Defending Fanatic GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS champions K-PAX Racing announced a two-car entry into this year’s GTWC America series, with Lamborghini Squadra Corse driver Andrea Caldarelli and team mate Jordan Pepper at the wheel of the all-Pro #1 K-PAX Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO.
“We are looking forward to coming back to SRO GT World Challenge America this year and bringing back Andrea and Jordan to defend the championship,” said K-PAX programme manager Darren Law. “They work so well together and make a great driver combination.”
“Jordan and Andrea work so well together, and it is hard to find a better driver pairing.”
Caldarelli and Pepper found instant success in their first year of racing together in the series. They combined for nine victories, eight pole positions, and 12 podiums across 13 races. Their nine wins were the most by any combination of drivers since the multi-driver format was first introduced in 2017.
The goal for 2022 is to win back-to-back series title, a feat that K-PAX last achieved during the 2007-08 seasons, when the series was known as the SPEED World Challenge.
“It may be easy to talk about how we’re going to approach the 2022 season and using the momentum from last year will be key. But we can’t rely on it,” remarked Pepper, who is in his third year at K-PAX and his second aboard a Lamborghini. “We really have to work harder than before – the target is on our back. We have to put our heads down and work extremely hard to keep improving our package and improving as drivers. I think we have the people to do it.”
“Returning to a lot of the tracks will make it a bit easier for us. We know what we’re doing, so we can get going straight-away without having to learn the track – though Andrea and I picked up on each of them super quick last season. Ozarks [International Raceway] I’m sure he’ll pick up in the first few laps, but I love the U.S. tracks and am very excited to get back to the places I’ve loved so much.”
K-PAX will also field the number 3 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO into the Pro-Am class, driven by newcomers Giacomo Altoè – another Lamborghini Squadra Corse factory driver – and IMSA mainstay Misha Goikhberg.
Altoè joined Lamborghini in 2020 at only 19 years-old, fulfilling a goal he has had since his racing career began only four years before. He has a decorated career in the last five years: a 2018 Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe and Trofeo World Final Championship, and a 2019 International GT Open title. Goikhberg brings a wealth of racing experience to K-PAX: The Russian-born Canadian racer has previously won the 2014 IMSA Lites Championship, the 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona in the PC class and an overall victory in the 2018 Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.
“It has been a few years since we ran a Pro-Am car, but it is a title we would like to compete for,” Law remarked on K-PAX’s second entry.
“I have been watching and speaking with Misha Goikhberg for a while, he does a really good job in the car, and we feel that he has the ability to fight for a Championship. We raced against Gioacomo Altoé last season, we see how good he is, he is extremely quick and will be a great addition to our team and will also give Misha the right support and a chance to fight for the title.”
“I’ve never worked with the team before, but I know some of the team members. From the outside, it looks a really professional and a high-level environment, which I really like,” said Altoè. “I’m so much looking forward to the new season with K-PAX and Misha. It will be my second season in the U.S. I really like the American tracks, with no room for mistakes.”
“I am very excited to join K-PAX Racing, a team with such rich history, as well as competing in GT World Challenge, a very strong GT championship,” said Goikhberg. “K-PAX Racing is a very strong team, with a very good relationship with Lamborghini, which I am excited to continue. So far, I’ve seen nothing but extreme professionalism and commitment to winning from Darren and the team.”
