United Confirms IMSA LMP3 Entry for Watkins Glen, Petit

United Autosports has confirmed that it will enter a Ligier JS P320 Nissan into the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen and Motul Petit Le Mans for its IMSA LMP3 class debut.

The Anglo-American team has announced plans to run a single LMP3 car in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup rounds at Watkins Glen in June and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in November, with Niklas Kruetten named as the first driver in the lineup.

United Autosports co-owner Richard Dean told Sportscar365 in March that the European LMP3 title-winning team was looking to mobilize one of its Ligiers for the remaining long-distance rounds of the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

The commitment comes after United canceled its planned Rolex 24 at Daytona entry due to IMSA’s rule of allowing LMP3 crews to be composed without a Bronze-rated driver.

New signing Kruetten, who is Silver-rated, currently drives for Cool Racing in the European Le Mans Series LMP3 category and is in his first season of prototype racing.

The German teenager raced in Euroformula Open last year before switching to sports cars. He contested the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in LMP3 with WIN Autosport.

United’s LMP3 entry is set to run alongside its already confirmed IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup LMP2 program for Jim McGuire.

Bronze competitor McGuire raced at Sebring in an Oreca 07 Gibson alongside reigning ELMS LMP3 champion Wayne Boyd and 2003 Le Mans winner Guy Smith.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Niklas to our team as we make our LMP3 debut in America,” said Dean.

“It is something we have looked at doing and now we feel the time is right to pull something together to compliment the LMP2 team we have out there.

“Niklas is a great talent, shown by winning the opening round of the ELMS season in Barcelona last month. I’m looking forward to working with him.”