ELMS Squad Nielsen to Expand into IMSA Competition

European Le Mans Series LMP3 front-runner Nielsen Racing has announced that it will expand into IMSA Prototype Challenge competition next year.

The British outfit will field a Norma M30 Nissan in the six-round series which kicks off at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 3-5.

Experienced LMP3 competitors Garett Grist and Rob Hodes, who raced a K2R Motorsports Ligier JS P3 Nissan last season, will switch teams to spearhead Nielsen’s effort.

The same pairing also contested this year’s Michelin Le Mans Cup in a United Autosports Ligier.

24-year-old Canadian Grist finished second in last season’s Asian Le Mans Series standings with United and also completed a full ELMS campaign, in addition to his IMSA and MLMC runs with Hodes.

Their 2020 IMSA Prototype Challenge program will take place alongside an Asian LMS program, also with a Nielsen Norma.

Nielsen Racing entered a Norma and a Ligier into this year’s ELMS with the former – driven by Colin Noble and Tony Wells – finishing fifth in the standings.

“This is very exciting; we’re really looking forward to competing in the US for the first time,” said team principal David ‘Sven’ Thompson.

“We’re delighted to continue our relationship with Rob, Garett and Charles Crews in this exciting program.

“We have plenty of experience now with the new Norma from first European Le Mans Series and then from Asia, so we can’t wait to get started in Daytona.”