Magnus Racing Celebrates 10th Year of Competition at Rolex 24; Webcast to Return

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (January 22, 2019) – When John Potter chose to venture from driver to team owner at the close of 2009, few would have guessed that Magnus Racing would go on to become one of the most decorated teams in all of GT racing throughout their decade of racing. With two class wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, a win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Inaugural Brickyard Grand Prix, and two team championships in the now-titled IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, the team will arrive for this weekend’s Rolex 24 celebrating its 10^th year of racing.

“It’s a huge honor to arrive in our 10^th year of racing,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and co-driver John Potter. “I couldn’t be more fortunate to have been surrounded by such an amazing group of men and women through the years, and we’re looking to celebrate a decade of racing with the level of performance we’ve come to expect. Daytona should be a great venue for us, with a strong driver lineup and a great car, and sweetening the experience should be the return of our annual webcast, where fans can join us in the fun.”

A now staple part of the team’s heritage, the annual Magnus pitside webcast will once again return for Daytona. Featuring 24 hours of live coverage from inside the team’s pit stall, the team’s usual combination of live team communications and fun antics will continue, being broadcast live on YouTube and the team’s website. Back for 2019, not only will long-time host Sean Heckman continue for his final year of the stream, but Ryan Eversley will return to join in the fun as well. Eversley last joined the events in 2014, and together the stream promises the same fun as year’s previous, including an on-going fan chat, contests, and strange antics unique to the team.

The live feed can be found at the team’s website, magnusracing.com, or via the team’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/user/magnusracing44

Driving the No. 44 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO, Potter will be joined by full season teammate Andy Lally, endurance teammate Spencer Pumpelly, and mandatory Italian Marco Mapelli as the quartet seek the team’s third Rolex 24 triumph. Following a strong run at the pre-season Roar Before the 24 test, the team showed promise, however as one of the most competitive fields in series history, it’s anyone’s guess just how the race will go.

Practice begins this Thursday, January 24, with the race beginning on Saturday, January 26. Live coverage will begin at 2PM ET on NBCSN, with 24-hour coverage jumping between NBCSN and the NBC Sports app throughout the entire run of the race.

Mapelli Confirmed with Pumpelly, Lallypelly, Potterpelly at Rolex 24

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 9, 2019) – Following a successful test at the season-opening Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway, Magnus Racing and the No. 44 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO are as ready as they can be, with the team fully prepared for the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona, the first race of the 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

While John Potter, Andy Lally, and Spencer Pumpelly had previously been confirmed for their respective full-season and endurance roles, the team also used the event to welcome team newcomer Marco Mapelli to the fold, who will join as a factory-supplied driver to add to the team’s 24-hour effort.

A native of Italy, Mapelli joins as a veteran of a number of international programs, including the Japanese Super GT Series, Blancpain GT, GT Masters, International GT Open, and specialty events including the Bathurst 12 Hour. Unique to Mapelli, he even holds the street car record at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife, setting an incredible 6:44.97 lap time in Lamborghini Huracán Performante.

“Marco immediately fit in to our group from Day One, and we’re looking forward to him joining us at Daytona,” stated team owner and driver John Potter. “Being new to the platform, having someone with his experience and success is an immediate asset, and he’s already acclimated to our way of working so it should be a great relationship. “

For Mapelli, a similar sentiment is shared.

“The team at Magnus has a great history at Daytona, so I’m looking forward to the event,” stated Marco. “We had a good test together, I’m already comfortable with their environment, now we all have to turn our attention to a great race. The Rolex 24 is of course a race that every driver wants to win in his career, and we’re all very focused on victory.”

The second-to-last paragraph of all Roar Before the 24 post-event releases must inevitably say something about balance-of-performance, as Magnus Racing walked away with a disadvantage, of course totes moreso than every other team who claims the same. 

Official practice for the Rolex 24 at Daytona begins on Thursday, January 24. The race will begin that Saturday, January 26 at 2:35PM. The team will have additional announcements in the coming weeks. 

Magnus Racing Confirms Spencer Pumpelly for Endurance Races

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (December 11, 2018) – Following a successful day of testing the all-new Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO at Daytona International Speedway, Magnus Racing is proud to confirm team veteran Spencer Pumpelly as the team’s third driver for the entirety of the Michelin Endurance Cup. Joining teammates John Potter and Andy Lally, who have already been confirmed for the entirety of the IMSA WeatherTech Championship 2019 season, Pumpelly will join in all four of the season’s endurance races, looking to earn their third title starting with this January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“It’s great to have Spencer back with us for 2019,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “His first official race with Magnus was in 2017, but he’s been part of the family for several years, with many people on the team having worked with Spencer over the last two decades. We’re extremely fortunate to have him, and he couldn’t be a better fit for our ambitions to capture a third endurance championship.”

A veteran of sportscar competition, Spencer joins as one of the most sought after talents in the paddock, holding two Rolex 24 wins, two championships in IMSA competition, as well as endurance victories at the Six Hours of the Glen and Petit Le Mans. A prior member of the Magnus organization, Spencer last drove with the team in 2017, where he took victory at Lime Rock Park, and has additionally driven as a teammate to both John Potter and Andy Lally while they were with different teams.

For Spencer Pumpelly, a return to Magnus Racing is one he looks forward to.

“It’s great to return to Magnus Racing for 2019,” stated Pumpelly. “Obviously the team has a reputation for fun, but it’s also an incredible group of people, many of whom I’ve known for a long time. In 2017 we enjoyed some strong runs together, most notably winning in Lime Rock, and I think the combination of John and Andy for this year’s endurance races should be formidable. It’s great to be in a committed program this early, and we can all enter Daytona focused.”

The team’s official debut will come in just four weeks’ time, taking place at the upcoming Roar Before the 24 from January 4-6, the annual season-opening test weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

(photo credit: Michelin)

Magnus Racing Announces Switch to Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO; Andy Lally Confirmed for 2019

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (November 21, 2018) – Heading in to the 10^th year of professional competition, Magnus Racing will join forces with Lamborghini Squadra Corse for the upcoming 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Looking to recapture the same fortune that saw the team win multiple endurance championships, as well as victories at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, the switch to the Italian manufacturer and the new Huracán GT3 EVO present a renewed opportunity for all involved. Additionally, the team is proud to reveal the continuation of full-season drivers John Potter and Andy Lally for the season.

“It’s great to move forward with everyone at Lamborghini Squadra Corse,” stated Magnus Racing owner and co-driver John Potter. “The performance of the Lamborghini over the past several seasons is well documented, and it will be nice to compete with them rather than against them in 2019. Since our first meeting, we’ve been remarkably impressed with the attention to customer service and clear communication, which instills a lot of confidence in the future of our working relationship. In particular, I’d really like to thank Giorgio Sanna and Chris Ward for being as responsive as they have, with an organization like ours it’s extremely refreshing.”

Of course this will mark the end of a three-year chapter with Audi Sport customer racing, who with Magnus Racing achieved tremendous success, including victories at The Rolex 24 at Daytona and Lime Rock Park in 2016, the North American Endurance Cup in the same year, as well as the California 8 Hour in 2017.

“We’re of course appreciative of our last three years with Audi Sport customer racing,” continued Potter. “We’re proud of the achievement we all had together, and of course Audi will always have a place in our team’s history, and are thankful their support through the years.”

Looking toward 2019, the team enters the off-season with a renewed focus and enthusiasm on taking top results. In 2018, Lamborghini swept the Driver, Team, and Manufacturer Championships, including victory at The Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, and with an updated “EVO” program for next year, the team looks forward to a renewed opportunity to seek victory.

For Giorgio Sanna, Head of Motorsport for Automobili Lamborghini, welcoming Magnus Racing to the fold is one everyone looks forward to.

“We are very excited to have the team at Magnus Racing join us for 2019,” stated Sanna. “The team has a great on-track endurance record going back to their multiple Rolex 24 at Daytona wins, multiple championships, and of course Sebring win as well, but they also have an off-track approach that is very unique. We look forward to working closer together, and are happy to be part of the family and fun atmosphere that the team has created.” 

For Chris Ward, Senior Manager of Motorsport for Automobili Lamborghini, 2019 with Magnus Racing presents another strong team to the family.

“Having Magnus Racing join us adds another great team to our ambitions for another championship year,” sated Ward. “We’ve enjoyed our experience working with them to this point, and look forward to their approach with racing.”

For Andy Lally, returning to Magnus Racing with a revamped program is one he looks forward to.

“Moving in to 2019 with Lamborghini is a great move forward for the team,” stated Lally. “We’ve of course been driving against their cars for the last several years and they’ve had a great package, so I’m excited to finally get behind the wheel with next year’s EVO. There’s a lot to learn in a short amount of time, but we’re confident we can get up to speed quickly and regain the form we know we’re capable of.” 

With the off-season well under way, the team looks forward to taking delivery of their vehicle ahead of a busy winter testing season. Additional updates, including drivers, team liveries, and additional plans related to IMSA’s upcoming 50^th Anniversary will come shortly.

Magnus Racing Closes 2018 Season with Ninth

BRASELTON, Georgia (October 15, 2018) – Following a series of tire failures resulting in multiple unscheduled pit stops, Magnus Racing and drivers John Potter, Andy Lally and Andrew Davis would endure the 2018 Petit Le Mans without incident, but maligned by recurring pit emergencies to ultimately settle for ninth.

“This wasn’t the weekend we were hoping for, but it was out of our control,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “Between testing and prep for this weekend we were as ready as we could be, and we were on the right course with our opening strategy, but after three tire failures there’s not exactly much we could do to salvage the day. We would have liked to have gone in to the off-season with the momentum of a strong close, but we’ll put it behind us and focus on our 2019 program.”

Opening the 10-hour race in the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS GT3, John Potter’s race-start would actually kick the event off with a lot of promise. Running a unique strategy to the field, Potter actually drove an incredible triple-stint, running three consecutive pit cycles without putting a foot wrong, ultimately pitting near the three-hour mark having completed his minimum drive-time and handing a clean car to teammates Lally and Davis for the remainder of the race.

Unfortunately, as the middle of the race took hold, in conjunction with the heat of the mid-afternoon, Lally’s climb through the field would be cut short, pitting earlier than expected as a left-rear tire began to lose pressure. Trading for Andrew Davis, a similar fate would ensue, identifying a real problem for the team.

As circumstances continued, a third failure would occur as the race progressed. While no specific problem has been identified, the team would like to make it clear that they ran well within the recommended parameters on both camber and tire pressure, deliberately choosing a conservative strategy to ensure this sort of problem was mitigated in the race.

As the track cooled and the team adjusted their setup to try and manage the issue, the team would eventually climb back up the order, but ultimately resigned to a conservative pace and finishing ninth.

With the season at a conclusion, Magnus Racing will make further announcements on their 2019 plans at a later date.