ST RACING AND STR38 MOTORSPORTS READY FOR INDIANAPOLIS 8 HOUR FINALE
ST Racing will close out its 2022 motorsport campaign with a second outing at the Indianapolis 8 Hour, a weekend that will also include the first competitive entries for its sister STR38 Motorsports operation.
Boasting a multi-car line-up for the second time in 2022, Samantha Tan Racing has registered its rapid #38 BMW M4 GT3 for the GT World Challenge America season finale at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. An event at which ST Racing finished a fighting 2nd in-class in 2020, just six seconds behind the GT4 class winner, on only its third endurance race outing.
The #38 M4 GT3, already an outright race winner in its maiden season of competition, will be driven by team co-owner and namesake Samantha Tan, and STR staples Nick Wittmer and Harry Gottsacker. Alongside multiple class wins together in 2021, Samantha and Nick shared the 2020 Indianapolis 8 Hour podium with team staple Jon Miller. Harry meanwhile, together with Jon, proved instrumental to ST Racing securing its first teams’ championship in 2019.
Moreover, during the 7-8-9 October weekend at Indianapolis, ST Racing will also coordinate the first competitive outing for its STR38 Motorsports facility. The full-service shop based out of Orange County will contest that weekend’s GT America and TC America sprint races with the team’s BMW M4 GT4 and BMW M2 CS Racing, respectively.
Undeterred by a hectic weekend of motor racing to come, ST Racing is confident it can sign off its 2022 motorsport season with yet another strong performance.
Kenneth Tan, team principal: “I am looking forward to our final race this year with SRO at the Indy 8 Hour. Our crew worked really hard to get the car ready in time for this week’s race after our last race in Europe just four short weeks ago in early September. The race at Indy will be the culmination of everything we have learned from our first year campaigning in GT3 endurance racing. It’s been a long and challenging one but the crew have learned a tremendous amount about the car and I can see the team getting better each time. I am looking forward to seeing us improve further after the very strong performance at the 24H Barcelona last month. We will take that momentum and I can’t wait to see the results of the entire year’s hard work this weekend. I know we will not disappoint.”
Samantha Tan, driver/co-owner: “Indy is going to be a party! We’ve got all our teams, Samantha Tan Racing and STR38 Motorsports, running in all 3 classes as well as our STR eSports team competing in the Fanatec eSports event over the weekend. I'm so happy to be rejoined by most of our 24H Spa lineup, Nick Wittmer and Harry Gottsacker, for the Indy 8H. We have some unfinished business and will be pushing all weekend to get onto that top step. Altogether, I’m super excited to be making our return to Indy with the entire STR family!”
Nick Wittmer, driver: “Very happy to be part of the Samantha Tan racing team again for the eight hour at Indy. After the 24H Barcelona race we learned a lot more about the M4 GT3 and we will be coming in a lot stronger than we did at Sonoma and VIR. We have a very good shot at success this year, the track suits our car's style with very little elevation and a lot of high speed straights. The power of the M4 GT3 and our amazing driver line up will help us through and give us great results.”
Harry Gottsacker, driver: “I’m looking forward to getting back in the ST Racing BMW M4 GT3 at Indianapolis and fighting for the win at another bucket list event. Our last SRO endurance race together was a huge success for the team at the 24 Hours of Spa and we will look to build on that as we try to kiss the bricks! Samantha and Nick have had a strong season in SRO GT World Challenge America and the team has worked really hard to continue to develop the car over the season. I appreciate the opportunity to join them at a great facility and track that I really enjoy.”
On-track action continues in the digital realm on 7-8-9 October as ST Racing will also be contesting the SRO-affiliated Fanatec eSports GT Pro series event. Under the guidance of competition manager Jon Miller, STR eSports made a strong start to its virtual racing career, making their debut in the virtual SRO GTWC America series as well as winning the Ricmotech Sports Car Series championship with Cameron Martineau and Chris Walsh finishing P1 and P4 in the drivers’ championship, respectively.