Robert Noaker earns GT4 promotion with MMR
After back-to-back in the IMSA-sanctioned Mustang Challenge series, punctuated by a perfect 2025 championship season, Robert Noaker will make his full-time GT4 racing debut in next year’s Michelin Pilot Challenge with McCumbee McAleer Racing.
Noaker and second-year driver Nate Cicero will team up to drive the #13 McCumbee McAleer Racing with Aerosport Ford Mustang GT4 full-time in the GS (Grand Sport) class.
Cicero was part of the seventh-generation Mustang GT4’s first-ever Pilot Challenge victory when he and Jenson Altzman won for MMR at Road America in August. In five races together, Altzman and Cicero also took three pole positions, enough for Altzman to take fourth in the GS Drivers’ Championship.
Noaker replaces fellow Ford Racing Junior Team driver Altzman in the #13 Ford, coming off his undefeated season in the North American Mustang Challenge series. He made a one-off Pilot Challenge debut at Indianapolis in September, driving for KOHR Motorsports and finishing third alongside Le Mans Invitational winner Cameron McLeod.
KOHR Motorsports announces two-car GS effort – and Biffle family tribute for Daytona
Speaking of KOHR Motorsports, the team has confirmed its plans for the upcoming season, running two Ford Mustang GT4s.
Billy Johnson Jnr, the series’ joint-winningest driver, and Bob Michaelian will continue as the drivers of the #59 car, after finishing seventh in the GS drivers’ standings with a pair of third-place runs at Daytona and VIR.
The #60 car, which ran a limited schedule in 2025, will be back for the full-season with a new line-up: 19-year-old Evan Slater, a Trans-Am Series alumni, will join forces with series veteran Ray Mason – a familiar face at KOHR, who’d driven for the team during its days as Rehagen Racing.
It is the latter car that will be the canvas for a touching tribute to NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, his wife Christina, and their children Ryder and Emma – who were among those killed in a private plane accident in Statesville, North Carolina on 18 December.
For the season-opening BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona, the #60 KOHR Mustang GT4 will be styled after the car that Biffle drove to win the 2002 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Championship.
VPX Motorsport joins the series with Leist, Dyszelski
Vince Partap’s VPX Motorsport team will step up from Pirelli GT4 America to IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, entering the #7 Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport for American teenager Danny Dyszelski and former IndyCar Series driver Matheus Leist.
VPX made its full-time GT4 America debut last season after stepping up from the FEL Motorsports’ Sports Car Championship Canada series. Dyszelski and Alex Ellis ran in the Silver class, finishing sixth in the standings with one class podium.
Leist, meanwhile, raced in the Pro-Am class for NOLASPORT, also in a Porsche GT4 – while also running for the same team in Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
“I’m very excited to join VPX for a full season in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge,” said Leist. “We share a long-term vision and a strong commitment to building something successful together. I’m looking forward to teaming up with Danny for this championship and pushing for a very competitive year with multiple wins and podiums.”
Porsche-backed Madeline Stewart joins CSM on three-year deal
Czabok-Simpson Motorsport (CSM) has signed Madeline Stewart of New Zealand to a three-year contract that will see the 25-year-old from New Zealand drive a Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport in Pilot Challenge.
Stewart is a member of the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Programme and has spent the past two seasons in Porsche Carrera Cup North America driving for JDX Racing. She has also competed in the Porsche one-make series in Australia and the Super3 Series.
“This partnership with CSM represents a major step forward in my career,” said Stewart. “This multi-year deal allows us to build momentum with clear intent and work towards long-term goals together. Porsche has been fundamental to my racing journey and continuing with the brand while joining a team entering its third season in the Michelin Pilot Challenge aligns perfectly with where I’m headed. I’m excited to grow with CSM on and off the track and to continue progressing within IMSA at the highest level.”
“Madeline brings proven Porsche experience, professionalism, and strong potential,” said team co-owner Stephen Simpson. “Several of our current drivers are on long term agreements, Madeline fits perfectly within our current driver raster and shares our long-term vision were we want to progress in the future. This three-year commitment allows us to focus on development—both competitively and commercially—and to work toward a shared objective of stepping into the WeatherTech Championship together.”
Stewart will join the returning Morgan Burkhard and Gordon Scully who will team up once again, after a season where they recorded top-ten finishes at Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta.
TCR South America standout Reis joins Stallion Cupra
Finally, Stallion Motorsports has announced that Raphael “Rapinha” Reis will be the second driver of their new #77 Cupra León VZ TCR, partnering with 2025/26 IMSA Diverse Driver Development (D3) Scholarship winner Celso Neto who was already announced as the team’s first driver.
Reis won the 2018 Stock Light Brazil championship, and is the most experienced driver in the brief history of the TCR South America series – finishing top-three in the series standings twice, and climbing up to a career-high 13th in the TCR World Ranking.
“Joining IMSA is a very special moment in my career. The Cupra Leon VZ TCR is a car I know extremely well, and racing it full-time in North America is a great opportunity. Pairing with Celso — who had an outstanding rookie season — makes this project even stronger. I’m ready for Daytona and for a full-season fight.”
Images © IMSA, Ford, SRO, Porsche
