Jr III ‘Weighing Options’ for Expanded LMP3 Operation

Photo: Phil Abbott/IMSA

Jr III Racing could expand into a two-car LMP3 class operation in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year according to team owner Billy Glavin, who is currently ‘weighing options’ for the Rolex 24 at Daytona and a potential second car.

The Charlotte-based squad, which finished second in the season-long LMP3 standings, will return with Garrett Grist and Ari Balogh in one Ligier JS P320 Nissan beginning with the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March.

A potential run in the Rolex 24, which doesn’t count for full-season WeatherTech Championship points in LMP3, meanwhile, is currently under evaluation.

“We will have Garret and Ari back in the No. 30 for the full-season starting at Sebring, which is fantastic as they are a great pairing,” said Glavin.

“We have a lot that we can build on in our second full-season here at the WeatherTech level and I’m thrilled that we are able to continue with both of them next year.

“We want to run the 24—but only if the program is capable of winning the race.

“There are no championship points, so winning is the only thing for that race and we don’t want to be there just to make up the numbers.”

With the team electing not to continue racing LMP3 machinery in the new-for-2023 VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, which replaces IMSA Prototype Challenge, Glavin indicated they are taking an all-in approach on the WeatherTech Championship next year.

“With our IPC program winding down, we have all the people and equipment we need to run a very competitive two-car program in WeatherTech,” he said.

“We’d like to have that be a full-season campaign, but we are also getting a lot of interest in the endurance-only aspect, so that is our focus right now, sorting through those scenarios and potentially getting some testing in as well.”

The team recently purchased an additional Ligier for its targeted expanded effort in the series.

“Having just launched the professional racing side of our program in 2019, we’ve been able to continue to grow to support what our customers are looking to do,” Glavin said.

“Right now, the interest in IMSA is just over the top, so we feel like it is a very good place to be.

“Obviously with the GTPs coming in, there is a lot of excitement, but that’s also true of the other categories like P3, so we are just trying to make the best decision to be competitive with whatever program we decide to go with.”

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