GB Autosport confirms Rolex 24 lineup
The team, which impressed in its debut season of IMSA competition in 2014, will build on the lessons learned by focusing on continuity in several key areas while also integrating some new talent into the effort.
Continuity will be on both sides of the pit wall, as the Cole Scrogham-led team will return in 2015 utilizing the same technical package in the Porsche GT America. The GTD-class machine made strides through the 2014 season, and the ambitious team is looking forward to positive results for the marque at Daytona.
After recovering from a training injury that kept him from racing in the second half of the 2014 IMSA season, the GB Autosport Rolex 24 lineup will see American driver Michael Avenatti return to race action to kick off the season. Irish Porsche expert Damien Faulkner returns to the team for the 2015 campaign along with Avenatti as the duo look forward to a productive pairing once again.
New to the team but set to be a familiar face through the TPNAEC campaign will be American Mike Skeen, who has been confirmed to co-drive the Tully’s “Coffee Rocket" in TPNAEC competition.
The Tully’s Rolex 24 effort will also see the team welcome Kuba Giermaziak (Poland) and Rory Butcher (Scotland) for the season-opening endurance challenge at Daytona International Speedway.
Giermaziak will arrive at the high banked circuit fresh from his run to the Vice-Championship in the 2014 Porsche Supercup. The highly regarded Porsche ace also brings familiarity with Daytona and the Porsche GT America platform, having competed at Daytona the last two years.
Butcher will be making his first-ever Rolex 24 start after a strong debut season of British GT competition in 2014. The Scottish pilot has a background in Porsche competition that includes a run to third in the 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup GB championship.
“As a first-year squad but with a lot of experienced people with us, we learned a lot last year as a group and this year our focus is on converting those lessons into success," said Team Manager Cole Scrogham. “We gained momentum through the season—not just with our pace, but also unlocking more from this Porsche GTD America and the Continental Tires and picking up a little bit each weekend. It’s been a very productive off-season so we are very much looking forward to getting going at Daytona. As we saw last year, you never really know what the 24 is going to throw at you, but I think we’ve got a great line-up to take it on."
The team will be back in action on January 9-11, 2015 to begin testing for the year at the annual "Roar Before the 24" test days at Daytona International Speedway.
2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona GB Autosport Driver Line-up:
Damien Faulkner: Irish sportscar ace, Faulkner has been racing for over 20 years and is one of the premiere Porsche drivers around the globe. A two-time Porsche Carrera GB Cup Champion, Faulkner has experienced success on US soil as well, competing in the American Le Mans Series and winning both the 12 Hours of Sebring and The Grand Prix of Long Beach. In 2014 he joined GB Autosport to compete in GTD competition in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and will contest the championship again for the 2015 season.
Kuba Giermaziak: Born on July 9, 1990, Giermaziak began racing karts at the age of nine in his hometown of Gostyn, Poland. By 2006 he scored second place in the prestigious Final World Cup ROK. The very next year he made his debut in Formula Renault 2000, and by 2000 he added plenty of Porsche experience as he joined VERVA Racing in the Porsche Supercup series and drove to be runner-up rookie of the year, while adding podiums in wins in the years to come with the team. He finished second in the season championship last year in Porsche Supercup.
Mike Skeen: American racer Skeen joins GB Autosport in 2015 for the Patron Endurance Cup events, bringing a wide range of experience varying from NASCAR to the Pirelli World Challenge as well as in the TUDOR Championship. Skeen has not only raced in a wide range of categories, he also has experience in a wide range of equipment, including a high level of familiarity with Porsche.
Rory Butcher: A Scottish driver from Kilkaldy in Fife, Butcher began his professional racing career with a bang as he scored runner-up in the Porsche Carrera Cup Pro-Am 1 Championship in 2011. He has been improving since then as his career has netted him seven wins, over 20 podiums and two poles. He joins GB Autosport in 2015 in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship to compete in the revered Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Michael Avenatti: Avenatti got his first taste of racing in 2011 with Competition Motorsports in Porsche GT3 Cup competition. Since then he continued to compete in Porsche GT3 Cup, scoring a breakthrough podium at Laguna Seca in 2012 and then moved on to American Le Mans Series competition. He forged GB Autosport for their debut season in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in 2014 and after recovering from back surgery, re-joins the team for its sophomore season.