NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- GEAR Racing team drivers Katherine Legge and two-time IMSA GTD Champion Christina Nielsen will compete in the 2020 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD class on board a brand-new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO. GEAR Racing joined forces with Grasser Racing Team to field the No. 19 car for the full season. GEAR is supplying drivers, sponsors, and additional team support.
Legge and Nielsen recently joined GEAR Racing following a positive 2019 IMSA GTD season in the No. 57 car. "GEAR stands for Girl Empowerment Around Racing, and it is our mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold in racing and in life," says Kara Kenney, Global Brand Director of GEAR. "We're thrilled to have Katherine and Christina on the team, and we couldn't have found a better racing partner than Grasser."
This certainly is a winning combination. Nielsen won the IMSA GTD Championship in 2016 and 2017, while GRT finished first at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2019 and is coming off back-to-back Rolex 24 At Daytona wins for Lamborghini in GTD. Legge was the 2018 IMSA GTD runner-up and has four career IMSA victories. Legge also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Formula-E and IndyCar, including two Indianapolis 500s.
"Recently, the opportunity to drive the No. 19 Lamborghini was brought to my attention. Around the same time, Christina and I met Kara. Her company contacted GRT and quickly signed a deal that paired us as co-drivers", says Legge. "It was amazing to see how fast this program came together and will be great to drive with Christina again. This is about more than just racing. This is about the next generation and making a difference. IMSA has been home to me for many years now and I cannot wait to get this season underway."
Although 2020 will be the first full IMSA season for GRT, they're definitely not new to sportscar racing. In 2015, GRT was selected as the Lamborghini Factory Team to develop the Huracan GT3 and achieved outstanding results in the first season. Starting with a first race maiden victory at Monza, GRT won the 2017 Blancpain GT Series. Including victories at Daytona and Sebring in 2019, GRT has accumulated over 60 podiums and more than 30 overall race wins to become one of the most successful GT3 teams worldwide.
Nielsen states, "I'm extremely fortunate to be competing for a third IMSA WearherTech Championship Title in GTD with such strong partners. It's my favorite championship series. I'm excited to be back with Katherine; and Grasser is one of the most competitive teams in the entire paddock."
The team plans to announce a 3rd driver for the Michelin North American Endurance Cup in the upcoming weeks.
For Information on GEAR Racing, contact:
Kara Kenney, GEAR Racing, Global Brand Director
(888) 889-1347
[email protected]
ADDITIONAL QUOTES:
Ing. Gottfried Grasser, Founder of Grasser Racing Team -
"Grasser Racing Team is more than happy to field the No. 19 Lamborghini with GEAR Racing in the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech Championship. It's an honour for my team and I to prepare a brand-new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO for Christina Nielsen and Katherine Legge. We're excited to fight for many victories in the 2020 Championship and we cannot wait to start the new season with the highlight event, the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January. I am so glad that MPH represents the GEAR Racing team - the only all-female race team in IMSA. We have the right partners on our side for great success!"
Giorgio Sanna, Lamborghini, Global Head of Motorsports -
"Lamborghini Squadra Corse are delighted to welcome Christina Nielsen and Katherine Legge to the Squadra Corse family as part of their effort in the GTD class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship for 2020. It is the perfect time in our brand's history to have such a distinguished female driver lineup as we expand our customer base globally to a growing female audience; To have them join Grasser Racing Team for 2020 in the USA is the best possible platform as the team looks forward to defending their 2018 and 2019 Daytona 24Hr victories. We wish them every success for Daytona and of course for their run at the IMSA Championship."
ABOUT:
GEAR Racing
GEAR Racing is a division of MPH Inc and stands for Girl Empowerment Around Racing. GEAR Racing is dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold in racing and in life. GEAR Racing also produces The GEAR Project, a national program developed to inspire young women through a series of interactive events and assemblies focused on science, technology, engineering, and math, hosted by top female drivers in Motorsports.
MPH Inc
MPH Inc is a Motorsports marketing and management firm based in New York. The company handles sponsorships, driver representation, race team support, along with marketing, event production and content development. MPH Inc is driven to deliver the best in service, best in product and best in experiences.
Grasser Racing Team
Gottfried Grasser GmbH racing as GRT Grasser Racing Team is an Austrian racing team. Ing. Gottfried Grasser, active in motorsports since 1999, founded the Grasser Racing Team in 2011. The team has raced in various GT3 based racing series with support from Lamborghini since 2015.
IMSA
North America's premier sports car organization, IMSA sanctions the premier IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge plus five exciting single-marque series, competing at North America's premier circuits.
SOURCE GEAR Racing
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