Following a mixed season of competition in the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC), including a class victory at the Bathurst 12 Hour, Black Swan Racing and the No. 54 Porsche 911 GT3 R will close their 2018 campaign by entering the premier all-pro category for this weekend’s California 8 Hour. Taking place at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the lone U.S. round, the team will add Porsche factory driver Patrick Long to share duties with the full-season duo of Tim Pappas and Jeroen Bleekemolen. Recognizing that an all-pro entry would allow the team to maximize their potential for Pappas to take the series’ Bronze category title, all focus is on both race victory and Pappas’ championship quest.
“When it was revealed to us that the Bronze title wasn’t exclusive to competing in the Pro-Am category, bringing Patrick to our team was a no-brainer,” stated team owner / driver Pappas. “All three of us have a tremendous amount of experience at Laguna Seca, which should give us a major step on the competition at what is effectively our home track. It’s a favorite visit for any racer worldwide, so to close the season in the U.S., and with a real shot at doing well, it’s an event we’re all looking forward to.”
As a four-round championship taking place on four separate continents, the IGTC has quickly earned its place as a premier championship for GT3 racing machines. Taking place at such historic events as the Bathurst 12 Hours in Australia, 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium, and Suzuka 10 Hour in Japan, the lone U.S. round will close the season with the second running of the California 8 Hour. As a 2.5-mile circuit nestled in the hills of California’s Monterey Bay, Laguna Seca is one of the most scenic tracks in the world, and located just a few hours from both Pappas’ and Long’s Southern California homes.
Competing against factory-supported efforts from a number of marques, the challenge of Sunday’s finale cannot be understated. With notoriously few safety car periods in the all-GT event, ultimate pace will place a critical role, as all-pro lineups will dominate the top-tier category.
In search of the Bronze Driver title, Pappas’ currently sits second and just 20 points shy of the lead. While a challenging gap, the fact that the points are based on overall finishing position and not Pro-Am allows Pappas to maximize his effort for this weekend’s finale.
For Jeroen Bleekemolen, all focus is on finishing on a high.
“We’re all looking forward to closing on the team’s home soil,” stated Bleekemolen. “It’s been a fun year, with a lot of highlights. The IGTC has really put together a highlight of some of the most fantastic GT3 events in the world, and starting with a win in Bathurst meant we had a great season regardless of whatever else happened. The guys have worked hard all year, and now we’re just hoping we can reward Tim with the Bronze title.”
For Patrick Long, who has driven a number of events with Black Swan Racing over the years, a return to the team at what is effectively a home track is always a fun opportunity.
“WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca always offers a lot of promise for Porsche, and it could be a competitive effort for us,” stated Long. “Competing against all-pro lineups will definitely be a challenge, but we all have a lot of experience here and that should play to our favor. The IGTC is a pretty unique championship, and we want to deliver the best result possible both for Porsche but of course Tim as well.”
Practice begins on Friday, October 26, with race action taking place on Sunday, October 28.
