TUNE IN: Magnus Racing Bids a Petite Farewell to 2024 at Petit Le Mans

It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that we were kicking off the 2024 race season at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, but here we are, coming into Petit Le Mans, ready to wrap up the year with the 10-hour endurance racing extravaganza. With two of our three drivers in the No. 44 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and our shop being Atlanta-based, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is a home track for us. We’re going to be putting in a not-so-petite effort in this weekend to finish the season on a high note for John Potter, Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly, and our entire team.

In case you missed our announcement, we will be taking a scheduled break from racing following the 2025 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Running in the Michelin Endurance Cup only, our effort this year has been a petite season. We’re proud of the special team we’ve built, and what we’ve been able to accomplish this year. It can be challenging to only work five of the 12 events we’ve been involved in, but we’re so thankful they did. We’d like to spend a special thank you to our crew, and tell them how much we appreciate the time they put into our team this year!

Now we join up with the other three IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes and 53 other competitors for one final battle of the season!

The first three hours of the Motul Petit Le Mans will air live Saturday, October 12 on NBC starting at 12:00 PM ET, then pick up the final four hours on the USA network at 6:00 PM. Or viewers can stream from start to finish on Peacock if you’re in the United States, or imsa.tv if you’re watching internationally.

TUNE IN: Magnus Racing Bids a Petite Farewell to 2024 at Petit Le Mans

It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that we were kicking off the 2024 race season at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, but here we are, coming into Petit Le Mans, ready to wrap up the year with the 10-hour endurance racing extravaganza. With two of our three drivers in the No. 44 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and our shop being Atlanta-based, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is a home track for us. We’re going to be putting in a not-so-petite effort in this weekend to finish the season on a high note for John Potter, Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly, and our entire team.

In case you missed our announcement, we will be taking a scheduled break from racing following the 2025 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Running in the Michelin Endurance Cup only, our effort this year has been a petite season. We’re proud of the special team we’ve built, and what we’ve been able to accomplish this year. It can be challenging to only work five of the 12 events we’ve been involved in, but we’re so thankful they did. We’d like to spend a special thank you to our crew, and tell them how much we appreciate the time they put into our team this year!

Now we join up with the other three IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes and 53 other competitors for one final battle of the season!

The first three hours of the Motul Petit Le Mans will air live Saturday, October 12 on NBC starting at 12:00 PM ET, then pick up the final four hours on the USA network at 6:00 PM. Or viewers can stream from start to finish on Peacock if you’re in the United States, or imsa.tv if you’re watching internationally.

TUNE IN: Magnus Racing Rolls into the 'Brickyard' for Endurance Event

We know hearts all over the racing world are sad following our recent news of pausing our program after the 2025 Rolex 24 At Daytona. We appreciate all the love and witty posts you all have shared with us, and we’re determined to close out the 2024 race season on a high note! The legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway is hosting the first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship endurance race at the Brickyard this weekend. Not on the oval (we’ve all seen that), but six glorious hours around the [clockwise] road course.

Magnus Racing is about to tackle the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks with the trusty No. 44 Aston Martin Vantage GT3. Who better to drive it than the dream team: John Potter, Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly.

This not-so-little six-hour showdown on Sunday, September 22, will feature a massive 56-car grid across four classes. Expect plenty of door-to-door action, heroic overtakes, and, let’s be real, possibly some "What in the world just happened?!" moments. It’s endurance racing, after all.

The TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks goes green on Sunday, September 22 at 11:40 AM, and will conclude at 5:40 PM EDT. The race will air from start to finish on Peacock for our friends in the United States, and on imsa.com/tvlive for those outside the USA. The last three hours of the race will air on NBC if you’re inclined to just watch the second half. It's bound to be as iconic as a bottle of milk in Victory Lane… minus the milk, and definitely with more British horsepower. Join us and help us close out the year on a positive note!

MAGNUS RACING TO PAUSE AFTER ROLEX 24

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (September 16, 2024) – While evaluating a number of ways to point fingers normally found in such an announcement, Magnus Racing and team owner John Potter have decided to simply state the team will pause operations for 2025, following the upcoming 63rd Running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Breaking with a long-held sportscar tradition of blaming the BoP, series rules, or some randomly benign issue to skirt accountability, Potter will instead cite business commitments as his reason to shift focus; but he’s actually telling the truth.

Having operated in commercial real estate and hotel property development for over two decades, the two-time Rolex 24 winner will focus his 2025 energy on a one-of-a-kind opportunity in the upscale hotel sector.

“Beyond the fun of racing in IMSA, those who know my business side know that my specialty in hotel development and management has continued to build over the last 15 years,” stated Potter. “In 2025, a long-time dream project will, fingers crossed, finally be rolling forward and I simply need to concentrate my time and energy in that direction for the upcoming year. It’s been an agonizing decision, but one that ultimately seemed necessary.”

Coming off of a season-high podium at Watkins Glen, the team and their Aston Martin GT3, along with co-drivers Andy Lally and Spencer Pumpelly, will continue the 2024 IMSA endurance season as planned. Advancing on to this week’s Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis, as well as the season-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, the team will then carry into the 2025 season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona. Following Daytona, the team will pause for the year.

“Daytona is a special race for us and we’re thankful to IMSA for accepting our entry for the 2025 event” continued Potter. “Our intention is to then continue into 2026 or possibly select races in 2025, but the reason for the pause is to make sure my attention is less divided as business commitments ramp up, so I need to remain flexible for the time being.”

Campaigning their first full series campaign in 2010, and one of the original entrants in the re-united IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2014, the team has enjoyed a 15-season run that has accrued a number of accolades, including: two Rolex 24 at Daytona victories, two endurance championships, as well as victories at historic tracks including Sebring, Indianapolis, Laguna Seca, and Lime Rock. While the team will pause following the 2025 season-opener, the possibility for select events throughout the season or into the future remains an option.

“The commitment and effort of everyone on the team over recent years has been incredible,” closed Potter. “Only running the endurance rounds, many of our crew have had to balance work with our team against other commitments, leading to countless days aways from home. The loyalty from everyone to stick with the program says a lot about their character, and I hope we can close this current era with the results everyone has worked so hard for.”

Magnus Racing Strategy Secures Podium Finish at Six Hours of the Glen

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 27, 2024) – After a challenging 2024 season, Magnus Racing triumphantly returned to the podium in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The No. 44 Flex-Box Aston Martin Vantage GT3 team showcased exceptional race craft and strategic acumen, surmounting various obstacles to gain ten positions in Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. Drivers John Potter, Andy Lally, and Spencer Pumpelly celebrated their achievement with champagne on the third step of the podium.

"The race had thrills, spills, and chills,” said Team Somebody John Potter. “The only thing more uncertain than the weather was the red flag officiating! The car ran great all day, and the Magnus crew did an excellent job on the stops. Andy and Spencer handled the weather uncertainty of their stints perfectly."

The team's performance on Sunday was a testament to learning from past challenges and applying those lessons to future races. In 2022, severe weather at Watkins Glen International led to a lengthy red flag period, causing the team to miss the minimum required drive time for Andy Lally. This year, with predicted storms once again threatening the race, Magnus Racing meticulously planned to ensure all three drivers met the required drive time, even in the event of a red flag.

John Potter began the race from 13th position and masterfully cracked into the top ten in the 21-deep GTD field before he concluded his driving duties. He handed off to Andy Lally for a single stint, setting the stage for their eventual podium finish. Spencer Pumpelly took over with just under two and a half hours of racing complete, clocking in his required drive time and skillfully navigating the Aston Martin through multiple cautions, incidents, and a brief squall. Lally returned to the driver’s seat for the final third of the race in fifth place, ensuring he met the drive time requirement despite a late red flag period. He crossed the finish line in fourth, but race control’s scrutiny of drive times altered the final results.

Magnus Racing's strategic foresight paid off when the No. 120 Porsche’s finishing driver failed to meet the drive time requirement, elevating Magnus Racing to third place.