KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering and Montreal Motorsport Group Name Their Drivers
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering, which won three Touring Car (TCR) races and finished fourth in the class championship in the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, announced that William Tally will join its driver lineup for the 2024 season.
Tally, a full-time orthopedic surgeon in Georgia, will join Tim Lewis Jr. in the No. 5 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce as the Florida-based team returns to the TCR class. Lewis previously ran the last five seasons with Roy Block, who has chosen to step away from racing after the pair collected a historic eight wins with Alfa Romeo and finished as high as second in the championship.
“We have big changes coming in 2024 for our little team,” team principal Louis Milone said. “While Roy Block can never be replaced, we are very excited to welcome Will Tally to partner with Tim Lewis Jr. moving into next season. We watched Will collect championships in the Porsche Club National series and also during his freshman IMSA TCR season. We know he will be a perfect fit to compete for wins and ultimately the championship.
“I really want to thank Roy for his commitment and dedication that helped build our team into a world-class championship contender. Thank you to IMSA and its staff for helping us put together the necessary pieces to bring this program back and to Romeo Ferraris of Milan for supporting us with such a great race car ahead of our sixth season.”
Tally drove in eight Michelin Pilot Challenge races this season with LA Honda World Racing, recording a best finish of second at Daytona International Speedway.
“I’m excited to join Tim on track with KMW Motorsports and TMR Engineering for my sophomore IMSA season,” said Tally. “This year presents a refreshing change to drive with him in the Alfa Romeo instead of trying to chase him down! I’m excited to see how our season unfolds.”
Montreal Motorsport Group Sets Two-Car Honda Civic Roster
Montreal Motorsport Group announced that Karl Wittmer and Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara to pilot the new team’s No. 93 Honda Civic Type R FL5 in the 2024 Michelin Pilot Challenge season, while Louis-Philippe Montour will partner with Bryan Ortiz to pilot the No. 6 Honda.
Wittmer, a multiple Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR race winner and Canadian professional driver, is eager to get the season started alongside Yoshihara, the 2011 Formula Drift Champion, 2020 Pikes Peak Unlimited winner and stunt driver.
“I’m incredibly excited to be driving with MMG in 2024 in the No. 93 FL5 Honda Civic Type R and to be joined by Dai Yoshihara,” Wittmer said. “I can’t wait to get started in Daytona and compete for the IMSA TCR championship. This marks my 14th season driving a Honda product, and I couldn’t be happier about this ongoing relationship.”
Yoshihara looks to build on his first full season of professional racing.
“I love the wheel-to-wheel competition, and I look forward to my debut in the IMSA series alongside an experienced team and back in a Honda,” he said. “Karl has been an integral part of easing me into this form of racing, and I’m excited to continue our partnership in 2024 and a new challenge.”
Montour, another Canadian for the Montreal-based team, is just as excited to team with Ortiz in the No. 6 Honda.
“After 12 years as a race car driver in various racing series in Canada and the United States, I can finally confirm that I will be participating in the IMPC series,” Montour said. “The establishment of this team and program happened quite swiftly and I did not hesitate at all to fully commit to this new adventure when the opportunity was presented to me.”
Ortiz, a former Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America champion, finished seventh in this year’s Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR points, highlighted by a second-place finish for van der Steur Racing in the season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
“I am very excited for this opportunity with MMG in 2024 because I feel we will be very strong in Daytona and all season,” Ortiz said. “I’ve had the privilege to work with this top-notch group of guys this year, making it extremely positive to go back, work together and help them build this new team to a top team very quickly.”
The 2024 Michelin Pilot Challenge season opens with the BMW M Endurance Challenge, a four-hour race Jan. 26 at Daytona International Speedway.