James Explains Heart of Racing’s Move to Pilot Challenge

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Ian James has explained Heart of Racing’s pivot to IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, which has resulted in exiting the SRO America paddock after a five-year stint.

The Aston Martin squad, which fields entries ranging from the top Hypercar/GTP ranks in the FIA World Endurance Championship and WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, in the LMGT3/GTD classes, as well as GT4-spec machinery, has consolidated its efforts around WEC and IMSA-sanctioned competition this year.

The team’s Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo entry in GT World Challenge America powered by AWS has been parked in favor of its FIA Bronze-rated driver, Gray Newell, stepping into the team’s newly expanded second WEC LMGT3 entry.

Its long-standing Pirelli GT4 America entry featuring the female pairing of Hannah Grisham and Hannah Greenemeier, now compete in the Pilot Challenge GS class, with the Hannahs and third driver Michael David Ortmann coming off an 11th place finish in last month’s four-hour season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Speaking with Sportscar365, team principal James indicated the changes for this year has come as a natural evolution for its drivers and team.

“Gray has moved to WEC and the Hannah’s have moved to Pilot Challenge,” he said. “The longer races for the girls is a real good educational tool. They always did really well in the longer SRO COTA races.

“Obviously, we’re also streamlining it a bit cuts down on some of the clashes and weekends.

“It’s a good stage for them to be on. To have 30 cars in the same class rather than [three] different classes in GT4 [America], I think it’s the next evolution for them.

“They did a good job at Daytona. Unfortunately they got spun around. But I think they surprised a few people and they’ve got a chance to run towards the front.”

Grisham said she was excited to “grow” with the team into its new GS class effort.

“It was a good first stint in the Michelin Pilot Challenge,” she said. “The whole goal for me was to keep the car clean and hand it over to my teammates.

“I was able to save a bit of fuel in the first stint and ended up with a really good pit stop going from tenth to third.

“In my second stint I saw more yellows coming out which made things a bit more interesting with strategy. Overall we finished 11th with the car in one piece. We all had a great time and had fun while doing so.”

Greenemeier added: “It was definitely a little hectic out there with full course yellows and with the restarts. Overall I had a lot of fun racing with Hannah and Mike. Everybody did a great job the entire week.

“Unfortunately during my stint, I was sandwiched between two cars and got the lesser end of the deal, resulting in a spin. It’s such an amazing opportunity to race in the Michelin Pilot Challenge this year and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”

Despite not fielding any cars in SRO America this year, James said they haven’t turned their backs on the series.

“The door is always open,” he said. “I’ve had some good times in the SRO championship and they do certain things that I really like.

“It’s just not the right place right now. But it doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future.”

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