APR Motorsport, which has been campaigning an Audi S4 as well as a trio of Volkswagens in the Grand Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, has taken a big step up: this Alabama-based team will be bringing a GT3 Audi R8 LM to Daytona in January to race in the Rolex 24 and the rest of the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car series.
APR Motorsports is the perfect team to introduce the R8 LM to America. The company’s president and CEO, Stephen Hooks, started his racing career in Audis. Hooks moved on to build APR Motorsport into the largest Audi aftermarket and motorsport parts and accessories company in the world, also serving Porsche, VW, Seat, and Skoda.
APR Motorsport was the first to team to race the Audi S4; now it will be the first North American team to campaign Audi’s latest sports car.
The Audi R8 LM has more than 100 international victories to its name, but it has never raced on these shores. APR has eight wins in three seasons in the highly competitive Continental Tire ST class. The combination of the race-proven Audi and APR’s already successful team should result in a real challenge to the Porsches, Mazdas and Chevys which have dominated the Rolex GT class.
APR’s entry into the Rolex Series does not mean the team will abandon Continental Tire. APR will continue its CTSCC program along with its new GT program.
