Corvette Roster Nearly the Same as 2024; Cumming, Fittipaldi Fill Full-Season Seat in LMP2

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Pratt Miller Motorsports on Tuesday announced the driver lineups for the three cars that the team will field in the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: two in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class and one in Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2).

The lineups for the pair of Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports cars remain essentially the same next season. Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims are back in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R for the entire season after winning one race and placing third in the class standings in 2024. Daniel Juncadella, who served as the third driver in the No. 3 for three IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races last season, is back in that role for the Rolex 24 At Daytona that begins the 2025 season on Jan. 25-26

Likewise, Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg are returning for the entire season in the No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R. They finished eighth in the GTD PRO standings last season with a pair of podium finishes and a class-leading three Motul Pole Awards earned by Catsburg. Nico Varrone, who drove in a pair of 2024 races for the AWA Corvette in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class, joins the No. 4 lineup for the Rolex 24.

Pratt Miller is also set to enter the No. 73 ORECA LMP2 07 for the season. Chris Cumming, who competed in IMSA’s top series from 2011-17 and won three races in the former Prototype Challenge (PC) class, is back as the Bronze-rated driver in the No. 73 ORECA for the season. He’s joined for the year by Pietro Fittipaldi, the grandson of legendary Emerson Fittipaldi. The younger Fittipaldi has split recent seasons between IndyCar racing and serving as a reserve driver for the Haas F1 Team, though he did race an LMP2 three times in the 2023 WeatherTech Championship season for Rick Ware Racing.

Former Indy NXT driver James Roe will join Cumming and Fittipaldi for the Michelin Endurance Cup events starting at the Rolex 24. IndyCar driver Callum Ilott fills out the lineup for the Rolex 24.

NEW HUDSON (Nov. 15, 2024) – Pratt Miller Motorsports is proud to officially announce its return to prototype racing, marking a new chapter in its illustrious motorsports history. Starting in 2025, Pratt Miller Motorsports will compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the highly competitive LMP2 category.

The team will field an Oreca 07, driven by Pietro Fittipaldi and James Roe, with additional drivers to be announced at a later date. This expansion comes as Pratt Miller continues to solidify its position as a leader in professional sports car racing. Alongside this new endeavor, Pratt Miller will continue to operate its world-renowned Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports GTD Pro team, maintaining its legacy of excellence and performance.
Pratt Miller Motorsports has a successful history in prototype racing that began over 30 years ago with the groundbreaking Intrepid GTP and later included the Corvette Daytona Prototype, further showcasing the team’s deep engineering capabilities and competitive spirit.

Driver Highlights:

Pietro Fittipaldi – Pietro brings exceptional experience to the Pratt Miller team as one of a select group of drivers worldwide to hold an FIA Super License. The grandson of two-time Formula One World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi, Pietro began his career in karting and quickly rose through the ranks, claiming the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Limited Late Model Championship in 2011. In 2014, he moved to Europe, competing and winning championships in Formula Renault and Formula V8, showcasing his adaptability and skill on an international level. Pietro made his IndyCar debut in 2018 and served as a reserve driver for the Haas F1 Team, making his Formula One debut at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.

James Roe – Hailing from Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland, James Roe’s passion for racing emerged at the age of fifteen. As part of an automotive-centric family, James honed both the driving abilities and the business skills to support his racing career. In 2018, James ventured to the United States, where he quickly made his mark with multiple wins and lap records in his inaugural season. His determination and success propelled him up the American motorsports ladder, achieving victories and podium finishes on each step of North America’s ladder system. In 2024, James completed his second full season in the Indy NXT™ by Firestone Series for Andretti Global.

Quote Board:

Matt Carroll, CEO, Pratt Miller – “At Pratt Miller, we are driven by a legacy of innovation and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Our return to prototype racing exemplifies our commitment to pushing boundaries and embracing new challenges. This is more than just a race program; it’s a testament to the dedication and expertise that defines our entire organization.”

Brandon Widmer, Vice President, Pratt Miller Motorsports – “We’re excited to deepen our involvement in IMSA by launching an LMP2 program. This expansion reflects our commitment to innovation and performance. Over this past season, we have been laying the groundwork to build a comprehensive motorsports platform that maximizes our partners’ return on their investment with us. With Pietro Fittipaldi’s extensive experience and championships across multiple racing formats and James Roe’s ascension through the American open-wheel ranks, we’re confident these drivers bring the skill and determination needed to make our LMP2 debut a success. We expect to announce a bronze-rated driver and a fourth endurance driver in the very near future, further strengthening our team for the upcoming season.”

Pietro Fittipaldi – “Joining the winningest professional sports car team in the U.S. is an honor. I’m eager for the journey ahead and contributing to Pratt Miller Motorsports’ continued success.”

James Roe – “It’s a privilege to become part of the winning legacy at Pratt Miller Motorsports. I look forward to contributing to the team’s tradition of excellence, especially in this inaugural year for the LMP2 program.”

About Pratt Miller:
Founded in 1989, Pratt Miller, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), is a groundbreaking engineering and product development company. Our winning roots in motorsports enable us to deliver ingenious solutions to our clients’ most challenging problems — and wildest ideas. That history enables our team of highly adaptive innovators to apply speed, agility and engineering expertise to every project, swiftly transforming what’s possible in our clients’ industries — taking what they do to the next level and changing their world for the better.

About Oshkosh Corporation:
At Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK), we make innovative, mission-critical equipment to help everyday heroes advance communities around the world. Headquartered in Wisconsin, Oshkosh Corporation employs over 18,000 team members worldwide, all united behind a common purpose: to make a difference in people’s lives. Oshkosh products can be found in more than 150 countries under the brands of JLG®, Pierce®, MAXIMETAL, Oshkosh® S-Series™, Oshkosh® Defense, McNeilus®, IMT®, Jerr-Dan®, Frontline™ Communications, Oshkosh® Airport Products, Oshkosh AeroTech™ and Pratt Miller. For more information, visit oshkoshcorp.com.

®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

Media Contact:
Brad Zimmerman
bzimmerman@prattmiller.com

Corvette brings strong history to IMSA season’s only GT-only race

DETROIT (August 21, 2024) –Three of the first-year Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs are set for Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute sprint race: Nos. 3 (Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims) and 4 (Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg) for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in GTD PRO plus AWA’s No. 13 GTD entry (Orey Fidani and Matt Bell).

The trio of Z06 GT3.Rs will look to continue Corvette Racing’s incredibly strong history at the 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course that sits on the Virginia-North Carolina border.

Corvettes have made a habit of being at the front and – more often than not – winning at Virginia International Raceway. The program’s IMSA factory team has won six times at the circuit since 2012, and DXDT Racing swept both rounds of GT World Challenge America there earlier this year with Milner, a Virginia native.

He ranks second in IMSA VIR wins among active drivers with three. The only driver with more is Garcia with four, including last year with Jordan Taylor in the No. 3 Corvette C8.R. In addition, Sims (2018 GTLM) and Bell (2020 IMSA Prototype Challenge) have one VIR victory to their credit. Meanwhile, Fidani is set for his first WeatherTech Championship start at VIR, and Catsburg will make his debut at the circuit.

A victory this weekend by either Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports or AWA would give the Z06 GT3.R its second (or third in the event of a sweep) IMSA win this year. The GTD PRO effort also is on a streak of two consecutive pole positions and four in the last five races, a strong showing for the first-year Corvette.

In GTD, AWA is coming off a season-best, fifth-place finish the last time out at Road America. A repeat – or besting that result – at VIR would solidify Fidani’s lead in the Bob Akin Award standings, with the highest points-scoring Bronze driver at the end of the year earning an automatic entry to the following year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 25. The race will air live on USA starting at noon ET with live streaming on Peacock inside the United States and IMSA.com outside the U.S. IMSA Radio will air all on-track sessions beginning with Friday afternoon’s opening practice at IMSA.com with the race call also on XM 206 and SiriusXM Online 996.

Article by:

Ryan Smith
678.316.1880
ryan2uga@gmail.com

Judy Kouba Dominick
317.408.1049
judy.dominick@
insidetrackcomms.com

Sims, Garcia lead way to first IMSA win for Z06 GT3.R in Chevrolet Grand Prix

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (July 14, 2024) – Alexander Sims and Antonio Garcia led a 1-2 class finish for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R on Sunday as Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports swept to the top of GTD PRO in the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Sims and Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette delivered the first victory for the Z06 GT3.R in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The pairing began from pole position and led 109 of 113 laps en route to a 0.408-second victory over Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg in the No. 4 Corvette following a late-race restart.

“Congratulations to Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims and the No. 3 team on winning the Chevrolet Grand Prix today at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the first victory in IMSA with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R,” said Scott Bell, Vice President, Global Chevrolet. “This is one of the world’s toughest categories of racing with a strong and deep field of GT manufacturers and teams. The high levels of performance, reliability and execution from the Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports drivers, crew and engineers were evident throughout the race. We congratulate them and the entire team for the hard-earned, 1-2 GTD PRO finish today.”

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team has been knocking on the door of the elusive first win in the WeatherTech Championship since the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March with leads in the last five races. Milner and Catsburg gave the Z06 GT3.R its first podium finish at Laguna Seca with Garcia and Sims finishing third in the last round at Watkins Glen.

Closing the deal this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was fitting as the Corvette Racing program won for the 13th time at the circuit. Garcia went back-to-back in class after scoring a victory last year with Jordan Taylor in the Corvette C8.R.

Sims and Milner each drove the first half of the race with Milner making the first move for a driver change to Catsburg in hopes of leap-frogging the sister Corvette. Sims pitted two laps later from the lead with Garcia re-emerging ahead of the No. 4 Corvette for the run to the end.

Garcia’s lead remained between five and seven seconds until a full-course yellow with 16 minutes to go. That bunched up the GTD PRO field with a number of GTD-class cars ahead of them at the restart. Both Garcia and Catsburg worked their way through the slower cars to keep their positions to the checkered flag.

AWA’s home race in the No. 13 Corvette ended early when it was pushed off-track and into the tires at Turn Three. Orey Fidani had climbed to second in GTD from 11th at the start before contact from behind sent the Corvette into the barriers. The Z06 GT3.R’s safety systems and chassis structure did their jobs as Fidani climbed out of his car under his own power. He was evaluated and released from the infield care center shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile the AWA team displayed the never-give-up spirit of the Corvette Racing program and attempted to get the car back into the race, but the damage was too great.

The next race for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in IMSA is August 2-4 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

Article by

Ryan Smith
678.316.1880
ryan2uga@gmail.com

Judy Kouba Dominick
317.408.1049
judy.dominick@
insidetrackcomms.com

New Hudson, MI – July 9, 2024 – Pratt Miller, an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] business, is pleased to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Haas Automation, the leading manufacturer of CNC machine tools. This collaboration marks Haas Automation’s first foray into the world of sports car racing, aligning with the iconic yellow Corvettes of Pratt Miller Motorsports.

The partnership with Haas Automation is set to revolutionize the precision and efficiency of machine work at Pratt Miller’s state-of-the-art facility in New Hudson, MI. Haas CNC machines are renowned for their exceptional performance, reliability, and innovation, making them the perfect complement to Pratt Miller’s commitment to excellence in motorsports engineering.

“We are thrilled to welcome Haas Automation to the Pratt Miller Motorsports family,” said Brandon Widmer, Motorsports Vice President at Pratt Miller. “Their reputation for producing world-class CNC machines aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver the highest quality and performance for our race team as well as our other Mobility and Defense business units.”

“We are excited to enter the sports car racing arena with Pratt Miller Motorsports,” said Peter Zierhut, Haas Automation Vice President. “Our CNC machines are designed to deliver precision and efficiency, and we are excited to explore the world of IMSA with one of the most iconic teams. We look forward to a successful collaboration.”

This partnership signifies a significant milestone for both Pratt Miller Motorsports and Haas Automation, as they join forces to elevate the entire Corvette Racing program. The integration of Haas CNC machines will not only enhance the manufacturing capabilities at Pratt Miller but also pave the way for future innovations in sports car racing.

For more information about Pratt Miller Motorsports and Haas Automation, please visit www.prattmiller.com and www.HaasCNC.com/motorsports  

About Pratt Miller

Founded in 1989, Pratt Miller, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Defense, is a ground-breaking product development company that solves its customers most technical and complex challenges in the Motorsports, Defense, and Mobility industries.

About Oshkosh Corporation

At Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK), we make innovative, mission-critical equipment to help everyday heroes advance communities around the world. Headquartered in Wisconsin, Oshkosh Corporation employs approximately 17,000 team members worldwide, all united behind a common purpose: to make a difference in people’s lives. Oshkosh products can be found in more than 150 countries under the brands of JLG®, Hinowa, Power Towers, Pierce®, MAXIMETAL, Oshkosh® Defense, McNeilus®, IMT®, Jerr-Dan®, Frontline™ Communications, Oshkosh® Airport Products, Oshkosh AeroTech™ and Pratt Miller. For more information, visit oshkoshcorp.com.

®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that the Company believes to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,” “project” or “plan” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include risks related to the Company’s ability to successfully execute on its strategic road map and meet its long-term financial goals. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update information contained in this news release. Investors should be aware that the Company may not update such information until the Company’s next quarterly earnings conference call, if at all.

For media inquiries, please contact: Brad Zimmerman, Director of Marketing & Partnerships, Pratt Miller Motorsports, bzimmerman@prattmiller.com 704-277-3340

Near miss for Catsburg, Milner in fight for GTD PRO victory; AWA grows Akin Award lead

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 23, 2024) – Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims scored the season’s second podium finish for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a third-place result at the Six Hours of The Glen on Sunday.

The No. 3 Corvette from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports ran up front in GTD PRO, fell down the order following an early-race brake change and then challenged for the win late in a topsy-turvy enduro at Watkins Glen International that was severely impacted by rain. It was the first podium finish for the Garcia/Sims duo, following a similar finish for the No. 4 Corvette at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

While luck went the way of Sims and Garcia at the end, it was the opposite for Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg in the No. 4 Z06 GT3.R, which had to pit for a fuel splash from the lead on the final lap. The duo ended up seventh in the final GTD PRO standings.

In GTD, AWA’s No 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Matt Bell, Orey Fidani and Lars Kern finished seventh in class following a similarly chaotic race and a number of drive time-related penalties to GTD competitors. The trio fought from deep in the field and briefly ran in the top-five before the Corvette was caught out on-track in a heavy downpour on slick tires and went off-track. The trio’s result did, however, unofficially grow Fidani’s lead in the Bob Akin Award standings, which goes to the highest points-scoring Bronze driver in GTD.

Three separate periods of rain had increasing impacts on the race. The first significant shower hit just shy of halfway and resulted in a crash for two GTD cars that brought out the third full-course yellow of the day. All three Corvettes had elected to stay on dry tires and jumped up the order as the pit closed – the No. 4 to second and No. 3 to third in GTD PRO, and the No. 13 to ninth in GTD.

More rain meant more chaos nearly 30 minutes later as the No. 4 Corvette pitted during a brief but heavy shower on the frontstraight for rain tires. Another full-course yellow neutralized the field again, and Milner was left on grooved tires with the track drying quickly. Once the race went green, he had to stop for slick tires and fell down to 10th.

The biggest downpour arrived with a little less than two hours to go. Garcia, the No. 77 Porsche and No. 14 Lexus were the only GTD PRO cars to make it into the pitlane for rain tires before the pits closed for the sixth time. After 25 minutes behind the safety car with standing water on the track, officials red-flagged the race.

It resumed with 35 minutes left and the field behind the safety car. With the three leading cars in class having to pit for slick tires, Milner assumed the lead and drove a stunning final stint to keep the No. 4 Corvette out front before having to make the last-lap stop.

All three Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs will be back in action for the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday, July 14.

New Hudson, MI – May 21, 2024 – Pratt Miller is pleased to announce the continuation of its successful partnership with Miller Welders, marking a multi-year agreement that underscores the commitment of both companies to excellence in engineering and innovation. As part of this agreement, Pratt Miller will continue to utilize Miller’s advanced welding machines to build highly engineered vehicles across its diverse portfolio, including the motorsports, defense, and mobility sectors.

For over a decade, the collaboration between Pratt Miller and Miller Welders has been instrumental in driving technological advancements and achieving superior performance standards. The synergy between the two companies has enabled Pratt Miller to push the boundaries of what is possible in vehicle engineering, leveraging Miller’s state-of-the-art welding solutions to ensure precision, strength, and reliability in every project.

“At Pratt Miller, we are dedicated to delivering cutting-edge engineering solutions, and our partnership with Miller Welders is a key component of that mission,” said Dan Huffer, Executive Director of Manufacturing for Pratt Miller. “Miller’s welding technology has consistently met the rigorous demands of our projects, helping us to achieve new milestones in performance and innovation.”

As the most successful professional GT sports car team in American history, Pratt Miller Motorsports has set a standard of excellence with an unparalleled record of 127 race wins and 9 Le Mans class victories. The team’s success is a testament to the precision engineering and relentless pursuit of performance that defines Pratt Miller. The continued use of Miller’s welding machines has been a critical factor in maintaining the high standards of craftsmanship and durability required for success on the world’s most demanding race tracks.

“We are incredibly proud of our achievements in motorsports and the role that our partnership with Miller Welders has played in our success,” said Brandon Widmer, VP Pratt Miller Motorsports. “As we look to the future, we are excited to continue this collaboration and to build on our legacy of innovation and performance.”

About Pratt Miller
Founded in 1989, Pratt Miller, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Defense, is a groundbreaking engineering and product development company. Our winning roots in motorsports enable us to deliver ingenious solutions to our clients’ most challenging problems — and wildest ideas. That history enables our team of highly adaptive innovators to apply speed, agility and engineering expertise to every project, swiftly transforming what’s possible in our clients’ industries — taking what they do to the next level and changing their world for the better.

Media Contact:
Brad Zimmerman
Marketing & Partnerships, Pratt Miller Motorsports
bzimmerman@prattmiller.com

No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R records third-place finish in topsy-turvy GTD PRO race

MONTEREY, Calif. (May 12, 2024) – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports climbed the GTD PRO podium for the first time this season as Nicky Catsburg and Tommy Milner finished third Sunday at the Motul Corse de Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R led the Corvette GT3 effort in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s annual stop in Monterey. Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims finished fifth in GTD PRO in the No. 3 Corvette, which had its race compromised by an early full-course caution.

In GTD, the AWA duo of Matt Bell and Orey Fidani placed 11th in class with the No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R but won the Bob Akin Award, which goes to the highest-finishing GTD entry with a Bronze driver.

Catsburg led early in GTD PRO from pole position and a strong pace early with Garcia right behind. The two Corvettes consistently ran within one second of each other while building a gap of upwards of three seconds to the third-place car in class.

Catsburg was the first of the Z06 GT3.Rs to make its first stop with four tires, fuel and a driver change to Milner at the 45-minute mark. But an issue on the pit stop and then a full-course yellow near the 50-minute mark turned the race on its head.

Garcia was set to pit the No. 3 Corvette when the yellow came out but had to wait until the GT pits opened with the field behind the safety car. He handed over to Sims, who left the pits in seventh place and mired in out-of-class GTD traffic.  Meanwhile, Milner restarted second in class but was shuffled back to third by the eventual class-winner not long after the green flag dropped.

The No. 3 Corvette was the first of the GTD PRO contenders to make its final stop, opting for right-side tires and fuel with less than 70 minutes left. The strategy pushed Sims from sixth when he entered the pitlane to fourth after the class pit cycle ended. Milner came back in for four tires and fuel about 10 minutes later after inheriting the lead and re-emerged third. The rest of the race went green with the Corvettes unable to make up ground in traffic.

The AWA Corvette had a noteworthy day, as well. Fidani drove the first 46 minutes from the seventh row of the GTD grid, and Bell moved the car into the top-10 just past the midpoint of the race. The team had to serve a drive-through penalty after its final pit stop due to a pitlane infraction, but Bell raced his way up three spots to secure the Akin award for AWA. Winning the season championship is the main objective for the team, which would earn an automatic entry into the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans. The next IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R program is the Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic on the streets of downtown Detroit on Saturday, June 1.

Content and image provided by Ryan Smith

Statesville, NC (April 29, 2024) — After months of preparation and planning, DXDT Racing will debut the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R when drivers Scott Smithson and Bryan Sellers compete in this weekend’s Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS event at Sebring International Raceway.

Sporting the No. 08 that has become synonymous with Smithson and Sellers in recent years and competing in the Pro-Am class, the green flag in Race 1 will mark the car’s first appearance in global SRO competition.

Alongside the FENEX-branded No. 08, longtime Corvette factory driver Tommy Milner and Alec Udell will join the team in the No. 63 KÜHL Corvette Z06 GT3.R Pro class entry at the following round at Circuit of The Americas in Austin on May 17-19.

Milner – who joined Corvette in 2011 – brings a wealth of experience and a history of success to DXDT. He has twice won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and also claimed multiple IMSA championships with the marque. Having helped develop the Z06 GT3.R – based on the eighth-generation Corvette Z06 supercar – he also comes to the team with an innate understanding of the car, which will pay dividends on both sides of the garage.

While a newcomer to the Corvette platform, Udell joins the team with plenty of experience in mid-engined sports cars. Udell, the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge GT Cup Champion, returns to the GT World Challenge paddock after a couple of years of racing in the IMSA GTD class, which saw him capture three podiums – including an impressive third-place finish at the 12 Hours of Sebring – in 2023.

“We are proud to see DXDT Racing debut the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in GT World Challenge America,” said Corvette Z06 GT3.R Program Manager Christie Bagne. “The anticipation for this first race has been building since our initial announcement at the Indy 8 Hour last year and we’re looking forward to the green flag at Sebring.  The collaboration between the DXDT Racing team and Corvette Customer Support is strong and the team has been in lockstep with us to benefit from the learnings from our IMSA and WEC programs.”

“I’m just super excited,” said Team Principal David Askew. “When the opportunity was coming into focus and we were able to get the deal with them, I knew it was going to be daunting and there was a lot of work we would have to do. But, the team stepped up, and they’ve been doing a lot of work even before we got the cars. I’m just really looking forward to working with one of the best teams in the world in Corvette Racing. They’ve made pretty much all of their resources available to us, and we’re going to take advantage of that. Their equipment, their know-how, their people, they’re all stepping up to help us, and I’m just super excited to be a part of it.”

You can catch the Corvette Z06 GT3.R’s debut this weekend at Sebring, with practice starting on Friday, May 3rd, followed by Race 1 on Saturday and Race 2 of the weekend on Sunday. For more updates, follow DXDT Racing’s social media channels and watch along for free on GT World Challenge’s YouTube channel, which can be found at www.youtube.com/@GTWorld.

From the Drivers

Scott Smithson, No.08

“I’m super excited, and naturally a little nervous too. It’s totally new for me. I’ve never raced in a mid-engined car, so it’s a brand new experience for me with the Corvette. With that said, our first test went really well a couple weeks ago and I felt at home pretty early on. I’m super excited for the rest of the season and to see what we can accomplish together!”

Bryan Sellers, No. 08

“First you have to say, Mercedes has been a great partner for many years and I’m super thankful for that partnership. But, as time goes on, there’s a point in time that you have to look for something else and I think we’re all super excited for the future and for this new partnership with Corvette. We want to see what that brings and how that builds. Personally, you’re always excited to get in a new car and see something new, see something fancy. Corvette will be the newest of the GT3 cars currently and that brings a lot of excitement—a lot of noise around the paddock and around the program. We’re all super ready to get our hands on it and really see what we can do with that. We’ll turn the page from a great partner to another great partner and I’m just thankful for both of them at the moment.”

Alec Udell, No. 63

“I’m really looking forward to driving with DXDT in GTWCA this season. David and Erin [Gahagan, Team Manager] have assembled a fantastic group of people. Investing in talented minds within the team and partnering with Pratt Miller and Corvette is no small feat. It’s a well-meshed group and it seems like they’re starting to hit their stride. Also, being able to learn from Tommy and Bryan is a huge plus, and I’m excited to soak up all the knowledge available. At the first test, I really enjoyed hopping into the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and getting into SRO with the car, I’m sure there’s competitive results coming. Having been in and out of SRO in the US and Europe over the years, it’s great to be a part of that story again!”

Tommy Milner, No. 63

“I can’t wait to go racing with the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R with DXDT. David Askew and his team have been working very hard over the last few seasons to improve in all areas and this opportunity to make the final push to the top with the new Corvette is coming at the right time. We had a very good first test with the cars at Sebring and I’m looking forward to working with Alec, Bryan, Scott, and the rest of the team to make this a successful debut season for the Corvette.”

Copyright (C) 2024  DXDT Racing. All rights reserved.