HART Returns; KohR, LA Honda World Expand for Laguna Seca

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

A number of notable IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge teams are set to either return to competition or expand its efforts for this weekend’s penultimate round of the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The entry list for Saturday’s two-hour contest features 35 cars, despite the ceasing of operations of eEuroparts Racing, which had fielded three Audis for the majority of the season.

Twenty-two GS class entries are entered, including the return of the second KohR Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4, which features a new lineup of Ari Balogh and Greg Liefooghe .

Ramsey Racing makes its first start of the season with its Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Alexandre Premat and Mark Ramsey, while the second CarBahn with Peregrine Racing Audi R8 LMS GT4 will continue with a revised lineup of Tom Dyer and Sameer Gandhi.

Moorespeed, which made its Pilot Challenge debut at Virginia International Raceway with an Audi GT4 for Rob Ferriol and Spencer Pumpelly, is also again on the entry list in GS, while Dominik Baumann will sub for Indy Dontje in the No. 33 Winward Racing/HTP Motorsport Mercedes GT4.

There’s also changes to Automatic Racing’s lineups, with Kris Wilson returning to action and Rob Ecklin Jr. back in the No. 09 Aston Martin Vantage GT4.

HART Returns, LA Honda World Back to Three Entries 

Fan-favorite HART, meanwhile, will be back in action after a one-race hiatus due to work commitments for its largely volunteer Honda of America staffed-effort for drivers Ryan Eversley and Chad Gilsinger.

There will be an additional Honda Civic Type-R TCR on the grid this weekend as well, with LA Honda World Racing returning to a three-car operation for the first time since Watkins Glen.

Mat Pombo and Mike LaMarra will pilot the team’s No. 73 Honda.

Other changes in the TCR class include Ryan Nash in for Mark Kvamme in the No. 3 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR.

A promoter test day is scheduled for Pilot Challenge competitors tomorrow, with official on-track action getting underway on Friday.

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