CarBahn Motorsports with Peregrine Racing is eager to embark on its journey to a repeat championship beginning at Daytona International Speedway.
Keeping with tradition the IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge season kicks off at Daytona International Speedway with a four-hour endurance race. The weekend boasts an entry list of 49 cars and features 10 manufactures marking the series as one of the most competitive in North America. The No. 39 Audi R8 GT4 has been masterfully prepared in the offseason to launch a full barrage on its competitors in the fight for the top step of the podium.
While the team took on the tedious task of assembling the race-ready car the drivers have been working equally as hard ensuring they are physically and mentally prepared for the four-hour race. Tyler McQuarrie, Danville, and Jeff Westphal, San Mateo, have spent hours surveying data, studying the 3.56-mile, 12 turn track and discussing car setup to give themselves an edge on the competition. Running as a two-driver lineup as opposed to three means the duo’s minds must stay laser-focused for the entirety of their stint. In a 49-car field, one minuscule mistake in any race can make or break the teams repeat championship pursuit later in the season.
Along with the ultra-competitive field, mandated camber restrictions exclusive to the Audi R8 GT4 made during the off-season have left the drivers and crew concerned about the No. 39’s peak performance this weekend. The championship-winning team is combatting these negative effects by emphasizing perfection in the garage and pitlane this weekend.
The CarBahn Motorsports with Peregrine Racing team arrives at Daytona International Speedway Tuesday, Jan. 21 for the Endurance Challenge at Daytona. The No. 39’s first practice is Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m. ET. The team returns to the track Thursday, Jan. 23 for Practice Two at 9:00 a.m. followed by Practice Three at 11:25 a.m. and qualifying at 12:10 p.m. The green flag falls at 1:00 p.m. ET Friday, January 24 for the first endurance race of the season. You can watch the race live on NBC Track Pass or the rebroadcast Thursday, Feb. 6 at 1:00 p.m. on NBCSN. For more event details visit http://imsa.com.
Quote Board
Jeff Westphal, Driver of the No. 39 CarBahn Motorsports with Peregrine Racing Audi R8 GT4
“Coming off our championship year there are certainly eyeballs on us for a performance,” Westphal said. “Having said that, one of my favorite things in this championship is the depth of field, and I think there’s a lot of cars and driver pairings that are very strong championship contenders. My approach is just to do the best we can, be efficient, makes zero mistakes, and keep scoring points like we did last season.”
“Last year we started with great pace but ran out of fuel during the last lap. As long as we finish ahead of 16th, we’re off to a better start than last year! I enjoy Daytona and its configuration but the Audi R8’s, in particular, got hit with a maximum camber limit that’s 1° less than everybody else, which dramatically affects the car‘s ability through the corners. I don’t think we’ll have a car to win the race but I think we have a top-five car. It’s all about being there at the end.”
Tyler McQuarrie, Driver of the No. 39 CarBahn Motorsports with Peregrine Racing Audi R8 GT4
“Coming into a new season is always interesting,” McQuarrie said. “Every team has spent the off-season making adjustments to their program in hopes to have a better season than the last. Every team also comes into the first round with a clean slate and tied for the championship lead. The difference for us this year is that we had the dream season in 2019 that every other team is hoping for as we head into Daytona. For another team to have a season like that in 2020 they’ll have to beat us first! I feel like we are coming back even more focused and prepared than we ever have been.
“Having said that, Daytona is not the best track for our Audi R8 GT4 but we know from last year that this one race will not define our season or determine the championship. It’s a long year but all we can hope for is a better result at Daytona than we had last year. If we can pull that off, we are off to a better start than we had during our 2019 championship run!”
