NTE Sport, MC2 Autosport Join Forces for Aston GT4 Effort

Photo: NTE Sport

Two years after making its Michelin Pilot Challenge debut, NTE Sport will return to the series in a new collaboration with mc2 autosport.

NTE/MC2 will enter the No. 12 Aston Martin Vantage GT4, which will be driven in next weekend’s four-hour season opener by Manny Franco, Josh Hurley and Romeo Kapudija.

The partnership brings together NTE Sport team owner Paul Mata and mc2 autosport founder Michael Conn.

Conn created mc2 autosport after departing from his GT4 crew chief position at Park Place Motorsports in 2019. Mata, also a Park Place alumni, partnered with mc2 to provide logistics and equipment for the program.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to partner with Paul Mata and NTE Sport for this event,” said Conn. “Paul and I have known each other for more than 15 years.

“I have worked for him off and on, and he has helped me all the same.

“We both have racing teams in the Dallas area and both were going to the same race tracks so it made sense for us to put our resources together to create a competitive effort and get some new drivers into the sport.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity and hope to have a fun time while we learn and compete.”

Having made his debut in Ferrari Challenge last year, Franco is set for his first GT4 outing, joined by sports car racing veterans Hurley and Kapudija, who is returning to driving after a 11-year hiatus. 

The team has yet to confirm additional races beyond next weekend’s Pilot Challenge season-opener.

In addition to the Pilot Challenge program, NTE Sport is also fielding a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, as part of a planned full-season effort in GTD.

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