Effort Racing, currently lying fourth and fifth in the Pirelli World Challenge standings with Michael Lewis and Patrick Long (third in the teams standings) , have announced that they are taking “a hiatus from 2016 competition, with every intention to continue the program in 2017”.
The move comes in response to current difficulties in the oil industry (from where the backing for the team comes) with oil prices having tumbled dramatically in recent months.
“It is with great disappointment that we announce a halt to our 2016 season,” said EFFORT owner Chuck Toups. “We want to thank our fans for their wonderful support and salute our competitors in the series as they continue their run to the Pirelli World Challenge crown. We couldn’t be on the sharp end of the grid without our all-star crew, and the excellent support provided by Porsche. We’ve already started the development of our 2017 program to reclaim the top spot in the championship.”
Effort Racing will continue its long standing relationship with Porsche as the team continues to have conversations about a sponsorship program. While there are potential opportunities on the horizon, none could come to fruition quick enough for Rounds 8 and 9 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park later this month. Instead, the team will put all its focus on 2017 and remains optimistic a program will be secured for 2017.
“This is a huge disappointment for the whole team,” said Team Manager Erin Gahagan. “The crew worked so hard to earn the first win of the season, and then they again showed how strong they are when they worked around the clock to get Patrick’s car back together for him to put on an incredibly impressive performance at St. Petersburg. They’re every bit of deserving for this year’s championship and it’s heartbreaking to have to walk away from this fight. But with the dedication of the crew and the support Porsche has provided EFFORT Racing, we will continue to work hard and build a stronger team for the 2017 championship.”
