Holton to Lead Crucial McLaren GTD Lineup in Rolex 24

Photo: Crucial Motorsports

Crucial Motorsports has confirmed Paul Holton, Lance Bergstein, Jon Miller and Patrick Gallagher as drivers for its McLaren 720S GT3 in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The Orlando-based team, which made its professional debut in last year’s Indianapolis 8 Hour, previously announced plans to make its 24-hour race debut as part of a four-race program in the Michelin Endurance Cup.

“I’m excited to be leading this program with Jon, Pat and Lance,” said Holton, who also serves as team manager. “McLaren provides an incredible GT3 car I expect us to perform well.

“We have an experienced crew and will continue our engineering partnership with JOTA Sport. We’re confident about our preparation.”

Bergstein is set for his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut and will drive alongside his longtime coach Miller.

“This race is a step up for me, competing on the biggest stage in sports car racing,” Bergstein said. “I’m confident in taking that step with Jon and the team at Crucial around me.”

Miller added: “It’s exciting to tackle this race with Lance, Paul and Patrick representing JDRF, Crucial and McLaren.

“I got my first taste of the 720S GT3 a few weeks ago and I couldn’t stop smiling. Paul and [operations director] Aaron Nash have assembled a deep roster of crew and engineers.

“The Crucial name might be new to IMSA but none of the people are. We’re looking forward to the challenge in front of us.”

Former Mazda MX-5 Cup champion Gallagher, meanwhile, is set for his GTD debut after recent standout drives in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.

“I’ve been working hard to drive in this race since my dad brought me as a kid,” he said. “Joining Crucial Motorsports in the McLaren 720S GT3 is a dream come true.

“I owe thanks to a lot of people who helped get me to this point in my career.”

The team has not declared its lineup beyond Daytona, with Sportscar365 understanding that additional races could be added to its schedule.

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