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Starworks Withdraws from Road America, LMP2 Sprint Races

Peter Baron-led squad to focus on remaining Michelin Endurance Cup races only…

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Tower Motorsport by Starworks has become the latest LMP2 causality, having confirmed its withdrawal from next weekend’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round at Road America and likely the remainder of the sprint races.

The Florida-based team, featuring Ryan Dalziel and John Farano, had initially earmarked a full-season campaign with its Oreca 07 Gibson.

However, those plans have since changed, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reduced the team’s program to the three remaining Michelin Endurance Cup races only.

Starworks confirmed its withdrawal from Road America on its Twitter account Friday afternoon.

“We are sorry to inform our fans that like many other race teams, our 2020 plans have changed due to the current COVID pandemic,” the statement read.

“We have officially withdrawn from next weekend’s event at Road America, and will likely only run the three remaining endurance events.

“With several European crew members and a Canadian driver, who is also a full-time businessman, the current quarantine mandates in their respective countries make it impossible to able attend other commitments and maintain quarantine guidelines.

“We are so grateful to everyone at IMSA for all their hard work, consistently rolling with the punches that 2020 has dealt. They’ve done everything to make our return to racing as safe as possible and we applaud them for their successful previous two events.

“We are very sorry to have to deliver this news, and will be sure to keep our fans updated as things progress.”

The development comes in the wake of DragonSpeed reducing its IMSA LMP2 program, citing its recently confirmed 2nd entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

While DragonSpeed will be present at both Road America and the season-ending Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, it will potentially leave just three LMP2 entries for the rounds currently scheduled at Watkins Glen International and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Last weekend’s Cadillac Grand Prix of Sebring, won by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, served as the first of six points-paying LMP2 races in its season-long championship.

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

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