A more diverse year of racing ahead for the Stoner Car Care crew
Thursday, January 19, 2023
The team, however, will not be chasing a finish in the Bronze Cup series, but instead will focus on a wider range of race types, including the World Racing League (WRL) endurance series, the new IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge, and a smaller amount of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Series races.
All three race types are multi-level, multi-turn road course endurance races. The largest difference between the races will be the length of time spent racing and the number of drivers. The longest races will be the WRL Series ranging up to two 8-hour race days and commanding three different drivers to work together. The IMSA Michelin Pilot Series averages 4-hours with two drivers, and the new VP Racing Sportscar Challenge is a sprint race up to 1-hour long and only using one driver.
Stoner CEO and Driver, Robert Ecklin, Jr. will once again be behind the wheel for several of the races this season. “I’m always excited, always thankful to be out there on the track, because it’s not something you can assume will happen.” stated Ecklin. “I enjoy running with my co-driver, Ramin [Abdolvahabi], and I’ve been working with Dave Russell as a team owner for many years now. It's a wonderful relationship with a great cultured team of people that he has employed and brings to the track. Everybody works hard to put a good car on the track - a good car that is podium possible. So, if the drivers can deliver - and we’re always working like hell to deliver - that makes for a good weekend!”
When asked why the shift to a wider range of races this year, Ecklin responded...
“I race to extend the branding of our products, and personally to become a better race car driver: race craft, lap times, technique, understanding the car better, understanding tracks better, understanding the competitors. This will allow that expansion while presenting a new challenge.”
Source material – Stoner Car Care
