Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website #21, #33 and #98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR | Round 1 of the 2020 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge | January 22 - 25, 2020
gennaio 25, 2020 - Hyundai

#21, #33 and #98 Hyundai Veloster N TCR | Round 1 of the 2020 IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge | January 22 - 25, 2020

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. 

Racetrack: Daytona International Speedway
3.56-mile “Roval”, features 12 turns
Race: Friday, January 24, 2020 at 1:00pm ET
TV: Live on NBC Gold “TrackPass” – condensed race broadcast on NBCSN, Feb. 6th at 1pm ET
Listen: Live on #imsa Radio at www.IMSA.com
Live updates are available throughout the weekend on BHA social media and www.bryanhertaautosport.com


FAST FACTS:

Strategizing #daytonaThe 2019 IMPC season opener at #daytona International Speedway featured 49 cars…there were 100 laps raced and 350 miles completed in four hours.  The pace of the race was slowed by nine caution periods for a total of 42 laps and 93 minutes.  Looking at the four-hour challenge this year, BHA engineers are predicting four pit stops, burning 80 gallons of VP #racing fuel and have six sets of Michelin tires available.

Champions:  Bryan Herta Autosport w/ Curb Agajanian return for their sophomore season in the #imsa Michelin Pilot Challenge as Champions.  Mark Wilkins and Michael Lewis won three races and finished outside of the top-five only twice to win the 2019 title, the first professional championship for both Mark and Michael.  Teammates Harry Gottsacker and Mason Filippi had an incredible rookie season last year, completing the sweep for BHA, they scored their first #imsa victory and finished second in the championship.

From 2 to 5:  Hyundai has quickly made an impact on the TCR scene in North America, having won 18 races and two championships in their first two seasons.  Teams are taking notice…there are five #hyundai #velosterntcr cars entered in the Michelin Pilot Challenge season opener, including a third entry at BHA.   Open wheel standouts Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman join the BHA squad, in the #33 #hyundai #velosterntcr.  Chaves set the fastest #hyundai time at The Roar, lapping the #daytona “Roval” in 1:59.222.

Mixing It Up: All four drivers from 2019 are back, but the pairings have changed for 2020.  Mason Filippi now joins Michael Lewis in the #98 #velosterntcr, while Mark Wilkins moves to the #21 to co-drive with Harry Gottsacker.

Bryan Herta: “It’s been a very busy off-season at BHA, we expanded to a three-car team, we recently moved our shop to Main Street in Speedway and we have a few other exciting endeavors to announce soon. I’m very proud of the team and their hard work.  We’re all excited to start the season.”

DRIVER QUOTES:

#21 Harry Gottsacker: “You can’t ask for a better teammate than a past series champion.  Mark has raced in touring cars, GT3, and prototypes and those are all places that I want to drive in my career.  He is so detail oriented and I’m hoping that I can grab some of that knowledge.  We have always got on well and I can’t wait to share a car with him. As Bryan has said, we are really a team of six drivers all working together for the same goal.  It is a unique approach and one that delivers results. Kicking the season off with a four-hour race is exciting. The four-hour races tend to have a lot more opportunity to capitalize on strategy, especially when you have a strong crew and driver line up. My goal is to put the car up front and in the same shape the crew gave it to me in!”

#21 Mark Wilkins: “The 2019 season was a real success for #hyundai and the entire Bryan Herta Autosport team! We left one box unchecked and we have some unfinished business in 2020. It’s fantastic to see five #hyundai #velosterntcr cars running this season and we will be squarely focused on capturing that manufacturer’s championship for #hyundai this year.  I’ve said this many times…under our BHA tent we’ve always been a collective team of drivers. This year I’m elated to race alongside Harry after getting to know him in 2019 and seeing firsthand his talents behind the wheel. Our #21 #velosterntcr was dialed at the ROAR test and we’re excited to get the season fired up this week!”

#33 Gabby Chaves: “The #velosterntcr is awesome – it’s fast and it handles really well. It inspires a lot of confidence, which in turn makes it easy for the drivers. It’s very hard to find a program like this, with the level of commitment from #hyundai and the entire BHA team, I’m so blessed and happy to be here. There’s just something about the diversity here in #imsa that I really like. IndyCar is great, but it’s one driver, one car. Across #imsa, there are numerous classes of cars and drivers, and you must work together as a team with your co-driver. There are pro drivers in every car across all the categories so no matter what car you’re in, you’re driving against top tier drivers. The competition is tough, but I think we’re going to have a great season.”

#33 Gabby Chaves: “The #velosterntcr is awesome – it’s fast and it handles really well. It inspires a lot of confidence, which in turn makes it easy for the drivers. It’s very hard to find a program like this, with the level of commitment from #hyundai and the entire BHA team, I’m so blessed and happy to be here. There’s just something about the diversity here in #imsa that I really like. IndyCar is great, but it’s one driver, one car. Across #imsa, there are numerous classes of cars and drivers, and you must work together as a team with your co-driver. There are pro drivers in every car across all the categories so no matter what car you’re in, you’re driving against top tier drivers. The competition is tough, but I think we’re going to have a great season.”

#98 Mason Filippi: “I learned so much last year in my rookie season in #imsa.  The BHA team is a cohesive group and I think it shows in our performance.  This year, co-driving with our current champion, Michael Lewis is going to be awesome.  He is so fast and so precise. I have a unique opportunity as his co-driver to learn from his experience and I am ready to maximize every lap.”

#98 Michael Lewis: “It is so special to be returning with Bryan Herta Autosport to race the No. 98 #velosterntcr race car alongside Mason Filippi this year. There is a sincere desire to win within this team and within #hyundai.  We have fast, reliable race cars…it’s a place where drivers want to be!  It was an honor to win the championship with Mark Wilkins last year, he is a great friend and co-driver.  Returning this year as the defending champion is a unique feeling, but this season is going to be even more intense.  In order to repeat…there can’t be any mistakes…execution is the name of the game; we can’t leave anything on the table with the level of competition in the Michelin Pilot Challenge.  It’s going to be a great season #racing alongside Mason, he is super-fast, and he makes good moves and good decisions on track. This driver combination and the combination for our other team cars will give us a shot to earn #hyundai a Manufacturer’s Championship and that is what we are here to do!”