CrowdStrike by Riley has confirmed the four drivers for their Pro-Am class effort at the centenary running of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in June.
CrowdStrike Racing’s George Kurtz and Colin Braun, teammates in CrowdStrike by Riley’s Fanatec GT World Challenge America entry, will race alongside Nicky Catsburg and Ian James behind the wheel of the #04 CrowdStrike Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the Pro-Am category.
2023 saw the CrowdStrike by Riley team lead the Pro-Am class during its Spa debut with Kurtz, Braun and James making up three-quarters of the lineup (Felipe Fraga completed the line-up on that occasion). In 2022, Kurtz was on the SPS Performance team that earned a Bronze Cup victory in their Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The addition of Catsburg, twice a winner of the 24 Hours of Spa, is a significant one, as he was part of the 2023 Pro-Am winning SunEnergy1 lineup, again in a Mercedes-AMG. He is also teaming up with 2023 Le Mans LMP2 Pro-Am winners Kurtz and Braun at the 2024 French classic just two weeks before Spa.
The CrowdStrike Riley effort will draw logistical and operational support of SPS automotive during this year’s Spa 24 Hours.
The historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit was the site of a ground-breaking announcement last year as SRO Motorsports confirmed CrowdStrike as the race title sponsor in a multi-year commercial agreement.
The news further entrenched CrowdStrike’s position as a leading brand in the motorsports industry. The company is the official internet and cloud security provider for SRO Motorsports’ global race championships. It regularly hosts premium experiential programs for CrowdStrike customers at SRO events, including its CXO summits.
An initiative developed by CrowdStrike, a CXO Summit is an invitation-only networking event around significant motorsports races where CrowdStrike executives have an opportunity to visit with VIP guests and to discuss trends and opportunities for cyber protection in a business-to-business environment.
CrowdStrike VIPs also will have the chance to enjoy top-level trackside hospitality, meet-and-greet sessions with the CrowdStrike by Riley team, a pre-event parade in the nearby town of Spa-Francorchamps and honorary roles in pre- and post-race festivities.
The 2024 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is scheduled for June 26-30 with full race and qualifying coverage available on SRO Motorsports’ official YouTube channel.
George Kurtz: “It is always a tremendous honor to race at Spa. I’m excited to have the chance to do it again with great teammates in Colin, Ian and Nicky, plus a great team in CrowdStrike by Riley. With this being the centenary Spa 24 Hours and having CrowdStrike as the title sponsor, the race takes on that much more significance. I’m confident that our team and our Mercedes-AMG GT3 will have us in contention throughout all 24 hours.”
Colin Braun: “I’m very excited to get back to Spa with the CrowdStrike by Riley team. There’s something really special about driving the Mercedes-AMG GT3 around a track like Spa, especially since the competition is so intense. Returning with George and Ian brings a lot of continuity to the program, and they were both super-fast last year. Nicky’s resume speaks for itself, I know it will be a lot of fun to work with him. I believe we have all the pieces to win this race, we just need to execute and have a bit of luck on our side!”
Nicky Catsburg: “I’m really looking forward to joining CrowdStrike by Riley to fight for victory in our class at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. It is the centenary race, so this is one of the years that you really want to be part of it. I’m hoping to go for another victory after winning the Pro-Am class last year. It will be great to join Ian, George and Colin. I feel like we will have a strong lineup to fight for the victory. The Mercedes-AMG is a car that I have driven at the Spa 24 Hours twice, so I feel like this is a car that is pretty good on this track. I’m looking forward to giving it a good go once again and hopefully fighting for victory.”
Ian James: “I’m excited again to join CrowdStrike by Riley for the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. I enjoyed my experience with the team at last year’s race, and I’m hoping for big things out of our lineup this year. It seems to be a great one but we all know that a lot can happen in 24 hours around the Spa circuit. We are anticipating another large grid and Pro-Am class, so we will need to be on top of things from the very start of practice. I’m looking forward to it already.”
