Tag: @STR_Racing

ST RACING GEARING UP FOR FULL GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA CAMPAIGN IN 2023
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ST RACING GEARING UP FOR FULL GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA CAMPAIGN IN 2023

January 27, 2023.- ST Racing is pleased to announce it will return to the GT World Challenge America as part of its racing program in 2023.

In a part-campaign in GTWC America in 2022, Samantha Tan Racing completed solid outings at both Sonoma Raceway and the Virginia International Raceway, during which the speed of the team’s BMW M4 GT3 was put beyond doubt, before Samantha Tan, Nick Wittmer and Harry Gottsacker rounded out the season with a Silver Cup class win and a top 10 finish overall at the Indianapolis 8 Hours.

Prior to that, ST Racing’s lofty accomplishments with SRO include both West Pro-Am Cup Teams’ and Drivers’ championships in 2019, and SprintX Teams’ honours in 2020, both as part of the Pirelli GT4 America series.

With momentum on its side, ST Racing will look to further establish the M4 GT3’s credibility on the North American stages in 2023. The #38 BMW will be driven at all rounds by team co-owner Samantha Tan, with her teammates set to be revealed in due course.

Samantha Tan, co-owner / driver: “I’m ecstatic to be back in the GTWC paddock again – this time for the full season! We were met with many difficulties last year which prevented us from competing at the majority of events, but we will once again step up for the challenge this upcoming season. This year, our BMW M4 GT3 will be run by the STR38 Motorsports crew, a team of highly experienced and dedicated engineers/mechanics from around the world managed by a familiar face, Jon Miller. I look forward to another great year of racing with SRO!”

The GTWC is scheduled to begin at the Sonoma Raceway on 30 March to 2 April, followed later that month with rounds three and four at NOLA Motorsports Park on 28-30 April.

Rounds five and six take place on 19-21 May at the Circuit of the Americas. The Texan facility has proven particularly successful for Samantha Tan Racing over the years, with the Canadian team taking SprintX Pro-Am and TC class wins at COTA in Pirelli GT4 America, as well as podium finishes in TC America.

The Virginia International Raceway, another fruitful hunting ground for ST Racing, will host rounds seven and eight on 16-18 June, with the GTWC North America returning to action at Road America on 18-20 August after the series’ summer break. After the penultimate weekend at the vaunted Sebring International Raceway on 22-24 September, the GTWC North America draws to a close at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on 5-6-7 October.

Samantha Tan Racing Completes Maiden 24 HOURS OF SPA with Top 10 Finish In Class
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Samantha Tan Racing Completes Maiden 24 HOURS OF SPA with Top 10 Finish In Class

August 2, 2022.- Samantha Tan Racing completed its first TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa this weekend, securing a 9th place finish in the Silver class at the team’s maiden attempt at the long-standing endurance racing colossus.

The 2022 TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa marked ST Racing’s first GT World Challenge Europe event as well as the Canadian outfit’s first visit to the vaunted Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The 74th annual running of the event welcomed back thousands of fans and featured the return of the Spa parade, absent from the 24 Hours of Spa for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Anticipating a challenging weekend with an enormous field of 66 cars, ST Racing relished the opportunity to prove itself amongst the most competitive GT3 teams around the globe.

Thursday’s opening practice session proved to be a difficult one – a brief affair with the barriers on top of Raidillon cut even further into ST Racing’s already limited practice time. Thanks to a timely repair by the experienced crew, the Canadian team rejoined later in the pre-qualifying session and went on to qualify 17th in the Silver class and 58th overall with a combined time of 2m 21.479s from drivers Samantha Tan, Nick Wittmer, Harry Gottsacker and Dutch newcomer Maxime Oosten. The field looked extremely competitive ahead of race day but the team remained confident that race pace, consistency and pit strategy would be the keys to success at the historic venue.

During the opening hours of the race, Samantha and Harry each put in solid stints, flying through the Belgian forest consistently lap after lap until sundown. As night fell and Nick Wittmer took over for his first stint, trouble struck: a broken diffuser mount cost ST Racing nearly 20 laps. The crew jumped into action to repair the issue as quickly as possible. Following the repair, each of the STR drivers – who were either new to the track or new to the car – drove incredibly well throughout the night into the next day, staying clean and putting out metronomic lap times in their BMW M4 GT3. The team climbed up to 9th place in-class and 36th overall by the end of the full 24 hours of running.

Although the race was more competitive than initially anticipated, ST Racing is extremely proud of their performance at the 2022 24 Hours of Spa, bringing the car home top 10 in-class during their very first outing at the challenging circuit.

 Samantha Tan, co-owner/driver: “Wow. What can I even say? We finished our first ever running of the 24 Hours of Spa 9th in-class and made up 22 positions over the course of the race. Despite the challenges we had — including no experience at the track, extremely limited practice time, and a mechanical issue in the first few hours which set us back 17 laps — we faced them head-on and accomplished exactly what we came here to do. I want to dedicate this finish to my team, who had less than five hours of sleep each night, worked countless hours to setup and repair the car after the Raidillon incident during free practice, and ran flawless pit stops every single time. I’d also like to thank my amazing co-drivers for embarking on this adventure with me, for their faith, trust, and endless support. This was by far the toughest race we’ve ever competed in, one where we went up against the best of the best in GT3 amongst the top drivers and teams in the world. I’m so proud we made it to the finish line!”

 Kenneth Tan, team principal: “What a race weekend! It’s our first time ever at the biggest and most important GT3 race in the world and it did not disappoint; the atmosphere was electric yet relaxed. So many fans came out to watch the top GT3 teams in the world endure 24 hours of hard battle. And how did we do? I have to say, we did pretty well, all things considered. We came here to see where we stand as a team against the best of the best, and aside from another rear diffuser issue, our car was reliable throughout and we were happy with its performance. Our drivers did outstanding jobs preserving the car while keeping decent lap times, even though it was their first ever GT3 race at this very challenging track. We leave Spa happy but even hungrier and cannot wait to return next year. Now that we have experience, we know what needs to be done.”

 Harry Gottsacker, driver: “I am very proud of our Samantha Tan Racing team for a P9 finish in the Silver Class of the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa! We worked hard all week on our BMW M4 GT3 and our constant improvement in the race showed that. This iconic event was a great experience for the team and me, and I am thankful for them for putting their trust in me! I am already looking forward to the next one!”

 Maxime Oosten, driver: “It was my first 24-hour race and my first real experience in a GT3 car, which was really special for me. I made a small mistake in one of the practice sessions, which bruised my ego a bit, but I adapted and moved on for qualifying. From there, we made big progress each session. There was an issue with the diffuser around midnight but the whole team put in a great effort and handled the situation very well to fix the car as quickly as possible. It was an incredible feeling to be a part of this event, and I’m really proud of everyone at ST Racing and what we achieved this weekend during my first 24-hour race!”

 Nick Wittmer, driver: “We had an incredible race! We started P58 and were making up ground until we discovered a little issue with the diffuser heading into the night. We had to pull the car into the garage and lost roughly 20 laps in the process, but once we got back out there everyone put their visors down and got the job done by putting in clean laps and avoiding silly errors. By the end, we managed to climb up to P9 in class and P36 overall which everyone at ST Racing is extremely proud of, especially at such a historic track with no room for error. Thank you to ST Racing for doing an amazing job all weekend!”

Samantha Tan Racing to make 24 HOURS OF SPA debut in July, drivers confirmed.
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Samantha Tan Racing to make 24 HOURS OF SPA debut in July, drivers confirmed.

 

Photo : ST Racing

July 11, 2022.- ST Racing is gearing up for its maiden entry at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa on 28-31 July, and will be joined at the vaunted Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps by some familiar faces.

Team co-owner Samantha Tan, already the reigning Overall GT Drivers’ champion following her first season of endurance racing in Europe, is set to make her competitive debut at Spa-Francorchamps. Alongside her previous/on-going accomplishments in the 24H SERIES, the GT World Challenge America and GT4 America, and as well as class and outright wins at Grand Prix-calibre venues across the globe, Samantha is looking forward to adding a successful 24 Hours of Spa to her rapidly-expanding motorsport resume.

Samantha Tan, co-owner/driver: “The 24 Hours of Spa is the biggest race event the team and I will have ever competed in, and I’m very excited to be one of the 65 GT3 cars entered for the event. After a successful endurance racing season last year and a historic win at the 12H Mugello, we’re looking forward to testing our limits against some of the best drivers and teams in the world. We are also the only Canadian team set to compete at this year’s24 Hours of Spa, and we are honoured to represent Canada. It’s going to be a very competitive race, but we’re always up for the challenge. I’ll be training hard in preparation.”

Supported by BMW Motorsport, ST Racing has entered its new M4 GT3 for the endurance racing colossus in July, a notable honour given BMW Motorsport’s record 24 outright wins at the 24 Hours of Spa hitherto.

 Kenneth Tan, team principal: “I am extremely excited to participate in this highly competitive endurance race, arguably the most competitive and physically demanding of its kind in the world. This all-GT3 endurance event should be an eye-opening experience for us and will surely test our mettle as a team. We have been prepping our car for weeks and hope the momentum we had at the Virginia International Raceway a couple of weeks ago continues at Spa-Francorchamps. I have to thank SRO Europe for allowing our late entry and for all their support for our maiden European race with them.  Also, a big shout out to BMW Motorsport for their continued and very valuable support for our team. We cannot thank them enough.

Samantha Tan will be joined aboard the #28 BMW M4 GT3 by seasoned teammates Nick Wittmer and Harry Gottsacker, and STR newcomer Maxime Oosten.

Nick, an alumnus of the Pirelli World Challenge, Grand-Am and TC America among other high-profile series, will also be making his debut at the 24 Hours of Spa this July. The experience of the three-time Canadian Touring Car Champion and multi-time TC America race winner will prove invaluable: the Quebec native secured ‘ST Racing’s first Pirelli World Challenge win in 2017 in the TC ranks, and his racecraft was equally as crucial to ST Racing securing its first outright win in the 24H SERIES earlier this year in Mugello.

GT and TCR specialist Harry is set to contest his first race in Europe since an impressive part campaign in the British GT Championship, the young American’s most recent focus having been on a very lucrative campaign in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. Like Nick, Harry is also an ST Racing staple having helped the Canadian outfit secure West Pro-Am Cup honours in the GT4 America Series in 2019, ST Racing’s first championship success. Nick and Harry also completed a fruitful year in GT4 America in 2020, taking home four Silver category wins and 2nd in the SprintX standings.

Nick Wittmer, driver: “I am super excited to be back with Samantha Tan Racing for the 24 Hours of Spa. I love this beautiful racetrack, I love the facility, and I cannot wait to be on-track with the BMW M4 GT3 to show its true colours. I’m also very happy to have Samantha Tan and Harry Gottsacker back on-board as my teammates. The most important things for us to do are to keep the car clean throughout the whole race and maintain our pace. So long as we stay out of trouble, there’s a good chance we will finish well.”

 Harry Gottsacker, driver: “I am looking forward to joining the ST Racing team at Spa in July. We had a successful debut outing earlier this year in Dubai and I’m looking forward to building on what the team has learned so far this season. It’s great to share the car with Samantha and Nick at such a historic event, and we will push for a good result for the team.”

Newcomer Maxime Oosten meanwhile is no stranger to BMW Motorsport. The young Dutch racer is the current championship leader in the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux in Europe with ST Racing partner Bas Koeten Racing, and also a proven race winner in this year’s DTM BMW M2 Cup.

Maxime Oosten, driver: “I am really looking forward to this event. In 2020 I participated in the Porsche Supercup at Spa. Last year I raced in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe during the 24 Hours of Spa weekend, and I still cannot believe I will drive the race itself this year. I have yet to drive my first metres in a GT3 car, so I want to give a big thanks to Bas Koeten Racing and to ST Racing for the trust they have put in me and my skills. It’s going to be tough but it’s a real pleasure to be asked to join this race and hopefully I can help them move forward.”

Alongside its 24 Hours of Spa debut, ST Racing will be continuing its GT World Challenge America campaign at Road America on 19-21 August, and its 24H SERIES program with the Hankook 24H BARCELONA on 9-10-11 September.

ST Racing To Take On The GT World Challenge America In 2022
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ST Racing To Take On The GT World Challenge America In 2022

December 20, 2021.- ST Racing is excited to announce its maiden participation in the GT World Challenge Americain 2022.

The Canadian team will enter one of its newly acquired BMW M4 GT3s in the series’ Pro-Am category, and is set to compete across all thirteen rounds confirmed on the 2022 GT World Challenge America calendar. This marks the fifth year in succession that ST Racing will compete in an SRO-organized motor racing program.

Following an explorative year as ‘Samantha Tan Racing’ in 2016 – one year on from Samantha’s SRO competitive debut – ST Racing threw a significant gauntlet down in 2017 with a two-car, BMW M235iR line-up in the Pirelli World Challenge, stunning the paddock with its maiden TC-class win later that season. Victories continued to arrive thick and fast in SprintX GT Championship in 2018 before ST Racing, now helming two BMW M4 GT4s, took a commanding 1-2 in the West Pro-Am Cup standings. A championship success the Canadian team repeated the following season in the GT4 America Series’ SprintX division.

Now with a full season of endurance racing and six championship titles under its belt, and BMW Motorsport’s new flagship sports car readied for on-track battle, ST Racing is looking to continue its SRO affiliation and take on a brand-new challenge with GT World Challenge America.

Team co-owner Samantha Tan will be one of the team’s full-time drivers across the thirteen-round season over seven race weekends. 

Samantha Tan, co-owner and driver: “I am very excited to be returning to SRO in the top class of racing in GTWC. I grew up in racing with SRO, from TCA in 2015 all the way to GT3. To be competing with the all-new BMW M4 GT3 in the Pro-Am class feels like all the hard work has finally paid off, and I can’t thank everyone enough for their support over the past few years. This will be a season full of learning experiences, but I can’t wait to take on this new adventure and face the challenge head on.”

 Kenneth Tan, team owner: “We have always enjoyed our campaigns in SRO over the past few years in both TC and GT4. We have already registered and committed to all 13 rounds in the 2022 GT World Challenge season. With our crew now having five consecutive years of experience under their belt running our own cars in SRO, we are ready to take on the top level. Half the battle is knowing and understanding the sporting regulations as well as pit strategy and since that will not change with the move up to GT3 Pro-Am, I am cautiously optimistic we will have a good run. With the continued support from BMW’s technical team and mechanics, we are going to have a lot of fun and be competitive at the same time. I am very much looking forward to it!”

Alongside its SRO commitments, ST Racing will also return to the European-based 24H SERIES for its second full-season of 12 and 24-hour endurance racing, now in the top tier GT3 class. On its maiden program in 2021, ST Racing secured the 24H SERIES Overall Teams’ and Overall Drivers’ championships among four other titles.

ST Racing seals another podium at the Virginia International Raceway
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ST Racing seals another podium at the Virginia International Raceway

June 8, 2021.- ST Racing secured another podium in TC America at the Virginia International Raceway on a weekend when its BMW M4 GT4 also shined in the headlining GT4 America Series.

The weekend got off to a superb start when Nick Wittmer, once again on substitute duties in place of Bryson Lew, set a storming 1m 54.364s in first qualifying, netting the #38 BMW M4 GT4 3rd on the grid for race one. This marks ST Racing’s strongest qualifying performance of the year in the GT4 America Series.

With momentum on his side, Nick made an equally impressive start to race one, moving the ST Racing BMW M4 GT4 into 2nd overall with a resolute pass into turn one. The sheer might of the BMW’s 3-litre M TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder allowed Nick to keep the leader in his sights down VIR’s awesome back straight. Contact shortly afterwards however ultimately meant this pace would not last, though both Nick and teammate Tomas Mejia gamely managed to bring the #38 BMW home 6th in the Silver class.

A truncated second qualifying session meant Tomas Mejia started 23rd overall for race two, but the young Californian, still in his maiden GT4 season with ST Racing, put on a fighting display during his opening stint on Sunday morning, passing 10 cars on-track before bringing the #38 BMW in for the regulatory pit stop. Unfortunately, whilst running 2nd in-class, Nick Wittmer was forced to serve a drive-through penalty. Proving his pace on Saturday was no flash in the pan, Nick dutifully brought the M4 home 11th overall – 12 positions up from its starting position – and 4th in the Silver class.

Samantha Tan meanwhile, back for her second TC America race weekend of the season in the sister BMW M2 CS, continued to showcase her ever-developing pace and maturity across both 40-minute races at VIR. Having qualified 5th in the TCX class for race one, Samantha made a bold move down the back-straight on the opening lap to move into 4th. Despite an off-track moment late in the race, ‘assisted’ as she was by three cars going side-by-side into turn one, Samantha nevertheless managed to secure a solid 5thin-class at the flag. On Sunday, another feisty start meant the #438 M2 was in the thick of the fight for 3rd place from the get-go, Samantha dutifully taking the position when her principal opponents ran wide on lap two. A heavy clash in the race’s TCA category meant race two was eventually red-flagged, thus securing Samantha Tan her third podium finish from four TC America starts so far in 2021.