011, will lead the No. 91 team in Daytona.

Marks

Marks said adding Castroneves to the PROJECT91 program is a “no-brainer.”

“Hélio is one of the greatest drivers of all time and exactly the type of driver we want to bring to NASCAR,” said Marks.

“I think race fans around the world will be excited to see Hélio in NASCAR’s most prestigious race. It also exposes our sport to a global audience and allows them to see just how great of a series we have in NASCAR.”

Marks created Trackhouse Entertainment Group in 2020 after a driving career in sports cars and NASCAR. With the goal of creating a racing brand that transcends the sport, Marks formed Trackhouse Racing that took to the track in 2021 with Suárez behind the wheel. In January 2021, the team announced a partnership with international superstar entertainer Pitbull who has been a frequent guest at NASCAR races and elevated Trackhouse’s presence through inclusion in several of his songs, music videos over the last two years and named his latest album “Trackhouse.”

Midway through the 2021 season, Trackhouse Racing purchased the NASCAR assets of Chip Ganassi Racing and began the 2022 season as its own two-car team with Suárez and Chastain as drivers and will expand to three fulltime Cup teams in 2025 adding Van Gisbergen.

Castroneves is one of four drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times (2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021) and was runner-up in the IndyCar Series drivers' championship four times (2002, 2008, 2013, and 2014). He is a three-time winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, consecutively in 2021 with Wayne Taylor Racing and 2022 and 2023 with Meyer Shank, in addition to the overall 2020 IMSA championship with Team Penske.

Castroneves does have experience driving cars with a roof including 16 IROC races (2002-2005) and starts in the Supercars and Brazil stock car series.

Castroneves is well known for his work away from the track.

He and Julianne Hough won the 2007 “Dancing with the Stars” competition on ABC Television and returned in 2012 to compete again with partner Chelsie Hightower. Castroneves has been a guest on the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” a correspondent on “Entertainment Tonight” and a judge at the 2011 Miss Universe competition.

One of the most popular drivers in IndyCar, his celebration of climbing the fencing beside the track after a victory, earned him the nickname "Spider-Man". NASCAR drivers have gone on to climb the fence after victories in imitation of Castroneves.

He’d love nothing more than to climb the fence at Daytona in February.

Coltman Farms Racing to support Max Blair during 2025 Dirt Late Model season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – TITUSVILLE, Pa. (Jan. 6, 2025) – Veteran Dirt Late Model star Max Blair will fly some new colors when the green flag waves for the 2025 season.

Coltman Farms Racing, owned by businessman and motorsports supporter Brett Coltman, will sponsor Blair throughout the upcoming season.

“Brett obviously does a ton for Dirt Late Model racing,” said the 34-year-old Blair. “The sport needs more people like him, that’s for sure. It’ll be an honor to carry the Coltman Farms logo on my cars. I’m looking forward to what the future holds.”

A familiar face to Dirt Late Model fans, especially in the Northeast, Blair is always a threat to win when he shows up at any race track.

A four-time ULMS Racing Series champion, Blair has earned five World of Outlaws Late Model Series wins and one Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series triumph in addition to countless local and regional victories.

During the 2024 season Blair earned four victories and secured 22 top five and 43 top 10 finishes spread across 74 starts.

“We’re thrilled to team with Max Blair for the 2025 season,” said Coltman Farms Racing owner Brett Coltman. “Anytime we partner with a new driver or team, it’s important for us to make sure they align with our mission to nurture the next generation of drivers and race fans. Max has proven time and time again that he is not just a skilled competitor, but also a great human being. I’m excited to see what we can do together this year.”

Blair and Coltman Farms Racing will begin their new partnership during Florida Speedweeks, with exact schedule details to be announced in the near future.

Amanda Bradley acquires Natural Bridge Speedway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (Jan. 6, 2025) – One year after being named promoter of Natural Bridge Speedway, Amanda Bradley is proud to announce that she has purchased the three-eighths-mile dirt oval from Joe Glassford.

“It was an honor to be named promoter of Natural Bridge Speedway one season ago and now I’m thrilled to say that I’ve acquired the facility from Joe Glassford and JCG Adventures,” said Bradley. “The chance to take ownership of Natural Bridge Speedway was one I couldn’t pass up. I’m excited to build on the great 2024 season and do even more in 2025.”

Since taking over as promoter at Natural Bridge Speedway one season ago, the facility has seen a large increase in support from both competitors and sponsors.

Last season, through Bradley’s tireless efforts, Natural Bridge Speedway was able to award its track champions with a variety of major prizes. They include a new Double Nickel chassis to the champion of the Crate Late Model division and a new Pitboxes.com pit box to the champion of the Sportsman division.

Other major division supporters included The Joie of Seating, K1 RaceGear and VP Racing Fuel.

Now that the purchase of the facility is behind her, Bradley is already focused on what she can do to further improve Natural Bridge Speedway for fans and competitors.

“Last year we did a lot to spruce up the facility,” Bradley said. “We put in new toilets and sinks in all the bathrooms, extended pit parking, cleaned up the entire property, added a victory lane and revamped the scoreboard, just to name a few. We won’t be stopping there.

“We’ve already brought in new clay for the racing surface, and we are also planning on installing new lights around the facility. I’m excited to continue renovating the track and make it the best dirt track in Virginia. With the team I have behind me, I feel like we can make it happen.”

Plans are already being made for the 2025 season, which includes the addition of a Stock 4 class for the upcoming season. Bradley also aspires to bring back super late models, truck and tractor pulls and demolition derbies to Natural Bridge in the near future.

Full details about Natural Bridge Speedway’s 2025 schedule will be announced soon.

Amanda and the staff at Natural Bridge would like to thank all their sponsors for their continued support, including Double Nickel Race Cars, Witt Mechanical, Cecil B Arthur, BHR 55 Fabrication, MPM Marketing, Austin Electrical Construction, Bank of Botetourt, C & S Disposal, Coffey Excavating and Septic, W.R. Deacon and Sons Timber, Fairfield Tire, Rising Son Farm LLC, Tri State Vintage Dirt Series, Jennings Property Solutions, Wilson Insurance Agency, Roger Baber with Arbor Life Tree Care, Bradleys Trucking, Todd Rental, Paynes Enterprises, Hajoca, Rockbridge City and County Real Estate, Cashs Parts and Repair, The Joie of Seating, State Farm Insurance - Brent Hershey Agent, Raphine Medical Associates, Pitboxes.com, Sunrise BBQ, Miller Pipeline, Almonds Towing, Traffic Go, Mr. Pave, K1 Race Gear, JDR Trucking, Lexington Moose Lodge 1700, No Mow Worries and JTB Hauling.

For anyone interested in becoming a valued Natural Bridge Speedway partner in 2025, please contact Tonya McCallister from MPM Marketing via email at TonyaMac44@marketwithmpm.com.

A Great Year for Five Star Property Management as Roger Eagleton Continues to Soar in 2024

San Francisco, CALIFORNIA – December 27, 2024 - California based property manager Roger Eagleton closes out the year with a stellar motorsports performance record. Roger's 2024 proves what can be achieved with hard work and dedication with the Burlingame based pilot achieving multiple successes in a variety of machinery - BMW E46, Mazda MX-5, and DIG Motorsports Ford “Spec” Mustang. He ended the 2024 San Francisco Region Sports Car Club of America season with 16 wins, 2 class championships and 1 Western Conference Championship in the No.11 DIG Motorsports “Spec” Ford Mustang.

Roger has been fortunate to pick up sponsors and supporters along the way and like all good drivers, is constantly looking for ways to improve the car, with the addition of Toyo Tires in September representing another step forwards, but let's go back to the start of the year first.

“I started the year strong with multiple class wins in the Hoosier Super Tour down at Buttonwillow Race,” he told us recently. Roger won both the American Sedan Class race and the Touring 2 race on February 25 and ended the weekend with a total of four races and four wins, a notable achievement.

At Thunderhill Raceway in April, a busy weekend saw Roger running in Touring 2 and American Sedan classes, picking up two wins in Touring 2 and two second place finishes in American Sedan but it was at the SCCA SFR meeting at Sonoma in September that Roger was first able to try out the Toyo Proxes-R. At what is his local track he picked up two class wins in the American Sedan class - Group 3, as well as a new track record, partly helped by tires he accurately describes as fast! He followed that up with two second place finishes in the DIG Motorsports Spec Ford Mustang in Group 5, making it a very good weekend overall as he and the team began to push the limits of this new tire to see what kind of additional performance they could get out of the new setup.

All-in-all, 2024 was one of Roger's most successful - and enjoyable years in motorsports as Roger explained to our reporter, “I ended the year with multiple SCCA Regional Championships (Spec Mustang and American Sedan) and as well as a Western Conference Championship in the Touring 2 Class. Along the way, I was able to experience racing at Road America for the first time with the SCCA National Runoffs, where we finished in 6th place in the American Sedan Class, despite being heavily outclassed by much more powerful cars. I was also able to race with Gridlife Racing for the first time at Thunderhill Raceway, in a North Bay Bavarian prepared Spec E46 with team owner and teammate Sean Lovett.”

Roger's ultimate goals include competing in - and winning - the legendary 24 hour sportscar endurance races at Le Mans, Spa-Francorchamps and Daytona and he certainly still has plenty of time to achieve those goals. 2025 will be about decision making where and when he wants to drive. In that regard, Roger is staying focused on achieving maximum results whether in San Francisco SCCA, IMSA, TransAm, Gridlife or any other series.

Roger was typically gracious when he summarized his year as follows, “I would like to thank Five Star Property Management in Burlingame, California for their continued support of my efforts, as well as DIG Motorsports, Toyo Tires and North Bay Bavarian for making this a very memorable 2024 season".

Watch Rogers recent interview on MyRacesLive on YouTube here:

https://youtu.be/DaVr7TNNUFg?si=TIaVdAB1FtOEILmQ

Roger's Eagleton Racing Facebook page is here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/19uNk68NEB/

Toyo Tires website is here:
https://www.toyotires.com/

Forte Racing Announces Two New Drivers for 2025

Daytona Beach, Florida (Wednesday, December 18, 2024) – Forte Racing is pleased to announce that German driver Mario Farnbacher will join Canadian Misha Goikhberg behind the wheel of the GTD Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 for the full 2025 season of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, while American driver Parker Kligerman will join the duo for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Michelin Endurance Cup driver is yet to be announced.

Goikhberg is returning for his third season with Forte Racing after consecutive fifth place finishes in the IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship. In 2023, Goikhberg, along with Forte Racing teammates Loris Spinelli and Patrick Liddy, won the prestigious Petit LeMans 10-hour endurance race. Over his two seasons with Forte Racing, Goikhberg has amassed eight top five finishes, including 2nd place finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Virginia International Raceway in addition to a 2nd place finish at Petit Le Mans in 2024.

“Very happy to work alongside Mario (Farnbacher) for the full season,” Goikhberg said. “He needs no introductions in GT racing and has won multiple championships. We were on sister cars in 2020, so we know each other very well.

“Also, I would like to welcome Parker (Kligerman) to the team,” the Canadian driver added. “He is a big stock car talent, and all-around wheelman. Not the worst guy to have matching Rolexes come the end of January.”

Farnbacher has successfully competed in multiple series including the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Farnbacher won the Michelin Endurance Cup in 2017 with Riley Motorsports followed by GTD class IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championships as a -full-time driver in 2019 and 2020 with Meyer Shank Racing.

After winning the Pro Am class in the GT World Challenge America in 2022 with Racers Edge Motorsports and the 2023 Pro category runner-up title, the Ansbach native returned to IMSA in 2024 driving for Heart of Racing’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTDPRO Championship entry.

“It’s my first day in the new job and it was nice to get into this new environment and into the new challenges as well,” Farnbacher said yesterday. “I think the first test day today was good. Definitely a lot of things that are new that I need to learn and get my head around. I think we made some good progress and are getting to know each other as a new team. Really looking forward to the future and the ROAR and Daytona weekends. I think we have a strong package and I’m really looking forward to this season. I’d like to thank the team and Lamborghini for giving me this opportunity.”

Joining the 2025 full season drivers for the Rolex 24 at Daytona is NASCAR driver and announcer Parker Kligerman. The Connecticut-native has raced in all three of NASCAR’s premier series since starting his career in 2013 and has spent the last two seasons competing full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Big Machine Racing. During his NASCAR career, Kligerman has amassed 3 wins, 37 top five finishes, and 98 top ten finishes across all three series.

Kligerman has served as an analyst and pit reporter for NASCAR on NBC since 2015 and stands as one of the youngest correspondents to ever serve as a pit reporter for a NASCAR Cup race. He has also produced and developed multiple original programs for NBC Sports such as Proving Grounds and In The Wall. This will be Kligerman’s first-time racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“This race has been on my bucket list my entire career,” Kligerman said. “I’m super excited and grateful to be doing it with a race winning and top caliber organization like Forte Racing. We’re here to go for a Rolex. The team has been so welcoming to my partners Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers and have created a great atmosphere and cool vibe. This is my first endurance race. I’ve done sims and have done the broadcast the last 5 or 6 years, but to actually be driving in the race is super cool. I’m so pumped! It’s a dream come true.”

Forte Racing GTD Program Manager Michael Harvey is excited to have Goikhberg returning and is looking forward to getting to know the new additions to the team. With fifth place championship finishes in the team’s first two seasons competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Championship, Harvey is hoping to start the 2025 season with a strong finish at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in his quest to win the team's first IWSC GTD title.

“It’s a pleasure to watch this group grow,” Harvey said, “we are very committed to taking the next step as we fight for a championship. So happy to continue this journey with Misha, and super excited to add a multiple champion like Mario to the program, His experience will be invaluable. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be able to add Parker to our Rolex charge, definitely a talent who will shine over the 24 hrs.”

Find out more about Forte Racing on our website Forteracing.com and our Instagram page and make sure to tune in and support Forte Racing's new lineup of drivers for the Rolex 24 at Daytona January 23-26 on NBC, USA and Peacock.

*Photos Courtesy of Brayan Castiblanco

Hagar Lands Ride With Rains for 2025 Sprint Car Season

Inside Line Promotions - MARION, Ark. (Dec. 17, 2024) - Derek Hagar has earned a new opportunity for the 2025 racing season.

Hagar is teaming up with fellow Arkansas sprint car standout A.G. Rains for a true outlaw schedule in the 360ci winged ranks.

"We're going to hit some local shows, ASCS shows, USCS shows, whatever makes sense," Hagar said. "Wherever the weather looks the best and the money is the best."

Nutrien Ag Solutions will be the team's primary sponsor with Hagar's additional partners, including Ameri-Panel and B & D Towing and Recovery, as well as Rains' major partners of High Performance Lubricants and CP-Carillo returning.

"We're sticking with J&J race cars to stay with what I'm used to," Hagar said. "We're keeping the program just like we're running the No. 9jr car. I don't see why we can't come out with a bang and win a lot of races. This takes the load off me during the week with how busy I am with my businesses."

The duo swept the season finale at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., last month during the first time Hagar drove for Rains.

"I really feel like if you want to look at it realistically, we have a hell of a shot at winning every night regardless of where we are at," Rains said. "Equipment, driver, everything. I just think it'll be a good combination."

Hagar will also compete for Paul Hart in approximately a dozen 410ci winged sprint car shows next season when the schedule allows.

The offseason has a pair of events as well with Hagar driving for B.J. Gatewood in all four 600cc micro sprint classes during the 40 th annual Tulsa Shootout Dec. 31 - Jan. 4. He will return to Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla., less than two weeks later to pilot a midget for Chris Chappue during the Chili Bowl Nationals Jan. 13-18.

UP NEXT -

Dec. 31 - Jan. 4 at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla., for the 40 th annual Tulsa Shootout

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.DerekHagarRacing.com

X: http://www.twitter.com/dhrracing

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Nutrien Ag Solutions

Nutrien Ag Solutions® is the retail division of Nutrien® Ltd., the world's largest crop inputs company. We provide full-acre solutions through a network of trusted crop consultants at more than 1,700 global locations. We help growers achieve the highest yields with the most sustainable solutions possible, offering a wide selection of products, including our proprietary brands: Loveland Products, Inc.®, Proven® Seed and Dyna-Gro® Seed. For more information, visit http://www.NutrienAgSolutions.com .

"Nutrien Ag Solutions is big into racing and a big sponsor for Jonathan Davenport," Hagar said. "It really came about through our powder coating business and it's turned into a good relationship. I always thought it'd be cool to have Nutrien Ag Solutions as a sponsor being here in Arkansas. I feel fortunate to be picked to carry their name on our race car."

Hagar would like to thank Nutrien Ag Solutions, Sonic of Dyersburg, Keith Jones Promotions, Boat Warehouse, West Tennessee Expediting, Inc., Ameri-Panel, J&J Auto Racing, B & D Towing and Recovery, FK Rod Ends, Dynotech Performance Race Engines, A.M.P., Fragola Performance Systems, Administrative Consulting Services, Killer Coatings, Beazt Composites, Xtreme Race Graphics, Southern Collision Centre, AR Dyno Specialty, Jeff's Heating and Cooling, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Weld Wheels, DHR Suspension, Hinchman Racewear, Wix Filters, Valvoline, Ti64, High Performance Lubricants, CP-Carillo and Builtwiser Wings for their continued support.

Kaleb Johnson and Team DGRD Teaming Up in 2025 for Big Season

Inside Line Promotions - SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dec. 9, 2024) - Kaleb Johnson is joining forces with Team DGRD and car owners Dennis and Betty Gainey in 2025.

"We're planning on an aggressive 60-to-80 race schedule," Johnson said. "It will be primarily 410s with a few 360 shows. I'd say between 30 and 40 races will be either with the World of Outlaws or High Limit Racing.

"Racing for points at Knoxville Raceway (in Knoxville, Iowa) and at Huset's Speedway (in Brandon, S.D.) will be our main focus. I really want to try to repeat as champion at Huset's and have a career-best year at Knoxville. I think racing for Dennis and Betty will provide more opportunities to try to get that done at both tracks."

Johnson earned his first career track championship at Huset's Speedway last season in his No. 22k sprint car. He also enjoyed many stout moments driving for the Gaineys, including winning a preliminary night at the 360 Knoxville Nationals as well as making his debut at the 4-Crown Nationals, the Williams Grove National Open and the World of Outlaws World Finals.

Johnson's 55 races last year was a career high and he's elected to focus full time on racing next year.

"I'm leaving my job in a few months," he said. "I'm so thankful for the last five years of them allowing me to work and race. I've always wanted to race as much as I can and this opportunity provides that. I think it will help us both utilize my shop in Sioux Falls and his in Knoxville. We can race at both tracks and still race hopefully 80 times. I will be focusing on racing 100 precent and hopefully that will take me to the next level."

The planned season opener is slated for April 11-12 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

"I'm really looking forward to next season," Johnson said. "I've had a lot of long-time supporters that will continue to support me in this new opportunity. I'm grateful for their continued support as well as Dennis and Betty for the opportunity."

MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.kalebjohnsonracing.com/

X: https://twitter.com/Kaleb___Johnson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KalebJohnsonRacing22

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Hefty Seed Company

Hefty Seed Company, which is located in Baltic, S.D., dates back to 1969. The family business has grown to more than 50 stores and is the seventh largest crop protection retailer in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.HeftySeed.com .

"I've had the opportunity to get to know the team at Hefty Seed Company over the last year and we're looking forward to a great partnership in 2025," Johnson said.

Johnson would like to thank Hefty Seed Company, Oddson Underground, Inc., Blondie Motorsports, Innovative Design/Sletten Properties, Construction Products & Consultants, GRP Motorsports, Folkens Brothers Trucking, DKW Transport, Merle Johnson Farm Toys, Epoxy Co., State Bank of Fairmont, Specialized Caulking Sealants, AB Custom Construction, the Ron Weber Team, Mike Brudigan Home Loans, Heartland Properties, Clarks Custom Coatings, New Era Plumbing, ICE Contractors, Speedquip Motorsports, Norwalk Small Engine Repair, Janssen Fabrication, MPD, Ti22, Smith Ti, Hellraizer Jacks, DMI, 8740 Suspension, Maxim, HRP Wings, Hepfner Racing Products, Keizer Wheels, Hoosier Racing Tire, Howe Motorsports, FID Media and Parker Engines for their continued support.

Delaney Gray secures 2024 INEX N.C. Bandolero Bandit championship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – LA GRANGE, N.C. (Dec. 4, 2024) – For the first time in INEX history, a female competitor has captured the North Carolina Bandolero Bandit state championship.

That competitor is 12-year-old Delaney Gray, who secured the state championship thanks to an incredible season that included 21 victories and 31 top five finishes. Her wins came at a variety of tracks, including Southern National Motorsports Park and New River All American Speedway.

“Seeing Delaney’s hard work and determination pay off is extremely gratifying,” said Brandon Gray, Delaney’s father. “She has to work extremely hard to race at a competitive level and it’s simply amazing to see what God is doing in her life and the lessons she is learning. She has a big heart and a ton of drive to be successful and she has a great mentor in her crew chief, Blaise Brinkley.

“Blaise has helped her development to a point she could contend for a state title. This is just as much his as it is hers. I’m so proud of what they have accomplished together.”

The INEX North Carolina Bandolero Bandit state championship is a monumental achievement for Gray, who began her racing career just a few short years ago.

Last year she ranked fourth in the North Carolina Bandolero Bandit standings after scoring 11 wins, which gave her all the motivation she needed to pursue the championship again during the 2024 season.

“Being crowned the North Carolina Bandit champion is an honor and my largest accomplishment so far,” said Delaney Gray. “Being the first female to accomplish this in my age bracket is so amazing. I’m so thankful God has blessed me the ability and platform to perform at a high level. I hope that I can encourage other your females to follow their dreams and show them that hard work pays off.

“I owe a big thank you to my Mom and Dad, crew chief Blaise Brinkley, Matt and Zach for always believing in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. I want to Thank my sisters Emalyn and Olivia for traveling all over and giving up valuable family time for me to race. Mr. Mike Gordon, I do not know what else to say. Words cannot express how grateful I am that you took me in, treated me like family and gave us bad fast cars. And finally, Miss Tonya from MPM Marketing, you are much more than my agent, you are a life coach, mentor and a dear friend to me.”

Delaney is already looking forward to the upcoming 2025 season. Her plans will be announced soon.

Delaney would like to thank her family and all of her sponsors, including Carolina Family Pool & Patio, MPM Marketing, Bob’s Muffler Shop of Goldsboro, W.G. Speeks Inc., Carolina Mobile Refrigeration, K1 RaceGear and Swift Springs.

BRENT SEXTON WRAPPED UP HIS 2024 SEASON AT THE TURKEY NIGHT GRAND PRIX

(Lakeside, CA, December 4, 2023) A little over 10 months after it all began, Sexton Gatlin Racing’s Brent Sexton wrapped up the 2024 campaign on Thanksgiving weekend in the 83rd running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Ventura Raceway. The veteran racer competed in the Inland Rigging Ultimate Sprint Car Series portion of the program.

The two-night show matched Lakeside, California-based Sexton against a stellar field of drivers from around the nation. Friday’s preliminary night saw 50 cars show up at the tiny 1/5 of a mile track on the beach at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Sexton, a 52-year-old Tennessee native, qualified fifth fastest in his group with a lap of 12.789. Powered by a former Rico Abreu Shaver 360 engine, the three-time lightning sprint car champion had a good starting position in his heat race on the inside of row three. Unfortunately, a tap with another car saw his right rear go flat. The deflation saw him finish 10th.

That flat tire meant that Brent had to go to one of the B mains. The race was only 12 laps long and would go by in the blink of an eye on the little track. Starting ninth in the 10-car field, the wily veteran had to finish third to transfer to the A main. The laps wound down quickly and Sexton drove his way to sixth. However, time ran out before he could get past three more cars, and he was done for the night.

The following evening, Brent had one shot at making the A-main. That came in one of the three B mains. It was a 12-lapper like Friday night, and he was starting ninth. However, this time he only had to get to fourth. Once again, he began passing cars and raced his way up to sixth. But like the night before, the laps ticked off quickly. Brent ended up two spots shy of the transfer. That ended his racing weekend and put wraps on his 2024 season.

SGR is already making plans for the 2025 campaign, with the first race of the year coming in February. If you would like to join the team for a fun, exciting ride on the sprint car trail, call Brent Sexton or email him at the contact information at the top of this release.

Sexton Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2024 season possible. East County Electric Works, Keys Brothers, BR Motorsports, Maxima Oil, Automated Interiors, Valley Lubricant Services, Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Troy Dirt.