New BMW for CarBahn with Peregrine Racing
The CarBahn with Peregrine Racing #39 Pilot Challenge entry will have a different look and sound when it takes to the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend. The team has switched it from a Porsche to a BMW, and will be campaigning an M4 GT4 for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Although this will be the first time that Peregrine Racing has competed with the Bavarian brand, team owner Steven Dinan has a longstanding association to it via CarBahn. CarBahn is the United States’ largest aftermarket BMW parts distributor, and Dinan has been working with the brand for over 45 years, helping BMW win 121 racing championships and two prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona victories.
“We’re excited to be adding the BMW M4 GT4 to our line-up this season,” said Dinan. “Jeff and Sean have been doing a tremendous job, and we’re confident that we’ll be able to get back to winning ways working with the great people over at BMW for the balance of the season and in the years to come.”
Team principal Mark Siegel echoed Dinan’s sentiments.
“We’re very excited about our new partnership with BMW from Indianapolis onward,” Siegel said. “The new M4 GT4 model has already proven itself to be a strong contender in IMPC, which, paired with Steve’s wealth of experience with BMW, gives us a great opportunity at championship success next season. That’s our main priority, and I think this partnership is another step towards achieving that.”
In the #39, Jeff Westphal and Sean McAlister will be rejoined by Nolan Siegel in Indy, who served as the third driver in the team’s strong showing in Daytona.
CarBahn with Peregrine Racing team will however, continue to field its Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport at Indianapolis, with young up-and-comers Brady Golan and Cameron Shields joining the fray in its #93 machine.
Indy Spotter Guide
Get ready for this weekend’s IMSA Battle On The Bricks at Indianapolis by downloading Andy Blackmore’s superb event Spotter Guide, below:
IMSA Street Festival a smash hit!
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMSA kicked off the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks event weekend yesterday with a family-oriented street festival on Main Street in Speedway.
.@Team_Penske and @JDCMotorSports show us the difference between a GTP and TCR pit stop!#IMSA | @IMS | @PorscheRaces | @AudiOfficial pic.twitter.com/TilPP7cysR
— #IMSA (@IMSA) September 14, 2023
The event proved to be a hit, with a great turnout of more than 30 cars from IMSA’s series and hordes of fans all keen to get a close up look of the competitors and meet the drivers.
In addition to static displays, an autograph session and live driver Q&A, there was a live pit stop demonstration featuring the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 GTP prototype and the #17 Unitronic/JDC Miller MotorSports Audi RS3 LMS TCR.
LA Honda World pulls out of Indy
The LA Honda World TCR Civic Type-Rs have been withdrawn from Pilot Challenge this weekend.
The team hasn’t gone into detail, citing “unforeseen circumstances” as the reason for it skipping the visit to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It has however confirmed that it will return to action in the season finale at Road Atlanta next month.
A provisional entry list for Pilot Challenge, which doesn’t reflect LA Honda World’s absence, can be found HERE >>>
Images courtesy of CarBahn with Peregrine Racing and LA Honda World
