The Heart of Racing to Skip Daytona

Photo: Barry Cantrell/IMSA

The Heart of Racing has become the latest GT Daytona team to elect to forgo IMSA’s return to racing, with the Alex Riberas and Roman De Angelis-driven Aston Martin Vantage GT3 ruled out for next weekend’s WeatherTech 240 at Daytona.

In a statement, team principal Ian James said the newly formed organization, which made its debut in January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, will be taking a “conservative approach” for its own return to racing, which James said will come in the “near future.”

The team is funded by tech billionaire and philanthropist Gabe Newell and fellow Seattle-based businessman Yahn Bernier, who have been part of the effort’s fund-raising campaigns for the Seattle Children’s hospital.

“As a team, we are very fortunate to not have any external commercial pressures factoring in our decision-making process on when we go back racing,” said team principal Ian James.

“We are racers to the core and want to be out there competing, but we have decided on a conservative approach to going back.

“Our team owners are incredibly supportive and team well-being is priority number one.

“From what I know, IMSA are doing everything possible to make sure that the conditions will be safe for all involved and I am sure we will be back in the paddock in the near future.”

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