Kiwi stars Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen will join forces at Trackhouse Racing to compete in a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO class for the IMSA’s 62nd annual 24 at Daytona on January 25-26.
The No. 91 Corvette race team competing in the 24-hour race at Daytona International Speedway will be a collaboration between Trackhouse Racing and TF Sport titled “Trackhouse by TF Sport.”
Joining van Gisbergen and McLaughlin is Xfinity Series race-winner and Rolex 24 LMP2 class-winner Connor Zilisch, and two-time IMSA LMP2 champion and Le Mans 24-Hour winner Ben Keating.
“Participating in the Rolex 24 has been a dream since the inception of Trackhouse Racing,” said Trackhouse owner and founder Justin Marks, whose first professional race as a driver came in this race in 2001 and peaked when he went to victory lane in 2009.
“We wanted to make sure we could enter with a top-notch partner in Chevrolet and TF Sport as well as a driver lineup that could compete for the victory. We feel like this group we have put together can compete for the trophy.
“Trackhouse has fielded NASCAR Cup Series cars since 2021 visiting victory lane eight times with drivers Ross Chastain, Daniel Suárez and Van Gisbergen – all in Chevrolets. It joined the MotoGP grid in 2024, bringing an American team back to the pinnacle of motorcycle racing for the first time in over a decade.
“We set out to become an international company with a global brand and we took a big step in 2024 adding MotoGP. Today marks another step as Trackhouse enters one of the most prestigious motorsports races in the world with two Americans (Zilisch and Keating) and two New Zealanders (Van Gisbergen and McLaughlin) behind the wheel.
“We wanted the best partners because we know how difficult this task will be,” said Marks. “We are racing against some of the best sports car teams and drivers in the world.”
Van Gisbergen states; “This is a dream come true to get to drive alongside Scotty, Connor and Ben. I love the 24 Hours of Daytona and it’s awesome to do this with this team. Justin, Chevrolet and TF Sport have done a great job putting this all together.”
McLaughlin adds, “When the opportunity came up from General Motors to run with Ben, Connor and Shane, I jumped at it straight away. I’ve always wanted to run an endurance race in a Chevrolet Corvette, and I could not imagine a better group to join.
“I am confident we have a real chance of winning a Rolex with this team. Shane and I have so much history racing against each other, including some time as teammates. He is one of the best racers I’ve ever competed against, so it’ll be great to be on his side again for Daytona.
“Connor is a young star who’s going to be around for a long time, and Ben has won Le Mans and a World Championship in a Corvette. We’re going to have some fun.”
The addition of Zilsich and Keating to the team firm the Trackhouse by TF Sport as one of the favourites for their class.
Eighteen-year-old Zilisch won the LMP2 class at the Rolex 24 as part of a remarkable 2024 season that includes victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring, his debut Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International and several ARCA and CARS Tour events.
“I can’t wait for the 24 Hours this year,” he said. “This will be cool and I really think we can win this race. I love my Rolex and if I can get another one, I might wear one on each wrist. It takes so much to win this race and I think everyone in this group brings something to the table that will help get us to victory lane. I know our Corvette will be fast.”
Keating is the owner of 30 car dealerships across Texas and won the Rolex 24 in the GTD class in 2015 as well as the IMSA Championship in LMP2 in 2021 and 2023. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022 with TF Sport and again in 2023 with Corvette. Keating is also the 2022 and 2023 WEC World Champion.
“I’m really excited for this. I’ve won Le Mans in a Corvette and won a World Championship in a Corvette,” said Keating. “I’m thrilled to be back with TF Sport, a team that I know very well and one where we won a lot of races and a championship together. I’m teaming with some phenomenal Chevrolet drivers in Shane, Scott and Connor, which should be a lot of fun. This will be a big challenge but one that I know we are all up looking forward to and are up for.”
In 2024, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R won 11 races, claimed 12 pole positions and captured the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GTD PRO Manufacturers Championship for Chevrolet.
A total of five Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs will take part in this year’s Rolex 24.
The team will first get behind the wheel at the ‘Roar Before the 24’ test at Daytona on January 16-19, before the race a week later.
