McElrea Targeting Expansion to Four-Car Effort in 2024

Photo: McElrea Racing

McElrea Racing could expand into a four-car Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America operation next year according to team principal Andy McElrea, who is putting his “sole focus” into achieving further growth in the North American market during the off-season.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championship-winning squad, which set up an outpost in Mooresville, N.C., fielded two Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars for the majority of the North America season, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the championship with rising star Tom Sargent, who claimed a breakthrough victory at Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7.

While starting the season with Canadian driver Thomas Nepveu, the seat in the second car was filled by Bayley Hall for the final two events of the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Circuit of The Americas, in Hall’s first experience of U.S. racing.

“We are really pleased that Tom is coming back for next year as this was always a two-year plan with Tom and his family over here,” McElrea told Sportscar365.

“He has bought himself a pick-up truck and got a house so he’s all-in.

“Bayley is most likely to race for our Australian Carrera Cup team in 2024 and return to the U.S. in 2025.

“We’ve been instrumental in helping former drivers from Australia like Matt Campbell, Jaxon Evans and Harri Jones with the transition from Carrera Cup to Supercup in Europe, so we are looking forward to helping launch Tom and his teammates into professional IMSA careers after they win or excel in Carrera Cup North America over the next few years.”

Despite juggling multiple programs back home, as well as the rising success of his son, Hunter, in U.S. open-wheel competition, McElrea said he’s making a concerted effort to attract additional drivers to his North American operation for the 2024 season.

“The expansion of our U.S. team is my sole focus over the next three to four months,” he explained.

“We are very keen to get three more teammates for Tom for 2024 who can learn from him and also push the whole team forward by winning more races.

“My preference would be for one or two Pro-Am or Am teammates, but if we end up with four Pros that’s absolutely fine also.

“We have already started hiring more staff and investing in more equipment, so we are keen to put all the pieces together as soon as possible.”

While used to running four-plus cars in Australia, McElrea said there’s a lot the team can take a way from its rookie season of racing in the U.S.

“Obviously starting from zero we learned a huge amount about the way the championship operates over here but most importantly we had no idea about the little tricks at each of the circuits, so we feel 20 times more prepared and able to hit the ground running for 2024,” he said.

“The crucial thing is your historic data and video information and because we have been competitive at every track this year, we already have IP which is second to only one other Carrera Cup team, so that’s really satisfying.

“And for a potential new customer knowing we have this info should be reassuring.”

McElrea’s unique crew-exchange program, which sees its Australian and U.S. staff experience the opposite series on occasion, will continue into next year according to the team boss.

“It was always my intention to incentivize both the Australian and U.S. crews by bringing them to races in the other country to understand and standardize our systems and procedures,” McElrea explained.

“This year we brought my team manager and chief engineer from Australia, Leigh Geyer, to our first test at NOLA and he came to the test and Round 1 at Sebring.

“I then brought my Australian crew chief Timmy McCumstie to the Long Beach round then No. 1 mechanic Stewart Notley-Smith to Miami.

“Our U.S. team manager David Gahagan has worked with us at the Bathurst 12 Hour in the past and our U.S. engineer Cody Forbes is coming to the final Australian Carrera Cup race at the Adelaide 500 in November, which will be cool.

“We will continue to bring other key crew members to races in each country next year which can only help improve both teams.”

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