SunEnergy1 Absent from 22-Car Indy 8H Entry

Twenty-two cars will contest the upcoming Indianapolis 8 Hour, with Kenny Habul’s SunEnergy1 Racing dropping off the grid in the Pro-Am category.

As shown on the provisional entry list for the event released on Wednesday, a total of six manufacturers are represented on the grid with Acura joined by Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Porsche and Mercedes-AMG.

The number of cars is slightly down compared to last year’s edition of the event, when 25 cars took the start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In total, 11 cars are classified as Pro entries, divided between Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli and Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS cars.

As previously reported by Sportscar365, IGTC entries at this year’s event have a free choice of drivers while Fanatec GT squads are still required to have at least one Silver-rated driver as part of their lineups.

Both Mercedes-AMG and BMW have already confirmed factory-backed efforts for the event, with IGTC nominations set to be announced next week.

In addition to Fanatec GT entries from Wright Motorsports, RS1 and MDK Motorsports, Porsche will be represented at the event by the returning Rearden Racing squad.

The Utah-based operation has entered the No. 85 Porsche 911 GT3 R for Jake Pedersen, Vesko Kozarov and Christian Engelhart.

Rearden last competed in Fanatec GT in 2021, when Kozarov drove a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo alongside Jeff Burton.

Current Fanatec GT Pro-class championship leaders RS1 have recruited Klaus Bachler to partner Eric Filgueiras and Stevan McAleer aboard the No. 28 Porsche, while FIA World Endurance Championship GTE-Am ace Lilou Wadoux joins Conquest Racing alongside Manny Franco and Alessandro Balzan.

Trent Hindman, meanwhile, teams with Jan Heylen and Madison Snow aboard the No. 45 Wright Motorsports Porsche.

The Ohio-based squad has added current NTT IndyCar Series driver Callum Ilott to its lineup for the No. 120 Porsche, which is entered in the Pro-Am class. Ilott last took part in the Indy 8H with AF Corse in 2021 in a year where he also raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Iron Lynx.

Huber Motorsport and Sky Tempesta Racing both make the trip across from Europe, racing in the Pro-Am class with Porsche and Ferrari respectively while SunEnergy1 Racing has dropped off the grid.

Kenny Habul, who sits third in the Independent Cup standings behind Jonathan Hui and Stephen Grove, was due to share the No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo with Mikael Grenier before the entry was withdrawn.

The Australian Bronze-rated driver suffered an injury in a Pre-Qualifying crash at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and has yet to return to GT3 competition since.

Sky Tempesta will notably compete with a Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020, which it last raced in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS competition in 2021 before switching brands twice, first to Mercedes-AMG and then to McLaren.

Hui will share the No. 535 car with Chris Froggatt and Eddie Cheever III.

Antares Au, who is joint third with Habul in points, pilots the No. 20 Huber Porsche alongside Alfred Renauer and Laurin Heinrich while Stephen Grove shares the No. 4 Grove Racing entry with Brenton Grove and Earl Bamber.