BHA Confirms Expansion to Three-Car Hyundai TCR Program

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Bryan Herta Autosport has confirmed an expansion into a three-car TCR operation with Hyundai for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, with the addition of Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman as drivers.

It comes amid a driver shuffle that will see reigning class champions Michael Lewis and Mark Wilkins split up between the two other Hyundai Veloster N TCR entries.

As revealed by Sportscar365 last year, BHA had been planning an expansion in Pilot Challenge to better its chances of securing the manufacturers’ championship for the Korean automaker, which it lost out to Audi last year.

Lewis will co-drive the No. 98 Hyundai with Mason Filippi, who along with Harry Gottsacker, also return to the program for 2020.

Gottsacker will now share driving duties with Wilkins in the No. 21 Hyundai, with new additions Chaves and Norman in the No. 88 car.

“Hyundai has very quickly established themselves as serious competitors in worldwide motorsports across multiple platforms,” said team principal Bryan Herta.

“Bringing back our champions, Mark Wilkins and Michael Lewis, along with race winners Mason Filippi and Harry Gottsacker, for another season was a no-brainer. 

“Having another incredible pairing in Gabby Chaves and Ryan Norman is sure to make us even stronger this season.”

Chaves makes his return to BHA after winning the 2015 IndyCar Rookie of the Year title with the team.

“It’s so great to start 2020 on such a positive note and coming back to BHA is just awesome,” said Chaves.

Norman makes his move to sports car racing after finishing fourth in the Indy Lights championship in 2018 and 2019.

“Bryan Herta became a mentor to me while I drove at Andretti Autosport,” Norma said. 

The Indianapolis-based team is running two Veloster N TCRs in this weekend’s Roar Before the Rolex 24 split between its six drivers. 

Two additional Hyundais are set to contest the TCR class with IMSA Prototype Challenge graduates Forty7 Motorsports.

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