IMSA: CORE Driver Trio Returns for 2022 Season
CORE autosport will return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for 2022 and continue its quest for the LMP3 title. Drivers Jon Bennett and Colin Braun will team up for the full season with George Kurtz back to aid in the Michelin Endurance Cup races and Nic Jönsson the fourth driver at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
This is second year CORE will enter the No. 54 CrowdStrike Ligier JS P320 in the LMP3 category. The team won races at Sebring and Road America and came up just short of winning the class championship.
This will be Bennett and Braun’s 10th year of IMSA competition as teammates, beginning with the American Le Mans Series’ Prototype Challenge category in 2012. Together they have won 17 races.
Kurtz returns for his second year with CORE after a successful 2021 LMP3 debut. Kurtz won with CORE in only his second race with the team at the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring and stood on the podium with a runner-up finish at the Six Hours of The Glen.
Along with the return of Kurtz comes the return of CORE’s partnership with CrowdStrike, a global leader in cybersecurity. The CrowdStrike logo continues to be a prominent feature on the car and CORE will welcome CrowdStrike guests throughout the season.
Jönsson is no stranger to CORE. The Swedish driver did four races with Braun and Bennett in 2017 when CORE competed in the GTD class.
The WeatherTech LMP3 Championship consists of seven races, four of which are part of the Michelin Endurance Cup. The season kicks off in a few weeks’ time with the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Raceway, an official test session prior to the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona. Visit IMSA.com for event and TV schedules.
2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship LMP3 Schedule
January 27 – 30 Rolex 24 at Daytona*
March 16 – 19 12 Hours of Sebring*
May 13 – 15 Mid-Ohio SportsCar Challenge
June 23 – 26 Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen*
July 1 – 3 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
August 5 – 7 Road America
Sept. 28 – Oct. 21 Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta*
* part of the Michelin Endurance Cup
Driver: No. 54 CrowdStrike Ligier JS P320
“I am extremely pleased with our 2022 driver lineup. Obviously, Colin and I have a longstanding relationship and his talent is off the charts. I really enjoyed working with George last year and he clearly has the pace to help us win races. He’s fit in well with the team and I think we can get some more IMSA wins on his scorecard. Having Nic back to complete our Daytona lineup is outstanding because he knows CORE and he’ll hit the ground running with us.”
Colin Braun
Driver: No. 54 CrowdStrike Ligier JS P320
“I am very excited to be back with CORE for 2022. This group is like family to me, we learned so much last year and are extremely motivated to fight for wins and the championship! Driving alongside Jon for this many years is very special. We have a great relationship and both want the same thing out of the car. George did an incredible job in his first year of the WeatherTech series and I know he will be even stronger in 2022 since he’s seen all the tracks and gotten a feel for the flow of the races. Bringing Nic back to the lineup is a no brainer, he’s very familiar with how we work at CORE and he’s such an experienced and well-rounded driver. I can’t wait to get back on track!”
George Kurtz
Driver: No. 54 CrowdStrike Ligier JS P320
“I’m thrilled to be back with CORE autosport for the 2022 season. Winning the 12 Hours of Sebring with them will always be a huge milestone in my racing career. I continue to be impressed by their professionalism and work ethic and I know we’ll make our way to the top step of the podium again.”
Driver: No. 54 CrowdStrike Ligier JS P320
“I’m very excited to rejoin the CORE autosport team for the 2022 Rolex 24. Since I’ve been working with a lot of the CORE people over the years, it truly feels like coming back home with all familiar faces. Being able to share the car with Colin, John and George is a great opportunity with a very strong and experienced crew and engineering staff. I’m very excited to race in the LMP3 category for the first time in Daytona.”