Full GTWC America campaign for Samantha Tan Racing in 2024
ST Racing will return to GT World Challenge America in 2024 with team namesake Samantha Tan and BMW M Motorsport works driver Neil Verhagen. The duo will compete aboard the #38 BMW M4 GT3 in the Pro-Am class.
BMW M Motorsport brand ambassador, Samantha Tan returned to the GTWC America full-time in 2023 and, thanks to her ever-developing racing skills, secured her highest Pro-Am ranking in the series to-date. Neil Verhagen meanwhile joined ST Racing from round four onwards, the Nürburgring 24 Hours class winner’s demonstrative speed proving invaluable from the get-go.
After making their GT3 debut in 2022, ST Racing returned for its first full GTWC America season in 2023. After an exploratory start to the season, and with setup development of the BMW improving significant during those early rounds, the Canadian-entered outfit built up an incredible head of steam heading into the second half of the year: across seven races, ST Racing finished all but two of them no lower than 2nd in-class, and earned its first win at Road America.
Samantha Tan, team co-owner: “2023 was a season of growth. I learned so much over the course of the year from both John and Neil, and we really found our momentum as a team. After a 5-race podium streak and 1 win, I can proudly say this was our most successful season in GT3. I’m excited to announce that we will be returning back to GTWC America and Neil will be my teammate for the full season. We work very well together and I look forward to bringing home more trophies with him! We were incredibly competitive at the halfway point of the season and I can’t wait to build upon everything we learned. Happy holidays everyone and see you in 2024!”
Neil Verhagen, driver: “It’s crazy to think we are already at the end of the year. It seems like time has flown by since I stepped in at VIR. It’s been a very enjoyable half year for myself with STR. We had a lot of highs with 5 podium finishes in a row and 1 win in Road America. I am thrilled to be joining STR in 2024! I would like to say a massive thank you to Samantha, Ken, Jon, and the entire STR team for the trust to fight with them next season! I feel we learned so much as a team together this year. I can’t wait to be able to show all of this next season! I’m looking forward to continuing working with Samantha and keep seeing her grow as a driver over the course of next year! I would like to also say my season highlight was in Road America, celebrating with the team for their first win in the series was special! I wish everyone a very happy holidays with loved ones and a happy new year. See you all in 2024!”
2023 also saw the North American outfit take two podiums and its first win in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, with support from partner Rinaldi Racing. Both ST Racing and Samantha Tan finished 4th in the GTWC America Pro-Am Teams’ and Pro-Am Drivers’ standings respectively. This concluded one of the team’s most successful campaigns in North America since securing the Pro-Am GT4 Driver’s Championship in 2019, and the GT4 America Teams’ title the following year.
Kenneth Tan, team principal / co-owner: “Say it isn’t so, Joe! That’s what I was lamenting at the end of our 2023 campaign in SRO GTWC America. There was something amiss between the championship results compared to the efforts and performance put in by the team. There was a gap and I felt we should have fared better than where we finished given our performance. Thus, there was no choice but to go back in 2024 with the same crew and driver line-up. Samantha found her groove driving with Neil Verhagen late in the season. We are coming back to prove again that ours is a winning formula. Vamonos!”
Jon Miller, team manager: “We’re looking forward to taking the fight back to the front of the GT World Challenge field where we left off in the second half of 2023. Our only goal is race wins and securing the championship. With Samantha and Neil in our #38 BMW M4 GT3, we’re more prepared and excited for the season to begin than we have ever been.”
GTWC America action in 2024 kicks off at Sonoma Raceway on 5-7 April, followed by round two at the Sebring International Raceway on 3-5 May. One of ST Racing’s most fruitful hunting grounds – the Circuit of the Americas in Texas – hosts round three just two weeks later on 17-19 May, and after a short summer break, the 2024 GTWC American resumes at the Virginia International Raceway on 19-21 July. Rounds six and seven will be held at Road America and Barber Motorsports Park respectively on 16-18 August and 6-8 September, while the Indianapolis 8 Hour, held at the vaunted Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is the traditional season closer on 4-6 October. Of the seven venues announced, ST Racing is a proven race winner at four of them.
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