A fist full of Aston Martin Vantage GT4s to do IMSA battle around the streets of St Petes

The official entry list may say four, but we believe there to be more Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 powered crews entered into this weekend’s IndyCar support VP Racing Sportscar Challenge race from St Petersburg.

The three indicated full season entries all return albeit with one slight change aboard one of them whilst the Prosport Competition team field a guest entry for a certain reigning GT America GT4 Champion and another also chases seat time after a disappointing showing first time out this season in Michelin Pilot Challenge.

Ruckus Racing is back with Scott Blind again behind the wheel of his #45 car whilst Frank DePew should get to run in his first race of the year with his 2024 Rebel Rock Racing prepared Vantage GT4 Evo having suffered technical issues with the brand new car last time out at Daytona that prevented him from running in the opening two races at the Roar.

The #82 Van Der Steur Aston Martin is in attendance but rather than Brady Behrman behind the wheel, they will be debuting Michelin Pilot Challenge Porsche racer Jackson Lee for this event. We believe that this has been scheduled for some weeks now, but we haven’t seen any explanation as to why this is – other than perhaps, prior commitments on Behrman’s part?!

Last time out at Daytona, Archangel ran an AMR for Robbie McWilliams, but it appears that he will not be back at this street circuit round, but the team will be preparing a car for MPC full season entrant, Todd Coleman after he suffered something of a disaster at the season opener with technical issues and penalties as a result of exploits on track. This will be all about seat time and dialling himself back in before the next round of the MPC season from Sebring in a couple of weeks.

Finally, and for similar reasons for Coleman, we see that Jason Bell will be back in action at St Pete’s – not because he has suddenly enlisted upon the IMSA entry rather than for seat time at a circuit he loves (and usually wins at in a GT4) before he embarks upon a full GT3 season in GT America.

Two Free Practice sessions and Qualifying are scheduled for this Friday before running two forty-five-minute races on Saturday around the tight 1.8 mile circuit. That leaves little margin for error with the consequences that a street derived circuit can quickly bring to race cars!!

Photo credits – Teams / social media / IMSA