Seven AMR Vantage GT4 crews get their Michelin Pillot Challenge test at Daytona underway
Friday, January 19, 2024
Like their VP Racing Sportscar Challenge Series runners before them, the mixed bag of GT4 and TCR cars of the Michelin Pilot Challenge also got their first laps in today as they also take part within the IMSA Roar before the 24-official test from the Florida circuit.
Only at the circuit in an elective capacity this weekend ahead of next weekend’s four-hour opener to their 2024 campaign, seven Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 teams help to bolster this weekend’s entry to twenty-seven GS class (GT4) that will again run alongside a twelve strong TCR class.
Five test sessions across the Friday, Saturday and Sunday event will help these teams and drivers settle back into the throws of competitive motorsport after something of a brief winter break since the last round of the season at Road Atlanta in mid-October last year.
Since the provisional entry list was first published by IMSA earlier this month, there has been a few changes within a couple of the Aston Martin Racing contingent – first with the Plumb brothers splitting up within the two Team TGM entries as Matt Plumb is now partnered by Owen Trinkler within the #46 car whilst Hugh now partners team boss Ted Giovanis and Kris Wilson within the #64 car.
The second change saw Lamborghini Trofeo racer Dominic Starkweather step into the #19 Van Der Steur AMR entry alongside Rory Van Der Steur and Valentin Hasse-Clot in lieu of the published Tiger Tari.
That leaves the other AMR entries of the #88 Archangel (Todd Coleman/Aaron Telitz), #9 Automatic Racing (Ramin Abdolvahabi/Rob Ecklin/Brandon Kidd), ##71 Rebel Rock Racing (Frank DePew/Robin Liddell/Andrew Davis) and #16 Skip Barber Racing (IMSA Diverse Driver Scholarship winner Ken Fukuda/Carter Fartuch/Will Lambros) as previously advertised with the Rebel Rock crew still the only ones listed as running the new for 2024 Vantage GT4 Evo.
That leaves the other AMR entries of the #88 Archangel (Todd Coleman/Aaron Telitz), #9 Automatic Racing (Ramin Abdolvahabi/Rob Ecklin/Brandon Kidd), ##71 Rebel Rock Racing (Frank DePew/Robin Liddell/Andrew Davis) and #16 Skip Barber Racing (IMSA Diverse Driver Scholarship winner Ken Fukuda/Carter Fartuch/Will Lambros) as previously advertised with the Rebel Rock crew still the only ones listed as running the new for 2024 Vantage GT4 Evo.
Today’s opening test session saw both Team TGM and Archangel AMR crews enter pace setting times of just under a second off last year’s race pace, ending the morning 2nd, 3rd, and 4th on the timing screen whilst the others were more conservative in their approach to the day.
As we already know – testing is one thing, but racing is something else completely and only championship points help to win prizes!!
Photo credits – Teams / social media
