K-PAX Confirms California 8H Entry

Photo: Bob Chapman/Autosport Image

K-PAX Racing has confirmed its plan to enter next month’s California 8 Hours with a McLaren 650S GT3 driven by an all-pro driver lineup.

Alvaro Parente, who won the Pirelli World Challenge title with K-PAX last season, will be joined by Ben Barnicoat and Bryan Sellers in the No. 9 McLaren for the third round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

The Portuguese driver was part of the team’s lineup for last December’s Sepang 12 Hours, in which K-PAX made its series debut.

“This is a great way to close out our 2017 season,” said program manager Darren Law. “Endurance racing is a different mindset than our current program of short sprint races in the Pirelli World Challenge.”

“Last season we finished out the year and traveled to Malaysia for the 12 Hours of Sepang which was a good experience for us.

“Our team already has a lot of experience in endurance racing but having already competed in a slightly different format than what we are used to in the U.S. – such as in the Blancpain GT Series – it gives us a lot of confidence.

“Having an experienced driver lineup is also critical.”

Parente and Barnicoat teamed up for the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup and full SprintX season this year while Bryan Sellers piloted one of the team’s sister cars in SprintX alongside Jonny Kane and Michael Lewis.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how our car handles there and seeing what we can do,” Parente said. “We’ve got the best team for it, and a good car.

“It’s a similar race to [Sepang] because strategy plays a big part in it. The team’s going to do the best job they can and so will we.

“I enjoy Sprint and endurance races a lot – especially when you’re working well and the team’s working well, and especially when you have a shot at the race.”

K-PAX has joined several PWC teams, including RealTime Racing and GMG, in entering the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca enduro, which will take place on Oct. 15.

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.