Dwyer Confirmed for Full Season; Mazdas Confirm CTSC Entries

U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Liam Dwyer, who was one of the more inspirational stories in both the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and in racing on the whole in 2014, will return to CTSC for the full 2015 season.

Dwyer will share the ST class No. 26 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 with Andrew Carbonell. Carbonell won twice in 2014 co-driving with Randy Pobst, and Dwyer scored the win co-driving with Tom Long at Lime Rock.

“I thought things couldn’t get better after last season, but Mazda has once again shown how immensely awesome they are,” Dwyer said.

“To be granted a full ride in the Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5 is the ultimate dream come true. And on top of that, I have one of the fastest MX-5 drivers, Andrew Carbonell, as my co-driver. I can’t thank Derek Whitis, Rhett O’Doski and everyone at Mazda enough for this opportunity.”

Added Carbonell, “I have had the honor of getting to know Liam through the select races he drove with Freedom Autosport in 2014. To watch the inspiration and motivation from Liam from afar makes one understand the sacrifices one makes to follow their dreams whatever the circumstance may be.”

The Freedom No. 26 car is confirmed for the full season with the team’s second car, the No. 25, entered for Daytona but has the driver lineup TBA. Mark and Mat Pombo, who drove the car last year, shift to Rebel Rock Racing.

Beyond the Freedom team, CJ Wilson Racing has also confirmed its lineup for 2015. CJWR will feature the same four full-season drivers, with Marc Miller and Tyler McQuarrie in the No. 3 Mazda MX-5 and Stevan McAleer and Chad McCumbee in the sister No. 5 car.

The Austin-based team is, once again, partnering with the American Petroleum Institute (API) to promote it’s ‘Motor Oil Matters’ campaign. Motor Oil Matters (MOM) is API’s program for licensing motor oil distributors and oil change locations.

“Daytona really is the start of everything great in the sports car calendar,” Wilson said. “This year we have some new and exciting partnerships on the business front and through the race team’s development our dealer group has grown in tandem. Being in the automotive business on both the sales and racing side has really been a great education these last few years.”