Shane Lewis to Defend 24H Dubai Crown

Photo: John Dagys

Following class wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai in 2013, Shane Lewis will return to the Middle East next week looking to defend his crown in the first twice-around-the-clock enduro of the year.

The popular American driver confirmed this week that he’ll rejoin the Cor Euser Racing team, reuniting with Vic Rice in the Lotus Evora that took them the SP3 class victory one year ago.

Fellow American Hal Prewitt, team owner Cor Euser and Richard Venburg will complete the lineup in the mid-engined sports car, which was built to GT4 regulations.

“This race just gets bigger, more prestigious and more top professional teams want to win it,” Lewis said. “We beat out a factory team last year plus some of the top European competitors around.

“The car is well prepared and the no one wants to win this race again as much as I do. She has a beautiful new paint job, new bodywork and well sorted components. Our job is to take all that hard work to the front, keep it there and not put a wheel wrong.”

More than 80 cars are expected to take the start in the race, which has served as the kickoff to the international endurance racing season.

“The odds of winning a second 24 hour race at Dubai aren’t in anyone’s favor,” Lewis said. “It never is for an event that’s so long and so tough on the cars, drivers and crew. But If I worried about the odds, I never would have become a race car driver.

“I am coming there to win, why else would you travel half way around the world to race 24 hours in the middle of the desert?”

Lewis will be among roughly a half-dozen American drivers taking part in the 2014 edition of the race, which will include Bill Auberlen and newly signed Turner Motorsport driver Dane Cameron, both in a Schubert Motorsport BMW Z4 with Canadian Paul Dalla Lana.

The event takes place from Jan. 8-11.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John